Apparatus and method for document scheduling in order to improve the productivity of a networked printer
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorDinesh S. Shah
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention provides a scheduling scheme that uses an estimated rasterization execution time (RET) to improve the productivity of printers, particularly color printers. Because print jobs have different levels of complexities, a longer RET may be require for some jobs than for others. For example, a print job which includes color graphics, color print, different font changes or a variety of style formats such as, italic, bold and other styles, will have a longer RET than a simple black and white print job. If a print job is pre-scanned to estimate the RET before the print job arrives at the printer, it is possible to schedule those print jobs with a shorter RET ahead of those print jobs with a longer RET, thus improving productivity of the printer.
Claims24
A method for scheduling print jobs for a printer, the method comprising:
- estimating a document rasterization execution time (RET) during a PDL conversion scan;
- determining a file header based on the estimated rasterization execution time;
- associating the file header with the document;
- transmitting the document along with the file header to a print job scheduler;
- and
- scheduling the documents for printing based on their rasterization execution time estimates.
A device for scheduling print jobs in a printer, the device comprising:
- a print driver, the print driver estimates a document rasterization execution time during a PDL conversion scan, determines a file header based on the estimated rasterization execution time, associates the file header with the document, and transmits the document along with the file header to a print job scheduler, wherein the print job scheduler schedules the document for printing based on the document rasterization execution time estimates.
A storage medium comprising information for scheduling print jobs for a printer, comprising:
- information that estimates a document rasterization execution time during a PDL conversion scan;
- information that determines a file header based on the estimated rasterization execution time;
- information that associates the file header with the document;
- information that transmits the document along with the file header to a print job scheduler;
- and
- information that schedules the documents for printing based on their rasterization execution time estimates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.