MFP End Notification Mail Attachment Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multifunction peripherals (MFPs) face challenges in securely transmitting job end notification mails, as they often lack the ability to attach original document content, leading to information leakage risks when the 'limit mail transmission to oneself' function is set, and users cannot easily access job performance results without directly accessing the MFP.
Innovation Solution
The MFP generates image data from the original document, attaches it to an end notification mail, and decides whether to permit attachment based on the transmission destination, ensuring secure transmission and user accessibility of job performance results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the 'limit mail transmission to oneself' function is set to prevent information leakage, then security is improved, but users cannot transmit E-mails to addresses other than their own mail address, reducing ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of transmission destinations. When the limitation function is active, the system allows job end notification mails to be transmitted to addresses other than the user's own mail address, while still restricting other types of E-mail transmissions. This selective approach maintains security for sensitive operations while enabling notification functionality.
2Loss of information
If a thumbnail image of the transmission original document is attached to the job end notification mail to enable content confirmation, then information accessibility is improved, but information leakage risk increases when transmitted to external addresses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by proactively preventing information leakage before it can occur. When the limitation function is active and the transmission destination is not the user's own mail address, the system automatically excludes the attachment of thumbnail images or other original document content from the job end notification mail. This preemptive measure blocks the potential leakage path while still allowing the notification to be sent.
3Ease of operation
If the MFP transmits job end notification mails to addresses other than the user's own mail address to enable remote access, then user convenience is improved, but security control is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the transmission permissions flexible and context-dependent. The system dynamically adjusts what can be transmitted based on two factors: whether the limitation function is active, and who the transmission destination is. When the limitation function is active and the destination is an external address, thumbnail attachments are blocked. When the destination is the user's own mail address or the limitation function is inactive, full transmission is allowed. This dynamic control maintains security while enabling convenience.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an image processing apparatus that is characterized by: reading an original document and generating image data; performing transmission of an electronic mail to which the image data is attached; performing, according to an end of the transmission of the electronic mail, transmission of an end notification mail for notifying the end of the transmission of the electronic mail; setting a transmission destination to which the end notification mail is transmitted; and deciding whether or not to permit the attachment of the image data to the end notification mail, according to the transmission destination.