Printer Driver Status Request Control via Execution Threshold

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Solution Overview

Problem

Legacy printer drivers on new operating systems face limitations, leading to indefinite repetition of status information requests due to the inability to use time-measurement functions, resulting in incomplete status information acquisition.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus with a requesting unit, acquiring unit, coupling unit, determining units, and responding unit that issues and manages status information requests, compares execution times, and generates coupled information to prevent indefinite repetition by determining when to re-acquire status information based on a threshold value.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a driver supporting a new OS is used, then compatibility with the new operating system is improved, but the ability to use time-measurement functions is lost, causing status information requests to be indefinitely repeated

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveOS compatibilityVSAvoidstatus information acquisition reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

An intermediary component is introduced between the new OS driver and the image forming device to handle time-measurement functionality. The driver issues status information requests without time-measurement objects, and the intermediary manages the actual timing and repetition control, allowing the system to maintain both new OS compatibility and reliable status information acquisition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

A feedback mechanism is implemented where the system monitors whether status information is successfully acquired from the image forming device. When status information acquisition fails or takes too long, the feedback triggers a response to stop further requests, preventing indefinite repetition while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If status information requests are repeatedly issued without time measurement control, then the possibility of acquiring status information is improved, but the requests are indefinitely repeated for a short period, wasting resources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestatus information acquisition reliabilityVSAvoidtime wasted on repeated requests

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous or indefinite periodic requests, the system implements controlled periodic action by issuing status information requests only when necessary and stopping when a response is received or a threshold is reached. This maintains reliable status information acquisition while preventing waste of time on indefinite repetition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the image forming device's response to status information requests to control the timing and frequency of subsequent requests. When status information is successfully acquired or a timeout occurs, the feedback mechanism stops further requests, eliminating wasted time while ensuring reliable information acquisition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If status information acquisition processing is executed multiple times, then complete status information is more likely to be acquired, but the number of execution times becomes uncontrolled

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of status informationVSAvoidcontrol complexity of execution times

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of execution control from uncontrolled repetition to controlled repetition based on response feedback. By monitoring whether status information is successfully acquired and adjusting the number of execution times accordingly, the system ensures complete status information is obtained without requiring complex control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8705063B2Information processing apparatus, control method, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2014.04.22 CANON KK

AI summary

A next generation application issues a status information request for acquiring status information from a print device. A next generation driver executes status information acquisition processing from the print device and generates coupled information by coupling the acquired status information each time the status information is acquired to thereby determine whether or not a specific code was acquired based on the coupled information. When the specific code was not acquired from the image forming device, the next generation driver determines whether or not the number of execution times of status information acquisition processing is within a threshold value. The next generation driver acquires information corresponding to a status designated by the status information request from the coupled information when the next generation driver determines that the number of execution times of the status information acquisition processing exceeds the threshold value and responds the information to a requesting unit.