Method and apparatus for automatically scaling print jobs in an image production device

1. A method for automatically scaling print jobs without any user inputs in an image production device network, comprising:

receiving a request to print a print job at a particular image production device using a particular media sheet size;

determining a size of media in one or more media trays in the particular image production device;

determining if the size of the media in the requested print job matches the determined media size in one of the one or more media trays, wherein when it is determined that the size of the media in the requested print job does not match the determined media size in one of the one or more media trays,

determining if the determined media size in the one or more media trays closest to the print job media sheet size is within a predetermined scaling range, wherein when it is determined that the media size in the one or more media trays closest to the print job media sheet size is within the predetermined scaling range,

scaling the requested print job to the determined closest media size; and

printing the requested print job on the determined closest media sheet size from one of the one or more media trays;

wherein the predetermined scaling range is determined by one of a system administrator or the manufacturer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein if it is determined that the size of the media in the requested print job matches the determined media size in one of the one or more media trays,

printing the requested print job on the particular media sheet size from one of the one or more media trays.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein in determining the media size in the one or more media trays closest to the print job media sheet size,

determining whether at least one of a larger media size in the one or more media trays and a smaller media size in the one or more media trays, is closest to the print job media sheet size.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular image production device is one of a copier, a printer, a facsimile device, and a multi-function device.

5. An image production device management unit for automatically scaling print jobs in an image production device network without any user inputs, the image production device management unit controlling one or more image production devices, each of the image production devices having one or more media trays each containing media sheets of a particular size and an image production section that prints requested print jobs, the image production device management unit comprising:

an automatic print job scaling unit that receives a request to print a print job at a particular image production device of the image production devices using a particular media sheet size, determines a size of media in the one or more media trays in the particular image production device, determines if the size of the media in the requested print job matches the determined media size in one of the one or more media trays, wherein when the automatic print job scaling unit determines that the size of the media in the requested print job does not match the determined media size in one of the one or more media trays, the automatic print job scaling unit determines the media size in the one or more media trays closest to the print job media sheet size, wherein the automatic print job scaling unit determines if the determined media size in the one or more media trays closest to the print job media sheet size is within a predetermined scaling range, wherein when the automatic print job scaling unit determines that the media size in the one or more media trays closest to the print job media sheet size is within the predetermined scaling range, the automatic print job scaling unit scales the requested print job to the determined closest media size, and prims the requested print job on the determined closest media sheet size from one of the one or more media trays using the image production section;

wherein the predetermined scaling range is determined by one of a system administrator or the manufacturer.

6. The image production device management unit in an image production device network for automatically scaling print jobs without any user inputs of claim 5 , wherein when the automatic print job scaling unit determines that the size of the media in the requested print job matches the determined media size in one of the one or more media trays, the automatic print job scaling unit prints the requested print job on the particular media sheet size from one of the one or more media trays.

7. The image production device management unit in an image production device network for automatically scaling print jobs without any user inputs of claim 5 , wherein in determining the media size in the one or more media trays closest to the print job media sheet size, the automatic print job scaling unit determines whether at least one of a larger media size in the one or more media trays and a smaller media size in the one or more media trays, is closest to the print job media sheet size.

8. The image production device management unit in an image production device network for automatically scaling print jobs without any user inputs of claim 5 , wherein the particular image production device is one of a copier, a printer, a facsimile device, and a multi-function device.

9. A non-transient computer-readable medium storing instructions for controlling a computing device for automatically scaling print jobs without any user inputs in an image production device network, the instructions comprising:

receiving a request to print a print job at a particular image production device using a particular media sheet size;

determining a size of media in one or more media trays in the particular image production

device;

determining if the size of the media in the requested print job matches the determined media size in one of the one or more media trays, wherein when it is determined that the size of the media in the requested print job does not match the determined media size in one of the one or more media trays,

determining if the determined media size in the one or more media trays closest to the print job media sheet size is within a predetermined scaling range, wherein when it is determined that the media size in the one or more media trays closest to the print job media sheet size is within the predetermined scaling range,

scaling the requested print job to the determined closest media size; and

priming the requested print job on the determined closest media sheet size from one of the one or more media trays;

wherein the predetermined scaling range is determined by one of a system administrator or the manufacturer.

10. The non-transient computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein when it is determined that the size of the media in the requested print job matches the determined media size in one of the one or more media trays,

printing the requested print job on the particular media sheet size from one of the one or more media trays.

11. The non-transient computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein in determining the media size in the one or more media trays closest to the print job media sheet size,

determining whether at least one of a larger media size in the one or more media trays and a smaller media size in the one or more media trays, is closest to the print job media sheet size.

12. The non-transient computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the particular image production device is one of a copier, a printer, a facsimile device, and a multi-function device.