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WO2018136101A1 - Planification de tâches d'impression - Google Patents

Planification de tâches d'impression Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2018136101A1
WO2018136101A1 PCT/US2017/014575 US2017014575W WO2018136101A1 WO 2018136101 A1 WO2018136101 A1 WO 2018136101A1 US 2017014575 W US2017014575 W US 2017014575W WO 2018136101 A1 WO2018136101 A1 WO 2018136101A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
print job
printing process
print
printing
interruption
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2017/014575
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
William E. Hertling
Melanie Robertson
Benjiman WHITE
Original Assignee
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. filed Critical Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Priority to PCT/US2017/014575 priority Critical patent/WO2018136101A1/fr
Publication of WO2018136101A1 publication Critical patent/WO2018136101A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
    • B41F33/00—Indicating, counting, warning, control or safety devices
    • B41F33/16—Programming systems for automatic control of sequence of operations
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
    • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
    • G06F3/1202—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect
    • G06F3/1203—Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
    • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
    • G06F3/1223—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to use a particular technique
    • G06F3/1237—Print job management
    • G06F3/126—Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
    • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
    • G06F3/1278—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to adopt a particular infrastructure
    • G06F3/1282—High volume printer device
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • G07C3/00—Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles

Definitions

  • Volume-based printing operations may utilize a plurality of printing process devices to print a plurality of print jobs.
  • Performing a volume- based printing operation may consume printing resources such as time, print media, device capacity, etc. at a higher level than a personal printing operation.
  • printing resources such as time, print media, device capacity, etc. at a higher level than a personal printing operation.
  • such printing resources have a cost that may impact profit margins associated with printing the print jobs.
  • the commitment of such printing resources in a volume-based printing operation may impact the ability to accommodate new print jobs into a printing schedule.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a diagram of an example of a system for scheduling print jobs, according to the disclosure.
  • Figure 2 is a block diagram of an example of a system for scheduling print jobs, according to the disclosure.
  • Figure 3 illustrates an example method for scheduling print jobs, according to the disclosure.
  • Scheduling of print jobs in a volume-based printing operation may allow for the efficient use of printing resources and the flexible
  • volume-based printing operations execute a printing process on a pre-formatted print job until the printing process is complete for the job.
  • a volume-based printing operation may utilize a formatted file received from a newspaper publisher that represents a target layout of a newspaper print job to execute a printing process ⁇ print five hundred thousand copies of the newspaper.
  • the volume- based printing operation may print the five hundred thousand copies continuously and according to the formatted file.
  • the volume-based printing operations may be limited by this practice with regard to controlling waste, influencing capacity consumption, and/or accommodating another print job that may result in an interruption of the newspaper print job.
  • examples described herein may include scheduling a printing process of identifying break boundaries of print jobs, scheduling print jobs utilizing the break boundaries based on job priority and/or volume- based printing operation bandwidth, and communicating the schedule to a plurality of printing process devices.
  • a volume-based printing operation may include a commercial and/or industrial printing process.
  • a volume- based printing operation may include a high-volume commercial and/or industrial printing process that prints on print media intended for
  • a volume-based printing operation may be distinct from a personal printer process and/or multifunctional business printer process.
  • a volume-based printing operation may include a printing process configured to deliver a relatively high number, e.g., hundreds and/or thousands of prints, per run as opposed to a personal printer that is configured to deliver a relatively smaller number, e.g., a single print or tens of prints per run.
  • a volume-based printing operation may be housed in a commercial facility.
  • the volume-based printing operation may utilize printing process devices that occupy a relatively large amount of space and are housed in a commercial and/or industrial setting, in contrast, a personal printer may be housed in a home, home-office, and/or office environment.
  • a volume-based printing operation may be distinct from a personal and/or multifunctional business printer process in a print media utilized in the printing process.
  • the volume-based printing operation may utilize relatively large rolls of paper configured to fit into a printing press, various non-paper based materials (e.g., latex, vinyls, films, textiles, canvas, wail paper, etc.), products, labels, etc. as opposed to the traditional 8.5x1 1 inch paper (and minor variants thereof) utilized in personal and/or multifunctional business printer processes.
  • a volume-based printing operation may be distinct from a personal and/or multifunctional business printer process in a speed of printing and recommended duty cycle volume associated with the printing process devices utilized in the operation.
