Patent ID: 7006890

Claim:
A system for controlling operation of a photofinishing lab having a plurality of output devices for producing a plurality of different output products for a plurality of different job orders, each of said output devices capable of outputting one or more of said plurality of different output products, comprising: a controller for monitoring and controlling operations of said plurality of different output devices, said controller monitoring the operational configuration at each of said plurality of output devices and at least one criteria with respect to said job orders in queue; a display device connected to said controller for displaying the operational status of each of said plurality of said output devices in a predetermined format, said predetermined format including information relating to the current configuration status of said plurality of different output devices, the current backlog of said job orders in queue for each of said plurality of different output products, said controller producing a visual indication when said operational efficiency of said photofinishing lab reaches a predetermined criteria and automatically adjusting the operational status of at least one of said plurality of output devices in response to reaching said predetermined criteria.