Printer Preview Display Controller for Reliable Print Execution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current printers lack efficient mechanisms for displaying images as preview images and printing them based on user-defined conditions, leading to inadequate user control over the printing process.

Innovation Solution

A printer system with a display, user interface, and controller that obtains image data, displays images based on user-set conditions, and performs printing when both display and print conditions are met, including the option to provide notifications for printing restrictions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a printer displays preview images and requires user confirmation before printing, then user control and reliability of the printing process are improved, but the printing operation becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting process reliabilityVSAvoidprinting operation simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system displays preview images of documents before the printing process is executed, allowing users to confirm whether the printed content matches their intentions. This preliminary visualization action enables users to detect potential issues (such as wrong documents or unauthorized printing attempts) before actual printing occurs, thereby improving reliability without fundamentally changing the printing mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides visual feedback by displaying preview images and printing status information to the user during the printing process. This feedback mechanism allows users to monitor and confirm printing operations in real-time, ensuring that the printing process aligns with user intentions while maintaining operational control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If a printer displays all pages of multi-page documents as preview images, then user control over content is improved, but the display time and user attention required increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent verification accuracyVSAvoiddisplay time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and displays only the first page of multi-page documents as the preview image, rather than showing all pages. This extraction approach allows users to quickly verify whether the correct document is being printed without requiring them to review every page, thereby reducing display time and user attention requirements while maintaining adequate content verification capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system displays a partial view (first page only) of the document instead of the complete content. This partial display action provides sufficient information for users to verify document identity and detect potential issues, while avoiding the time-consuming requirement of reviewing all pages. The approach balances verification accuracy with operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11550522B2Printer to display at least one preview image and perform printing, based on image data

Publication Date: 2023.01.10 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A printer includes a display, and a controller configured to obtain image data for a plurality of pages displayable on the display, display, on the display, an image based on image data for at least one page among the obtained image data for the plurality of pages, and perform printing based on the obtained image data when a display mode for the image displayed on the display fulfills a print start condition.