Image Communication Apparatus Sender Authentication

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional image communication apparatuses allow operators to set false sender information during image transmission, leading to security issues due to inadequate authentication and verification processes.

Innovation Solution

An image communication apparatus that includes an authentication unit for verifying operator passwords, a reader for retrieving appropriate sender information from a storage, and a transmitting unit that ensures only valid sender information is used for image data transmission, preventing transmission if the information is inappropriate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the operator sets sender information manually, then the operator can freely set sender information, but false sender information may be set leading to poor security

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of setting sender informationVSAvoidsecurity of sender information

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically obtaining sender information from the user management system before the transmission process. The sender information is retrieved and stored in advance based on the authenticated operator's ID, eliminating the need for manual input and preventing false information from being set.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The user management system acts as an intermediary between the operator and the sender information. Instead of the operator directly setting sender information, the system mediates by automatically retrieving it from the user management system based on the operator's authentication, ensuring both ease of operation and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If sender information is obtained from user management system, then security is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity of sender informationVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The user management system serves multiple functions: it stores operator authentication information and also provides sender information for transmissions. By making the user management system universal, the patent avoids adding separate systems for sender information management, thus improving security without significantly increasing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual sender information setting is allowed, then flexibility is improved, but measurement precision of sender information authenticity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in setting sender informationVSAvoidaccuracy of sender information verification

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by verifying the obtained sender information against the user management system records. After automatically obtaining sender information, the system confirms its validity by checking against the stored user data, ensuring accurate verification while maintaining operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS7690028B2Image communication apparatus

Publication Date: 2010.03.30 CANON KK

AI summary

An image communication apparatus includes a central processing unit for verifying at least a password, entered by an operator, against authentication information stored in an external storage to authenticate the operator. When the operator is authenticated, sender information corresponding to the operator is read from the external storage. When the sender information is inappropriate, the image communication apparatus prevents the operator from transmitting image data.