Methods and systems for print jobs transfer via an external storage device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10965824-B2
Application number	US-201916365762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2019
Priority date	Mar 27, 2019
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

System(s) and method(s) for transferring print jobs from a multi-function device to an external storage device are described. The method includes detecting the external storage device by the multi-function device when the external storage device is connected to the multi-function device. The method further includes determining if there is a print job of a user in a print queue of the multi-function device and displaying an option to transfer the print job to the external storage device based on the determination. The method includes receiving an input from the user, the input is indicative of a selection of the option to transfer the print job. Also, the method includes automatically creating a pre-defined folder in the external storage device based on receiving the input and transferring the print job of the user from the print queue of the multi-function device to the pre-defined folder of the external storage device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for transferring print jobs from a multi-function device to an external storage device, the method comprising:
detecting the external storage device by the multi-function device when the external storage device is connected to the multi-function device;
determining if there is a print job of a user in a print queue of the multi-function device, wherein the print job is a job pending for execution in the print queue of the multi-function device;
displaying at least one default option, via a user interface of the multi-function device, when no print job of the user is pending in the print queue of the multi-function device, the at least one default option including a print from external storage device option;
displaying a job transfer option, via the user interface, to transfer the print job from the print queue of the multi-function device to the external storage device based on the determination of the print job of the user in the print queue of the multi-function device;
receiving an input from the user, wherein the input is indicative of a selection of the option to transfer the print job to the external storage device;
providing a list of at least one queued print job on the user interface of the multi-function device;
receiving a selection on the user interface of at least one queued print job from the list. creating, by the multi-function device, a pre-defined folder in the external storage device based on receiving the input; and
transferring, by the multi-function device, the selected queued print job of the user from the print queue of the multi-function device to the pre-defined folder of the external storage device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising
prompting the user to select at least one print job from the displayed list of at least one queued print job for transfer to the external storage device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising transferring job details associated with the selected queued print job to the pre-defined folder of the external storage device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the user is an authorized user.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
determining if the pre-defined folder pre-exists in the external storage device; and
based on the determination, automatically creating the pre-defined folder in the external storage device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising receiving the external storage device storing the selected queued print job and job details, by a different multi-function device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising automatically loading the selected queued print job and the job details from the external storage device, into a print queue of the different multi-function device, when the external storage device is connected to the different multi-function device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising identifying the pre-defined folder present in the external storage device when the external storage device is connected to the different multi-function device.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising printing the selected queued print job in accordance with the job details, by the different multi-function device.

10. A method for transferring one or more print jobs from a multi-function device to a different multi-function device via an external storage device, the method comprising:
detecting the external storage device by the multi-function device when the external storage device is connected to the multi-function device;
determining if there is a print job of a user in a print queue of the multi-function device, wherein the print job is a job pending for execution in the print queue of the multi-function device;
displaying at least one default option, via a user interface of the multi-function device, when no print job of the user is pending in the print queue of the multi-function device, the at least one default option including a print from external storage device option;
displaying a job transfer option, via the user interface, upon identifying one or more pending jobs for execution corresponding to the user in the print queue of the multi-function device when the user connects the external storage device to the multi-function device, the job transfer option to transfer the one or more pending jobs from the print queue of the multi-function device to the external storage device based on the identification of the one or more pending jobs;
displaying a list of the one or more pending jobs of the user, via the user interface;
receiving a selection of one or more pending jobs from the displayed list, via the user interface;
transferring, by the multi-function device, the selected pending jobs from the print queue of the multi-function device along with job details to a pre-defined folder of the external storage device, wherein the pre-defined folder is created by the multi-function device based on receiving the selection;
receiving the external storage device by the different multi-function device, the external storage device comprising the pre-defined folder having the transferred pending jobs and the job details;
identifying the pre-defined folder comprising the transferred pending jobs and the job details by the different multi-function device;
transferring the pending jobs along with the job details from the external storage device to a print queue of the different multi-function device; and
printing the job by the different multi-function device according to the job details.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the user is an authorized user.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising adding the pending jobs along with the job details to the print queue of the different multi-function device, based on the pre-defined folder in the external storage device.

13. A job transfer system for transferring print jobs from a multi-function device to an external storage device, the job transfer system comprising one or more processors to:
detect the external storage device when the external storage device is connected to the multi-function device;
determine if there is a print job of a user in a print queue of the multi-function device, wherein the print job is a job pending for execution in the print queue of the multi-function device;
display at least one default option, via a user interface of the multi-function device, when no print job of the user is pending in the print queue of the multi-function device, the at least one default option including a print from external storage device option;
display a job transfer option to transfer the print job from the print queue of the multi-function device to the external storage device based on the determination of the print job of the user in the print queue of the multi-function device;
receive an input from the user, wherein the input is indicative of a selection of the job transfer option to transfer the print job to the external storage device;
provide a list of at least one queued print job on the user interface of the multi-function device;
receive a selection on the user interface of at least one queued print job from the list;
create, by the job transfer system, a pre-defined folder in the external storage device based on receiving the input; and
transfer, by the job transfer system, the selected queued print job of the user from the print queue of the multi-function device into the pre-defined folder of the external storage device, along with job details.

14. The job transfer system as claimed in claim

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Annamalai Thangaraj Sathish Kumar
• Kesavan Narayan
• Krishnasamy Muralidaran

Classifications

• G06F3/1203

  Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management · CPC title

• H04N1/00472

  using a pop-up window · CPC title

• H04N1/00411 Primary

  the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen · CPC title

• G06F3/1204

  resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data · CPC title

• G06F3/1261

  by using alternate printing · CPC title