Patent ID: 8074221
Filing Date: 2011-12-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of processing a plurality of print jobs in a document production environment, the method comprising: for each of a plurality of print jobs: determining, by the print job workflow management system, for each of the plurality of autonomous cells, a first value for an objective function based on a total processing time for the autonomous cell to process each print job assigned to the autonomous cell based on the first feasible routes for each of the plurality of print jobs; selecting an assigned print job based on the number of feasible routes for each of the plurality of print jobs; selecting a second feasible route for the assigned print job based on the job processing time for each feasible route for the assigned print job; determining, by the print job workflow management system, for each of the plurality of autonomous cells, a second value for the objective function based on the total processing time for the autonomous cell to process each print job assigned to the autonomous cell based on the second feasible route for the assigned print job and the first feasible routes for the other print jobs of the plurality of print jobs; if the second value is less than a sum of the first value and a threshold: repeating at least said selecting the assigned print job, said selecting the second feasible route, and said determining the second value a plurality of times for each of the plurality of print jobs; and processing the plurality of print jobs based on the assigned feasible routes.