Print job management based on energy pricing and load

An approach is provided that prints print jobs based on energy demand data. The print job manager, which is a software application running on an information handling system receives a print request, the print request including a print job. The print job manager retrieves energy demand data. The energy demand data corresponds to a power grid that is a power source for a printer accessible from the information handling system. If the energy demand data indicates a a non-elevated energy demand, then the print job is printed on the printer. On the other hand, if the energy demand data indicates an elevated energy demand, then the print request is stored in a storage and the process waits until the energy demand is not elevated, at which time the print job is printed on the printer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to managing print jobs. More particularly, the present invention relates to scheduling print jobs in light of energy pricing and energy loads that take place during a period of time.

2. Description of the Related Art

Print job management does not typically take external factors or data into account when determining how or when the jobs submitted to a printer should actually be printed. This is especially true in terms of the amount of energy a printer consumes and when it consumes it. Printers are at times non-critical devices that draw a significant amount of energy from the power grid. Users often send jobs to the printer at any time of the day even though the printouts will not be needed at the time they are sent. In fact, sometimes users wait for extended periods before even picking up printouts that are waiting for them. This current unmanaged approach to printing, is not an efficient use of the energy resources consumed by the printer. The lack of energy knowledge at the print job manager is a challenge for energy companies, since they will incur unnecessary load at peak times, and is also a challenge for consumers, since they end up paying for higher peak energy for non-critical jobs. These challenges are exacerbated by the fact that millions of printers are used in office and home settings during standard work hours which is usually the time of greatest energy demands, especially in warmer climates where such homes and office environments are simultaneously using large amounts of energy to operate air conditioning equipment.

SUMMARY

An approach is provided that prints print jobs based on energy demand data. The print job manager, which is a software application running on an information handling system receives a print request, the print request including a print job. The print job manager retrieves energy demand data. The energy demand data corresponds to a power grid that is a power source for a printer accessible from the information handling system. If the energy demand data indicates a a non-elevated energy demand, then the print job is printed on the printer. On the other hand, if the energy demand data indicates an elevated energy demand, then the print request is stored in a storage and the process waits until the energy demand is not elevated, at which time the print job is printed on the printer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain specific details are set forth in the following description and figures to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the invention. Certain well-known details often associated with computing and software technology are not set forth in the following disclosure, however, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the various embodiments of the invention. Further, those of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that they can practice other embodiments of the invention without one or more of the details described below. Finally, while various methods are described with reference to steps and sequences in the following disclosure, the description as such is for providing a clear implementation of embodiments of the invention, and the steps and sequences of steps should not be taken as required to practice this invention. Instead, the following is intended to provide a detailed description of an example of the invention and should not be taken to be limiting of the invention itself. Rather, any number of variations may fall within the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims that follow the description.

The following detailed description will generally follow the summary of the invention, as set forth above, further explaining and expanding the definitions of the various aspects and embodiments of the invention as necessary. To this end, this detailed description first sets forth a computing environment inFIG. 1that is suitable to implement the software and/or hardware techniques associated with the invention. A networked environment is illustrated inFIG. 2as an extension of the basic computing environment, to emphasize that modern computing techniques can be performed across multiple discrete devices.

ExpressCard155is a slot that connects hot-pluggable devices to the information handling system. ExpressCard155supports both PCI Express and USB connectivity as it connects to Southbridge135using both the Universal Serial Bus (USB) the PCI Express bus. Southbridge135includes USB Controller140that provides USB connectivity to devices that connect to the USB. These devices include webcam (camera)150, infrared (IR) receiver148, keyboard and trackpad144, and Bluetooth device146, which provides for wireless personal area networks (PANs). USB Controller140also provides USB connectivity to other miscellaneous USB connected devices142, such as a mouse, removable nonvolatile storage device145, modems, network cards, ISDN connectors, fax, printers, USB hubs, and many other types of USB connected devices. While removable nonvolatile storage device145is shown as a USB-connected device, removable nonvolatile storage device145could be connected using a different interface, such as a Firewire interface, etcetera.

FIG. 3is a diagram showing the interaction between components in providing print management based on energy factors. Energy provider, such as utility company300, provide electrical power to consumers, including the power used by user320to operate personal printer350and network printer380. During peak energy usage when energy demand is high, the utility company will often charge a higher rate for the power consumed. This is in part a measure to attempt to drive down demand by encouraging power users to use less power. Energy data provider310, which may be performed by utility company300or by a separate service, provides energy demand data to users through computer network200, such as the Internet. As shown, energy demand data includes factors such as the current amount of power being used and the price that is currently being charged for electricity.

