Context-Aware Error Notification for Multi-Function Peripherals
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-function peripherals (MFPs) provide a common error display regardless of the type of error encountered, leading to insufficient user-friendliness in error notification.
Innovation Solution
A device with a communication interface and controller that obtains connection information from an external device and provides error notifications varying based on the timing of the attempt to obtain connection information, offering different notifications for first and subsequent attempts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a common error display is used regardless of error type, then the device complexity is reduced, but the user-friendliness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The error notification system is segmented into multiple types based on the timing of connection attempts. The controller identifies whether an error occurs during initial connection establishment or during subsequent operations, and provides differentiated error messages accordingly. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simplicity while improving user-friendliness through context-specific error notifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The error notification system dynamically adapts its behavior based on the operational context. The controller determines the timing of the connection attempt relative to server availability and adjusts the error message accordingly - providing different notifications for errors occurring before server startup versus errors occurring during normal operation. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by making the system adaptable rather than static.
2Loss of information
If error notifications are provided for all connection failures, then the information completeness is improved, but the user confusion increases due to inappropriate notifications
Solution Approach 1:
The error notification system applies local quality by providing different types of information based on the specific error context. When a connection attempt fails during initial setup, the system provides information about server availability and startup status. When failures occur during normal operation, different error information is provided. This localized information approach ensures completeness without causing user confusion through irrelevant notifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by monitoring the timing and context of connection attempts, then providing appropriate error notifications based on this information. The controller continuously tracks connection status and server availability, using this feedback to determine whether to notify the user and what type of notification to provide. This feedback mechanism ensures information is provided only when relevant, reducing user confusion while maintaining information completeness.
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes a communication interface and a controller. The controller is configured to obtain connection information for connecting the device with a target server from an external device via the communication interface, connect the device with the target server using the obtained connection information, and in response to failing in an attempt to obtain the connection information, provide an error notification varying depending on at what timing the attempt to obtain the connection information has been made. The controller provides a first error notification when the attempt to obtain the connection information has been made at a first timing. The controller provides a second error notification different from the first error notification when the attempt to obtain the connection information has been made at a second timing different from the first timing.