Image Processing Apparatus Grouping Pages by Security Level
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing copier security measures, such as password-protected copy functions, often require users to enter passwords for each page with a different background pattern, leading to increased user burden and reduced usability while maintaining security.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that determines security levels for each page based on background patterns and only requires password entry when necessary, allowing for streamlined copying of documents with varying security levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If password entry is required for each page with different background patterns, then security is maintained, but user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments pages into different security level groups based on their background patterns. Pages with the same security level are grouped together, allowing a single password entry to cover multiple pages. This segmentation reduces the frequency of password entries while maintaining security for each individual page group.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary classification of pages into security level groups before the copying process begins. By pre-organizing pages with identical security requirements into groups, the system prepares the structure that enables reduced password entries, allowing users to copy multiple pages with one authentication action.
2Reliability
If password entry is required for every page output, then security is ensured, but copying efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Pages are segmented into security level groups where pages within the same group share identical security requirements. This segmentation allows the copying process to handle multiple pages as a single unit for authentication purposes, reducing the number of password entries needed and thereby improving copying efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple pages with the same security level into a single processing group. By combining these pages, the system enables one password entry to authorize the copying of all pages in the group simultaneously, thus improving productivity without compromising security.
3Reliability
If security levels are determined for each page individually, then security precision is maintained, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
While maintaining individual security level determination for each page, the system segments pages into groups based on identical security levels. This approach preserves security precision by recognizing unique security requirements for each page while reducing complexity through systematic grouping and standardized processing for each security level group.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by determining security levels individually for each page based on its specific background pattern, while simultaneously applying a unified grouping strategy for pages with identical security characteristics. This balances security precision at the page level with simplified processing at the group level.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus performs specific processing on images read out of a document having pages as follows. Each of the pages is a member assigned to at least any one of groups. The apparatus determines a second security level of each group based on a first security level of each page of the corresponding group; before the specific processing on the N-th group, determines whether or not password entry is necessary based on the second security level of the N-th group and any of the second security levels of the first group through the (N−1)-th group; and performs the specific processing on the N-th group if it is determined that password entry is unnecessary for the N-th group, or, alternatively, if it is determined that password entry is necessary for the N-th group and if a password is appropriately entered.