Filtering MFP Consumables by Device ID
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face inconvenience in identifying and ordering consumable articles specific to their multifunction peripheral (MFP) devices due to the presentation of both available and unavailable items in existing image forming device utilization systems.
Innovation Solution
An information processing system that includes a notification unit to identify the MFP device, a storage unit to associate device information with consumable article information, a specifying unit to select relevant consumable articles, a generator to create an order image, and a display unit to present only available consumable articles for purchase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If all consumable articles (including those for other devices) are presented in the order screen, then the system provides comprehensive product information, but users experience inconvenience in finding articles available in their specific device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and displays only the consumable articles that are compatible with the user's specific device from the complete catalog. The server device identifies the device type and filters the order screen to show only relevant articles, removing incompatible items from view. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining information completeness on the server while presenting only necessary information to the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary identification of the user's device type and pre-filters the consumable article list before presentation. By automatically determining device compatibility in advance and preparing a customized order screen, the system eliminates the need for users to manually search through incompatible articles, thus improving ease of operation while preserving comprehensive information availability.
2Ease of operation
If the order screen displays only device-specific consumable articles, then user convenience is improved, but the system must implement complex device identification and filtering mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The device itself provides its identification information automatically to the server without requiring user input or manual device selection. The system enables self-service by having the device transmit its own type information, allowing the server to automatically determine compatibility and filter articles. This approach improves user convenience while minimizing the added complexity, as the device performs the identification function autonomously.
3Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive consumable article catalogs are maintained for all device types, then system versatility is improved, but the time required for users to find relevant articles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The server device performs preliminary filtering of the consumable article catalog based on the user's device type before the user needs to search. By pre-processing the article list and removing incompatible items in advance, the system maintains a comprehensive catalog for versatility while dramatically reducing the time users need to spend searching, as only relevant articles are presented from the start.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a notification unit configured to notify a server device of device information including identifying information for identifying an information processing device; a storage unit configured to store the identifying information and consumable article information that indicates a consumable article available in the information processing device identified by the identifying information so that each type of the identifying information is associated with the corresponding consumable article information; a specifying unit configured to specify, among a plurality of pieces of consumable article information stored in the storage unit, a piece of consumable article information associated with the identifying information included in the device information notified by the notification unit; a generator configured to generate an order image that encourages an order of a consumable article indicated by the piece of consumable article information specified by the first specifying unit; and a display unit configured to display the order image.