FIELD

This disclosure relates to the field of printing systems, and in particular, to analyzing print jobs.

BACKGROUND

Print shop operators may encounter problems when printing a print job for a customer. For example, the printed output of the print job may not match the expected output of the customer and/or the print shop operator. During such events, the print shop operator may utilize a support agent that reviews a trace capture file of the print job in order to determine what may be causing problems with the print job. When the print job includes sensitive information, this sensitive information may be encrypted prior to sending the trace capture file to the support agent, which may make it difficult for the support agent to analyze the print job. However, it also may be undesirable to provide a decryption key to the support agent, as decrypting portions of the print job may expose the sensitive information to the support agent during the analysis of the print job.

Thus, it is apparent that improvements may be made that allow for an analysis for print jobs that include encrypted sensitive information in order to mitigate the printing errors that may arise in the print shop.

SUMMARY

In a print shop, print jobs may be received that include errors, which may be difficult to solve without additional tools. Because some print jobs include sensitive information, such as personal information, bank numbers, etc., there is reluctance in the industry to forward print job data to support staff for analysis, as this potentially may result in the intentional or inadvertent disclosure of the sensitive information. Typically print jobs include print data objects and print job commands, with the print data objects representing the actual print data that is visibly represented on a print medium or a display device, and the print job commands defining or identifying the print data objects in the print jobs in addition to specifying the formatting, rotation, size, fonts, and other control activities that are used to visually display the print data objects.

In the embodiments described herein, print jobs are generated, which include unencrypted print job commands and encrypted print data objects. Because the print data objects are encrypted, access to the print data objects may be prevented unless a decryption key is available. Because the print job commands remain unencrypted in the print jobs, the command structure and other functional features of the partially encrypted print job are viewable, which may allow errors in the print job to be corrected without decrypting the print data objects. In addition to including unencrypted print job commands and encrypted print data objects, the print jobs are generated to visually represent the outlines, presentations positions, and in some cases, attributes of the print data objects that were encrypted. This secondary information allows for the visual inspection of some of the information for the encrypted print data objects, without decrypting the encrypted print data objects.

One embodiment comprises a print controller that stores a first print job comprising print data objects, and print job commands that define the print data objects for the first print job. The print controller processes the print job commands to identify the print data objects for the first print job, selects a subset of the print data objects for processing, and encrypts the subset of the print data objects using a key while the print data objects not selected for processing and the print job commands remain unencrypted. The print controller identifies outlines and presentation positions specified for the subset of the print data objects, and generates one or more auxiliary print data objects that graphically represent the outlines and the presentation positions of the subset of the print data objects. The print controller generates a second print job comprising the encrypted print data objects, the auxiliary print data objects, the unencrypted print data objects, and unencrypted print job commands, and provides the second print job.

Another embodiment comprises a method of encrypting and converting print jobs for analysis. The method comprises storing a first print job comprising print data objects, and print job commands that define the print data objects for the first print job, processing the print job commands to identify the print data objects, selecting a subset of the print data objects for processing, and encrypting the subset of the print data objects using a key while the print data objects not selected for processing and the print job commands remain unencrypted. The method further comprises identifying outlines and presentation positions specified for the subset of the print data objects, and generating one or more auxiliary print data objects that graphically represent the outlines and the presentation positions of the subset of the print data objects. The method further comprises generating a second print job comprising the encrypted print data objects, the auxiliary print data objects, the unencrypted print data objects, and unencrypted print job commands, and providing the second print job.

Another embodiment comprises a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising programmed instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, directs the at least one processor to store a first print job comprising print data objects, and print job commands that define the print data objects for the first print job, to process the print job commands to identify the print data objects, to select a subset of the print data objects for processing, and to encrypt the subset of the print data objects using a key while the print data objects not selected for processing and the print job commands remain unencrypted. The programmed instructions further direct the at least one processor to identify outlines and presentation positions specified for the subset of the print data objects, and to generate one or more auxiliary print data objects that graphically represent the outlines and the presentation positions of the subset of the print data objects. The programmed instructions further direct the at least one processor to generate a second print job comprising the encrypted print data objects, the auxiliary print data objects, the unencrypted print data objects, and unencrypted print job commands, and to provide the second print job.

The features, functions, and advantages that have been discussed can be achieved independently in various embodiments or may be combined in yet other embodiments, further details of which can be seen with reference to the following description and drawings.

