Print Job Spooling Control for Image Forming Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming systems require a significant waiting time for print jobs due to the need for image forming apparatuses to warm up and download jobs, leading to inefficiencies in job execution.
Innovation Solution
A control device that communicates with multiple image forming apparatuses to obtain history information, decide on optimal spool destinations based on usage patterns, and transmit jobs to these destinations, allowing for immediate execution upon user authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the image forming apparatus is warmed up in advance and the user selects it for authentication, then the apparatus is ready for immediate use, but the user still experiences waiting time due to job download requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary actions by deciding multiple spool destinations in advance based on history information, and pre-transmitting jobs to these destinations before the user completes authentication. This eliminates the waiting time after authentication by having the job already available at the selected apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes history information about user behavior patterns to feedback into the spool destination decision-making process. This feedback mechanism allows the control device to predict which apparatuses the user will select and prepare accordingly, reducing waiting time while maintaining high reliability.
2Ease of operation
If the user does not select the warmed-up image forming apparatus or the apparatus does not hold the print job, then the system operates with standard procedures, but significant time is required to download the print job
Solution Approach 1:
The control device decides multiple spool destinations and transmits jobs to these destinations in advance, before the user completes authentication or selects a specific apparatus. This preliminary action ensures the job is already available at the selected apparatus, eliminating download time while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of job availability from single-destination to multi-destination spooling. By transmitting the job to multiple apparatuses simultaneously based on history information, the system ensures the job is available regardless of which apparatus the user selects, thereby reducing download time without complicating user operations.
3Device complexity
If the control device transmits the job to only one image forming apparatus, then the system complexity is low, but the user experiences waiting time when the selected apparatus is not the warmed-up one
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary decision-making to identify multiple spool destinations based on history information, and transmits jobs to these destinations in advance. This approach increases complexity only slightly while dramatically reducing user waiting time by ensuring job availability at the selected apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the spool destination selection based on real-time history information and user behavior patterns. This dynamic approach allows the control device to optimize job transmission targets, achieving a balance between operational complexity and time efficiency by adapting to user preferences.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device that is communicable with a plurality of image forming apparatuses, comprises: an information obtaining part that obtains history information from the plurality of image forming apparatuses; a spool destination deciding part that decides two or more image forming apparatuses as spool destinations of an accepted job from the plurality of image forming apparatuses based on plural pieces of history information obtained by the information obtaining part; and a job transmitter that transmits a job to the two or more image forming apparatuses decided by the spool destination deciding part.