METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED OPERATION OF NETWORKED PRINTING SYSTEM

• US 20080246986A1
• Filed: 04/04/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Scrafford, Matthew, Bouchard, Guillaume, Pothos, Kirk, Ciriza, Victor, Kammerdiener, Shawn, Ragnet, Francois, Valobra, Pascal, Marquie, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 9,329,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1213 at an intermediate node or at the final node
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1218 Reducing or saving of used resources, e.g. avoiding waste of consumables or improving usage of hardware resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1232 Transmitting printer device capabilities, e.g. upon request or periodically
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1261 by using alternate printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00222 details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing

Abstract

Methods and systems are presented for performing one or more printer device management functions in a network, in which affinities between printers are determined from job tracking data to indicate associations between printer devices and user devices, and the affinity data is used to perform one or more printer management functions such as determining printer connections for new or roaming user devices, print job redirection, and identification of underutilized printer device assets.

Claims

1. A method for managing printer devices connected to a network, the method comprising:

gathering job tracking data for print jobs in the network;

determining affinity data indicating associations between printer devices and user devices based on the job tracking data; and

performing at least one printer device management action based at least partially on the affinity data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing at least one printer device management action comprises assessing printer device utilization based at least partially on the affinity data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising selectively redirecting users of low affinity printer devices to higher affinity printer devices based at least partially on the affinity data and removing low affinity printer devices from the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing at least one printer device management action comprises identifying at least one alternate printer device for a print job directed to an unavailable printer device based at least partially on the affinity data and selectively redirecting the print job to an alternate printer device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising prompting a user with a choice of the at least one alternate printer device for the print job, and redirecting the print job to a selected alternate printer device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing at least one printer device management action comprises identifying at least one suitable printer device for supporting printing services to a new or roaming user device base at least partially on the affinity data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one suitable printer device is identified based on affinity data for at least one other user device in the network having one or more comparable operating characteristics.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more comparable operating characteristics include at least one of similar IP address, user credentials, document type, requested media size, operating system, document color, page count, duplexing conditions, and finishing options.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining affinity data indicating associations between printer devices and user devices based on the job tracking data includes tracking job redirections to quantify the propensity for user devices utilizing a first printer to also utilize a second printer.

10. A networked printing system comprising:

a plurality of user devices operably coupled with a network;

a plurality of printer devices operably coupled with the network; and

a printer device manager component operatively coupled with the network, the printer device manager operative to determine affinity data indicating associations between printer devices and user devices based on job tracking data, and to perform at least one printer device management action based at least partially on the affinity data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the printer device manager component assesses printer device utilization based at least partially on the affinity data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the printer device manager component selectively redirects users of low affinity printer devices to higher affinity printer devices based at least partially on the affinity data.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the printer device manager component identifies at least one alternate printer device for a print job directed to an unavailable printer device based at least partially on the affinity data and selectively redirects the print job to an alternate printer device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the printer device manager component prompts a user with a choice of the at least one alternate printer device for the print job and redirects the print job to a selected alternate printer device.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the printer device manager component identifies at least one suitable printer device for supporting printing services to a new or roaming user device base at least partially on the affinity data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the printer device manager component identifies the at least one suitable printer device based on affinity data for at least one other user device in the network having one or more comparable operating characteristics.

17. A printer device manager system for managing printer devices connected to a network, comprising:

an affinity component operative to gather job tracking data for print jobs in the network and to determine affinity data indicating associations between printer devices and user devices based on the job tracking data; and

at least one printer device management component operative to perform a printer device management action based at least partially on the affinity data.

18. The printer device manager system of claim 17, wherein the printer device manager component assesses printer device utilization based at least partially on the affinity data.

19. The printer device manager system of claim 17, wherein the printer device manager component identifies at least one alternate printer device for a print job directed to an unavailable printer device based at least partially on the affinity data and selectively redirects the print job to an alternate printer device.

20. The printer device manager system of claim 17, wherein the printer device manager component identifies at least one suitable printer device for supporting printing services to a new or roaming user device base at least partially on the affinity data.