Shared Printer Driver Extensibility for Vendor-Specific Functions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing universal printer drivers face compatibility issues with printing apparatuses from different vendors due to varying communication methods, page description languages, and unique vendor-specific functions, such as copy-forgery-inhibited pattern printing, which are difficult to integrate into a shared driver without increasing operational costs and application size.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus with a shared printer driver that acquires identification information for the printing apparatus and corresponding characteristic parameters from a server, allowing for dynamic generation of vendor-specific print settings and functions, such as copy-forgery-inhibited pattern printing, through a user interface and extensibility application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a universal printer driver is provided for each vendor to control multiple types of printing apparatuses, then compatibility with printing apparatuses of the same vendor is improved, but compatibility with printing apparatuses from different vendors deteriorates due to different communication methods and page description languages
Solution Approach 1:
The printer driver is divided into a core component and multiple extensibility applications. The core component handles common printing functions, while separate extensibility applications provide vendor-specific and model-specific functionality. This segmentation allows the driver to maintain simplicity in the core while achieving versatility through modular extensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared printer driver is designed to universally control printing apparatuses from multiple vendors by using a common core that supports standard communication protocols and page description languages. The driver can be extended with different extensibility applications to accommodate various vendor-specific functions, achieving multi-functionality without requiring separate drivers for each vendor.
2Adaptability or versatility
If vendor-specific functions such as copy-forgery-inhibited pattern printing are integrated into the shared printer driver, then functionality is improved, but application size and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Vendor-specific functions are segmented into separate extensibility applications rather than being integrated into the main driver. Each extensibility application contains only the necessary vendor-specific functionality, keeping the core driver lean and minimizing the overall application size when only a subset of functions is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts vendor-specific functions from the shared printer driver and places them in separate extensibility applications. This extraction allows the core driver to remain small and efficient while vendor-specific functionality is available through optional extensions that can be loaded only when needed.
3Manufacturing precision
If all characteristic parameters for each printing apparatus model are stored in the extensibility application, then printing precision is improved, but the extensibility application size increases
Solution Approach 1:
Characteristic parameters for printing apparatuses are pre-stored in a database on the information processing apparatus rather than being embedded in the extensibility application. This preliminary action allows the system to quickly retrieve accurate parameters when needed without increasing application size, as the parameters are stored externally and accessed on-demand.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus including a shared printer driver which is usable in common with respect to a plurality of different printing apparatuses includes a first acquisition unit configured to acquire, in response to receiving an instruction to add a printing apparatus which is to be used with the shared printer driver, identification information for identifying a type of the printing apparatus, and a second acquisition unit configured to acquire, with use of the identification information acquired by the first acquisition unit, information indicating a characteristic of a printing apparatus corresponding to the identification information from a server different from the printing apparatus, wherein a user interface (UI) for use in performing print setting is displayed based on the information indicating the characteristic acquired by the second acquisition unit.