Job information communication system for a printing system

Abstract

A transmission job originating station for controlling transmission of job information, based on the processing of a print job in a printing system, is provided. The control system includes a document generating subsystem for providing at least a portion of the print job to be delivered to a print machine and a user interface for programming a set of information including one or more confirmation destinations with each confirmation destination being disposed remotely of the transmission job originating station. The transmission job originating station further includes a control subsystem which, in response to the processing of at least a portion of the print job at the printing machine, reads the set of information and determines each confirmation destination, programmed with the user interface, to which the job information is to be transmitted.

Description

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/584,583, filed Jan. 11, 1996.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to providing job information with information regarding the execution of a corresponding job and, more particularly, to a technique in which a job is provided to a printing machine from a transmission job originating station and the job is programmed so that when at least a portion of the job has been processed by the printing machine a consumer of the job is provided with job information at a location remotely disposed with respect to the transmission job originating station.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It has been feasible, for some time now, to deliver documents from a point of origin to a remote location through use of facsimile technology. Various techniques for transmitting documents, via a facsimile transmission system are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,181 to Kuo. The entire contents of U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,181 are hereby incorporated by reference.

It has also been feasible, for some time now, to transmit jobs from a point of origin to a remote location through use of a printing arrangement employing a local or wide area network. This sort of network printing is often facilitated through use of a print service of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,674 to Morgan et al. The entire contents of U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,674 are hereby incorporated by reference.

It is known that, pursuant to printing a job, it is desirable to provide a consumer or user of the job output with a “sheet” reflecting information regarding execution of the corresponding job. In one known example, the job information sheet may include a print reflecting characteristic values used to process the job. In another example, the sheet may include information confirming that a job has been transmitted to a remote facsimile receiving system. The confirmation sheet commonly includes other information, such as when transmission of the job was completed, how many pages were transmitted, the location of the receiving system, etc.

As is further known, a job information “sheet” can be either printed as hardcopy or transmitted, by way of network, back to a point of origin (“transmission job originating station”), such as a host client on the network. In one known example, a job is provided to a network print engine and upon completion of the job, notification to that effect is provided to a host client. More particularly, in a known network printing system with a server, provided by Novell Corporation, and a workstation (“transmission job originating station”) using a Windows® operating system, a print job is transmitted from the workstation (“transmission job originating station”) to the server. After the server has delivered the print job to a suitable printer on the network and the job has been printed, a confirmation notice is transmitted back to the workstation (“transmission job originating station”) for display therewith.

In the area of facsimile printing, a feature referred to as “delayed facsimile transmission” is provided. This feature allows a facsimile job to be scanned at one time, with a transmitting machine (“transmission job originating station”), and then transmitted to a remote receiving station at another time. In delayed facsimile transmission, a confirmation page is provided to a job transmitter at the trans-mission job originating station, the transmission job originating station being either a conventional transmitting machine, such as a facsimile machine, or at a workstation which has fax capabilities and 6in human recognizable form.

The facsimile machine can also be interactive with the second remote receiving station and cause a query to be sent to the second remote receiving station. In this example, the facsimile machine will perform a predetermined set of functions in response to information, corresponding to the query, received from the second remote receiving station. Examples of these functions are causing the facsimile machine to transmit the image data to a third remote receiving station; causing the facsimile machine to retransmit the image data to the first remote receiving station; causing the facsimile machine to store the image data in a local memory, etc.

As will be recognized, not all jobs are executable due to, among other things inconsistencies between the job ticket and the capabilities of the host printer. To appreciate what can “go wrong”, during the execution of a print job, reference is made to the following example.

The same job referred to above is provided to the printing system with a font call for “helvetica”. Unbeknownst to the job developer, this font is unavailable in the printing system and the printing system is not programmed to make a substitution for that font. Accordingly, the controller fetches a message from disk, indicating the unavailability of the font, and sends if off to the user's phone through telecommunication network 170, by use of the voice synthesizer 102 104 (FIG. 6). In a another example, a host FAX device may not be able to print the above-mentioned job simply because it is out of toner.

It should be recognized that by only providing the fault information, the event can give rise to a frustrating situation for a user who needs the job printed immediately and has the wherewithal to change the job and resubmit it to the printer. Moreover, these situations may be especially frustrating for the user who requires immediate printing because the printing fault may be resolved by simply having someone on-site, relative to the FAX device, provide a toner and resending the job.

