Printing Log Transmission Before Completion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing printing systems store printing logs only after completion, leading to potential omission and lack of evidence of executed prints, as communication may disconnect before logs are written to the server.

Innovation Solution

A printing apparatus and system that acquire and transmit printing logs, including pre-printing history items, to an external server before completion, ensuring evidence of the printing process is recorded and stored.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the printing log is stored after the execution of printing is completed, then the printing process is not influenced, but the printing log may be omitted if communication is disrupted before writing to the server

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting log recording reliabilityVSAvoidprinting log omission

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies preliminary action by acquiring and transmitting the printing log to external equipment before the printing process is completed. This ensures that the log is recorded in advance, preventing log omission even if communication is disrupted after printing completion. The printing log acquisition unit captures the log including pre-printing history items before the printing job finishes, and the transmission unit sends it to the server proactively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If the printing log is transmitted after printing completion, then the printing process is simplified, but the log may not be recorded if communication fails

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting system complexityVSAvoidlog evidence preservation

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by acquiring the printing log before the printing job completes and transmitting it to external equipment in advance. This proactive approach ensures that evidence of the printing job is preserved even if communication fails later, while maintaining relatively simple system architecture through dedicated acquisition and transmission units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Quantity of substance

If the printing log is stored only after completion, then storage resources are conserved, but no evidence remains if communication is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage resource usageVSAvoidprinting evidence loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The invention implements preliminary action by recording and transmitting the printing log to external equipment before the printing process completes. This ensures that printing evidence is preserved externally in advance, preventing information loss even if communication is disrupted afterward, while efficiently managing storage resources through timely transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8482772B2Printing apparatus and printing system for managing a printing log

Publication Date: 2013.07.09 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A multifunction printer receives a printing job. Then, the MFP acquires items of a printing log that is defined before the printing is started. For example, user name, date/time of execution, and job ID information correspond to the items of the printing log defined before the printing is started. Then, the MFP transmits at least one item of the printing log, which is defined before the printing is started, to the server before the printing is completed.