Rasterizing Job Allocation Control for Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for distributing print jobs among rasterizing devices in printing apparatuses face challenges in accurately predicting rasterizing times, leading to differences in completion times and inefficiencies in rasterization speed due to prediction errors and resource activity ratios.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus that includes predicting units to estimate rasterizing times, allocating units to distribute print jobs among rasterizing units, and acquiring units to update actual rasterization speeds, allowing for optimized job distribution to minimize completion time differences by adjusting distribution ratios based on real-time processing states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If print jobs are distributed based on predicted rasterizing times, then the rasterization processes can complete approximately at the same time, but prediction errors result in differences in completion time between rasterizing devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors actual rasterization completion times and uses this feedback to adjust the distribution algorithm. The controller compares predicted vs. actual completion times and refines the distribution strategy for subsequent jobs, transforming the static prediction-based approach into a dynamic adaptive system that learns from past performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The distribution ratio between rasterizing devices is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system adjusts the distribution ratio based on actual performance data, allowing the allocation strategy to adapt to changing conditions and device performance variations, thereby optimizing throughput while minimizing completion time differences.
2Productivity
If distribution ratio is determined based on resource activity ratios, then resource utilization is optimized, but it does not minimize the difference in rasterization completion time between devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the distribution parameter from resource activity ratio alone to a composite parameter that incorporates both resource activity ratio and predicted completion time. This parameter transformation allows the system to balance resource utilization with load balancing, achieving both high productivity and minimal completion time differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The distribution decision is formed by combining multiple factors (resource activity ratio, predicted rasterizing time, device performance characteristics) into a composite distribution strategy. This composite approach integrates the advantages of resource-based allocation with time-based load balancing, achieving superior overall performance.
3Reliability
If sequential processing is used, then prediction errors do not accumulate, but the overall rasterization speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the print job into multiple sub-jobs and distributes them to different rasterizing devices in parallel. By carefully controlling the distribution ratio and using adaptive adjustment based on actual performance, the system achieves parallel processing without significant error accumulation, thereby maintaining high throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a buffer mechanism that anticipates potential prediction errors by adjusting the distribution ratio in advance. This cushioning approach allows parallel processing to proceed while built-in compensation mechanisms prevent error accumulation from significantly impacting overall performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A control apparatus includes a first predicting unit configured to predict a rasterizing time for each of predetermined units of processing of a first print job, an allocating unit configured to allocate a plurality of divided jobs acquired by dividing the first print job into the units of the processing to a plurality of rasterizing units, an acquiring unit configured to acquire an actual value of a rasterization speed of each of the rasterizing units, and a second predicting unit configured to predict completion times of rasterization processing of a second print job in each of the rasterizing units based on the actual values of the rasterization speed of each of the rasterizing units and processing states of each of the rasterizing units. In this case, the allocating unit divides and allocates the print jobs to each of the rasterizing units based on the prediction results.