MFP Self-Registration via Device ID and Management Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for registering multi-function printers (MFPs) to web services are complicated, requiring users to input provisional registration IDs or refer to printed user codes, making the process cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that includes an instruction unit to request identification information from a management server, an identification information obtaining unit to obtain and transmit this information to a service provision server, and a user information transmission unit to handle user information requests, simplifying the registration process by issuing and managing printer IDs and user information within the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users input provisional registration IDs or refer to printed user codes for MFP registration, then the service provision server can authenticate the MFP, but the registration process becomes complicated and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The MFP performs self-registration by automatically transmitting its device ID to the service provision server without requiring user input of provisional registration IDs or printed codes. The system enables the MFP to register itself autonomously, eliminating the cumbersome manual procedures while maintaining authentication reliability through the device ID verification process.
2Reliability
If manual input procedures are required for registration, then authentication can be verified, but the registration process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The MFP is pre-configured with a unique device ID that serves as its authentication credential. This preliminary assignment of the device ID eliminates the need for time-consuming manual input procedures during registration, as the MFP can immediately transmit its pre-assigned identifier for verification, thus reducing registration time while maintaining authentication verification reliability.
3Device complexity
If the MFP has no web browser, then the device can function with minimal resources, but it cannot directly access or register with web services
Solution Approach 1:
The service provision server acts as an intermediary that accepts registration requests from the MFP using its device ID. Instead of requiring the MFP to have a web browser for direct web service access, the server mediates the registration process by receiving the device ID, verifying it, and establishing the connection, thus enabling web service access capability while maintaining device simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus includes: an instruction unit configured to instruct an image processing apparatus to request a management server to issue identification information; an identification information obtaining unit configured to obtain, from the image processing apparatus, the identification information issued to the image processing apparatus by the management server; an identification information transmission unit configured to transmit the obtained identification information to a service provision server; a request reception unit configured to receive a request to transmit user information necessary for using a predetermined service from the service provision server as a response to the transmission of the identification information; and a user information transmission unit configured to transmit the user information to the service provision server in response to the received transmission request.