Image Forming Apparatus Parallel Print Job Distribution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face a challenge in completing image forming tasks quickly in specific operation modes, such as low noise or high image quality modes, as these modes often require reduced speed, leading to longer wait times for users.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a controller that determines the mode of image forming based on received instructions and distributes the print job among multiple connected image forming devices, allowing external devices to perform printing in low noise mode to reduce overall operation noise and increase efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the image forming apparatus operates in low noise mode or high image quality mode, then operation noise is reduced or image quality is improved, but the speed of image forming is reduced and completion time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The image forming apparatus divides a print job into multiple pages and processes them in parallel using multiple image forming devices. The controller separates the printing task so that different pages are formed simultaneously on different recording media, transforming a sequential process into a parallel one. This segmentation allows the system to maintain low noise operation while reducing total completion time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple image forming devices to work together on a single print job. By merging the capabilities of multiple devices under coordinated control, the system achieves both low noise operation and improved throughput, as multiple devices can process different pages simultaneously rather than sequentially.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the image forming apparatus operates in low noise mode, then operation noise is reduced, but the speed of conveyance of recording sheet is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the printing task across multiple devices and pages, allowing each device to operate at low speed on its assigned pages while the overall system maintains high throughput through parallel processing. This segmentation decouples the relationship between individual device speed and system-wide completion time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to the printing process by overlapping the execution of multiple pages across different devices. Instead of processing pages sequentially in time, the system distributes pages across multiple devices simultaneously, effectively adding a device dimension to parallelize the workflow and compensate for reduced individual device speed.
3Loss of time
If multiple image forming devices are used to perform printing in parallel, then image forming completion time is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves as an intermediary that coordinates between multiple image forming devices and the print job. It manages the distribution of pages to devices, monitors processing status, and ensures proper sequencing of output. This centralized mediation simplifies the overall system architecture by providing a single point of control rather than requiring complex peer-to-peer coordination between devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller is designed to universally manage multiple image forming devices with potentially different capabilities. It can dynamically allocate printing tasks based on device availability, capacity, and status, making the system adaptable to various configurations without requiring device-specific control logic for each arrangement.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device and a communication device configured to perform data communication with at least one external image forming apparatus. A first mode is a mode in which a speed of image forming is a first speed, and the second mode is a mode in which the speed of the image forming is a second speed less than the first speed. When image forming is to be performed in a second mode, the image forming apparatus determines an image forming apparatus to be used to perform first image forming to at least one first external image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus transmits image data relating to the first image forming to the at least one first external image forming apparatus and controls the image forming device to form an image relating to second image forming.