Patent ID: 7436530

Claim:
On a computer server, a method for managing just-in-time print consumables for a print job, the method comprising: estimating print consumable requirements for the print job; determining a quantity of print consumables in a print consumable supply inventory; comparing the print consumable requirements to the print consumable supply inventory to generate a required print consumable inventory for the print job; ordering, over a network connection, the required print consumable inventory from an online print consumable supplier such that the required print consumable inventory is received substantially close to a scheduled printing time for the print job; wherein the step of estimating print consumable requirements for the print job is comprised of: estimating a composition of the print job; and estimating print media requirements in response to the composition of the print job; and wherein the step of estimating the composition comprises determining a quantity of pages of text, a quantity of pages of graphics, and a quantity of pages of text and graphics.