Voice-Controlled Printing System with Preview Screen

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current printing systems using smart speakers for voice instructions lack the ability to confirm print content before printing, leading to unintended printing of contents different from user intentions, as users cannot visually verify the print content before execution.

Innovation Solution

A printing system that includes a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus connected via a network, which displays a screen and acquires keywords from voice instructions to generate print data, allowing users to preview the content and confirm before printing, using a keyword acquisition section, preview processing section, and print data transmission section.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If voice instruction is used to initiate printing, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to inability to confirm print content before execution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system displays a print preview screen showing the content to be printed before the actual printing execution. This preliminary display action allows users to confirm the print content based on voice instructions without immediately executing the print job, thereby preventing unintended printing while maintaining voice-based ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If print preview screen is displayed, then reliability is improved by preventing unintended printing, but loss of time increases due to additional confirmation step

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidloss of time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system displays only essential preview information (content to be printed) rather than requiring full review of all print settings. This partial preview approach provides sufficient confirmation to prevent unintended printing while minimizing the time required for user verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Adaptability or versatility

If content is randomly selected based on keyword, then adaptability is improved, but object-affected harmful factors increase due to possibility of printing unwanted content

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoidobject-affected harmful factors

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides visual feedback by displaying the selected content on the print preview screen before execution. This feedback mechanism allows users to verify that the randomly selected content based on keyword matches their intent, enabling them to cancel or modify the print job if unwanted content is displayed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11283946B2Printing system, printing method, and information processing apparatus

Publication Date: 2022.03.22 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A printing system includes a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus coupled to the printing apparatus via a network, and displays a screen on a display section. The information processing apparatus includes a keyword acquisition section that acquires a keyword included in a print instruction by voice from a voice intermediary apparatus, a preview processing section that displays a print preview screen on the display section based on a display setting for the print preview screen corresponding to a content based on the acquired keyword, and a print data transmission section that generates print data using the content and transmits the print data to the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus receives the print data and executes printing according to the print data.