Print Job Archive Segmentation for Multi-Core Search
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for archiving and retrieving large volumes of print job data in print shops are inefficient, particularly in managing and searching databases, which are difficult to manipulate and share, and are not easily portable between computers.
Innovation Solution
A file-based print job archive system that splits a searchable table into multiple files corresponding to the number of CPU cores in the server, utilizing an indexing controller to generate and distribute records across these files, allowing for multithreaded searches that maximize processing efficiency by utilizing each CPU core independently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single large database is used to store all print job records, then data completeness is maintained, but search performance degrades and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single large database into multiple smaller table files (e.g., table1.dat, table2.dat, etc.), where each file stores a portion of the print job records. This segmentation allows the search system to process smaller data portions in parallel across multiple CPU cores, significantly improving search speed while reducing the complexity of managing and querying the overall database structure.
2Ease of operation
If traditional databases are used for archiving, then data storage is achieved, but ease of manipulation and sharing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses simple binary table files that can be easily copied and shared between different systems and devices. These flat file formats (such as CSV, TSV, or binary formats) are much easier to manipulate, transfer, and share compared to traditional database systems, while still maintaining the ability to store and query structured data efficiently.
3Productivity
If a single-threaded search approach is used, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but processing efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the search process into multiple parallel threads, with each thread responsible for searching a specific table file. This segmentation enables simultaneous processing of multiple data portions across different CPU cores, dramatically improving processing efficiency for large volumes of print job records while maintaining relatively simple implementation through standard parallel programming patterns.
4Productivity
If the archive is not optimized for multi-core processing, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but search performance deteriorates on multi-core systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an archive structure with multiple table files that are specifically designed to be distributed across multiple CPU cores. Each table file is optimized for parallel processing, allowing the search system to fully utilize multi-core hardware capabilities. This segmentation approach enables efficient parallel processing while keeping each individual file simple and manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for generating a print job archive optimized for searching by a specific server. The system includes a memory and an indexing controller. The indexing controller generates an archive for print jobs, by determining a number of Central Processing Unit (CPU) cores that access the archive, and generating table files in the archive equal to the number of CPU cores. The indexing controller also populates the archive by detecting print jobs, generating records that describe the print jobs, and distributing the records such that each table file includes a different set of records. Further, the indexing controller searches the archive by triggering multiple processing threads that each utilize a different CPU core to review a different table file of the archive based on the search request, and reporting a set of records in the archive that match the request.