Patent ID: 7656547

Claim:
A system for optimized routing of print jobs comprising: means adapted for commencing a print job to a primary printer corresponding to a print port associated with a client machine queuing means adapted for queuing print job data in accordance with a commenced print job; means adapted for receiving a print optimization instruction from an associated user; means adapted for selectively communicating the print job data to the print port so as to generate a printout therefrom; terminal means adapted for receiving status data from each of a plurality of associated printer devices, which status data includes data representative of a commitment level of each associated printer device relative to prior print job requests associated therewith; means adapted for receiving a print optimization instruction from the associated user in response to an issued prompt so as to commence selection of an alternative associated printer device for printing; means adapted for receiving, from the associated user, delay criteria data corresponding to an associated delay period associated with commencement of the print job prior to submission thereof; means adapted for receiving preauthorization data from the associated user corresponding to a pre-authorization of a routing of the print job to at least one secondary associated printer device; means adapted for determining elapsed time relative to printer availability for commencement of the print job relative to each of the plurality of printer devices; test means adapted for testing the status data against selected test criteria, elapsed time, and received delay criteria data to determine whether at least one alternative associated printer device is desired for printing; means adapted for generating a display to the associated user inclusive of the elapsed time relative to the at least one alternative associated printer; mean adapted for receiving, from the associated user, selection data corresponding to a selection of a confirmation to print to the primary printer or alternatively to the at least one alternative associated printer in accordance with preferences of the associated user; and the terminal means including means adapted for autonomously redirecting, in accordance with received preauthorization data and received selection data, the print job data from a primary designated associated printer device by assigning the print port to a device port of a secondary associated printer device of the plurality thereof in accordance with the print optimization instruction and an output of the test means wherein the output of the testing means is indicative that the primary designated associated printer device exceeds the user-specified delay criteria.