Network Authentication Server Decouples Image Forming Firmware Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face difficulties in accommodating various user authentication methods due to the complexity of changing firmware and insufficient processing capacity for biometric authentication, leading to increased development costs and prolonged authentication times.
Innovation Solution
An authentication system comprising an authentication information input device, an authentication server, and image forming apparatuses connected via a network, where the server performs user authentication and transmits results to the apparatuses, enabling them to switch between usable and unusable states based on authentication outcomes, thereby decoupling the need for firmware changes in the apparatuses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the image forming apparatus implements multiple authentication methods through firmware changes, then the adaptability to different authentication methods is improved, but the device complexity and development cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication processing function is extracted from the image forming apparatus and relocated to an external authentication server. The apparatus only retains the authentication information input unit and the state switching function, while the complex authentication verification is performed externally, thereby reducing firmware complexity while maintaining multi-authentication capability
Solution Approach 2:
An authentication server is introduced as an intermediary between the user and the image forming apparatus. The server handles the complex authentication processing for multiple authentication methods, acting as a mediator that allows the apparatus to support various authentication methods without implementing the complex verification logic itself
2Adaptability or versatility
If the image forming apparatus processes biometric information locally, then the adaptability to biometric authentication is improved, but the authentication time increases due to insufficient processing capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The biometric information processing function is extracted from the image forming apparatus and transferred to the external authentication server. The apparatus only captures and transmits biometric information, while the computationally intensive processing is performed on the server with sufficient processing capacity, thereby maintaining biometric authentication capability while reducing authentication time
Solution Approach 2:
The local processing mechanism is replaced with a network-based distributed processing mechanism. Instead of the apparatus performing all processing locally, the system substitutes local mechanical processing with network communication and remote server processing, leveraging the server's superior processing capacity to reduce authentication time
Data Source
AI summary
An authentication system includes an authentication information input device to which a user inputs authentication information, an authentication server, and at least one image forming apparatus, all connected via a network. The authentication server acquires the authentication information input via the authentication information input device and performs user authentication based on the authentication information. The authentication server includes a transmitter to transmit a result of the user authentication indicating whether or not the user authentication is successful and information of the user identified by the authentication information to at least one of the image forming apparatuses. The image forming apparatus includes a receiver to receive the result of the user authentication and the user information transmitted from the authentication server, and an apparatus controller to switch the image forming apparatus from an unusable state to a usable state according to the result of the user authentication and the user information.