Parallel Print Job Data Reading for Rasterization Bottleneck Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face inefficiencies in processing multiple print jobs, where light jobs are bottlenecked by print engine speed and heavy jobs are bottlenecked by rasterization, leading to suboptimal use of resources and prolonged printing times.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that reads and rasterizes intermediate data for multiple print jobs in parallel, determining if reading allows extra time relative to the print engine throughput and identifies bottlenecks to execute simultaneous data reading, thereby optimizing the use of resources and reducing overall printing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sequential processing of print jobs is performed, then the print engine can process each job completely, but the overall printing time increases due to idle time between jobs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by reading intermediate data of subsequent print jobs from storage while the current job is being processed. This advance preparation ensures that data is ready in memory before needed, eliminating idle time between jobs and allowing the print engine to maintain continuous operation without waiting for data retrieval.
2Productivity
If parallel reading of intermediate data is performed, then data availability for printing is improved, but system complexity increases due to coordination requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service through automatic determination of bottlenecks and dynamic adjustment of parallel reading operations. The control logic autonomously monitors processing stages, identifies bottlenecks, and manages the coordination of parallel data reading without requiring external intervention or complex manual coordination, thereby improving productivity while keeping the control mechanism manageable.
3Manufacturing precision
If rasterization processing is performed for heavy print jobs, then print quality is maintained, but the processing time becomes a bottleneck
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuity of useful action by performing rasterization processing continuously and in parallel where possible. Instead of waiting for rasterization to complete before starting other operations, the system overlaps rasterization with other processing tasks, ensuring that print quality is maintained through complete rasterization while minimizing the time impact through concurrent execution of multiple operations.
4Productivity
If the print engine operates at full speed, then throughput is maximized, but light print jobs do not utilize the full capability
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by adaptively adjusting the degree of parallel processing based on job characteristics. For light print jobs, the system uses lighter parallel processing to avoid unnecessary overhead, while for heavy print jobs, it employs more aggressive parallel reading and processing. This dynamic adaptation allows the print engine to operate at full speed when needed while maintaining efficiency for smaller jobs.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus includes a hardware processor that stores intermediate data of a plurality of print jobs in a storage. The hardware processor is configured to perform, read first intermediate data of a first prim job; rasterize the read first intermediate data to generate print data; output the print data to an image forming apparatus; determine whether reading the first intermediate data allows extra, time in relation to a throughput of a print engine; determine whether reading second intermediate data of a second print job is a bottleneck of a printing time; and execute in parallel reading the first intermediate data and reading the second intermediate data, in response to a determination that the operation of reading the first intermediate data allows extra time in relation to the throughput of the print engine and a determination that reading the second intermediate data is a bottleneck of the printing time.