A possible solution to this problem is contemplated in another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to step 172 of FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, an interactive technique for providing an advantageous solution to the above-described situations is discussed. Assuming that the originator of the job is contacted with a system problem (step 172 of FIG. 9 and step 174 of FIG. 10), a troubleshooting subsystem, which may be implemented on the printing system 10 (facsimile machine or multi-functional printing device) or any system (e.g. workstation) communicating with the printing system 10 and having suitable structure and functionality, awaits a telephonic command from the user (step 176) in the form of one or more tones, each tone or set of tones corresponding with a preprogrammed command for the system. It will be appreciated that the technique of the preferred embodiment contemplates the use of a wide range of telephonic device so that the user could even provide input from a “beeper” or a cellular telephone while “on the run”.

Upon receiving a command from the user, the system determines, at step 178, whether the command is directed toward a “transmission” command or a “save document” command. It will, of course, be appreciated that the commands of the illustrated embodiment are exemplary and other commands are contemplated by the preferred embodiment. For example, another command might include an “inform other” where a key operator of a printing machine is notified of a problem in the printing system 10 by way of the voice synthesizer 104 (FIG. 6).

Referring to a first case for step 180, it is understood that, in one instance, a user may desire to be called back at a later time because the user is not presently at a given confirmation site. This situation further contemplates another command in which the controller obtains a phone number of another location at which the user may reside. In other words, the command may assume the form of either “Call me back at . . . ” or “Call ‘so and so’ at ‘such and such’ a number”. It will be understood that these commands are provided by way of conventional interactive telephone software used in conjunction with the multi-tone device of the type shown in FIG. 6.

In another instance of the first case, a user may wish to resend a job, after editing it, or simply have it sent to another printer which may possess the capabilities demanded by the job ticket. To appreciate the edit and resend scenario, reference is made again to the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 6 and the example described above in which printing was faulted due to the lack of helvetica font. In particular, the user may wish to change the font of the faulted document to a font that is known to reside in the printing system. Moreover, the user may possess a document editing device 181 (FIG. 6), communicating with the NET 78, that permits the user to both access the job at the workstation 82 (FIG. 5) of the memory (system memory 74 or disk 76) and make the appropriate change in font call(s). In turn, upon editing the job, the user can have it resent for execution.

It should be recognized that the resend and call back commands can be used in conjunction to considerable advantage. That is, in one example, the user can indicate that the user desires to be called back later, after having time to edit a document, for the purpose of resending the edited document to a particular machine. In another example, the user can call a key operator to remedy a fault, e.g. overcoming a toner deficiency, and then provide a resend command. Alternatively, the resend command could include a delay so that a period of time in which to overcome a fault would be provided.

Referring to steps 182 and 184, there are certain circumstances in which it may be desirable to simply store a document for future processing. In one example, it may be known that, in view of the nature of an indicated fault, printing of a subject document may not be feasible in the immediate future. For this example, it will sometimes, as indicated by step 186, be desirable to delete the job. In another example, complete job execution may have been achieved, but the operator may seek to save the document because frequent printing of the same job, within the immediate future, is expected. The illustrated embodiment of FIG. 10 contemplates, by way of step 188, that, under some circumstances, the user will not provide a command and no further action will be taken toward executing the print job.

To illustrate the present invention in another way, the present invention will be described with respect to a facsimile environment. As noted before, conventional facsimile machines allow a person to send a fax either immediately upon the scanning of the document or at some later specified time; i.e., at a later time to avoid peaks hours or to take advantage of lower phone rates. However, since using this delay feature does not guarantee reception by the intended party, the sender does not realize the problem until the next morning when the sender checks the confirmation copies from the night before. This delay in receiving a confirmation message indicating that the fax was not properly received by the intended party can be disruptive to business.

To resolve this problem, a preferred implementation is provided in which the user is enabled to redirect the confirmation message to an off-site location. This can be accomplish by adding a subroutine to existing delay transmission programs wherein the user selects the option of redirecting the confirmation message to another location. When this option is selected, the user inputs a confirmation destination represented by, for example, a telephone number to which the confirmation message should be directed. In addition to inputting the telephone, the user selects either a human option or machine option. In this way if the user inputs a remote facsimile telephone number, the confirmation message can be faxed to this machine. However, if the user inputs a normal telephone number, a voice synthesizer within the facsimile machine will be activated upon the answering of the phone and inform the user audibly of the status of the delayed transmission. If the fax machine is connected to a network, the user would also have the option of inputting an electronic mail address.

A further modification would include an interactive system such that when the facsimile machine sent the confirmation message, which may include fault information, to a human answerable telephone, the receiver of the confirmation message could send instructions back to the facsimile machine; i.e., resend the document, send the document to an alternative number, delete document from memory, resend document at a later time, call back sender in ten minutes to receive instructions.

