Reading System User Authentication and Permission Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current reading systems lack effective mechanisms for securely managing user permissions and authentication across different users and devices, leading to potential unauthorized access and inefficient communication in multi-user environments.

Innovation Solution

A reading system comprising a reading apparatus and a terminal apparatus that utilize identification, authentication, and permission units to securely manage user permissions, where the terminal apparatus transmits instructions to the reading apparatus only if the identification information of both users satisfies a certain condition, ensuring authorized access and reducing communication load.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the reading apparatus accepts instructions from any terminal apparatus, then the ease of operation is improved, but the security and reliability deteriorate due to potential unauthorized access

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidsecurity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

An authentication unit is introduced as an intermediary between the terminal apparatus and the reading apparatus. This authentication unit verifies authentication information (such as passwords or biometric data) before allowing the reading unit to execute instructions, thereby maintaining ease of operation while ensuring security through a mediating verification layer

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Authentication is performed in advance before the reading operation commences. The authentication unit verifies user credentials beforehand, and only after successful authentication does the reading unit proceed with the instructed operation, preventing unauthorized access while maintaining operational convenience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the reading apparatus processes all received instructions, then the productivity is improved, but the loss of energy increases due to processing invalid or unauthorized instructions

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Authentication verification is performed preliminarily before the reading unit processes instructions. By checking authentication information in advance, the system avoids wasting energy on processing invalid or unauthorized instructions, while still maintaining high productivity for authenticated legitimate operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The authentication verification step is extracted and separated from the main reading operation flow. This allows the system to filter out invalid instructions before they reach the energy-intensive reading unit, reducing unnecessary energy consumption while preserving productivity for valid operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If the system transmits authentication information for every operation, then the reliability is improved, but the communication network load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidcommunication load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Authentication information is transmitted and verified in advance before the actual reading operation. Once authenticated, the reading apparatus can process multiple subsequent instructions without requiring repeated authentication transmissions, thereby maintaining security while reducing overall communication network load

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of transmitting authentication information for every single operation, the system performs authentication once preliminarily and then allows a series of operations under that authenticated session. This partial authentication approach maintains reliability while significantly reducing the quantity of authentication data transmitted over the network

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8861004B2Reading system, terminal apparatus, reading apparatus, and information processing method
Publication Date: 2014.10.14 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP
  • US8861004B2 patent drawing
  • US8861004B2 patent drawing
  • US8861004B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A reading system includes a reading apparatus and a terminal apparatus. The reading apparatus includes following components. An identification unit identifies a first user. A reading unit reads an original document. A reception unit receives, from the terminal apparatus, authentication information of a second user and an instruction. An authentication unit performs authentication using the authentication information. A permission unit permits, if authentication is successful, the reading unit to read an original document in accordance with the instruction. The terminal apparatus includes following components. A first acquisition unit acquires, from the reading apparatus, identification information of the first user. The acceptance unit accepts an operation of the second user. The second acquisition unit acquires identification information of the second user. The transmission unit transmits, if the pieces of identification information satisfy a certain condition, an instruction corresponding to the accepted operation and the authentication information to the reading apparatus.