System for job control of a document processing system and method for job control of document processing process

1. A job control system for controlling a job in a document processing system in which processing system a number of tasks is performed in a workflow, the job control system comprising:

an input source with a user interface arranged to enable a user to define and change a set of job parameters;

an identifier arranged to identify and mark dependencies of results of said job to said set of job parameters, wherein said results are selected from a group of intermediate results of said job and final results of said job, and wherein said set of job parameters are selected from a group of parameters for said workflow, parameters within said workflow, and parameters for individual task processors in a production plan defining processing of said job;

a verifier arranged to verify, during job execution, a change in a particular parameter out of said set of job parameters, and to determine a condition if (a) a particular result out of said results and obtained before said change in said particular parameter is independent of said particular parameter, or (b) if an effect of said change in said particular parameter on said particular result is within a given limit; so that said particular result is still useable despite said change in said particular parameter;

a memory arranged to store said particular result that is still useable; and

a controller arranged to reuse said particular result only when said verifier has determined that the condition (a) or (b) has been met.

2. The job control system according to claim 1 wherein said results include a specific result provided by a specific task processor and wherein said identifier forms part of said specific task processor.

3. The job control system according to claim 1 wherein said verifier includes:

a calculator for calculating said effect of said change in said particular parameter on said particular result;

a comparator for comparing said effect to said given limit.

4. The job control system according to claim 1 wherein said verifier includes:

an estimator for estimating said effect of said change in said particular parameter on said particular result;

a comparator for comparing said effect to said given limit.

5. The job control system according to claim 1 further comprising a controller for changing a job ticket for processing a particular job by said document processing system after said change in said particular parameter, wherein said changing said job ticket is for using said stored still useable results, and for automatically resubmitting said particular job to said document processing system.

6. The job control system according to claim 3 further comprising a controller for changing a job ticket for processing a particular job by said document processing system after said change in said particular parameter, wherein said changing said job ticket is for using said stored still useable results, and for automatically resubmitting said particular job to said document processing system.

7. The job control system according to claim 4 further comprising a controller for changing a job ticket for processing a particular job by said document processing system after said change in said particular parameter, wherein said changing said job ticket is for using said stored still useable results, and for automatically resubmitting said particular job to said document processing system.

8. The job control system according to claim 1 further comprising a display device to display to a user said useable results.

9. The job control system according to claim 8 wherein said display device is arranged to display said dependencies to said job parameters of said useable results.

10. A method for controlling a job in a document processing system in which processing system a number of tasks is performed in a workflow, characterized in that the method comprises:

identifying and marking dependencies of results of said job to job parameters, wherein said results are selected from a group of intermediate results of said job and final results of said job, and wherein said job parameters are selected from a group of parameters for said workflow, parameters within said workflow, and parameters for individual task processors in a production plan defining processing of said job;

verifying, during job execution, a change in a particular parameter out of said job parameters, and determining a condition if (a) a particular result out of said results and obtained before said change in said particular parameter is independent of said particular parameter, or (b) if an effect of said change in said particular parameter on said particular result is within a given limit; so that said particular result is still useable despite said change in said particular parameter;

storing the still useable results; and

reusing said particular result only when the condition (a) or (b) has been met during the verifying step.

11. The method according to claim 10 further comprising:

changing a job ticket for processing a particular job by said document processing system after said change in said particular parameter, wherein said changing said job ticket is for using said stored still useable results;

automatically resubmitting said particular job to said document processing system.

12. A computer readable medium comprising program code to carry out the method according to claim 10 when run on a computer.

13. A computer readable medium comprising program code to carry out the method according to claim 11 when run on a computer.