Image Processing Apparatus Resuming Interrupted Print Jobs
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Solution Overview
Problem
In printers that handle continuous paper, interruptions such as cleaning or running out of ink require restarting the print job from the beginning, leading to inefficiencies and waste, as existing techniques lack a method to resume printing from the interrupted point without reprocessing all images.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that detects interruptions and generates a reprint job, performing optimization processing on unprinted images to allow resumption of printing from the interrupted point, reducing waste and enabling efficient job execution by optimizing the arrangement of images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the print job is restarted from the beginning after interruption, then the printing can be completed, but the printing time and paper consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The print job is segmented into multiple independent image units that can be processed separately. When an interruption occurs, only the unprinted image segments are reprocessed rather than the entire job, enabling efficient resumption without restarting from the beginning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary recording of the arrangement information and printing status of all images before printing begins. This preliminary action enables the system to quickly determine which images need reprocessing after an interruption, avoiding the need to restart the entire print job.
2Reliability
If the print job is restarted from the beginning after interruption, then the printing can be completed, but paper consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The print job is divided into separate image segments with recorded arrangement information. After interruption, only the unprinted segments are reprocessed and printed, preventing waste of paper that would occur if the entire job were reprinted from the beginning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers the printing status information and arrangement data from before the interruption. This allows the system to discard (skip) the already-printed portions and only reprocess the unprinted images, thereby recovering paper that would otherwise be wasted.
3Loss of substance
If optimization processing is performed on unprinted images after interruption, then the arrangement is optimized and waste is reduced, but additional processing time is required
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of performing optimization processing on the entire print job, the system applies optimization only to the unprinted image segments. This partial action reduces the total processing time required while still achieving the goal of minimizing paper waste through optimized arrangement.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus includes: a print job generator configured to perform optimization processing for optimizing an arrangement of a plurality of images and generate a print job instructing a printer to print the plurality of optimized images; an interruption detector configured to detect an interruption of the print job; and a reprint job generator configured to generate a reprint job instructing the printer to print unprinted images, of which printing is not completed, among the plurality of images if the interruption detector detects the interruption of the print job. The reprint job generator executes a first mode that performs the optimization processing on the unprinted images, of which the printing is not completed, among the plurality of images and generates, as the reprint job, a first reprint job instructing the printing of the unprinted images on which the optimization processing is performed.