Patent ID: 8149438

Claim:
A print job distribution system for printing a print job on devices having dissimilar capabilities and marking behaviors; comprising: a print job distribution controller; a distributed printing arrangement that communicates with said print job distribution controller, said print job distribution arrangement including a first printing system having a first output rate, a first default operating mode, and a first set of operating attributes, and a second printing system having a second output rate, a second default operating mode, and a second set of operating attributes wherein the first default operating mode corresponds with a first image quality type and wherein the second default operating mode corresponds to a second operating type; said second printing system having an adjusted operating mode with an effective output rate that differs from said first output rate and said second output rate, wherein the adjusted operating mode corresponds to a third image quality type, wherein the first and third image quality types are substantially similar; said print job including a set of printing requirements, wherein said print job distribution controller compares said set of printing requirements with each one of said first set of operating attributes, and said second set of operating attributes to determine whether said print job can be completely printed with said distributed printing arrangement, wherein heuristic information from related printer output information predicts an impact on print operating attributes for said distributed printing arrangement; and after said print job distribution controller comparing said printing requirements to each of said first set of operating attributes and said second set of operating attributes, said print job distribution controller dividing said print job into a first print job portion and a second print job portion by said print job distribution controller, wherein said first job portion and said second job portion are sized in proportion to said first output rate and said effective output rate, respectively, wherein said first printing system receives and prints said first job portion, and wherein said second printing system receives and prints said second job portion in said adjusted operating mode, wherein said first job portion and said second job portion are proportionally sized such that said printing of said first and second job portions end substantially simultaneously.