Printer Support Program for Consumable Purchase Alerts

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Solution Overview

Problem

OS-standard universal printing programs lack the functionality to display a purchase screen for consumables, leading to user inconvenience when determining when to replace printer consumables.

Innovation Solution

A supporting program is implemented on an information processing device that displays a notification screen prompting the purchase of replacement consumables when an insufficient consumable error is detected, utilizing an OS-standard universal printing program.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If an OS-standard universal printing program is used for printing, then printing functionality is achieved without vendor-specific drivers, but the function of displaying a purchase screen for consumables is missing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting compatibilityVSAvoidconsumable purchase guidance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The universal printing program is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it maintains its original printing capability while adding the ability to detect consumable status and display purchase screens. This allows a single program to serve both printing and consumable management purposes, resolving the contradiction between universality and operational ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

A supporting program is introduced as an intermediary between the universal printing program and the consumable supplier database site. This supporting program handles the consumable monitoring and purchase screen display functions, allowing the universal printing program to maintain its simplicity while gaining enhanced functionality through the intermediary layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If a printer driver provided by a printer vendor is used, then consumable monitoring and purchase screen display functions are available, but printing requires vendor-specific software installation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsumable purchase guidanceVSAvoiddriver installation requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The consumable monitoring and purchase screen display functions are extracted from the traditional printer driver and integrated into the universal printing program through a supporting program. This separation allows the universal printing program to provide consumable guidance without requiring vendor-specific driver installation, reducing device complexity while maintaining operational ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The universal printing program with the supporting program enables self-service consumable management by automatically detecting consumable status and providing purchase guidance without requiring user intervention or vendor-specific driver configuration. The system serves itself by monitoring and notifying users about consumable needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If the universal printing program does not display consumable status, then printing operation is simple, but users cannot timely recognize the need to purchase consumables

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting software simplicityVSAvoidconsumable status information

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The supporting program acts as an intermediary that monitors consumable status information from the printer and translates it into user-friendly notifications and purchase screen displays. This intermediary layer preserves the simplicity of the universal printing program while effectively communicating consumable status information to users, preventing information loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The supporting program implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors consumable levels and provides timely notifications to users when replenishment is needed. This feedback loop ensures users receive essential information about consumable status without complicating the printing operation itself, as the monitoring and notification functions are handled separately.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20250370667A1Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions implementing supporting program

Publication Date: 2025.12.04 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A supporting program for a printer, when executed by a controller of an information processing device, causes the information processing device connectable to the printer, to perform printing processing in response to a universal printing program receiving, from the application program, a print instruction that causes the printer to print an image to be printed, and to receive an error event from the universal printing program, the error event being output by the universal printing program in response to the universal printing program receiving an error notification from the printer after the printing. In a case where the error event output from the universal printing program indicates an insufficient consumable error, the supporting program causes the information processing device to perform notification processing of displaying a notification screen that prompts purchase of a replacement consumable on a user interface of the information processing device.