Image Forming Apparatus Blockchain Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in ensuring that information embedded in printed products can be reliably read, especially when the products are damaged, smeared, or deteriorated, leading to potential loss of embedded information and difficulties in verifying registration with blockchain services.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that cooperates with a blockchain service by generating and embedding unique document information as an embedded image within printed products, using a generation unit, acquisition unit, printing unit, and registration unit to ensure the information can be read and registered securely, even if the product is damaged or deteriorated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple embedded images are embedded in the document, then the reliability of information reading is improved, but the possibility of overlapping registration in blockchain service increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the document information into multiple distinct embedded images distributed at different locations within the document. Each embedded image contains a portion of the document information, and they are registered with the blockchain service independently. This segmentation approach ensures that even if some embedded images are damaged or lost, the document information can still be verified through the remaining embedded images, thereby improving reliability while preventing overlapping registration through proper management of segmented data.
2Stability of the object's composition
If embedded images are embedded in the document, then the integrity of document information is protected, but the complexity of the printing system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional printing system where the image forming apparatus integrates multiple capabilities: generating embedded images, embedding them into documents, printing the documents, and registering the embedded image information with the blockchain service. This universal approach consolidates what could be separate complex systems into a single integrated apparatus, managing complexity through functional integration while achieving document information integrity through the embedded image mechanism.
3Reliability
If document information is registered with blockchain service, then the security of information is improved, but the time required for registration and verification increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary registration of document information with the blockchain service before the actual printing process. The embedded images are generated and their information is registered with the blockchain service in advance, creating a verified record that accompanies the printing process. This preliminary action ensures security through blockchain verification while reducing overall time by avoiding post-printing verification steps, as the information is already registered and verified before the document is physically produced.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus that cooperates with a management service and a blockchain service includes a generation unit that generates an embedded image from document information about a document, an acquisition unit that acquires an embedding setting for use in embedding the embedded image in the document, a printing unit that performs printing of the document with the embedded image embedded therein based on the embedding setting, and a registration unit that registers the document information with the blockchain service, wherein, while the embedding setting includes a setting for embedding a plurality of embedded images in the document and the printing unit outputs a printed product with a plurality of embedded images embedded therein, the registration unit registers the document information with the blockchain service in such a way as to prevent the document information from being registered in an overlapping manner in registering the document information.