U.S. patent application number 10/052505 was filed with the patent office on 2003-08-07 for method and apparatus for modeling print jobs.
This patent application is currently assigned to Xerox Corporation. Invention is credited to Gartstein, Yuri, Rai, Sudhendu.
Application Number | 20030149747 10/052505 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27658158 |
Filed Date | 2003-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030149747 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rai, Sudhendu ; et
al. |
August 7, 2003 |
Method and apparatus for modeling print jobs
Abstract
A system and method for modeling print jobs provides a central
server that is accessible to remotely located print shops. The
remote print shops are able to communicate with the central server
to forward print job parameters and to receive the output from a
modeling program to enable the print shop to run "what-if"
scenarios to maximize print shop efficiency. The central server is
also provided with various other print shop tools to assist with
print shop design and organization.
Inventors: |
Rai, Sudhendu; (Penfield,
NY) ; Gartstein, Yuri; (Webster, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Gunnar G. Leinberg, Esq.
Nixon Peabody LLP
Clinton Square
P.O. Box 31051
Rochester
NY
14603-1051
US
|
Assignee: |
Xerox Corporation
|
Family ID: |
27658158 |
Appl. No.: |
10/052505 |
Filed: |
February 1, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
709/219 ;
358/400; 709/220 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 69/329 20130101;
H04L 67/53 20220501; H04L 9/40 20220501; H04L 67/10 20130101; H04L
67/535 20220501 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/219 ;
709/220; 358/400 |
International
Class: |
G06F 015/177; G06F
015/16; H04N 001/00 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A method comprising: receiving modeling parameters from a remote
print shop; and executing a modeling program using the modeling
parameters to generate model output data.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the modeling parameters are
received via the Internet.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the modeling parameters are
received via a web based connection.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the modeling parameters are
received via an email.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the modeling parameters are
received via the telephone.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the modeling parameters are
received via a facsimile transmission.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of forwarding
the model output data to the remote print shop.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the modeling parameters include
print shop organization information.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the print shop organization
information includes information regarding at least one of cell
composition and the equipment available in each cell.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the print shop organization
information includes at least one of equipment and labor resources
available at the print shop, the capacity of the equipment
resources, failure history of the equipment, repair history of the
equipment, and the production costs per unit time used for each
resource including equipment and labor and material parameters.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the modeling parameters include
print job requirements.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the print job requirements
include at least one of information regarding the number of
individual items in the job; the number of pages in each item, job
name, job identifier, batch size, number of batches and
inter-process buffer size.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the model output data includes at
least one of identification of a bottleneck process, turnaround
time for the print job, optimal batch size, cost of the print job,
and optimal parameters for the control policy such as a scheduling
algorithm, job prioritization data and resource allocation
information.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving
performance data for equipment in the print shop; saving the
performance data to a database; retrieving the performance data
from the database; and analyzing the performance data to determine
suggested print shop changes.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising forwarding the
suggested print shop changes to the print shop.
16. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of
determining suggested print shop organization revisions based upon
parameters for a mix of print jobs and upon the current print shop
organization.
17. A system comprising a server including a modeling module that
receives modeling parameters from a remotely located print shop and
generates model output data.
18. The system of claim 17 wherein the modeling parameters include
print shop organization information.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the print shop organization
information includes information regarding at least one of cell
composition and the equipment available in each cell.
20. The system of claim 18 wherein the print shop organization
information includes at least one of equipment resources available
at the print shop, the capacity of the equipment resources, failure
history of the equipment, repair history of the equipment, the
production costs per unit time used for each resource, resource
performance fluctuations, difference in performance across
operators and resource material related dependencies.
21. The system of claim 17 wherein the modeling parameters include
print job requirements.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein the print job requirements
include information regarding at least one of the number of
individual items in the job; the number of pages in each item, job
name, job identifier, batch size, number of batches and
inter-process buffer size.
23. The system of claim 17 wherein the model output data includes
at least one of identification of a bottleneck process, turnaround
time for the print job, optimal batch size, cost of the print job,
and optimal parameters for the control policy.
24. The system of claim 17 wherein the server further comprises a
design module adapted to receive print shop organization
information and to generate suggested print shop organization
revisions.
25. The system of claim 17 wherein the server further comprises a
reorganization module adapted to receive parameters regarding a
change in print job mix at the print shop and to generate
suggestions for reorganizing the print shop.
26. The system of claim 17 wherein the system is adapted to receive
the modeling parameters via the Internet.
27. The system of claim 26 wherein the system is adapted to receive
the modeling parameters via a web based connection.
28. The system of claim 26 wherein the system is adapted to receive
the modeling parameters via an email.
29. The system of claim 17 wherein the system is adapted to receive
the modeling parameters via the telephone.
30. The system of claim 17 wherein the system is adapted to receive
the modeling parameters via a facsimile transmission.
31. The system of claim 17 further comprising: a design module
adapted to receive performance data for equipment and operators in
the print shop; and a database for saving the performance data,
wherein the design module is adapted to retrieve the performance
data from the database and to analyze the performance data to
determine suggested print shop changes.
32. The system of claim 31 wherein the design module is further
adapted to forward the suggested print shop changes to the print
shop.
33. The system of claim 17 further comprising a reorganization
module adapted to determine suggested print shop organization
revisions based upon parameters for a mix of print jobs and upon
the current print shop organization.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a document
production server and more particularly to a method and apparatus
for modeling print job processing by a remote print shop.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Peak efficiency in the operation of a print shop requires
modeling to be performed. Modeling provides the ability to
determine efficient job routings, resource allocation, efficient
scheduling and the like. As print shops continuously attempt to
achieve ever higher levels of efficiency and utilization, the need
for modeling increases. However, a print shop is faced with the
problem of achieving this ability to model.
[0005] One way of obtaining this ability is to establish an
in-house capability. For example, a print shop may purchase
expensive software modeling tools from vendors or develop their own
software and maintain specially trained and skilled personnel to
maintain and carry out the modeling. For many print shops, if not
all of them, this is practically impossible or too demanding.
[0006] Another alternative is for a print shop to hire an
independent outside consulting service to visit the print shop and
to provide a single set of recommendations for increasing
efficiency. However, these consulting services can be fairly
expensive and are generally used infrequently, if at all.
[0007] Conventional print shops are also organized in a manner that
is functionally independent of the print jobs, the print job mix,
and the total volume of print jobs passing through the system. Most
commonly, equipment that is somewhat related is grouped together on
a factory floor. This causes all printing equipment to be grouped
in a single locale and, for example, all finishing equipment to be
grouped in a separate locale. In other words, conventional print
shops typically organize resources into separate departments, each
department corresponding to a particular process that is performed
in completing a print job.
[0008] When a print job arrives, the print job sequentially passes
though each department. Once the print job is completely processed
by a first department, the print job is placed in queue for the
next department. The queue is sometimes in the form of a temporary
storage facility. This process continues until the print shop makes
its way through each department and is completed.
[0009] There are a number of limitations with conventional print
shops. For example, the equipment employed in conventional print
shops is not well interfaced with internal computer systems. In
addition, the equipment is often physically organized in an
inefficient arrangement.
[0010] Typical arrangements employ machines that require operators
to load/unload jobs, monitor job progress, pass jobs on to a next
station, and commence a next job. In between each of the steps,
each job is commonly stored in a storage area awaiting the next
step of the job. As a result, excess inventories may buildup and
add to the costs of the job.
[0011] A physical job card is used to track progress of a job. The
job card specifies the steps needed to be completed to finish the
job. The job card also specifies the steps already completed, and
the order in which steps are to be performed. The data regarding
job completion is manually added to the job card, or sometimes is
only remembered by the operators working on the job.
[0012] The lack of real time information concerning the
contemporaneous state of the machines and the jobs leads to less
efficient plant utilization, and lower productivity. Further, large
jobs cannot easily be split into more efficient smaller job lots
due to the difficulty in tracking the smaller job lots.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Embodiments of the present invention provide a centralized
server for providing analytic services to print shops which are
located remotely from the centralized server. In this manner, the
remote print shop which apprises itself of the services offered by
the methods and systems of the invention does not need to invest in
the capital and labor necessary to provide modeling.
[0014] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a server is
provided which is accessible to remote print shops via the
Internet. The server is adapted to provide print job modeling,
print shop design and organization services. The server may be
accessible by skilled personnel and may be provided with up-to-date
modeling and other analytical tools. The server may provide
customized modeling services to many remote print shops
simultaneously. The ability to access such modeling services
provides a significant savings to a print shop when compared to the
capital expenditures required of dedicated modeling services. A
centralized location for the server enables the capital expenditure
of the system to be shared by several remotely located print shops
who subscribe to the system, thereby drastically reducing the cost
to each print shop and without degrading the quality of modeling
services available to the subscribing print shops.
[0015] Print shop managers may access the server which may be in
communication with the equipment in their print shop and quickly
determine the capacity of their print shop to handle new jobs. Over
time, information about each remote print shop and the
corresponding print jobs may be collected by the server and stored
in a database. The collected information may then be used to
analyze the mix of jobs performed by a remote print shop and the
results of that analysis may be used to establish a more efficient
print shop layout.
[0016] In a related patent application, U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 09/706,430, filed on Nov. 3, 2000, a system and method for
partitioning a print shop into autonomous cells is disclosed and in
another related patent application, U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 09/706,078, filed on Nov. 3, 2000, a system and method for
coordinating production of document processing jobs among a
plurality of autonomous cells is disclosed. The entire contents of
these applications are incorporated herein by reference. A "cell"
comprises at least one device for completing the document
processing jobs. These print shops are known as "Lean Document
Factories" which have substantially improved efficiencies and
operating margins. Embodiments of the present invention provide a
system and method for modeling and processing print jobs through
these Lean Document Factories. Other embodiments of the present
invention provide a system and method for partitioning remotely
located print shops into autonomous cells using a central server
and for remotely coordinating production of the document processing
jobs through these cells.
[0017] In a Lean Document Factory, print jobs are partitioned into
classes such that each autonomous cell contains sufficient
resources to complete a print job of at least one class. Thus, for
example, an autonomous cell may include equipment, such as multiple
printers, a shrink wrapper and a computerized control system. A
second autonomous cell may include different varieties of printers,
cutters and copiers. The resources of these remotely located print
shops have their resources intelligently divided and the system and
method of the invention assigns print jobs to the autonomous cells
for the purpose of modeling the processing of these jobs and/or for
controlling the processing of these jobs.
[0018] The assignment of print jobs to autonomous cells at the
remote print shop by the central server is done intelligently to
provide desired load balancing and throughput. Moreover, print jobs
are assigned to cells by the central server based on whether the
cells have sufficient types of resources to complete the print job.
The assignment of print jobs to the autonomous cells may be
determined dynamically based upon the current queue of print jobs,
current available capacity and current operating loads of the
respective autonomous cells. The structure and composition of the
cells themselves may be determined dynamically based upon the
profile of jobs to be performed by the remote print shop at any
given time.
[0019] The print job is sent to a selected one of the autonomous
cells at the remote print shop that has equipment for completing
the print job. Alternatively, the print job may be divided into
lots by the central server and the lots are concurrently processed
either on separate items of equipment in the selected autonomous
cell or in separate cells.
[0020] Embodiments of the system of the invention may include a
work flow mapping module at the central server that determines a
work flow of the document processing jobs at a remotely located
print shop. The printing work flow system at the central server may
also include a job description module for splitting the various
document processing jobs into sub-jobs. A print cell controller may
be provided at selected one of the cells for receiving at least one
sub-job and for further splitting the sub-job into lots for
processing among devices in the selected cell.
[0021] In accordance with an additional aspect of the invention,
embodiments of the present invention are provided with a central
server for assigning sub-jobs to available cells at a remote print
shop in a priority work flow system for printing a product-type.
The method entails identifying the maximum capacity of the
available cells to print the product type. The current capacity of
each of the available cells to print product type is communicated
and identified by the central server. Based on the maximum capacity
and current loading of each of the available cells, a current
capacity of each of the available cells for printing the
product-type is determined by the server. At least one of the
available cells is assigned for printing.
[0022] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a method is practiced by the central server for reorganizing a
remotely located print shop. The system analyzes the current print
shop organization and the print jobs that are to be produced by the
print shop, and the operations required for each of the identified
jobs are specified to the server. A determination is made by the
server to specify the print shop resources that are received or
required for the identified operations. A determination is also
made to specify the print shop resources that are required for
operations to produce the product based on customer demand for the
products. The print shop resources may then be reorganized and/or
partitioned into autonomous cells based on the determined number of
print shop resources required for operations to produce print jobs
based on customer demand. Each autonomous cell is independently
capable of performing at least one of the identified print jobs.
This organization of the print shop is re-examined and re-optimized
repeatedly as the customer demand for print jobs changes. For
example, the server may store print shop organization information
in a database and may receive parameters regarding a mix of
expected print jobs, based upon this information the system may
suggest revisions to the print shop organization to more
effectively handle the expected print job mix.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 shows schematic diagram of a method and system for
modeling print jobs in accordance with the invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 shows a schematic detail view of a server of the
system shown in FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 3 shows a first exemplary user interface for the method
and system for modeling print jobs of FIG. 1; and
[0026] FIG. 4 shows a second exemplary user interface for the
method and system for modeling print jobs of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0027] In the operation of embodiments of the invention, the remote
print shop being modeled is organized in accordance with lean
document factory principles. In a lean document factory, large jobs
are split into smaller batches and then these batches are processed
sequentially so that the entire job "flows" through all steps of
the production process until the job is finished. To ensure smooth
production flows without bottlenecks, it is necessary to determine
how many resources should be allocated to each step of the
production process. This is determined by constructing models of
the job and running the models to determine overall performance.
When a job is acquired by a printing facility, it is necessary to
determine the most efficient way of performing the job using the
"small-batch continuous flow controlled approach" while considering
some restrictions on available resources. In simpler cases,
analytical models can be constructed and when these are not
possible, simulation models need to be used.
[0028] The centralized server works with remotely located print
shops to develop appropriate models and provide them with user
interfaces to specify the parameters for running the models. The
user interface permits a manager of the print shop to enter
parameters which are appropriate for a specified modeling
application and to transmit these parameters to the central server.
This service enables the print shop personnel to optimize and
improve the production parameters before initiating production.
This is a very useful service especially if the job is a repetitive
one (i.e. it repeats itself with different parameters). In this
first example, a simulation is used along with an analytical model,
specifically using a third-party simulation software such as Arena
(available from Rockwell Software in Sewickley, Pa.). However, it
is to be understood that any modeling program may be made
accessible on the central server for the remotely located print
shops using the systems and methods of the invention. The
architecture, therefore, involves a production model that executes
on the server 16 as shown in FIG. 1.
[0029] FIG. 1 shows a workstation 10 at a remotely located print
shop in communication with a modeling system 12 via a network 14.
