Authentication-Based Meeting Material Output System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing material output systems for meetings are cumbersome, leading to inefficiencies such as redundant printing, long wait times, and inconvenience for participants, as they require manual selection and onsite presence for printing meeting materials.
Innovation Solution
A material output system that includes a meeting information storage unit, authentication units, and output units connected via a network, allowing for authentication-based automatic output of meeting materials to participants based on their scheduled meetings, with options for electronic or paper output and selection of available printers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If meeting materials are printed in advance for all participants, then material distribution is simplified, but paper waste increases due to absent participants
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing meeting material data and participant information in advance, and by pre-establishing the correspondence between output units and meeting rooms. When a participant arrives, the system can quickly retrieve and print their materials without requiring advance printing for all participants, thus avoiding paper waste while maintaining efficient distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing participants to automatically receive their meeting materials through authentication at the meeting room. The material distributing apparatus automatically identifies participants and provides their materials without requiring manual distribution by the organizer, thus simplifying the distribution process while printing only what is needed.
2Loss of substance
If participants print materials on their own in advance, then paper waste is reduced, but the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by allowing participants to automatically receive their meeting materials through authentication at the meeting room. The material distributing apparatus automatically identifies participants and provides their materials without requiring manual distribution by the organizer, thus simplifying the distribution process while printing only what is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The material distributing apparatus acts as an intermediary between the meeting management server and participants. It automatically retrieves participant information and meeting materials, processes authentication, and distributes materials without requiring participants to manually access servers or printers, thus simplifying the process for users.
3Loss of substance
If materials are printed at the meeting room only when participants arrive, then paper waste is minimized, but wait time increases and participants may be late
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing meeting material data and participant information in advance, and by pre-establishing the correspondence between output units and meeting rooms. When a participant arrives, the system can quickly retrieve and print their materials without requiring advance printing for all participants, thus avoiding paper waste while maintaining efficient distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from RFID tags or authentication to immediately identify participants upon their arrival at the meeting room. This triggers the automatic retrieval and printing of their materials, minimizing wait time while still printing only when needed, thus balancing waste reduction with time efficiency.
4Reliability
If participants must be present at the meeting room to print materials, then material distribution is controlled, but participants cannot obtain materials from other locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes correspondence between multiple output units and meeting rooms, allowing the material distributing apparatus to direct materials to different locations based on participant needs. Participants can receive materials at their current meeting room or have them sent to other designated output units, providing location flexibility while maintaining controlled distribution through authentication.
Data Source
AI summary
In a material output system, if it is determined that a meeting management server has stored therein meeting information in which an authenticated person is included in prospective participants in a meeting, in which an installation place of MFP that has performed authentication agrees with a meeting room where the meeting is held, and in which the present date and time is included in a meeting room reservation time, MFP is instructed to output a material saved in a location associated with the meeting information. If it is determined that such meeting information is not stored in the meeting management server, the material output system displays a screen to allow output of the material saved in the associated location, for at least one piece of meeting information in which the authenticated user is included in prospective participants in a meeting. Accordingly, the material can be promptly distributed to the participant in the meeting.