Print Control Server Privilege Management for Group Chat Cost Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing print control systems in social networking services lack the ability to effectively manage and limit printing privileges for users within group chats, leading to potential cost increases and unauthorized changes in printer settings.
Innovation Solution
A print control server and method that detects print or setting instructions within a chat system, associates user identification information with privileges, and limits printing or setting configurations based on identified privileges, allowing for differentiated access and control among users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If all users in a group chat can use a printer uniformly, then ease of operation is improved, but printing cost control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different privileges to different users based on their roles in the group chat. Administrators have full printing access while general members have limited access. This differential privilege system allows the system to maintain ease of operation for authorized users while controlling printing costs by restricting unauthorized or excessive printing by general members.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all users can freely change printer settings, then adaptability is improved, but system reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by granting setting modification privileges exclusively to administrators while restricting general members from changing printer settings. This ensures system reliability and setting stability by preventing unauthorized changes, while still maintaining adaptability for administrators who need to configure printer parameters according to organizational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where administrators act as mediators between the printing system and general members. Administrators can approve or reject printing requests from general members and control setting modifications, thereby maintaining both system stability and necessary flexibility through this intermediate layer of authorization.
3Loss of energy
If printer access is restricted by privileges, then printing cost control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the printing system to automatically verify user privileges and enforce access controls without requiring manual intervention. The system autonomously determines whether a user has printing permissions based on their role, automatically approves or rejects printing requests, and manages setting modification rights. This automated privilege management reduces the perceived complexity for users while maintaining cost control.
Data Source
AI summary
A print control server includes a detector that detects a print instruction or a setting instruction entered by the user in the chat system provided by the SNS, a print controller that executes printing using a printer in accordance with the print instruction or configures a setting relating to the printer in accordance with the setting instruction, and a manager that associates identification information of the user with a privilege of the user in the chat system and stores the identification information and the privilege of the user. The print controller references the information stored by the manager to identify the privilege associated with the identification information of the user who has entered the print instruction or the setting instruction, and limits, based on the identified privilege, the printing to be executed in accordance with the print instruction or the setting to be configured in accordance with the setting instruction.