  • a volume-based printing operation may utilize printing process devices rated as producing images per minute in the hundreds with a recommended duty cycle volume of
  • multifunctional business printer may be rated as producing images per minute in the tens of images range with a recommended volume of impressions per month in the tens of thousands of images. Further, volume-based printing operations may utilize printing process devices rated as printing at rates of printed feet squared per hour in the one thousand to multiple thousands of feet squared per hour range.
  • a volume-based printing operation may be distinct from a persona! and/or multifunctional business printer process in the identity of the printing process devices utilized in the operation.
  • the personal and/or multifunctional business printer process may utilize a personal printer and/or a multi-function office printer.
  • Such devices may be all-in-one devices which may incorporate e-mail, fax, photocopier, printer, and scanner functionality, in some examples, such device may include duplexing, stapling, hole punching, and/or offset modes, in contrast, a volume-based printing operation may utilize a variety of printing process devices.
  • the volume-based printing operation may utilize a print media source device.
  • a print media source device may include a device configured to accommodate, store, dispense, and monitor a print media.
  • print media may be large-format print media (e.g., up to 84 inch wide, up to 126 inch wide, etc.) stored in and may be dispensed from large rolls (e.g., 300 feet long, 650 feet long, etc.) or sheets.
  • the print media source device may be configured to accommodate, store, and/or dispense one or more of the large-format print media rolls or sheets.
  • a volume-based printing operation may utilize a finishing device.
  • a finishing device may be a device configured to perform finishing operations on the large-format print media utilized in the printing operation.
  • a finishing device may include a stapler, a cutter, a collator, a folding device, an additional printing device, a chemical or heat fixing and/or drying device, a packaging device, and/or a receiving roller to accommodate, store, and/or dispense printed print media, etc.
  • a volume-based printing operation may utilize a large-format printer.
  • a volume-based printing operation may utilize a page- wide large-format Inkjet printer, a digital printing press, an industrial printing press, and/or a page-wide web press.
  • volume-based printing process may be an industrial and/or commercial printing and/or finishing process that utilizes relatively large-scale, high-speed, high-volume printing operations with corresponding relatively large-scale, high-speed, and high-volume finishing capacity.
  • personal printing processes may be home and/or office-based relatively standard document printing utilizing relatively small-scale, low-speed, low-volume printing operations that may include some nominal finishing capacity,
  • the actions of the plurality of printing process devices utilized in executing a printing process for a print job in a volume-based printing operation may be coordinated.
  • the plurality of printing process devices may be configured to execute respective stages of the printing process such as print media storage, print media management, print media feeding, printing, and/or finishing stages.
  • the activity of each of the plurality of printing process devices may be scheduled to execute a printing process of a print job in a particular sequence to produce the target print job.
  • the variety of printing process devices may be in communication with one another and/or with a controller via a wired and/or wireless network.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of a system 00 for scheduling print jobs, according to the present disclosure.
  • the system 100 may include a plurality of print jobs 102-1 ... 102-N.
  • the plurality of print jobs 102-1 ... 102-N may include print jobs submitted for printing utilizing a volume-based printing operation.
  • the plurality of printing jobs 102-1 ... 102-N may be distinct print jobs. That is the plurality of print jobs 102-1 ... 102-N may not be copies of the same job, but rather may have distinct content to be printed. However, a single print job may include a plurality of copies of the same content within the print job,
  • Each of the plurality of print jobs 102-1 ... 102-N may be completed by executing a printing process. Completing a print job may include printing the entire content of the print job on a print media and/or printing the entire content of the print job a specified number of times.
  • the printing process associated with each of the plurality of print jobs 102-1 ... 102-N may include feeding print media from a source, printing on the print media, and performing a finishing step on the printed print media.
  • the plurality of print jobs 102-1 ... 102-N may be received at a print job manager 104.
  • the plurality of print jobs 102-1... 102-N may be submitted to the print job manager 104 for printing.
  • a print job manager 104 may be located on and/or utilized by any device utilized in a volume-based printing operation.
  • the print job manager 104 may be located on and/or utilized by a user device such as a device to submit the print job.
  • the print job manager 104 may be located on and/or utilized by a server accessible to the volume-based printing operation.
  • the print job manager may be located on and/or utilized by a printing process device 110-1 ... 110-N of the volume-based printing operation.
  • the print manager 104 may be located on and/or utilized by a volume-based printing operation controller.
