Multi-Stream Print Optimizer Balancing Module Load

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mail processing machines experience decreased speed as the number of pages per package increases, leading to inefficiencies and additional effort when grouping mail after printing to achieve postal discounts.

Innovation Solution

A method that optimizes print streams by determining document attributes and assigning them to specific processing modules to balance operation times, allowing for efficient document processing and elimination of intermediate mechanical grouping, thereby increasing overall throughput.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If mail is grouped after printing to achieve postal discounts, then postal discounts are obtained, but additional effort and time are required in the mail producing process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepostal discountsVSAvoidadditional effort and time

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary grouping of mail by common destinations before printing occurs. The grouping software analyzes destination information and arranges mail in optimized sequences prior to the printing process, eliminating the need for post-printing grouping operations and associated manual effort

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces manual or mechanical grouping operations with software-based intelligent sorting. The grouping software uses algorithms to automatically arrange mail by destination and optimize print stream distribution, substituting physical grouping mechanisms with computational sorting methods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Quantity of substance

If the number of pages per package increases, then more mail can be processed per package, but the overall speed per package of the inserter decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepages per packageVSAvoidspeed per package

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the print stream into multiple parallel streams, each processed by separate processing modules. By segmenting the workload across multiple modules operating simultaneously, the system can handle larger packages without proportionally reducing overall speed, as different modules process different segments of the mail in parallel

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the distribution of documents across print streams based on real-time processing conditions and document attributes. By dynamically balancing the workload and adapting to varying processing speeds of different modules, the system optimizes throughput while maintaining speed efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If documents are assigned to print stream processing modules without optimization, then the process is simple, but the throughput of mail processing machines decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovethroughputVSAvoidprocess complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor processing speeds, document attributes, and module performance in real-time. This feedback information is used to dynamically adjust document assignment and print stream distribution, optimizing throughput while the complexity is managed through automated control algorithms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8218170B2Multi-print stream processing module optimizer for document processing

Publication Date: 2012.07.10 BELL & HOWELL CO

AI summary

Multiple print streams destined for individual print stream processing modules are optimized prior to printing. The process of optimizing includes receiving an input representing a plurality of documents to be printed and determining an attribute of each document of the plurality of documents represented by the input. The attribute relates to processing of the respective document through the document processing system. Optimization involves balancing an operation time of a first print stream processing module with an operation time of a second print stream processing module, by assigning each document to one of the print stream processing modules based on its determined attribute.