Facsimile Number Rejection Proposal System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing nuisance facsimile prevention technologies require users to manually register facsimile numbers to be rejected, which is cumbersome and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

An information processing system that automatically proposes and facilitates the registration of facsimile numbers based on unread documents, using a threshold value to determine if a sender's number should be registered as a rejected number, thereby automating the nuisance facsimile rejection process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual registration of rejected facsimile numbers is implemented, then nuisance facsimile prevention is achieved, but user operation complexity increases and time is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenuisance facsimile preventionVSAvoidregistration process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically identifies and proposes rejected facsimile numbers based on unread document patterns, enabling the system to serve itself rather than requiring user intervention. The control unit monitors received documents, identifies senders with high unread ratios, and automatically proposes their numbers for rejection registration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary analysis of received documents to identify potential nuisance senders before the user needs to register rejections. By pre-calculating unread document ratios and proposing rejected numbers in advance, the system prepares the rejection list proactively rather than reactively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If manual registration of rejected facsimile numbers is required, then precise control over rejection list is maintained, but productivity decreases due to manual effort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverejection control precisionVSAvoidfacsimile management efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically generates proposals for rejected facsimile numbers by analyzing its own received document data, eliminating the need for manual user input while maintaining control precision through automated threshold-based decision making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit continuously monitors the ratio of unread documents from each sender and provides feedback by proposing rejected numbers when the ratio exceeds the threshold. This closed-loop feedback mechanism automatically adjusts the rejection list based on actual document reception patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If automatic proposal of rejected facsimile numbers is implemented, then user effort is reduced and productivity increases, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefacsimile management efficiencyVSAvoidsystem automation level
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the facsimile management process into distinct functional modules: document reception, unread status tracking, ratio calculation, threshold comparison, and rejection proposal. This modular segmentation manages complexity by dividing the automated system into manageable, independent components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit acts as an intermediary between the document reception system and the user, automatically analyzing patterns and proposing rejected numbers. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of automation internally while presenting a simplified interface to the user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4002820B1Information processing system, information processing method, and carrier means
Publication Date: 2024.05.08 RICOH CO LTD
  • EP4002820B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4002820B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4002820B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An information processing system includes a status management unit (24) to control a status, between read and unread, of a document received by facsimile from a sender apparatus; a rejected number proposal determining unit (26; 64) to determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied for each sender facsimile number; and a display control unit (28) to control display of a proposal screen for proposing that a sender facsimile number satisfying the predetermined condition be registered as a rejected facsimile number. A facsimile from the rejected facsimile number is to be rejected or deleted.