Print management system and method based on service cost

• US 8,279,477 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kohli, Harpreet Singh, Pothos, Kirk, Cech, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Worku, Negussie
• Application Number:
  US12/533,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20110026070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/442, 358/402, 358/505, 358/1.13, 358/1.14, 709/209, 709/246, 709/220, 709/232, 709/203, 709/201
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1218 Reducing or saving of used resources, e.g. avoiding waste of consumables or improving usage of hardware resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1261 by using alternate printing

Abstract

A print management system and method for optimizing cost associated with one or more rendering devices (e.g., printers) in a customer environment. A service cost associated with a rendering device can be included in the print management system so that end-users can have the option to perform rendering at a lower service cost rendering device when rendering a complex print document. The service cost and the rendered volume can be recorded by an asset management unit and a helpdesk unit. A real time feedback related to an alternate rendering device can be provided so that the end-user can cancel the current print job and resubmit the print document at the lower cost, comparable, reliable rendering device. Also, automatic job redirection can also be provided by automatically redirecting the rendering job to the lower cost reliable rendering device based on end-user approval or pre-approval.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing cost associated with one or more rendering devices accessible to customers in a customer environment, comprising:

providing a print management system with access to an asset management unit wherein service cost and rendering capabilities for rendering devices are registered;

providing a help desk unit in association with said print management system wherein said help desk unit manages break-fix incidents and records service cost information for each of said rendering devices;

providing a device management unit configured to monitor volume rendered, manage rendering policies and obtain said service cost information from said help desk unit; and

enabling customers with the option to perform rendering at a lower cost rendering device identified by the print management system when the customers are rendering complex documents.

2. The method for optimizing cost associated with one or more rendering devices accessible to customers in a customer environment in claim 1, further comprising providing real time feedback to said customer from said device management unit about lower cost rendering device availability.

3. The method for optimizing cost associated with one or more rendering devices accessible to customers in a customer environment in claim 2, wherein a customer is able to cancel a current print job and alternatively resubmit the current print job to said lower cost rendering device.

4. The method for optimizing cost associated with one or more rendering devices accessible to customers in a customer environment in claim 1, wherein said print management system is programmable to automatically redirect documents for rendering at lower cost rendering devices based on one of prior customer approval and enterprise policies.

5. The method for optimizing cost associated with one or more rendering devices accessible to customers in a customer environment in claim 1, further comprising configuring said help desk to enable customer select rendering of documents at a lower cost rendering device when rendering a complex rendering.

6. The method for optimizing cost associated with one or more rendering devices accessible to customers in a customer environment in claim 1, further comprising intercepting jobs in order to thereafter validate said jobs against enterprise printing policies and recommending at least one lower cost rendering device.

7. The method for optimizing cost associated with one or more rendering devices accessible to customers in a customer environment in claim 6, wherein recommending said at least one lower cost rendering device further comprises canceling a job in order to thereafter resubmit said job to said at least one alternate rendering device at the request of a customer.

8. The method for optimizing cost associated with one or more rendering devices accessible to customers in a customer environment in claim 1, wherein recommending said at least one lower cost rendering device further comprises automatically redirecting said rendering job to said lower cost rendering device regardless of approval from said customer.

9. A method for optimizing service cost associated with the selection of a rendering device, comprising:

configuring a help desk unit to record service cost associated with at least one rendering device and a device management unit to manage at least one print policy wherein said device management unit obtains said service cost information from said helpdesk unit;

enforcing said at least one print policy utilizing a print control software module installed in a rendering server and finding at least one alternate rendering device based on said service cost; and

configuring a rendering client software module to display information related to a rendering job that violates said at least one print policy in order to thereafter recommend said at least one alternate rendering device thereby rendering said rendering job at a lower service cost and comparable rendering device and saving on overall rendering costs.

10. The method for optimizing service cost associated with the selection of a rendering device in claim 9, wherein said at least one print policy comprises a rendering job redirection policy.

11. The method for optimizing service cost associated with the selection of a rendering device in claim 9, further comprising installing said rendering client software on a plurality of end-user workstations.

12. The method for optimizing service cost associated with the selection of a rendering device in claim 9, wherein configuring a help desk unit to record a service cost associated with at least one rendering device, further comprises:

configuring said service cost in order to perform rendering at said lower service cost rendering device when rendering a complex rendering job by an end-user.

13. The method for optimizing service cost associated with the selection of a rendering device in claim 9, further comprising managing said help desk unit and said device management unit by an organization that provides at least one print management service in order to provide said at least one service cost based feedback to said end-user.

14. The method for optimizing service cost associated with the selection of a rendering device in claim 9, further comprising intercepting said rendering job in order to thereafter validate said rendering job against said at least one print policy.

15. The method for optimizing service cost associated with the selection of a rendering device in claim 9, wherein recommending said at least one alternate rendering device, further comprises:

canceling said rendering job in order to thereafter resubmit aid rendering job to said at least one alternate rendering device by said end-user.

16. The method for optimizing service cost associated with the selection of a rendering device in claim 9, wherein recommending said at least one alternate rendering device, further comprises:

automatically redirecting said rendering job to said lower service cost comparable rendering device after approval from said end-user.

17. The method for optimizing service cost associated with the selection of a rendering device in claim 9, wherein said configuring said device management unit to remotely access said at least one print policy wherein said at least one print policy periodically accessed by said print control software to make a decision based on a notification regarding said lower service cost rendering device.

18. The method for optimizing service cost associated with the selection of a rendering device in claim 9, further comprising recording said end-user decision based on said at least one service cost saving interaction by said print management system in order to track how often said at least one print policy is triggered.

19. A system for optimizing cost associated with one or more rendering devices accessible to customers in a customer environment, comprising:

a print management system including electronic access to a device management unit wherein service cost and rendering capabilities for rendering devices are registered; and

a help desk unit operationally associated with said print management system to facilitate customer access to rendering devices registered with said device management unit through said print management system;

wherein said print management system and help desk unit enable customers to optionally perform rendering at lower cost rendering devices identified by the device management unit when the customers are rendering complex documents.