Intermediary Device for Job Request Authentication and Cancellation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current data handling protocols for imaging devices are inadequate in preventing data loss due to limited processing resources and time constraints, which can lead to unauthorized access and data breaches, as they struggle to determine whether job requests meet data handling policies efficiently.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system where a computing device intercepts job requests, determines their authenticity and authorization by verifying digital signatures, and generates a cancellation request if they are not valid, thereby reducing processing resources utilized for non-authorized and non-authentic jobs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data handling protocols are implemented in imaging devices to verify job requests, then data security is improved, but processing resources are insufficient and time constraints increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

An intermediary device is introduced between the job request source and the imaging device. This intermediary verifies the authenticity and authorization of job requests using digital signatures before forwarding them to the imaging device, thereby maintaining data security without burdening the imaging device's limited processing resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The complex verification process for data handling policies is extracted from the imaging device and relocated to a separate intermediary device. This extraction allows the imaging device to focus on its core printing function while the intermediary handles the computationally intensive security verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Productivity

If imaging devices process all incoming job requests, then productivity is maintained, but unauthorized access and data breaches increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprinting throughputVSAvoidunauthorized access
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The intermediary device performs preliminary verification of job requests using digital signatures before they reach the imaging device. This preliminary action filters out unauthorized requests in advance, ensuring that only authenticated jobs are processed by the imaging device, thus maintaining productivity while preventing unauthorized access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by verifying the authenticity of job requests before processing. The intermediary checks digital signatures and validates authorization tokens in advance, preventing potentially harmful unauthorized requests from entering the printing system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Measurement precision

If verification of digital signatures is performed in imaging devices, then authorization accuracy is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthorization accuracyVSAvoidverification time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The time-consuming digital signature verification process is performed by an intermediary device rather than the imaging device. The intermediary handles the computationally intensive cryptographic operations, while the imaging device simply receives pre-verified jobs, thereby maintaining high authorization accuracy without significant verification time delays affecting printing throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3201813B1Cancellation requests
Publication Date: 2019.12.18 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP
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  • EP3201813B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3201813B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Examples disclosed herein relate to request authorization and authentication. Examples include to intercept a request from a processing pipeline of a device. The device to determine whether the request is authorized and authentic. The device to generate a cancellation request if the request is not authorized or not authenticated. The device to provide the cancellation request to the processing pipeline of the device.