Image Forming Apparatus Dynamic Confirmation Screen Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The usability of image forming apparatuses is compromised when the message or guiding display related to application installation is not appropriately controlled, leading to unclear installation status of necessary applications on terminal devices.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with an acquirer, controller, display, and operation inputter that checks for the installation of communication applications on terminal devices by displaying confirmation screens based on trigger inputs, either from the device or acquired via a two-dimensional code, ensuring appropriate service execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a confirmation screen is always displayed to check application installation status, then the reliability of service execution is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to unnecessary display steps when the application is already installed
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on the acquisition source of the trigger. When a trigger is acquired from the operation inputter, the confirmation screen is displayed to ensure reliability. When a trigger is acquired from the acquirer (two-dimensional code), the confirmation screen is omitted to improve ease of operation. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the system flexible rather than static.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of confirmation screen display based on the trigger acquisition source. The display parameter is set to true when the trigger comes from the operation inputter and false when it comes from the acquirer. This parameter change allows the system to maintain reliability when needed while improving ease of operation when the application state is already known.
2Ease of operation
If the system checks application installation status through operation inputter, then the ease of operation is improved, but the loss of time increases due to displaying confirmation screens unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by acquiring the trigger from the terminal apparatus via two-dimensional code before service execution. This preliminary acquisition of trigger information allows the system to determine in advance whether the application is installed, eliminating the need for subsequent confirmation screens and reducing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts the trigger acquisition function from the operation inputter and assigns it to the acquirer that reads two-dimensional codes. This extraction allows the system to obtain installation status information more efficiently without requiring user interaction through the operation inputter, thereby reducing time loss while maintaining ease of operation.
3Productivity
If the system omits confirmation screens when triggers are acquired from acquirer, then the productivity is improved, but the reliability deteriorates if the application installation status is not properly verified
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the two-dimensional code content to determine whether the application is installed. The code contains information about the application installation status, and the controller uses this feedback to decide whether to display the confirmation screen. This feedback mechanism ensures reliability is maintained even when confirmation screens are omitted for productivity improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal apparatus self-communicates its application installation status to the image forming apparatus through the two-dimensional code. This self-service approach allows the system to verify application installation status without requiring additional confirmation steps, thereby improving productivity while maintaining reliability through automatic verification.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: an acquirer capable of acquiring a trigger from a terminal apparatus; a controller that executes a service communicable with an application executed on the terminal apparatus; a display; and an operation inputter. In a case where a trigger to start the service is acquired from the operation inputter, the controller displays on the display, a confirmation screen with which whether the application is installed in the terminal apparatus is confirmed, when executing the service. In a case where a trigger to start the service is acquired from the acquirer, the controller executes the service without displaying the confirmation screen on the display.