System and method for print system monitoring

• US 7,265,819 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Raney, Alan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Kimberly
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baker; Charlotte M.
• Application Number:
  US09/728,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20020063880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,469 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.1, 358/1.9, 358/1.13, 358/1.16, 358/1.17, 358/1.12, 358/1.14, 358/2.1, 358/1.2, 399/8, 399/9, 714/4, 714/46, 714/100, 714/1
• 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 3/121 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 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for monitoring a print system. The system includes a print system monitor that is adapted for communicating with components of the print system, collecting health information regarding the operation of the print system components, compiling the health information regarding the operation of the print system components, and conveying the health information regarding the operation of the print system components and print system as a whole together to a user. Normally, the print system monitor is in communication with each component of the print system such that information as to operation of each component of the print system can be conveyed together to the user. Operating in this manner, the print system monitor automatically provides important information as to each component of the print system and the system as a whole for purposes of rectifying and avoiding printing problems.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a print system, comprising:

communicating with each of a spooler, a print queue, and a despooler of the print system using a print system monitor;

collecting non-failure related health information regarding operation of each of the spooler, the print queue, and the despooler using the print system monitor;

compiling the health information regarding the operation of each of the spooler, the print queue, and the despooler using the print system monitor; and

conveying using the print system monitor the health information regarding the operation of each of the spooler, the print queue, and the despooler to a user in a single interface that provides a snapshot of the health of the print system such that the user can identify conditions that may adversely affect print system performance by referencing the interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the print system monitor automatically sending a warning message to a remote service provider when the health of any print system component falls below a predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the print system monitor executes on a print server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with device monitoring software of a computing device using the print system monitor, wherein the device monitoring software tracks performance of communications sent by the computing device, and further conveying communication performance information to the user with the interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein conveying communication performance information comprises conveying information about how often signals transmitted by the computing device are interrupted during transmission.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting non-failure related health information comprises communicating with a despooler and receiving from the despooler information about the time it takes to transfer print data from a print queue to a printer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting non-failure related health information comprises receiving from the print queue information about an available capacity of the print queue.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the print system monitor displaying a pop-up message to the user when the health of any print system component falls below a predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the print system monitor sending an email message to the user when the health of any print system component falls below a predetermined threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving information from a remote service provider regarding print system performance.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting non-failure related health information comprises receiving from the spooler information about a duration of time required to spool files.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting non-failure related health information comprises receiving from the spooler information about a speed with which print jobs are received versus sent to a print queue.

13. A print system, comprising:

a spooler;

a print queue;

a despooler; and

a print system monitor in communication with each of the spooler, print queue, and despooler and configured to collect non-failure related health information as to operation of each of the spooler, print queue, and despooler, the print system monitor further configured to convey the health information to a user in a single interface that provides a snapshot of the health of the print system such that the user can identify conditions that may adversely affect print system performance by referencing the interface.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the print system monitor is further in communication with device monitoring software that executes on a user computing device and that tracks performance of communications sent by the computing device, wherein the print system monitor is further configured to convey communication performance information to the user with the interface.

15. A computer-readable memory comprising:

logic configured to communicate with each of a spooler, a print queue, and a despooler of a print system using a print system monitor;

logic configured to collect non-failure related health information regarding operation of each of the spooler, the print queue, and the despooler using the print system monitor;

logic configured to compile the health information regarding the operation of each of the spooler, the print queue, and the despooler using the print system monitor; and

logic configured to convey the health information regarding the operation of each of the spooler, the print queue, and the despooler using the print system monitor to a user in a single interface that provides a snapshot of the health of the print system such that the user can identify conditions that may adversely affect print system performance by referencing the interface.

16. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein the logic configured to convey the health information is configured to convey information about a duration of time required to spool files.

17. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein the logic configured to convey the health information is configured to convey information about a speed with which print jobs are received versus sent to a print queue.

18. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein the logic configured to convey the health information is configured to convey information about how often signals transmitted by the computing device are interrupted during transmission.

19. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein the logic configured to convey the health information is configured to convey information about an available capacity of the print queue.

20. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein the logic configured to convey the health information is configured to convey information about the time it takes to transfer print data from a print queue to a printer.