Print Job Username Mapping for Authentication-Based Image Forming
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses and information processing apparatuses using authentication services, mismatches in usernames can occur, leading to user inconvenience due to incorrect association of users logged in to the apparatuses and those submitting print jobs.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus is equipped with a requesting unit to authenticate users via an authentication server, an obtaining unit to retrieve user attributes, a setting unit to set usernames based on predefined rules, and an identifying unit to associate print jobs with users, using attribute values processed according to selected setting rules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user authentication is performed using an authentication server, then user security and access control are improved, but username mismatches between information processing apparatus and image forming apparatus occur, leading to incorrect user identification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (username conversion table and conversion processing) between the authentication server and the image forming apparatus. The authentication server issues usernames, and the image forming apparatus converts these usernames according to stored conversion rules before identifying print jobs. This intermediary conversion process resolves the mismatch between usernames generated by the authentication server and those required by the image forming apparatus, maintaining both authentication reliability and username matching accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If username processing rules are applied to align usernames across apparatuses, then user identification accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases due to multiple setting rules and processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing multiple username conversion rules in the image forming apparatus before actual print job processing occurs. The conversion rules are prepared in advance, allowing the system to quickly apply the appropriate conversion during authentication without complex real-time decision-making. This reduces operational complexity while maintaining high username matching accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a requesting unit configured to request an authentication server to authenticate a user of the image forming apparatus, a login unit configured to log the user in to the image forming apparatus in a case where the user is successfully authenticated by the authentication server, an obtaining unit configured to obtain an attribute value of the user from the authentication server, a setting unit configured to set a username of the user based on the attribute value in accordance with a setting rule selected from a plurality of setting rules, and an identifying unit configured to identify a print job having the username as a print job of the user. The plurality of setting rules include a setting rule that sets, as the username, a value obtained by processing the attribute value.