Patent ID: 7072067
Filing Date: 2006-07-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A print server for use with print sources that generate print jobs having print data, some of the print jobs having different respective print data formats, and output devices that execute the print jobs, some of the output devices being compatible with different respective print data formats, the print server being configured to direct print data of print jobs received from the print sources to the output devices, the print server comprising: a format detector configured to detect the print data format compatibility of print data in each of the print jobs with respective ones of the output devices; a data transformer configured to convert all of the print data in each of the print jobs from the data format of the print job into a different print data format compatible with any given one of the output devices; a checkpoint restarter configured to allow a failed print job to be re-initiated at the point of failure; a print enhancer configured to enhance the print data by supplementing the print data with other print data that is resident at the print server; and a print job merger configured to create a merged print job before printing by merging print data from a first print job with print data from a second print job, the print server being configured to select one of the output devices for each of the print jobs and each of the merged print jobs and to direct the print data of each of the print jobs and of each of the merged print jobs over a local area network to the selected one of the output devices that is compatible with the print data format of the output device.