Electronics for Imaging Gmbh

Nick Hartzel

Pierre Lermant

Margaret Motamed

Ravi Someshwar

Ramgopal Vidyanand

Methods and apparatus are provided for specifying media in cluster printing systems that include printers that use device-specific media selection techniques, such as paper catalogs, media tray pulldown menus and media attribute pulldown menus.

Methods and apparatus for media selection in cluster printing systems

A method for dynamically managing printers comprises a mechanism for printing from a network of printers that belong to a virtual printer group to meet the user's request for printing. The invention does this by requesting an options and capabilities file from each printer and then generating a virtual printer group, such that when a user wants to print a file, the invention looks for the best suited printer for the user and sends a file to that printer for printing. The invention has the capability to keep track of each printer's printing capabilities dynamically and to communicate to the user about the status of printing and printer location, and of informing a system administrator for manual intervention should the need arise.

Method and apparatus for automatically managing capabilities in a virtual printer group

Methods and apparatus are provided for specifying media in cluster printing systems that include printers that use device-specific media selection techniques, such as paper catalogs, media tray pulldown menus and media attribute pulldown menus. A universal media selector is provided that includes a universal paper catalog, an editor, a paper catalog translator and a tray associator. The universal paper catalog is a two-dimensional array that includes one or more entries that associate a media label with corresponding media attributes. The editor may be used to create, import, export and edit paper catalog entries in the universal paper catalog. The paper catalog translator is a two-dimensional array that may be used to translate attribute labels and associated values in the universal paper catalog to corresponding attribute names and associated values used in device-specific paper catalogs of printers included in the cluster printing system. The tray associator is a two-dimensional array that associates paper catalog entries in the universal paper catalog to device-specific media trays (and optionally other media attributes) of printers included in the cluster printing system.

Growing community of inventors

Stillwater, MN, United States of America

Nick Hartzel