Scanner Network Registration via PC Mediator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Scanners with low information display/input capability struggle to reliably designate a destination PC for image data transmission in a network, making them less sharable among multiple PCs.
Innovation Solution
An image reading apparatus with a processor and memory that receives operational inputs to read images and register a transmission destination, allowing image data to be transmitted to a registered device through a network, even without a display device like an LCD.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a scanner includes a display device such as an LCD or a user interface with enough information display/input capability to allow destination PC designation, then the scanner can reliably transmit scan data to a desired PC, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces an information processing device (PC) as an intermediary to perform the destination designation function. Instead of requiring the scanner to have complex display/input capabilities, the PC's interface is used to select the destination PC from a list, and the scanner simply executes the transmission based on instructions from the information processing device. This mediator approach transfers the complexity from the scanner to the PC.
Solution Approach 2:
The information processing device automatically retrieves scan data from the scanner and handles the destination selection process without requiring the scanner to provide its own complex user interface. The system uses existing resources (PC's display and input devices) to accomplish the destination designation, allowing the scanner to remain simple while still achieving reliable destination specification.
2Device complexity
If a scanner does not include a display device or has a user interface with low information display/input capability, then the device complexity is reduced, but it becomes difficult to designate the destination PC when scan is performed
Solution Approach 1:
The information processing device acts as a mediator that receives the scan instruction from the user, retrieves scan data from the scanner, presents a list of available PCs for destination selection, and transmits the data to the selected destination. This allows scanners with simple interfaces to still provide easy destination designation by leveraging the information processing device's capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The information processing device serves multiple functions: it acts as the user interface for destination selection, retrieves scan data from the scanner, manages the transmission process, and handles error reporting. This multi-functional approach allows the scanner to remain simple while the information processing device compensates for the lack of advanced features.
3Ease of manufacture
If the scanner uses a simple user interface without display device, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the scanner is less sharable among multiple PCs
Solution Approach 1:
The information processing device serves as an intermediary that enables multi-PC shareability for scanners with simple interfaces. The mediator retrieves scan data from the scanner, presents destination options to the user, and manages transmission to the selected PC. This allows any scanner connected to the network to be shared among multiple PCs without requiring the scanner itself to have complex selection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by having the information processing device retrieve and prepare scan data from the scanner before transmission. The destination PC list is prepared in advance, and the transmission parameters are configured beforehand, allowing the simple scanner to participate in multi-PC sharing scenarios without needing to manage the complexity of destination selection itself.
Data Source
AI summary
An image reading apparatus includes: a reader configured to read an image to create image data representative of the image; a processor; and a memory storing instructions. According to the instructions, the processor receives first operational input for causing the reader to read the image and obtains a registration request transmitted from a first device that is one of at least one information processing device connected to the image reading apparatus through a network. The registration request is for registering the first device as a transmission destination to which the image data is to be transmitted. The processor registers the first device as the transmission destination, based on the obtained registration request. When the image data is created by the reader in response to receipt of the first operational input, the processor transmits the image data crated by the reader, to the registered first device.