Universal Print Driver Setting Invalidation Handling

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional universal drivers fail to maintain customized print settings when switching between printing devices, leading to unintended printing results as users are not notified of invalidated settings, and supporting various device types becomes challenging with updates.

Innovation Solution

A computer-readable medium with an executable program that switches setting data for print control, determines if customization settings are invalidated during device type changes, and applies alternative settings to prevent printing errors by notifying users and updating settings accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a universal driver supports multiple printing device types, then the driver's versatility is improved, but when switching between device types, customized settings are invalidated without user notification, leading to unintended printing results

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriver compatibilityVSAvoidsetting consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback to the user by displaying a notification when customized settings are invalidated due to device type switching. This allows the user to be aware of the setting changes and take appropriate action, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining driver versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by proactively notifying the user before the printing operation proceeds with invalid settings. This prevents unintended printing results by alerting the user in advance of the setting invalidation, allowing them to adjust settings or cancel the operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the universal driver maintains customized settings across device type changes, then setting consistency is improved, but supporting diverse device types with different capabilities becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesetting consistencyVSAvoiddevice type support

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback to the user by displaying a notification when customized settings are invalidated due to device type switching. This allows the user to be aware of the setting changes and take appropriate action, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining driver versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality by managing settings specifically for each device type context. When switching device types, the system identifies which customized settings are applicable to the new device type and notifies the user only about those that are invalidated, rather than blanket-invalidating all settings. This maintains adaptability while preserving setting consistency where applicable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If customized print settings are fixed for a specific printing device, then printing precision is improved, but when switching to a different printing device, the settings become invalid and users are not notified

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprint setting accuracyVSAvoidsetting invalidation notification

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback to the user by displaying a notification when customized settings are invalidated due to device type switching. This allows the user to be aware of the setting changes and take appropriate action, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining driver versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by proactively notifying the user before the printing operation proceeds with invalid settings. This prevents unintended printing results by alerting the user in advance of the setting invalidation, allowing them to adjust settings or cancel the operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9881239B2Computer-readable recording medium, information processing device, and information processing system

Publication Date: 2018.01.30 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

A computer-readable recording medium includes an executable program stored thereon. The program instructs a computer to perform changing setting data for performing print control of a printing device to a value of customization setting to be stored in a storage unit; switching a piece of setting data used for printing among pieces of setting data of a plurality of printing devices stored in the storage unit into a piece of setting data of a printing device instructed to be switched; determining whether there is the customization setting to be invalidated in a type of the device after switching; and changing the customization setting to be invalidated to an alternative setting.