Print Preview System for Non-Paper Media Setup

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users unfamiliar with printing on non-paper media often struggle to set up printing correctly, leading to discrepancies between the intended image and the final printed product.

Innovation Solution

A printing system comprising a user terminal for specifying and transmitting print jobs, a management terminal for receiving, displaying, and modifying print jobs, and a printer for executing confirmed print jobs, ensuring accurate printing on various media types by facilitating user-administrator agreement and preview adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If printing on non-paper media is enabled, then versatility of printing is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting media versatilityVSAvoidprinting setup ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of the management terminal and preview display that mediates between the user and the printing process. The management terminal receives print jobs, displays previews, and allows modifications before actual printing, acting as a buffer that simplifies the complex process of printing on diverse media while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by displaying a preview of the print job on the management terminal before actual printing occurs. This allows users to verify and modify print settings, media selection, and image placement in advance, preventing errors before they occur during the actual printing process on non-paper media.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If user directly specifies print medium, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprint medium selection easeVSAvoidprint output accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by displaying a preview on the management terminal that shows the user exactly what will be printed on the selected medium. This visual feedback loop allows users to verify their selections and make corrections, ensuring that the final print output matches their intentions while maintaining simple direct selection of print media.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If print preview and modification features are added, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprint job accuracyVSAvoidsystem structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the printing system into distinct functional components: the user terminal for initiating print jobs, the management terminal for preview and modification, and the printer for execution. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific tasks, improving overall print accuracy while distributing system complexity across multiple independent modules rather than concentrating it in a single complex device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12093585B2Printing system and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing print control program

Publication Date: 2024.09.17 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A printing system including a display section that displays a print preview based on a print setting including specification of a print medium set by a user and image data, a changing section that changes the print setting in accordance with an instruction of an administrator, and a confirmation section that causes a printer to execute printing in accordance with an agreement between the user and the administrator is configured.