Alias Email Print Job Routing System
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cloud computing environments, managing print jobs across multiple printers is complex due to the need for users to remember unique and cryptic email addresses for each printer, and existing systems lack flexibility in configuring printing preferences, making it difficult to efficiently route print jobs to the appropriate printer based on user settings and printer capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A network system where printers are assigned unique email addresses and a printer server manages print jobs by converting email requests into protocol-specific commands, allowing users to configure preferences through a registration and preferences interface, and selecting the most suitable printer based on job properties and user settings, without requiring individual printer drivers on client devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each printer is assigned a unique email address, then print jobs can be routed to specific printers, but users must remember multiple cryptic email addresses increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary alias email address system that mediates between the user and the actual printer email addresses. Users send print jobs to their personal alias addresses, which are then routed to the appropriate printers by the printing system, eliminating the need for users to remember cryptic printer-specific email addresses while maintaining accurate job routing.
Solution Approach 2:
The alias email address serves multiple functions: it acts as a universal address for receiving print jobs, stores printing preferences, and enables automatic printer selection based on job properties. This multi-functional approach simplifies user interaction while maintaining system reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a printer server manages print jobs centrally, then routing flexibility and preference management improve, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the printing system: email reception, preference storage, job routing, and printer selection logic are all combined in a centralized printing system that processes alias email addresses. This consolidation provides flexible preference management while managing complexity through unified architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically routes print jobs and applies printing preferences without requiring complex user configuration or intervention. The printing system self-manages the complexity of matching jobs to appropriate printers based on stored preferences and job properties.
3Reliability
If printer drivers are installed on each client device, then direct printer control is enabled, but device compatibility requirements and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The printing system acts as an intermediary that handles printer control and protocol conversion centrally. Client devices only need to send print jobs to the alias email address, eliminating the need to install or configure printer drivers on each client device while maintaining reliable printer control through the central system.
Data Source
AI summary
One example discloses a network system for managing a print job. The network system can comprise a printing system. The printing system can comprise a memory for storing computer executable instructions and a processing unit for accessing the memory and executing the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions can comprise a printer server to route a print job to a selected printer of at least two printers based on a received email message, wherein an addressee of the received email message is associated with each printer of the at least two printers.