RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS BETWEEN PRINT JOBS AND PRINTERS IN A PRINT SHOP ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120212771A1
• Filed: 02/23/2011
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Goddard, Joan Stagaman, Kadiyala, Kumar V., Grosan, Cosmin Andrei
• Granted Patent: US 9,367,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/121 Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1237 Print job management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1255 Settings incompatibility, e.g. constraints, user requirements vs. device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1261 by using alternate printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1262 by grouping or ganging jobs
• 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 3/1264 by assigning post-processing resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying conflicts between the requirements of an incoming print job and the configuration of a printer that has been requested to print the job. The system receives a request to move a print job to a queue for a printer and identifies a requirement of the print job. The system analyzes a current and a scheduled configuration of the printer to determine whether the current configuration or the scheduled configuration of the printer can handle the print setting. Responsive to determining that the current and scheduled configuration of the printer cannot handle the print setting, the system analyzes configurations of at least one other printer to identify another printer having a current configuration or a scheduled configuration that can handle the print setting. Further, the system provides information identifying the other printer.

Claims

1. A print server comprising:

an interface system that receives a request to move a print job to a queue for a printer; and

a control system that identifies a print setting of the print job, analyzes a current and a scheduled configuration of the printer and the print setting to determine whether the current configuration or the scheduled configuration of the printer can handle the print setting, and responsive to determining that the current and scheduled configuration of the printer cannot handle the print setting, analyzes configurations of at least one other printer to identify another printer having a current configuration or a scheduled configuration that can handle the print setting, and provides information identifying the other printer.

2. The print server of claim 1, wherein:

the control system determines the current configuration and the scheduled configuration of the printer based on pseudo jobs in the queue for the printer indicating that a type of media loaded at the printer will be changed.

3. The print server of claim 1, wherein:

the control system further identifies each printer managed by the print server that has a current configuration or scheduled configuration that can handle the print setting, and provides information identifying each of the managed printers that can handle the print setting.

4. The print server of claim 3, wherein:

the information identifying each of the managed printers that can handle the print setting is presented to a user at a display device.

5. The print server of claim 1, wherein:

the print setting comprises at least one of a media type of the print job, a post-print processing setting of the print job, a customer name of the print job, an output tray of the print job, or a size of the print job.

6. The print server of claim 1, wherein:

the control system, responsive to determining that neither the current configuration nor the scheduled configuration of the printer can handle the print setting, provides information indicating that the print job will not be moved to the printer.

7. The print server of claim 1, wherein:

the control system further receives input selecting the other printer, and responsive to receiving the input, identifies available locations in a queue for the other printer where other printer can handle the print setting, provides information identifying the available locations in the queue for the other printer, and moves the print job to an available location in the queue for the other printer.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a request to move a print job to a queue for a printer;

identifying a print setting of the print job;

analyzing a current and a scheduled configuration of the printer to determine whether the current configuration or the scheduled configuration of the printer can handle the print setting;

analyzing, responsive to determining that the current and scheduled configuration of the printer cannot handle the print setting, configurations of at least one other printer to identify another printer having a current configuration or a scheduled configuration that can handle the print setting; and

providing information identifying the other printer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the current configuration and the scheduled configuration of the printer are determined based on pseudo jobs in the queue for the printer indicating that a type of media loaded at the printer will be changed.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying each printer managed by the print server that has a current configuration or scheduled configuration that can handle the print setting; and

providing information identifying each of the managed printers that can handle the print setting.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

presenting the information identifying each of the managed printers that can handle the print setting to a user at a display device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the print setting comprises at least one of a media type of the print job, a post-print processing setting of the print job, a customer name of the print job, an output tray of the print job, or a size of the print job.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing information indicating that the print job will not be moved to the requested printer.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving input selecting the other printer;

responsive to receiving the input, identifying available locations in a queue for the other printer where the other printer can handle the print setting;

providing information identifying the available locations in the queue for the other printer; and

moving the print job to an available location in the queue for the other printer.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor, are operable for performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving a request to move a print job to a queue for a printer;

identifying a print setting of the print job;

analyzing a current and a scheduled configuration of the printer to determine whether the current configuration or the scheduled configuration of the printer can handle the print setting;

analyzing, responsive to determining that the current and scheduled configuration of the printer cannot handle the print setting, configurations of at least one other printer to identify another printer having a current configuration or a scheduled configuration that can handle the print setting; and

providing information identifying the other printer.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein:

the current configuration and the scheduled configuration of the printer are determined based on pseudo jobs in the queue for the printer indicating that a type of media loaded at the printer will be changed.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying each printer managed by the print server that has a current configuration or scheduled configuration that can handle the print setting; and

providing information identifying each of the managed printers that can handle the print setting.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

presenting the information identifying each of the managed printers that can handle the print setting to a user at a display device.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein:

the print setting comprises at least one of a media type of the print job, a post-print processing setting of the print job, a customer name of the print job, an output tray of the print job, or a size of the print job.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving input selecting the other printer;

responsive to receiving the input, identifying available locations in a queue for the other printer where the other printer can handle the print setting;

providing information identifying the available locations in the queue for the other printer; and

moving the print job to an available location in the queue for the other printer.