Patent ID: 6671065
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: G06F,H04N

Abstract:
A method for prioritizing the use of multifunctional printing system's basic processing resources to efficiently transition resources from a lower priority sub-job to a higher priority sub-job, said system employing a controller with a job contention manager (JCM), said method comprising:a) providing a plurality of basic resources of the printing system with each of said basic resources having a job queue; b) one or more job services, at a desired time, sending a signal, comprising a propose, to said JCM to carry out a sub-job of a given job, said propose, for each of said sub-jobs, including information about the respective sub-job's priority; c) responsive to said propose, said JCM adding a corresponding basic job resource sub-job to the queues of each basic resource which said sub-job will require in order to perform the proposed sub-job; d) one of said job services sending to said JCM a first sub-job propose for a first sub-job; e) said JCM determining the state of said first sub-job, such that if said first sub-job is at the top of all the basic resource job queues for all the basic resources it requires, its state is active and said first sub-job is processed by said basic resources; f) said JCM determining the state of said first sub-job propose, said state being â€œin progressâ€  if said proposed sub-job is being actively processed or said state being â€œnot activeâ€  if said proposed sub-job is not being actively processed; g) one of said job services sending to said JCM a second sub-job propose for a second sub-job using at least one basic resource required by said first proposed sub-job, said second proposed sub-job having a higher priority than said first sub-job; h) said JCM substantially immediately transitioning said at least one basic resource for use by said second proposed sub-job, if the state of said first sub-job's propose is â€œnot activeâ€ .