  • the plurality of print jobs 102-1 ... 102-N may be submitted at substantially the same time to the print job manager 104 or at different times to the print job manager 104.
  • a first print job 102- 1 may be submitted to the print job manager 104 at a first time, in this example, the execution of the first print job 102-1 may begin.
  • a second print job 102-N may be received at the print manager 104 at a second time.
  • the print job manager 104 may monitor the progress of the printing process of each of the plurality of print jobs 102- ... 102-N as they are executed.
  • the print job manger 104 may orchestrate printing processes for each of the plurality of print jobs 102-1... 102-N as described below.
  • the print job manager 104 may include a boundary identifier 106.
  • a boundary identifier 108 may identify a break boundary of a first print job 102-1.
  • a break boundary may include a portion of the first print job 102-1 where the first print job 102-1 can be interrupted or
  • a break boundary may include a portion of the first print job 102- 1 corresponding to a physical page boundary of the content of the first print job 102-1.
  • a print job may include a plurality of segments.
  • the segments may correspond to a unit of content.
  • the unit of content may include a page, a banner, a bill board, a length of textile, a portion of a product to be printed on, etc.
  • Ail of the units of content or segments may, when compiled, represent the totality of the print job.
  • a print job may include a magazine.
  • a magazine may include a plurality of segments.
  • the plurality of segments may correspond to a unit of content formatted to represent a page of the magazine when printed.
  • Identifying a physical page boundary may include identifying the boundaries associated with complete individual segments and/or units of the print job.
  • a physical page may include any one of the plurality of pages of a magazine being printed on a printing press, in such an example, the break boundary for the page of the magazine may correspond to the outer periphery of all of the text, illustrations, and/or margins formatted to appear on a single page of the magazine.
  • the physical page boundary may alternatively include the outer periphery of the text, illustrations, and/or margins formatted to appear on multiple pages.
  • the physical page boundary may include the outer periphery of ail of the text, illustrations, and/or margins formatted to appear on two pages of the magazine that will be opposing one another when the magazine is bound folding the page in half.
  • the physical page boundary may include an observable break in the content of a print job that marks the completion of a segment of the print job.
  • the boundary identifier 106 may identify the portion of print media being utilized to print the first print job 102-1 that corresponds to the break boundary.
  • the boundary identifier 106 may identify the physical page boundary of the content of the first job 102-1 by analyzing the print job 102-1 , analyzing the print job 102-N, analyzing print media data and/or other printing process data received from one of a plurality of printing process devices 1 10-1... 110-N.
  • a break boundary may include a portion of the first print job 02- 1 corresponding to a physical page boundary of a print media.
  • the print media may include the media that is being printed upon in the volume-based printing operation.
  • the print media utilized in volume-based printing operations can be large-format media that often involves special handling, housing, and feeding mechanisms.
  • a physical page boundary of a print media may be defined by the dimensions of the print media and the volume-based printing operation may print within these boundaries.
  • the physical page boundary of the print media may be defined by a margin offset from the dimensions of the print media.
  • the physical page boundary of the print media may be defined by perforations and/or other alterations of the physical characteristics of the print media.
  • the physical page boundary of the print media may include a portion of the print media corresponding to a limit of the printable area of the print media, in an example, a roll of paper being utilized in a volume-based printing operation may be six hundred and fifty feet long. As such, a physical page boundary of the print media may be the six hundred and fiftieth foot of the roil of paper since that is where the roll ends and a new roll will have to be used for the print media source.
  • the boundary identifier 106 may identify the physical page boundary of the print media by analyzing the print job 102-1 , analyzing the print job 102-N, analyzing print media data and/or other printing process data received from one of a plurality of printing process devices 1 10- 1 ... 1 10-N.
  • a break boundary may include a boundary around a portion of the print media that is not occupied by printed content from the first print job 102-1 upon execution of the printing process of the first print job 102-1.
  • the break boundary may include the outer periphery of content around "white space” or unprinted space of the print media after the printing of a portion of the first print job 102-1 is complete.
  • an article in a magazine print job may not occupy the entire space for a page of the magazine and may leave unprinted space between the conclusion of the text of the article and the end of the physical page or the beginning of another article
  • a first print job 102-1 including a magazine may be formatted such that when the pages of the magazine are printed they do not occupy the entire width and/or length of the print media leaving portions of the print media unprinted.
