Patent ID: 8233178
Filing Date: 2012-07-31
Classification: G06Q,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for selecting a printer in a networked document reproduction environment, the method comprising: receiving a document with a specified number of prints to be printed in a document reproduction environment comprising a plurality of networked printing devices; determining a set of image quality requirements specific for said document based on image content of said document; setting a threshold quality expectation level for said document based on said determined set of image quality requirements for said document; querying an image quality state for each of said networked printing devices including a number of prints produced since at least one of i) a last developer change, and ii) a fuser roller change; assigning a device specific image quality metric to each of said networked printing devices based on said image quality state, and in response to said specified number of prints to be printed for said document exceeds a change interval for at least one of said developer and said fuser roller, then assigning a low quality to said device specific image quality metric for said network printing device; comparing said obtained device specific image quality metrics with said threshold quality expectation level; selecting one of said networked printing devices which best exceeds said threshold quality expectation level based on said comparison; and sending said document to said selected networked printing device.