Terminal Authentication Storage for Image Forming Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing image forming systems, authentication information required by a print server is not conveyed to the user operating the client, leading to incomplete input of authentication details during printing processes.
Innovation Solution
An image forming system that includes a terminal apparatus with a data transmitting unit, an identification information storage unit, an authentication information storage unit, and an authentication information transmitting unit, which transmits necessity information and authentication details to a server apparatus, ensuring authentication information is acquired and transmitted when required, and a server apparatus with a data receiving unit and an output unit to handle the authentication information for image formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a print server performs authentication requests automatically, then authentication security is improved, but user awareness of authentication requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal apparatus receives necessity information from the print server indicating whether authentication is required, and displays this information to the user. This feedback loop ensures the user is aware of authentication requirements while the automated process continues securely in the background.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal apparatus acts as an intermediary between the user and the print server. It receives authentication necessity information from the server, presents it to the user for awareness, and then automatically transmits the authentication information to the server without requiring direct user interaction with the authentication process.
2Productivity
If automated authentication transmission is implemented, then printing efficiency is improved, but authentication information completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal apparatus stores authentication information in advance in its storage unit. When the print server requests authentication, the terminal apparatus can immediately transmit the pre-stored authentication information without requiring the user to input it at that moment, thus maintaining both efficiency and completeness.
3Ease of operation
If authentication information is stored and transmitted automatically, then ease of operation is improved, but information security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication information is extracted and stored separately in the terminal apparatus's storage unit, distinct from the main processing flow. This separation allows the information to be securely stored and only transmitted when explicitly required by the print server, balancing ease of operation with information security.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming system includes a terminal apparatus including a data transmitting unit that transmits data indicating an image formed by an image forming apparatus and necessity information indicating whether authentication information is required for forming the image, to a server apparatus, an identification information storage unit that stores identification information for identifying the data transmitted by the data transmitting unit in a storage unit, an authentication information storage unit that acquires authentication information from a user, with storage of the identification information as a trigger, and stores the acquired authentication information in association with the identification information in the storage unit, and an authentication information transmitting unit that acquires the authentication information from the storage unit and transmits the authentication information to the server apparatus; and the server apparatus including a data receiving unit that receives the data and the necessity information transmitted by the data transmitting unit, an authentication information receiving unit that receives authentication information transmitted from the authentication information transmitting unit, and an output unit that outputs the data and the authentication information to the image forming apparatus, in a case where the necessity information received by the data receiving unit indicates that the authentication information is required.