System for maintaining a cache of printer-readable prioritized content

• US 20080198399A1
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Jacques, Robert St.
• Granted Patent: US 8,395,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1212 achieving reduced delay between job submission and print start
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

A system for prioritizing a cache of print jobs associated with at least one print driver includes a workstation having a processing unit and at least one print driver having a processing unit, that interface via a network. The workstation implements a print job request for a document and determines whether a document key identifier associated with the document exists. If not, a key is created. If a printer-readable format for a document associated with the key identifier is stored in or is pre-existing in one of at least two caches, the print driver assigns a prioritization identifier to the format. The system retrieves the printer-readable format from the cache to produce a print job output. Since the cache stores the document in printer-readable format, overall printing time is reduced. The format may be moved from one cache to another depending upon priority. The corresponding method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for prioritizing a cache of print jobs associated with at least one print driver, the system comprising:

a workstation having a processing unit;

at least one print driver having a processing unit, the workstation and the at least one print driver configured for interfacing via a network, and

wherein the processing unit of the workstation has a set of programmable instructions configured for;

implementing a print job request for a document; and

determining whether a document key identifier associated with the document exists, wherein if no document key identifier exists, creating a document key identifier associated with the document; and

wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver has a set of programmable instructions configured for;

determining whether a printer-readable format for a document associated with the document key identifier is stored in at least one of at least two caches configured for interfacing with the workstation and with the at least one print driver via the network.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for assigning a prioritization identifier to the printer-readable format if a printer-readable format for a document associated with the document key identifier is stored in the at least one of the at least two caches.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

retrieving the printer-readable format corresponding to the document associated with the document key identifier from the at least one of the at least two caches; and

producing a print job output from the printer-readable format.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

processing the print job request as a print job request for a novel printer-readable format by creating a document key identifier associated with the document; and

converting the document into a printer-readable format when a printer-readable format corresponding to the document associated with the document key identifier is not stored in the at least one of the at least two caches.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

assigning a prioritization identifier to the printer-readable format; and

storing in the at least one of the at least two caches, for the document, at least one of the document key identifier associated with the document;

the prioritization identifier assigned to the printer-readable format; and

the printer-readable format corresponding to the document and the document key identifier.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

storing in the at least one of the at least two caches, for the document, at least one of the document key identifier associated with the document;

the prioritization identifier assigned to the printer-readable format; and

the printer-readable format corresponding to the document and the document key identifier.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the at least two caches comprises a first cache and a second cache, and wherein the printer-readable format is stored in the first cache, the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

at least one of copying and moving the printer-readable format to the second cache if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has been met for the printer-readable format.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein the at least two caches comprises a first cache and a second cache, and wherein the printer-readable format is stored in the first cache, the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

removing the printer-readable format from the first cache if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has not been met for the printer-readable format.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the at least two caches comprises a first cache and a second cache, and wherein the printer-readable format is stored in the first cache, the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

at least one of copying and moving the printer-readable format to the second cache if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has been met for the printer-readable format; and

wherein the printer-readable format is stored in one of the at least two caches, the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for;

removing the printer-readable format from the one of the at least two caches if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has not been met for the printer-readable format.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

retrieving the printer-readable format corresponding to the document associated with the document key identifier from the at least one cache; and

producing a print job output from the printer-readable format.

11. A workstation for prioritizing a cache of print jobs associated with at least one print driver, the workstation having a processing unit,

wherein the workstation is configured for interfacing with at least one print driver via a network, and

wherein the processing unit of the workstation has a set of programmable instructions configured for:

implementing a print job request for a document; and

determining whether a document key identifier associated with the document exists, wherein if no document key identifier exists, creating a document key identifier.

12. At least one print driver for prioritizing a cache of print jobs, the at least one print driver configured for interfacing with a workstation having a processing unit;

the workstation and the at least one print driver configured for interfacing via a network,

wherein the processing unit of the workstation has a set of programmable instructions configured for;

implementing a print job request for a document; and

determining whether a document key identifier associated with the document exists, wherein if no document key identifier exists, creating a document key identifier; and

wherein the at least one print driver has a set of programmable instructions configured for;

determining whether a printer-readable format associated with the document key identifier is stored in one of at least two caches configured for interfacing with the workstation and with the at least one print driver via the network.

13. The at least one print driver according to claim 12 wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for assigning a prioritization identifier to the printer-readable format if a printer-readable format for a document associated with the document key identifier is stored in the at least one of the at least two caches.

