US 11,954,391 B2
Methods and printing system for peer-to-peer output management
Javier A. Morales, Rochester, NY (US)
Assigned to Kyocera Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
Filed by Kyocera Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
Filed on Jan. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/571,790.
Prior Publication US 2023/0221910 A1, Jul. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. G06F 3/12 (2006.01); G06K 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/1291 (2013.01) [G06F 3/1203 (2013.01); G06F 3/1226 (2013.01); G06F 3/1261 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for managing printing operations, the method comprising:
connecting a digital front end (DFE) of a second printing device to a DFE of a first printing device to form a peer-to-peer network;
exchanging information for the first printing device and information for the second printing device after connecting the DFE of the first printing device and the DFE of the second printing device, wherein the information includes a capability for the respective printing device;
merging the information for the first printing device and the information for the second printing device into a printing device information file;
storing the printing device information file at the DFE for the first printing device and the DFE for the second printing device;
detecting a change for the capability of the first printing device or the capability for the second printing device;
sharing the change for the capability in the printing device information file stored at the DFE for the first printing device and the DFE for the second printing device;
receiving a print job at the DFE of the first printing device, wherein the print job includes a requirement;
determining whether to process the print job at the DFE of the first printing device based on the requirement and the capability of the first printing device;
determining that the first printing device cannot meet the requirement of the print job based on the capability of the first printing device; and
forwarding the print job to the DFE of the second printing device based on the requirement of the print job and the capability of the second printing device.