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EP-4160382-B1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EFFICIENT JOB PROCESSING AND SCHEDULING USING PROCESS MINING

EP4160382B1EP 4160382 B1EP4160382 B1EP 4160382B1EP-4160382-B1

Inventors

  • AHER, Pritam

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220909

Claims (13)

  1. A method for processing and scheduling print jobs on a plurality of printers (400a, 400b, ...), the method comprising: collecting job information on one or more past print jobs (910); collecting job information on a plurality of print jobs currently being processed (920), each of the plurality of print jobs being assigned to one or more operators from a plurality of operators (O1, O2); generating a process workflow visualization for the plurality of print jobs currently being processed with a processing mining algorithm based on the job information collected on the one or more past print jobs and the job information collected on the plurality of print jobs currently being processed (930); and displaying the process workflow visualization for the plurality of print jobs currently being processed (940), wherein the method further comprises: highlighting one or more of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed in the process workflow visualization when the one or more of the plurality of print jobs has a recommendation for improving a processing time of the one or more of the plurality of print jobs and wherein the recommendation for improving the processing time of the one or more of the plurality of print jobs further comprises: recommending a change in an operator on the one or more of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed.
  2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recommendation for the change in the operator on the one or more of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed is based on a maintenance issue with one or more of the plurality of printers (400a, 400b, ...).
  3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the maintenance issue with the one or more of the plurality of printers (400a, 400b, ...) is related to one or more of: replacing or cleaning parts, color calibration, adding toner, machine failure, machine error status, out of paper or print media, or loading of paper or print media.
  4. The method according to one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: inputting the collected job information on the one or more past print jobs into a machine learning service; generating an estimated job process time for each of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed; and using the generated estimated job process time for each of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed to recommend a change in one or more of the operators (O1, O2) of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed.
  5. The method according to one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: obtaining an ideal job processing information and an ideal operator from the plurality of operators (O1, O2) for each of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed based on the job information on the one or more past print jobs and the job information on the plurality of print jobs currently being with the processing mining algorithm.
  6. The method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the collected job information on the one or more past print jobs and the collected job information on each of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed includes at least a job received time, a product type, job ticket settings, a page count, and an operator identifier.
  7. The method according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the collect job information on the plurality of print jobs currently being processed further comprises: collecting a printer capability for each of the plurality of printers (400a, 400b, ...); collecting a status of each of the plurality of printers (400a, 400b, ...); collecting a maintenance schedule for each of the plurality of printers (400a, 400b, ...); and collecting an estimated print duration for each of the plurality of jobs.
  8. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of printers (400a, 400b, ...) includes one or more finishers (500a, 500b, ...), comprising: collecting post processing information for each of the plurality of print jobs, the post processing information including information on the one or more finishers.
  9. The method according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the process workflow visualization for the plurality of print jobs currently being processed is displayed on a graphical user interface of a client device (300).
  10. The method according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein each of the plurality of print jobs currently being process includes a printer configured to print the print job and one or more finishers (500a, 500b, ...) configured to enhance the printed print job.
  11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the one or more finishers includes one or more of a stapler (530), a collator (540), a hole puncher (550), and a folding assembly (560).
  12. A non-transitory computer readable medium, CRM, storing computer program code which, when executed by a computer processor, causes the computer processor to perform a process for processing and scheduling print jobs on a plurality of printers (400a, 400b, ...), the process comprising: collecting job information on one or more past print jobs; collecting job information on a plurality of print jobs currently being processed, each of the plurality of print jobs being assigned to one or more operators from a plurality of operators (O1, O2); generating a process workflow visualization for the plurality of print jobs currently being processed with a processing mining algorithm based on the job information collected on the one or more past print jobs and the job information collected on the plurality of print jobs currently being processed; and displaying the process workflow visualization for the plurality of print jobs currently being processed, wherein the process further comprises: highlighting one or more of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed in the process workflow visualization when the one or more of the plurality of print jobs has a recommendation for improving a processing time of the one or more of the plurality of print jobs and wherein the recommendation for improving the processing time of the one or more of the plurality of print jobs further comprises: recommending a change in an operator on the one or more of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed.
