Print job management method and apparatus using virtual queues

• US 20070229895A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Systems Lab Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujimori, Toshiro, Pandit, Rakesh, Harmon, Geoff W., Matsubara, Shigenorl
• Granted Patent: US 8,488,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.160
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1263 based on job priority, e.g. re-arranging the order of jobs, e.g. the printing sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

Print management apparatus and method for managing a print shop system are described. A server defines one or more virtual queues as a virtual printing device to which print jobs may be submitted. Each virtual queue designates a physical printer and has a set of pre-defined job parameters (parameters that define how a print job will be printed) associated with it. Each print job managed by the server also has a set of job parameters associated with it to define how the print job is to be printed. When a print job is submitted to a virtual queue for printing, the server overrides the job parameters of the submitted print job, and prints the job on the printer designated by the virtual queue using the job parameters associated with the virtual queue. A warning message may be displayed before the server proceeds with the printing to alert the operator.

Claims

1. A print management method implemented in a print shop system for managing print jobs, the print shop system including at least one printer, the method comprising:

(a) defining a virtual queue as a printing device, the virtual queue designating one printer and having a first set of at least one job parameter associated with it;

(b) receiving a print job in the virtual queue, the print job having a second set of at least one job parameter associated with it;

(c) comparing the first and the second set of job parameters; and

(d) displaying a message when at least one job parameter in the first set has a value different from a corresponding job parameter in the second set.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) receiving an instruction in response to the display of the message;

(f) if the instruction is an instruction to proceed with printing, replacing values of the second set of at least one job parameter with corresponding values of the first set of at least one job parameter; and

(g) submitting the print job to the printer designated by the virtual queue after replacing the job parameter values.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) receiving an instruction in response to the display of the message;

(f) if the instruction is an instruction to proceed with printing in a virtual queue priority mode, replacing values of the second set of at least one job parameter with corresponding values of the first set of at least one job parameter;

(g) submitting the print job to the printer designated by the virtual queue after replacing the job parameter values; and

(h) if the instruction is an instruction to proceed with printing in an original job priority mode, submitting the print job to the printer designated by the virtual queue without replacing the job parameter values.

4. A print management method implemented in a print shop system for managing print jobs, the print shop system including at least one printer, the method comprising:

(a) defining a virtual queue as a printing device, the virtual queue designating one printer and having a first set of at least one job parameter associated with it;

(b) receiving a print job in the virtual queue, the print job having a second set of at least one job parameter associated with it;

(c) replacing values of the second set of at least one job parameter with corresponding values of the first set of at least one job parameter; and

(d) submitting the print job to the printer designated by the virtual queue after replacing the job parameter values.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

(e) prior to step (c), comparing the first and the second set of job parameters and displaying a warning message when at least one job parameter in the first set has a value different from a corresponding job parameter in the second set.

6. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable code embodied therein for controlling a data processing apparatus in a print shop system, the print shop system including at least one printer connected to the data processing apparatus, the computer readable program code configured to cause the data processing apparatus to execute a process for managing print jobs, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) defining a virtual queue as a printing device, the virtual queue designating one printer and having a first set of at least one job parameter associated with it;

(b) receiving a print job in the virtual queue, the print job having a second set of at least one job parameter associated with it;

(c) comparing the first and the second set of job parameters; and

(d) displaying a message when at least one job parameter in the first set has a value different from a corresponding job parameter in the second set.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the process further comprises:

(e) receiving an instruction in response to the display of the message;

(f) if the instruction is an instruction to proceed with printing, replacing values of the second set of at least one job parameter with corresponding values of the first set of at least one job parameter; and

(g) submitting the print job to the printer designated by the virtual queue after replacing the job parameter values.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the process further comprises:

(e) receiving an instruction in response to the display of the message;

(f) if the instruction is an instruction to proceed with printing in a virtual queue priority mode, replacing values of the second set of at least one job parameter with corresponding values of the first set of at least one job parameter;

(g) submitting the print job to the printer designated by the virtual queue after replacing the job parameter values; and

(h) if the instruction is an instruction to proceed with printing in an original job priority mode, submitting the print job to the printer designated by the virtual queue without replacing the job parameter values.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable code embodied therein for controlling a data processing apparatus in a print shop system, the print shop system including at least one printer connected to the data processing apparatus, the computer readable program code configured to cause the data processing apparatus to execute a process for managing print jobs, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) defining a virtual queue as a printing device, the virtual queue designating one printer and having a first set of at least one job parameter associated with it;

(b) receiving a print job in the virtual queue, the print job having a second set of at least one job parameter associated with it;

(c) replacing values of the second set of at least one job parameter with corresponding values of the first set of at least one job parameter; and

(d) submitting the print job to the printer designated by the virtual queue after replacing the job parameter values.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the process further comprises:

(e) prior to step (c), comparing the first and the second set of job parameters and displaying a warning message when at least one job parameter in the first set has a value different from a corresponding job parameter in the second set.