License Management Integrating Unit for Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing licenses for image forming apparatuses with different software architectures and hardware structures is complex, leading to user burden and disincentive to replace old apparatuses with new ones, as existing solutions struggle to handle varied license managing methods and communication protocols.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus equipped with multiple license communication control units, license managing units, and a license management integrating unit that can decode and set licenses based on different managing methods, allowing it to communicate with various servers and manage licenses across different protocols, simplifying the process of installing and managing applications and licenses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple license managing units support different license managing methods, then adaptability to various apparatuses is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The image forming apparatus is designed with multiple license communication control units and license managing units that can handle different license managing methods (first and second methods). This multi-functional design allows the apparatus to universally support both old and new apparatuses with different software architectures, resolving the contradiction by making the system adaptable to various license managing methods while managing the inherent complexity through structured organization of multiple specialized units.
Solution Approach 2:
The license management integrating unit acts as an intermediary that receives license setting requests, determines which license managing method to use based on the request type, and directs the request to the appropriate license managing unit. This mediator component simplifies the user interface by providing a unified entry point while handling the complexity of multiple license managing methods internally, thus improving adaptability without significantly increasing user-perceived complexity.
2Measurement precision
If users manually select managing methods for each apparatus, then license management precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The license management integrating unit automatically determines which license managing unit should process the request based on the received license setting request, without requiring user intervention to select the managing method. The system performs self-service by autonomously routing requests to the appropriate license managing unit (first or second), thereby maintaining license management accuracy while significantly improving ease of operation for users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the license setting request itself (such as request type or apparatus identification) to automatically determine the appropriate license managing method. This feedback mechanism allows the system to accurately select the correct managing method based on the incoming request characteristics, ensuring precision while eliminating the need for manual user selection and thereby improving operational convenience.
3Adaptability or versatility
If old and new image forming apparatuses coexist, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The license management system is segmented into distinct license communication control units and license managing units, each specialized for handling different license managing methods. This segmentation allows the system to independently manage communications with old apparatuses (using first license managing method) and new apparatuses (using second license managing method) without creating complex interdependencies, thereby maintaining apparatus compatibility while organizing system complexity into manageable, isolated modules.
Data Source
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AI summary
A disclosed image forming apparatus includes plural license communication control units receiving requests for setting license data having different license managing types, a plurality of license managing units decoding the license data and set licenses by enabling to use the license data, and a license management integrating unit selecting one of the plural license managing units in which the license corresponding the request for setting the license data is set depending on one of the plural license communication control units which receives the request for setting the license data.