Image Processing Device Server Load Reduction via Acceptance Stop

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cloud printing systems face high processing loads on servers due to continuous job generation and processing, even when printers are disabled or unable to receive jobs, leading to unnecessary workload and resource utilization.

Innovation Solution

An image processing device with a controller that shifts its service state between enabled and disabled states based on instructions, sending acceptance or stop instructions to the server, allowing the server to manage job processing requests accordingly, thereby reducing the server's processing load.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the server continuously generates and processes jobs even when the printer is disabled, then the server maintains readiness to receive print requests, but the processing load on the server increases unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveserver readinessVSAvoidprocessing load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the server's job processing behavior based on the printer's service state. When the printer is enabled, the server generates and processes jobs normally. When the printer is disabled, the server stops generating jobs, thereby reducing processing load while maintaining the capability to resume normal operation when the printer is re-enabled.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The printer provides feedback to the server about its service state (enabled or disabled). The server uses this feedback information to adjust its job generation and processing behavior accordingly, stopping job generation when the printer is disabled and resuming when enabled, thus optimizing resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of energy

If the server stops accepting job sending requests when the printer is disabled, then the processing load is reduced, but the system responsiveness to re-enablement may be delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing loadVSAvoidsystem responsiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The server maintains the capability to receive and process enablement instructions even when in a stopped state. The acceptance stop instruction only prevents automatic job generation, not the ability to respond to control instructions. This allows the system to quickly resume normal operation when the printer is re-enabled without significant delay.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of energy

If the image processing device sends acceptance stop instructions to the server, then unnecessary job generation is prevented, but communication overhead is introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing loadVSAvoidcommunication load

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The acceptance stop instruction is sent periodically or event-driven (when the printer state changes) rather than continuously. This reduces communication overhead by sending instructions only when necessary to change the server's behavior, rather than maintaining constant communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS11842097B2Image processing device and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable instructions for image processing device

Publication Date: 2023.12.12 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

An image processing device may include a controller configured to, in a case where a disabling instruction to cause a service state to shift to a disabled state is obtained under a situation where the service state is an enabled state, shift the service state from the enabled state to the disabled state, and in the case where the disabling instruction is obtained under the situation where the service state is the enabled state, send an acceptance stop instruction to a server. The acceptance stop instruction may be an instruction to cause the server to stop acceptance of a job sending request.