Energy demand data is sent through computer network200where it is received by local print job manager330and network print job manager360. User320, such as an information handling system that uses printing services, sends local print requests and associated metadata to local print job manager330when printing to local “personal” printer350. Likewise, user320sends a network print request and metadata through computer network, such as a local area network (LAN), where it is received by network print job manager360when printing to network printer380. As shown, the print request includes metadata such as the print job priority value and the print job which is the data that is actually being printed (often formatted in a language that is understood by the various printers).

When printing to local print job manager330, the local print job manager stores the print request (including the metadata) in local print queue340. The local print job manager then retrieves the energy demand data to determine whether to print the print job now or to wait until energy demand is lower. Local print job manager may periodically receive energy demand data from energy data provider310and store the energy demand data in a memory area accessible to the print job manager. Periodically, such as every five minutes, every hour, etc., the local print manager receives updated energy demand data from energy data provider310and stores the updated energy demand data in the memory area. In one embodiment, the print job manager waits until energy demand is non-elevated before printing documents. In this embodiment, while energy demand is elevated, new print requests that arrive at local print job manager330are stored in local print queue340. When the energy demand is no longer elevated, then the stored print requests (stored print jobs) are retrieved from local print queue340and printed on local printer350. In a further embodiment, user320can assign a priority to the print requests. In this embodiment, print requests that are important (e.g., requests with a high print job priority value) are printed regardless of the energy demand data (e.g., even when the energy demand is elevated). Less important print requests are queued in local print queue340until such time as the energy demand is not elevated, at which time the print jobs are retrieved from local print queue340and sent to local printer350.

Network print job manager performs similarly to local print job manager as described above. Here, network print job manager360receives print requests from a variety of users, including user320, and these requests are queued in network print queue370. Similar to the local print job manager, network print job manager360may periodically receive energy demand data from energy data provider310and store the energy demand data in a memory area accessible to the network print job manager. Again, periodically, the network print manager receives updated energy demand data from energy data provider310and stores the updated energy demand data in the network print job manager's memory area. In one embodiment, the network print job manager waits until energy demand is non-elevated before printing documents. In this embodiment, while energy demand is elevated, new print requests that arrive at network print job manager360are stored in network print queue370. When the energy demand is no longer elevated, then the stored print requests (stored print jobs) are retrieved from network print queue370and printed on network printer380. As previously described, in a further embodiment user320can assign a priority to the print requests. In this embodiment, important print requests (e.g., requests with a high print job priority value) are printed regardless of the energy demand data, even when the energy demand is elevated. Less important print requests are stored in network print queue370until such time as the energy demand is not elevated, at which time the print jobs are retrieved from network print queue370and sent to network printer380.

FIG. 4is a flowchart showing steps taken by the print job manager to receive and store print requests in the print queue for completion based on energy factors, as shown inFIG. 5. Print job manager processing used to receive print requests commences at400whereupon, at step425, print request420is received from requestor410. As shown, print request420includes request data, such as the identifier or username used by the requester and the priority of the print request as well as the print job which is the data (often formatted using a printer-control language) that the requester wishes to print.

At step430, the print request is added to print queue440. In one embodiment, print queue440is maintained in a nonvolatile storage area, such as on a hard drive or in a nonvolatile memory. The print queue includes the identifier of the requestor, a print job identifier that is assigned to the print job by the print job manager, and the print job priority value assigned to the print job. As shown, multiple print requests are stored in print queue440.

At step450, the print jobs (the data to be printed) are stored in storage area460, such as a nonvolatile storage area, while waiting to be printed. In the embodiment shown, the stored print jobs are identified using the unique job identifiers that were assigned by the print job manager. Note that each stored print job in storage area460corresponds to one of the entries in print queue440.

A determination is made as to whether keep processing new requests that arrive at the print job manager (decision470). If the print job manager process is continuing, then decision470branches to “yes” branch475which loops back to receive the next print request from a requestor. This looping continues until processing halts (e.g., during a power outage or when the computer system is powered off), at which point decision470branches to “no” branch480whereupon, at step490, the print manager is shutdown. Note that in an embodiment using nonvolatile storage to store print queue440and stored print jobs460, processing and printing of these stored print jobs will continue once processing resumes (e.g., when power restored, etc.).

