Page Identification Mark Correction Indicators

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in visually confirming the correct order of pages, especially when corrections or additions are made, as existing page identification marks do not provide immediate and clear indication of page replacements or additions.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an identification-mark making unit that creates page identification marks with correction/addition marks, which indicate changes, allowing for accurate determination of page order by displacing marks on the paper sheet during printing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If traditional page identification marks are used, then the printing process is simple, but the visual confirmation of page order and corrections is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepage order informationVSAvoidmark-making system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The page identification mark is segmented into multiple functional components: a base mark indicating page number, and additional correction/addition marks that are superimposed on specific portions of the base mark. This segmentation allows the system to convey multiple types of information (page order, corrections, additions) using a structured composite mark system that remains visually manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The correction/addition marks are nested within or superimposed on the base page identification mark. The correction/addition mark contains information about page modifications and is positioned within the visual footprint of the original page mark, creating a nested information structure where multiple layers of meaning coexist in a compact visual form.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If correction and addition marks are added to page identification marks, then visual confirmation of page changes is improved, but the mark-making process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepage order accuracyVSAvoididentification-mark making unit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of the print data to identify which pages require correction or addition marks before the actual mark-making process. The identification-mark making unit pre-determines the positions and types of correction/addition marks needed based on the print job characteristics, allowing the physical mark application to proceed systematically without complex real-time decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The identification-mark making unit acts as an intermediary between the print data processing system and the physical printing process. It translates abstract correction and addition information into concrete visual mark positions and patterns, mediating between the digital representation of page modifications and their physical manifestation on printed sheets through a standardized mark-making language.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If marks are displaced off on end portions of paper sheets, then immediate visual confirmation of page order is achieved, but the marks may be cut off or lost during handling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual confirmation easeVSAvoidmark visibility reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the page identification mark serve different functions: the base mark portion is positioned to ensure visibility and page identification, while the correction/addition mark portions are strategically placed within the visible area to indicate modifications. The mark system employs local quality variations in positioning and styling to optimize both visibility and information conveyance without compromising mark integrity during handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3367174B1Image forming apparatus that facilitates confirmation of order of pages and image forming system
Publication Date: 2019.10.02 KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC
  • EP3367174B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1D
  • EP3367174B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3367174B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

An image forming apparatus (10) includes an identification-mark making unit (60). The identification-mark making unit (60) makes a page identification mark (11,12,13,14,12a,13a,13b) for identifying a page, on a predetermined position of a paper sheet during printing. The identification-mark making unit (60), based on the page identification mark (11,12,13,14,12a,13a,13b) made in a previous printing, includes a correction/addition mark (12a1,13a1,13b1) that indicates an existence of a correction page or an additional page since the previous printing in a part of the page identification mark (11,12,13,14,12a,13a,13b) when a new print output is performed.