Image Scanning System Secure Key Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image scanning systems face challenges in securely and easily registering encryption keys for encrypted data communication between image scanners and terminal devices, with user effort required for inputting codes and risks of key theft during transmission.
Innovation Solution
An image scanning system with a terminal device and scanner that include password accepting units, key storage and encryption units, and data encryption and decryption capabilities, allowing secure and easy registration of encryption keys for both devices, where the encryption key is encrypted and sent securely to the scanner, and used for encrypting and decrypting image data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a code as encryption key is input into each device, then data encryption can be performed, but user effort is required to input the code into each device
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal device automatically generates and transmits the encryption key to the image scanner without requiring manual input. The system performs self-service by having the terminal device create the key, encrypt it with the user's password, and send it automatically to the scanner, eliminating the need for users to manually input codes into each device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the terminal device acts as a mediator between the user and the image scanner. The terminal device receives the user's password, generates the encryption key, encrypts it, and transmits it to the scanner. This intermediary approach eliminates direct manual input requirements while maintaining secure encryption.
2Ease of operation
If the encryption key is transmitted to the other device via communication line, then key registration is simplified, but the encryption key might be stolen during transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The user's password serves as an intermediary protective layer. The terminal device encrypts the encryption key with the user's password before transmission to the image scanner. This intermediary password mechanism ensures that even if the transmission is intercepted, the encryption key cannot be stolen without the password.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary encryption of the key before transmission. The terminal device encrypts the encryption key with the user's password in advance, creating a secure transmitted key that protects the actual encryption key during transmission. This preliminary protective action prevents key theft during communication.
3Reliability
If an encryption key is used for encrypting image data, then data security is improved, but the system complexity increases due to key management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal device performs self-service by automatically generating, encrypting, and transmitting the key to the image scanner. This eliminates complex manual key management procedures and reduces system complexity while maintaining strong data security through automatic cryptographic operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of key storage by storing the encrypted key (cipher text) rather than the plain text key. The image scanner stores the password-encrypted key, and both devices can decrypt it using the user's password. This parameter change simplifies key management while maintaining security.
Data Source
AI summary
An image scanning system includes an image scanner and a terminal device connected with the image scanner. The terminal device accepts a password, stores an image encryption key, encrypts the image encryption key with the password, sends the encrypted image encryption key to the image scanner, receives image data encrypted from the image scanner, and decrypts the image data encrypted using one of the image encryption key and an image decryption key corresponding to the image encryption key. The image scanner receives the encrypted image encryption key from the terminal device, accepts a password, decrypts the encrypted image encryption key with the password, performs document scanning to create image data, encrypts the image data using the image encryption key decrypted, and sends the image data encrypted to the terminal device.