Printing Signal Control for Page Alignment in Digital Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital printing technologies face challenges in pausing and resuming printing operations without data transmission lag, leading to incomplete or misaligned pages, especially in double-sided printing, as they require stopping the entire data transmission to pause the printer.
Innovation Solution
The method involves transmitting printing signals synchronously with imaging data and stopping these signals upon receiving a pause command, allowing the printer to stop printing after completing the current page, and ensuring equal signal counts for front and back sides to maintain page alignment and continuity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data transmission is stopped to pause printing, then printing can be paused, but there is a lag because buffered data continues to be printed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data transmission and printing control into separate controllable units. By transmitting one page of imaging data and one printing signal at a time rather than bulk transmission, the system can pause printing immediately upon receiving a pause command without waiting for buffered data to be exhausted, thus resolving the contradiction between pause accuracy and response time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares by establishing a page-by-page transmission mechanism in advance, so when a pause command is received, it can immediately stop transmitting printing signals without having to wait for buffered data to be processed. This preliminary setup enables instant pause response while maintaining reliable page-by-page control.
2Reliability
If printing is paused by stopping data transmission, then printing pauses, but page alignment between front and back sides cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the control system counts the number of printing signals transmitted for front side pages and back side pages separately. When a pause command is received, it uses this count feedback to determine whether to pause front side or back side printing first, ensuring that both sides have equal numbers of printed pages and maintaining proper alignment without increasing overall control complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the pause behavior based on the current printing state. It determines whether the current page is a front side or back side page and applies different pause logic accordingly, allowing flexible control that maintains alignment while adapting to the specific printing context rather than using a fixed complex control scheme.
3Productivity
If all imaging data is transmitted before printing, then printing can proceed, but pause operation becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by transmitting imaging data and printing signals in discrete page-by-page cycles rather than continuous bulk transmission. Each page is transmitted and printed as a complete unit, which maintains efficient printing speed while enabling pause operations to occur at any page boundary, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and pause capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for controlling pauses in printing. The method includes: transmitting imaging data to an imaging unit, and transmitting one printing signal whilst transmitting the imaging data of each page which are printed when the imaging unit receives the printing signal; generating a command of pausing printing when receiving a cause of pausing; stopping transmitting the printing signal to the imaging unit according to the command of pausing printing, printing the imaging data is stopped when the imaging unit cannot receive the printing signal.