Printer Driver Composite Settings for Multi-Device Output Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In office environments with multiple printing devices, changing the output port settings for different printing purposes is cumbersome and often results in unintended printing to the wrong device, especially when switching between various types of printers for specific tasks.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that allows registering composite print settings and output destinations for multiple image forming apparatuses, enabling a single printer driver to manage multiple devices by combining settings and automatically selecting the appropriate output destination based on predefined 'favorites' or intended purposes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single printer driver is used to control multiple printing devices, then system management is simplified and ease of operation is improved, but it becomes difficult to switch between different output destinations for different printing purposes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the printing system by introducing print setting management information that associates different print settings with specific output destinations. This allows the single printer driver to be divided into multiple functional configurations, each tailored for different printing purposes (e.g., draft printing to black and white printer, important documents to color printer), thereby maintaining ease of operation while enabling adaptability to different printing scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic switching between different output destinations by allowing the print setting management information to be changed according to printing purposes. The system can dynamically select which print settings and output destinations to use based on the specific printing task, enabling the single printer driver to adapt to various printing needs without requiring manual reconfiguration of the output port at the OS level.
2Adaptability or versatility
If output port settings are changed manually for each printing purpose, then adaptability is improved, but time is lost and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple print settings with their corresponding output destinations in the print setting management information before actual printing occurs. Each print setting is预先 associated with the appropriate output destination (e.g., draft settings with black and white printer, high-quality settings with color printer). When printing is needed, the system automatically selects the pre-configured settings based on the printing purpose, eliminating the need for manual output port changes and significantly improving productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a printer driver is provided for each printing device, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a single printer driver that can control multiple different printing devices through the print setting management information. Instead of requiring separate printer drivers for each device, the single driver incorporates multiple print settings that can be configured to work with different output destinations. This multi-functional approach maintains adaptability to various printing devices while simplifying system management and reducing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus with a printer driver, which generates print data to be output to an image forming apparatus, corresponding to a plurality of image forming apparatuses registers a compound setting that information indicating output destinations corresponding to the plurality of image forming apparatuses and a plurality of print settings are combined, and sets information indicating an output destination included in the compound setting to the printer driver.