Print Request Limiting Control for Server Load Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In client-server printing systems, particularly in pull-print systems, it is challenging to accurately recognize the load on servers and control it effectively, especially when managing multiple documents for simultaneous printing, leading to potential server overload and increased costs due to the need for additional servers.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus with a print screen display unit, a print request unit, and a print-request limitation control unit that manages and limits print requests by displaying a print screen with document information, requesting print jobs from a server, and controlling polling to detect print reservation information, thereby preventing new print requests until registration is confirmed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the number of servers is increased to handle more client terminals, then system reliability and processing capacity are improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic load control by making the client terminal actively monitor server load status and adjust printing operations accordingly. The server load status notification mechanism allows the system to dynamically adapt to changing server conditions, enabling efficient utilization of existing server resources without requiring proportional increases in server quantity as client terminals are added.
2Measurement precision
If polling frequency is increased to improve progress recognition accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but server load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic polling with adaptive timing, where the client terminal polls the server at predetermined intervals to check printing progress and server load status. This periodic action provides sufficient progress recognition accuracy while avoiding excessive polling frequency that would unnecessarily increase server load, achieving a balance between measurement precision and server resource consumption.
3Productivity
If multiple print requests are allowed simultaneously to improve productivity, then output volume increases, but server load becomes unmanageable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based load control mechanism where the server notifies client terminals of its current load status, and the client terminal uses this feedback to determine whether to allow additional print requests. When the server load exceeds a predetermined threshold, the client terminal restricts new printing operations, thereby preventing server overload while still allowing multiple print requests to be processed when server capacity is available.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus including a print screen display unit configured to display in a display device a print screen including document information items regarding documents stored in a device which communicates with the image processing apparatus through a network, a print request unit configured to request a server which communicates with the image processing apparatus through the network to print a document corresponding to a document information item selected from among the document information items included in the print screen, and a print-request limitation control unit configured to prevent a new print request from being issued for a period of time from when the print request unit requests the server to print the document to when registration of print reservation information regarding a print reservation of the document in a print reservation information management unit is detected.