  • the boundary identifier 106 may identify the outer periphery of content from the first print job 102-1 bordering such white space or unprinted space.
  • the boundary identifier 108 may define the break boundary utilizing the portions of the print media corresponding to either the break boundary or the white space and/or unprinted space.
  • the boundary identifier 108 may identify the portion of the print media that is not occupied by printed content from the first print job 102-1 and/or the outer periphery of content surrounding adjacent those areas by analyzing the print job 102-1 , analyzing the print job 102-N, analyzing print media data and/or other printing process data received from one of a plurality of printing process devices 1 10- 1 ... 1 10-N.
  • the boundary identifier 106 may also identify break boundaries in a second print job 102-N.
  • the boundary identifier 108 may identify portions of the second print job 102-N that can be physical page break boundaries of the content of the second print job 102-N
  • the boundary identifier 106 may identify a break boundary of the second print job 102-N that would allow segmentation of the second print job 102-N at the break boundary so that the segmented portion of the second job 102-N wouid fit into a white space or unprinted region and/or a remaining unprinted portion of the print media being utilized for printing the first print job 102-1.
  • the boundary identifier 108 may identify a break boundary of the second print job 102-N that is complementary to the break point identified in the first print job 102-1 with relation to filling a print media. Additionally, the boundary identifier 106 may identify the break boundaries of the first print job 102-1 described above that are complementary to the break boundaries of the second print job 102-N and will accommodate printing a segment of the second print job 102-N. The boundary identifier 106 may also identify the break boundaries of the first print job 102-1 described above that are complementary to accommodating printing the entire second print job 102-N.
  • the boundary identifier 106 may identify break boundaries in a first print job 102-1 and/or in a second print job 102-N that will result in different quantities of waste.
  • waste can include consumption of a printing resource that does not result in a portion of a completed print job.
  • waste can include a quantity of a printing resource used in printing an area of print media that is ultimately discarded or does not conform to target specifications of a printjob.
  • a printing resource may include the print media, the print ink/powder, the utilization of a capacity of a printing process device 110-1 ... 110-N, an amount of time associated with performing a printing process.
  • the boundary identifier 106 may determine which of the identified break boundaries in a first print job 102-1 and/or in a second print job 102-N to utilize in interrupting the printing process of the first print job based on the different quantities of waste. For example, the boundary identifier 106 may determine to use a break boundary of the first print job 102- 1 and/or in the second print job where the resulting quantity of waste is a lowest quantity of waste of printing resources or a quantity of waste of printing resources that is lower than other identified boundaries.
  • a boundary identifier 106 may identify a plurality of potential break boundaries of a first print job 102-1.
  • the potential break boundaries may include, for example, potential portions of content that may be utilized as break boundaries.
  • the boundary identifier 106 may analyze the potential break boundaries of the first print job 102-1 to identify a particular break boundary that will result in a lowest amount of waste of printing resources relative to other potential break boundaries.
  • a first potential break boundary of the first print job 02-1 may result in half of a width of a portion of print media being unprinted in the instance of an interruption at that break boundary.
  • a second potential break boundary of the first print job 102-1 may permit the entire width of the portion of print media to be filled with print in the instance of the interruption, in such an example, the boundary identifier 106 may determine the second potential break boundary is the break boundary to be utilized.
  • the print job manager 104 may include a scheduler 108.
  • a scheduler 108 may schedule execution of printing processes of the first print job 102-1 and/or the second print job 102-N.
  • the scheduler 108 may schedule an interruption of a printing process of the first print job 102-1.
  • An interruption of the first print job 102-1 may include discontinuing execution of the printing process of the first print job 102-1 in progress.
  • Discontinuing the first print job 102-1 may include temporarily discontinuing the first print job 102-1 , but not canceling it.
  • the print job 102-1 may be temporarily discontinued and then resumed from the point of interruption (e.g., the break point) after the completion of a portion of an interrupting print job such as a second print job 102-N.
  • the scheduler 08 may schedule an interruption of the execution of a printing process of the first print job 102-1 at a break boundary.
  • the scheduler 108 may schedule a temporary discontinuation of the execution of the printing process of the first print job 102-1 at a break boundary of the first print job 102-1 identified by the boundary identifier 106.
  • the interruption may include an execution of a printing process of a second print job 02-N.
