Print Control Server for SNS Printer Registration via Email
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in registering printers for use with social networking services (SNS) due to cumbersome processes, such as capturing code images, which increase the burden on users and make printer registration cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A print control server and system that facilitate printer registration by displaying an input screen on a terminal device for entering a unique printer email address, which is then verified against a database to associate the user account with the corresponding printer, eliminating the need for complex image capture procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If code image capture method is used for printer registration, then printer registration can be performed, but user burden increases and operation becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical process of capturing code images with a camera with an electronic data input process. Users simply enter their email address through a web form, and the system electronically processes this information to retrieve printer codes and complete registration. This substitution eliminates the need for physical image capture and processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential identification information (email address) from the complex code image capture process. By using the email address as the key input, the system separates the user identification function from the cumbersome code capture process, allowing registration to proceed through simple text input while the system handles the complex code retrieval and matching in the background.
2Loss of information
If code image capture is required, then printer ID can be transmitted, but user burden increases due to camera activation and image capture requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical action of activating a camera and capturing images with a simple electronic form submission. Users enter their email address through a web interface, and the system electronically retrieves and processes the associated printer identification information, eliminating the need for physical image capture operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-associating printer codes with user email addresses in a database before the registration process. When a user submits their email address, the system has already prepared the corresponding printer information, allowing for immediate retrieval and registration without requiring the user to perform complex real-time actions like image capture.
3Loss of time
If camera activation and code image capture are required, then printer registration can be completed, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the time-consuming code capture and processing steps from the user's workflow. By requiring only email address input, the system removes the need for users to spend time activating cameras, framing images, capturing photos, and processing image data. The system handles all complex processing in the background after receiving the simple email input.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the time-intensive mechanical process of image capture with an instantaneous electronic data submission process. Entering an email address through a web form is significantly faster than activating a camera, capturing an image, and processing it through recognition algorithms, thereby dramatically reducing the time required for printer registration.
Data Source
AI summary
A print control server that controls printing via an SNS includes a display controller that causes, when a printer registration request is received from an account of a user of the SNS, an SNS server that manages the SNS to display, on a terminal device operated by the user, an input screen on which an e-mail address that uniquely identifies a printer is entered, an acquisition unit that acquires the e-mail address entered on the input screen, and a registration unit that refers to a database which specifies, in advance, a correspondence relationship with an e-mail address with respect to a plurality of printers and that registers, when the e-mail address acquired by the acquisition unit matches any e-mail address specified in the database, the account in association with the printer identified by the e-mail address acquired by the acquisition unit.