Output Destination Distribution Control with Confirmation Feedback

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional output destination distribution systems risk incorrectly distributing print or output data to unintended destinations, particularly when keywords from print data are used to determine output destinations.

Innovation Solution

A terminal device equipped with an output destination distribution control unit and a confirmation screen display determining unit that reads output destination information and displays a confirmation screen if the selected output destination does not match user-selected preferences, ensuring accurate data distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If output destination is determined automatically using keywords extracted from print data, then output destination distribution is automated and efficient, but there is a risk that print data is wrongly distributed to unintended output destinations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoutput destination distribution automationVSAvoidoutput destination accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by comparing the automatically determined output destination with the user's history information. When there is a mismatch between the automatically selected destination and the user's preferred destinations, the system provides feedback to the user through a confirmation screen, allowing correction of potential errors while maintaining automated operation for correct cases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-storing user preferences and history information about output destinations. This preliminary data is used to validate and correct automatically determined destinations before final distribution, preventing wrong distribution while maintaining automation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a confirmation screen is displayed for every output destination, then distribution accuracy is improved, but operation complexity and user burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoutput destination accuracyVSAvoiduser operation simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by providing confirmation screens only in specific local cases where the automatically determined output destination does not match the user's history information. For cases where they match, no confirmation is needed, maintaining simplicity. This selective approach ensures accuracy only where potential errors exist while preserving ease of operation for routine cases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If keyword-based destination determination is used, then distribution speed is improved, but risk of wrong distribution increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedistribution speedVSAvoiddestination determination accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-storing user preferences and history information about output destinations. This preliminary data is used to validate and correct automatically determined destinations before final distribution, preventing wrong distribution while maintaining automation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by comparing the automatically determined output destination with the user's history information. When there is a mismatch between the automatically selected destination and the user's preferred destinations, the system provides feedback to the user through a confirmation screen, allowing correction of potential errors while maintaining automated operation for correct cases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9946925B2Terminal device, output system and output method

Publication Date: 2018.04.17 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

A terminal device connected to one or more output devices via a network, includes an output destination distribution control unit that reads out an output destination of output data for which outputting is requested by a user from first information in which a condition for output data and an output destination are in correspondence with each other; and a confirmation screen display determining unit that refers to second information in which a user and an output destination that is previously selected by the user to distribute output data are in correspondence with each other, and causes, when the output destination read out from the first information is not in correspondence with the user in the second information, to display a confirmation screen of the output destination.