Print Controller Segmentation for Secure Job Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Print shop operators face challenges in analyzing print jobs with sensitive information, as encrypting the data prevents support agents from diagnosing errors without decrypting the files, which risks exposing sensitive information.
Innovation Solution
Generating print jobs with unencrypted print job commands and encrypted print data objects, along with auxiliary objects that visually represent the encrypted data, allowing error correction and analysis without decrypting the sensitive information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the print data objects are encrypted to protect sensitive information, then security is improved, but the ability to analyze and diagnose print job errors is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the print job into two distinct parts: encrypted print data objects (containing sensitive information) and unencrypted print job commands (containing structural and formatting information). This segmentation allows support agents to analyze the unencrypted command portion for errors while the encrypted data objects remain protected, thereby resolving the contradiction between security and error analysis capability.
2Reliability
If the print job commands are encrypted along with the print data objects, then security is improved, but the ease of operation for error correction is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by keeping print job commands unencrypted while encrypting only the print data objects. This allows operators to easily view and correct errors in the command structure, formatting specifications, and presentation parameters without needing decryption keys, while still protecting sensitive information in the data objects.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the decryption key is provided to support agents to enable full analysis, then error analysis capability is improved, but security is worsened due to potential exposure of sensitive information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the analytical information needed for error diagnosis from the encrypted print data objects and places it in the unencrypted print job commands. This extraction includes presentation parameters, formatting specifications, and structural definitions that are sufficient for error analysis without requiring access to the actual sensitive data content, thus eliminating the need to provide decryption keys to support agents.
4Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If auxiliary print data objects are generated to represent encrypted data, then error analysis capability is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates simplified copies of the encrypted print data objects in the form of auxiliary print data objects. These copies contain only the visual representation and presentation parameters needed for error analysis, such as outlines, positions, and formatting, without the actual sensitive content. This copying approach provides sufficient information for visual inspection while keeping the processing complexity relatively low.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment comprises a print controller that stores a first print job comprising print data objects and print job commands, processes the print job commands to identify the print data objects for the first print job, selects a subset of the print data objects for processing, and encrypts the subset of the print data objects using a key while the print data objects not selected for processing and the print job commands remain unencrypted, identifies outlines and presentation positions specified for the subset of the print data objects, and generates one or more auxiliary print data objects that graphically represent the outlines and the presentation positions of the subset of the print data objects. The print controller generates a second print job comprising the encrypted print data objects, the auxiliary print data objects, the unencrypted print data objects, and unencrypted print job commands, and provides the second print job.