Client Server Status Determination via URL List Acquisition Counting

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Solution Overview

Problem

In internet-based printing solutions, clients face increased server load and communication costs due to continuous polling for URL list updates to confirm conversion completion, which can lead to erroneous determination of server issues even during normal processing.

Innovation Solution

An information processing system with an acquisition unit, count unit, and notification unit that allows clients to determine server operation status without excessive load or communication cost by tracking URL list acquisitions and reporting errors when the acquisition count exceeds a predetermined limit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the client continuously polls the server to confirm conversion completion, then the client can accurately determine server operation status, but the server load and communication cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveserver operation status determination accuracyVSAvoidcommunication cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The server sends a notification to the client when the file conversion is complete. This feedback mechanism allows the client to know the conversion status without continuous polling, reducing communication overhead while maintaining accurate status determination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of continuous polling, the client performs periodic checks at intervals. The polling is triggered by specific events (notification receipt or timeout) rather than running continuously, reducing unnecessary communication while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If the client continuously polls the server to confirm conversion completion, then the client can accurately determine server operation status, but the server load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveserver operation status determination accuracyVSAvoidserver load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The server actively notifies the client when conversion is complete, shifting the initiative from client polling to server notification. This reduces the number of server processing cycles required for status checks while maintaining accurate status determination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The server takes responsibility for notifying the client of completion status, rather than requiring the client to continuously query. This self-service approach reduces server load by eliminating redundant polling processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Loss of energy

If the client sets an upper limit for URL list acquisitions, then the server load and communication cost are reduced, but the acquisition may stop prematurely even if conversion is ongoing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication costVSAvoidserver operation status determination accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The server provides feedback through notifications that inform the client of conversion completion. This allows the client to extend or cancel the acquisition limit based on actual server status rather than arbitrary counters, maintaining reliability while reducing unnecessary communications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The acquisition limit is not fixed but dynamic, adjusted based on server notifications and timeout conditions. The system adapts the polling strategy based on real-time server response, allowing flexible determination of conversion status without rigid limits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Loss of energy

If the client sets an upper limit for URL list acquisitions, then the server load and communication cost are reduced, but erroneous determination of server issues may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication costVSAvoidserver operation status determination accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The server's notification mechanism provides authoritative feedback on conversion status, eliminating erroneous determinations that would result from arbitrary polling limits. The client can accurately determine server status based on actual server notifications rather than guessed limits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes a timeout mechanism that waits for server notification before giving up. This preliminary waiting period ensures that temporary delays in server response don't trigger false error determinations, while still limiting excessive polling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10452324B2Information processing apparatus, control method, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2019.10.22 CANON KK

AI summary

A printing system of one embodiment according to the present invention queries a storage server to acquire a URL list of a created file of a conversion server 101 by which a client computer performs data processing. The client computer determines whether or not the data processing is proceeding based on the acquired URL list. If a number of times that the client computer has determined that the data processing is not proceeding exceeds a predetermined threshold, the client computer determines that the server is not operating normally.