Printer Supporting Program for Event-Based Error Notification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing OS-standard universal printing programs cause increased communication load on information processing devices due to repeated status checks for printer errors after transmitting print data, leading to inefficient error notification processes.

Innovation Solution

A supporting program that executes on the information processing device to receive error events from the universal printing program, identify the error type, and display an error notification screen, thereby reducing unnecessary communication by obtaining error type and displaying error screens, which monitors the printer only when an error occurs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the supporting program repeatedly obtains status information from the printer to detect errors, then error detection capability is improved, but communication load on the information processing device increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror detection capabilityVSAvoidcommunication load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The supporting program performs status information acquisition periodically at predetermined intervals rather than continuously or repeatedly without interval control. This periodic approach maintains error detection capability while reducing unnecessary communication operations, thereby lowering the communication load on the information processing device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Loss of time

If the supporting program monitors the printer continuously after print data transmission, then error notification timeliness is improved, but system resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror notification timelinessVSAvoidsystem resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The supporting program acquires status information at predetermined intervals during the printing process rather than waiting until printing completes. This preliminary action enables timely error detection and notification while avoiding continuous monitoring, thus balancing responsiveness with resource conservation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the supporting program obtains detailed status information frequently, then error information accuracy is improved, but communication overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror information accuracyVSAvoidcommunication overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The supporting program obtains status information at predetermined intervals rather than continuously, acquiring sufficient information to detect and notify errors accurately without excessive communication operations. This partial action approach maintains necessary error information accuracy while reducing communication overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS20250390257A1Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions implementing supporting program

Publication Date: 2025.12.25 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A supporting program for a printer, when executed by a controller of an information processing device having an operating system with a universal printing program and an application program, the supporting program causing the information processing device to perform, in response to the universal printing program receiving a print instruction from the application program, causing the printer to print an image; receive an error event from the universal printing program. The error event is output in response to the universal printing program receiving an error notification from the printer after printing. The supporting program causes the information processing device to perform obtaining an error type included in the error event, the error type indicating a printer error, obtaining error screen information based on the error type, and displaying, on a user interface of the device, an error notification screen based on the error screen information.