Accelerated Consumable Estimation for Variable Data Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Offline consumable use estimation in printing systems is time-consuming due to the lack of hardware acceleration and processing power, especially when performed on computers less powerful than digital front ends (DFEs) used in production printing devices.
Innovation Solution
An accelerated consumable use estimation method that separates static and variable content within print jobs, using metadata to identify reused content, allowing for faster rendering and estimation by processing static content separately and avoiding redundant calculations for variable content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If offline consumable use estimation is performed on standard computers without hardware acceleration, then the estimation can be done on accessible devices, but the processing time becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the consumable estimation process into distinct phases: variable content rendering and static content processing. By separating these tasks, the system can optimize each phase independently, using hardware acceleration for variable content while handling static content through more efficient algorithms, thereby reducing overall processing time on standard computers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the print job to identify variable versus static content before executing the full estimation process. This preliminary classification allows the system to prepare optimization strategies in advance, such as pre-identifying hardware-accelerated rendering requirements for variable content sections.
2Measurement precision
If complete rendering and processing is performed for accurate consumable estimation, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to time-consuming processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing quality levels to different content types within the print job. Variable content receives full rendering and processing for accurate consumable estimation, while static content uses optimized algorithms that provide sufficient accuracy with reduced processing overhead. This local differentiation maintains overall estimation precision while improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial rendering for static content sections, focusing only on the specific areas that consume resources rather than complete rendering. This partial action approach maintains adequate estimation accuracy for static portions while significantly reducing processing time compared to full rendering.
3Measurement precision
If variable content is processed individually for each record, then estimation accuracy is maintained, but processing time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the processing of variable content across multiple records by identifying and consolidating common rendering operations. When the same variable content appears in multiple records, the system renders it once and reuses the result, maintaining per-record estimation accuracy while dramatically reducing total processing time through this combining strategy.
Data Source
AI summary
Variable data printing operations use static and variable content to create many different documents. An estimation system for printing operations implements accelerated consumable use estimation for variable data printing operations by tagging reused objects having static content. The static content is rendered within the estimation system once and then stored for use in later estimation operations, as needed. Variable content is rendered for each record. Using this process, the estimation system does not need to render reused content repeatedly in providing consumable use estimates.