Dynamic print media availability system and method providing information for print job

• US 8,693,039 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2012
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rizzo, Christopher R., Scriven, John A., Sanzgiri, Ashutosh P., Abe, Marvin M., Sponable, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRYAR, JEREMIAH A
• Application Number:
  US13/466,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20130301076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 3/1256 User feedback, e.g. print preview, test print, proofing, pre-flight checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Methods and systems maintain print media stocking information. The print media stocking information comprises types and amounts of print media stored at a plurality of different physical locations. The different physical locations have printing devices and external storage locations. The print media is maintained within internal storage locations of the printing devices and within the external storage locations at the different physical locations. The external storage locations are outside the printing devices and positioned relative to the printing devices a distance to allow an operator to load the print media into the printing devices when instructed to do so. The methods and systems receive a print job from a user. In response to receiving the print job, the methods and systems output to the user the types and amounts of media available at the different physical locations that correspond to print job media required for the print job.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining print media stocking information in at least one computer-readable non-transitory storage device operatively connected to a plurality of computerized devices, said computerized devices including printing devices, said print media stocking information comprising types and amounts of print media stored at a plurality of different physical locations, each of said different physical locations has at least one of said printing devices and has external storage locations, said print media being maintained within internal storage locations of said printing devices at said different physical locations and within said external storage locations at said different physical locations, and said external storage locations being outside said printing devices and positioned relative to said printing devices a distance to allow an operator to load said print media into said printing devices when instructed to do so;

receiving a print job from a user into one of said computerized devices;

in response to said receiving of said print job, evaluating said print job to determine required types and amounts of print media based on requirements of said print job, using said computerized devices;

determining, from the print media stocking information, whether said required types and amounts of print media are available at said different physical locations to produce physical location specific print media availability corresponding to said requirements of said print job, using said computerized devices; and

outputting, to said user from said one of said computerized devices, said physical location specific print media availability corresponding to said requirements of said print job.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising outputting an insufficient print media message from said one of said computerized devices to said user when said print job specifies at least one of said different physical locations in which said internal storage locations and said external storage locations do not contain sufficient amounts of said print media to complete said print job.

3. The method according to claim 1, said maintaining of said print media stocking information comprising tracking said types and amounts of print media actually delivered to and actually used by said printing devices at each of said different physical locations.

4. The method according to claim 1, said maintaining of said print media stocking information comprising estimating said types and amounts of print media delivered to and used by said printing devices at each of said different physical locations.

5. The method according to claim 1, said computerized devices communicating with each other and with said printing devices over a computerized network.

6. A method comprising:

maintaining print media stocking information in at least one computer-readable non-transitory storage device operatively connected to a plurality of computerized devices, said computerized devices including printing devices, said print media stocking information comprising types and amounts of print media stored at a plurality of different physical locations, each of said different physical locations has at least one of said printing devices and has external storage locations, said print media being maintained within internal storage locations of said printing devices at said different physical locations and within said external storage locations at said different physical locations, and said external storage locations being outside said printing devices and positioned relative to said printing devices a distance to allow an operator to load said print media into said printing devices when instructed to do so;

receiving a print job from a user into one of said computerized devices;

in response to said receiving of said print job, evaluating said print job to determine required types and amounts of print media based on requirements of said print job, using said computerized devices;

determining, from the print media stocking information, whether said required types and amounts of print media are available at said different physical locations to produce physical location specific print media availability corresponding to said requirements of said print job, using said computerized devices;

outputting, to said user from said one of said computerized devices, said physical location specific print media availability corresponding to said requirements of said print job;

receiving, from said user into said one of said computerized devices, a selected physical location of said different physical locations to execute said print job; and

when said print media required to execute said print job is not within said internal storage locations of printing devices at said selected physical location, one of said computerized devices instructing said operator to load said print media from a corresponding one of said external storage locations into a corresponding one of said printing devices at said selected physical location.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising outputting an insufficient print media message from said one of said computerized devices to said user when said print job specifies at least one of said different physical locations in which said internal storage locations and said external storage locations do not contain sufficient amounts of said print media to complete said print job.

8. The method according to claim 6, said maintaining of said print media stocking information comprising tracking said types and amounts of print media actually delivered to and actually used by said printing devices at each of said different physical locations.

