Print Job Resumption via Portable Memory Configuration Files
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional document printing systems require multiple user interactions and lack the ability to automatically resume incomplete print jobs, leading to inefficiencies and manual reconfiguration when interruptions occur.
Innovation Solution
A document printing system that includes a processing device, print engine, and event triggering circuit to detect a portable memory device's connection, allowing it to access and resume interrupted print jobs by using configuration files stored on the device, which contain page numbers and causes of interruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional print job is performed using network or USB drive, then the user can print documents, but the user needs to perform multiple steps including sending print jobs, walking to retrieve documents, or manually browsing and selecting files
Solution Approach 1:
The print device automatically detects the portable memory device connection, retrieves the document file and configuration file, and initiates printing without requiring user intervention to browse directories or select files. The system serves itself by automatically completing the print workflow that would otherwise require multiple manual user steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration file is created or updated in advance during interrupted print jobs, storing the page number where interruption occurred. When the portable memory device is connected, the system uses this pre-stored configuration information to automatically resume printing from the correct page, eliminating the need for users to manually locate and reconfigure interrupted jobs.
2Reliability
If a print job is interrupted due to machine error or low resource condition, then the printing process stops, but the user must switch to another device and reconfigure the job manually or allow automatic re-printing which duplicates already printed pages
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the printing process and automatically updates the configuration file with the page number where interruption occurred. When the portable memory device is reconnected, the system reads this feedback information from the configuration file and uses it to automatically resume printing from the correct page, eliminating the need for manual reconfiguration or duplicate printing.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration file acts as an intermediary that stores interruption information between the print device and the user. Instead of requiring the user to manually track or reconfigure interrupted jobs, the configuration file mediates by preserving the interruption state and enabling automatic resumption when the portable memory device is connected again.
3Productivity
If the system automatically re-prints the entire document after interruption, then the print job can be completed, but it duplicates what has already been printed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of performing a complete re-print of the entire document, the system uses the configuration file to identify the exact page number where interruption occurred and prints only the remaining partial portion of the document. This partial action approach completes the print job without duplicating already printed pages, optimizing both productivity and resource utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A document printing system may include one or more print devices, each is capable of detecting a portable memory device, and also detecting a document file and associated configuration file stored in the portable memory device, where the configuration file may contain information about an interruption of a print job associated with the document file. The interruption may have occurred previously on any of the print devices. Each print device may extract and use the information from the configuration file, to automatically resume the previously interrupted print job. Each print device may also be capable of detecting an interruption of a current print job and recording information about the interruption in the configuration file stored in the portable memory device. In some embodiments, the information about the interruption of the print job may include a page number, cause of the interruption and/or job attributes of the interrupted print job.