Abstract: A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a system are disclosed for scheduling print jobs on a plurality of printers. The method includes: collecting job information on each of a plurality of print jobs; obtaining a predicted success rate for each of the plurality of print jobs with each of the plurality of printers based on the job information on the each of the plurality of print jobs, the predicted success rate being a likelihood that a print job can be successfully completed by a printer; and assigning each of the plurality of print jobs to one or more printers of the plurality of printers with the predicted success rate for each of the one or more printers of the plurality of print jobs being greater than a predicted success threshold.

Abstract: A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a system are disclosed for scheduling print jobs on a plurality of printers. The method includes: collecting job information on each of a plurality of print jobs; obtaining a predicted success rate for each of the plurality of print jobs with each of the plurality of printers based on the job information on the each of the plurality of print jobs, the predicted success rate being a likelihood that a print job can be successfully completed by a printer; and assigning each of the plurality of print jobs to one or more printers of the plurality of printers with the predicted success rate for each of the one or more printers of the plurality of print jobs being greater than a predicted success threshold.

Abstract: A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a system are disclosed for creating a mapping library for converting a job ticket. The method includes obtaining a print job ticket schema that comprises a plurality of user items and user values; obtaining at least one sample print ticket each of which comprises a part of the plurality of user items and user values; obtaining a print job history that indicates whether a print job was successfully executed using the job ticket that has been previously created; and displaying a graphical user interface (GUI), which allows a user to associate the user values with target values to be used to execute a print job, wherein at least one of the user values and/or at least one of the target values that was used for the successful print job is shown in a different appearance from other user values and/or target values.

Abstract: A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a system are disclosed for detection and avoidance of printing of previously printed print jobs. The method includes storing one or more digital copies of print jobs in a central storage system; storing one or more physical copies of the one or more digital copies of the print jobs in a document stacker; receiving a print job on a printer; sending a request from the printer to the central storage system to determine if a physical copy of the print job is in the document stacker; and when the print job is in the document stacker sending a code from the central storage system for retrieval of a physical copy of the print job from the document stacker.

Abstract: A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a system are disclosed for scheduling print jobs on a plurality of printers. The method includes collecting job information on each of a plurality of print jobs; assigning each of the plurality of print jobs to one or more printers of the plurality of printers; receiving a new print job, the new job including job product information; calculating a pre-processing time for the new print job; calculating a processing time for the new print job; determining at least one printer of the plurality of printers to execute the new print job; assigning the new print job to the at least one printer of the plurality of printers; and determining if one or more of the plurality of print jobs can be reassigned to another printer of the plurality of printers to minimize a print schedule for the plurality of print jobs.

Abstract: Print shop operations may be visualized graphically to show relationships between a stream of incoming print jobs and a group of available print production devices, such as printing and finishing machines. A visualization process is performed with microservices to generate UI device panes, which form elements of a graphic user interface from which print shop operation can be monitored or controlled. Each microservice corresponds a different one of the print production devices. This can allow for rapid adjustments and customization of the UI, as may be needed due to user feedback, change in user requirements, and introduction of new print production devices to the print shop. Information may be added to the graphic user interface in combination with the UI device panes to facilitate assignment of print jobs to particular print production devices and/or to show which devices can be used sequentially or in parallel to complete the print jobs.

Abstract: Print shop operations may be visualized graphically to show relationships between a stream of incoming print jobs and a group of available print production devices, such as printing and finishing machines. A visualization process is performed with microservices to generate UI device panes, which form elements of a graphic user interface from which print shop operation can be monitored or controlled. Each microservice corresponds a different one of the print production devices. This can allow for rapid adjustments and customization of the UI, as may be needed due to user feedback, change in user requirements, and introduction of new print production devices to the print shop. Information may be added to the graphic user interface in combination with the UI device panes to facilitate assignment of print jobs to particular print production devices and/or to show which devices can be used sequentially or in parallel to complete the print jobs.

Abstract: A print management method involves a print server using one or more plug-ins to instruct plural output devices to execute child jobs that were split from a single print order. The plug-in can be a group plug-in that enables the print server to communicate with the plural output devices to complete the single print order. The plural output devices can be two printing machines, or one printing machine and one finishing machine.

