Image Managing Apparatus Security Flag Based Password Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image managing apparatuses face challenges in ensuring secure transmission of image data to external apparatuses, as they require complex electronic certificates and risk password leakage when sending passwords via email.

Innovation Solution

An image managing apparatus that automatically adds security information, such as passwords, to image data based on security flags for the box or data, ensuring secure transmission without user intervention and minimizing password exposure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If electronic certificates are used to ensure security of transmitted image data, then security is improved, but operation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidoperation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the security verification mechanism from complex electronic certificate systems and implements a simplified password-based authentication system. The image managing apparatus generates and manages passwords locally without requiring external certificate authorities, thereby maintaining security while eliminating the operational complexity of certificate management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses temporary passwords that are generated specifically for transmission purposes and can be discarded after use. These passwords are less expensive and simpler to manage than electronic certificates, providing adequate security for the specific task of image data transmission without the overhead of certificate infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If passwords are sent via e-mail to ensure secure access, then security is improved, but risk of password leakage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidpassword leakage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the image managing apparatus itself acts as the secure delivery channel for passwords. Instead of sending passwords through external email systems, the apparatus transmits passwords directly through its controlled communication interface, eliminating the vulnerability of email-based password distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The image managing apparatus autonomously generates, manages, and distributes passwords without requiring external email systems. The system self-services the password distribution function, maintaining security control within the apparatus and avoiding the security weaknesses of third-party email infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual security management is implemented, then flexibility is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidtransmission efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring security flags and password policies within the image managing apparatus. Security parameters are set in advance for different types of image data and transmission scenarios, allowing the system to automatically apply appropriate security measures without requiring manual intervention during each transmission operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides self-service security management by automatically generating passwords, determining security requirements based on embedded flags, and managing the entire authentication process without user intervention. This maintains the flexibility of customized security policies while dramatically improving transmission efficiency through automation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8965806B2Image imaging apparatus, image managing method, and computer readable recording medium
Publication Date: 2015.02.24 KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECH INC
  • US8965806B2 patent drawing
  • US8965806B2 patent drawing
  • US8965806B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An image managing apparatus includes a storage unit that stores image data, a receive unit that receives an image transmission request, and a controller. Herein, the controller adds security information to the image data and transmits the image data from the storage unit to an external apparatus in response to the image transmission request. Moreover, the controller determines whether to add the security information to the image data on the basis of a value of a security addition flag for the box in which the image data is stored or a value of a security addition flag for the image data.