Barcode identification system spooler
First Claim
1. In a barcode identification system having a plurality of barcode printers and a plurality of jobs to be printed, said jobs being stored in a memory, a spooler for distributing said plurality of jobs to said printers comprising:
- a plurality of queues, each queue providing a prioritized list of jobs to be printed;
means for assigning said plurality of printers to said plurality of queues, said assigning means being capable of assigning multiple printers to one queue wherein each printer assigned to said one queue need not be capable of printing every job listed in said one queue;
means for determining whether a printer is ready to print a new job;
means responsive to a ready printer determination for searching each of said plurality of queues for the highest priority job capable of being printed on said ready printer; and
means for transferring the highest priority job to said ready printer.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A spooler is shown for a barcode information system. The spooler allows one printer to be assigned to one queue of the spooler, multiple printers to be assigned to a single queue; and a single printer to be assigned to multiple queues. The spooler is flexible in its configuration so as to allow print jobs to be distributed evenly among the various printers of the system. The printers of the system need not be the same and may be incompatible in that they communicate in different languages and/or they do not have the same format options. To minimize processing time, jobs may be terminated while in the process of printing. The jobs can later be restarted at the point in the job at which termination occurred. Further, format and graphic packets previously transmitted to a printer by the spooler for one job are not retransmitted to the same printer for subsequent jobs utilizing those same format and graphic packets so as to increase the efficiency of the system.
104 Citations
29 Claims
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1. In a barcode identification system having a plurality of barcode printers and a plurality of jobs to be printed, said jobs being stored in a memory, a spooler for distributing said plurality of jobs to said printers comprising:
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a plurality of queues, each queue providing a prioritized list of jobs to be printed; means for assigning said plurality of printers to said plurality of queues, said assigning means being capable of assigning multiple printers to one queue wherein each printer assigned to said one queue need not be capable of printing every job listed in said one queue; means for determining whether a printer is ready to print a new job; means responsive to a ready printer determination for searching each of said plurality of queues for the highest priority job capable of being printed on said ready printer; and means for transferring the highest priority job to said ready printer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A barcode identification system comprising:
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a plurality of queues, each queue providing a list of jobs to be printed and each job identifying at least one type of printer that is capable of printing said job; a plurality of printers each assigned to a queue, at least one of said queues having a first printer of a first type and a second printer of a second type assigned thereto, said first and second printer types being incompatible; and a spooler for distributing jobs listed in said queues to said printers, said spooler searching each of said queues for a first job that is capable of being printed by a printer of said first printer type to distribute said first job to said first printer and said spooler searching each of said queues for a second job that is capable of being printed by a printer of said second printer type to distribute said second job to said second printer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A barcode identification system comprising:
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a plurality of queues, each queue providing a prioritized list of jobs to be printed; a plurality of printers each assigned to a queue, at least one of said queues having multiple printers assigned thereto wherein each printer assigned to said one queue need not be capable of printing every job listed in said one queue; and a spooler distributing a job to a printer, said spooler searching each of said queues for the highest priority job capable of being printer by said printer. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification