Processing a group of jobs substantially independently while synchronizing and maintaining the original order of the jobs at appropriate points in a workflow

US8619269B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Ricoh Production Print Solutions LLC · US

Inventors

• Janeen E. Jahn · Lafayette, US
• Kyle P. Manning · Lafayette, US
• Dwight Ross Palmer · Longmont, US
• Marquis G. Waller · Beverly, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 13, 2007
• Grant date: Dec 31, 2013
• Expiry date: Dec 19, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/06
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods and systems for improved workflow management for a related group of jobs. A group of related jobs are received from a job source and are processed independently and in accordance with an associated job type for each job. The jobs may be processed and reprocessed independent of all other jobs in the group and may be processed substantially concurrently or in parallel. A group workflow manager assures synchronization of the jobs to generate the expected order in the output. The synchronization is defined by synchronization actions processed as part of the workflow processing. The synchronization actions may be defined in the job type of each job, or in a group job type, or defined by user interaction.