Cross-System Print Service via Virtual Channel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cross-system printing methods using virtual containers occupy a large quantity of resources, leading to poor user experience, especially when printer drivers are not available for operating systems like Linux.
Innovation Solution
A printing method that directly invokes the first print service of a virtual operating system to send a print task to the second print service of a host operating system via a virtual channel, reducing the need for operations like port listening and printer list retrieval, and allowing direct communication between these services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cross-system printing is implemented using virtual containers, then Linux applications can use print functions of the host machine, but a large quantity of virtual container resources are occupied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the print service functionality from the virtual container environment and implements it directly on the host operating system. The virtual machine's print service sends print tasks to the host's print service through a virtual channel, bypassing the need for complex port listening and printer list retrieval mechanisms that previously consumed virtual container resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual channel as an intermediary communication mechanism between the virtual machine's print service and the host's print service. This virtual channel enables direct communication without requiring the virtual container to maintain full printing subsystem functionality, thereby reducing resource occupation while preserving cross-system printing capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional cross-system printing methods are used, then printing functionality is available, but the communication process is complex involving port listening, print task forwarding, and printer list retrieval
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes complex communication steps (port listening, print task forwarding, printer list retrieval) from the virtual container environment and consolidates them into the host operating system's print service. The virtual machine's print service directly communicates with the host's print service through a simplified virtual channel interface.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the virtual container implement full printing functionality and communicate with external printers, the patent inverts the approach by having the virtual machine's print service communicate directly with the host's print service, which then handles printer communication. This reversal simplifies the virtual container's role while maintaining printing functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a printing method and an electronic device, and relates to the field of printing technologies. The electronic device includes a host operating system and a virtual operating system that is deployed in a virtual container in the host operating system. The method includes: In response to a print request operation performed on a target application, the electronic device invokes a first print service to send a print task to a second print service via a virtual channel; and then sends a print instruction to a target printer through the second print service based on the print task, where the target application is an application on the virtual operating system, the first print service is a print service on the virtual operating system, and the second print service is a print service on the host operating system. The technical solutions provided in this application can reduce resources of the virtual container occupied by cross-system printing and improve user experience during cross-system printing.