9. The method according to claim 6, said maintaining of said print media stocking information comprising estimating said types and amounts of print media delivered to and used by said printing devices at each of said different physical locations.

10. The method according to claim 6, said computerized devices communicating with each other and with said printing devices over a computerized network.

11. A system comprising:

a plurality of computerized devices located at a plurality of different physical locations, said computerized devices including printing devices; and

at least one computer-readable non-transitory storage device operatively connected to said computerized devices,

said computer-readable non-transitory storage device maintaining print media stocking information,

said print media stocking information comprising types and amounts of print media stored at said plurality of different physical locations,

each of said different physical locations have at least one of a plurality of printing devices and have external storage locations,

said print media being maintained within internal storage locations of said printing devices at said different physical locations and within said external storage locations at said different physical locations,

said external storage locations being outside said printing devices and positioned relative to said printing devices a distance to allow an operator to load said print media into said printing devices when instructed to do so,

in response to one of said computerized devices receiving a print job from a user, one of said computerized devices determines required types and amounts of print media based on requirements of said print job,

one of said computerized devices determining, from the print media stocking information, whether said required types and amounts of print media are available at said different physical locations to produce physical location specific print media availability corresponding to said requirements of said print job, using said computerized devices,

one of said computerized devices outputting, to said user, said physical location specific print media availability corresponding to said requirements of said print job,

said one of said computerized devices receiving, from said user, a selected physical location of said different physical locations to execute said print job, and

when said print media required to execute said print job is not within said internal storage locations of printing devices at said selected physical location, one of said computerized devices instructs said operator to load said print media from a corresponding one of said external storage locations into a corresponding one of said printing devices at said selected physical location.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising outputting an insufficient print media message from said one of said computerized devices to said user when said print job specifies at least one of said different physical locations in which said internal storage locations and said external storage locations do not contain sufficient amounts of said print media to complete said print job.

13. The system according to claim 11, said maintaining of said print media stocking information comprising tracking said types and amounts of print media actually delivered to and actually used by said printing devices at each of said different physical locations.

14. The system according to claim 11, said maintaining of said print media stocking information comprising estimating said types and amounts of print media delivered to and used by said printing devices at each of said different physical locations.

15. The system according to claim 11, said computerized devices communicating with each other and with said printing devices over a computerized network.

16. A non-transitory computer storage medium readable by a computerized device, said non-transitory computer storage medium storing instructions executable by said computerized device to perform a method comprising:

maintaining print media stocking information, said print media stocking information comprising types and amounts of print media stored at a plurality of different physical locations, each of said different physical locations has at least one of a plurality of printing devices and has external storage locations, said print media being maintained within internal storage locations of said printing devices at said different physical locations and within said external storage locations at said different physical locations, and said external storage locations being outside said printing devices and positioned relative to said printing devices a distance to allow an operator to load said print media into said printing devices when instructed to do so;

receiving a print job from a user;

in response to said receiving of said print job, evaluating said print job to determine required types and amounts of print media based on requirements of said print job;

determining, from the print media stocking information, whether said required types and amounts of print media are available at said different physical locations to produce physical location specific print media availability corresponding to said requirements of said print job;

outputting, to said user, said physical location specific print media availability corresponding to said requirements of said print job;

receiving, from said user, a selected physical location of said different physical locations to execute said print job; and

when said print media required to execute said print job is not within said internal storage locations of printing devices at said selected physical location, instructing said operator to load said print media from a corresponding one of said external storage locations into a corresponding one of said printing devices at said selected physical location.

17. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 16, further comprising outputting an insufficient print media message to said user when said print job specifies at least one of said different physical locations in which said internal storage locations and said external storage locations do not contain sufficient amounts of said print media to complete said print job.

18. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 16, said maintaining of said print media stocking information comprising tracking said types and amounts of print media actually delivered to and actually used by said printing devices at each of said different physical locations.

19. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 16, said maintaining of said print media stocking information comprising estimating said types and amounts of print media delivered to and used by said printing devices at each of said different physical locations.

20. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 16, said method further comprising computerized devices communicating with each other and with said printing devices over a computerized network.