Patent Abstract:
A printer is disclosed. The printer includes one or more sub-systems having a capability of a different magnitude of operation based on print job properties and a controller. The controller includes a monitor to track a first operation time for each of the sub-systems during printing of a first print job and track a second operation time for each of the sub-systems during printing of a second print job.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to the field of printing systems, and in particular, to management of printing systems. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Printers are common peripheral devices attached to computers. A printer allows a computer user to make a hard copy of documents that are created in a variety of applications and programs on a computer. To function properly, a channel of communication is established (e.g., via a network connection) between the printer and the computer to enable the printer to receive commands and information from the host computer. 
         [0003]    Once a connection is established between a workstation and the printer, printing software is implemented at a print server to manage a print job from order entry and management through the complete printing process. The printing software may simultaneously manage in excess of thousands of print jobs that have been spooled (or queued) for production. One type of printer management is the accounting and management of printer resource consumption. 
         [0004]    In order for the operator of inkjet printing system to be adequately compensated for producing print jobs it is necessary to monitor resource consumption associated with a particular print job. Currently, print engines within printing systems have the ability to report constant counter-based values on a print job basis to the printing software. These values include information such as job start/stop time, number of errors encountered, stops/starts, ink usage, and page count. Each of these items is an additive value, where a counter is kept and reported. 
         [0005]    However some systems within a printing system are variable in that they may be on or off for different durations during the printing of a specific job. For instance, an ink dryer is the largest consumer of energy within inkjet printing systems. The operation of an ink dryer may vary widely between different print jobs, making it difficult to track dryer energy consumption attributable to individual print jobs. Thus, achieving an accurate reporting for energy consumption attributable variable systems is difficult. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, a mechanism for tracking and reporting variable energy usage associated with producing a print job is desired. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In one embodiment, a printer is disclosed. The printer includes one or more sub-systems having a capability of a different magnitude of operation based on print job properties and a controller. The controller includes a monitor to track a first operation time for each of the sub-systems during printing of a first print job and track a second operation time for each of the sub-systems during printing of a second print job. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, a method is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first print job at a printer having one or more subsystems having a capability of a different magnitude of operation based on print job properties, monitoring a first operation time for each of one or more sub-systems during printing of the first print job, receiving a second print job at the printer and monitoring a second operation time for each of one or more sub-systems during printing of a second print job at the printer 
         [0009]    In yet another embodiment, a printing system is disclosed. The printing system includes a server having a printing software product and a printer, communicatively coupled to the server. The printer includes one or more sub-systems having a capability of a different magnitude of operation based on print job properties and a controller. The controller includes a monitor to track a first operation time for each of the sub-systems during printing of a first print job and track a second operation time for each of the sub-systems during printing of a second print job. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained from the following detailed description in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a data processing system network; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of a printer; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment for tracking energy consumption within a printer. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    A mechanism for tracking and reporting variable energy usage associated with producing a print job 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. 
         [0015]    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. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a data processing system network  100 . Network  100  includes a data processing system  102 , which may be either a desktop or a mobile data processing system, coupled via communications link  104  to network  106 . In one embodiment, data processing system  102  is a conventional data processing system including a processor, local memory, nonvolatile storage, and input/output devices such as a keyboard, mouse, trackball, and the like, all in accordance with the known art. In one embodiment, data processing system  102  includes and employs the Windows operating system, or other operating system, and/or network drivers permitting data processing system  102  to communicate with network  106  for the purposes of employing resources within network  106 . 
         [0017]    Network  106  may be a local area network (LAN) or any other network over which print requests may be submitted to a remote printer or print server. Communications link  104  may be in the form of a network adapter, docking station, or the like, and supports communications between data processing system  102  and network  106  employing a network communications protocol such as Ethernet, the AS/400 Network, or the like. 
         [0018]    According to one embodiment, network  106  includes a print server  108  that serves print requests over network  106  received via communications link  110  between print server  108  and network  106 . Print server  108  subsequently transmits the print requests via communications link  110  to one of printers  109  for printing, which are coupled to network  106  via communications links  111 . 
         [0019]    Although described as separate entities, other embodiments may include print server  108  being incorporated in one or more of the printers  109 . However in other embodiments, the print server and printer may be physically separate entities. Therefore, the data processing system network  100  depicted in  FIG. 1  is selected for the purposes of explaining and illustrating the present invention and is not intended to imply architectural limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various additional components may be utilized in conjunction with the present invention. 
