Title of Invention

METHOD OF HANDLING A PRINT REQUEST AT A PRINTER CONNECTED IN A PRINT NETWORK

Abstract

The invented method is for transferring the print request to another printer if the toner is low/empty in the first printer. The invented method makes the optimum use of the available resources in a network environment where more than one printer is connected to the network. The invention explains a method to transfer a print request to another printer when a terminal issue a print request to a printer wherein the said another printer is selected from a pool of printers connected in a network where the printer is identified by using a Job Server System (JSS) and Job Status Viewer (JSV).

Full Text

FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention in general relates to MFP related technologies. Further, this invention relates to printing and sharing of print jobs by printer in a network. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of transferring a print request to another printer in the same network when printer toner is low or in any other case when the printer in unable to take the print job. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART The Printing device is capable of printing the job that contains multiple documents. The printing option is continued if there is sufficient toner available at the Printer. The printing is cancelled if there is no sufficient toner available. There are known mechanisms to identify the available toner at the printer. Once the available toner is identified then the printing device decides whether to continue with printing the job or raise an error condition "Toner Low" and stop printing. The Printers work in the following manner: • Print device receives a job consisting of one or multi page document for printing. • The print device checks for the toner capability before start printing the page of the job. • If toner is low and could not continue with printing the print job is paused till the toner is replaced. However the existing technology has following limitations: • Printing is suspended if the toner is low. • Toner needs to be replaced if the print job cannot continue with printing because toner low. • The print job is suspended till the toner is replaced. • The utilization of network printers is not used effectively. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention allows the user to print a multi page document job to print even if the toner is low. The print device is capable of identifying the status of toner level. Once the printer detects the Toner Low condition the present invention involves making a decision at the Printer that allows the printer to forward the print job to another printer connected in the same network. This allows the user to continue printing even if the toner is low without interrupting the printing. The present invention can also be extended further to transferring a print request to another printer if the print operation cannot be continued at a printer. The print operation can be stopped or suspended due to various reasons like Paper Jam or cartridge non availability, etc. Thus by the present invention the Print job can be carried out effectively by utilizing the network resources. Accordingly this invention explains a method to transfer a print request to another printer when a terminal issue a print request to a printer wherein the said another printer is selected from a pool of printers connected in a network where the printer is identified by using a Job Server System (JSS). The JSS takes a print request from the user at the terminal and prepares the print job as requested by the user where the print job consists of Print parameters like resolution, paper size, darkness, no. of copies, etc. The job server further consists of Job request handler which handles the job once the print job is ready for sending to the printer. A menu option is provided for forwarding print if toner is low where the said option toggles between two values Enable or Disable. When the Enable option for the forward print option is set, the print module at the terminal side stores the value in a variable and the value is set to TRUE. When the Forward print option is set to Disable then the print module at the terminal side sets the value of the said variable to FALSE. The Job Request Handler sends the print job to the printer and the status of the print job is transferred to the Job status viewer (JSV). If the Forward Print option is set to TRUE then a copy of the Print job is stored at the Terminal. The status includes the present print job running at the printer, the printer number/name, the print jobs queued at a particular printer, Present state of the print job at a particular printer, etc that the normal print module show at the Terminal side. The JSV consists of Print Job Changer (PJC) which handles the print job request when an error condition is received from the Printer. The printer is selected from the printer table when an error condition is encountered at the printer and the PJC looks up the Printer table and selects a printer which is capable of completing the print job. The Printer table is initialized whenever a new Print job is initiated and when the user sends a print request the user is provided with the list of alternative printers available in the network for the print job to complete. The user selects multiple printers so that in case the print job fails the PJC can select the printer in sequence and transfer the print job to that printer where the said process is continued till the print job is successfully completed or the printers in the list of selected list of printers are exhausted. When the print job is completed then Print data pertaining to that print job is deleted at the Terminal. The Printer receives the print job from the terminal where the printer consists of Job Client Handler (JCH) and Job Manager (JM). The JCH handles the received print request from the terminal, where the received request is given to the Job Manager. The JCH sends the job status received from the Job Manager to the Job Status viewer at the terminal, where the Job Manager consists of Job Queue and the Print Engine. The job Queue schedules the print jobs at the printer and when the job is ready in the job queue the Print Engine selects the job from the Job queue and checks the condition for printing the job. The print conditions include print paper availability, print motor condition, paper jam condition, print toner low or non availability, etc. If the printing of the document is affected due to toner low condition then an error condition is sent to the JCH and the printing of the document is suspended where the JCH send the same status to the JSV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS Figure 1 illustrates working process of handling a print document in the present invention. Figure 2 illustrates the print handling feature when the printer toner is low in the prior art. Figure 3 illustrates the print handling feature when the printer toner is low in the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description and drawings are illustrative of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the innovation. Numerous specific details are described to provide a through understanding of the present invention. However in certain instances well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail. Figure 1 illustrates working process of handling a print document. In the print device checks for toner availability before it starts printing. If toner is low then the printing of the document is suspended until the toner is replaced. Figure 2 describes the print handling feature when the printer toner is low. When the printer toner is low then the printing device pause the job or it gets printed. Figure 3 describes the print handling feature when the printer toner is low. When the printer toner is low then the print device forwards the print document to another printer in the same network which is capable of printing the document. The terminal as depicted in Figure 1 is a PC connected in a network. The Terminal will issue a print request to a printer. The printer is selected from a pool of printers connected in a network. The printer is identified by using suitable software available. The print software consists of Job Server System (JSS) and Job Status Viewer (JSV). The JSS takes a print request from the user at Terminal. It prepares the print job as requested by the user. The print job consists of Print parameters like resolution, paper size, darkness, no. of copies, etc. The job server consists of Job request handler which handles the job once the print job is ready for sending the print job to the printer. The present invention involves providing a menu option for Forward print if toner is low. The option can toggle between two values Enable or Disable. When the Enable option for the Forward print option is set the print software at the terminal side will store the value in