Print Control Device Using Email Address for Printer Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ordinary users face difficulties in identifying and registering printers for printing, as they need to acquire and set various information such as printer names, protocol names, and output destination information, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A print control device that identifies printers connected through a network using an e-mail address managed by a server, converting image data into print data suitable for the identified printer, thereby simplifying the printer identification and registration process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a user manually acquires and sets printer information (printer name, protocol name, output destination), then the printer can be registered and used, but the process becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic printer identification and registration by having the printer transmit its own identification information (email address) autonomously to the server, eliminating the need for manual information gathering by the user. The printer essentially registers itself through the server infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
A server acts as an intermediary between the user and the printer. The server receives, stores, and manages printer identification information, then provides it to users during printing operations. This intermediary simplifies the user's task to merely inputting an email address while the server handles the complex matching and registration processes.
2Reliability
If a user manually configures printer settings through setting screens, then the printer can be identified and registered, but the operation becomes complex and difficult for ordinary users
Solution Approach 1:
The printer automatically provides its identification information (email address) to the server without requiring user configuration of technical parameters. The user's role is reduced to simply entering an email address, while the system handles the complex identification and matching processes automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The server serves as an intermediary that manages the complex relationship between users and printers. It stores printer email addresses, performs matching operations, and handles registration automatically, transforming a complex technical process into a simple user interaction of entering an email address.
3Loss of information
If various printer information (printer name, protocol name, output destination) is required for registration, then complete printer identification is achieved, but the amount of information users must acquire and set increases
Solution Approach 1:
The critical identification information (email address) is extracted from the complex set of printer parameters and used as the sole user-input requirement. The server then uses this single piece of information to retrieve and apply all other necessary printer settings (printer name, protocol, output destination) from its stored data, eliminating the need for users to handle multiple parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The server acts as an intermediary that stores the complete set of printer information and manages the relationships between different parameters. When a user provides an email address, the server automatically retrieves and coordinates all related printer settings, transforming a multi-parameter registration process into a single-parameter input process.
Data Source
AI summary
The advantage of the invention is to make settings on a printer to be connected with a network easy. A printer driver is connected with a server device for managing a printer A and an e-mail address by linking them through a network, and transmits print job data to the server device. The printer driver receives designation of an e-mail address managed by the server device, identifies printer A based on the designated e-mail address, and converts data as a target of printing into print job data in accordance with the identified printer A.