Directing print jobs in a network printing system

In a network connecting a plurality of clients with a server, said clients generating print jobs, a printing system comprising:

• a virtual printer coupled to each client, said virtual printer configured to determine which printer of a plurality of printers on the network complies with print job preferences, said virtual printer receiving preferences of a print job generated by the client to which the virtual printer is coupled, said virtual printer communicating said preferences to said server and transferring said print job generated by the client to said server wherein said preferences include at least one of print image quality, speed of said print job, color/black-and-white image, paper type and paper size;
• and
• a first printer coupled to said network and to said server, wherein when said virtual printer determines that said first printer complies with said preferences, said virtual printer automatically forwards said print job to said first printer, wherein after said server receives a signal from said first printer indicating that said print job cannot be completed, said virtual printer terminating said print job on said first printer, said virtual printer determining that a second printer complies at least partially with said preferences, said virtual printer automatically forwards said print job to said second printer, and said virtual printer notifies said client of a physical location of said completed print job.

A method of managing a print job in a network having a plurality of printers, said method comprising the steps of:

• checking preferences of a user regarding said print job;
• invoking a virtual printer to determine a first printer from the plurality of printers that complies with said preferences;
• automatically sending said print job to said first printer;
• notifying said user of the physical location of said first printer and notifying said user that said print job has been completed, upon said first printer successfully completing said print job, said steps of checking, determining and sending are repeated for a second printer if said second printer complies at least partially with said preferences, and if the previously determined first printer cannot complete said print job;
• and
• wherein said preferences include one of print image quality, speed of said print job, color/black-and-white image, paper type and paper size.

A method of managing a print job in a network environment having a plurality of printers and a server, said method comprising the steps of:

• checking preferences of a user regarding said print job;
• spooling said print job to said server;
• invoking a virtual printer to determine a first printer from said plurality of printers that complies with said preferences;
• automatically sending said print job to said first printer;
• notifying said user of the physical location of said first printer and notifying said user that said print job has been completed, upon said first printer successfully completing said print job, said steps of checking, spooling, and determining are repeated for a second printer if said second printer complies at least partially with said preferences, and if the previously determined first printer cannot complete said print job;
• and
• wherein said preferences include one of print image quality, speed of said print job, color/black-and-white image, paper type and paper size.