Distributed Job Processing in Image Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image processing systems require expensive servers to manage multiple copiers, leading to high costs and delayed job processing due to the need for centralized selection of devices capable of executing complex jobs, which can concentrate processing loads on a single device.
Innovation Solution
An image processing system that divides jobs into partial tasks and allows each device to independently determine its capability to process these tasks, eliminating the need for a central server by using a storage unit to share information and distribute processing across multiple devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a centralized server is used to select copiers for job processing, then job management capability is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the server's job management function by implementing a judgment unit directly in each image processing device. This allows each device to independently judge whether it should process a job, eliminating the need for an expensive centralized server while maintaining job management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Each image processing device is equipped with a judgment unit that enables it to autonomously determine whether it should process a given job. This self-service approach replaces the centralized server model, reducing system cost while preserving operational capability.
2Ease of operation
If a centralized server selects copiers for complex jobs, then job assignment capability is improved, but job processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized job management function into distributed judgment units in each image processing device. This segmentation allows parallel evaluation of job suitability across multiple devices simultaneously, reducing the time required for job assignment while maintaining assignment capability.
3Device complexity
If jobs are processed by a single selected copier, then job execution control is simplified, but device load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments job processing across multiple image processing devices by enabling each device to independently judge and accept jobs. This distributes the processing load across the system while maintaining simple execution control at each device level.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically assigns jobs to multiple devices based on real-time capability judgments. Each device can independently accept jobs it can handle, creating a flexible, dynamic load distribution that prevents any single device from becoming overloaded.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing system including: storage; image processing devices; and job divider dividing an unprocessed job into partial jobs and store them into storage. Each image processing device includes: a first judging part to judge whether partial job stored in the storage can be processed by own device; a transmitter to, if the judgment result is positive, transmit and store first information indicating condition for processing the partial job, to the storage; an obtaining part to obtain second information indicating condition with which another image processing device processes the partial job, from the storage; a second judging part to judge whether own device should process the partial job, in accordance with standard common to the image processing devices, referring to first and second information; and job processor to process the partial job if second judging part judges positively.