  • the scheduler 104 may schedule an interruption of execution of a printing process of the first print job 102-1 at the break boundary to execute a printing process of a second print job 102-N.
  • the scheduler 108 may schedule the interruption of the execution of a printing process of the first print job 102-1 at the break boundary to execute a printing process of a second print job 102-N based on a priority assigned to the first print job 102-1 and a priority assigned to the second print job 102-N. For example, when a second print job 102-N is assigned a priority that is greater than the priority of the first print job 102-1 then scheduling the interruption of the printing process may include preempting the completion of a portion of the printing process of the first print job 102-1 while it is being executed to complete execution of a portion of the printing process of the second print job 102-N. in this manner, a higher priority job may be accommodated in a volume-based printing operation that is otherwise occupied with executing a printing process of a lower priority print job.
  • scheduling the interruption of the printing process may include performing an analysis of the first print job 102-1 in progress.
  • the analysis may include an analysis of the progress of the execution of the printing process of the first print job 102-1 .
  • the analysis may include an assessment of the percentage of completion of the first print job 102-1.
  • the analysis of the first print job 102-1 may include as estimated time until completion of the execution of the printing process of the first print job 102-1.
  • the analysis may be performed based on data from printing process devices 1 10-1 ... 1 10-N.
  • Scheduling the interruption of the printing process may include calculating a switching cost associated with interrupting an execution of a printing process of a first print job 102-1 in progress to execute a printing process of a second print job 102-N,
  • a switching cost may include an amount of time or other resource utilization associated with transitioning the printing process devices 1 10-1 ... 10-N from the first print job 102-1 to the second print job 102-N.
  • the scheduler 108 may utilize a comparison to determine if the switching cost associated with preemption of the first print job 102-1 by the second print job 102-N, having a higher priority, exceeds a threshold.
  • the scheduler 108 may utilize a comparison to determine if the time delay associated with preemption of the first print job 102-1 by the second print job 102-N, having a higher priority, is greater than an amount of time remaining to complete the first print job 02-1 and/or an amount of time remaining relative to a deadline associated with either print job.
  • scheduling the interruption of a printing process may include permitting completion of the printing process of the first print job 102-1 when the priority of the second print job 102-N is greater than the priority of the first print job 102-1 , based on a switching cost associated with preemption of the first print job 102-1 by the second print job 102-N exceeding a threshold.
  • a first print job 102-1 may be ninety-eight percent complete when a second print job 102-N is received with a higher priority than the first print job 02-1.
  • the scheduler 108 may permit the compietion of the first print job 102-1 since the remaining time to completion is relatively short (e.g., thirty minutes) as compared to the switching cost associated with the preemption (e.g., a two-hour delay to reconfigure a printing process device 10-1 ... 110-N to accommodate the second print job 102-N).
  • the print job manager 104 may be in communication with a plurality of printing process devices 110-1 ... 110-N.
  • the plurality of printing process devices may include a print media source device, a printing device, a finisher device, etc.
  • the plurality of printing process devices 10-1 ... 1 10-N may be in a single common housing or in a plurality of distinct housings.
  • the plurality of printing process devices 110-1 ... 1 10-N may be in communication with one another.
  • the printing process devices 110- 1 ... 1 0-N may be in communication with a central server and/or controller.
  • the printing process devices 1 10-1 ... 110-N may utilize wired and/or wireless connections to a common network (wireless local area network (WLAN), local area network (LAN), virtual local area network (VLAN), Internet, personal area network (PAN), wireless personal area network (WPAN), etc.) to a common network (wireless local area network (WLAN), local area network (LAN), virtual local area network (VLAN), Internet, personal area network (
  • the printing process devices 1 10-1... 1 10-N may utilize wired connections to communicate.
  • the print job manager 104 may communicate an interruption of an execution of a printing process of the first print job 102-1 to the plurality of printing devices 1 0-1... 1 10-N.
  • the print job manager 104 may communicate an interruption of an execution of a printing process of the first print job 102-1 to the plurality of printing devices 1 0-1 ... 1 10-N configured to execute respective stages of the printing process of the first print job 110-1.
  • the print job manager 104 may communicate an interruption of an execution of a printing process of the first print job 102-1 to the plurality of printing devices 1 10- ... 1 0-N that may be utilized to execute respective stages of a printing process of a second print job 102-N that is the interrupting print job.