Although, FIG. 1 only shows a single remote workstation 10, it is
understood that any number of workstations 10 may communicate with
the modeling system 12 and services may be provided to all of these
workstations 10. The modeling system 12 includes a server 16, a
server workstation 18 and a database 20. A print shop manager may
use the remote workstation 10 to input data (parameters) regarding
the remote print shop and print jobs. This data may include
information regarding the number of individual items in the job;
parameters describing the print-job such as number of pages in each
item, job name, job identifier, etc; parameters describing the
resource requirements at each stage of the production process (such
as printing capacity, finishing device capacity, the number of
available operators, etc.); statistical parameters describing the
process required to complete the job (such as failure history,
repair history, resource performance fluctuations, difference in
performance across operators and resource material related
dependencies, etc); job control information such as batch size or
the number of batches to use, the inter-process buffer size, type
and parameters of the control policy; and the production costs per
unit time used for each resource; resource parameters such as
machine and labor cost and the like and material parameters such as
paper type, cost, size and the like. The control policy including
information such as a scheduling algorithm, prioritization of print
jobs and allocation of resources to those jobs. In response to the
input of this data, the server may execute a model of the print job
flowing through the print shop and generate output data. This data
may include the bottleneck process for the given set of parameters;
the turnaround time for the job; estimates of the optimal batch
size to use; estimates of the total cost of producing the job;
suggested optimal parameters to use for the control policy and the
like.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a server 12 in
accordance with embodiments of the invention. The server 12
includes a modeling module 22, a design module 24 and a
reorganization module 26. The modeling module 22 is adapted to
execute at least one of several print job modeling programs. This
modeling program may be located on the server 12 in the modeling
module 22 for indirect access through the use of an exemplary
embodiment of the invention. The software modules may be
continuously updated at the server without requiring similar
updates at each print shop that uses the system. This can result in
a significant savings for the print shop, without a sacrifice in
modeling ability. It is contemplated that these and other modules
may be provided to the server 12 without limitation as long as the
modules may be of service to a remote print shop.
[0031] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary user interface 28 having an Empire
job family model 30 that is frequently processed by a remote print
shop. The user interface 28 is a displayable file having multiple
input fields. The job 30 requires production and shipment of coil
bound books to individual customers. The processes required to
produce the book are sequential and include black-and-white
printing 32, punching 34, coil binding 36 and verification 38. The
production processes needed to produce this job do not change on a
daily basis. However, the number of books to be printed and the
number of pages per book vary an a day-today basis. If one were to
produce this book using small batches in a controlled pull
framework, it would require determination of optimal batch size as
well as the number of resources to deploy at each stage of the
production process to ensure smooth production without bottlenecks.
The modeling program is accessed by the remote print shop using the
user interface 28 to determine these and other parameters, such as
the number of printers to use, number of finishers to use and the
like.
[0032] Since the job of FIG. 3 is produced at a regular frequency,
a model of this job can be constructed by experts at the remote
server 12 as a part of the service to the remote print shop and
stored on the database 20. The user interface 28 is presented to
the print shop as shown in FIG. 3. Each day as jobs arrive the
print shop, personnel can supply the parameters 40 of the job
through the interface 28, execute the model remotely on the central
server and perform extensive what-if studies on the specific
order.
[0033] In other embodiments, in operation the model executes on the
client side. FIG. 4 shows a second exemplary user interface 50 for
this second exemplary operation of a service for computing optimal
buffer size in a production process using a JAVA applet. While the
server 12 hosts a web-site for providing the modeling service, when
the client specifies job parameters 52 through the user interface
50, the model program is forwarded to the client workstation 10,
runs on the client workstation 10 and displays the results 54 of
the model.
[0034] In accordance with other embodiments of the system of the
invention, modeling services may also be provided using a mixture
of client-side and server-side processing. The remote client is not
likely to see any real difference except for possible transit time
delays.
[0035] With the present invention, remotely located print shops are
able to receive a customized high-level analysis of the shop
operations both on the short-term and long-term scales without
hiring extra personnel and perhaps, by eliminating some currently
held positions, at a substantial savings. Other types of modeling
services may also be provided to support the interaction between
the print shop and end customers, as well as, between print shops.
