Printer Driver Notification System for Accurate Print Status Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low-performance printers lack accurate notification functions for print job status, leading to issues like missed or inaccurate notifications due to polling-based monitoring, which can result in incorrect billing and unreliable system control.
Innovation Solution
A peripheral device control system that includes an acquisition unit for regularly acquiring device information, a notification information generation unit to generate notifications from past and current device states, and a notification unit to ensure timely and accurate notifications, even for pages with little print data or during print job cancellations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If polling-based monitoring is used to monitor print job status, then the system can operate with low-performance printers that lack notification functions, but the monitoring is not synchronized with the printing process progress
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing print status information at multiple points during the printing process (before printing starts, during printing, and after printing completes). This allows the system to accurately track status changes even when using polling-based monitoring, resolving the contradiction between compatibility and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the language monitor captures status information from the printer and returns it to the function caller as notification information. This feedback loop ensures that the monitoring system receives accurate, real-time status updates, synchronizing the monitoring process with the printing process progress.
2Reliability
If ReadPort function is executed every four seconds to monitor job status, then the system can continuously check status, but notifications are missed when printing status changes between polling cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary status capture at multiple critical points: before printing starts, during printing (using WritePort function), and after printing completes. This preliminary action ensures that status changes are captured even when they occur between polling cycles, preventing information loss while maintaining continuous monitoring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous monitoring by executing ReadPort function periodically while also capturing status information at specific events (printing start, printing completion). This continuous action ensures no status changes are missed, resolving the contradiction between monitoring continuity and notification accuracy.
3Device complexity
If language monitor acquires job status from printer, then the system can centralize status management, but multiple status changes between close functions are not reflected in notifications
Solution Approach 1:
The language monitor performs preliminary status acquisition at multiple points during function execution. By capturing status before and after printing operations, the system ensures that multiple status changes are detected and reflected in notifications, resolving the contradiction between centralized management and information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The language monitor implements feedback by acquiring job status from the printer and returning it to the function caller. This feedback mechanism ensures that all status changes are captured and communicated, maintaining information accuracy while preserving centralized status management benefits.
4Ease of operation
If Cancel information is set using WritePort function, then the system can control print job cancellation, but notifications for completed pages show incorrect canceled status
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary status capture before cancellation occurs. By capturing the printing status at the time of completion and comparing it with the cancellation state, the system can accurately distinguish between pages that completed successfully and pages that were canceled, resolving the contradiction between cancellation control and notification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by capturing the actual printing status from the printer and using it to determine notification content. This feedback ensures that notifications accurately reflect the real status of each page, preventing incorrect canceled status from being reported while maintaining effective cancellation control.
Data Source
AI summary
An accurate, highly reliable peripheral device control system is realized by issuing notifications related to a print job having the correct content from a printer driver with accurate timing and in the correct order, and conveying correct information to an application with accurate timing and in the correct order in a peripheral device control system that uses a low-performance printer. In an peripheral device control system composed of an information processing apparatus and a peripheral device, the information processing apparatus acquires peripheral device information related to the peripheral device from the peripheral device, generates job information from the peripheral device information, and notifies the job information. At this time, a notification not yet issued is created based on notified printing and printed page numbers and a current printing page number, and issued.