Image Forming Apparatus Email Attachment Duplicate Printing Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face issues with repeated printing of emails due to network failures, where emails cannot be deleted from the mail server in a timely manner, leading to undesired re-printing of the same images.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a reception unit, printing unit, deletion unit, and control unit that stores identification information of undelleted emails and prevents re-printing of corresponding images by checking for and deleting these emails upon reconnection, ensuring unique identification and preventing duplicate printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the e-mail is deleted after the image has been printed, then the e-mail storage is cleared, but the deletion may not complete before network failure occurs causing repeated printing
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing identification information of printed e-mails before network failure can occur. When network failure happens, the stored identification information allows the system to quickly identify and prevent re-printing of already printed e-mails without waiting for the deletion process to complete, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable prevention and time loss.
2Productivity
If the deletion process is delayed due to long printing time, then more e-mails can be processed, but network failure risk increases during the extended deletion period
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary recording of e-mail identification information immediately after printing each e-mail. This preliminary action creates a safety mechanism that does not depend on the timing or duration of the deletion process. Even when processing many e-mails that extends the deletion period, the pre-recorded identification information ensures network failure risks do not compromise reliability, as the system can immediately prevent re-printing upon reconnection.
3Reliability
If the e-mail remains in the mail server due to network failure, then the deletion failed, but the same e-mail may be received and printed again
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism - a storage unit that holds identification information of printed e-mails - between the printing unit and the deletion unit. This intermediary allows the system to track which e-mails have been printed independently of the deletion status. When network failure prevents deletion completion, the intermediary storage enables the system to recognize and prevent re-printing of those e-mails, thus maintaining reliability without adding significant complexity to email management.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus and method that prevents an image based on a file attached to an electronic mail from being repeatedly printed includes receiving an electronic mail from a mail server, printing an image based on the file attached to the received electronic mail, and deleting the electronic mail from the mail server after the image is printed. If the electronic mail cannot be deleted from the mail server, identification information corresponding to the undeleted electronic mail is stored, and the image based on the file attached to the electronic mail corresponding to identification information coinciding with the stored identification information is not printed.