Schedule Screen Sheet Storage Status Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In production printing systems, operators face challenges in identifying empty sheet storage units on schedule screens, leading to increased downtime as they need to frequently switch between screens to manage print jobs and check storage unit statuses, making it difficult to promptly notice available resources.
Innovation Solution
A display apparatus that integrates a displaying unit to show objects representing job duration alongside sheet types and a specifying unit to identify the corresponding sheet storage units, allowing for direct visualization of available storage units on the schedule screen, reducing the need for constant screen switching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the schedule screen displays only job information without sheet storage unit status, then the schedule screen remains simple and easy to understand, but operators cannot quickly identify empty sheet storage units and must frequently switch to another screen to check storage status
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sheet storage unit status information with the job schedule display by showing the status of sheet storage units directly on the schedule screen at positions corresponding to where sheets are consumed. This integration allows operators to view both job schedule and sheet storage status on a single screen without switching, resolving the contradiction between information completeness and screen simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to the schedule screen by displaying not only the sequence of jobs but also the time until sheet storage units become empty. This is achieved by showing countdown timers or time-based indicators alongside the job schedule, allowing operators to prioritize refilling actions based on both job timing and sheet availability.
2Productivity
If operators frequently switch between schedule screen and sheet storage status screen to monitor both job progress and storage unit status, then complete information is obtained, but downtime increases and workflow efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple information functions into a single integrated schedule screen that simultaneously displays job schedule, sheet storage unit status, and time until depletion. This eliminates the need for operators to switch between multiple screens, reducing time loss and improving workflow efficiency while maintaining complete information availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides self-service by automatically monitoring sheet storage unit levels and displaying this information proactively on the schedule screen without requiring operators to manually check separate screens. The system serves the operator's information needs automatically, reducing operational overhead and time expenditure.
3Loss of information
If the schedule screen shows detailed information about each job including sheet types, then operators can recognize sheet usage, but it becomes difficult to immediately notice empty sheet storage units among the job graphs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color changes to indicate the status of sheet storage units on the schedule screen. Different colors represent different status levels (e.g., green for sufficient sheets, yellow for low inventory, red for empty). This visual coding system allows operators to quickly detect empty or nearly empty storage units among the job graphs without having to read detailed text information, resolving the contradiction between information detail and detection ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by displaying detailed sheet storage unit information specifically at the locations on the schedule screen where those sheets are consumed. Rather than providing a separate comprehensive status report, the system tailors the information display to each job's sheet requirements, making the status detection contextually relevant and positionally intuitive.
Data Source
AI summary
On a job schedule screen that displays a type of sheet, information for identifying a sheet storage unit in which the number of sheets has become smaller than or equal to a certain value is displayed. An identifier, which is the information for identifying a sheet storage unit, is set by a user.