Image Forming Apparatus Cloud Upload Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face security issues due to the direct input and potential exposure of login IDs and passwords for cloud access, and users are inconvenienced by limited server capacity checks during data uploads.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a communication unit, scanning unit, issuing unit, storage unit, information receiving unit, identification unit, authentication unit, and communication control unit, allowing users to input login information on external terminals like personal computers or mobile phones, preventing direct input into the apparatus and enabling secure authentication, while also allowing capacity checks on external terminals for convenient cloud selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If login information is input directly into the image forming apparatus, then authentication can be performed, but login information may be exposed and security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the login information input function from the image forming apparatus and relocates it to an external terminal. The external terminal collects login information from the user and transmits it to the image forming apparatus, preventing direct user interaction with the apparatus's input interface and eliminating the security risk of information exposure through the apparatus's display or keyboard.
Solution Approach 2:
The external terminal serves as an intermediary between the user and the image forming apparatus. It handles the sensitive operation of login information input and transmission, acting as a buffer that protects the image forming apparatus from direct exposure to security risks while maintaining the authentication function.
2Reliability
If users can check server capacity before upload, then upload failures are reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a preliminary check of the upload destination server's capacity before the actual upload operation. The control unit queries the server to determine available storage space, and only proceeds with the upload if sufficient capacity is confirmed. This preliminary action prevents upload failures and ensures reliable data transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a feedback mechanism where the control unit receives capacity information from the upload destination server and uses this feedback to determine whether to proceed with the upload. The system adjusts its behavior based on the server's current state, ensuring uploads only occur when conditions are favorable.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a communication unit, a scanning unit, an issuing unit, a storage unit, an information receiving unit, an identification unit, an authentication unit, and a communication control unit. The image data number issuing unit issues a unique image data number for image data. A user inputs the image data number of the image data, cloud information, a login ID, and a password into an external terminal. The external terminal transmits the input content to the image forming apparatus. The login authentication unit performs authentication on a cloud identified by the target cloud identification unit using the transmitted login ID and password. When login is successful, the upload control unit transmits the image data of the image data number to the cloud.