Image Forming Apparatus Connection Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing apparatuses experience performance degradation due to increased load from frequent SSL handshake processes and long-maintained connections, limiting their ability to respond to necessary connection requests from PCs and mobile terminals.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a determining unit to assess whether a connection destination is periodically transmitting situation inquiries, allowing the controlling unit to maintain connections for frequent inquiries while disconnecting unnecessary ones, thereby optimizing resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If SSL handshake process is performed every time an inquiry is sent, then secure communication is established, but the load for response process increases and printing performance degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The SSL handshake process is performed in advance at the beginning of communication, and the connection is maintained in a connected state. This preliminary establishment of secure communication allows subsequent situation inquiries to proceed without repeated SSL handshakes, reducing processing load and improving printing performance while maintaining security.
2Productivity
If connection is maintained for a long time to reduce the number of times of starting communication, then the load for response process is reduced, but the connection is occupied for a long time and necessary connection requests cannot be responded
Solution Approach 1:
The connection state is dynamically adjusted based on the type of communication. Situation inquiries are handled in a connected state to reduce processing load, while print job transmissions utilize disconnected state to free up connection resources. This dynamic state management allows the system to adapt connection duration to specific communication needs, improving both response efficiency and connection availability.
Solution Approach 2:
Communication is segmented into different types: situation inquiries that benefit from maintained connections, and print job transmissions that require connection release. By segmenting communication purposes and applying different connection management strategies to each type, the system optimizes both response efficiency for inquiries and connection availability for new jobs.
3Quantity of substance
If the number of connections held simultaneously is limited, then system resources are managed, but unnecessary connections occupying slots prevent response to necessary connection requests
Solution Approach 1:
Connection resources are discarded (disconnected) after completing print job transmissions, and recovered (made available) for new connection requests. This deliberate release of connections after use ensures that connection slots are continuously replenished, allowing the system to respond to necessary connection requests even with limited simultaneous connection capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention aims to prevent degradation of printing performance and also respond to a connection request. To do so, there is provided a controlling method for an image forming apparatus, comprising: determining whether or not a connection destination is a connection destination periodically transmitting a situation inquiry after transmitting data; and controlling to continue connection to the connection destination in a case where it is determined that the connection destination is the connection destination periodically transmitting the situation inquiry, and controlling to disconnect the connection to the connection destination in a case where it is determined that the connection destination is not the connection destination periodically transmitting the situation inquiry.