Patent ID: 11954391
Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 8:
9. A method for managing printing operations, the method comprising:
connecting a digital front end (DFE) of a second printing device to a DFE of a first printing device to form a peer-to-peer network;
exchanging information for the first printing device and information for the second printing device after connecting the DFE of the first printing device and the DFE of the second printing device, wherein the information includes a printing capability for the respective printing device;
merging the information for the first printing device and the information for the second printing device into a printing device information file;
storing the printing device information file at the DFE for the first printing device and the DFE for the second printing device;
receiving a print job at the DFE of the first printing device having a requirement;
determining, at the DFE of the first printing device, whether the first printing device can complete the print job based on the respective printing capability and the requirement of the print job;
evaluating the printing device information file including the printing capability for the second printing device if the DFE of the first printing device determines that it does not provide the printing capability to meet the requirement to complete the print job; and
forwarding the print job to the DFE of the second printing device based on the printing capability for the second printing device.