Image Forming Apparatus Job Queue Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image forming systems lack efficient mechanisms for managing and notifying users about the sequence of jobs and their waiting times, leading to inefficiencies and user dissatisfaction due to unclear waiting times and potential unfairness in job execution order.

Innovation Solution

An image forming apparatus that generates a list of users waiting for job execution, outputs information to a terminal device, and includes features for job reservation, notification, and dynamic sequence swapping based on expected execution times, allowing users to authenticate and manage their print jobs efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If a list of users waiting for job execution is generated and notified to terminal devices, then user waiting time is reduced and transparency is improved, but system complexity and notification infrastructure requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser waiting timeVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The image forming apparatus acts as an intermediary that collects job execution information from the job management system and relays it to terminal devices. This mediator approach enables transparent waiting time information delivery without requiring direct complex communication infrastructure between all users and the job management system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by notifying users of their position in the job execution queue and expected waiting time. This feedback mechanism allows users to understand the current state of job processing and plan accordingly, reducing perceived waiting time and improving satisfaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If job execution sequence is made transparent and notify users of waiting times, then user satisfaction is improved, but information processing load and communication overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser satisfactionVSAvoidinformation processing load

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential information needed for user awareness (job execution sequence and waiting time) from the complete job management data. This selective information extraction reduces processing load and communication overhead while still providing sufficient transparency to improve user satisfaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If dynamic job sequence swapping is allowed based on expected execution times, then scheduling efficiency is improved, but control complexity and decision-making algorithms increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescheduling efficiencyVSAvoidcontrol complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The job execution sequence is made dynamic rather than static. The system automatically adjusts the execution order based on real-time factors such as expected execution time, allowing shorter jobs to be prioritized. This dynamic scheduling improves productivity without requiring complex manual intervention, as the adjustment logic is automatically implemented by the control unit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9658810B2Image forming apparatus, information processing apparatus, image forming method, and non-transitory computer readable medium that generate a list of users waiting for a job execution

Publication Date: 2017.05.23 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

An image forming apparatus includes a generating unit that generates a list of sequence of one or more users who wait for an execution of a job by the image forming apparatus or an operation of the image forming apparatus, and an output unit that outputs information of the list to a terminal apparatus of a user.