Image Processing Apparatus Email Sending Source Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image processing apparatuses face difficulties in setting and managing email sending sources and reply destinations, leading to operational inefficiencies and potential miscommunication, as they require user intervention to select addresses from address books on both mobile terminals and image processing devices.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus via a network, equipped with processors and memory, receives sending information including sending sources and reply destinations, and autonomously sets and manages these addresses for email operations, eliminating the need for user-operated address selection on the image processing device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the image processing apparatus uses a fixed email address set in initial settings as sending source and reply destination, then the device can perform email sending function, but the receiver cannot know who has sent the email and replies may be sent to wrong addresses
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile terminal performs preliminary action by selecting and specifying the email address in advance before transmitting the sending information to the image processing apparatus. This allows the image processing apparatus to use the pre-selected address without requiring address book access, resolving the contradiction between ease of setup and address accuracy.
2Reliability
If the image processing apparatus requires user to select address from address book on both mobile terminal and image processing device, then accurate email addresses can be selected, but the operability becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the address selection function from the image processing apparatus and concentrates it entirely in the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal's address book is accessed solely for selecting the email address, which is then transmitted with the sending information. This eliminates the need for users to operate address books on two devices, improving operability while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the address selection and sending information specification into a single operation on the mobile terminal. By combining these functions in one place rather than requiring separate operations on both devices, the overall process becomes simpler and more efficient.
3Ease of operation
If the image processing apparatus autonomously sets email addresses from received sending information, then operability is enhanced and address accuracy is improved, but the system requires network communication infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile terminal performs multiple functions: it serves as both the user interface for address selection and the communication device for transmitting sending information to the image processing apparatus. This multi-functionality allows the image processing apparatus to focus on execution while the mobile terminal handles all address-related operations, reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus is connected to an information processing apparatus via a network. The image processing apparatus includes a reception unit configured to receive, from the information processing apparatus, sending information including at least any of a sending destination, a sending source, and a reply destination of an email, and a job relating to sending of the email using the sending information, a setting unit configured to set the sending information received by the reception unit for at least any of the sending destination, the sending source, and the reply destination, and a sending unit configured to create and send the email using the sending information.