Printer dynamically tracking print jobs and method of tracking print jobs

• US 8,139,246 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2006
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Infoprint Solutions Company LLC (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Inventors: Carney, Dennis Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Fan
• Application Number:
  US11/462,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20080030765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,052 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1207 resulting in the user being informed about print result after a job submission
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1259 Print job monitoring, e.g. job status
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1273 Print job history, e.g. logging, accounting, tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

A printer and method of managing print jobs in the printer. Print job locations are identified in the printer. Each print job being printed is always in at least one of the print job locations and the locations are monitored for entering and exiting jobs. The printer includes a job location mask for each print job. Each bit location in the job location mask corresponds to one of the print job locations and a set bit indicates the presence of a print job in a corresponding print job location. As a print job enters a location, the location issues a call and the job location mask is updated to reflect the presence of the print job in that location.

Claims

1. A printer comprising:

a plurality of physical print job location units, the printer passing each print job being printed through ones of said plurality of physical print job location units;

a processor controlling a job location monitor monitoring each of said plurality of print job locations;

a job location mask for said each print job, each bit location in each said job location mask indicating the presence of a print job in a corresponding one of said plurality of print job locations, said job location monitor updating said job location mask responsive to a respective print job location indicating the presence of said print job; and

a job location table stored in memory and including a plurality of job location masks, the number of said plurality of job location masks being at least the same as the number of print jobs traversing said printer, said job location table indicating the current location of all print jobs traversing said printer, wherein each of said plurality of print job locations indicates when a print job is entering and exiting and whenever said number of print jobs traversing said printer is fewer than said number of said plurality of job location masks, said each bit location in each available said job location mask indicates the absence of a print job.

2. A printer as in claim 1, each job location mask is n bits wide, where n is the number of job locations, the state of said each job location mask indicating a current location of a respective one of a plurality of print jobs traversing the printer by the contents of the corresponding bit location in the respective job location mask.

3. A printer as in claim 2, further comprising a local store, said job location table being in said local store.

4. A printer as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of physical print job location units include an initial location, a plurality of print spools, a plurality of printer components and a plurality of physical printer locations.

5. A printer as in claim 4, wherein said plurality of print spools comprise a raw spool and a rip spool.

6. A printer as in claim 4, wherein said plurality of printer components comprise a despooling component, an interpreting component and a mechanical print component.

7. A printer as in claim 4, wherein said plurality of physical printer locations comprise a paper path and a paper stacker.

8. A printer comprising:

a plurality of physical print job processing location units, the printer passing each print job being printed through ones of said plurality of physical print job processing location units;

means for issuing a call in each of said plurality of physical print job processing location units, said call indicating a print job is entering a respective print job processing location;

means for monitoring print jobs traversing said plurality of physical print job processing location units; and

means for storing a job location table with a job location mask for said each print job, each bit location in each said job location mask indicating the presence of a print job in a corresponding one of said plurality of physical print job processing location units, said means for monitoring print jobs updating a respective said job location mask responsive to a call issued from a respective print job processing location, said job location table indicating the current location of all print jobs traversing said printer, wherein each of said means for issuing a call further issues a call when a print job is exiting said respective physical print job processing location unit and whenever said number of print jobs traversing said printer is fewer than said number of said plurality of job location masks, said each bit location in each available said job location mask in said job location table indicates the absence of a print job.

9. A printer as in claim 8, each job location mask is n bits wide, where n is the number of job locations, the state of said each job location mask indicating a current location of a respective one of a plurality of print jobs traversing the printer by the contents of the corresponding bit location in the respective job location mask.

10. A printer as in claim 8, wherein said plurality of physical print job processing location units include an initial location, a plurality of print spools, a plurality of printer components and a plurality of physical printer locations.

11. A printer as in claim 10, wherein said plurality of print spools comprise a raw spool and a rip spool.

12. A printer as in claim 10, wherein said plurality of printer components comprise a despooling component, an interpreting component and a mechanical print component.

13. A printer as in claim 10, wherein said plurality of physical printer locations comprise a paper path and a paper stacker.

14. A method of managing print jobs passing through a printer said method comprising the printer:

monitoring each of a plurality of printer locations in said printer for the presence of a print job, wherein said plurality of printer locations may be simultaneously occupied by multiple print jobs;

setting a corresponding bit in a job location mask in a job location table for a respective said print job as said respective print job enters a corresponding one of said plurality of printer locations, each said job location mask including a corresponding bit for each of said plurality of job locations;

resetting said corresponding bit as each said respective print job exits said corresponding one of said plurality of printer locations, said job location table indicating the current location of all print jobs traversing said printer and whenever the number of print jobs traversing said printer is fewer than the number of said plurality of job location masks, each bit location in each available said job location mask indicates the absence of a print job; and

returning to monitoring.

15. A method as in claim 14, before monitoring, the printer defining said plurality of printer locations in said printer and setting said corresponding bit comprises setting multiple bits for a print job occupying multiple respective locations.

16. A method as in claim 14, before monitoring, the printer:

receiving a print job;

issuing a call indicating that the received said print job is in an initial location; and

adding a respective said job location mask indicating that said print job is in said initial location.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein when a print job completes resetting comprises the printer resetting all locations in the respective bit location for the respective job location mask in said job location table.

18. A method as in claim 14, before resetting, the printer:

checking whether said print job is in an initial location; and

whenever said print job is in said initial location,

returning to monitoring.