Print Workflow Error Handling via Intermediate Step Resumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Print workflow systems face increased complexity and error handling challenges due to branching, which can lead to difficulties in implementing error correction without restarting the entire process.
Innovation Solution
The system allows for resuming workflow processing at intermediate steps within a print workflow, enabling error handling without specialized branching by identifying errors, updating files, and resuming processing using updated files at specific intermediate steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If branching workflows are used for error handling, then error handling capability is improved, but workflow complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the error handling functionality from the main workflow sequence and implements it as a separate error handling module that can be invoked at any point. This allows error handling capabilities to be added without creating complex branching structures in the main workflow, thus improving reliability while maintaining workflow simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The error handling module is designed as a universal component that can handle multiple types of errors and be applied to any step in the workflow. This multi-functional approach allows a single error handling mechanism to serve all error handling needs without requiring separate branching paths for each error scenario, resolving the contradiction between error handling capability and workflow complexity.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If error correction requires restarting from the beginning, then error detection is simplified, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary error detection at each workflow step and immediately invokes the error handling module when errors are detected. This preliminary action approach allows errors to be detected and corrected in-place without requiring a full restart, maintaining error detection simplicity while significantly reducing the time loss associated with restarting the entire workflow from the beginning.
Solution Approach 2:
The error handling module acts as an intermediary between error detection and correction. When an error is detected at any workflow step, this intermediary module handles the correction process locally, allowing the workflow to continue from the point of error rather than restarting. This mediator approach maintains the simplicity of error detection while eliminating the time penalty of full restarts.
3Reliability
If specialized branching workflows are used for error handling, then error handling capability is improved, but implementation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the error handling functionality into a separate, modular error handling module that is independent of the main workflow. This segmentation allows the error handling capability to be implemented as a standalone component that can be integrated into the workflow without complex branching logic, thereby improving error handling capability while reducing implementation difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The error handling module is designed to be self-contained and self-managing, automatically handling error detection, correction, and workflow resumption without requiring complex implementation logic in the main workflow. This self-service approach allows error handling capability to be improved through a simple, unified module rather than complex branching workflows, significantly reducing implementation difficulty.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems resume workflow processing of a print job at intermediate steps of a print workflow. In one embodiment, a control system initiates processing of a print job based on steps in a print workflow, where the steps identify print shop activities to perform for the print job. The control system identifies an error in executing a step of the workflow, and identifies an intermediate step in the workflow that has executed in processing the print job. The control system identifies an updated file for the print job to correct the error, and resumes the processing of the print job at the intermediate step using the update file.