Abstract:
A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving a print job to be printed, determining if the print job is to be printed as a monochrome print job, invoking a monochrome International Color Consortium (ICC) profile if the print job is determined to be a monochrome print job, printing the monochrome print job and tracking a first print volume during periods in which the monochrome ICC profile has been invoked.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the field of printing systems. More particularly, the invention relates to managing, controlling and monitoring ink usage in a color printing system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Print systems include presentation architectures that are provided for representing documents in a data format that is independent of the methods that are utilized to capture or create those documents. One example of a presentation system is the (Advanced Function Presentation) AFP™ system developed by International Business Machines Corporation. Other examples of presentation systems include Portable Document Format (PDF) and PostScript (PS). According to these systems, documents may include mixed content data objects (e.g., combinations of text, image, graphics, etc.). 
     Moreover, these print systems typically perform color printing using a, combination of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K) color inks, where mixed content input color data objects received at a print system are rendered using all colorants. Thus, print jobs designated as having black (or monochrome) objects are sometimes rendered using a combination of color inks in full color print systems. 
     This results in undesirable CMYK black combinations for print jobs that are to be printed with black only ink because it results in a substantial use of C, M and Y ink to print various shades of black and gray. Since C, M and Y ink are each more expensive, the unnecessary use of these colors results in wasted resources. Further, a higher maintenance fee is incurred for print customers using full color print systems. As a result, a number of print customers are hesitant to move to full color print systems because of the total cost of print is higher for these systems. 
     In order to encourage a transition from monochrome printing to full color, a mechanism is desired to enable customers to print monochrome pages on full-color systems, while incurring costs and usage fees for single color printing. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, a method is disclosed. The method includes receiving a print job to be printed, determining if the print job is to be printed as a monochrome print job, invoking a monochrome International Color Consortium (ICC) profile if the print job is determined to be a monochrome print job, printing the monochrome print job and tracking a first print volume during periods in which the monochrome ICC profile has been invoked. 
     In another embodiment, a printer is disclosed. The printer includes a control unit to identify a print job as a monochrome print job or a color print job. The control unit includes a color management unit to determine color values for each pixel in an object in the print job, and having a first International Color Consortium (ICC) profile invoked by the control unit to print the print job if identified as a monochrome print job and a second ICC profile invoked by the control unit to print the print job if identified as a color print job. The control unit also includes a monitor to track a first print volume during periods in which the first ICC profile has been invoked. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained from the following detailed description in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a printing system; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of a control unit; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of color monitoring. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A mechanism for managing and monitoring monochrome print jobs in a full color system is described. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the underlying principles of the present invention. 
     Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a printing system  100 . Printing system  100  includes a print application  110 , a server  120  and printer  130 . Print application  110  makes a request for the printing of a document. In one embodiment, print application  110  provides AFP, PS and PDF files for printing to print server  120 . 
     Printer  130  includes a control unit  150  and a print engine  160 . According to one embodiment, control unit  150  processes and renders objects received from print server  120  and provides sheet maps for printing to print engine  160 .  FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of a control unit  150 . Control unit  150  includes a rasterizer  200 . 
     Rasterizer  200  is implemented to process image objects received at control unit  150  by performing a raster image process (RIP) to convert an image described in a vector graphics format (e.g., shapes) into a raster image (e.g., pixels) for output to print engine  160 . Rasterizer  200  includes a color management unit  210  that provides a color mapping from a source to a destination color space. 
     In one embodiment, color management unit  210  uses International Color Consortium (ICC) profiles to perform the mapping to determine CMYK values for each pixel in a particular object to be printed at print engine  160 . According to one embodiment, color management unit  210  includes color ICC profiles  215  and monochrome ICC profiles  218 . Color profiles  215  includes various profiles used to print full color print jobs, while monochrome profiles  218  includes one or more profiles to be used for monochrome or single ink (e.g., blacks, grays, etc.) ink. 
     In one embodiment controller  150 , identifies and controls print jobs that will use black only ink. In this embodiment, controller  150  invokes one of monochrome profiles  218  whenever a print job is identified as a monochrome print job. In one embodiment, a printer  130  operator may select a type of print job (color or monochrome) using a Graphical User Interface (GUI)  170 . 
     Subsequently, controller  150  invokes one of color profiles  218  or monochrome profiles  218  based upon the selection. In another embodiment, the operator may select one of a list of print job jobs at GUI  170 , where each print job is designated as either full color or monochrome. Upon selection of the print job controller  150  invokes a corresponding ICC profile. 
     Control unit  150  also includes a monitor  240  that monitors the type of ICC profile that has been invoked (color or monochrome) and tracks the print volume (in feet) during the period in which each of the profile types are invoked. Further, control unit  150  includes a reporting module  250  that generates precise volumes of monochrome pages that have been printed. However in other embodiments, reporting module  250  generates volume reports for both monochrome and color pages. 
     According to one embodiment, the information collected at monitor  240  and reporting module  250  are forwarded to a printing software product at print server  120  in order to facilitate the generation of a report results regarding the usage of printer  130 . The report may subsequently be incorporated into a maintenance billing report printer  130 . In one embodiment, the report may include data for a volume of black only pages printed at printer  103 . However, other embodiments may include usage data for both color and black only pages. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of color monitoring at printer  103 . At processing block  310 , a print job is received at printer  103 . At decision block  320 , it is determined whether the print job is a black only print job. If so, one of monochrome profiles  218  is invoked, processing block  330 . At processing block  340 , monitor  240  tracks the volume of the black only print job. At processing block  350 , a black only volume tracking at reporting module  250  is updated. Subsequently, control is returned to processing block  310  where another print job is received. 
     If it is determined that the print job is a full color print job, one of color profiles  215  is invoked, processing block  360 . At processing block  370 , monitor  240  tracks the volume of the color print job. At processing block  350 , a color volume tracking at reporting module  250  is updated before control is again returned to processing block  310  where another print job is received. 
     The above-described mechanism enables tracking single ink printing (e.g., black) on a multiple ink printing system, while varying usage charges can depending on single ink or color printing. Further, ink usage can be restricted and reported, or applied systematically, in instances such as substituting process black (for K black) when using more expensive inks (e.g., MICR). 
     Embodiments of the invention may include various steps as set forth above. The steps may be embodied in machine-executable instructions. The instructions can be used to cause a general-purpose or special-purpose processor to perform certain steps. Alternatively, these steps may be performed by specific hardware components that contain hardwired logic for performing the steps, or by any combination of programmed computer components and custom hardware components. 
     Elements of the present invention may also be provided as a machine-readable medium for storing the machine-executable instructions. The machine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, floppy diskettes, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, propagation media or other type of media/machine-readable medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. For example, the present invention may be downloaded as a computer program which may be transferred from a remote computer (e.g., a server) to a requesting computer (e.g., a client) via a communication link (e.g., a modem or network connection). 
     Throughout the foregoing description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details were set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without some of these specific details. Accordingly, the scope and spirit of the invention should be judged in terms of the claims which follow.