Image Forming Device Data Sharing via Capacity Inquiry
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity in system configuration and processing arises when attempting to easily access and utilize data stored across multiple electronic equipment, as existing solutions require separate authentication servers to manage data distribution across interconnected devices.
Innovation Solution
An electronic equipment system with a capacity inquiring part, internal and external storage processing parts, and a data management part that secures and manages data storage across connected devices as a unified user box, allowing data to be stored and accessed without a separate server, by inquiring empty capacities and transmitting data between devices as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a separate authentication server is introduced to manage data distribution across multiple electronic equipment, then data accessibility across devices is improved, but system configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the image forming device itself as an intermediary to manage data storage and distribution. Instead of introducing a separate authentication server, the device's control unit acts as a mediator that determines whether to store data locally or transmit it to other devices based on storage capacity, thereby simplifying the system architecture while maintaining data accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The image forming device performs self-service by autonomously determining its own storage capacity and making decisions about data storage and transmission without requiring external server intervention. The control unit checks local storage availability and automatically transmits data to other devices when local capacity is insufficient, eliminating the need for complex centralized server management.
2Reliability
If data is stored in independent document boxes of each image forming device, then data storage reliability is maintained, but data sharing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple independent document boxes into a unified data sharing system. By enabling the control unit to transmit and receive data across multiple devices while maintaining a consistent user interface, the system combines the reliability of local storage with the accessibility of distributed storage, allowing users to access data from any device in the network as if it were stored locally.
3Reliability
If users access data from multiple image forming devices individually, then data access reliability is ensured, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by enabling a single user interface to access data stored across multiple different image forming devices. The control unit manages data distribution transparently, allowing users to interact with one unified system rather than individually accessing each device. This multi-functional approach maintains data access reliability while significantly improving ease of operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Electronic equipment is provided where a user can use easily data stored in plurality of electronic equipments while simplifying a system configuration and processing. Electronic equipment is provided having a document box (9) as a document data storage area and connected to a network (3), the electronic equipment including a capacity inquiring part (35) inquiring about an empty capacity of a document box (9) of the other image forming devices (5b) ~ (5d) connected via the network (3) based on a document data storage request from a user, an external storage processing part (39) transmitting document data corresponding to the storage request to the other image forming devices (5b) ~ (5d) for storage when an empty capacity exists in the document box (9) of the other image forming devices (5b) ~ (5d), and a data management part (41) managing data stored in the document box (9) of the other image forming devices (5b) ~ (5d) as data stored in the document box (9) of the own image forming device (5a) accessible from the user.