Processing print jobs with a single sheet job model

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018059994-A1
Application number	US-201615251276-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 30, 2016
Priority date	Aug 30, 2016
Publication date	Mar 1, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

System and methods for processing and printing print jobs with a single sheet job model job model. In one embodiment, a print controller includes an interface that receives a print job, and a processing unit that initiates a processing task for a group of pages in the print job. The print controller also includes a sheet controller that establishes a single sheet job model in memory for the processing task, and that iteratively inserts sheet properties of a set of pages of the group into the single sheet job model, provides the single sheet job model with the sheet properties to the processing task, and erases the sheet properties from the single sheet job model.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A print controller of a print system, the print controller comprising:
an interface configured to receive a print job; a processing unit configured to initiate a processing task for a group of pages in the print job; and a sheet controller configured to establish a single sheet job model in memory for the processing task, to iteratively insert sheet properties of a set of pages of the group into the single sheet job model, provide the single sheet job model with the sheet properties to the processing task, and erase the sheet properties from the single sheet job model.

2 . The print controller of claim 1 wherein:
the single sheet job model includes a job property portion that includes job properties of the group and a sheet property portion that includes the sheet properties; and
the sheet controller is configured to insert the sheet properties into the sheet property portion of the single sheet job model, to provide the single sheet job model to the processing task, to erase the sheet properties from the sheet property portion of the single sheet job model, and to maintain the job properties of the print job in the job property portion of the single sheet job model during processing of the group of pages for the processing task.

3 . The print controller of claim 2 wherein:
a preflight unit is one of the at least one processing unit and is configured to process the print job for the job properties; and
the sheet controller is configured to insert the job properties obtained from the preflight unit into the job property portion of the single sheet job model, and to maintain the job property portion as a constant in the single sheet job model during processing of another group of pages for another task performed by
one of a preview unit, an editing unit, or a Raster Image Processing (RIP) system.

4 . The print controller of claim 2 wherein:
the sheet controller is configured to insert the sheet properties of multiple pages from the group into the sheet property portion of the single sheet job model based on an N-up configuration of the set of the pages in the group, wherein N is greater than one; and
the single sheet job model in the memory represents sheet properties of all of the pages in the sheet during processing of the set of pages for the processing task.

5 . The print controller of claim 1 wherein:
the print controller is configured to determine that the print job is a redrive print job, and to create a multi-sheet job model for processing the print jobs instead of the single sheet job model, wherein the multi-sheet job model includes page offsets for reprocessing of the print job.

6 . The print controller of claim 1 wherein:
the print controller is configured to determine that the print job is a multiple copy type print job, and to create a multi-sheet job model for processing the multiple copy type print job instead of the single sheet job model.

7 . The print controller of claim 1 further comprising:
multiple processing units configured to initiate processing tasks for the print job;
wherein each of the multiple processing units includes its own sheet controller configured to perform processing tasks using the single sheet job models.

8 . A method comprising:
receiving a print job; receiving a request for a group of pages in the print job for a processing task by a processing unit; establishing a single sheet job model in memory for the processing task; iteratively inserting sheet properties of a set of pages of the group into the single sheet job model; providing the single sheet job model with the sheet properties to the processing task; and erasing the sheet properties from the single sheet job model.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein:
the single sheet job model includes a job property portion that includes job properties of the group and a sheet property portion that includes the sheet properties; and
the method further comprises:
inserting the sheet properties into a sheet property portion of the single sheet job model as sheet properties;
providing the single sheet job model to the processing task;
erasing the sheet properties from the sheet property portion of the single sheet job model; and
maintaining the job properties of the print job in the job property portion of the single sheet job model during processing of the group of pages for the processing task.

10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
processing the print job for the job properties with a preflight unit;
inserting the job properties obtained from the preflight unit into the job property portion of the single sheet job model; and
maintaining the job property portion as a constant in the single sheet job model during processing of another group of pages for another task by
one of a preview unit, an editing unit, or a Raster Image Processing (RIP) system.

11 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
inserting the properties of multiple pages from the group into the sheet property portion of the single sheet job model based on an N-up configuration of the set of the pages in the group, wherein N is greater than one, and wherein the single sheet job model in the memory represents sheet properties of all of the pages in the group during processing of the single sheet job model for the processing task.

12 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:
determining that the print job is a redrive print job; and
creating a multi-sheet job model for processing the print jobs instead of the single sheet job model, wherein the multi-sheet job model includes page offsets for reprocessing of the print job.

13 . The method of claim 8 comprising:
determining that the print job is a multiple copy type print job; and
creating a multi-sheet job model for processing the multiple copy type print job instead of the single sheet job model.

14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions, which, when executed by a processor, are operable for performing a method comprising:
receiving a print job; receiving a request for a group of pages in the print job for a processing task by a processing unit; establishing a single sheet job model in memory for the processing task; iteratively inserting sheet properties of a set of pages of the group into the single sheet job model; providing the single sheet job model with the sheet properties to the processing task; and erasing the sheet properties from the single sheet job model.

15 . The medium of claim 14 , wherein:
the single sheet job model includes a job property portion that includes job properties of the group and a sheet property portion that includes the sheet properties; and the method further comprises:
inserting the sheet properties into a sheet property portion of the single sheet job model as sheet properties;
providing the single sheet job model to the processing task;
erasing the sheet properties from the sheet property portion of the single sheet job model; and
maintaining the job properties of the print job in the job property portion of the single sheet job model during processing of the group of pages for the processing task.

16 . The medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
processing the print job for the job properties with a preflight unit; inserting the job properties obtained from the preflight unit into the job property portion of the single sheet job model; and maintaining the job property portion as a constant in the single sheet job model during processing of another group of pag

Assignees

• Eng Katie Ashley
• Ward David
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Eng Katie Ashley
• Ward David

Classifications

• G06F3/1247

  by conversion to printer ready format · CPC title

• G06F3/1206

  resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type · CPC title

• G06K15/1851

  parted in a plurality of segments per page · CPC title

• G06K15/1868

  for fitting to an output condition, e.g. paper colour or format · CPC title

• G06K15/1861

  taking account of a limited available memory space or rasterization time · CPC title