Printing Control Method for Arbitrary Print Settings
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing control methods, such as International Publication No. 2009/154227, require mounting an extension API on the print driver for magnification/reduction settings, limiting the ability to transmit arbitrary print settings to a general printer driver, and can temporarily alter system information affecting other applications.
Innovation Solution
A printing control method that allows an application to request a printer driver to output a print file with a specified size, using a virtual printer driver to generate intermediate data and instruct the printer driver to perform printing, enabling transmission of print settings without modifying the application or adding an extension API.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an extension API is mounted on the printer driver to enable magnification/reduction settings, then print setting control capability is improved, but device complexity and difficulty of implementation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a print setting information storage unit as an intermediary component that stores print setting information independently of the printer driver. This mediator allows the application to access and utilize print settings without requiring the printer driver to have extended API capabilities, thus resolving the contradiction by decoupling the adaptability requirement from the driver complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the print setting information storage function from the printer driver itself and places it in a separate storage unit. This extraction removes the complexity burden from the printer driver while preserving the capability to store and retrieve print settings, allowing the application to control print settings without modifying the driver's core functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If system information is temporarily changed to support large sheet printing, then printing functionality for large sheets is improved, but system stability and reliability decrease due to affecting other applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating an isolated storage space (print setting information storage unit) that contains print setting information specifically for the application needing large sheet printing. This localized approach allows the application to have access to customized print settings without affecting the system's global state or other applications, thus maintaining system stability while enabling extended functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the print setting information into application-specific stored data rather than modifying global system information. By dividing the print setting management into isolated units, the system can support large sheet printing for specific applications without compromising the reliability and stability of the overall system or other applications.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a virtual printer driver is introduced to generate intermediate data, then adaptability in transmitting print settings is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a print setting information storage unit as a simple intermediary that bridges the application and the printer driver. This mediator stores print setting information in a format that can be directly accessed by the application, enabling adaptable print setting transmission without the need for complex virtual printer driver implementations or intermediate data generation processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing control method is performed by an information processing apparatus including a predetermined application capable of requesting first software to output a print file and includes an input step of inputting an output size specified by a user, a determination step of determining a file name of the print file, based on the inputted output size, and an instruction step of instructing the predetermined application to request the first software to output the print file which includes data created by the predetermined application and has the determined file name. In addition, printing target data corresponding to the data created by the predetermined application is generated, with a size corresponding to the output size, based on the file name.