Printer Driver Adaptive Drawing Process Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing printer drivers face challenges in efficiently executing drawing processes based on varying conditions, such as storage capacity and CPU performance, leading to issues with printing speed and quality, as they are limited by the OS-designated drawing functions without the ability to selectively choose between different drawing processes.

Innovation Solution

A printer driver is implemented to output driver-executable information to the operating system, allowing it to execute specific drawing processes based on setting information, enabling the selection between different drawing functions like DrvBitBlt and DrvStretchBltROP, depending on conditions like print resolution, sheet type, and document type, to optimize printing efficiency and quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the printer driver executes all OS-designated drawing functions, then comprehensive drawing capability is achieved, but printing speed and resource efficiency deteriorate due to unnecessary processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrawing capabilityVSAvoidprinting speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and identifies only the necessary drawing functions from the set of OS-designated drawing functions based on current printing conditions (storage capacity, CPU performance, document type). By separating necessary functions from unnecessary ones, the system executes only what is needed, improving printing speed while maintaining comprehensive drawing capability when required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic selection of drawing functions based on real-time printing conditions. The determination unit dynamically adjusts which drawing functions to execute by evaluating current system state (storage capacity, CPU performance) and document characteristics, allowing the system to adapt between comprehensive execution and selective execution modes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the printer driver executes all OS-designated drawing functions, then comprehensive drawing capability is achieved, but resource consumption increases due to unnecessary processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrawing capabilityVSAvoidresource usage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and identifies only the necessary drawing functions from the set of OS-designated drawing functions based on current printing conditions (storage capacity, CPU performance, document type). By separating necessary functions from unnecessary ones, the system executes only what is needed, reducing resource consumption while maintaining comprehensive drawing capability when required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by executing only the subset of drawing functions that are necessary for the current printing task, rather than executing all OS-designated functions. This partial execution approach reduces resource consumption (CPU cycles, memory usage, storage I/O) while still achieving the required drawing capability for the specific document and printing conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If the printer driver selectively executes drawing functions based on conditions, then printing efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases due to condition evaluation logic

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting efficiencyVSAvoiddriver complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining the evaluation criteria and logic for determining necessary drawing functions. The determination unit is pre-configured with rules for evaluating storage capacity thresholds, CPU performance levels, and document type characteristics, allowing the complex condition evaluation to be performed systematically rather than ad hoc, thus managing complexity while maintaining printing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10445030B2Information processing apparatus configured to execute drawing process, and non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instruction therefor

Publication Date: 2019.10.15 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A printer driver is implemented with a drawing function for each of the driver-executable drawing processes. The drawing function includes a first drawing function corresponding to a first drawing process. The printer driver causes the controller to receive an execution instruction of the driver-executable drawing process from the operating system together with setting information of the driver-executable drawing process. The first drawing function causes the controller to execute the first drawing process when the execution instruction to instruct execution of the first drawing process is received and a value of the setting information as received is a first value, while transmit a non-execution information indicating that the first drawing process is not executed to the operating system without executing the first drawing process when the execution instruction to instruct execution of the first drawing process is received and the value of the received setting information is not the first value.