System and method for managing a print job in a printing system

• US 8,842,313 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Harrington, Steven J
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tzeng, Michael Y
• Application Number:
  US12/261,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20100110472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,154 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5075 Remote control machines, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1258 by updating job settings at the printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

There is disclosed a system and method of processing a document corresponding with a printable format in a print path. A browser, communicating with a user interface (having a display) and a network, is used to access a services interface, the services interface including at least one selectable service available by way of the network. A browser activating system, communicating with the browser and a print driver, is used to open the browser to display the at least one selectable service of the services interface on the user interface display. Responsive to selecting the at least one selectable service from the displayed services interface, the at least one selectable service is applied to the document corresponding with the printable format.

Claims

1. A print job processing system for use with a document processing system, comprising:

a client workstation;

a web server operatively connected to said client workstation through a network, said web server including a list of selectable custom printing related services; and

a multifunctional printing device, operatively connected to said client workstation through the network, having a scanner and a printer, said multifunctional printing device having selectable printing related services, said selectable custom printing related services of said webserver being distinct from said selectable printing related services of said multifunctional printing device, said multifunctional printing device being unable to provide said selectable custom printing related services;

said client workstation including,

a memory for storing a document having an internal format, the internal format corresponding to an application executed by said client workstation,

a print driver, communicating with said memory, for converting the document having the internal formal into a corresponding document having a printable format,

a display,

a user interface, and

a browser, communicating with said user interface, said display, and the network, for accessing a services interface associated with said web server, the services interface including said selectable custom printing related services available, by way of the network, from said web server;

said print driver, in response to a user, through said user interface, initiating a print operation in an application being executed by said client workstation, causing said display to display a print operation window, the print operation window including a browser activating area in the print operation window;

said print driver, through the print operation window on said display, enabling selection of said selectable printing related services of said multifunctional printing device;

said printer driver, in response to user interaction relating to selection of printing related services of said multifunctional printing device, identifying selected printing related services of said multifunctional printing device;

said browser, in response to user interaction with said browser activating area, causing said display to display a browser window, the browser window enabling selection of said selectable custom printing related services of said webserver;

said client workstation, in response to user interaction relating to selection of selectable custom printing related services of said webserver, causing the selected custom printing related service of said webserver to be applied to the corresponding document having the printable format;

said client workstation closing the browser window after the selected custom printing related service of said webserver are applied to the corresponding document having the printable format and causing said display to display the print operation window;

said printer driver forming a print job, after the selected custom printing related service of said webserver have been applied to the corresponding document, the print job including the corresponding document having the printable format with the selected custom printing related service applied thereto and identification of selected printing related services of said multifunctional printing device;

said client workstation transmitting the print job to said multifunctional printing device;

said multifunctional printing device receiving the transmitted print job and applying the identified selected printing related services of said multifunctional printing device to the corresponding document having the printable format with the selected custom printing related service applied thereto;

said multifunctional printing device printing, after applying the identified selected printing related services of said multifunctional printing device, the print job.

2. A print job processing system for use with a document processing system, comprising:

a client workstation;

a web server operatively connected to said client workstation through a network, said web server including a list of selectable custom printing related services; and

a multifunctional printing device, operatively connected to said client workstation through the network, having a scanner and a printer, said multifunctional printing device having selectable printing related services, said selectable custom printing related services of said webserver being distinct from said selectable printing related services of said multifunctional printing device, said multifunctional printing device being unable to provide said selectable custom printing related services;

said client workstation including,

a memory for storing a document having an internal format, the internal format corresponding to an application executed by said client workstation,

a print driver, communicating with said memory, for converting the document having the internal formal into a corresponding document having a printable format, said printer driver being initiated by an application being executed by said client workstation,

a display, and

a user interface;

said print driver, in response to a user, through said user interface, initiating a print operation in an application being executed by said client workstation, causing a browser window to be displayed on said display, the browser window enabling access to a services interface associated with said web server, the services interface including said selectable custom printing related services available, by way of the network, from said web server the browser window enabling selection of said selectable custom printing related services of said webserver;

said client workstation, in response to user interaction relating to selection of selectable custom printing related services of said webserver, causing the selected custom printing related service of said webserver to be applied to the corresponding document having the printable format;

said print driver causing said user interface and said display to enable selection of said selectable printing related services of said multifunctional printing device;

said printer driver, in response to user interaction causing selection of selectable printing related services of said multifunctional printing device, identifying selected printing related services of said multifunctional printing device;

said printer driver forming a print job, after the selected custom printing related service of said webserver have been applied to the corresponding document, the print job including the corresponding document having the printable format with the selected custom printing related service applied thereto and identification of selected printing related services of said multifunctional printing device;

said client workstation transmitting the print job to said multifunctional printing device;

said multifunctional printing device receiving the transmitted print job and applying the identified selected printing related services of said multifunctional printing device to the corresponding document having the printable format with the selected custom printing related service applied thereto;

said multifunctional printing device printing, after applying the identified selected printing related services of said multifunctional printing device, the print job.