User interface for an information processing system, with job monitoring
First Claim
1. An information processing system, comprising:
- at least one workstation provided with a processor unit, a screen, and an operator control device, at least one printer, provided with a control unit and an operator control panel, and a digital network to which the at least one workstations and the at least one printers are connected, wherein a workstation is provided with a program personalized for a specific user for communication with a printer for sending print jobs to said printer and calling up or receiving status information from said printer, said program including means for collecting information concerning the status of print jobs of the user from at least one printer, means for maintaining an actualized overview of the print jobs of the user, means for determining and updating a single collective status of a predetermined set of print jobs of the user on the basis of said actualized overview, and means for displaying on the workstation screen a display element indicating said collective status.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an information processing system including workstations and printers interconnected by a network, current collective status information of a set of print jobs of a user is displayed permanently in icon form on the screen of the workstation of the user. The status is presented as one of three possible states: (1) active: there is still at least one print job of the set not ready; (2) passive: all the jobs of the set are ready, or the set is empty; or (3) error: a job of the set has caused an error in the printer. The set can include all the print jobs of a user, or a selection thereof. In response to a double mouse click on an icon, extensive information concerning the print jobs of the set to which the icon relates is displayed. As an alternative to permanent presentation in icon form, presentation can also be in the form of messages on the screen at the user'"'"'s workstation when the status of the set changes.
31 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An information processing system, comprising:
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at least one workstation provided with a processor unit, a screen, and an operator control device, at least one printer, provided with a control unit and an operator control panel, and a digital network to which the at least one workstations and the at least one printers are connected, wherein a workstation is provided with a program personalized for a specific user for communication with a printer for sending print jobs to said printer and calling up or receiving status information from said printer, said program including means for collecting information concerning the status of print jobs of the user from at least one printer, means for maintaining an actualized overview of the print jobs of the user, means for determining and updating a single collective status of a predetermined set of print jobs of the user on the basis of said actualized overview, and means for displaying on the workstation screen a display element indicating said collective status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of processing information in a system, wherein the system includes at least one workstation provided with a screen, at least one printer, and a digital network to which the at least one workstations and the at least one printers are connected, wherein a workstation is provided with a program personalized for a specific user for communication with a printer for sending print jobs to said printer and calling up or receiving status information from said printer, the method comprising the steps of:
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collecting information concerning the status of print jobs of the user from at least one printer;
maintaining an actualized overview of the print jobs of the user;
determining and updating a single collective status of a predetermined set of print jobs of the user on the basis of said actualized overview; and
displaying on the workstation screen a display element indicating said collective status. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A computer program product embodied on at least one computer readable medium accessible by a system for processing information, the system including at least one workstation provided with a screen, at least one printer, and a digital network to which the at least one workstations and the at least one printer are connected, wherein a workstation is provided with a program personalized for a specific user for communication with a printer for sending print jobs to said printer and calling up or receiving status information from said printer, the computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions for:
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collecting information concerning the status of print jobs of the user from at least one printer;
maintaining an actualized overview of the print jobs of the user;
determining and updating a single collective status of a predetermined set of print jobs of the user on the basis of said actualized overview; and
displaying on the workstation screen a display element indicating said collective status. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification