Printer Control Job Queue for Exclusive Peripheral Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the next-generation printer driver architecture, the absence of a language monitor complicates free information sending and receiving control, leading to interruptions in processing where one software's information is sent to another software, preventing user-intended processing.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus and method that generate and manage control jobs to occupy communication with peripheral devices, ensuring exclusive control by monitoring and deleting control jobs in the job queue, allowing only the creating application to communicate and preventing interruptions from other applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the Bidi schema is used for information sending/receiving in the next-generation printer driver architecture, then standardization and compatibility are improved, but exclusive control is lost and processing interruptions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a control job in advance that will occupy the communication channel before actual information sending/receiving operations begin. This preliminary control job is entered into the job queue and executed first, establishing exclusive control rights for the applying software before other software can access the peripheral device through the Bidi schema.
2Speed
If multiple softwares access the peripheral device simultaneously through the Bidi schema, then system responsiveness is improved, but processing interruptions and information misrouting occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the access control mechanism by introducing control jobs as separate entities in the job queue. Each software that needs exclusive access creates its own control job, which is then processed sequentially by the spooler. This segmentation allows multiple softwares to maintain their own control periods without interfering with each other, preventing information misrouting while preserving system responsiveness.
3Reliability
If a language monitor is used in the conventional printer driver architecture, then exclusive control is achieved, but the architecture becomes complex and incompatible with next-generation standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces control jobs as an intermediary mechanism between the spooler and the Bidi schema. Instead of using a complex language monitor, the control jobs serve as simple mediator entities that the spooler processes sequentially. These control jobs establish exclusive control periods without requiring complex architecture, making the system compatible with next-generation printer driver standards while maintaining exclusive control capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus capable of operating an application. The apparatus includes a generation unit configured to generate a control job for occupying communication with a peripheral device, wherein the control job is stored in a job queue, and is different from a print job that is stored in the job queue due to require print processing and a deletion unit configured to delete the control job stored in the job queue. If a status of the control job stored in the job queue is processing, communication with the peripheral device via a communication unit is occupied by an application that has created the control job, and, after communication for the application is completed, the deletion unit deletes the control job stored in the job queue.