  • Communicating the interruption to the plurality of printing process devices 110- ... 110-N may include signaling the transition from execution of the printing process of the first print job 102-1 to the execution of the printing process of the second print job 102-N.
  • Communicating the interruption to the plurality of printing process devices 1 10-1... 1 10-N may include signaling the break boundary of the content of the first print job 02-1 and/or the content second print job 02-N where the interruption of the printing process will occur.
  • 110-N may include signaling: the portion of the print media where the interruption of the execution of the printing process of the first print job 102-1 , the portion of the print media where the initiation of the second print job 02-N, and/or the portion of the print media where the resumption of the first print job 102-1 may take place.
  • Communicating the interruption to the plurality of printing process devices 10-1 . , . 1 10-N may include instructing each of the plurality of printing devices 10-1 ... 1 10-N to complete a portion of the first print job before starting to execute the second print job. Therefore, the beginning stages of a volume-based printing operation can begin source feeding or printing processes associated with the second print job as the finishers are completing the remaining portions of the first print job.
  • Communicating the interruption to the plurality of printing process devices 1 10-1... 10-N may include electronically signaling an alteration of the respective stages associated with each of the plurality of printing process devices 1 10-1... 110-N.
  • communicating the interruption to the plurality of printing process devices 110-1... 1 0-N includes electronically signaling an alteration of the respective stages of the plurality of printing process devices to execute a portion of the printing process of the second print job 1 10-N before completion of the printing process of the first print job 110-1.
  • Communicating the interruption to the plurality of printing process devices 10-1... 110-N may include signaling the interruption to the plurality of printing process devices 110-1... 110-N utilizing a mark applied to a portion of the print media.
  • the mark may be applied to the portion of the print media corresponding to the break boundary and/or to the portion of the print media corresponding to a printed area of the print media.
  • the mark may be applied to the portion of the print media corresponding to an unprinted portion (e.g., a margin, a white space, etc.).
  • the mark may communicate instructions to a printing process device 110-1 ... 1 10-N.
  • the mark may be a visible mark such as a visible machine readable optical label, barcode, quick response (QR) code, matrix barcode, or other marking that is visible to the human eye and may communicate information to a scanning or reading component of a printing process device 1 10-1... 110-N.
  • the mark may be and invisible mark.
  • the mark may include a mark on the print media that is not visible to the human eye under normal lighting conditions.
  • the mark may only be visible under specialized lighting conditions such as when near infra-red lighting conditions and/or may only be visible to specialized optical scanners onboard a printing process device 1 10-1... 110-N. Utilizing invisible marks may allow a portion of the print media that is printed with the invisible mark to be reprinted with visible print of content of a print job creating less waste in signaling.
  • FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example system 220 for scheduling print jobs, according to the present disclosure.
  • System 220 may be the same as or different than, system 100 illustrated in Figure 1.
  • System 220 may include at least one computing device that is capable of communicating with at least one remote system.
  • system 220 includes a processor 222 and a computer-readable medium 224.
  • the following descriptions refer to a single processor and a single computer- readable medium, the descriptions may also apply to a system with multiple processors and computer-readable mediums.
  • the instructions may be distributed (e.g., stored) across multiple computer-readable mediums and the instructions may be distributed (e.g., executed by) across multiple processors.
  • Processor 222 may be a central processing unit (CPUs), a microprocessor, and/or other hardware devices suitable for retrieval and execution of instructions stored in computer-readable medium 224.
  • processor 222 may receive, determine, and send instructions 226, 228, and 230 for scheduling print jobs.
  • processor 222 may include an electronic circuit comprising a number of electronic components for performing the functionality of an instruction in computer-readable medium 224.
  • Computer-readable medium 224 may be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that stores executable instructions.
  • computer-readable medium 224 may be, for example, Random Access Memory (RAM), an Electrically-Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a storage drive, an optical disc, and the like.
  • Computer-readable medium 224 may be disposed within system 220, as shown in Figure 2. in this situation, the executable instructions may be "installed" on the system 220.
  • computer-readable medium 224 may be a portable, external or remote storage medium, for example, that allows system 220 to download the instructions from the portable/external/remote storage medium. In this situation, the executable instructions may be part of an
  • computer-readable medium 224 may be encoded with executable instructions for scanning with destination marks.
  • instructions 226, when executed by a processor may cause system 220 to identify a break boundary.
