Patent ID: 8582988
Filing Date: 2013-11-12
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A multi-printer system for indicating a replaceable unit should be moved from one marking engine to another so that a consumable in the replaceable unit is not discarded, comprising: a. a front end for providing a plurality of print jobs to be printed, each having corresponding data; b. a first marking engine, for using a first consumable stored in a first replaceable unit (RU) to print selected jobs at corresponding times on corresponding receivers; c. a second marking engine, for using a second consumable stored in a second replaceable unit (RU) to print selected jobs at corresponding times on corresponding receivers, wherein the first and second replaceable units are interchangeable; c. means for receiving a personnel schedule including a plurality of service times and personnel labor rates; d. a monitoring system for recording the corresponding data and corresponding times for a plurality of the jobs on the first and second marking engines; e. a life-estimating unit responsive to the received personnel schedule, the recorded corresponding data, and the recorded corresponding times, for estimating the remaining life of the first consumable in the first marking engine and remaining life of the second consumable in the second marking engine at a selected one of the service times; f. a decision unit responsive to the estimated lives of the first and second consumables for determining that the first RU in the first marking engine should be moved to the second marking engine at the selected service times; and g. an interface responsive to the decision unit for indicating that the first RU should be moved from the first engine to the second engine at the selected service time, so that a remaining amount of the consumable in the first RU is not discarded.