Patent ID: 8493598

Claim:
A method for controlling flow of a print job from a user to a printer in a print-shop, the method comprising: a) receiving a raw print job from a user in a print job store, wherein a memory unit comprises the print job store; b) performing in a first arithmetic logic unit at least one of: determining an estimated execution time for processing the raw print job; and, determining an estimated network overhead for transmitting the raw print job to an external cloud and receiving the raw print job from the external cloud; c) forwarding the raw print job to either an internal cloud or the external cloud based on the estimated execution time, the estimated network overhead or combinations thereof, wherein the step of forwarding is performed by a communication unit; d) processing the raw print job in the external cloud or the internal cloud based on the step of forwarding, wherein the processing of the raw print job results in a processed print job and at least one second arithmetic logic unit performs the step of processing of the raw print job in the external cloud and at least one third arithmetic logic unit performs the step of processing of the raw print job in the internal cloud; e) receiving the processed print job in a print-ready queue, wherein the memory unit comprises the print-ready queue; and, f) passing the processed print job from the print ready queue to the printer.