Multifunction Device RAM Shared Area Driverless Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data processing devices require device drivers for terminal devices to control their functions, leading to cumbersome updates and high development costs, especially for operating systems with few users, limiting functionality access.
Innovation Solution
A data processing device that stores instruction data as external storage, allowing terminal devices to control operations through the operating system's file system, eliminating the need for device drivers and reducing development costs by using standard OS functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a device driver is used to control data processing device functions, then the device can be operated, but the user burden increases due to troublesome updates and high development costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the device driver layer from the system architecture. Instead of requiring a device driver on the terminal device, the control logic is moved to the data processing device itself, which now directly receives and executes commands from the terminal device through standard file system operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a command file as an intermediary between the terminal device and the data processing device. The command file serves as a standardized interface that eliminates the need for device-specific drivers, allowing the terminal device to control the data processing device through universal file operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a device driver is developed for each operating system, then compatibility is improved, but development costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal command file format that can be processed by the data processing device regardless of the terminal device's operating system. This single standardized interface replaces the need for multiple OS-specific device drivers, achieving broad compatibility while eliminating repetitive development work.
3Speed
If instruction data is stored in RAM for function execution, then quick access is achieved, but RAM is wasted when the same data remains stored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic memory management where command data is loaded into RAM only when needed for execution and then cleared after use. This dynamic approach allows quick access during operation while minimizing RAM consumption when the device is idle or processing different commands.
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a technology enabling a terminal device to use various functions provided in a data processing device without the use of a device driver. A multifunction device executes a process for implementing a function indicated by instruction data when such instruction data is stored in a shared area of the RAM. Here, the shared area of the RAM in which the instruction data is stored can be recognized by a personal computer connected to the multifunction device as a storage area that can be accessed through the file system, which is a function provided as a standard feature of the operating system. Accordingly, operations of the multifunction device can be controlled from the personal computer end simply by storing instruction data in the shared area via the operating system, eliminating the need for a special device driver to control the operations of the multifunction device.