Printer Control Unit Reuses Unprinted Paper After Job Cancellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-speed printing, unprinted paper left in the printer during job cancellation is often wasted due to existing technologies not considering paper feeding port and print job specifications, limiting user convenience and effective paper utilization.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a control unit that determines whether to print a second job on unprinted fed paper based on paper quality and size matching the first job, allowing for automatic selection and adjustment to utilize unprinted paper effectively without impairing user needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If paper is fed into the machine before printing at high speed, then printing speed is improved, but unprinted paper remains in the printer causing waste when job cancellation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention recovers unprinted fed paper by detecting its presence after job cancellation and reusing it for subsequent printing jobs. The control unit determines whether unprinted paper remains in the printer casing and automatically feeds it for the next job, transforming waste into useful resource.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of unprinted fed paper immediately after job cancellation, before the user can manually intervene. This preliminary action enables automatic recovery and reuse of the paper in the subsequent job, preventing waste before it occurs.
2Loss of substance
If printing is performed on unprinted fed paper after job cancellation, then paper utilization is improved, but user convenience may be impaired if paper quality or size does not match
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs local quality matching by comparing specific attributes (paper size, paper quality) of the unprinted fed paper with the requirements of the subsequent job. Only when these local qualities match does the system proceed with reuse, ensuring both paper utilization and user convenience are maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by detecting the presence and characteristics of unprinted fed paper, comparing them with job requirements, and making automated decisions based on this feedback. This closed-loop control ensures paper reuse only when appropriate, maintaining user convenience while improving utilization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If automatic paper quality selection is implemented, then adaptability to different jobs is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs self-service by automatically detecting unprinted fed paper, comparing its qualities with job requirements, and making the decision to reuse or discard without user intervention. This self-service approach improves adaptability while minimizing the perceived complexity for the user.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a printing apparatus including: a printing mechanism which feeds paper from a paper feeding port and performs printing on the fed paper; and a control unit which controls the printing mechanism, in which the control unit determines whether or not printing a second job is to be performed on unprinted fed paper which is fed from the paper feeding port and is not yet printed, based on paper quality of the paper used in a first job and paper quality of the paper set in the second job following the first job when a cancellation instruction is received during printing the first job and causes the printing mechanism to perform the printing of the second job on the unprinted fed paper, in a case of determining that printing is to be performed.