Image Form Apparatus Customizable Status Notification System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network printers notify users of status changes through simple text emails, which can be inadequate for complex errors, requiring users to seek additional documentation for troubleshooting.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that allows users to set display attributes and priorities for status notifications, generating status information in customizable formats and including error-solving information, and transmitting these via email, enabling tailored alerts and easy error resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If simple text emails are used to notify status information, then the notification process is simple and quick to implement, but the user cannot adequately understand complex errors and must seek additional documentation
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system segments error information into multiple components: error code, error message, severity level, and solution guidance. Each component is transmitted separately through the email notification, allowing comprehensive error information to be delivered without overwhelming the user with a single large block of text.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a new dimension to error notifications by including hyperlinks that connect the email notification to external documentation resources. This transforms a two-dimensional text-based notification into a multi-dimensional information structure that includes direct pathways to troubleshooting guides, error databases, and support resources.
2Ease of operation
If detailed error information and solution guidance are included in notifications, then user understanding improves, but the notification generation and transmission becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-processes error information into standardized templates that include common error codes, messages, and solution guidance. When an error occurs, the notification system simply retrieves and populates the appropriate template, significantly reducing the complexity of real-time notification generation while still providing comprehensive error information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the error detection mechanism and the notification system. This intermediary component负责 collecting raw error data, formatting it according to predefined templates, and adding solution guidance before transmission. This mediator simplifies the overall system architecture by centralizing the complex processing logic in a dedicated component.
3Reliability
If status notifications are sent for all status changes, then complete monitoring is achieved, but users receive excessive notifications including minor issues that do not require immediate attention
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system applies local quality by differentiating notification priorities based on the specific error type and severity. Critical errors receive immediate high-priority notifications with detailed solution guidance, while minor warnings are suppressed or sent with lower priority. This allows the system to maintain reliable monitoring while reducing unnecessary notification volume for non-critical status changes.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of notifying status information and an image forming apparatus using the same. The method of notifying status information includes setting a display attribute of status information of the image forming apparatus, if status information of the image forming apparatus is updated, generating status notification information in a first format or a second format according to whether a display attribute is set for the updated status information, and transmitting the generated status notification information. Accordingly, a user is notified of error occurrence in a manner as he/she wishes.