Image Processing System Markup Language Protocol Translation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current direct print systems face challenges in compatibility and protocol evolution due to vendor-specific protocols, making it difficult for images from digital still cameras to be printed across different printers, and complicating the addition of new functions once a standard protocol is prescribed.
Innovation Solution
An image processing system that uses a markup language to generate control information, allowing for interpretation and translation across different communication protocol layers, ensuring compatibility and ease of protocol revision by separating entities for different protocol layers, including a communication controller, entities for hierarchic layers, and a translator for command translation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single protocol is used by a plurality of vendors to ensure compatibility, then images captured by a digital still camera can be printed by a printer of any vendor, but difficulty is encountered in the use of a complete single protocol and printers functions evolve year by year making addition of new functions difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The communication protocol is divided into multiple hierarchical layers (first hierarchic layer, second hierarchic layer, third hierarchic layer). Each layer handles specific functions independently, allowing different vendors to implement their unique functions at lower layers while maintaining compatibility at higher layers. This segmentation enables both cross-vendor compatibility and independent function evolution.
Solution Approach 2:
A markup language is introduced as an intermediary format for control information items. The markup language serves as a universal intermediate representation that can be translated into various vendor-specific protocols, enabling compatibility while allowing each vendor to maintain their unique protocol characteristics and evolving functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single protocol is used by a plurality of vendors, then images captured by a digital still camera could be printed by a printer of any of the vendors, but once a standard protocol has been prescribed, addition of a new function becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The protocol structure is made dynamic through the hierarchical layering, where lower layers can be modified to add new functions without affecting higher layers. The markup language format also allows for dynamic addition of new control information items, enabling protocol evolution while maintaining cross-vendor compatibility through the stable higher-layer interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The protocol is extended into a multi-dimensional hierarchical structure rather than a flat single-layer protocol. This dimensional change allows new functions to be added at different layers without disrupting the existing protocol framework, enabling both compatibility and continuous evolution.
3Ease of manufacture
If vendor-specific protocols are used, then printer functions can be optimized for each vendor, but images captured by a digital still camera can be printed by a printer of a certain vendor but may not be printed by a printer of another vendor
Solution Approach 1:
The protocol is segmented into hierarchical layers where higher layers handle universal compatibility functions and lower layers handle vendor-specific optimized functions. This allows each vendor to optimize their printer functions at the lower layers while maintaining cross-vendor compatibility through the standardized higher-layer interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The markup language serves as a universal interface that can represent control information for multiple vendors and protocols. This universal representation layer enables compatibility across vendors while allowing each vendor to maintain their specialized functions through protocol translation at lower layers.
Data Source
AI summary
It is generated a control information item including a script for the image processing which is described by a markup language. The control information item is communicated between an image supply device and an image output device connected via a communication path. A control protocol for communicating the control information item is interpreted by a first entity which executes processing for a first hierarchic layer of a communication protocol. A management protocol for managing an image data file including the image data is interpreted by a second entity which executes processing for a second hierarchic layer of the communication protocol which is lower than the first hierarchic layer. A physical layer of the communication path is controlled by a third entity which executes processing for a third hierarchic layer of the communication protocol which is lower than the second hierarchic layer. A command in the control information item is translated between the control protocol and the management protocol.