LDAP Auto-Complete SSL Certificate Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional communication apparatuses experience significant delays and reduced convenience when using the LDAP protocol for auto-complete functions due to the need to connect to multiple LDAP servers, especially when SSL protocol is used, leading to processing inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A communication apparatus with an auto-complete function that verifies the SSL certificate of an LDAP server before obtaining address information, and strategically manages connections to LDAP servers to optimize processing speed by reducing unnecessary referrals and maintaining sessions with multiple servers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the LDAP protocol is used to obtain destination addresses from external servers, then the auto-complete function can access external address data, but processing delays occur due to connections to multiple LDAP servers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to external address dataVSAvoidprocessing delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs SSL certificate verification in advance before establishing LDAP connections. By verifying certificates beforehand and caching the verification results, the system avoids repeated verification processes during auto-complete operations, thereby reducing processing delays while maintaining secure access to external LDAP servers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically manages LDAP server connections by maintaining active sessions with multiple LDAP servers. Instead of establishing new connections for each auto-complete request, the system keeps connections alive and reusable, adapting the connection state based on whether verification has been performed and whether the connection is currently active

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If SSL protocol is used to connect to LDAP servers, then security is enhanced, but the time required for certificate verification increases processing delay

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidcertificate verification time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different verification strategies based on the specific context: it performs full SSL certificate verification when connecting to external LDAP servers for the first time, but uses cached verification results for subsequent connections to the same servers. This localized approach to verification intensity optimizes both security and performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If connections to multiple LDAP servers are maintained to handle referral objects, then complete address data can be obtained, but the complexity of managing multiple connections increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling referral objectsVSAvoidconnection management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the management of multiple LDAP server connections into a unified session management system. It maintains a centralized registry of active LDAP server sessions and their verification states, coordinating connections to multiple servers through a single management interface that tracks which servers have been verified and are currently connected

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary session management layer that mediates between the auto-complete function and multiple LDAP servers. This intermediary handles the complexity of managing multiple connections, tracking verification states, and coordinating referrals, thereby shielding the user and application logic from the underlying complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10015160B2Communication apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2018.07.03 CANON KK

AI summary

A communication apparatus has an auto-complete function using an LDAP protocol. The apparatus inputs character information, and verifies a certificate of an LDAP server. The apparatus obtains, by the LDAP protocol, address information including the character information input by the input unit after verifying the certificate of the LDAP server.