The centralized services offered by the invention are less
expensive to carry out than if the individual print shops were
required to carry out these services on their own.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, in addition to the modeling services
provided by the modeling module, other services may be provided by
embodiments of the invention, including, without limitation, print
shop design and reorganization services. While the modeling module
22 is adapted to receive print shop organization parameters and
print job parameters to determine the most efficient method of
processing the print job, the design module 24 may be adapted to
monitor the equipment within the remote print shop over a period of
time. The design module 24 may be adapted to track the performance
of the print shop and store that performance data in the database
20. The design module 24 may then invoke a design program to
analyze the performance of data and to suggest revisions to the
print shop. For example, the design program 24 may analyze the
performance data and determine that a bottleneck exists which might
be remedied by an adjustment and/or change of equipment in the
print shop. Additionally, the reorganization module 26 may be
adapted to analyze the current print shop configuration and receive
parameters regarding a change in print job mix at the print shop
and make suggestions for reorganizing the print shop. For example,
the reorganization module 26 may analyze the parameters of the new
print job mix and the current organization of the print shop and
suggest the relocation of equipment and/or an adjustment to the
cells in the lean document factory of the print shop. The
reorganization module 26 may also be adapted to track information
about the print shop and/or the mix of print jobs to make
suggestions for future revisions to the print shop based upon the
current mix of print jobs or based upon an expected mix of print
jobs and the associated parameters.
[0037] While the embodiments of the invention have been described
above as providing access to the server via a network such as the
Internet, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited
in this manner. It is to be understood that the print shop may
access the server via any form of communication and still practice
the invention as long as the server is capable of automatically
providing output to the print shop via the same or another form of
communication. For example, access to the server may be provided
using the public telephone system, via email, and/or via a
facsimile based communications system and the like.
[0038] Additionally, while the above disclosure may have described
print job parameters in the singular it is understood that multiple
print jobs may also be modeled and still form a part of the
invention.
[0039] Furthermore, the disclosed method may be readily implemented
in software using object or object-oriented software development
environments that provide portable source code that can be used on
a variety of computer or workstation hardware platforms.
Alternatively, the disclosed modeling system may be implemented
partially or fully in hardware using standard logic circuits or
VLSI design. Whether software or hardware is used to implement the
systems in accordance with this invention is dependent on the speed
and/or efficiency requirements of the system, the particular
function, and the particular software or hardware systems or
microprocessor or microcomputer systems being utilized. The
modeling systems and methods described above, however, can be
readily implemented in hardware and/or software using any known or
later-developed systems or structures, devices and/or software by
those skilled in the applicable art without undue experimentation
from the functional description provided herein together with a
general knowledge of the computer arts.
[0040] Moreover, the disclosed methods may be readily implemented
as software executed on a programmed general purpose computer, a
special purpose computer, a microprocessor, or the like. In this
instance, the methods and systems of this invention can be
implemented as a routine embedded on a personal computer such as a
Java.RTM. or CGI script, as a resource residing on a server or
graphics workstation, as a routine embedded in a dedicated
electronic message management system, a web browser, an electronic
message enabled cellular phone, a PDA, a dedicated computer
controlled display system, or the like. The modeling system can
also be implemented by physically incorporating the system and
method into a software and/or hardware system, such as the hardware
and software systems of a dedicated computer controlled display
system.
[0041] Having thus described the basic concept of the invention, it
will be rather apparent to those skilled in the art that the
foregoing detailed disclosure is intended to be presented by way of
example only, and is not limiting. Various alterations,
improvements, and modifications will occur and are intended to
those skilled in the art, though not expressly stated herein. These
alterations, improvements, and modifications are intended to be
suggested hereby, and are within the spirit and scope of the
invention. Additionally, the recited order of processing elements
or sequences, or the use of numbers, letters, or other designations
therefor, is not intended to limit the claimed processes to any
order except as may be specified in the claims. Accordingly, the
invention is limited only by the following claims and equivalents
thereto.
* * * * *