Patent ID: 7095528

Claim:
A multiple print engine system, comprising: at least one work station for generating a print job having a plurality of pages associated therewith; a RIP engine for receiving said print job from said workstation and RIPing said print job to provide a RIPed print job; a parsing device operating in conjunction with said RIP engine for parsing the RIPed print job to a number of defined pages with a predetermined page sequence having alternating odd and even number pages, the pages being associated with the print job; a page buffer for storing the RIPed pages in association with the print job that they were generated in; a plurality of printers, each for receiving selected ones of the RIPed pages and printing the received RIPed pages; a processor for selectively distributing after RIPing all or a portion of said RIPed print job by outputting one of said odd or even RIPed pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer for printing on an image receiving media by a select one of said printers and by subsequently outputting a sequentially adjacent one of said even or odd RIPed pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer for printing on said image receiving media by the same select one of said printers.