Printing System Dynamic Schedule Management for Medium Type
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Solution Overview
Problem
In commercial printing, predicting printing completion time accurately is challenging when the type of medium to be used is undetermined, making it difficult for operators to anticipate downtime and manage consumables effectively.
Innovation Solution
A printing system that includes a reception unit for receiving print jobs, a schedule management unit for calculating printing completion time based on designated or detected medium types, and a detection unit for identifying the medium type fed by a feeder, allowing for dynamic updates of printing schedules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the printing time is calculated based on a designated medium type, then the printing completion time can be predicted accurately, but the system cannot handle jobs where the medium type is undetermined
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation of printing completion time using a reference medium type before the actual medium is fed. This allows the schedule management unit to provide initial time predictions and scheduling information even when the specific medium type is not yet known, enabling operators to plan ahead while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically updates the printing completion time prediction when the medium type is subsequently determined through detection. The schedule management unit adjusts the predicted time based on the actual medium type detected, transitioning from a static reference-based prediction to a dynamic accuracy-based prediction as information becomes available.
2Measurement precision
If the medium type is determined only after the sheet is fed, then the system can accurately identify the medium, but the printing completion time cannot be calculated in advance
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation of printing completion time using a reference medium type before the actual medium is fed. This allows the schedule management unit to provide initial time predictions and scheduling information even when the specific medium type is not yet known, enabling operators to plan ahead while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback mechanism where the detected medium type information is fed back to update the printing completion time prediction. The schedule management unit receives detection results and recalculates the predicted time, providing continuous refinement from initial estimation to accurate prediction based on actual conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A scheduler program calculates, based on the type of the medium designated as a print job as a target, a time until the printing on the print job is completed, and outputs the calculated time to a predetermined output destination. With no type of the medium designated in the print job as the target, the scheduler program calculates the time until the printing on the print job is completed based on a previously set reference medium type, and outputs the calculated time to the output destination. With the type of the medium determined based on a detection result of the medium fed in the print job, the scheduler program updates the time until the printing is completed, the time being output to the output destination based on the type of the medium.