Information Processing Apparatus Account Intermediary for Setting Data Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

In existing information processing systems, setting information for a device can be leaked when stored in a storage area accessible by third parties, compromising user privacy.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus generates a second account associated with a registered first account to securely transfer and store setting information in a second storage area, allowing access only to authorized devices and erasing the information once transferred.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If setting information is stored in a storage area accessible by third parties, then ease of access and sharing is improved, but information security and privacy are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of setting informationVSAvoidinformation leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a second account as an intermediary between the first account (registered user) and the storage area. This second account acts as a mediator that enables controlled access to setting information without exposing it to third parties directly. The second account receives authentication information from the first account, retrieves setting information, and transfers it to the terminal device, thereby eliminating the need for public storage areas while maintaining accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the account system into multiple levels: the first account (registered user), the second account (intermediary), and the terminal device account. This segmentation allows setting information to be stored in a secure area accessible only by the first account, while the second account provides controlled access functionality. The segmentation prevents direct exposure of stored information to third parties while enabling legitimate access through the intermediary account structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a secure storage area is used for setting information, then information security is improved, but accessibility by authorized devices is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation leakage preventionVSAvoidaccessibility by authorized devices

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The second account serves as an intermediary that bridges secure storage and authorized access. The first account stores setting information securely in a protected storage area. When access is needed, the first account provides authentication information to the second account, which then retrieves the setting information from secure storage and delivers it to the terminal device. This intermediary mechanism maintains security while enabling authorized access without requiring the storage area to be publicly accessible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If setting information is stored in association with a second account, then information security is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation leakageVSAvoidaccount management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The second account is designed as a multi-functional intermediary that handles multiple operations: receiving authentication information from the first account, retrieving setting information from secure storage, transferring data to terminal devices, and managing the association between accounts. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single second account, the system avoids the complexity that would arise from creating separate specialized components for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20240086121A1Information processing apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium storing program, and information processing method

Publication Date: 2024.03.14 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to accept an instruction to generate a second account indicating access information for permitting access to a second storage area, which is different from a first account that indicates a registered user and indicates access information for permitting access to a first storage area, generate the second account in association with the registered first account, perform control such that setting information set for a first device is acquired and stored in the second storage area by using the second account in a case where a request indicating that the setting information is to be stored in the second storage area is accepted, perform control such that the setting information stored in the second storage area is acquired by using the second account from a second device different from the first device and is output to the second device, and perform control such that the setting information stored in the second storage area is moved to the first storage area and the second account and the second storage area are erased.