         [0020]    According to one embodiment, print server  108  implements a printing software product that manages the printing of documents from data processing system  102  and one or more of printers  109 . In other embodiments, the printing software product manages the printing of documents from multiple data processing systems  102  to the one or more printers  109 . 
         [0021]    In a further embodiment, the printing software product may be implemented using either InfoPrint Manager (IPM) or InfoPrint ProcessDirector (IPPD), although other types of printing software may be used instead. In yet a further embodiment, the print application at data processing system  102  interacts with the printing software product to provide for efficient transmission of print jobs. In one embodiment, the printing software product communicates with printers  109  via a SNMP network management protocol. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a printer  109 . Printer  109  includes a control unit  210  and a print engine  230 . According to one embodiment, control unit  210  processes and renders objects received from print server  108  and provides sheet maps for printing to print engine  230 . Control unit  150  includes a rasterizer  212  that 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  230 . 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, print engine  230  includes one or more fixed, wide-array inkjet print head having one or more nozzles that are implemented to spray droplets of ink onto a medium (e.g., paper) in order to execute a print job. However, print engine  230  may include other types of ink jet print heads, as well as a moving print head design. 
         [0024]    Control unit  210  also includes a monitor  214  that monitors resources consumed for each print job printed at printer  109 . In one embodiment, monitor  214  tracks the usage of variable sub-systems within printer  109 . In such an embodiment, variable sub-systems include those that may incur different magnitudes of operation time during each print job depending on the properties of a particular print job. For example, print engine  230  will incur more operation time during a large print job than during a small print job. Thus, by tracking the operation time of print engine  230  during each print job the energy consumed by each of the print jobs can be calculated and reported. 
         [0025]    In a further embodiment, monitor  214  tracks the operation time of an ink dryer  250  that is implemented to dry ink applied by print engine  230  to the medium. During printer  109  operation, dryer  250  is heated up to the specified temperature as a job is printed. Further, energy is transferred, based on ink coverage and the medium properties, as the medium and ink pass over dryer  250 . This causes dryer  250  to cool. As dryer  250  cools the heaters are to be turned back on in order to maintain the temperature at a specified temperature range. Thus, heavy ink coverage requires dryer  250  to be turned on more frequently than lower ink coverage, causing the power to vary. 
         [0026]    In one embodiment, monitor  214  tracks the on/off status of dryer  250  over time to acquire a total duration of operation time. In such an embodiment, monitor  214  monitors the total amount of time the dryer  250  heaters are active during a print job. The active time of the heaters directly correlates to the amount of energy used by dryer  250  during a print job, which in turn has a direct impact to the cost of energy used to print the job. Since power usage at dryer  250  is linear related to the active dryer time, power consumption can easily be calculated. In one embodiment, power consumption for a print job is calculated at control unit  210  before being reported to the printing software product, along with other print job information. 
         [0027]    However in other embodiments, the duration of active dryer  250  time is forwarded to the printing software product, which calculates the power consumption. Subsequently, the printing software product generation of a report results regarding the usage of printer  109 . The report may be incorporated into a maintenance billing report for printer  109 . In another embodiment, monitor  214  also tracks the status of print engine  230  and other systems (e.g., processing power) at printer  109  to acquire a total duration of active time. 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment for tracking variable energy consumption at printer  109 . At processing block  310 , a print job begins printing at print engine  230 . At processing block  320 , monitor  214  begins tracking the status of print engine  230 . As discussed above, monitor  214  tracks the duration of active operation time for print engine  230 . 
         [0029]    At processing block  330 , dryer  250  is activated. At processing block  340 , monitor  214  begins tracking the status of dryer  250 . Once print engine  230  and dryer  250  operation have been completed, control unit  210  calculates power consumption for print engine  230 , dryer  250  and other variable components within printer  109 , processing block  340 . At processing block  350 , the calculated power consumption values are forwarded to the printing software product. 
         [0030]    The above described mechanism integrates variable systems, such as print engine and dryer state, over time to collect a total usage amount which could be reported along with counter-based job information. 
         [0031]    Whereas many alterations and modifications of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art after having read the foregoing description, it is to be understood that any particular embodiment shown and described by way of illustration is in no way intended to be considered limiting. Therefore, references to details of various embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which in themselves recite only those features regarded as essential to the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8