Document Server Image Conversion for Incompatible Printers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Document servers cannot always generate job data compatible with image output devices that are not compatible with direct printing, leading to inability to transmit job data directly for printing outputs.
Innovation Solution
An image output system and method where a document server converts document files to image data in a given format and generates job data with job control information in a page description language, enabling transmission to image output devices incompatible with direct printing, allowing them to produce printed outputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the document server transmits job data directly to an image output device incompatible with direct printing, then the image output device cannot produce printed output, but if a printer driver is used for conversion, the document server must have the application installed and able to start it remotely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary conversion process where the document server converts document files to image data in a given format and generates job data with job control information in a page description language. This intermediary job data format serves as a universal interface that can be transmitted to any image output device regardless of its direct printing compatibility, resolving the contradiction between direct printing convenience and device compatibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the document server includes applications for handling all document files, then it can generate job data for any device, but the server becomes complex and remote startup may be restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the document format conversion function from the document server by converting document files to image data in a given format before generating job data. This extraction allows the document server to handle various document formats without installing multiple specialized applications, reducing server complexity while maintaining versatility through the standardized conversion process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the document server converts all document files to image data and generates job data, then it can transmit to any image output device, but the processing time and resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of job data format from device-specific formats to a standardized page description language with job control information. This parameter change allows the document server to generate universal job data that can be transmitted to any image output device without extensive conversion processing, reducing time loss while maintaining broad compatibility.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An image output system (1) comprises a document server (2), an information processing terminal (5), and an image output device (4) connected through a network (6). The information processing terminal (5) designates an output target document out of documents stored in the document server (2) and instructs output of a job to the image output device (4). If the image output device (4) is not a direct output compatible device capable of outputting a file format of the output target document as it is, the document server (2) converts the output target document to image data in a given file format, generates job data, and transmits the job data to the image output device (2), the job data containing job control information defining output setting and job substantive information designating the image data as an output target in a page description language. The image output device (4) outputs the output target document based on the job data output from the document server (2).