Processing Management Device for Printing Spare Capacity Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for managing work processes do not effectively display spare production capacity for printing devices, limiting the ability to optimize print planning and resource allocation.
Innovation Solution
A processing management device that acquires and displays information on the operation state and spare capacity of printing devices, including the proportion of processed sheets to planned sheets, using a hardware processor to control the display of this information in a graphical format, allowing for real-time monitoring and adjustment of print plans.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If processing information for multiple processing devices is displayed in a conventional manner, then the display shows basic operational status, but the spare production capacity cannot be effectively visualized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensional transformation by converting the proportion of processed sheets to planned sheets into a visual bar representation. Each processing device displays a bar where the filled portion represents the proportion of completed work, allowing users to instantly grasp spare capacity through visual length comparison rather than numerical data alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes color coding to differentiate operational states of processing devices. Bars representing different processing devices are displayed in distinct colors, and the filled versus empty portions of each bar provide visual differentiation between utilized and spare capacity, enhancing information perception at a glance.
2Loss of information
If detailed processing status information is displayed for each device, then resource utilization can be monitored, but the overall spare capacity across multiple devices becomes difficult to grasp
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges individual processing device status information into a unified visual display. Multiple bars representing different devices are arranged side by side, allowing simultaneous visualization of both individual device status and overall system spare capacity. The collective arrangement of bars provides an immediate overview of total available capacity across all devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the display into individual bars for each processing device while maintaining their collective arrangement. Each bar is divided into filled and empty portions representing utilized and spare capacity respectively. This segmentation allows detailed device-level monitoring while the grouped arrangement enables overall spare capacity assessment.
3Ease of operation
If conventional display methods are used for processing status, then basic operational information is shown, but real-time adjustment capability for print plans is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements visual feedback by continuously updating bar representations based on real-time processing status. As processing progresses, the filled portion of each bar dynamically changes, providing immediate feedback on current capacity utilization. This enables operators to make informed decisions about print plan adjustments based on current spare capacity visualization rather than waiting for periodic status reports.
Data Source
AI summary
A processing management device includes: at least one hardware processor configured to acquire a processing plan and a processing status of at least one processing device that performs processing, the processing plan being derived based on capability information of the at least one processing device, and perform control to display processing information that is information including the processing status of the at least one processing device, in which the at least one hardware processor displays, for each of the at least one processing device, information for identifying the at least one processing device and information indicating an operation state of the at least one processing device and a proportion of a processed sheet number to a planned sheet number of the at least one processing device, as the processing information, and the at least one hardware processor performs control such that the processing information is displayed in a figure for each of the at least one processing device and the figure is arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to a longest side among sides that form the figure.