Communication System User Authentication Contact List Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems face challenges in easily and promptly customizing display information, address books, and security settings on shared client terminals used for cloud services, leading to inefficiencies and security concerns, especially when multiple users share terminals like television conference systems.

Innovation Solution

A communication system with a management device that stores authentication and contact list information, allowing for user-specific customization and enhanced security through authentication-based extraction and display of contact lists, enabling quick switching between user settings without restarting the terminal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If contact list information is obtained from cloud based on terminal ID, then address book information is available, but the number of address books becomes too large and complicated when terminal is shared by multiple users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaddress book informationVSAvoidsearching object contact

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The contact list information is segmented by user authentication. When a user authenticates, the system divides the complete contact list into user-specific subsets, displaying only the relevant contacts for that user. This segmentation transforms one large complicated address book into multiple smaller, organized contact lists per user.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary authentication of the user before displaying contact list information. By authenticating the user first and then extracting only the relevant contact information associated with that user, the system prepares and filters the contact list in advance, preventing the display of unnecessary contacts and reducing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If all contact information is shared among users, then complete address book is available, but security is weakened as contacts that should be private become accessible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact informationVSAvoidsecurity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Different levels of access rights are assigned to different users based on their authentication credentials. Each user receives contact list information with quality and scope appropriate to their role and authorization level, rather than uniform access for all users. This ensures sensitive contacts remain protected while legitimate users access necessary information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an authentication intermediary layer between the contact list storage and user access. This intermediary verifies user identity and authorization before releasing contact information, acting as a security gatekeeper that prevents unauthorized access while allowing legitimate access to appropriate contacts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If user authentication is performed by inputting ID and password, then customized user interface is provided, but it takes time to change user without cutting power source

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser customizationVSAvoidtime to change user

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The manual authentication process (inputting ID and password) is replaced with biometric authentication using the authentication information acquisition unit. This substitution eliminates the time-consuming manual entry process while maintaining user identification and customization capabilities, allowing rapid user switching without power interruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Adaptability or versatility

If terminal is customized for each user with authentication, then user-specific settings are available, but customization is difficult when terminal is shared

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser-specific customizationVSAvoidcustomization process

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs user-specific customization based on authentication results without requiring manual configuration. After user authentication, the system self-adjusts the display information, contact lists, and settings according to the authenticated user's profile, eliminating the need for complex manual customization processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9503439B2Communication system and communication method

Publication Date: 2016.11.22 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

A communication system includes a transmission terminal and a management device, and when having received contact list information about a second user from the management device while displaying a contact list about a first user or the transmission terminal, the transmission terminal creates the contact list about the second user based on the contact list information about the second user, and displays the contact list of the second user.