Hybrid-Cloud POS Parallel Printing via Local Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud-based POS systems are limited in their ability to print to multiple printers simultaneously, as web browsers can only target a single printer with each print command, making it difficult to efficiently print invoices or bills across different kitchen stations in parallel.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid-cloud application installed on an end-user device, which communicates with a cloud-based print service system to maintain routing rules and print invoices or bills to multiple printers available on the local network in parallel, utilizing components like a listener, print job retriever, concurrent print job queue, print retriever, and print renderer to facilitate simultaneous printing across different kitchen stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a cloud-based POS system is used to record orders and generate print orders, then the system can centralize order management and routing rules, but it cannot print to multiple printers simultaneously because web browsers can only target a single printer with each print command
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a local hybrid-cloud application as an intermediary between the cloud-based POS system and multiple printers. This intermediary receives print orders from the cloud system, maintains routing rules locally, and distributes print jobs to multiple printers simultaneously, thereby enabling multi-printer capability while preserving centralized order management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the printing function by separating the cloud-based order management from the local print distribution. The hybrid-cloud application divides print jobs into multiple parallel operations, allowing different categories of items to be printed to different printers concurrently, thus achieving simultaneous multi-printer output.
2Productivity
If items are grouped into categories and sent to different kitchen stations, then order fulfillment efficiency is improved, but the system complexity increases due to the need to maintain routing rules and manage multiple printers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring routing rules in the hybrid-cloud application that map item categories to specific printers. This pre-establishment of routing logic allows the system to automatically and efficiently distribute print jobs to appropriate kitchen stations without requiring complex real-time decision-making, thereby maintaining simplicity while improving fulfillment efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The hybrid-cloud application serves multiple functions: it acts as a print server, maintains routing rules, manages print queues, and coordinates multiple printers. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single local application, the system reduces overall complexity compared to having separate systems for each function.
3Ease of operation
If a cloud-based POS system is used for remote order entry, then accessibility and customer service are improved, but the printing capability is limited to single-printer operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the system into cloud-based order entry (maintaining ease of remote operation) and local print distribution (enabling multi-printer capability). The hybrid-cloud application runs locally to handle printing operations independently, allowing remote order entry to coexist with enhanced printing capabilities without interfering with each other.
Solution Approach 2:
The local hybrid-cloud application serves as an intermediary that bridges the cloud-based POS system and local printers. It receives order data from the cloud system, processes routing rules, and executes parallel printing operations, thereby enhancing printing productivity while preserving the ease of remote order entry provided by the cloud system.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a restaurant-based point of sales system. The restaurant-based point of sales system mainly comprises a cloud-based point of sales system, a cloud-based print service system and a hybrid-cloud application. Here, the cloud-based point of sales system is configured to record an order whenever a diner orders food at a restaurant. The cloud-based print service system is configured to generate one or more print orders based on the recorded diner orders. The hybrid-cloud application is installed on an end user device implemented in a restaurant to communicate with a cloud-based print service system to facilitate remote printing in parallel for every transaction. The hybrid-cloud application maintains routing rules to check one or more printers available on the local network and to print invoice/bill, one or more items at different printers in one or more kitchen stations in parallel for every transaction.