Print job management based on energy pricing and load

A tangible computer readable medium, comprising a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed by an information handling system, causes the information handling system to perform actions comprising:

• receiving a print request at a print job manager application running on the information handling system, the print request including a print job and a priority value;
• extracting the priority value from the received print request;
• retrieving energy demand data, wherein the energy demand data corresponds to a power grid that is a power source for a printer accessible from the information handling system;
• determining whether to delay printing the print job based upon comparing the extracted priority value with the energy demand data;
• in response to determining to print the print job without delay, printing the print job on the printer;
• and
• in response to determining to delay printing the print job:
• storing the print request in a storage area accessible to the information handling system;
• setting a future print time for the print job, wherein the future print time is a known time of lower energy demand;
• retrieving the print job from the nonvolatile storage area at a time corresponding to the future print time;
• and
• printing the retrieved print job on the printer.

An information handling system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a memory coupled to at least one of the processors;
• a nonvolatile storage area coupled to at least one of the processors;
• a printer accessible from at least one of the processors;
• a network adapter that connects the information handling system to a computer network;
• and
• a set of instructions stored in the memory and executed by at least one of the processors in order to perform actions of:
• receiving a plurality of print requests, each of the plurality of print requests including request data and a print job;
• storing the plurality of print jobs in the nonvolatile storage area;
• storing the plurality of request data in a single print queue, resulting in a plurality of print queue records;
• retrieving energy demand data, wherein the energy demand data corresponds to a power grid that is a power source for the printer;
• for each of the plurality of print queue records:
• selecting one of the plurality of print queue records from the single print queue;
• determining whether the selected print queue record's print job should be delayed based upon comparing the selected print queue record's request data to the retrieved energy demand data;
• in response to determining that the selected print queue record's print job should not be delayed, printing the selected print queue record's print job;
• in response to determining that the selected print queue record's print job should be delayed:
• setting a future print time for the print job, wherein the future print time is a known time of lower energy demand;
• retrieving the print job from the nonvolatile storage area at a time corresponding to the future print time;
• and
• printing the retrieved print job on the printer.