Printing Control with Auxiliary Data Insertion for General-Purpose Drivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing general-purpose printer drivers do not support printing processing using image differences, limiting the ability to perform advanced printing functions such as serial number printing and variable printing.
Innovation Solution
A printing control program and system that includes a vendor auxiliary application to assist the general-purpose printer driver, enabling the acquisition, display, and generation of printing jobs that incorporate additional data at specified positions, allowing printers to perform advanced printing functions like serial number and variable printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a general-purpose printer driver is used, then compatibility and ease of operation are improved, but the ability to perform advanced printing functions using image differences deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vendor auxiliary application as an intermediary component between the general-purpose printer driver and the printer. This auxiliary application acts as a mediator that receives printing data from the printer driver, processes it by adding image differences (such as serial numbers or variable data), and generates enhanced printing data that is then sent to the printer. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining the ease of operation provided by the general-purpose driver while adding advanced functionality through the intermediary auxiliary application.
2Adaptability or versatility
If printing processing using image differences is implemented, then advanced printing capabilities are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the printing system into distinct functional components: the general-purpose printer driver that handles basic printing operations, and a separate vendor auxiliary application that handles advanced image difference processing. This segmentation allows each component to remain relatively simple while the combined system provides advanced capabilities. The auxiliary application is a standalone module that can be added without complicating the core printer driver architecture.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a vendor auxiliary application is added to enable image difference printing, then printing function capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vendor auxiliary application is designed with multi-functionality to justify its addition to the system. It can handle various types of image difference processing including serial number printing, variable data insertion, and other advanced printing functions. By consolidating multiple advanced functions into a single auxiliary application, the patent minimizes the increase in system complexity while maximizing the improvement in printing capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a printing control program causing a computer to perform acquisition processing, display processing, generation processing, and instruction processing. In the acquisition processing, printing data is acquired from a general-purpose printer driver 16. In the display processing, a user interface image for allowing a user to designate additional data to be added to the printing data and an addition position of the additional data in the printing data is displayed. In the generation processing, a printing job for performing printing in which the additional data is added to the printing data at the addition position is generated. In the instruction processing, a printer is instructed to perform printing based on the printing job.