Print Job Placement Preview With Staged UI Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for selecting and displaying print jobs on a user interface do not provide clear indications on how digital images will be positioned on an image receiving medium, leading to inefficiencies and potential conflicts during the printing process.
Innovation Solution
A method that separates the selection of print jobs from the actual movement to the print queue, using a first window for selection and a second window for virtual representation, where a corner indication or canvas item shows the image's position before movement, providing a preview only after the selection or movement action.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a preview image is displayed immediately upon selection, then the user can see the exact placement and size of the print job, but the selection process becomes slower and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent displays a corner indication (a simple geometric marker) at the intended placement location before the user completes the selection. This preliminary visual cue provides placement information without waiting for the full preview to be generated, thus reducing selection time while still conveying essential spatial information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the preview information into two stages: first displaying a simplified corner indication showing placement location, and then displaying the full preview image with exact dimensions after selection is confirmed. This segmentation allows the interface to provide essential information quickly while deferring detailed rendering until necessary.
2Reliability
If the full preview image is displayed upon selection, then the user can see exact image size and potential issues, but the interface becomes more complex and slower
Solution Approach 1:
The corner indication is displayed in advance at the intended placement location, providing a simplified but accurate representation of where the image will be positioned. This preliminary marker conveys essential placement accuracy information without requiring the full complexity of a complete preview image, thus reducing interface complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Productivity
If multiple print jobs are selected simultaneously, then the user can batch process images, but determining individual placements becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
When multiple print jobs are selected, the patent displays corner indications for each individual image at its specific placement location on the roll or rigid. Each corner indication provides localized placement information for that specific image, allowing users to track individual positions within the batch while maintaining efficient batch processing capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for selecting a print job 122 and displaying the print job 122 on a second window 110, the print job comprising a digital image to be printed on an image receiving medium by means of a digital printer having a user interface 100 comprising a first window 120 representing a waiting room for the print job 122 which is selectable to be printed, and the second window 110 for displaying a virtual representation of the image receiving medium, the method comprising the steps of displaying a corner indication 108 on the second window 110, the corner indication 108 indicating a location where a top left corner of the digital image of the print job 122 will be placed on the image receiving medium, and selecting the print job 122 in the first window 120. Upon selection of the print job 122 in the first window 120, the corner indication 108 is replaced by a canvas item 130 with a size of a layout of the digital image of the selected print job 122, and the corner indication 108 is moved to a location 108A on the virtual representation where a next to be selected print job 123 will originate. Upon moving or copying the selected print job 122 from the first window 120 to the second window 110, the canvas item 130 is replaced by a preview image 140 of the digital image of the selected print job 122 of the same size as the layout.