US 6,157,465 AGranted

System for transferring jobs between processing units based upon content of job and ability of unit to perform job

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsAruna Rohra Suda, Shouichi Ibaraki, Masayuki Takayama, Masanori Wakai, Shuichi Mikame, Kenichi Fujii, Satomi Takahashi, Suresh Jeyachandran

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Abstract

A printer that is instructed to perform a printing job analyzes the job and determines a process to be executed, and identifies the performances of the printer and other printers and their states. Based on the results of the analysis and on the states of the printers, the printer decides whether it should not perform a process or whether the process should be performed by another printer. It also decides whether a process is unnecessary or is not permitted for a user, and halts the performance of such a process. When it determines that a process should be performed by another printer, it transfers the job to that printer.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An information processing apparatus connected to one or more other information processing apparatuses, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a receiver circuit adapted for receiving job information instructing said information processing apparatus to perform a job, the job information including data to be processed;
an analysis circuit adapted for analyzing the job information to determine a type of the job and a content of the data to be processed;
a decision circuit adapted for specifying a process to be performed in accordance with the type of the job provided by said analysis circuit;
an execution circuit adapted for executing the process specified by said decision circuit;
an identification circuit adapted for identifying states of said information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses;
a determination circuit adapted for, in accordance with the content of the data provided by said analysis circuit, determining whether or not the process is to be performed for a current user of said information processing apparatus;
a halting circuit adapted for halting performance of the process if said determination circuit determines that the process should not be performed;
a selection circuit adapted for, in accordance with the states, selecting one apparatus to perform the process from among said information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses when said determination circuit determines that the process is to be performed;
and
an instruction circuit adapted for instructing the one apparatus selected by said selection circuit to perform the process when one of the one or more other information processing apparatuses is selected.

7 more elements

An information processing method performed in an information processing apparatus connected to one or more other information processing apparatuses, said method comprising:

a reception step of receiving job information instructing the information processing apparatus to perform a job, the job information including data to be processed;
an analysis step of analyzing the job information to determine a type of the job and a content of the data to be processed;
a decision step of specifying a process to be performed in accordance with the type of the job provided in said analysis step;
an execution step of executing the process specified in said decision step;
an identification step of identifying states of the information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses;
a determination step of, in accordance with the content of the data provided in said analysis step, determining whether or not the process is to be performed for a current user of the information processing apparatus;
a halting step of halting performance of the process if it is determined in said determination step that the process should not be performed;
a selection step of, in accordance with the states, selecting one apparatus to perform the process from among the information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses when the process is determined to be performed in said determination step;
and
an instruction step of instructing the selected one apparatus to perform the process when one of the one or more other information processing apparatuses is selected in said selection step.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/998,928Filed 29 Dec 1997
Priority: JP 8-34804526 Dec 1996
Granted: 5 Dec 2000
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G06F 3/1261
Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device: by using alternate printing
G06F 3/1204
Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management: resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic…
G06F 3/121
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
G06F 3/1254
Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client: automatic configuration, e.g. by driver