FIG. 5is a flowchart showing steps taken by print job manager to process the print queue based on energy analysis data. Processing commences at500whereupon a determination is made as to whether print queue440should be sorted based the print job priority value (decision505). If the print queue is sorted based on the print job priority value, then decision505branches to “yes” branch508whereupon, at step510, print queue440is sorted based on the print job priority value. In one embodiment, this sorting is performed regardless of the energy demand data. In other words, if a high priority print job is in the queue it will print before a lower priority print job even if the energy demand data does not indicate an elevated energy demand, as discussed below. Note that print queue440that is being processed by the steps shown inFIG. 5is loaded with print requests by the steps previously shown inFIG. 4.

Returning toFIG. 5, if the print queue is not sorted based upon priority, then decision505branches to “no” branch512bypassing step510. Another determination is made as to whether it is time to update the energy demand data (decision515). Energy demand data is initially received (e.g., when processing commences) and is then periodically updated as deemed necessary (e.g., every five minutes, every hour, etc.). In this manner, near-current energy demand data can be used to determine whether to delay printing various print jobs. If it is time to update the energy demand data, then decision515branches to “yes” branch518whereupon, at step520, the energy demand data is received from energy data provider310, such as the utility company from which electricity is purchased. The updated energy demand data is stored in energy demand data memory area530. Returning to decision515, if it is not time to update the energy demand data, then decision515branches to “no” branch532whereupon, at step535the last energy demand data that was received from the energy data provider is retrieved.

At step540, the first record is selected from print queue440(the print queue may have previously been sorted at step510, as described above). At step545, the print job manager compares the priority of the selected record with the near-current energy demand data. A determination is then made as to whether to delay printing the print job corresponding to the selected record based on the comparison (decision550). For example, if the priority is “high” then the print job manager may be set up to always print out the print job regardless of the current energy demand, while the same print job manager may wait until energy demand is low before printing “low” priority print jobs. Likewise, the print job manager may be configured to print “medium” priority print jobs at any time so long as the energy demand is lower than “high.”

If the determination is to not delay the print job, then decision550branches to “no” branch552whereupon, at step555, the stored print job corresponding to the selected record is retrieved from nonvolatile storage area460. At step560, the retrieved job is sent to printer570for printing. When the job has been printed, the record is removed from print queue440and the corresponding print job is removed from nonvolatile data area460at step565. Returning to decision550, if the determination is to delay printing the selected print job, then decision550branches to “yes” branch568bypassing steps555to565and leaving the selected record in the print queue and also leaving the corresponding print job in nonvolatile storage area460.

A determination is made as to whether there are more print jobs currently queued (decision575). If there are more print jobs queued, then decision575branches to “yes” branch576which loops back to select the next record from print queue440and process the newly selected record as described above. This looping continues until all of the records in print queue440have been processed (even though there still might be records left in the print queue because of the current energy demand level), at which point decision575branches to “no” branch578.

A determination is made as to whether print manager processing continues (decision580). If the print manager terminates (e.g., during a power outage or when the computer system is powered off), then decision580branches to “no” branch588and processing ends at595. On the other hand, if processing continues, then decision580branches to “yes” branch582whereupon, at step585, the print manager waits for an event to occur before looping back to continue processing. In one embodiment, processing sets a future print time for the print job that is a known time of lower energy demand. The event can be a period of time (e.g., when the energy demand data is updated), a signal to the print job manager that energy demand data has changed, or when one or more new additions have been added to print queue440using the steps shown inFIG. 4. When an event occurs, then processing loops back to process the queue.

One of the preferred implementations of the invention is a client application, namely, a set of instructions (program code) or other functional descriptive material in a code module that may, for example, be resident in the random access memory of the computer. Until required by the computer, the set of instructions may be stored in another computer memory, for example, in a hard disk drive, or in a removable memory such as an optical disk (for eventual use in a CD ROM) or floppy disk (for eventual use in a floppy disk drive). Thus, the present invention may be implemented as a computer program product for use in a computer. In addition, although the various methods described are conveniently implemented in a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by software, one of ordinary skill in the art would also recognize that such methods may be carried out in hardware, in firmware, or in more specialized apparatus constructed to perform the required method steps. Functional descriptive material is information that imparts functionality to a machine. Functional descriptive material includes, but is not limited to, computer programs, instructions, rules, facts, definitions of computable functions, objects, and data structures.