Proxy Print Job Routing via User Identification Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing print systems require pre-set associations between keywords and users for authentication, limiting convenience in proxy printing as only specific image-forming apparatuses can perform printing, restricting flexibility in choosing arbitrary devices for print jobs.
Innovation Solution
A print system where user terminals transmit print jobs with identification information specifying the intended image-forming apparatus user, allowing the information processing apparatus to manage and route print jobs to any available device, enabling proxy printing convenience by including a determiner to verify user registration and cancel jobs if the user is not registered on the target apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pre-set associations between keywords and users are required for authentication printing, then security is maintained, but convenience and flexibility in proxy printing deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the authentication function from the print execution function. The user terminal performs authentication and generates a print job with identification information, while the image-forming apparatus executes the print job. This segmentation allows any authenticated user to print on any apparatus without pre-configuring user-apparatus associations, resolving the contradiction between security and convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The print job itself acts as an intermediary carrier that transports identification information from the user terminal to the image-forming apparatus. This intermediary mechanism enables the user to specify the target apparatus through the print job data structure, eliminating the need for pre-set associations while maintaining secure authentication.
2Device complexity
If only predetermined image-forming apparatuses can perform authentication printing, then system control is simplified, but adaptability and flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the image-forming apparatus universal by enabling any apparatus to execute print jobs from any authenticated user. The apparatus only needs to verify the print job structure and execute it, without requiring pre-configured associations with specific users. This universality greatly enhances adaptability while keeping system control simple.
3Adaptability or versatility
If user identification information is included in print jobs for arbitrary apparatus printing, then proxy printing flexibility improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The user terminal performs preliminary authentication and embeds identification information in the print job before transmission. This preliminary action ensures that the image-forming apparatus only needs to execute the pre-authenticated job without performing complex verification, thereby increasing flexibility while minimizing the complexity increase at the apparatus side.
Data Source
AI summary
In a print system, a user terminal generates a print job including identification information of an apparatus user of an image-forming apparatus designated by a terminal user and transmits the print job to an information processing apparatus (print server). The apparatus user of the image-forming apparatus requests a list of print jobs including identification information of the apparatus user to the information processing apparatus. When receiving target print job data from the information processing apparatus together with the print job list, the image-forming apparatus executes the print job in accordance with an operation of the apparatus user specified by the terminal user.