Printer Mediator Corrects Incompatible Print Settings
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Solution Overview
Problem
In direct print systems, digital still cameras (DSCs) lack the resources and capabilities to control and store the range of form print data necessary for printing, leading to difficulties in generating valid print-setting instructions for printers, resulting in failed print jobs when incompatible combinations of set values are selected.
Innovation Solution
An image print apparatus with a receiver, deciding unit, correction unit, and print unit that receives set values, determines if they are compatible, corrects incompatible combinations, and prints using the corrected values, ensuring that the printer can process the image print settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the DSC transmits settable values from the printer to select from, then the DSC can generate print-setting instructions allowed for printing, but the DSC lacks sufficient resources to control and store the range of form print data
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a mediator (the printing system/printer) that holds the form print data and controls the selectable range. Instead of the DSC managing print data directly, the printer provides the data and the DSC simply selects from what the printer provides, eliminating the need for the DSC to store and control extensive form print data.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the DSC selects print settings independently, then user choice is maximized, but incompatible combinations of set values result in failed print jobs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements a feedback mechanism where the printing system provides information about compatible set value combinations to the DSC. The DSC receives form print data from the printer and uses this feedback to determine which settings are actually compatible, ensuring that selected print settings will result in successful print jobs rather than failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters available for selection by filtering them through compatibility constraints. Instead of allowing arbitrary combinations of paper size, paper type, and print quality, the system dynamically adjusts which parameter combinations are presented as selectable options based on what the printer can actually support.
3Quantity of substance
If the printer provides all form print data to the DSC, then the DSC has sufficient data to generate print settings, but the DSC cannot properly control the range of selectable values
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the control function from the DSC and places it in the printing system. The printer provides the form print data but retains control over which values are actually selectable. The DSC receives the data but only selects from the range that the printing system allows, effectively separating data provision from selection control.
Data Source
AI summary
An image print apparatus includes: a receiver that receives a plurality of set values for printing an image on a paper; a deciding unit that decides whether or not the image print apparatus can print the image on the paper according to a combination of the received plurality of set values; a correction unit that replaces, in a case the deciding unit decides that the image print apparatus cannot print the image on the paper according to a combination of the received plurality of set values, at least one of the plurality of set values with another set value to provide a combination of the plurality of set values according to which the image print apparatus can print; and a print unit that prints the image on the paper according to the plurality of set values generated by the correction unit.