Cloud Print Capability Registration With Unsupported Attribute Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cloud print services discard capability information not supported by the print client, leading to impractical and labor-intensive updates when new attributes are added, preventing full utilization of printing apparatus capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A mechanism that registers and notifies capability information, including unsupported attributes, during printer registration on the cloud print service, enabling full utilization of printing apparatus capabilities without discarding any information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If capability information not supported by the print client is discarded during printer registration, then the cloud print service maintains compatibility with existing print clients, but full utilization of printing apparatus capabilities is prevented and frequent re-registration is required when new attributes are added

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility with print clientsVSAvoidutilization of printing apparatus capabilities

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The capability information is segmented into two parts: supported attributes and unsupported attributes. The cloud print service stores both types of attributes separately, allowing it to maintain compatibility with existing print clients while preserving complete capability information for future use. This segmentation enables the system to distinguish between what is currently usable and what is available but not yet supported.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cloud print service performs preliminary action by storing unsupported capability attributes during the initial printer registration, even though they cannot be immediately utilized. This preliminary storage prepares the system for future scenarios where print clients may support these attributes, eliminating the need for re-registration when capabilities are added.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If unsupported capability attributes are discarded during printer registration, then the cloud print service avoids storing unnecessary information, but administrative burden increases when new attributes are added requiring re-registration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveamount of capability information storedVSAvoidtime for administrative updates

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system recovers unsupported capability attributes by storing them during initial registration, then selectively discards only the portion that cannot be utilized by current print clients. The unsupported attributes are recovered and preserved in the cloud print service's storage, allowing them to be activated when print clients are updated, thus avoiding complete re-registration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Loss of information

If capability information is completely stored without filtering, then full printing apparatus capabilities are preserved, but the cloud print service complexity increases due to handling unsupported attributes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of capability informationVSAvoidcomplexity of cloud print service processing

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cloud print service applies local quality by treating supported and unsupported capability attributes differently in its processing logic. While both types of attributes are stored to maintain completeness, the service applies selective processing: supported attributes are immediately usable, while unsupported attributes are stored as-is for future reference. This localized differentiation manages complexity by handling different attribute types through targeted processing rather than uniform treatment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250278227A1Server, control method, storage medium, and printing system

Publication Date: 2025.09.04 CANON KK

AI summary

A server providing a cloud print service includes at least one processor that executes a set of instructions, when executed, causing the server to perform operations including acquiring attribute information indicating printing capabilities of a printing apparatus when the printing apparatus is registered as an output destination printer, registering output destination printer information by associating the acquired attribute information with information indicating an output destination, and transmitting, in a case where a request for acquiring capability information about the registered output destination printer is received, the attribute information about the registered output destination printer to a client terminal as a response to the request, wherein in the registering, even in a case where the acquired attribute information about the printing apparatus includes an attribute that is not supported by the cloud print service, the attribute information is registered as the output destination printer information without discarding the attribute information.