a variable and the value is set to TRUE. When the Forward print option is set to Disable then the print software at the terminal side sets the value of the variable to FALSE. The Job Request Handler then sends the print job to the printer and the status of the print job is transferred to the Job status viewer (JSV). If the Forward Print option is set to TRUE then a copy of the print job consisting of print data is stored in the JSV along with the status of the print job. The JSV is responsible for showing the status of the print jobs available at the printer. The status information of the printer connected in a network is described in the U.S. Patent No. 6,618,163. The status includes the present print job running at the printer, the printer number/name, the print jobs queued at a particular printer, Present state of the print job at a particular printer, etc that the normal print software's show at the Terminal side. The JSV also consists of Print Job Changer (PJC). The PJC is responsible for handling the print job request when an error condition is received from the Printer. The present invention involves selecting a printer from the printer table when an error condition is encountered at the printer. When an error condition is encountered the PJC looks up the Printer table and selects a printer which is capable of completing the print job. The Printer table is initialized whenever a new Print job is initiated. When the user sends a print request the user is provided with the list of alternative printers available in the network for the print job to complete. The user can select multiple printers so that in case the print job fails the PJC can select the printer in sequence and transfer the print job to that printer. This process can be continued till the print job is successfully completed or the printers in the list of selected list of printers are exhausted. Once the print job is completed then Print data pertaining to that print job is deleted at the Terminal. The Printer receives the print job from the Terminal. The printer consists of Job Client Handler (JCH) and Job Manager (JM). The JCH is responsible for handling the received print request from the Terminal, the received request is then given to the Job Manager. The JCH is also responsible for sending the job status received from the Job Manager to the Job Status viewer at the terminal. The Job Manager consists of Job Queue and the Print Engine. The job Queue is responsible for scheduling the print jobs at the printer. Once the job is ready in the job queue the Print Engine selects the job from the Job queue and then checks the condition for printing the job. The print conditions include print paper availability, print motor condition, paper jam condition, print toner low or non availability, etc. The checking of the toner low condition is referred in the U.S. Patent No. 6636705. If the printing of the document cannot be continued due to toner low condition then an error condition is sent to the JCH and the printing of the document is suspended. The JCH in turn will send the same status to the JSV. The above-presented description is of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention. The manner and process of making and using it is in such a full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable to any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use this invention. New embodiments in particular, which also lie within the scope of the invention can be created, in which different details of the different examples can in a purposeful way be combined with one another. This invention is however, susceptible to modifications and alternate constructions from that disclosed above which are fully equivalent. Consequently, it is not the intention to limit this invention to the particular embodiment disclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications and alternate constructions coming within the spirit and scope of the invention as generally expressed by the following claims which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter of the invention. WE CLAIM 1. A method to transfer a print request to another printer when a terminal issue a print request to a printer wherein the said another printer is selected from a pool of printers connected in a network where the printer is identified by using a Job Server System (JSS) and Job Status Viewer (JSV). 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the JSS takes a print request from the user at the terminal and prepares the print job as requested by the user where the print job consists of Print parameters like resolution, paper size, darkness, no. of copies, etc. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the job server further consists of Job request handler which handles the job once the print job is ready for sending to the printer. 4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a menu option is provided for forwarding print if toner is low where the said option toggles between two values Enable or Disable. 5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein when the Enable option for the forward print option is set, the print module at the terminal side stores the value in a variable and the value is set to TRUE. 6. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein when the Forward print option is set to Disable then the print module at the terminal side sets the value of the said variable to FALSE. 7. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the Job Request Handler sends the print job to the printer and the status of the print job is transferred to the Job status viewer (JSV). 8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein if the Forward Print option is set to TRUE then a copy of the print job consisting of print data is stored in the JSV along with the status of the print job. 9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the JSV shows the status of the print jobs available at the printer. 10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the status includes the present print job running at the printer, the printer number/name, the print jobs queued at a particular printer, Present state of the print job at a particular printer, etc that the normal print module show at the Terminal side. 11. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the JSV consists of Print Job Changer (PJC) which handles the print job request when an error condition is received from the Printer. 12. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the printer is selected from the printer table when an error condition is encountered at the printer and the PJC looks up the Printer table and selects a printer which is capable of completing the print job. 13. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the Printer table is initialized whenever a new Print job is initiated and when the user sends a print request the user is provided with the list of alternative printers available in the network for the print job to complete. 14. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user selects multiple printers so that in case the print job fails the PJC can select the printer in sequence and transfer the print job to that printer where the said process is continued till the print job is successfully completed or the printers in the list of selected list of printers are exhausted. 15. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein when the print job is completed then Print data pertaining to that print job is deleted at the Terminal. 16. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the Printer receives the print job from the terminal where the printer consists of Job Client Handler (JCH) and Job Manager (JM). 17. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the JCH handles the received print request from the terminal, where the received request is given to the Job Manager. 18. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the JCH sends the job status received from the Job Manager to the Job Status viewer at the terminal, where the Job Manager consists of Job Queue and the Print Engine. 19. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the job Queue schedules the print jobs at the printer and when the job is ready in the job queue the Print Engine selects the job from the Job queue and checks the condition for printing the job. 20. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the print conditions include print paper availability, print motor condition, paper jam condition, print toner low or non availability, etc. 21. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein if the printing of the document is affected due to toner low condition then an error condition is sent to the JCH and the printing of the document is suspended where the JCH send the same status to the JSV. 22. A method to transfer a print request to another printer substantially as herein described particularly with reference to the drawings. Dated this 20th day of June 2005

