Document Pooling Mechanism for Varying Plex Settings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current document pooling mechanisms in high-speed production printers face challenges in managing both job level and page level plexing settings, leading to increased costs and file sizes due to the need for normalization of simplex to duplex printing, which limits combining documents to a single plex setting.
Innovation Solution
A document pooling mechanism that analyzes job tickets and document properties to generate combined print jobs, allowing documents with different plex settings to be combined while maintaining their original plexing, thereby avoiding the insertion of blank pages and optimizing file sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If documents with different plex settings are combined into a single PDF using traditional pooling mechanisms, then document combination efficiency is improved, but blank pages must be inserted to normalize simplex to duplex printing, increasing click charges and file sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by maintaining different plex settings for different documents within the same combined PDF file. Instead of normalizing all documents to a single plex setting (duplex), the system preserves the original plex quality (simplex or duplex) for each individual document based on its specific requirements. This is achieved by storing plex setting information in document property records and applying the appropriate plex setting when rendering each document's pages, thereby avoiding the insertion of blank pages and reducing click charges while maintaining document combination efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If traditional document pooling is used that normalizes to a single plex setting, then processing simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to handle documents with varying plex requirements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the combined print job into individual document components, each with its own plex setting requirements. The system segments the processing by creating separate document property records for each document in the pool, storing specific plex settings (simplex or duplex) for each document. This segmentation allows the system to maintain processing simplicity through automated workflow while simultaneously improving adaptability by handling varying plex requirements for different documents within the same combined job.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the plex settings flexible and document-specific rather than fixed for the entire job. The system dynamically determines the appropriate plex setting for each document based on its individual requirements stored in document property records. This dynamic approach allows the pooling mechanism to adapt to varying plex requirements while maintaining automated processing, resolving the contradiction between processing simplicity and adaptability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If blank pages are inserted to normalize simplex documents to duplex in pooled documents, then consistent duplex printing is achieved, but printing costs increase due to additional click charges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by preemptively preserving the original plex settings of documents in the pool before combination, rather than allowing normalization to occur. The system stores document property records that capture the original plex settings (simplex or duplex) for each document. When documents are combined into a single PDF, the system applies the appropriate plex setting to each document's pages based on its stored properties, preventing the need to insert blank pages for normalization. This preliminary preservation of plex settings eliminates the harmful effect of blank page insertion and associated click charges while maintaining printing consistency through proper plex assignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A system to is described. The system includes at least one physical memory device to store print workflow manager and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory devices to execute the print workflow manager receive a plurality of print jobs, each including a plurality of documents to be printed, receive job tickets including a description as to how pages in the plurality of documents are to be printed, store the plurality of documents in a document pool, store a document property record associated with each of the plurality of documents in the document pool, wherein a document property record provides and process the job tickets and the document property records to generate a combined print job including two or more of the plurality of the documents.