Network Scanner Service Entry Management via Dynamic Memory Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network scanners face inefficiencies in managing user terminal and service entry information, including the need for manual registration, limited memory capacity, and failure in delivering image data due to unregistered or offline user terminals, as well as uneven memory allocation for varying service entries.
Innovation Solution
An image input apparatus with a service entry storage space and a mechanism to reserve and update service entry areas, allowing for the registration of multiple service entries at once and managing them based on availability and last accessed dates to optimize memory use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user terminal information is manually registered on the network scanner console, then the network scanner can deliver image data to specified user terminals, but the operation becomes bothersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic registration where user terminals automatically register themselves with the network scanner without manual intervention. The terminal's operating system handles the registration process by sending its identification information to the scanner, making the system serve itself rather than requiring user operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The network scanner acts as an intermediary that receives automatic registration requests from user terminals and manages the stored information. The scanner mediates between multiple terminals and the image data delivery process, maintaining a registry of available terminals without requiring manual configuration.
2Ease of operation
If user terminal information is automatically registered from running user terminals, then the registration process becomes convenient, but delivery of image data fails when registered user terminals are not ON
Solution Approach 1:
The network scanner periodically checks or updates the status of registered user terminals to determine their availability. Instead of relying on static registration information, the system performs periodic status verification to identify which terminals are currently ON and available for receiving image data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where user terminals notify the network scanner of their availability status. When a terminal is ON or OFF, it provides feedback to the scanner, allowing the scanner to maintain an updated list of available destinations for image data delivery.
3Reliability
If user terminal information is stored in the network scanner memory, then image data can be delivered to user terminals, but memory usage becomes inefficient when user terminals are not being used
Solution Approach 1:
The network scanner automatically removes or discards user terminal information from its memory when that terminal is no longer available or has been inactive for a period. This prevents permanent storage of obsolete terminal data, recovering memory space for active terminals and improving overall memory utilization efficiency.
4Ease of manufacture
If an equal amount of memory area is allocated to each user, then memory sharing is simplified, but memory allocation becomes impractical when users need varying numbers of service entries
Solution Approach 1:
The memory allocation system transitions from static equal allocation to dynamic allocation based on actual user needs. The network scanner automatically adjusts the amount of memory allocated to each user's service entries according to their current requirements, allowing flexible adaptation while maintaining simple automated management.
Data Source
AI summary
A disclosed image input apparatus is connected via a network to one or more information processing apparatuses and is capable of registering multiple service entries at once according to a registration request sent from any one of the information processing apparatuses. The disclosed image input apparatus includes a service entry storage space; a service entry area reservation unit configured to reserve service entry areas in the service entry storage space; and a service entry update unit configured to register the service entries in the reserved service entry areas if available and to register the service entries in non-reservation areas of the service entry storage space if the reserved service entry areas are not available.