Image Forming Apparatus Security Protocol Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Image forming apparatuses with lower security levels face service disruptions when attempting to communicate with external devices having higher security levels due to mismatched encryption protocols and algorithms, leading to potential security defects.

Innovation Solution

The image forming apparatus proactively compares and updates its security settings to match those of connected external devices, activating necessary encryption protocols and algorithms while deactivating unnecessary ones, ensuring seamless encrypted data transmission and preventing security defects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the image forming apparatus maintains its original security settings with lower security level, then the device complexity and configuration simplicity are preserved, but service disruption occurs when communicating with external devices having higher security levels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice continuityVSAvoidsecurity configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The image forming apparatus performs preliminary comparison of security settings with external devices before actual communication begins. By proactively identifying security level mismatches and adjusting encryption protocols in advance, the system prevents service disruptions from occurring, ensuring reliability without requiring complex manual configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the image forming apparatus proactively updates security settings to match external devices, then service continuity and security compatibility are improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional security management functions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity compatibilityVSAvoidsecurity management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The image forming apparatus automatically performs security setting adjustments without requiring manual intervention from users. The system self-comparés security protocols, self-identifies mismatches, and self-adjusts encryption settings to match external devices, thereby improving adaptability while keeping the user interface simple and avoiding the need for complex security management procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3635945B1Image forming apparatus and method of operating the same
Publication Date: 2023.05.24 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP
  • EP3635945B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3635945B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3635945B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus may determine whether encrypted data may be transmitted or received between the image forming apparatus and one or more external devices, and determine a defect in security set to the image forming apparatus based on the determination.