Patent ID: 9223530
Filing Date: 2015-12-29
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for processing a print job implemented in a print job management apparatus for managing a plurality of printing devices, the method comprising: (a) receiving an assignment of a print job to a selected printing device, the print job specifying job ticket parameters representing printing requirements; (b) comparing the printing requirements with capabilities of the selected printing device which include color capabilities, media supply capabilities, layout capabilities, and finishing capabilities, to detect whether any constraints of a first category exists, the constraints of the first category being selected from a group consisting of incompatible color capabilities, incompatible paper size and type, incompatible layout capabilities, finishing requests that are internally incompatible with each other, incompatible orientation requests, unsupported layout/size modifications, and unsupported media types, and to detect whether any constraints of a second category exists, the constraints of the second category being finishing requests that are incompatible with finishing capabilities of the selected printing device, wherein the constraints of the first category and the constraints of the second category are non-overlapping; (c) if neither any constraint of the first category nor any constraint of the second category is detected in step (b), submitting the print job to the selected printing device; (d) if any constraint of the first category is detected in step (b), regardless of whether any constraint of the second category is detected in step (b), displaying an error message indicating that printing fails to proceed and indicating a nature of the detected constraint, without submitting the print job to the selected printing device; (e) if no constraint of the first category is detected and any constraint of the second category is detected in step (b), displaying a warning message indicating a nature of the detected constraint and indicating a request for operator instruction; and (f) after step (e), if an operator instruction to proceed is received, generating data for a banner page which indicates uncompleted job requirements, generating a modified print job which includes the banner page containing the data indicating the uncompleted job requirements and the received print job, and submitting the modified print job which includes the banner page and the received print job as a single print job to the selected printing device to print the banner page together with pages of the received print job.