Patent ID: 6614559
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A method for routing an incoming file, the method comprising:determining how many pages are in the incoming file to obtain a first number of pages of a current transfer session; determining how many pages are in existing files already at one or more of a plurality of work stations to obtain a second number of pages, the existing files each having been transmitted during at least one earlier transfer session; adding the first number of pages to the second number of pages to get a total number of pages for the one or more work stations; determining which of the one or more work stations are on-line; determining which of the work stations that are on-line are available, wherein each work station is determined to be available if a number of the existing pages already at the work station is less than or equal to a lower limit of pages for the work station; and routing the incoming file to one of the work stations determined to be on-line and available if the total number of pages is less than or equal to an upper limit of pages.