Method and system for managing the distribution of print job files among shared printers on a computer network

Abstract

A system and method support load balancing for print jobs on a peer-to-peer network. The system incorporates a job forwarding query manager and a printer controller selector in a printer controller. The query manager detects a condition for forwarding a print job and generates queries to alternative printer controllers for available logical printers. The responses contain logical printer characteristics and load measurements for logical printers that are capable of processing and printing the forwarded print job. The printer controller selector determines which logical printer has the characteristics necessary to print the print job and the least load. The attributes of the print job are merged with the logical printer attributes of the logical printer at the querying controller to ensure correcting printing of the forwarded print job by the logical printer to which the print job is forwarded. If no logical printer has the characteristics required for printing a print job, the printer controller selector determines whether the missing characteristic can be downloaded to the alternative printer controller to which the logical printer is coupled. If the characteristic can be downloaded, the printer controller selector sends the characteristic to the alternative printer controller for installation on the logical printer and forwards the print job to the alternative printer controller upon confirmation that the characteristic has been successfully installed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.