Printer Tray Segregation for Urgent Job Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printers lack the ability to efficiently prioritize and segregate minor print jobs from large ones without human intervention, leading to frustration and resource wastage, especially in shared office environments where urgent small print jobs are delayed until larger jobs are completed.
Innovation Solution
A printer apparatus with a paper collection tray and tray moving system that automatically pauses the printing of a low-priority job, moves the printouts of a high-priority job to a separate collection tray, and then resumes the original job, allowing for physical segregation of printouts without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a printer follows FIFO queue processing for all print jobs, then large print jobs are processed first, but small urgent print jobs are delayed causing user frustration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic print job prioritization by allowing the printer to interrupt a currently executing large print job when a small urgent print job is detected. The system dynamically adjusts processing priority based on job characteristics (size, urgency) rather than strictly following FIFO order, enabling flexible reordering of print jobs in the queue to reduce waiting time for urgent small jobs.
2Loss of time
If a printer interrupts a running print job to print a high-priority job, then small print jobs are printed first, but the printouts become mixed requiring manual separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a movable collection tray that physically segments the print output area into two distinct zones: a first collection area for large print jobs and a second collection area (movable tray) for small urgent print jobs. When a small job is printed, the tray moves to a second position placing it in the second collection area, ensuring automatic physical separation of printouts by job type without requiring manual sorting.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable collection tray acts as an intermediary mechanism between the print engine and the final output. It mediates the delivery of printouts by dynamically positioning itself to route small urgent print jobs to a separate collection area, thereby automatically separating mixed print outputs without direct human intervention.
3Ease of operation
If a printer uses a movable collection tray to separate printouts, then printouts are automatically segregated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collection tray is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically reposition between two positions based on the type of print job being processed. This dynamic capability enables automatic separation of printouts while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure that only requires movement between two discrete positions, minimizing added complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses methods and systems for segregating large print jobs and minor print jobs. The method includes detecting a trigger event caused by receiving a new high priority job while an old print job is already under printing by a printer. The printer includes a paper collection tray installed in a paper collection area for receiving printouts of the high priority jobs. After receiving, printing of the old print job is paused and printing of the high priority is initiated. Then, a collection tray is moved to an extended position for receiving printouts of the high priority job into the collection tray. After successful printing of the new high priority job, printing of the old print job is resumed. Thereafter, the collection tray is moved back to the retracted position for receiving printouts in the collection area.