Printing Device Job Queue Segmentation for Cancellation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing devices experience delays in processing when a user initiates a job cancellation, as all printing jobs are stopped until the cancellation is confirmed, leading to inefficiencies and potential mixing of printed papers during the waiting period.
Innovation Solution
A multifunction device with a CPU-controlled cancellation process that sets all printing jobs in the queue to a temporally stopping status upon receiving a cancellation request, allowing new arriving jobs to be processed while waiting for user confirmation, and resumes printing of non-cancelled jobs after cancellation is confirmed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all printing jobs are stopped when a cancel key is pressed, then the user can safely select and cancel the desired job without mixing of printed papers, but processing delay occurs until the cancellation is confirmed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the printing job queue into two distinct groups: paused jobs (those subject to cancellation) and new jobs (those that can proceed). This segmentation allows selective control where only specific jobs are paused while others continue processing, thereby preventing paper mixing for the paused jobs while maintaining productivity through continued processing of new jobs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic job status management where jobs can transition between different states (paused, new, canceled). The system dynamically adjusts the processing state of individual jobs based on user input, allowing flexible control that maintains reliability for jobs needing cancellation protection while enabling continuous processing for jobs that don't require pausing.
2Ease of operation
If all printing jobs are stopped during cancellation confirmation period, then job cancellation can be safely processed, but overall productivity of the printing device decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the job queue into paused jobs and new jobs, allowing independent control of each segment. This enables the system to maintain ease of operation for cancellation-prone jobs while preserving productivity through continuous processing of new jobs that are not affected by cancellation requests.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous useful action by allowing new jobs to proceed with printing even while paused jobs are waiting for cancellation confirmation. This maintains printing throughput and productivity during the cancellation confirmation period, eliminating unnecessary idle time in the printing device.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A printing device includes a job receiving portion, a printing portion, a control portion and an instruction receiving portion. The job receiving portion is configured to receive a printing instruction of a printing job. The printing portion is configured to print the printing job. The control portion is configured to register the printing job whose printing instruction is received by the job receiving portion in a queue and control the printing portion to print the printing job registered in the queue sequentially. The instruction receiving portion is configured to receive a request instruction for requesting cancellation of the printing job registered in the queue and a confirmation instruction for confirming each printing job to be one that is to be cancelled or one that is not to be cancelled. Specifically, when the request instruction is received by the instruction receiving portion, the control portion sets the printing job registered in the queue to be in a stop condition, and then the control portion deletes from the queue the printing job that is in the stop condition and confirmed to be one that is to be cancelled by the confirmation instruction. If a printing instruction of a new printing job is received by the job receiving portion during an instruction waiting period from a time when the request instruction is received by the instruction receiving portion to a time when the confirmation instruction is received by the instruction receiving portion, printing of the new printing job is started by the printing portion.