Numerous features of the above-described technique for developing and communicating job information will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

First, a technique is provided for transmitting job information to one or more locations, each of which one or more locations is remote relative to both an origin of the job (transmission job originating station) and a host machine at which the job was at least partially processed. More particularly, a user can program a job ticket so that the job information can be sent to just about any location that is linked to a telecommunication network or the information superhighway. This ability to send job information to an unlimited number of output destinations makes the technique particularly advantageous to users who, for one reason or another, cannot be at the location where job information has been conventionally provided.

Second, the technique permits a high degree of flexibility with respect to output options. In one example, job information can be provided at a wide range of output destinations on a network, either by E-Mail or facsimile transmission. In another example, the job information can be provided to a wide range of output destinations on a telecommunications network.

Finally, the technique contemplates an interactive model that significantly expands the user's ability to remedy faulted jobs. More particularly, when a job is faulted, a troubleshooting subsystem contacts the user at a prespecified location so that the user can provide the troubleshooting system with a command. In one example, the command causes the job to be stored for later execution. In another example, the user can edit the job and retransmit it to the host printing machine for execution. In another example, the user can remove a fault causing condition at the host printing machine and have the troubleshooting system call back the user, at a later time, so that the user can direct the troubleshooting system to retransmit the edited job to the host printing machine for execution. In yet another example, the user can have a subject job sent on to another printing machine when it is clear that the host printing machine is not appropriate for printing the subject job. All these possibilities are made possible by enabling the transmission job originating station to contact the user at a remote location and provide that user with confirmation and/or fault information.

Although the present invention has been described in detail above, various modifications can be implemented without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described with respect to a facsimile environment. However, the present invention is readily applicable to a networked printing environment wherein the print job is transmitted to a remote location and the sender desires to known the status of the job and the sender is not located at the origination site when this status information is to be communicated.

While the present invention has been described with reference to various embodiments disclosed above, it is not to be limited to the details set forth above, but is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may fall within the scope of the attached claims.

Claims

1. A method for printing a job at a printing machine located remotely from a transmission job originating station, the transmission job originating station including a control subsystem and a document generating subsystem having a user interface for inputting job control instructions for a print job described by a job ticket, the document generating subsystem providing the print job to be delivered to the printing machine for producing a set of prints from the print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with the job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with a programmable set of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, a first one of the programmable sets of information instructing the printing system transmission job originating station as to a manner in which the transmission job originating station is to generate job status information when at least a portion of the set of image data is processed in accordance with the job ticket, and a second one of the programmable sets of information listing one or more confirmation destinations with each confirmation destination being disposed remotely of the transmission job originating station and including an information receiving subsystem, comprising the steps of:

with the user interface, programming the second set of information with the one of or more confirmation destinations;

processing at least a portion of the image data at the printing machine in accordance with the job ticket; and

in response to said processing, reading the second set of job programmable information, with the transmission job originating station, for determining each confirmation destination, programmed with said programming, to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and

transmitting, with the printing machine transmission subsystem transmission job originating station, the job status information to the information receiving subsystem.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the information receiving subsystem includes an output subsystem and the job status information comprising a copy of includes a job information page, further comprising the step of:

producing a representation of at least a portion of the copy of the job information page at the output subsystem of the information receiving subsystem.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the printing machine transmission subsystem transmission job originating station and the information receiving subsystem include first and second telecommunication subsystems respectively with each of said first and second telecommunication subsystems communicating with one another by way of a telecommunications link, further comprising the step of:

transmitting the job status information from the first telecommunications subsystem to the second telecommunications subsystem.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the job status information is transmitted as a telephonic message to the second telecommunications subsystem.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the transmission job originating station includes a facsimile subsystem with a modem and the information receiving subsystem includes a facsimile subsystem with a modem, wherein said information transmitting includes transmitting a job information page from the facsimile subsystem of the transmission job originating station to the facsimile subsystem of the information receiving subsystem.

6. In a printing system including (a) a printing machine for producing a set of prints from a print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with a job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with programmable sets of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, a first one of the programmable sets of information instructing the printing system as to a manner in which job status information is generated when at least a portion of the set of image data is processed in accordance with the job ticket, and (b) a transmission job originating station for controlling transmission of the job status information to one or more confirmation destinations located remotely of the transmission job originating station, each confirmation destination including an information receiving subsystem, the transmission job originating station comprising:

a document generating subsystem, for providing at least a portion of the print job to be delivered to the printing machine;

a user interface, communicating with said document generating subsystem, for programming a second one of the programmable sets of information, the second programmable set of information including said one or more confirmation destinations;

a control subsystem which, in response to processing at least a portion of the image data at the printing machine, reads the second programmable set of information and determines each confirmation destination to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and

a transmission subsystem which transmits the job status information to said information receiving subsystem.

