Apparatus and methods for duplex printing in multiple print engine systems

A multiple print engine system for printing a RIPed print job having alternating odd and even number pages, comprising:

• a page buffer for storing RIPed pages for the received print job;
• a plurality of printers for receiving selected ones of the RIPed pages and printing the received RIPed pages;
• and
• a processor for selectively distributing to select ones of said printers all or a portion of said RIPed print job by outputting a first sequence of said odd number pages or a first sequence of said even number pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer and by subsequently outputting a second sequence of sequentially adjacent ones of said even number or a second sequence of sequentially adjacent odd number pages to the same select ones of said printers.

A method for printing to multiple print engines, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one work station for generating a print job having a plurality of pages associated therewith;
• receiving the print job from the workstation and RIPing the print job with a RIP engine to provide a RIPed print job having alternating odd and even number pages;
• storing in a page buffer the RIPed pages in association with the print job that they were generated in;
• distributing a first sequence of odd or even number RIPed pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer for printing by select ones of the printers;
• and
• subsequently distributing a second sequence of sequentially adjacent even or odd number pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer for printing by the same select one of said printers.