Image Processing Handover via NFC and WFD

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing handover technique for wireless communication between image processing devices is inefficient, as it requires waiting for long-range communication to be established before starting a job, leading to prolonged execution times for tasks like scanning and printing.

Innovation Solution

The system allows for the transmission of connection information and specific job-related data via short-range communication using NFC, enabling processing steps to begin before establishing long-range communication using protocols like WFD, thereby reducing the overall job completion time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the known handover technique is used to establish long-range wireless communication before starting job processing, then communication reliability is improved, but job execution time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidjob execution time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by transmitting connection information and specific job-related data via short-range NFC communication before establishing long-range wireless communication. This allows the image processing apparatus to prepare and start processing steps in advance, so that when the long-range connection is established, the job can continue or complete more quickly, thus reducing overall execution time while maintaining communication reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If only connection information is transmitted via short-range wireless communication in the known handover technique, then communication protocol compatibility is improved, but information transmission completeness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication protocol compatibilityVSAvoidinformation transmission completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments information transmission into two phases: first transmitting connection information via short-range NFC communication to establish protocol compatibility, then transmitting additional specific job-related data also via short-range communication before handover. This segmentation allows both protocol compatibility and information completeness to be achieved by dividing the transmission task across different communication protocols at appropriate stages

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Stability of the object's composition

If the system waits for long-range communication establishment before transmitting job-related data, then communication stability is improved, but processing efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication stabilityVSAvoidprocessing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary transmission of specific job-related data via stable short-range NFC communication before establishing the long-range connection. This preliminary action allows the image processing apparatus to receive and prepare job data in advance, improving processing efficiency without compromising communication stability since the critical handover phase uses the more stable short-range protocol

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2725481B1Image processing systems, data processing apparatuses, and data processing method
Publication Date: 2019.09.25 BROTHER KOGYO KK
  • EP2725481B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2725481B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2725481B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Image processing systems include image processing apparatuses and information processing apparatuses. Image processing apparatuses include first and second communication devices, which communicate using first and second communication protocols, respectively. Information processing apparatuses include third and fourth communication devices, which communicate using the first and second communication protocols, respectively. First and third communication devices communicate therebetween using the first communication protocol to transmit connection information therebetween. The connection information includes information for establishing communication using the second communication protocol. Second and fourth communication devices use the connection information to establish communication therebetween using the second communication protocol to transmit image data therebetween. Image processing apparatuses and information processing apparatuses start processes for completing a job prior to second and fourth communication devices establishing communication therebetween using the second communication protocol.