14. The at least one print driver according to claim 13 wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

retrieving the printer-readable format corresponding to the document associated with the document key identifier from the at least one of the at least two caches; and

producing a print job output from the printer-readable output.

15. The at least one print driver according to claim 12, wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

processing the print job request as a print job request for a novel printer-readable format by creating a document key identifier associated with the document; and

converting the document into a printer-readable format, when a printer-readable format corresponding to the document associated with the document key identifier is not stored in the at least one of the at least two caches.

16. The at least one print driver according to claim 15, wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

assigning a prioritization identifier to the printer-readable format; and

storing in the at least one of the at least two caches, for the document, at least one of the document key identifier associated with the document, the prioritization identifier associated with the document, and the printer-readable format corresponding to the document and the document key identifier.

17. The at least one print driver according to claim 13, wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

storing in the at least one of the at least two caches, for the document, at least one of the document key identifier associated with the document, the prioritization identifier assigned to the printer-readable format, and the printer-readable format corresponding to the document and the document key identifier.

18. The at least one print driver according to claim 16, wherein the at least two caches comprises a first cache and a second cache, and wherein the printer-readable format is stored in the first cache, the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

at least one of copying and moving the printer-readable format to the second cache if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has been met for the printer-readable format.

19. The at least one print driver according to claim 16, wherein the at least two caches comprises a first cache and a second cache, and wherein the printer-readable format is stored in the first cache, the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

removing the printer-readable format from the first cache if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has not been met for the printer-readable format.

20. The at least one print driver according to claim 17, wherein the at least two caches comprises a first cache and a second cache, and wherein the printer-readable format is stored in the first cache, the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

at least one of copying and moving the printer-readable format to the second cache if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has been met for the printer-readable format; and

wherein the printer-readable format is stored in one of the at least two caches, the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for;

removing the printer-readable format from the one of the at least two caches if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has not been met for the printer-readable format.

21. The at least one print driver according to claim 16, wherein the processing unit of the at least one print driver further comprises a set of programmable instructions configured for:

retrieving the printer-readable format corresponding to the document associated with the document key identifier from the at least one cache; and

producing a print job output from the printer-readable format.

22. A method for prioritizing a cache of print jobs associated with at least one print driver, the method comprising:

implementing a print job request for a document;

determining whether a document key identifier associated with the document exists, wherein if no document key identifier exists, creating a document key identifier; and

determining whether a printer-readable format for a document associated with the document key identifier is stored in at least one of at least two caches.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein if a printer-readable format for a document associated with the document key identifier is stored in the at least one of the at least two caches, the method further comprises:

assigning a prioritization identifier to the printer-readable format for the document associated with the document key identifier.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

retrieving the printer-readable format corresponding to the document associated with the document key identifier from the at least one of the at least two caches; and

producing a print job output from the printer-readable format.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein if a printer-readable format corresponding to the document associated with the document key identifier is not stored in the at least one of the at least two caches, the method further comprises:

processing the print job request as a print job request for a novel printer-readable format by creating a document key identifier associated with the document; and

converting the document into a printer-readable format.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

assigning a prioritization identifier to the printer-readable format; and

storing in the at least one of the at least two caches, for the document, at least one of the document key identifier associated with the document, the prioritization identifier assigned to the printer-readable format, and the printer-readable format corresponding to the document and the document key identifier.

27. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

storing in the at least one of the at least two caches, for the document, at least one of the document key identifier associated with the document, the prioritization identifier assigned to the printer-readable format, and the printer-readable format corresponding to the document and the document key identifier.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the at least two caches comprises a first cache and a second cache, wherein if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has been met for the printer-readable format, and wherein the printer-readable format is stored in the first cache, the method further comprises:

at least one of copying and moving the printer-readable format to the second cache.

29. The method according to claim 26, wherein the at least two caches comprises a first cache and a second cache, wherein if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has not been met for the printer-readable format, and wherein the printer-readable format is stored in the first cache, the method further comprises:

removing the printer-readable format from the first cache.

30. The method according to claim 27, wherein the at least two caches comprises a first cache and a second cache, and wherein if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has been met for the printer-readable format, and wherein the printer-readable format is stored in the first cache, the method further comprises:

at least one of copying and moving the printer-readable format to the second cache; and

wherein if a priority threshold for the prioritization identifier has not been met for the printer-readable format, and wherein the printer-readable format is stored in one of the at least two caches, the method further comprises;

removing the printer-readable format from the one of the at least two caches.

31. The method according to claim 26, further comprising:

retrieving the printer-readable format corresponding to the document associated with the document key identifier from the at least one cache; and

producing a print job output from the printer-readable format.