Distributed Print Server Job Routing via Capability Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

In industrial printing systems, existing technologies face challenges in efficiently managing and distributing print jobs across multiple printers with different capabilities, leading to inefficiencies and the need for centralized management systems, especially when post-processing apparatuses vary in capabilities.

Innovation Solution

An industrial printing system with distributed processing capabilities, utilizing multiple print servers that store resource information for paper and imposition settings, a job changing unit to adapt jobs for suitable servers, and a processing management unit to transmit and request processing, enabling peer-to-peer job distribution without a central management server.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a centralized management system is used to manage and distribute print jobs across multiple printers, then job distribution control is improved, but system complexity and management costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejob distribution efficiencyVSAvoidcentralized management system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each print server autonomously determines whether it can process received print jobs based on its own capabilities (paper settings, imposition settings, post-processing apparatus). If a server cannot process a job, it automatically transfers the job to another server without requiring centralized management coordination. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex centralized job distribution control while maintaining efficient job processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system divides the centralized management function into individual autonomous decisions at each print server. Instead of one central authority managing all jobs, each server independently evaluates and processes jobs according to its capabilities, segmenting the management function across multiple independent nodes in the network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If print jobs are transferred between multiple MFPs in a predetermined order, then processing flexibility is improved, but waiting time and processing efficiency worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing flexibilityVSAvoidwaiting time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Each print server pre-registers its own capability information (supported paper settings, imposition settings, available post-processing apparatus) in advance. When a job arrives, the server can immediately determine whether it can process the job without needing to query or coordinate with other servers, eliminating waiting time while maintaining flexibility through capability-based routing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The job transfer mechanism is dynamic rather than static. Instead of following a fixed predetermined order, jobs are transferred based on real-time capability matching - each server dynamically evaluates whether it can process the incoming job and transfers only when necessary, optimizing both flexibility and processing speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If different post-processing apparatuses are used at different sites, then system versatility is improved, but job compatibility and processing reliability worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem versatilityVSAvoidjob compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Each print server maintains local capability information about its own post-processing apparatus and the characteristics of jobs it can handle. This local quality information allows each server to make informed decisions about job processing, ensuring that jobs are handled by servers with appropriate capabilities while maintaining overall system versatility through diverse post-processing options at different locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11816377B1Industrial printing system, print server, and process management method for peer-to-peer distributed processing according to paper settings and imposition settings for production printing

Publication Date: 2023.11.14 KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

Provided is an industrial printing system that performs peer-to-peer distributed processing according to paper settings and imposition settings for production printing. A plurality of print servers performs distributed processing of a job. Each print server includes a storage unit, a job changing unit, and a processing management unit. The storage unit stores resource information related to paper setting and imposition setting of the plurality of print servers. The job changing unit changes the job suitable to other print server selected from the plurality of print servers based on the resource information stored in the storage unit. The processing management unit transmits the job changed by the job changing unit to the other print server and requests processing.