  13. A system for processing and scheduling print jobs, the system comprising: one or more client devices (300) configured to generate print jobs; a plurality of printers (400a, 400b, ...) configured to print the print jobs; and a server (200) having a memory (220) and a processor, the processor configured to: collect job information on one or more past print jobs (910); collect job information on a plurality of print jobs currently being processed, each of the plurality of print jobs being assigned to one or more operators from a plurality of operators (920); generate a process workflow visualization for the plurality of print jobs currently being processed with a processing mining algorithm based on the job information collected on the one or more past print jobs and the job information collected on the plurality of print jobs currently being processed (930); and display the process workflow visualization for the plurality of print jobs currently being processed (940), wherein the processor is further configured to: highlight one or more of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed in the process workflow visualization when the one or more of the plurality of print jobs has a recommendation for improving a processing time of the one or more of the plurality of print jobs and wherein the recommendation for improving the processing time of the one or more of the plurality of print jobs further comprises: recommending a change in an operator on the one or more of the plurality of print jobs currently being processed.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to a method and system for efficient job process and scheduling using process mining, for example, for use in a print shop. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In printing shops, generally, a portion of print jobs, for example, 20% to 25% of jobs can take longer time to execute compare to the other remaining 75% to 80% of the jobs, which can affect the overall productivity of the print shop. Generally, the resources for every job, which can include operator, printer, and finisher will be assigned to each of the jobs by a manager of a print shop. However, the assignment of the operators for jobs is often done randomly by the manager, for example, per availability without using any detailed information on the experience of the operators with, for example, the printers and/or finishers within a print shop. In addition, the manager of the print shop will often predict the total time of the job for each of the printers and select the printer, which takes a shorter time as compared to other printers. US 2020/0310724 A1 relates to a method for scheduling print jobs on a plurality of printers. The method includes collecting job information on each of a plurality of print jobs; obtaining a predicted success rate for each of the plurality of print jobs with each of the plurality of printers based on the job information on each of the plurality of print jobs, the predicted success rate being a likelihood that a print job can be successfully completed by a printer, and assigning each of the plurality of print jobs to one or more printers of the plurality of printers with the predicted success rate for each of the one or more printers of the plurality of print jobs being greater than a predicted success threshold. US 10 761 796 B1 relates to a method for scheduling print jobs on a plurality of printers. The method includes collecting job information on each of a plurality of print jobs; assigning each of the plurality of print jobs to one or more printers of the plurality of printers; receiving a new print job, the new job including job product information; calculating a pre-processing time for the new print job; calculating a processing time for the new print job; determining at least one printer of the plurality of printers to execute the new print job; assigning the new print job to the at least one printer of the plurality of printers; and determining if one or more of the plurality of print jobs can be reassigned to another printer of the plurality of printers to minimize a print schedule for the plurality of print jobs. US 2004/190057 A1 relates to an image forming system for the printing business. The system comprises a plurality of devices including at least one of an image forming device which can print data in a storage unit that can store data of a plurality of jobs including data of a first job and data of a second job, which is input after the data of the first job, and a sheet processing device which can execute a sheet process for a sheet printed by the image forming device, a schedule associated with a plurality of work flows. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above issues, it would be desirable to have a method and system for efficient processing and scheduling using process mining, which can also help, for example, improve the overall productivity of the print shop. This is achieved by the independent claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. FIG. 1 is an illustration of a system for efficient job processing and scheduling using process mining in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.FIG. 2 is an illustration of a server in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.FIG. 3 is an illustration of a client device or client computer in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.FIG. 4 is an illustration of a printer or printing device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.FIG. 5 is an illustration of a finisher in accordance with an exemplaryFIG. 6 is an illustration of a graphical user interface (GUI) that can display the status of a plurality of print jobs in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.FIG. 7 is an illustration of a workflow visualization for a plurality of print jobs in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.FIG. 8 is an illustration of another workflow visualization for a plurality of print jobs in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method for processing and scheduling print jobs on