Dynamic Image Sizing for Nesting Print Waste Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face inefficiencies in printing multiple images on large sheets, leading to waste due to improper sizing and arrangement, where images may extend beyond the sheet width or leave blank spaces, as users must manually adjust image sizes within predetermined areas.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that generates and adjusts image data to fit within specified blank areas on a sheet, allowing for dynamic resizing and placement of images to optimize sheet usage, including a size adjustment unit that ensures images fit within the available space by enlarging, reducing, or cutting them as necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If images are arranged in the sheet width direction to reduce waste, then sheet efficiency is improved, but images may extend beyond the sheet width or leave blank spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic image size adjustment where the arrangement unit automatically resizes images based on the actual sheet width and the number of images to be arranged. Instead of using fixed predetermined areas, the system calculates optimal image dimensions dynamically, allowing images to be scaled proportionally to fit the available space while maintaining aspect ratios, thus eliminating both waste and blank spaces
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the size parameter of images automatically based on sheet width and image count. The arrangement unit adjusts image dimensions as a variable parameter rather than using fixed values, enabling flexible adaptation to different sheet sizes and image quantities while maintaining precise placement within sheet boundaries
2Ease of operation
If users manually adjust image sizes in predetermined areas, then image placement is simplified, but sheet efficiency decreases due to fixed area constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The arrangement unit performs automatic image sizing and placement without requiring manual user adjustment. The system autonomously calculates optimal image dimensions and positions based on sheet width and image count, eliminating the need for users to manually resize images while simultaneously improving sheet efficiency by eliminating waste from fixed predetermined areas
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary automatic arrangement calculations before printing, determining optimal image sizes and positions based on the number of images and sheet dimensions. This preliminary automated preparation eliminates the need for subsequent manual adjustments and ensures optimal sheet utilization from the start
Data Source
AI summary
An image placement unit obtains a blank area size in a main scanning direction available for nesting printing, from blank-area size information. The image placement unit refers to nesting-scaling-print setting information included in image data and calculates a maximum-reduction size and maximum-enlargement size to which reduction and enlargement are permitted. The image placement unit determines whether the maximum-reduction size and the maximum-enlargement size of an image are within the nesting blank area size. The image placement unit adjusts the size of the image by using a scaling processing unit and places the image in the nesting blank area. The image placement unit specifies the size after a placement position is determined to an image processing unit to generate image data of the image, and stores the generated image data into a storage apparatus. A blank-area measurement unit calculates the nesting blank area size after the image is placed.