Peripheral Device Function Button Illumination for Memory-Constrained Permission Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Peripheral devices with multiple functions face memory space issues when managing user permissions, especially as the number of users increases, and users with small display screens find it inconvenient to navigate and recognize usable functions.
Innovation Solution
A peripheral device configuration that uses function selection buttons with light emitting elements to differentiate between permitted and prohibited functions, along with a pattern information storage system to minimize memory usage, allowing users to easily recognize usable functions without the need for extensive memory storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If menu display data for each user is stored to manage user permissions, then user function restriction capability is improved, but memory space requirement increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential permission information (available/unavailable status of each function) from the complete menu display data, storing only this condensed information in memory rather than the full display data for each user
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simplified representation (copy) of permission data that captures only the necessary status information about function availability, rather than storing complete menu display data, thereby reducing memory requirements while maintaining permission management capability
2Loss of information
If all functions are displayed at once on a large display screen, then user recognition of usable functions is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates on small display screens due to scroll and switching operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different display strategies to different parts of the interface: function selection buttons provide immediate local feedback on usability, while the display screen shows a simplified overview, allowing each component to optimize for its specific function rather than requiring uniform display capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The function selection buttons automatically indicate their own usability status through lighting (illuminated when available, non-illuminated when unavailable), eliminating the need for users to interpret complex display information or perform scroll/switching operations to determine function availability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables users to quickly identify permitted functions on a small display screen while reducing memory consumption, eliminating the need for additional notification components and simplifying user operations by using existing buttons for function selection and notification.
Implementation Method 1
one or more light emitting elements corresponding to the function selection buttons
Data Source
AI summary
A peripheral device having one or more functions comprises: an input unit letting a user input identification information; function selection buttons each of which is previously associated with one of the functions and can be operated for selecting the associated function; a usage permission information storing unit previously storing usage permission information (indicating whether the use of each function has been permitted or not) while associating it with the identification information on each user; and a notification unit notifying the user whether the user is permitted to use each function or not when the identification information is inputted, by displaying the function selection buttons regarding functions that the user has been permitted to use and the function selection buttons regarding functions that the user has not been permitted to use in different styles discriminable from each other based on the usage permission information associated with the inputted identification information.