Abstract: A print management method involves a print server using one or more plug-ins to instruct plural output devices to execute child jobs that were split from a single print order. The plug-in can be a group plug-in that enables the print server to communicate with the plural output devices to complete the single print order. The plural output devices can be two printing machines, or one printing machine and one finishing machine.

Abstract: A method for creating local hot folders is provided. The method includes: receiving, by a print server that includes a first network hot folder and a second network hot folder, a request to create at least one local hot folder on a user computing device; determining, by the print server, that the request corresponds to the first network hot folder; and transmitting, by the print server to the user computing device, a first instruction set comprising an instruction to create a first local hot folder that implements a first transfer protocol. The first network hot folder executes a predetermined process and requires the first transfer protocol in response to executing the predetermined process, and the second network hot folder executes another process and requires a second transfer protocol.

Abstract: A method and related apparatus for processing print jobs, which automatically edits both the document to be printed and the job ticket based on a state or content of the document itself, without user intervention, to achieve certain printing effects such as inserting tab sheets of slip sheets, removing pages, inserting annotations, changing finishing settings, etc. In one specific example, the state or content of the document is a specific key phrase or is associated with a specific bookmark. A program is also provided to emulate the result of the automatic editing of the print job and original document. When the print job is processed by a server and the emulation is performed by a client, the server checks whether the client program modules used for the emulation are consistent with the server program modules used for print job processing.

Abstract: A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a system are disclosed for creating a mapping library for converting a job ticket. The method includes obtaining a print job ticket schema that comprises a plurality of user items and user values; obtaining at least one sample print ticket each of which comprises a part of the plurality of user items and user values; obtaining a print job history that indicates whether a print job was successfully executed using the job ticket that has been previously created; and displaying a graphical user interface (GUI), which allows a user to associate the user values with target values to be used to execute a print job, wherein at least one of the user values and/or at least one of the target values that was used for the successful print job is shown in a different appearance from other user values and/or target values.

Abstract: A method for creating local hot folders is provided. The method includes: receiving, by a print server that includes a first network hot folder and a second network hot folder, a request to create at least one local hot folder on a user computing device; determining, by the print server, that the request corresponds to the first network hot folder; and transmitting, by the print server to the user computing device, a first instruction set comprising an instruction to create a first local hot folder that implements a first transfer protocol. The first network hot folder executes a predetermined process and requires the first transfer protocol in response to executing the predetermined process, and the second network hot folder executes another process and requires a second transfer protocol.

Abstract: A method for printing. The method includes: receiving, by a print manager executing on a computer processor, a user print job ticket including a normal-type print parameter and a first user value for the normal-type print parameter; identifying, within a print job dictionary, a first mapping object for the normal-type print parameter; determining, by the print manager and from the first mapping object, a first native print parameter corresponding to the normal-type print parameter; determining, by the print manager and from the first mapping object, a first native value corresponding to the first user value; generating, by the print manager, a native print job ticket including the first native print parameter and the first native value for the first native print parameter; and generating a hardcopy based on the native print job ticket by sending the native print job ticket to a printer.

Abstract: A method and related apparatus for processing print jobs, which automatically edits both the document to be printed and the job ticket based on a state or content of the document itself, without user intervention, to achieve certain printing effects such as inserting tab sheets of slip sheets, removing pages, inserting annotations, changing finishing settings, etc. In one specific example, the state or content of the document is a specific key phrase or is associated with a specific bookmark. A program is also provided to emulate the result of the automatic editing of the print job and original document. When the print job is processed by a server and the emulation is performed by a client, the server checks whether the client program modules used for the emulation are consistent with the server program modules used for print job processing.

Abstract: A method and related apparatus for processing print jobs, which automatically edits both the document to be printed and the job ticket based on a state or content of the document itself, without user intervention, to achieve certain printing effects such as inserting tab sheets of slip sheets, removing pages, inserting annotations, changing finishing settings, etc. In one specific example, by checking whether each page includes a specific key phrase or is associated with a specific bookmark, the document and the job ticket are automatically edited so that a tab sheet or slip sheet is inserted at a corresponding position. A program is also provided to emulate the result of the editing the print job and original document.

Abstract: Disclosed is a print job management method that provides efficient managing, routing and processing of print jobs amongst multiple printers. By first ranking the printers based on one or more positive and negative history factors as well as a user intention associated with a print job, and then selecting a destination printer from the ranked printers, the print job management method disclosed herein significantly reduces the evaluation workload in locating the best printer for each print job.