Conference Terminal Joining via Authenticated Participation Requests

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing conference systems require users to physically interact with IC cards or input passwords to enable conference terminal devices, such as electronic whiteboards, leading to inefficiencies and increased effort.

Innovation Solution

A conference system and method that allows electronic whiteboards to automatically participate in conferences via a participation request from a terminal device without the need for password input, utilizing a participation request mechanism and authentication through a conference server.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If IC card authentication is used for conference terminal devices, then security is improved, but user operation complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication securityVSAvoiduser operation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal device acts as an intermediary that transmits authentication information to the conference terminal device. Instead of the user directly presenting an IC card to the conference terminal device, the terminal device mediates the authentication process by automatically transmitting the user's authentication credentials, thereby reducing user operation complexity while maintaining security through server-side verification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical IC card presentation process with an automated electronic authentication transmission. The physical act of holding an IC card over the conference terminal device is substituted by an automated data transmission process where the terminal device sends authentication information electronically, eliminating the need for manual IC card handling while maintaining authentication security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If IC card presentation is required for conference terminal participation, then authentication control is improved, but time efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication controlVSAvoidconference setup efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The user's authentication information is pre-stored in the terminal device, and the terminal device automatically transmits this authentication information to the conference terminal device without requiring real-time IC card presentation. This preliminary preparation of authentication credentials enables rapid conference joining while maintaining authentication control through server verification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent allows the authentication process to be skipped from the user perspective by automating it through the terminal device. The user simply needs to initiate conference joining, and the system rapidly completes authentication in the background by having the terminal device transmit pre-stored credentials, thereby rushing through the authentication step without sacrificing security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Data Source

PatentEP4489350B1Conference system, participation method, and carrier medium
Publication Date: 2026.01.21 RICOH CO LTD
  • EP4489350B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4489350B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4489350B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A conference system (300) includes a terminal device (4, 11, 14) operated by a participant in a conference, a conference terminal device (2), and an information processing system (1). The information processing system (1) communicates with the terminal device (4, 11, 14) and the conference terminal device (2) via a network. The terminal device (4,11,14) includes a second participation request transmission unit (41) that transmits a participation request for requesting the conference terminal device (2) to participate in the conference to the information processing system (1) in response to an operation of the participant. The information processing system (1) includes a first participation request transmission unit (26) that transmits the participation request for requesting the conference terminal device (2) to participate, received from the terminal device (4,11,14), to the conference terminal device (2).