System for automatically configuring print engine software from print engine module capabilities

A print engine automatic configuration system comprising:

• print engine modules, each print engine module being described independent of reference to descriptions of or interactions with other print engine modules, and each print engine module having associated therewith module capability data representative of a set of print functions accomplishable thereby;
• a data processor including a data storage, a processor, and a generic scheduler configured without print engine module specific information, the data processor being in data communication with each print engine module so as to receive module capability data representative of the module capabilities of each print engine module into at least one data port, which module capability data includes,
• input description data I defining a set of input work unit descriptions and an interval and a port representative of allowable inputs at each data port,
• output description data O defining a set of output work unit descriptions and an interval and a port representative of allowable outputs at each data port,
• resource allocation data R representative of resource allocations or interval constraints required for a specified print engine function, and
• itinerary data C representative of a sequence of operations required by a module to accomplish an associated capability;
• and
• the data processor including composing means for composing recursively the module capability data associated with sets of two print engine modules.

A method for automatically configuring a print engine comprising the steps of:

• receiving, into at least one data port, module capability data sets representative of print functions accomplishable by associated print engine modules, each of which have been described independent of reference to descriptions of or interactions with other print engine modules, and whose module capability data includes,
• input description data I defining a set of input work unit descriptions and an interval at a port representative of allowable input at each data port,
• output work unit description data O defining a set of output work unit descriptions and an interval at a port representative of allowable outputs at each data port,
• resource allocation data R representative of resource allocations or interval constraints required for a specified print engine function, and
• itinerary data C representative of a sequence of operations required by a module to accomplish an associated capability;
• communicating the module capability data from the at least one data port to a data processor including a data storage a processor unit, and a generic scheduler configured without print engine specific information;
• and
• for each pair of module capability data sets directed to a data port,
• testing for unification compatibility between the pair of data sets, and
• selectively generating a composite module capability data set from the pair of data sets,
• whereby the generic scheduler schedules operation of the print engine modules in accordance with the composite module capability data set.

A modular machine automatic configuration system comprising:

• receiver means adapted to receive description data representative of associated machine modules, machine module being described independent of reference to descriptions of or interactions with other print engine modules, and each machine module having associated therewith an individualized set of module capabilities representative of machine functions accomplishable thereby;
• the receiver means including at least one data port adapted to be placed in data communication with each associated machine module;
• a data processor including a data storage, a processor unit, and a generic scheduler, the data processor being in data communication with each data port, and the generic scheduler being configured Without machine module specific information;
• and
• the receiver means further including means adapted to receive module capability data representative of the set of module capabilities of each associated machine module into a data port, wherein the module capability data includes,
• input work unit description data representative of allowable inputs at each of the plurality of data ports;
• output work unit description data representative of allowable outputs at each data port,
• resource allocation data representative of resource allocations or interval constraints required for a specified modular machine function, and
• itinerary data representative of a sequence of operations required by the modules to accomplish an associated capability.

A modular machine automatic configuration system comprising:

• machine modules, each machine module being described independent of reference to descriptions of or interactions with other machine modules, each machine module having associated therewith module capability data representative of a set of machine functions accomplishable thereby;
• a data processor including a data storage, a processor, and a generic scheduler configured without machine module specific information, the data processor being in data communication with each machine module so as to receive module capability data representative of the module capabilities of each machine module into at least one data port, which module capability data includes,
• input description data I defining a set of input work unit descriptions and an interval and a port representative of allowable inputs at each data port,
• output description data O defining a set of output work unit descriptions and an interval and a port representative of allowable outputs at each data port,
• resource allocation data R representative of resource allocations or interval constraints required for a specified modular machine function, and
• itinerary data C representative of a sequence of operations required by a module to accomplish an associated capability;
• and
• the data processor including composing means for composing recursively the module capability data associated with sets of two machine modules.

A method for automatically configuring a modular machine comprising the steps of:

• receiving, into at least one data port, module capability data sets representative of machine functions accomplishable by associated machine modules, each of which have been described independent of reference to or interactions with other print engine modules, and whose module capability data includes,
• input work unit description data I defining a set of input work unit descriptions and an interval at a port representative of allowable inputs at each data port,
• output work unit description data O defining a set of output work unit descriptions and an interval at a port representative of allowable outputs at each data port,
• resource allocation data R representative of resource allocations or interval constraints required for a specified modular machine function, and
• itinerary data C representative of a sequence of operations required by a module to accomplish an associated capability;
• communicating the module capability data from the at least one data port to a data processor including a data storage, a processor unit, and a generic scheduler configured without print engine specific information;
• and
• for each pair of module capability data sets directed to a data port,
• testing for unification compatibility between the pair of data sets, and
• selectively generating a composite module capability data set from the pair of data sets, whereby the generic scheduler schedules operation of the print engine modules in accordance with the composite module capability data set.