Image Forming Apparatus Sheet Layout Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users often face inconvenience when printing large images or tables, as existing techniques fail to accurately determine the number of sheets required, leading to unintended layouts and wastage due to improper determination of image placement on sheets, resulting in extra sheets being printed with images protruding beyond intended boundaries.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that predicts the arrangement pattern of sheets based on margin information in the printing job execution instruction and determines if the sum of margin areas exceeds a threshold, allowing for adjusted printing to downscale or enlarge images to fit within fewer sheets, thereby reducing wastage and ensuring intended layouts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a printing job execution instruction is generated with default printing conditions, then the printing process can be executed, but the image may protrude beyond intended sheet boundaries and create unintended layouts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by predicting the arrangement pattern of sheets and determining whether images will protrude beyond sheet boundaries before actually executing the printing job. This advance prediction allows the system to identify potential layout problems and alert users before waste occurs, resolving the contradiction by maintaining fast printing execution while preventing placement inaccuracies through pre-printing analysis.
2Ease of operation
If the determination is made on a per-sheet basis using existing techniques, then each sheet can be processed individually, but the overall image layout across multiple sheets cannot be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional per-sheet determination to three-dimensional multi-sheet arrangement prediction. By considering the spatial relationships and arrangement patterns across multiple sheets simultaneously, the system can determine whether images will protrude beyond boundaries in the context of the overall layout, thereby achieving both operational simplicity and layout accuracy.
3Productivity
If images are printed without prediction and determination of arrangement patterns, then the printing process is simple and fast, but multiple sheets may be wasted due to unintended layouts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using the predicted arrangement pattern and determination results to provide information back to the user about potential image protrusion issues. This feedback mechanism allows users to adjust their printing conditions before execution, preventing sheet waste while maintaining fast processing speed through automated prediction and determination.
4Device complexity
If margin information is not analyzed and arrangement patterns are not predicted, then the printing setup is straightforward, but the sum of margin areas cannot be determined to exceed thresholds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by analyzing margin information and predicting arrangement patterns before printing execution. This advance analysis determines whether the sum of margin areas exceeds predetermined thresholds, allowing the system to identify potential layout problems early while keeping the actual printing setup straightforward through automated prediction algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus comprising: an acceptance section; a prediction section which predicts, based on margin information contained in an instruction for execution of an accepted job, an arrangement pattern of a plurality of sheets to be obtained by the execution; a determination section which determines, based on the margin information, whether or not a sum of respective areas of margin regions of the plurality of sheets is greater than a threshold associated with the predicted arrangement pattern; and an adjusted printing section which downscales, in response to a determination that the sum is greater than the threshold, an overall image consisting of a set of partial images intended to be formed and arranged in the predicted arrangement pattern, in such a manner as to fall within one or more sheets arranged in an altered arrangement pattern, and forms the downscaled image on the one or more sheets.