Production server for automated control of production document management

• US 7,065,567 B1
• Filed: 11/03/2000
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Squires, David Forrest, Rai, Sudhendu
• Primary Examiner(s): PWU, JEFFREY C
• Application Number:
  US09/706,078
• Time in Patent Office: 2,055 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/226, 709/203, 358/1.15, 358/115, 717/103, 707/2, 707/10, 718/101
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/124 Parallel printing or parallel ripping
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1275 Print workflow management, e.g. defining or changing a workflow, cross publishing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1282 High volume printer device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

A printing workflow system for coordinating production of document processing jobs among a plurality of cells, where a cell is comprised of at least one device for completing the document processing jobs. The present invention is directed toward further substances in the art as they relate to a print shop comprised of a network of cells to accomplish printing a document processing job. Each cell is comprised of at least one printing device for completing the document processing jobs. The print workflow is further comprised of a workflow mapping module that determines a workflow of one of the many document processing jobs for processing. A job description module for splitting the various document processing jobs into sub-jobs for processing by the printing devices in the cells. A print cell controller at any one of the cells for receiving at least one sub-job and for further split the sub-job into lots for processing among devices in the selected cell. The printing workflow system of the present inventions allows for the distribution of document processing jobs throughout a network environment.

Claims

1. A printing workflow system disposed in a network environment for coordinating production of document processing jobs, said printing workflow system comprising:

a plurality of autonomous cells, wherein each autonomous cell is comprised of a plurality of devices and resources with at least some devices and resources performing distinct operations from one another, and that are configured to be capable of entirely completing at least one type of document processing job within said autonomous cell such that there is no dependence upon other autonomous cells for completing a selected one type of document processing job;

a workflow mapping module that determines workflow for the selected one of said document processing jobs by identifying a sequence of operations needed to be performed to complete the selected document processing job;

a job decomposition module for splitting the selected document processing job into a plurality of autonomous sub-jobs that are accomplished by the autonomous cells, wherein splitting occurs based on determined differences between said sequence of operations of the selected document processing job and further splitting may occur on the autonomous sub-jobs containing the same sequence of operations to facilitate faster completion by using multiple devices;

a cell assignment module for assigning said autonomous sub-jobs to said given ones of the autonomous cells capable of entirely accomplishing said autonomous sub-jobs; and

a product cell controller at a selected one of the given autonomous cells for receiving at least one of said autonomous sub-jobs and for further splitting said at least one autonomous-sub job into lots for processing among said plurality of devices in said selected autonomous cell, wherein a selected device within the plurality of devices and resources uses a kanban based pull control policy to request work by sending authorization to the upstream product cell controllers to supply said device with authorized work.

2. The printing workflow system of claim 1 further comprising a storage device for holding information regarding capacities and capabilities of said cells and for storing information regarding workflow of each document processing job said workflow comprising a sequence of operations needed to be performed to accomplish the selected document processing job.

3. The printing workflow system of claim 2 wherein said product cell controller splits said autonomous sub-jobs into optimal lot sizes determined by analyzing said workflow of said selected document processing job, wherein said document processing sub-job is split into smaller lots for optimal utilization of said autonomous cells such that as one said autonomous cell processes one said lot, another said autonomous cell processes another said lot, simultaneously.

4. The printing workflow system of claim 3 wherein said product cell controller assigns a number of kanbans to said lots as workflow control elements.

5. The printing workflow system of claim 4 wherein said product cell controllers send authorization in the form of kanbans to upstream devices calling for said upstream devices to supply said autonomous cells a with next lot and wherein said assigned kanbans are released as said lots are processed and said assigned kanbans become available for future authorization of future lots.

6. The printing workflow system of claim 2 wherein the workflow mapping module uses said information to determine a workflow for a selected document processing job and the job decomposition module uses said workflow to split said document processing job into autonomous sub-jobs.

7. The printing workflow system of claim 6 wherein the cell assignment module uses said workflow to assign said autonomous sub-jobs to given ones of said autonomous cells capable of accomplishing said sub-job.

8. A method used in a print workflow system disposed in a network environment for coordinating production of document processing jobs, said method comprising:

partitioning document processing devices and resources into a plurality of autonomous cells capable of entirely completing at least one type of document processing job within said autonomous cell such that there is no dependence upon other cells for completing the document processing job;

determining workflow for a selected one of said document processing jobs by identifying a sequence of operations necessary to complete said document processing job;

splitting a selected document processing job into a plurality of autonomous sub-jobs that are able to be entirely accomplished by given ones of the autonomous cells, wherein splitting occurs based on a determined difference between the sequence of operations of the document processing jobs and further splitting selectively occurs on another document processing job containing an identical sequence of operations to facilitate faster completion by using multiple devices;

assigning said document processing sub-jobs to said given ones of the autonomous cells capable of accomplishing a selected one of the autonomous sub-jobs; and

receiving at a selected one of the given cells at least one of the autonomous sub-jobs and further splitting said one autonomous sub-job into lots for processing among devices and resources in said selected autonomous cell, wherein a device within the plurality of devices and resources use a kanban based pull control policy to request work by sending authorization to the upstream product cell controller to supply said device with authorized work;

including,

a) splitting said autonomous sub-job into optimal lot sizes determined by analyzing said workflow of said selected document processing job, whereby said autonomous sub-job is split into smaller lots for optimal utilization of said cell devices;

b) assigning a number of kanbans to said lots as workflow control elements; and

c) sending authorization in the form of kanbans from cell devices to upstream devices calling for said upstream devices to supply said selected cell devices with a next lot and wherein said assigned kanbans are released as said lots are processed and said assigned kanbans become available for future authorization of future lots.

9. The method recited in claim 8 further comprising holding information regarding capacities and capabilities of said cells and for storing information regarding workflow of each document processing job, said workflow being comprised of the sequence of operations needed to be performed to accomplish the selected document processing job.

10. The method recited in claim 9 wherein a job decomposition module uses said determined workflow for the splitting of said document processing job into autonomous sub-jobs.

11. The method recited in claim 10 wherein the assigning the autonomous cells uses said workflow to assign said autonomous sub-jobs to given ones of said autonomous cells capable of accomplishing said autonomous sub-job.