Printer Identification Handoff for OS-Standard Generic Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The OS-standard generic print program lacks an application-related interface, making it difficult to manage applications that use printers effectively.
Innovation Solution
A support program is implemented to acquire printer identification information and provide it to a specific application program, enabling the application to select and instruct the printer for printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the OS-standard generic print program is used to control printers, then printer compatibility and ease of operation are improved, but application management capability and device complexity worsen due to the lack of application-related interface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a support program as an intermediary component between the OS-standard generic print program and application programs. This support program receives printer identification information from the generic print program and transmits it to the application program, thereby enabling application management functionality without modifying the original generic print program. The intermediary resolves the contradiction by adding capability while maintaining the simplicity of the core printing system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the OS-standard generic print program is used without vendor-specific printer drivers, then ease of operation and adaptability are improved, but information transmission capability between applications and printers worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The support program serves as an information bridge that captures printer identification information from the generic print program and relays it to the application program. This intermediary mechanism preserves the adaptability benefits of using generic print programs while preventing information loss by ensuring that applications receive the necessary printer identification data to select and manage printers effectively.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual printer selection is required in applications, then adaptability is improved, but user effort and time consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The support program performs preliminary action by automatically acquiring and transmitting printer identification information to the application program before the user needs to make a printer selection. This preliminary provision of information enables the application to pre-configure or pre-select the appropriate printer, thereby reducing the user's time and effort while maintaining the adaptability to choose from available printers when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores a support program supporting a generic print program standardly implemented with an operating system of an information processing device. The support program, when executed by a computer of the information processing device, causes the information processing device to, in a case where a first launch instruction to launch the support program has been received by the operating system, acquire printer identification information for identifying a particular printing device, and in a case where a second launch instruction to launch a specific application program incorporated in the information processing device has been received via a user interface of the information processing device, provide the specific application program with an instruction to launch the specific application program and the printer identification information. The printer identification information is used for the specific application program to select the particular printing device.