# US 2020/0396352 A1 · System and method for noise managed document processing operations

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- Number: US 2020/0396352 A1
- Document ID: US20200396352A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/443,206
- Filed: 2019-06-17
- Published: 2020-12-17
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-17
- Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Dehua ZHAO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200396352A1

## CPC

- H04N 1/00954: {Scheduling operations or managing resources (H04N1/0096 takes precedence; program initiating or switching G06F9/48; allocation of computer resources G06F9/50)}
- G06F 3/1203: {Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management}
- G06F 3/1205: {resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets}
- G06F 3/1261: {by using alternate printing}
- G06F 3/1267: {Job repository, e.g. non-scheduled jobs, delay printing}
- G06F 3/1288: {in client-server-printer device configuration}
- H04N 1/00925: {Inhibiting an operation}
- H04N 1/00994: {Compensating for electric noise, e.g. electromagnetic interference}
- G06F 3/1291: {Pool of printer devices: self-managing printing devices in a network, e.g. without a server}
- H04N 2201/0094: Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A system and method for noise management for printers includes a processor that retrieves temporal data indicative of a current day or time. A print job is received via a network interface. The processor determines a relative noise level associated with printing of the print job and modifies a printing operation of an electronic document associated with a received print job in accordance with a determined, relative noise level and retrieved temporal data.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a network interface configured to receive a print job;
a memory storing data indicative of a plurality of network printers, each network printer associated with data corresponding to a noise sensitivity level; and
a processor configured to
retrieve temporal data indicative of a current day or time, the temporal data further including digital calendar data indicative of active and inactive business periods,
determine a relative noise level associated with printing of the print job, and
modify a printing operation of an electronic document associated with the received print job in accordance with the determined, relative noise level and the retrieved temporal data.

### Claim 2

(canceled)

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the digital calendar data includes data corresponding to one or more of days of the week, time of day or calendar entry.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3 wherein the digital calendar data includes data corresponding to business holidays.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2 wherein the processor is further configured to modify the printing operation by suspending printing of the electronic document until the temporal data indicates a current day or time outside of active business hours.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to modify the printing operation by routing the print job to an alternative printer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the relative noise level is associated with a size of a printout of the electronic document.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the relative noise level is associated with one or more of stapling or hole punching of a printout of the electronic document specified by the print job.

### Claim 9

A method comprising:
retrieving, via a processor, temporal data indicative of a current day or time, the temporal data further including digital calendar data indicative of active or inactive business periods;
retrieving data indicative of a plurality of network printers, each network printer associated with data corresponding to a noise level sensitivity;
receiving a print job into memory;
determining a relative noise level associated with printing of the print job; and
modifying a printing operation of an electronic document associated with a received print job in accordance with the determined, relative noise level and the retrieved temporal data.

### Claim 10

(canceled)

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the digital calendar data includes data corresponding to one or more of days of the week, time of day or calendar entry.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein the digital calendar entry includes data corresponding to business holidays.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 further comprising modifying the printing operation by suspending printing of the electronic document until the temporal data indicates a current day or time outside of active business hours.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 further comprising modifying the printing operation by routing the print job to an alternative printer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the relative noise level is associated with a size of a printout of the electronic document.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the relative noise level is associated with one or more of stapling or hole punching of a printout of the electronic document specified by the print job.

### Claim 17

A system comprising:
a processor;
a digital clock;
a network interface; and
a memory storing a digital calendar including data indicative of active and inactive business periods,
wherein the memory further stores data indicative of a plurality of network printers, each network printer associated with data corresponding to a noise sensitivity level,
wherein the processor is configured to receive print job data via the network interface,
wherein the processor is further configured to determine a noise level associated with printing of an electronic document associated with received print job data, and
wherein the processor is further configured to modify a print operation associated with printing of the electronic document in accordance with a determined noise level and the digital calendar.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17 wherein the processor is further configured to modify the print operation by directing a print operation of the electronic document to a printer in accordance with an associated noise sensitivity level.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18 wherein the noise level is determined in accordance with one or more of a size of a printout associated with the electronic document and a finishing operation for printing of the electronic document specified by the print job.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17 wherein the processor is further configured modify the print operation by suspending printing of the electronic document until an inactive business period.