Scanner Image Conversion via External Terminal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image processing apparatuses, such as MFPs, face increased costs due to the use of LCDs for displaying settings, leading to decreased user convenience as users cannot perform image settings during scanning operations, especially when originals are character-oriented or line image-oriented documents, resulting in suboptimal scanned image quality.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus connected to an external user terminal, featuring a scanner unit, information acquisition unit, image storing unit, type acquisition unit, and image conversion unit, which allows users to acquire and convert scanned images based on desired types via a network, eliminating the need for on-device setting selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an LCD is equipped for displaying settings, then user convenience for setting image qualities is improved, but apparatus cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The setting interface is extracted from the apparatus itself and relocated to the external terminal device. The apparatus no longer needs to display settings on its own LCD, but instead provides setting capabilities through the user's terminal device via network communication, thereby reducing apparatus cost while maintaining user convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
A network communication intermediary is introduced between the apparatus and the user. Instead of direct interaction through an on-device LCD, the user interacts with the apparatus remotely through their terminal device, which acts as an intermediary interface for setting image qualities and other parameters.
2Adaptability or versatility
If default setting is set to color setting, then general scanning capability is maintained, but scanned image contrast decreases for character-oriented or line image-oriented documents
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning setting is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. Users can switch between color setting for general scanning and binary setting for character-oriented or line image-oriented documents based on their specific needs, allowing the system to adapt to different document types and optimize scanned image contrast accordingly.
3Manufacturing precision
If frequently-used setting is set to binary image setting, then scanned image contrast is improved for character-oriented documents, but color scanning capability is lost when color images are required
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning setting is made dynamically changeable from binary to color mode. Users can switch settings based on document type: binary setting for character-oriented documents to maximize contrast, and color setting when color images are required, thereby maintaining both high contrast capability and color scanning versatility.
4Device complexity
If no LCD is equipped, then apparatus cost decreases, but user convenience for performing settings decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The setting function is extracted from the apparatus and relocated to the user's terminal device. The apparatus maintains minimal hardware without an LCD, while full setting capabilities are provided remotely through the terminal device via network communication, preserving user convenience without increasing apparatus cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The user's terminal device serves itself as the setting interface for the apparatus. Instead of requiring the apparatus to provide its own display and control interface, the user leverages their existing terminal device to perform all setting operations, making the apparatus self-sufficient in terms of interface provision.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus connected to an external user terminal includes a scanner unit that optically reads an original to acquire a scanned image, an information acquisition unit that acquires user information, an image storing unit that stores the scanned image in association with the user information, a type acquisition unit that acquires an image conversion type, which indicates a desired converted image type, from the external user terminal, and an image conversion unit that, in response to acquiring the image conversion type, reads out a scanned image from the image storing unit based on the user information and converts the read-out scanned image into an image of the acquired image conversion type.