7. The printing system of claim 6, wherein said information receiving subsystem includes a subsystem for producing a representation of at least a portion of the job status information.

8. The printing system of claim 6, wherein said transmission subsystem and the information receiving subsystem include first and second telecommunication subsystems, respectively, each said first and second telecommunication subsystem communicating with one another by way of a telecommunications link, wherein the job status information is transmitted from the first telecommunication subsystem to the second telecommunication subsystem.

9. The printing system of claim 8, wherein the job status information is transmitted in the form of a telephonic message.

10. The printing system of claim 6, in which the transmission job originating station further includes a facsimile subsystem with a modem and said information receiving subsystem includes a facsimile subsystem with a modem, wherein the job status information is transmitted from the facsimile subsystem of the transmission job originating station to the facsimile subsystem of said information receiving subsystem.

11. A method for printing a job using a printing system including (a) a printing machine and (b) a remotely located transmission job originating station, the transmission job originating station including a document generating subsystem having a user interface for inputting job control instructions for a print job described by a job ticket, the document generating subsystem providing the print job to be delivered to the printing machine for producing a set of prints from the print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with the job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with a programmable set of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, a first one of the programmable sets of information instructing the printing system as to a manner in which the printing system is to generate job status information when at least a portion of the set of image data is processed in accordance with the job ticket, and a second one of the programmable sets of information listing one or more confirmation destinations with each confirmation destination being disposed remotely of the transmission job originating station and including an information receiving subsystem, comprising:

with the user interface, programming the second set of information with the one or more confirmation destinations;

processing at least a portion of the image data by the printing system in accordance with the job ticket;

in response to said processing, reading the second set of programmable information, with the transmission job originating station, for determining each confirmation destination to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and

transmitting, with the printing system, the job status information to the information receiving subsystem.

12. A method for printing a job at a printing machine located remotely from a transmission job originating station, the transmission job originating station including a control subsystem and a document generating subsystem having a user interface for inputting job control instructions for a print job described by a job ticket, the document generating subsystem providing the print job to be delivered to the printing machine for producing a set of prints from the print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with the job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with a programmable set of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, the programmable set of information including one or more confirmation destinations with each confirmation destination being disposed remotely of the transmission job originating station, comprising:

with the user interface, programming the set of information with the one or more confirmation destinations;

processing at least a portion of the image data at the printing machine in accordance with the job ticket; and

in response to said processing, reading the programmable information, with the transmission job originating station, for determining each confirmation destination to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and

transmitting, with the transmission job originating station, the job status information to the one or more confirmation destinations.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the programmable set of information includes instructions which instruct the transmission job originating station to generate job status information when at least a portion of the print job is processed at the printing machine in accordance with the job ticket.

14. In a printing system including (a) a printing machine for producing a set of prints from a print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with a job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with programmable set of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, and (b) a transmission job originating station for controlling transmission of the job status information to one or more confirmation destinations located remotely of the transmission job originating station, the transmission job originating station comprising:

a document generating subsystem, for providing at least a portion of the print job to be delivered to the printing machine;

a user interface, communicating with said document generating subsystem, for programming the programmable set of information, the programmable set of information including said one or more confirmation destinations;

a control subsystem which, in response to processing at least a portion of the image data at the printing machine, reads the programmable set of information and determines each confirmation destination to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and

a transmission subsystem which transmits the job status information to said one or more confirmation destinations.

15. The printing system of claim 14, wherein the programmable set of information includes instructions which instruct the transmission job originating station to generate job status information when at least a portion of the print job is processed at the printing machine in accordance with the job ticket.

16. A method for printing a job using a printing system including (a) a printing machine and (b) a remotely located transmission job originating station, the transmission job originating station including a document generating subsystem having a user interface for inputting job control instructions for a print job described by a job ticket, the document generating subsystem providing the print job to be delivered to the printing machine for producing a set of prints from the print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with the job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with a programmable set of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, the programmable set of information including one or more confirmation destinations with each confirmation destination being disposed remotely of the transmission job originating station, comprising:

with the user interface, programming the programmable set of information with the one or more confirmation destinations;

processing at least a portion of the image data by the printing system in accordance with the job ticket;

in response to said processing, reading the programmable information, with the transmission job originating station, for determining each confirmation destination to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and

transmitting, with the printing system, the job status information to the one or more confirmation destinations.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the programmable set of information includes instructions which instruct the transmission job originating station to generate job status information when at least a portion of the print job is processed at the printing machine in accordance with the job ticket.