Print Control Server for Chat System Administration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Administrators of group chats in social networking services face difficulties in managing and tracking printing activities performed by users within the chat system, as they lack visibility into the printing state and history of each user.
Innovation Solution
A print control server that acquires print instructions from users, executes printing tasks, and notifies the print history to administrators via the chat system, enabling administrators to monitor and manage printing activities effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a printing system is coupled to the SNS via a network to enable printing of files posted to the chat system, then users can print files from the chat system, but administrators cannot recognize the printing state performed by each user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the printing state information is automatically collected from the printing system and transmitted back to the chat system, making it visible to administrators. The printing state notification unit sends printing state information to the chat system, enabling administrators to monitor printing activities without disrupting the existing printing capability.
2Ease of operation
If printing instructions are processed automatically without user registration, then printing execution is simplified, but administrators cannot track which users performed printing
Solution Approach 1:
The chat system serves as an intermediary that connects users to the printing system. When a user posts a printing instruction to the chat system, the instruction is transmitted to the printing system, and the printing state information is returned through the chat system to the administrator. This intermediary mechanism enables automatic processing while maintaining user identification and tracking capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A print control server includes a print controller that acquires a print instruction entered by a user belonging to a group chat in a chat system provided by a social networking service (SNS) and causes a printer to execute printing in accordance with the print instruction, a history acquirer that acquires a print history, based on the print instruction, of the printer, and a notifier that notifies the print history in a chat form to an administrator of the group chat via the chat system.