Cloud Storage Intermediary for Mobile Image Printing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods of printing images from mobile devices are inconvenient due to the need for uploading high-resolution images, which consumes data, causes network latency, and restricts users from using their devices during the process, especially when multiple users want to print shared images.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes a remote server or cloud storage space to store high-resolution images, allowing users to print without uploading them from their devices, by acting as an intermediary between the mobile device and the print vendor, and enabling shared access and printing of images captured by others.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If users upload high-resolution digital images from mobile devices to print vendors, then print quality is improved, but data usage increases and network latency occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the image upload step from the traditional printing workflow. Instead of uploading images from mobile devices to print vendors, the system retrieves images directly from cloud storage accounts, eliminating the need for device-to-vendor data transfer while maintaining access to high-resolution originals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (the printing service system) that mediates between the cloud storage account and the print vendor. This intermediary retrieves images from cloud storage and facilitates the printing process without requiring the user's mobile device to upload the images, thus reducing data usage and network latency on the user's connection.
2Manufacturing precision
If users upload high-resolution digital images from mobile devices to print vendors, then print quality is improved, but the user experience deteriorates due to device unavailability during upload
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by requiring users to pre-upload images to cloud storage accounts before needing prints. This preliminary upload occurs at the user's convenience when network conditions are favorable, allowing the mobile device to be used for other purposes when printing is actually needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediary system handles the image retrieval from cloud storage and coordination with print vendors, freeing the user's mobile device from being occupied during the printing process. The device only needs to initiate the print request and receive confirmation, while all heavy data operations occur in the background through the intermediary.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple users want to print shared images, then printing accessibility is improved, but each user must separately upload images increasing overall data usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by allowing a single cloud storage account to serve multiple users for printing purposes. The cloud storage account acts as a universal repository that any authorized user can access to retrieve images for printing, eliminating the need for each user to maintain separate copies of images.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates efficient copies by allowing multiple users to reference the same cloud-stored image files without duplicating the actual high-resolution data across multiple devices. Each user's print request references the original cloud storage location, ensuring only one master copy exists while enabling universal access.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed toward printing of digital images with increased efficiency and ease. In particular, one or more embodiments provide an image printing system that allows a user to print images from a mobile or other device without having to upload a high-resolution version of the digital images to a print vendor. More specifically, one or more embodiments of the image printing system allow users to store images on a remote server or in a cloud storage space. When the users desire to print physical copies of the digital images, the image printing system can provide the digital images to a print vendor without requiring the users to upload the images to the print vendor from the users' own device.