Portable Terminal Printer Search Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

When using near-field wireless communication like Bluetooth for printer searches, printers that cannot perform wireless LAN communication due to settings or network issues are not usable, leading to inefficient printer selection and potential re-selection processes.

Innovation Solution

A portable terminal searches for printing apparatuses using Bluetooth and determines communication capabilities, displaying only those that can perform alternative communication methods, ensuring users can select functional printers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If printer search is performed using Bluetooth near-field wireless communication, then the search can be performed, but printers that cannot perform wireless LAN communication cannot be selected even though they appear in search results

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinter selectionVSAvoidcommunication capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The portable terminal performs preliminary detection of wireless LAN communication capability for each printer found via Bluetooth search. Before displaying printer information, the terminal checks whether the printer can perform wireless LAN communication and only displays printers that pass this preliminary check, preventing users from selecting printers that cannot communicate via wireless LAN

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary verification step between Bluetooth search and printer selection. The terminal uses this intermediary check to verify wireless LAN communication capability before allowing selection, acting as a filter that prevents direct selection of incompatible printers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If all printers found via Bluetooth search are displayed, then search results are comprehensive, but users may select non-functional printers causing re-selection processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of search resultsVSAvoidtime for re-selection

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal performs preliminary verification of wireless LAN communication capability for each printer before adding it to the display list. This preliminary action filters out printers that cannot communicate via wireless LAN, ensuring that only functional printers are displayed and eliminating the need for re-selection by users

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes printers that fail the wireless LAN communication capability check from the search results. By taking out non-functional printers before display, the system maintains comprehensive search coverage while eliminating time-consuming re-selection processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10764444B2Portable terminal performing a printer search

Publication Date: 2020.09.01 CANON KK

AI summary

A portable terminal performs a printer search using Bluetooth®. In a case where communication different from Bluetooth® communication can be performed between the portable terminal and a particular printer, he portable terminal displays those printing apparatuses found by the search that are able to communicate via a different communication. Those printing apparatuses found by the search that just communicate via Bluetooth® are not displayed.