User Authority Control for Consumable Purchase Display

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing printer and multifunction peripheral systems lack effective mechanisms to control the display of consumable purchase options based on user authority, potentially leading to unintended orders by users without proper purchasing authority.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus with a memory device and processor that specifies user authority and controls the display of consumable purchase buttons, ensuring that only authorized users can initiate consumable purchases, thereby preventing erroneous orders and reducing user burden.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If consumable purchase options are always displayed to users, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unintended orders by unauthorized users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of consumable purchaseVSAvoidaccuracy of purchase authorization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the display behavior of purchase options based on user authority levels. Authorized users see purchase buttons displayed normally, while unauthorized users do not see these buttons. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of operation for authorized users while ensuring reliability through authorization control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If consumable purchase buttons are displayed to all users, then ease of operation is improved, but loss of time increases due to error correction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of consumable purchaseVSAvoidtime for error correction

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary anti-action by checking user authority before displaying purchase buttons. This preventive measure stops unauthorized users from even seeing the purchase option, thereby preventing erroneous orders before they occur. This eliminates the need for time-consuming error correction while maintaining ease of operation for authorized users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Reliability

If authority verification is implemented for consumable purchase, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of purchase authorizationVSAvoidcomplexity of authority verification

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by having the image processing apparatus automatically verify user authority and control the display of purchase buttons based on the verification result. The system performs the authority check itself without requiring external verification mechanisms, thereby improving reliability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10974516B2Device, method for controlling device, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2021.04.13 CANON KK

AI summary

An apparatus specifies authority of a user who is logged onto the apparatus. The apparatus enables displaying a first display item for purchasing a consumable based on at least the presence or absence of the specified authority of logged in user.