Parallel Charging for Printing Jobs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for charging printing services using general-purpose electronic money on mobile terminals face inefficiencies, where the time required for charging processing often exceeds the time needed for printing, leading to delays and potential issues with payment synchronization.
Innovation Solution
A processing apparatus and method that allows for simultaneous charging of multiple execution units of a job when the charging time exceeds the printing time, ensuring that charging is completed before subsequent pages are printed, thereby maintaining efficient payment processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If charging is performed for each execution unit (e.g., each printed sheet) using general-purpose electronic money, then payment accuracy is improved, but charging time becomes longer than printing time causing delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication and protocol initialization between the mobile terminal and printing apparatus before actual printing begins. This upfront preparation ensures that when per-sheet charging is needed, the communication infrastructure is already established, reducing the time penalty of frequent charging operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple charging operations into a single charging process by accumulating execution units. Instead of charging after each individual sheet, the system groups multiple sheets together and performs one charging operation for the entire group, thereby reducing total charging time while maintaining accurate per-sheet payment tracking.
2Reliability
If charging processing is performed sequentially for each printed sheet, then payment synchronization is improved, but printing efficiency deteriorates due to waiting time
Solution Approach 1:
Authentication and charging protocol initialization are performed in advance before printing starts, so that the charging system is ready and synchronized before actual printing begins. This eliminates waiting time during the printing process while maintaining payment synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic charging intervals by grouping execution units into batches. Instead of continuous per-sheet charging that interrupts printing, charging occurs at periodic intervals for accumulated batches, reducing interruptions while maintaining payment tracking accuracy.
3Reliability
If protocol initialization and mutual authentication are performed for each charging operation, then security is improved, but charging speed becomes slower than printing speed
Solution Approach 1:
Protocol initialization and mutual authentication are performed once in advance before printing begins, rather than repeating them for each charging operation. This preliminary security setup maintains strong authentication while dramatically reducing the time required for subsequent charging operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple charging operations share a single authentication session. The system combines several charging transactions into one authenticated session, performing the security handshake once and then processing multiple charges without repeating the full authentication sequence, thereby improving charging speed while maintaining security.
Data Source
AI summary
When the time required for one charging process is longer than the processing time of the execution unit of a job, one charging process is performed for a plurality of execution units of a job.