  • the break boundary may be a break boundary of a first print job.
  • the break boundary may be a break boundary of a second print job.
  • the break boundaries of the first and/or second print job may be identified relative to one another.
  • the break boundaries of the first and/or second print job may be identified such that the interruption of the printing process of the first print job at a break boundary of the first print job with a printing process of the second printing process will produce a lowest amount of waste of a print resource such as print media.
  • Instructions 228, when executed by a processor may cause system 220 to schedule an interruption of an execution of the printing process of a print job.
  • scheduling the interruption may include scheduling an interruption of an execution of a printing process of a first print job at a break boundary of the first print job identified utilizing the instructions 226.
  • a volume based printing operation may include a plurality of source feeding, printing, and finishing stages.
  • the plurality of stages may be accomplished by a plurality of printing process devices configured to execute the respective stages of the volume-based printing operation.
  • a portion of a finishing stage may include folding of the printed media and this stage may be accomplished by a printing process device such as a folding machine.
  • a plurality of folding machines may be available for use in the volume-based printing operation.
  • the bandwidth of the volume-based printing operation may include a mechanical capacity associated with the plurality of printing process devices.
  • a mechanical capacity may include a volume of work that each of the plurality of printing process devices are mechanically able to accommodate.
  • Scheduling an interruption based on the mechanical capacity of the plurality of printing process devices may include scheduling an interruption that increases a total utilization of the mechanical capacity of the plurality of printing process devices.
  • scheduling an interruption based on the mechanical capacity of the plurality of printing process devices may include scheduling an interruption of a first print job with a second print job in a manner that increases utilization of the mechanical capacity of the plurality of printing process devices.
  • examples of scheduling an interruption may include scheduling an intermittent interruption of a first print job with portions of the second print job such that utilization of printing capacity is left substantially unchanged while utilization of folding capacity is increased.
  • the bandwidth of the volume-based printing operation may include a capacity associated with a print media upon which the first print job is printed in executing the printing process of the first job.
  • the capacity associated with the print media may include the printable area of the print media.
  • Scheduling an interruption based on the capacity associated with the print media may include scheduling an interruption of an execution of a printing process of the print job to execute a printing process of a second job when such an interruption increases the utilization of the capacity associated with the print media.
  • the content of a first print job may include three hundred copies of a magazine with an odd number of pages where two pages of the magazine occupies an entire width of the print media.
  • An uninterrupted execution of the first print job may yield three hundred unprinted portions of the print media that are sized at half the width of the print media.
  • a second print job may be received with content including three hundred pamphlets each occupying half the width of the print media.
  • scheduling an interruption based on the bandwidth of the volume- based printing operation may include scheduling an interruption of the execution of the printing process of the first job in three hundred places corresponding to the unprinted portions to execute the printing process of the second job within those unprinted portions so that the utilization of the print media bandwidth is increased.
  • Instructions 230 when executed by a processor (e.g., 222), may cause system 220 to communicate the scheduled interruption to a plurality of printing process devices configured to execute the respective stages of the volume-based printing operation.
  • communicating the interruption may include signaling the beginning and ending of first and second print jobs for identification and proper processing of the individual print jobs in accord with their specified printing processes.
  • the print media may include a mark communicating the beginning and/or an ending of an interruption of a first print job. Further, the mark may communicate the beginning and/or the ending of a portion of a second job interrupting the execution of the printing process of the first print job.
  • Communicating the interruption may also include signaling instructing the plurality of printing process devices how to source, print, and/or finish various portions of the print media corresponding to a first print job and/or an interrupting second print job.
  • communicating the interruption may include signaling the printing process devices to cut the print media at a boundary between a portion of a first print job and a portion of a second print job and to send the portion of the media corresponding to the portion of the first print job to a first folding device and to send the portion of the media corresponding to the portion of the second print job to a second folding device,
  • Figure 3 illustrates an example method 340 for scheduling print jobs, according to the present disclosure.
  • the method 340 may include identifying break boundaries.
  • the break boundaries may be the break boundaries of a plurality of print jobs
  • identifying the break boundaries of the plurality of print jobs may include analyzing the plurality of print jobs for potential break boundaries where the content of each print job may be interrupted.
  • identifying the break boundaries of the plurality of print jobs may include identifying potential starting and stopping points of each print job that will not result in generating waste and/or reprinting of content once the print job is resumed.
