User interface for an information-processing system
First Claim
1. An information processing system comprising:
- at least one workstation in which a processor unit, a screen, and an operator-control device are operatively connected;
a plurality of printers, each, provided with a control unit; and
a digital network to which said workstation and said printers are operatively connected, wherein said workstation is provided with a program personalized for a specific user for communication with at least one of said printers for sending print jobs to said printer and for calling up or receiving status information from said printer, wherein said program includes means for collecting information concerning the status of print jobs of the specific user at a predetermined plurality of said printers, means for updating an actualized list of the print jobs of the specific user, and means for presenting at the workstation screen the actualized list of print jobs of the specific user, including, for each print job, at least an identification of the printer in which that print job is processed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A user interface for an information-processing system having workstations for users and a number of printers on which it is possible to print files made at a workstation, all connected by a network. The print jobs of a user which have been sent to the printers are presented at his workstation in a list in combination with the name of the printer to which they have been sent. This applies to jobs which have not yet been or already have been finished in which the status of the job is also indicated. In this way a user can most efficiently direct his print jobs to an appropriate printer and thereafter track, via an actualized overview, all of his print jobs, their status and location. This permits a user to more readily find, control, and manage his print jobs.
51 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An information processing system comprising:
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at least one workstation in which a processor unit, a screen, and an operator-control device are operatively connected;
a plurality of printers, each, provided with a control unit; and
a digital network to which said workstation and said printers are operatively connected, wherein said workstation is provided with a program personalized for a specific user for communication with at least one of said printers for sending print jobs to said printer and for calling up or receiving status information from said printer, wherein said program includes means for collecting information concerning the status of print jobs of the specific user at a predetermined plurality of said printers, means for updating an actualized list of the print jobs of the specific user, and means for presenting at the workstation screen the actualized list of print jobs of the specific user, including, for each print job, at least an identification of the printer in which that print job is processed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of interfacing with an information processing system having at least one workstation in which a processor unit, a screen, and an operator-control device are operatively connected;
- a plurality of printers, each provided with a control unit; and
a digital network to which the workstation and the printers are operatively connected, the method comprising;providing the workstation with a program personalized for a specific user for communication with at least one of the printers for sending print jobs to the printer and calling up or receiving status information from the printer, wherein said program includes collecting information concerning the status of print jobs of the specific user at a predetermined plurality of the printers;
updating an actualized list of the print jobs of the specific user; and
presenting at the workstation screen the actualized list of print jobs of the specific user, including, for each print job, at least an identification of the printer in which that print job is processed. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- a plurality of printers, each provided with a control unit; and
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13. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a computer-usable medium including computer-readable program code means, embodied therein, for causing a workstation having a processing unit, a screen, and an operator-control device to perform a method of communicating with at least one of a plurality of printers having a control unit and operatively connected to the workstation via a digital network, for sending print jobs to the printer and for calling up or receiving status information from the printer, the computer-readable program code means including computer-readable program code means for collecting information concerning the status of print jobs of a specific user at a predetermined plurality of the printers;
computer-readable program code means for updating an actualized list of the print jobs of the specific user; and
computer-readable program code means for presenting at the workstation screen the actualized list of print jobs of the specific user, including, for each print job, at least an identification of the printer in which that print job is processed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
Specification