Patent ID: 7051328
Filing Date: 2006-05-23
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A printing workflow system disposed in a network for coordinating production of a document processing job among a plurality of autonomous cells, the printing workflow system comprising: a search module for searching which one or more of the autonomous cells can execute the job and creating a subset of one or more autonomous cells available to process the document processing job, wherein each autonomous cell consists of a logical grouping of resources, representing physical devices, sufficient for completing at least one type of document processing job; a transfer module for transferring information to the subset of autonomous cells about the document processing job; a bidding module including, a receiving module for receiving bids from the bidding module in response to the information transferred to the first subset of autonomous cells to process the document processing job; a selector module for selecting one or more autonomous cells to process the document processing job based on information in the bids received; and a queuing module for dispatching the document processing job to the selected one or more autonomous cells for processing.