Mobile Terminal Job Stop Control for Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for controlling image forming apparatuses from mobile terminals lack usability in stopping ongoing jobs, as users must operate the apparatus's operation unit or keep the mobile terminal screen occupied, which can be cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A method and program that allow for displaying a stop button on the mobile terminal's screen, enabling users to transmit a stop instruction to the image forming apparatus, regardless of screen transitions, allowing job interruption without needing to access the apparatus's operation unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the mobile terminal transmits job settings and then stops communicating with the image forming apparatus, then the communication complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates because users cannot stop the job from the mobile terminal
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile terminal transmits job settings in advance to the image forming apparatus before the user needs to stop the job. The apparatus stores these settings and can recognize them later, allowing the stop function to work without requiring the mobile terminal to maintain active communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The image forming apparatus acts as an intermediary that stores the transmitted job settings and uses them to recognize stop instructions. This mediator enables the stop function without requiring continuous communication between the mobile terminal and the apparatus.
2Ease of operation
If the mobile terminal displays job performance status on its screen, then the ease of operation improves for stopping jobs, but the screen occupation reduces usability
Solution Approach 1:
The essential function of stopping the job is extracted from the mobile terminal's screen display and transferred to the image forming apparatus. The apparatus now handles job recognition and stopping independently, freeing the mobile terminal screen from occupation while maintaining the stop capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The image forming apparatus serves itself by storing the job settings and using them to recognize and stop jobs without requiring the mobile terminal to display status or maintain communication. The apparatus independently handles the stop function using the previously transmitted settings.
3Reliability
If users operate the main body of the image forming apparatus to stop jobs, then the job can be stopped, but the loss of time increases due to user hesitation and unfamiliarity
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile terminal transmits job settings in advance, and the image forming apparatus stores them for future recognition. This preliminary action enables the apparatus to immediately recognize stop instructions without requiring users to navigate through operation units or wait for system processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback by enabling users to stop jobs from the mobile terminal through the application, creating a closed-loop control where the stop instruction travels back to the apparatus via the stored settings recognition, eliminating the need for physical interaction with the apparatus operation unit.
Data Source
AI summary
An application that is executed by a data processing apparatus serving as a mobile terminal and transmits a performance instruction (job performance request) to perform a job to an image forming apparatus displays a user interface (a stop button, a notification of a notification center) for receiving a stop operation of transmitting, to the image forming apparatus, a stop instruction (job stop request) to instruct the image forming apparatus to stop performing the job based on the performance instruction, regardless of a screen for the performance instruction by the application and a screen after the performance instruction.