Systems and methods for print scheduling
AssigneeKonica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
InventorKen Ota
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In some embodiments of systems and methods for print scheduling, at least one of a plurality of entries in a request table associated with a printing device is updated with print job related information when a spool associated with a printing device is full. A priority is associated with the entries in the request table and an incoming print job is spooled at the time of a print job request, if the spool associated with the printing device is not full and the entry corresponding to the print job in the request table has the highest priority. Embodiments of the methods disclosed provide for the ordered processing of print jobs in a timely fashion with minimal alterations to existing protocols.
Claims20
A method for scheduling print jobs for processing comprising:
- updating at least one of a plurality of entries in a request table associated with a printing device with print job related information when a spool associated with a printing device is full, wherein the entries in the request table correspond to print jobs that have been received but not yet spooled;
- associating a priority with the at least one of the plurality of entries in the request table;
- and
- spooling a print job at a time of a print job request, if the spool associated with the printing device is not full and an entry corresponding to the print job in the request table has a highest priority.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that when executed by a processor perform steps in a method for scheduling print jobs for processing, the steps comprising:
- updating at least one of a plurality of entries in a request table associated with a printing device with print job related information when a spool associated with a printing device is full, wherein the entries in the request table correspond to print jobs that have been received but not yet spooled;
- associating a priority with the at least one of the plurality of entries in the request table;
- and
- spooling a print job at a time of a print job request, if the spool associated with the printing device is not full and an entry corresponding to the print job in the request table has a highest priority.
A system comprising at least one printing device coupled to a plurality of print job generating devices, wherein the printing device and the plurality of print job generating devices perform steps in a method for scheduling print jobs for processing, the steps comprising:
- updating at least one of a plurality of entries in a request table associated with the printing device with print job related information when a spool associated with the printing device is full, wherein the entries in the request table correspond to print jobs that have been received but not yet spooled;
- associating a priority with the at least one of the plurality of entries in the request table;
- and
- spooling a print job at a time of a print job request, if the spool associated with the printing device is not full and an entry corresponding to the print job in the request table has a highest priority.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.