Image Forming Apparatus Erasing Folder Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses using nonvolatile storage units face issues where image data remains even after power is cut off during erasing operations, and high-capacity volatile storage units are costly.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a nonvolatile storage unit that includes an erasure folder for management information, a moving unit to transfer this information, an erasing unit to delete the data, a power supply detector, and a control unit to ensure data erasure upon power restoration, ensuring complete data deletion even if power is interrupted during the erasing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power is cut off during erasing operation in nonvolatile storage unit, then erasing operation is not completed and image data remains in the image forming apparatus, but using volatile storage unit would ensure data erasure - however, volatile storage unit is expensive and high-capacity unit costs become high
Solution Approach 1:
The storage unit is divided into two functional folders: a normal folder for storing image data and an erasure folder for storing management information. This segmentation allows the system to track and manage erasing operations separately from data storage, enabling reliable erasure completion even when power is interrupted.
Solution Approach 2:
Management information specifying which image data should be erased is stored in advance in the erasure folder before the actual erasing operation. This preliminary action ensures that when power is restored or erasing is triggered, the system already has the necessary information to complete the erasure reliably without requiring continuous power during the entire process.
2Ease of operation
If erasing operation is performed only in FAT (File Allocation Table), then erasing operation is simple, but processed image data remains in storage unit and can be reproduced by restoring
Solution Approach 1:
The management information that tracks which image data should be erased is extracted from the FAT and stored separately in the erasure folder. This allows the system to maintain simple FAT-based erasing operations while adding an additional layer of reliability through the separate management information storage, preventing data restoration.
Data Source
AI summary
It is determined whether management information exists in an erasure folder or not after a power of an image forming apparatus is turned on. When the management information exists, image data is erased based on information of the management information. Then, it is determined whether the power is turned off or not during the erasing operation, and when it is determined that the power is turned off, the erasing operation of the image data is stopped and the management information remains in the erasure folder, but when it is determined that the power is not turned off, the erasing operation of the image data is completed.