Job Management Graph for Image Forming Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses, it is difficult to intuitively determine which job data to delete due to the lack of clear display of HDD usage and free storage, especially when data is stored across multiple HDDs and job types, leading to complex operations and potential incorrect deletions.
Innovation Solution
A non-transitory computer-readable medium and job managing apparatus that acquires information about job data, creates a graph indicating HDD usage for each job type, and displays a list with job contents, allowing users to manage storage by visualizing usage and free space on a single screen, enabling easy deletion of specific job types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the amount of usage and free storage of HDD are displayed in percentage or number of sheets, then the display is simple, but it is difficult to intuitively grasp the storage status and decide which job data to delete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual representation with different colors or patterns to indicate storage status. The graph displays storage usage with visual elements that change or vary to represent different job types and storage amounts, making the storage status more intuitive and easier to grasp at a glance without complex numerical displays.
2Ease of operation
If the amount of usage and free storage are displayed for each HDD and job type, then it becomes easier to decide which data to delete, but the display complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage display into multiple graphical elements, where each job type is represented by a separate visual segment in the graph. This allows detailed breakdown of storage usage by job type while maintaining an overall visual structure that is easier to process than raw numerical data, balancing detail with simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms numerical storage data into a graphical dimension, using visual length, area, or height of graph elements to represent storage amounts. This dimensional transformation makes the data more intuitive and easier to compare across different job types and HDDs without increasing operational complexity.
3Measurement precision
If detailed list of all jobs is displayed, then it is possible to identify specific jobs for deletion, but the operation becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the job list by job type, displaying or highlighting jobs grouped according to their type (printing, copying, scanning, etc.). This segmentation allows users to quickly identify and select specific job types for deletion without reviewing every individual job detail, reducing time while maintaining identification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows users to perform partial actions by selecting entire job types for deletion rather than requiring review of individual jobs. This partial action approach speeds up the deletion process while still providing sufficient precision through job type-based selection, avoiding the need to examine every single job entry in detail.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions and a job managing apparatus, for managing jobs of an image forming apparatus. The instructions cause a processor to perform the following operations. The operations include acquiring information about data jobs stored in a storing section of the image forming apparatus, and creating a graph and a list based on the information about the data of the jobs. The graph indicates the amount of usage of the storing section for each job type. The list includes a job item including job contents such as information of a job type, for each job. The operations further include controlling a display unit to display a job managing screen including the graph and the list and update the graph on the job managing screen in response to an operation on the list to delete one or more jobs.