Printing Control Apparatus Automatic Paper Size Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing applications that lack a page concept face issues with page breaks and unintended blank spaces when printing on standard paper sizes, as the aspect ratio of the print data often differs from the standard sizes, leading to complex user operations to adjust paper sizes and printer settings.
Innovation Solution
A plug-in software program calculates and sets a paper size that fits the printing area within a page width, allowing for simple operation by automatically determining the paper size based on the aspect ratio, enabling printing to the edge of the page without manual calculations or complex settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If standard paper size is set for printing, then printing can be performed with standard settings, but page breaks occur at unintended locations and blank spaces are added
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically changes the paper size parameter based on the aspect ratio of the print data. By detecting the data width and height, the control apparatus calculates the appropriate paper size that matches the data aspect ratio, thereby eliminating unintended page breaks and blank spaces while maintaining simple printing operations
2Manufacturing precision
If non-standard arbitrary cut paper or roll paper is used to match the aspect ratio of the document, then printing can be performed to the very edge of the page width while fitting within the page, but the user has to perform complex operations to set the paper size and printer driver
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus performs self-service by automatically calculating and setting the appropriate paper size based on the print data's aspect ratio. The system detects the data dimensions, computes the matching paper size, and configures both the application and printer driver settings automatically, eliminating the need for users to perform complex manual calculations and settings
Solution Approach 2:
The control apparatus acts as an intermediary between the printing application and the printer driver. It receives print data from the application, automatically determines the optimal paper size, and translates this into appropriate settings for both the application and printer driver, thereby simplifying the user interface while maintaining precise printing control
3Adaptability or versatility
If the aspect ratio of print data is different from standard size, then the data can represent arbitrary content, but printing on standard paper size results in unintended blank spaces and page breaks
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the paper size parameter to match the aspect ratio of the print data. By detecting the data width and height, the control apparatus calculates the appropriate paper size that preserves the data's aspect ratio, thereby maintaining layout accuracy for any data format while supporting arbitrary content representation
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for controlling printing for causing a printing apparatus which can print on a sheet of paper having a size other than a predetermined size to print print data generated by an application capable of allocating pages corresponding to a sheet of paper having the predetermined size to a printing area includes setting a first paper size to the application in which a predetermined printing area is determined, acquiring a second paper size corresponding to the predetermined printing area and setting the second paper size to the application based on page allocation of the first paper size to the predetermined printing area, and notifying a printer driver of the second paper size. Consequently, printing can be performed by a simple operation so that print data suitably fits into a page width of a sheet of paper, even when a printing area aspect ratio can be arbitrarily determined.