Cloud-based printing managing system and method
AssigneeKYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
InventorMichael Ong Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for managing print jobs among a plurality of printing devices. At least one desktop client is disclosed in the methods and systems. The at least one desktop client includes a database storing a desktop client application and a processor configured to collect data, transmit/receive data with a cloud-based server, choose a suitable printing device and direct a print job to the suitable printing device. The at least one desktop client can be a computing device, a mobile device, or a local server. The at least one desktop device may also be a multiple-function printing device (MFP).
Claims18
A method for distributing and controlling print jobs among a number of printing devices, the method comprising:
- registering at least one computing device as at least one desktop client of a cloud-based server, wherein the at least one desktop client is installed with a desktop client application after registration and communicates with the cloud-based server and at least one of the number of printing device to collect data and provide commands;
- collecting print driver capabilities from the number of printing devices;
- creating a printer profile for each of the number of the printing devices based on the collected print drive capabilities;
- saving the printer profile of each of the number of printing devices at the cloud-based server;
- searching the printer profiles saved in the cloud-based server to look for at least one printing device that is suitable to perform a print job in a print job queue when the print job queue exists;
- scanning applications supported by the at least one desktop client;
- uploading documents that can be accessible and printable by the number of printing devices to the cloud-based server;
- and
- downloading a document corresponding to the print job to a suitable printing device for printing,
- wherein the desktop client application is installed to a memory of the at least one computing device as the at least one desktop client, wherein the desktop client application is configured to, when executed by a processor of the at least one desktop client, collect information regarding the printer driver capabilities from the number of printing devices and send the collected information to the cloud-based server.
A system for distributing and controlling print jobs among a number of printing devices, the system comprising:
- a cloud-based server, comprising a storage for storing a number of documents that is accessible and printable by the number of printing device;
- the number of printing devices, including at least one un-registered printing devices of the cloud-based server and at least one registered printing devices of the cloud-based server, wherein the at least one registered printing device is installed with a desktop client application, and the desktop client application is configured to cause the registered printing device to collect data, manage and execute a print job in a print job queue;
- and
- wherein the at least one registered printing device comprises a processor in communication with the number of printing devices, and a memory coupled to and readable by the processor, the memory storing a set of program instructions which, when executed by the processor, configures the processor to
- collect printer driver capabilities of the at least one registered printing device;
- create a printer profile for each of the at least one registered printing device based on the collected printer driver capabilities;
- save the printer profile of the at least one registered printing device to the cloud-based server;
- scan a print job queue;
- search the printer profiles saved in the cloud-based server and applications supported by the at least one registered printing device that are suitable to perform a print job in the print job queue;
- and
- download a document saved in the storage corresponding the print job to a suitable printing device for printing.
A desktop client communicating with a cloud-based server and a number of printing devices for managing print jobs between the number of printing devices, the desktop client comprising:
- a processor in communication with the number of printing devices, and a memory coupled to and readable by the processor, the memory storing a set of program instructions which, when executed by the processor, configures the processor to
- collect printer driver capabilities of the number of printing devices;
- create a printer profile for each of the number of printing devices based on the collected printer driver capabilities;
- save the printer profile of each of the number of printing devices to the cloud-based server;
- scan a print job queue;
- search the printer profiles saved in the cloud-based server and applications supported by the number of printing device that are suitable to perform a print job in the print job queue;
- and
- send a document corresponding the print job to a suitable printing device for printing,
- wherein the processor is further configured to:
- upload documents corresponding to the print jobs in the print job queue to the cloud-based server;
- update the printer profiles stored in the cloud-based server based on data collected from the number of printing devices;
- and
- update statuses of the at least one un-registered printing device of availabilities for executing print jobs in the print job queue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.