Print Quality Requirement Data Generation System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Customers without technical knowledge face difficulties in conveying print quality requirements to print companies, especially in digital printing where small lot sizes and short delivery periods complicate agreements based on color charts and samples, and designating acceptable print quality parameters is burdensome.

Innovation Solution

An information processing system that uses Print Requirements eXchange (PRX) and Customer Quality Control (CusQC) standards to generate and transmit print quality requirement data, allowing customers to input overall quality levels, which are then converted into specific parameter ranges, reducing the burden of specifying each parameter individually.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If customers designate acceptable range for each print quality parameter individually, then print quality requirement precision is improved, but user operation burden increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprint quality requirement precisionVSAvoiduser operation burden
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex task of specifying print quality into two distinct levels: (1) selecting a predefined quality level category (S1), and (2) automatically generating specific parameter ranges based on that category (S2). This segmentation allows users to only perform the simple S1 operation while the system handles the complex S2 parameter generation, thereby reducing user burden while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary quality level category (S1) that mediates between the user's simple quality preference and the system's detailed parameter requirements. This intermediary category acts as a bridge, translating vague user intentions into precise technical parameters automatically, thus resolving the contradiction between precision and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If customers convey print quality requirements without technical knowledge, then ease of operation is improved, but print quality agreement reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of conveying requirementVSAvoidprint quality agreement reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically generating detailed print quality parameters (S2) based on the user's simple quality level selection (S1). This eliminates the need for users to possess technical knowledge while ensuring that reliable, precise parameters are generated through the system's automated processes, thus maintaining reliability without compromising ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the parameter specification process from requiring direct user input of technical parameters to using predefined quality level categories. The system then automatically converts these categories into specific parameter ranges, changing the parameter representation from technical values to user-friendly categories while maintaining agreement reliability through automated parameter generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If digital printing uses small lot and short delivery period, then productivity is improved, but print quality agreement difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedelivery speedVSAvoidquality agreement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by establishing predefined quality level categories (S1) and their corresponding parameter ranges before the actual printing process. This allows quick quality agreement to be reached without time-consuming discussions during production, supporting fast delivery while maintaining quality standards through pre-established agreements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3709621B1Information processing apparatus, control method therefor, program, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2022.12.21 CANON KK
  • EP3709621B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3709621B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3709621B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An information processing apparatus receives designation of a level of a print quality requirement concerning a print product, identifies a quality level for each of a plurality of print parameters corresponding to the received level of the print quality requirement concerning the print product based on a table in which the level of a print quality requirement is associated with a quality level for each of the plurality of print parameters, and outputs requirement data representing the identified quality level for each of the print parameters.