Methods and systems for print-processor-based printer status detection and print task distribution

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention comprise methods and systems which enable a user to detect the status of printing devices without the use of additional hardware or application program modification for this purpose. These systems and methods are typically used in conjunction with a computer network comprising at least one computing device and a plurality of printing devices. When a print task is sent for printing it will activate a print processor for interpreting the print task. In addition to a print processor's interpretation function, the print processors of the present invention may detect the status of printing devices. Some embodiments may use this information to redirect or otherwise modify a print task for improved printing performance.

1 . A method for detecting the status of printers on a network using a print processor, said method comprising the acts of: 
 sending a signal to a print processor; and    detecting the status of printers on a network from said print processor to determine the availability of said printers.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said signal is a print task.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said detecting comprises obtaining network print queue information.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said detecting comprises bidirectional communication between a print processor, a port manager and a printing device.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said detecting comprises accessing data from a Management Information Base (MIB).  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said detecting comprises communication with a printing device using a protocol selected from the group consisting of Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), Remote Management (RMON) and Internet Printing Protocol (IPP).  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said detecting comprises the use of an Application Program Interface (API) call.  
     
     
         8 . A method of improving the probability of successful print task completion using a status detecting print processor, said method comprising: 
 sending a print task to a print processor;    detecting, from said print processor, the status of a plurality of printing devices; and    directing said print task to an available printing device among said plurality of printing devices.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said status of a plurality of printing devices is presented to a user for selection of one or more available devices and said directing directs said print task to a device selected by said user.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein a default printing device is selected by a user prior to said detecting and said directing directs said print task to said default device when said default device is available.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said print processor may also modify a print task to enable cluster printing functions.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said modifying said cluster printing functions comprise job splitting.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said modifying said cluster printing functions comprise copy splitting.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said detecting determines a number of available printing devices and said modifying divides said initial print task into a number of modified print tasks equal to said number of available printing devices.  
     
     
         15 . A method for improving printing system capability and performance without addition of hardware or modification of application software, said method comprising: 
 removing a non-status-detecting print processor (NPP) from a printing system; and    replacing said NPP with a status-detecting print processor (SDPP).    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said SDPP is also cluster enabling.  
     
     
         17 . A computer readable medium comprising instructions for performing functions within a print processor, said instructions comprising the acts of: 
 interpreting print task data; and    detecting the status of printing devices.    
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17  further comprising instructions for the act of redirecting a print task from its original destination to at least one other destination.  
     
     
         19 . A computer data signal embodied in an electronic transmission, said signal having the function of detecting printing device status with a print processor, said signal comprising instructions for: 
 interpreting print task data; and    detecting the status of printing devices.    
     
     
         20 . A print processor comprising: 
 instructions for interpreting print task data; and    instructions for detecting the status of printing devices.    
     
     
         21 . A method of printing using a status detecting print processor, said method comprising: 
 selecting a preferred printer group;    modifying said print task to enable cluster printing thereby creating a plurality of modified print tasks;    detecting, from said print processor, the status of a plurality of printing devices comprising said preferred printer group;    directing said modified print tasks to said preferred printer group when all of the printers within said preferred printer group are available; and    forming a second group of printers comprising the available printers within said preferred group and other available printers and sending said modified tasks to said second group when said second group comprises a sufficient number of printers to print said modified print tasks.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising selecting a group of backup printers from which said other available printers may be chosen.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising reconfiguring said modified print tasks to require fewer printers when a sufficient number of available printers cannot be found.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising forming a third group of printers comprising any available printers from said preferred group, any other available printers and any busy printers and directing said modified print tasks to said third group.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising entering a wait period when a sufficient number of printers are not available and rechecking for available printers after said wait period.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising activating a user prompt to solicit user input.