Relay Server Mediating Service Access to Reduce Device Memory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of communication devices face inconvenience when accessing services from service providing servers, as they need to manage and remember multiple account information for different services, which can lead to increased memory usage and complexity in devices like MFPs.
Innovation Solution
A relay server is introduced to manage and relay data communication between service providing servers and communication devices, using relay account information to facilitate service access without the need for users to store or remember service account information directly on the device, thereby simplifying the process and reducing memory requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If communication devices store service account information for multiple services, then service access capability is improved, but device memory usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relay server acts as an intermediary between the communication device and multiple service providing servers. It stores the service account information in its own memory rather than requiring the communication device to store multiple service accounts. The relay server relays data communications between the communication device and various services, enabling service access without increasing device memory requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If communication devices manage multiple service accounts, then service access capability is improved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relay server serves as a mediator that handles account management and authentication logic. The communication device only needs to manage a single relay account with the relay server, while the relay server internally manages the complexity of multiple service accounts and their corresponding authentication mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the account management function by separating service account information from the communication device and placing it in the relay server. This segmentation allows the communication device to maintain simplicity while the relay server handles the complexity of managing multiple service accounts independently.
3Ease of operation
If relay server stores combination information, then user convenience is improved, but server memory usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relay server uses a unified combination information structure that can store multiple service account mappings in a standardized format. This universal storage approach allows efficient organization of multiple service accounts without requiring separate storage mechanisms for each service, optimizing memory usage while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A relay server may register combination information in an information memory. The combination information may include specific account information for a user who uses a communication device and first account information for the user. The first account information may be registered in the service providing server. The relay server may relay a data communication between the service providing server and the communication device by using the first account information included in the combination information including the specific account information in a case where the specific account information is received from the communication device after the combination information has been registered in the information memory. The data communication may be a communication for the communication device to receive a provision of a service from the service providing server.