Image Forming Apparatus Local Data Backup and Restore
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses face issues with communication errors during data restoration, leading to incorrect data being set and security concerns when storing setting data externally, as they rely on network transmission and share data with external apparatuses, increasing the risk of unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus includes a storage unit, a receiving unit, a backup unit, and a restoration unit that manage setting data locally, allowing for backup and restoration within the device, using Web services for secure communication and minimizing external data transmission, thus preventing communication errors and enhancing security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If setting data is stored in an external apparatus via network, then data backup and restoration capability is improved, but communication errors may occur during transmission leading to wrong data being set
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing backup operations locally within the image forming apparatus before any potential network transmission failures can occur. The backup unit creates backup data in a backup storage area of the apparatus itself, ensuring that data is preserved even if network transmission fails during restore operations. This eliminates the dependency on continuous network connectivity for data safety.
2Adaptability or versatility
If setting data is stored in an external apparatus, then data backup capability is improved, but security problems arise as unauthorized users may browse and edit confidential data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data storage function from external apparatuses and brings it back to the image forming apparatus itself. By storing backup data in the apparatus's own backup storage area, the system eliminates the security risks associated with storing data on external servers where unauthorized users could potentially access it. The data remains isolated within the secured environment of the image forming apparatus.
3Adaptability or versatility
If setting data is transmitted via network for restoration, then data can be restored from external apparatus, but communication errors occur during transmission taking at least 10 minutes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary approach by using the image forming apparatus's own storage system as the mediator between backup and restore operations. Instead of directly transmitting data over the network for restoration, the system uses its internal backup storage area as an intermediate destination, eliminating network transmission time during the restore process and significantly reducing the overall time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an address book management application which receives from a client PC an instruction as to address data stored in an HDD of an image forming apparatus. When the instruction is a backup instruction, the address book management application acquires the address data from an address data storage area, creates a backup file from the acquired address data, and stores the created backup file in a backup area of the HDD. When the instruction is a restore instruction, the address book management application restores the backup file stored in the backup area, as the address data in the address data storage area.