Method and apparatus for automated job recovery

A method for dynamic job recovery in an electronic printing system comprising the steps of:

• automatically detecting the presence of a printed sheet in a customer print job having a warranted performance problem with one of variable data content integrity and image quality during production of the customer print job;
• automatically purging specified sheets to a specified purge location upon said detection, said purging step including initiating purging at a specific sheet with respect to a first sheet detected having an image thereon with the warranted performance problem;
• initiating a warranted performance diagnostic routine to isolate and correct the warranted performance problem;
• and
• initiating dynamic job recovery upon completion of the diagnostic routine without cycling down of the electronic printing system and without operator intervention, said dynamic job recovery including assessing job completion progress of all partially completed jobs and starting recovery job scheduling without specific direction to provide a completed customer print job with content integrity and acceptable image quality, wherein said detection of a warranted performance problem includes monitoring image quality attributes pertinent to the customer print job and comparison of detected attributes with predetermined image quality specifications, the attributes being monitored being on one or more of an image bearing member of the electronic printing system, the printed sheet, or contained in one or more printed test patches.

An apparatus for dynamic job recovery in an electronic printing system comprising:

• at least one warranted performance sensor that automatically detects a warranted performance problem with at least one of variable data content integrity and image quality pertinent to production of a customer print job during such production;
• a purge mechanism that automatically purges specified sheets to a specified purge location upon detection of a warranted performance problem, said purge mechanism initiating purging at a specific sheet with respect to a first sheet detected having the warranted performance problem;
• a controller that initiates a warranted performance diagnostic routine to isolate and correct the warranted performance problem;
• and
• a controller that initiates dynamic job recovery upon completion of the diagnostic routine without cycling down of the electronic printing system and without operator intervention, said dynamic job recovery including assessing job completion progress of all partially completed jobs and starting recovery job scheduling without specific direction to provide a completed customer print job with content integrity and acceptable image quality,
• wherein said warranted performance sensor detects a variable data content integrity indicator printed on one or more sheets of the customer print job.

An apparatus for dynamic job recovery in an electronic printing system comprising:

• at least one warranted performance sensor that automatically detects a warranted performance problem with at least one of variable data content integrity and image quality pertinent to production of a customer print job during such production;
• a purge mechanism that automatically purges specified sheets to a specified purge location upon detection of a warranted performance problem, said purge mechanism initiating purging at a specific sheet with respect to a first sheet detected having the warranted performance problem;
• a controller that initiates a warranted performance diagnostic routine to isolate and correct the warranted performance problem;
• and
• a controller that initiates dynamic job recovery upon completion of the diagnostic routine without cycling down of the electronic printing system and without operator intervention, said dynamic job recovery including assessing job completion progress of all partially completed jobs and starting recovery job scheduling without specific direction to provide a completed customer print job with content integrity and acceptable image quality, wherein said warranted performance sensor detects an image quality attribute either printed on one or more sheets of the customer print job or in the form of a printed test patch.