US 8,139,245 B2Granted

Managing the processing of print data at printing devices based upon available consumable resources

AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.

InventorLifen Tian

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Abstract

An approach is provided for managing the processing of print data at a printing device based upon available consumable resources. A printing device includes a print process configured to determine consumable resources that are currently available at the printing device. The print process is further configured to determine which print data is to be processed based upon the consumable resources currently available at the printing device and the consumable resources required to completely process each of the print data. Print data that can be completely processed using the currently available consumable resources are selected for processing. The print process may also be configured to cause a notification to be provided to a client device to indicate the consumable resources currently available at a printing device and/or that insufficient consumable resources were available to process particular print data and to recommend other consumable resources to process the particular print data.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A printing device comprising:

one or more processors;
and
a memory storing instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:
determining whether a sufficient amount of one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process first print data, wherein the one or more consumable resources were designated to be used to process the first print data;
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resource is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then processing the first print data using the one or more consumable resources and causing a printed version of data contained in the first print data to be generated;
and
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is not currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then
determining one or more other consumable resources that are different than the one or more consumable resources and that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data,
generating and transmitting to a client device a notification that both indicates that an insufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data and identifies the one or more other consumable resources that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data, and
in response to receiving confirmation data from the client device that indicates that a user of the client device wishes to proceed to process the first print data with the one or more other consumable resources, then processing the first print data using the one or more other consumable resources and causing a printed version of data contained in the first print data to be generated.

7 more elements

A printing device comprising:

one or more processors;
and
a memory storing instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:
determining whether a sufficient amount of one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process first print data, wherein the one or more consumable resources were designated to be used to process the first print data;
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resource is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then processing the first print data using the one or more consumable resources and causing a printed version of data contained in the first print data to be generated;
and
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is not currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then
determining one or more other consumable resources that are different than the one or more consumable resources and that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data,
generating and transmitting to a client device a notification that both indicates that an insufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data and identifies the one or more other consumable resources that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data, and
in response to receiving confirmation data from the client device that indicates that a user of the client device does not wish to proceed to process the first print data with the one or more other consumable resources, then processing other print data and causing a printed version of data contained in the other print data to be generated, wherein the consumable resources currently available at the printing device are sufficient to completely process the other print data.

7 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for processing print data at a printing device, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, cause a print process on a printing device to:

determine whether a sufficient amount of one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process first print data, wherein the one or more consumable resources were designated to be used to process the first print data;
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resource is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then processing the first print data using the one or more consumable resources and causing a printed version of data contained in the first print data to be generated;
and
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is not currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then
determining one or more other consumable resources that are different than the one or more consumable resources and that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data,
generating and transmitting to a client device a notification that both indicates that an insufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data and identifies the one or more other consumable resources that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data, and
in response to receiving confirmation data from the client device that indicates that a user of the client device wishes to proceed to process the first print data with the one or more other consumable resources, then processing the first print data using the one or more other consumable resources and causing a printed version of data contained in the first print data to be generated.

4 more elements

determine whether a sufficient amount of one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process first print data, wherein the one or more consumable resources were designated to be used to process the first print data;
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resource is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then processing the first print data using the one or more consumable resources and causing a printed version of data contained in the first print data to be generated;
and
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is not currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then
determining one or more other consumable resources that are different than the one or more consumable resources and that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data,
generating and transmitting to a client device a notification that both indicates that an insufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data and identifies the one or more other consumable resources that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data, and
in response to receiving confirmation data from the client device that indicates that a user of the client device does not wish to proceed to process the first print data with the one or more other consumable resources, then processing other print data and causing a printed version of data contained in the other print data to be generated, wherein the consumable resources currently available at the printing device are sufficient to completely process the other print data.

4 more elements

A computer-implemented method for processing print data at a printing device, the computer-implemented method comprising a print process on a printing device:

determining whether a sufficient amount of one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process first print data, wherein the one or more consumable resources were designated to be used to process the first print data;
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resource is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then processing the first print data using the one or more consumable resources and causing a printed version of data contained in the first print data to be generated;
and
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is not currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then
determining one or more other consumable resources that are different than the one or more consumable resources and that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data,
generating and transmitting to a client device a notification that both indicates that an insufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data and identifies the one or more other consumable resources that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data, and
in response to receiving confirmation data from the client device that indicates that a user of the client device wishes to proceed to process the first print data with the one or more other consumable resources, then processing the first print data using the one or more other consumable resources and causing a printed version of data contained in the first print data to be generated.

4 more elements

A computer-implemented method for processing print data at a printing device, the computer-implemented method comprising a print process on a printing device:

determining whether a sufficient amount of one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process first print data, wherein the one or more consumable resources were designated to be used to process the first print data;
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resource is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then processing the first print data using the one or more consumable resources and causing a printed version of data contained in the first print data to be generated;
and
if a sufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is not currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data, then
determining one or more other consumable resources that are different than the one or more consumable resources and that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data,
generating and transmitting to a client device a notification that both indicates that an insufficient amount of the one or more consumable resources is currently available at the printing device to completely process the first print data and identifies the one or more other consumable resources that are currently available in sufficient quantities at the printing device to completely process the first print data, and
in response to receiving confirmation data from the client device that indicates that a user of the client device does not wish to proceed to process the first print data with the one or more other consumable resources, then processing other print data and causing a printed version of data contained in the other print data to be generated, wherein the consumable resources currently available at the printing device are sufficient to completely process the other print data.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/410,542Filed 24 Apr 2006
Published: US 2007/0247654 A125 Oct 2007
Granted: 20 Mar 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

G03G 15/55
Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern: self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
G03G 15/5079
Remote control machines, e.g. by a host: for maintenance
G03G 15/5087
Remote control machines, e.g. by a host: for receiving image data
G06F 3/1219
Reducing or saving of used resources, e.g. avoiding waste of consumables or improving usage of hardware resources: with regard to consumables,…