Image Processing Apparatus Selective Resource State Notification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image processing systems lack efficient mechanisms for notifying users about changes in resource states, such as consumables or system failures, based on their predefined use authorities, leading to potential misuse or unawareness of resource limitations.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus with an image processing unit, a use authority information acquisition unit, and a transmission controller that acquires and manages user authority information to selectively transmit resource-state information to authorized terminal apparatuses, ensuring only relevant notifications are sent to users based on their permissions and resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If resource-state information is transmitted to all terminal apparatuses, then all users are informed about resource changes, but users without authority receive unnecessary notifications causing information overload and potential misuse
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system applies local quality by differentiating notification delivery based on user authority levels. The transmission controller selectively transmits resource-state information only to terminal apparatuses of users who have appropriate use authority for the specific resource, rather than uniformly notifying all users. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring information completeness for authorized users while preventing information overload for unauthorized users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the user base into authorized and unauthorized groups based on use authority information. The transmission controller divides notification delivery into separate channels: notifications are sent only to terminal apparatuses belonging to users with appropriate authority for the affected resource. This segmentation ensures that information reaches the right users without overwhelming others, resolving the contradiction between complete information dissemination and preventing information overload.
2Ease of operation
If resource-state information is transmitted to unauthorized terminal apparatuses, then all users are kept in the loop, but unauthorized users may misuse resources or experience confusion
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by tailoring notification delivery to match user authority levels. The transmission controller checks use authority information before transmitting resource-state information, ensuring that only users with appropriate authority receive notifications about specific resources. This maintains resource security by preventing unauthorized users from receiving information that could lead to misuse, while still keeping authorized users informed for operational awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmission controller acts as an intermediary between the resource-state information source and terminal apparatuses. It mediates the notification process by filtering information based on use authority, allowing only appropriate notifications to pass through to authorized users. This intermediary function ensures resource security is maintained while still providing necessary operational awareness to authorized users.
3Loss of information
If a notification system is implemented for all users, then comprehensive monitoring is achieved, but system complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by pre-establishing use authority information in a storage unit before notifications are generated. The transmission controller references this pre-stored authority information to quickly determine which terminal apparatuses should receive notifications, avoiding complex real-time authorization checks. This reduces system complexity while maintaining comprehensive notification coverage for all authorized users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses copying by storing use authority information in advance in a storage unit, creating a reference copy that the transmission controller can efficiently query. Instead of repeatedly checking authority against complex rules, the controller copies relevant authority data for quick comparison during notification processing. This simplifies the notification system while ensuring comprehensive coverage for authorized users.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus includes an image processing unit, a use authority information acquisition unit, and a transmission controller. The image processing unit processes an image in accordance with an instruction from a terminal apparatus. The use authority information acquisition unit acquires use authority information in which, for each user, use authority is set for a resource that the image processing apparatus has. The transmission controller transmits, in a case where a change has occurred in a state of the resource, resource-state information, which is information regarding the state of the resource, to a terminal apparatus of a user who has authority to use the resource, in accordance with the use authority information acquired by the use authority information acquisition unit.