System and Method for Controlled Monitoring of Pending Document Processing Operations

Abstract

A system and method for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations is provided. Each document processing request received by a document processing device is assigned a job name and is associated with a user which together make up a job identification. A user then logs onto the document processing device to view pending jobs, which are displayed to the user by only job identification. Those jobs with which the user is associated are visible to the user on the document processing device, including the status and file name. The user is thereby also able to modify or delete those pending jobs with which the user is associated. Jobs not associated with the user are not visible to the user or details pertaining to those jobs are not visible to the user.

It is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations comprising:
 means for receiving a plurality of electronic documents for processing in a document processor queue associated with a document processing device, each of the plurality of electronic documents including identification data comprised of a document and an identifier corresponding to a submitting user;   means for receiving login data from a user; and   means for concurrently displaying queue display data representative of a plurality of electronic documents in the document processor queue, the queue display data including a first set of display information including visible identification data corresponding to the document name for each electronic document associated with the received login data and a second set of display information including substitute visible identification data corresponding to electronic documents not associated with the received login data.   
     
     
         2 . The system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 1  further comprising means for selectively receiving secondary processing instructions from the user in accordance with the first set of display information. 
     
     
         3 . The system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 1  wherein the received login data indicates that the user is the same as the submitting user. 
     
     
         4 . The system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 1  wherein the substitute visible identification data includes replacement of a plurality of characters in the document name displayed to the user. 
     
     
         5 . The system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 1  wherein the first set of display information also includes the identifier corresponding to the submitting user. 
     
     
         6 . The system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 1  wherein the substitute visible identification data includes a substitute document name and a substitute identifier. 
     
     
         7 . A method for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations comprising the steps of:
 receiving a plurality of electronic documents for processing in a document processor queue associated with a document processing device, each of the plurality of electronic documents including identification data comprised of a document name and an identifier corresponding to a submitting user;   receiving login data from a user; and   displaying queue display data representative of a plurality of electronic documents in the document processor queue, the queue display data including a first set of display information including visible identification data corresponding to the document name for each electronic document associated with the received login data and a second set of display information including substitute visible identification data corresponding to electronic documents not associated with the received login data.   
     
     
         8 . The method for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 7  further comprising selectively receiving secondary processing instructions from the user in accordance with the first set of display information. 
     
     
         9 . The method for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 7  wherein the received login data includes information indicating that the user is the same as the submitting user. 
     
     
         10 . The method for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 7  wherein the substitute visible identification data includes replacement of a plurality of characters in the document name displayed to the user. 
     
     
         11 . The method for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 7  wherein the first set of display information also includes the identifier corresponding to the submitting user. 
     
     
         12 . The method for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 7  wherein the substitute visible identification data includes a substitute document name and a substitute identifier. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the queue display includes all identification pertaining to all files in the document processor queue if the received login data indicates that the user is an administrator. 
     
     
         14 . A system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations comprising:
 an input to receive a plurality of electronic documents for processing in a document processor queue associated with a document processing device, each of the plurality of electronic documents including identification data comprised of a document name and an identifier corresponding to a submitting user;   an input to receive login data from a user; and   a processor to display queue display data representative of a plurality of electronic documents in the document processor queue, the queue display data including a first set of display information including visible identification data corresponding to the document name for each electronic document associated with the received login data and a second set of display information including substitute visible identification data corresponding to electronic documents not associated with the received login data.   
     
     
         15 . The system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 14  further comprising input to selectively receive secondary processing instructions from the user in accordance with the first set of display information. 
     
     
         16 . The system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 14  wherein the received login data includes information indicating that the user is the same as the submitting user. 
     
     
         17 . The system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 14  wherein the substitute visible identification data includes replacement of a plurality of characters in the document name displayed to the user. 
     
     
         18 . The system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 14  wherein the first set of display information also includes the identifier corresponding to the submitting user. 
     
     
         19 . The system for controlled monitoring of pending document processing operations of  claim 14  wherein the substitute visible identification data includes a substitute document name and a substitute identifier. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the queue display includes all identification pertaining to all files in the document processor queue if the received login data indicates that the user is an administrator.