Print Job Session Control for Multi-Printer Load Balancing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing systems fail to efficiently transmit print jobs to multiple printing apparatuses due to an imbalance in the number of transmission and reception sessions, leading to potential communication failures and inefficient job distribution.
Innovation Solution
A printing system that manages the number of sessions by setting upper limits and prioritizes transmission based on estimated printing completion times and data sizes, updating these estimates dynamically to optimize job distribution across multiple printing apparatuses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of transmission sessions is increased to transmit more print jobs simultaneously, then the productivity of print job transmission is improved, but the reliability of communication may deteriorate due to communication load
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of transmission sessions based on the current state of printing apparatuses. The information processing apparatus monitors the number of reception sessions at each printing apparatus and adaptively controls the number of transmission sessions to maintain optimal communication conditions, preventing overload while maximizing transmission efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by having printing apparatuses report their current session status back to the information processing apparatus. This feedback mechanism allows the system to make informed decisions about session management, adjusting transmission sessions based on real-time conditions to balance productivity and reliability.
2Productivity
If print jobs are transmitted to multiple printing apparatuses simultaneously, then the productivity of job distribution is improved, but the complexity of session management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The information processing apparatus acts as an intermediary that centralizes session management control. It monitors the state of multiple printing apparatuses and coordinates transmission sessions, simplifying the management complexity by having a single controller rather than requiring each apparatus to independently manage sessions with multiple peers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system manages complexity by controlling and adjusting the parameter of session numbers. By setting appropriate limits on the number of simultaneous transmission sessions and dynamically adjusting this parameter based on system state, the complexity of session management is kept tractable while maintaining high productivity.
3Reliability
If the number of reception sessions at each printing apparatus is limited, then the reliability of each apparatus is improved, but the productivity of overall system transmission decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically balances reliability and productivity by adjusting the number of transmission sessions based on the reception session limits of individual printing apparatuses. When apparatuses have available session capacity, more transmission sessions are utilized to improve productivity. When limits are approached, the system adapts to maintain reliability, preventing communication failures.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A printing system includes a processor configured to: obtain a first number of sessions, which indicates an upper limit to a number of sessions for simultaneously transmitting print jobs to plural printing apparatuses; obtain a second number of sessions, which indicates an upper limit to a number of sessions of each of the plural printing apparatuses for simultaneously receiving print jobs; obtain a third number of sessions, which indicates a number of sessions of each of the plural printing apparatus where the printing apparatus is communicating print jobs; select, on a basis of the first number of sessions, the second number of sessions, and the third number of sessions, one of plural print jobs for which transmission preparation has been completed; and transmit the selected print job to one of the plural printing apparatuses.