Network Storage Access Mediation for Image Processing Apparatuses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing apparatuses, such as multifunction peripherals, face difficulties in efficiently accessing and updating software to utilize various cloud storage services like Google Drive and OneDrive, requiring additional applications and software updates, which is cumbersome and impractical.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus with a communication device, access-right information storage, and control device facilitates data communication and access to network storage by associating user identification information with access rights, enabling seamless data upload and download without the need for software updates or additional applications on the image processing apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If image processing apparatuses use cloud storage services directly, then data access capability is improved, but device complexity and software update requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an information processing apparatus as an intermediary between the image processing apparatus and cloud storage services. This intermediary handles authentication, access right management, and data transfer, allowing the image processing apparatus to access cloud storage without integrating complex cloud service software directly into its system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If image processing apparatuses integrate cloud storage access, then data upload/download functionality is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to required software updates
Solution Approach 1:
The information processing apparatus serves as a mediator that manages cloud storage connections centrally. The image processing apparatus only needs to send simple requests to this intermediary, eliminating the need for complex software updates while maintaining full upload/download functionality.
3Productivity
If image processing apparatuses access network storage directly, then data processing capability is improved, but data processing burden on the apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The information processing apparatus acts as an intermediary that handles the complex data processing tasks for cloud storage access. The image processing apparatus can access network storage effectively while the intermediary manages the processing burden, separating the productivity benefit from the processing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus includes a communication device, an access-right information storage device, and a controller. The communication device performs data communication with an external device, via a network. The access-right information storage device contains access-right information with respect to a storage on the network, in association with user identification information for identifying a user. The controller makes access to the storage according to a processing request from the user, in a case where the access-right information, associated with the user identification information of the user requesting the processing, is stored in the access-right information storage device, when the communication device receives, from an external image processing apparatus, the processing request to the storage from the user, and causes the storage and the image processing apparatus to upload and download data between each other, via the communication device.