Method and apparatus for prioritizing print jobs from multiple printer input channels
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for dictating the order that print jobs received over multiple data channels of a printer are printed, comprising:
- assigning priority values to data channels of a printer that receive print jobs;
associating the priority value assigned to the data channel of the printer with the print jobs received by the printer at its respective data channel; and
printing the print jobs by the printer in an order corresponding to their associated priority values;
wherein assigning the priority value comprises assigning the priority value upon initialization of a printing device designated for printing the print jobs.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, apparatus and method for dictating the order that print jobs received over multiple data channels are printed. A priority value is assigned to each data channel that receives print jobs. The priority value of the data channel is imparted to each of the print jobs received via its respective data channel. The relative priorities of the print jobs is determined, and the print jobs are printed in an order corresponding to their relative priority values.
-
Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method for dictating the order that print jobs received over multiple data channels of a printer are printed, comprising:
-
assigning priority values to data channels of a printer that receive print jobs; associating the priority value assigned to the data channel of the printer with the print jobs received by the printer at its respective data channel; and printing the print jobs by the printer in an order corresponding to their associated priority values; wherein assigning the priority value comprises assigning the priority value upon initialization of a printing device designated for printing the print jobs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A printing device coupled to receive print jobs transmitted by one or more computing devices, the printing device comprising:
-
a plurality of data channels at a printing device, the plurality of data channels being configured for receiving print jobs, wherein each of the data channels are assigned respective priority values, and wherein the print jobs received at the data channels assumes the priority value of its respective one of the data channels; a compare module coupled to receive the priority values corresponding the received print jobs and to identify the print job exhibiting the highest priority; and a print engine at a printing device, the print engine being configured for printing the print jobs in an order from the highest priority to the lowest priority as identified by the compare module; wherein the assignment of the priority value comprises assigning the priority value upon initialization of a printing device designated for printing the print jobs. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method of dictating the order in which print jobs are printed on a printing device, comprising:
-
providing a plurality of data channels at a printing device to receive print jobs, wherein the data channels receive predefined groups of print job types; assigning a priority value to the data channels of the printing device that receive print jobs by assigning the priority value upon initialization of a printing device designated for printing the print jobs; associating the priority value of the data channels of the printing device with the print jobs received at the respective one of the data channels; determining relative priorities of the print jobs based on their associated priority values; printing the print jobs at the printing device in a sequence corresponding to the relative priorities associated with the print jobs. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A computer-readable program storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a print server system to process print jobs by performing steps comprising:
-
assigning priority values to a plurality of data channels of a printer that receive print jobs by assigning the priority value upon initialization of a printing device designated for printing the print jobs; associating the priority value assigned to each data channel of the printer with print jobs received by the printer at its respective data channel; determining relative priorities of a plurality of print jobs based on their associated priority values; and printing print jobs by the printer in a sequence corresponding to the relative priorities associated with the print jobs.
-
-
30. A printing device coupled to receive print jobs transmitted by one or more computing devices, the printing device comprising:
-
a plurality of data channels at the printing device for receiving the print jobs; means for assigning a priority value to the data channels of the printing device upon initialization of a printing device designated for printing the print jobs; means for attributing the priority value of the data channels of the printing device to the print jobs received via its respective one of the data channels; means for comparing the priority values of the print jobs that are pending, and for identifying the print job exhibiting the highest priority; and means for printing the print jobs by the printing device in an order from the highest priority to the lowest priority. - View Dependent Claims (31)
-
-
32. A method for dictating the order that print jobs received over multiple data channels of a printer are printed, comprising:
-
assigning priority values to data channels of a printer that receive print jobs; associating the priority value assigned to the data channel of the printer with the print jobs received by the printer at its respective data channel; and printing the print jobs by the printer in an order corresponding to their associated priority values; wherein at least one of the data channels is dedicated as an internal print data channel to receive internally-generated print jobs and wherein assigning the priority value to the data channel that receives print jobs comprises assigning the internal print data channel the highest possible priority.
-
-
33. A method of dictating the order in which print jobs are printed on a printing device, comprising:
-
providing a plurality of data channels at a printing device to receive print jobs, wherein the data channels receive predefined groups of print job types; dedicating at least one of the data channels as an internal print data channel to receive internally-generated print jobs; assigning a priority value to the data channels of the printing device that receive print jobs; assigning the internal print data channel the highest possible priority; associating the priority value of the data channels of the printing device with the print jobs received at the respective one of the data channels; determining relative priorities of the print jobs based on their associated priority values; printing the print jobs at the printing device in a sequence corresponding to the relative priorities associated with the print jobs.
-
Specification