Ink Use Estimation via Page Segmentation and Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink use estimation systems for printers are inefficient and inaccurate, particularly when handling large print jobs or comingled jobs, as they often require significant computational resources and may not provide reliable cost estimates due to variations in ink usage across pages.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that classifies pages into groups based on similarity, calculates estimated ink usage for each group, and discontinues detailed ink estimation for groups with stable average ink usage, allowing for efficient communication of total ink requirements to client terminals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If detailed ink estimation is performed for all pages, then measurement precision is improved, but use of energy and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the print job into multiple groups of pages based on characteristics such as document type, content similarity, or printing patterns. Instead of estimating ink usage for all pages uniformly, the system segments the job and applies different estimation strategies to each group, reducing overall computational resources while maintaining accuracy through targeted analysis of representative samples from each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs detailed ink estimation only for a partial subset of pages (representative samples) rather than all pages. By selecting and analyzing a representative sample from each group, the system achieves sufficient measurement precision for cost estimation without the excessive computational cost of processing every single page in detail.
2Measurement precision
If ink estimation is performed for all pages, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the print job into manageable groups and processes each group independently using sampling techniques. This segmentation allows the system to estimate ink usage for representative samples from each group rather than processing all pages sequentially, significantly improving estimation speed while maintaining precision through systematic sampling across all segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by estimating ink usage only for representative samples from each group rather than all pages. This partial estimation approach maintains sufficient measurement precision for accurate cost calculation while dramatically improving productivity by reducing the total number of pages that require detailed analysis.
3Use of energy by moving object
If sampling is used for estimation, then use of energy is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the print job into multiple groups and applies sampling within each group rather than using a single large sample from the entire job. This segmented sampling approach ensures that representative pages from diverse groups are analyzed, maintaining measurement precision across different document types and printing patterns while reducing overall computational resources through targeted sampling within each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring the sampling and estimation approach to the specific characteristics of each group. Instead of using a uniform sampling strategy for the entire job, the system adjusts its estimation method based on the local properties of each group (e.g., document type, content complexity), ensuring accurate ink usage prediction for each segment while optimizing computational resources.
4Measurement precision
If all pages are processed for ink estimation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the estimation system into modular components that handle different groups of pages independently. Each segment processes its own set of pages using standardized sampling and estimation algorithms, reducing the complexity of any single component while maintaining overall system accuracy through systematic integration of results from all segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent reduces device complexity by implementing partial processing of pages through sampling. Instead of requiring the system to process all pages in detail, the simplified estimation algorithm operates only on representative samples from each group, reducing computational complexity while maintaining sufficient measurement precision for accurate cost estimation.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for estimating ink use by a printer is provided. The method involves receiving, by a computer, a request for a comingled print job comprising a plurality of print jobs to be carried out by the printer. The method also involves traversing, by the computer, pages of the comingled print job and identifying, for each page of the comingled print job, a print job of the plurality of print jobs to which the page belongs. The method also involves for each of the plurality of print jobs, calculating, by the computer, an estimated total amount of ink required for printing the print job. The method also involves communicating, by the computer, to a client terminal, the estimated total amounts of ink required for printing the plurality of print jobs.