Automatic print load balancing
View Patent ↗Methods and apparatus are provided for print load balancing, cluster printing and color and black-and-white page splitting. Print load balancing methods and apparatus route print jobs to the most available printer or split printing over more than one printer. Cluster printing methods and apparatus specify a group of printers from which a print job can be performed. Color and black-and-white page splitting methods and apparatus split a print job, and send non-color pages to black-and-white printers and pages with color to color printers.
1. A printing system comprising:
a means for searching for a plurality of printers coupled to a network to create a first printer list, the searching means adapted to allow a user to perform the search automatically or manually;
a first means for selecting a plurality of printers from the first list to create a second printer list, the first selection means adapted to allow the user to add or delete printers from the second printer list;
a second means for selecting a plurality of printers from the second printer list to create a third printer list, the second selection means adapted to allow a user to assign a group name to the third printer list;
a means for determining to which of the printers in the third printer list the print job is to be transmitted so as to balance the print job based upon a load balancing scheme;
a means for transmitting the print job to the determined printers based on the load balancing scheme; and
a means for printing the print job by the determined printers.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the load balancing scheme divides the print job by sets.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the load balancing scheme divides the print job by sending pages with no color to black-and-white printers and sends pages with color to color capable printers.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the load balancing scheme divides the print job by page number.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a printer from the third printer list printers is removed upon an error.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the print job has a user defined priority.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the priority puts the print job first amongst all queued print jobs.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the priority delays the print job until all other queued print jobs are performed.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the priority queues the print job at a specific date and time.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the user defined priority is a print speed threshold.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a print job is rerouted in the event of printer error based upon factors which may include any of the state of any or all, printers, the type of error, user defined options, and interactive options eligible.