Image Transfer Control for Reusable Cross-Service Sortation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image sorting technologies require users to manually input sortation conditions for each external service, leading to redundant work when the same conditions are desired for multiple services.

Innovation Solution

An image transfer apparatus and method that allows users to define sortation conditions once, which are then applied consistently across multiple external services, enabling automatic sorting based on predefined criteria.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If sortation conditions are manually input for each external service, then the sorting can be customized for each service, but the user workload increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecustomization for each serviceVSAvoiduser workload
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically generating sortation conditions based on previously registered conditions before the user needs to use them. When a new external service is added, the system proactively creates sortation conditions by reusing existing ones, so that when the user needs to sort images, the conditions are already prepared and customized appropriately for each service.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses copying by replicating previously registered sortation conditions and applying them to new external services. Instead of requiring users to manually recreate the same conditions for each service, the system copies the existing conditions and adapts them automatically, significantly reducing repetitive user input while maintaining service-specific customization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Productivity

If sortation conditions are registered for one external service, then those conditions can be used for that service, but reusing them for another service requires manual re-input

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesorting efficiencyVSAvoidrepeated input requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements universality by making sortation conditions service-agnostic and reusable across multiple external services. A single registered sortation condition can be automatically applied to multiple different services (e.g., backup service, edit service, sharing service), allowing the same sorting logic to serve multiple functions without requiring separate configurations for each service.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically associating previously registered sortation conditions with new external services before the user needs to use them. When a new service is registered, the system proactively reuses existing sortation conditions that match the service requirements, so that when the user needs to perform sorting operations, the conditions are already configured and ready to use across multiple services.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Extent of automation

If automatic sorting is implemented without condition reuse, then sorting can be performed for each service independently, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic sortingVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses copying to simplify complexity by replicating existing sortation conditions rather than creating new ones for each service. This approach maintains automatic sorting functionality while reducing system complexity, as the same sorting logic is reused across multiple services through copying rather than through complex service-specific configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4637130A1Image transfer apparatus, control method, and program
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 CANON KK
  • EP4637130A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4637130A1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4637130A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An image transfer apparatus (120) for transferring a received image to a transfer destination, the image transfer apparatus includes a management unit (323) configured to manage first information in which sortation conditions to sort the received image are held; an association unit (327) configured to associate a sortation condition selected by a user from among the sortation conditions included in the first information with a transfer destination selected by the user; and a transfer unit (330) configured to transfer the received image to a specified transfer destination.