Documents:

0757-che-2005-abstract.pdf

0757-che-2005-claims.pdf

0757-che-2005-correspondnece-others.pdf

0757-che-2005-description(complete).pdf

0757-che-2005-drawings.pdf

0757-che-2005-form 1.pdf

0757-che-2005-form 26.pdf

0757-che-2005-others.pdf

757-CHE-2005 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 25-02-2013.pdf

757-CHE-2005 FORM-1 25-02-2013.pdf

757-CHE-2005 FORM-13 25-02-2013.pdf

757-CHE-2005 AMENDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION 25-02-2013.pdf

757-CHE-2005 AMENDED CLAIMS 25-02-2013.pdf

757-CHE-2005 AMENDED CLAIMS 16-05-2012.pdf

757-CHE-2005 AMENDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION 16-05-2012.pdf

757-CHE-2005 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 16-05-2012.pdf

757-CHE-2005 FORM-1 16-05-2012.pdf

757-CHE-2005 FORM-13 19-06-2006.pdf

757-CHE-2005 FORM-5 16-05-2012.pdf

757-CHE-2005 OTHER PATENT DOCUMENT 16-05-2012.pdf

757-CHE-2005 POWER OF ATTORNEY 25-02-2013.pdf

757-CHE-2005 POWER OF ATTORNEY 16-05-2012.pdf