MFP Smartphone NFC Guide Display System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing information processing devices, such as multifunctional peripherals (MFPs), face challenges in providing user-friendly operation guidance due to limited expressive freedom in displaying guide information and requiring pre-association of device states and IDs for error help, which complicates user operability and error handling.
Innovation Solution
An information processing system comprising a smartphone and an MFP connected via NFC, where the smartphone receives a device ID and state ID from the MFP to retrieve and display corresponding guide information, enabling dynamic and detailed operation guidance without relying on server-managed state associations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If guide information is displayed on the display of the information device, then guide information can be provided to users, but the degree of freedom of expression is low and display operations become cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a terminal apparatus (smartphone) as an intermediary device that receives guide information from the information processing apparatus and displays it to the user. This mediator approach transfers the display burden from the MFP to the smartphone, giving users a more flexible and user-friendly interface without complicating the MFP's display operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent shifts the display dimension from the MFP's physical display screen to the smartphone's display screen. By using wireless communication to transmit guide information to another device (smartphone), the system leverages the smartphone's display capabilities which offer greater freedom of expression and easier user interaction.
2Reliability
If help information is provided based on pre-associated device states and IDs in a server, then error handling can be implemented, but the system requires complex pre-association management and server processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the error code and device ID from the MFP and transmits them to the terminal apparatus (smartphone). The smartphone then uses this information to retrieve appropriate help information locally or from a simplified source, eliminating the need for complex server-based pre-association management while maintaining reliable error handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal apparatus performs self-service by using the received device ID and error code to autonomously retrieve and display appropriate help information. This eliminates the need for complex server-side state management and association, as the smartphone independently processes the error information and provides relevant guidance.
3Loss of information
If the MFP display area is used for guide information, then guide information can be displayed, but the display area is insufficient for detailed operation methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent exploits the additional display dimension provided by the smartphone screen. By transmitting guide information wirelessly to the smartphone, the system leverages the smartphone's larger display area to present detailed operation methods and comprehensive guide information that would not fit on the MFP's limited display.
Solution Approach 2:
The smartphone acts as an intermediary that receives guide information from the MFP and expands upon it with detailed operation methods. This mediator approach allows comprehensive guide information to be displayed without constraining the MFP's display area, as the smartphone handles the detailed presentation.
Data Source
AI summary
The communication unit of an information processing apparatus can perform a wireless communication with a terminal apparatus. A state identifier indicating the state of the information processing apparatus is obtained, and a device identifier for identifying the information processing apparatus and the state identifier are transmitted to the terminal apparatus through the communication unit. The terminal apparatus holds additional information corresponding to a state of an information processing apparatus which can be identified by the device identifier, and can display the additional information.