Queue processor for document servers

A computer-readable medium whose contents cause at least one data processing platform to process a document under a document processing method, the method comprising:

• recognizing at least one document request based on a received document;
• interacting with one or more document routing rules and one or more workflow requirements with respect to the received document;
• evaluating a load at the document server to determine whether a document flow is to be allocated;
• when it is determined that a document flow is to be allocated, allocating a document flow;
• and
• causing the received document to be processed by the allocated document flow wherein the processing includes:
• managing content flows between network nodes or devices, wherein a same processing architecture is employed for document handling or transporting, wherein a common scheduling and a common queue support multiple transport types, and wherein the managing of content flows includes selecting document-specific or hardware-specific processing tasks by reference to a type of protocol associated with the document or a desired handling of the document.

An apparatus for handling various documents within a network, the apparatus comprising:

• document transport means for transporting documents between network devices, wherein the network devices include printers, fax boards, multifunction devices, and content servers;
• queue processor means for allocating document flows that provide documents in a queue to the document transport means;
• and
• means for routing optimization wherein the other communications networks include messaging services, telephony, Internet, mobile and wireless networks, IP networks, or other document transport modules.