  • the break boundaries may be identified such that they are complementary.
  • a break boundary of a first print job and a break boundary of a second print job may be selected such that when the printing process of the first and second job are executed they will reduce an amount of wasted print media, reprinting, and/or additional processing.
  • identifying the break boundary of a plurality of print jobs includes identifying a portion of each of the plurality of print jobs where an interruption of the printing process results in an amount of waste of a print media below a threshold across a completion of the plurality of jobs.
  • the method 340 may include scheduling a sequence of execution of a printing process of each of the plurality of jobs.
  • the sequence of execution may utilize the break boundaries identified in 342. For example, an interruption of a first print job may be interrupted at a first print job break point and/or a second print job may be printed starting at the first print job break point and continuing until a second print job break point before resuming printing the first print job.
  • the scheduling of the sequence of execution of the printing process of each of the plurality of jobs may be based on a bandwidth of a volume-based printing operation. For example, the scheduling may be based on a sequence of execution that increases utilization of the capacity of various printing process device and/or the volume-based printing operation as a whole.
  • the method 340 may include communicating the sequence of execution of the printing process of each of the plurality of jobs. Communicating the sequence may include communicating the sequence to a plurality of printing process devices configured to execute respective stages of the volume-based printing operation. Communicating the sequence to the plurality of printing process devices configured to execute the respective stages of the volume-based printing operation may include printing a mark as a signal on a print media readable by a portion of the plurality of printing process devices. For example, the signal may be printed on print media utilizing marks that are visible or invisible to the human eye under normal lighting conditions. The signal may be detected and read by a portion of the plurality of printing process devices. The signal may communicate the sequence of execution and/or instructions for executing the sequence to each of the portion of the plurality of printing process devices.
  • logic is an alternative or additional processing resource to perform a particular action and/or function, etc., described herein, which includes hardware, e.g., various forms of transistor logic, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc., as opposed to computer executable instructions, e.g., software firmware, etc., stored in memory and executable by a processor.
  • hardware e.g., various forms of transistor logic, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.
  • ASICs application specific integrated circuits

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Abstract

Selon des exemples de mises en oeuvre, la présente invention concerne l'impression basée sur le volume. Par exemple, un système selon la présente invention peut comprendre l'identification d'une limite de rupture d'une première tâche d'impression. Le système selon la présente invention peut comprendre la planification d'une interruption d'un processus d'impression de la première tâche d'impression au niveau de la limite de rupture pour exécuter un processus d'impression d'une seconde tâche d'impression sur la base d'une priorité de la première tâche d'impression et d'une priorité de la seconde tâche d'impression. Le système selon la présente invention peut comprendre la communication de l'interruption à une pluralité de dispositifs de traitement d'impression conçus pour exécuter des étapes respectives du processus d'impression de la première tâche d'impression.
PCT/US2017/014575 2017-01-23 2017-01-23 Planification de tâches d'impression WO2018136101A1 (fr)

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN113211973A (zh) * 2020-02-05 2021-08-06 海德堡印刷机械股份公司 工作队列的灵活处理
US11658862B2 (en) 2012-11-14 2023-05-23 Accuzip, Inc. Hardware server and technical method to optimize bulk printing of physical items

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6332170B1 (en) * 1997-11-11 2001-12-18 Minolta Co., Ltd. Printing apparatus with job interrupt capabilities and control method thereof
US7265855B2 (en) * 2001-02-28 2007-09-04 Sharp Laboratories Of America, Inc. Priority interruptible printing system

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6332170B1 (en) * 1997-11-11 2001-12-18 Minolta Co., Ltd. Printing apparatus with job interrupt capabilities and control method thereof
US7265855B2 (en) * 2001-02-28 2007-09-04 Sharp Laboratories Of America, Inc. Priority interruptible printing system

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11658862B2 (en) 2012-11-14 2023-05-23 Accuzip, Inc. Hardware server and technical method to optimize bulk printing of physical items
CN113211973A (zh) * 2020-02-05 2021-08-06 海德堡印刷机械股份公司 工作队列的灵活处理
EP3862186A1 (fr) * 2020-02-05 2021-08-11 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG Traitement flexible de la séquence d'opération d'impression (job queue)
US11294610B2 (en) 2020-02-05 2022-04-05 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Method for flexible processing of a job queue

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