Three-Layer Communication Protocol for Industrial Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial printing systems face challenges in reliably transmitting large amounts of image data over long distances with minimal latency and resource consumption, requiring efficient communication protocols that can handle high bandwidth and complex data synchronization across physically separated computer systems and printing devices.
Innovation Solution
A three-layer communication protocol is defined, with the first layer addressing physical transmission aspects, the second layer handling encoding and decoding using the 8B/10B-encoding scheme, and the third layer specifying a frame format for data packets, allowing for efficient transmission of image data and control information over a single serial channel, optimized for use in field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to reduce resource requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a comprehensive multi-layer communication protocol is used to ensure reliable data transmission between physically separated computer systems and printing devices, then communication reliability and interoperability are improved, but protocol complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The communication protocol is divided into three distinct layers: physical layer (first layer) for transmission line and signal definition, data link layer (second layer) for encoding and decoding, and network layer (third layer) for frame format and data packet structure. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently and simplifies implementation in FPGAs by dividing complex functionality into manageable modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and implements only the essential lower layers of the communication protocol (physical, data link, and network layers) while omitting higher-level transmission services that are computationally expensive. This extraction maintains sufficient reliability for industrial printing applications while dramatically reducing processing resources required.
2Speed
If high bandwidth transmission is implemented to handle large amounts of image data, then data transmission speed is improved, but resource consumption and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex software-based data processing with hardware-based solutions using FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) that implement the communication protocol directly in hardware circuitry. This substitution eliminates the need for resource-intensive software processing while maintaining high bandwidth transmission capabilities through dedicated hardware pathways for image data and control information.
Solution Approach 2:
The protocol uses 8B/10B encoding scheme that changes the data representation parameters to enable efficient high-speed transmission. The encoding transforms 8-bit data into 10-bit symbols, providing error detection and DC balance while maintaining compression efficiency, thereby achieving high bandwidth with controlled resource usage.
3Productivity
If just-in-time printing is implemented to minimize processing time, then productivity is improved, but data synchronization complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication protocol incorporates preliminary actions by pre-defining the frame format structure with start of frame, data section, and end of frame markers before data transmission begins. This pre-structured format eliminates the need for complex runtime synchronization calculations, allowing the printing system to process data immediately upon receipt without additional processing delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The bidirectional communication channel implements feedback mechanisms where control information can be sent from the printing device back to the computer system. This feedback enables automatic adjustment and synchronization of data transmission timing with the printing process, maintaining just-in-time printing capability while simplifying synchronization through closed-loop control rather than complex open-loop coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques, systems, and computer program products for transmitting data between a computer system and an external printing device. A technique may include generating a data packet in accordance with a communications protocol such that generating the data packet includes encoding the data packet according to a second layer of the protocol in a frame format according to a third layer of the protocol, transmitting the data packet from the computer system to the external printing device according to the first layer of the protocol; and decoding the data packet in accordance with the second layer of the protocol. The protocol can be defined to include three layers. In that protocol, a first layer may define transmission line, transmitters, and receivers for transmission, the second layer may define encoding and decoding, and the third layer may define a frame format of the data packet.