Server-Mediated Printer Authentication for Client Terminals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Client terminals, such as PCs, cannot acquire and display information from printing devices on a network without the necessary authentication information, particularly in business environments where such information is not readily available.

Innovation Solution

A printing system where a server registers and manages authentication information for multiple printing devices and transmits this information to client terminals upon request, allowing the client terminals to acquire and display device information without pre-existing authentication details. This system includes a client terminal with a reception unit to receive authentication information, a device information acquisition unit to gather data from the printing devices, and a display unit to show the information to users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If SNMP v3 authentication function is implemented, then security and reliability of information acquisition are improved, but ease of operation deteriorates because client terminals need to have authentication information of printers beforehand

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity of information acquisitionVSAvoidease of acquiring printer information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A server is introduced as an intermediary between the client terminal and the printer. The server stores authentication information and provides it to client terminals upon request, eliminating the need for clients to have authentication information beforehand while maintaining secure communication with SNMP v3 printers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The server preliminarily stores and manages authentication information for printers before clients need to access them. When a client requests printer information, the server has already prepared the necessary authentication credentials, allowing seamless operation without requiring clients to have authentication information in advance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If client terminals search for printers without authentication information, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates because information cannot be acquired from SNMP v3 printers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of searching for printersVSAvoidability to acquire printer information

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The server acts as a mediator that enables client terminals to search for and access information from printers without having authentication information themselves. The server handles the authentication process, allowing clients to simply search for printers while maintaining reliable information acquisition through proper authentication

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If authentication information is stored on client terminals, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases because each client must manage authentication credentials for multiple printers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of authenticationVSAvoidcomplexity of authentication management

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The server serves as a centralized intermediary that manages authentication information for multiple printers. Instead of each client terminal storing and managing authentication credentials for multiple printers, the server consolidates this management function, significantly reducing the complexity at the client side while maintaining ease of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The server provides a universal authentication information management service that works for multiple different printers. Rather than requiring each client to have printer-specific authentication information, the server provides a universal mechanism that handles authentication for any printer the client needs to access

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9930216B2Printing system, computer readable recording medium stored with printing device search program, and computer readable recording medium stored with printing device control program for acquiring and displaying information without requiring client terminal authentication

Publication Date: 2018.03.27 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

In a printing system in which a client terminal, a server, and a plurality of printing devices are connected to one another via a network, the server has a registration unit in which authentication information of the printing devices is registered, and a transmission unit that transmits the authentication information registered in the registration unit to the client terminal, and the client terminal has a reception unit that receives the authentication information transmitted by the transmission unit, an acquisition unit that provides the printing device with the authentication information received by the reception unit thereby acquiring information regarding the printing device from the printing device, and a display unit that displays a list of information regarding the printing device acquired by the acquisition unit.