Printer Queue Management via Event Capability Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In network printing systems, low-cost printers are limited in notifying all connected information processing apparatuses of print job status events, leading to delayed deletion of completed print jobs from queues, which affects user operability and increases the risk of operation errors due to hardware resource constraints.
Innovation Solution
A system and method where the information processing apparatus requests and acquires a response from the peripheral apparatus regarding its ability to notify events, and if the peripheral apparatus cannot notify events, the information processing apparatus deletes the print job from its queue, ensuring timely job removal without relying on periodic GetActiveJobs operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the printer is designed to notify a limited number of information processing apparatuses of events due to hardware resource constraints, then the device complexity and cost are reduced, but the reliability of print job status notification deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the information processing apparatus acts as a mediator between the printer and the print job management system. Instead of relying on the printer to notify all apparatuses, the system uses periodic status checking (GetActiveJobs operations) where the information processing apparatus queries the printer to determine if print jobs are complete, thereby compensating for the limited event notification capability of the printer
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the information processing apparatus periodically queries the printer's active jobs status and uses this feedback information to determine when to delete completed print jobs from the queue. This closed-loop feedback system ensures reliable job completion detection despite the printer's limited ability to proactively notify all connected apparatuses
2Reliability
If the OS periodically issues GetActiveJobs operations at short intervals to detect print job completion, then the reliability of job status detection is improved, but the network traffic and processing load increase considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the timing parameters of GetActiveJobs operations based on the specific usage scenario and printer capabilities. Rather than using fixed short intervals, the system optimizes the polling frequency to balance reliable job completion detection with minimized network traffic, adapting the time interval parameter to the actual needs of the printing environment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by having only the information processing apparatus that issued the print job perform the GetActiveJobs operations to check for completion, rather than all connected apparatuses continuously polling. This selective approach reduces overall network traffic while ensuring the specific job completion status is reliably detected
3Ease of operation
If the information processing apparatus deletes the print job from the queue immediately upon detecting completion, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of deleting incomplete jobs increases without proper verification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback from the printer's active jobs status to verify print completion before deletion. The information processing apparatus queries the printer to confirm the job is no longer in the active jobs list, providing feedback verification that the print job is truly complete before removing it from the queue, thus ensuring reliable and accurate job management
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus, which is connected to a peripheral apparatus via a network, issues, to the peripheral apparatus, a request required to acquire a response including information that represents whether or not the peripheral apparatus can notify the information processing apparatus of an event upon completion of print processing. Then, when the information included in the response returned from the peripheral apparatus in response to the request represents that the peripheral apparatus cannot notify the information processing apparatus of any event, the information processing apparatus deletes a print job, data of which have been sent to the peripheral apparatus, from a printer queue required to stack print jobs.