Ticket Intermediary for Image Processing Server Load Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing ticket-based single sign-on systems for image processing devices are inefficient as they require users to repeatedly authenticate and store underlying tickets, leading to increased load on authentication servers and potential security risks due to ticket misuse.

Innovation Solution

An image processing system where an information processing device acquires and stores underlying tickets from an authentication server, then uses these tickets to obtain access tickets for image processing devices, allowing them to access job cooperation servers without directly contacting the authentication server, thus reducing server load and enhancing security by minimizing ticket storage on image processing devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the image processing device stores the underlying ticket locally, then the user can access the job cooperation server without repeated authentication, but the security is compromised and the ticket may be misused by third persons

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveoperabilityVSAvoidsecurity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an information processing device as an intermediary that holds the underlying ticket and issues service tickets to the image processing device on demand. This mediator approach allows the image processing device to access the job cooperation server without storing the underlying ticket locally, thus maintaining security while enabling convenient access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the underlying ticket is deleted every time the user is replaced, then the security is improved, but the operability is lowered and the authentication server load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidoperability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The information processing device performs preliminary authentication and stores the underlying ticket in advance. When the user needs to access the job cooperation server, the service ticket is issued based on the pre-stored underlying ticket, eliminating the need for repeated authentication and reducing the authentication server load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The information processing device acts as an intermediary that manages the underlying ticket centrally. This allows multiple image processing devices to obtain service tickets without repeatedly authenticating with the authentication server, improving operability while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the image processing device acquires the ticket from the authentication server at job execution time, then the security is improved by not storing tickets, but the job execution time is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidjob execution time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The information processing device performs preliminary authentication and issues service tickets in advance before the actual job execution. The image processing device receives and stores these service tickets, enabling rapid job execution without the need to contact the authentication server at the time of job execution, thus avoiding time loss while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple image processing devices share the same authentication server, then the centralized management is achieved, but the authentication server load becomes extremely heavy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecentralized managementVSAvoidserver load

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The information processing device serves as an intermediary between multiple image processing devices and the authentication server. It centrally manages the underlying ticket and issues service tickets to multiple image processing devices, enabling centralized management while significantly reducing the authentication server load by eliminating repeated authentication requests.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8630006B2Image processing system, information processing device, non-transitory computer readable medium, and job execution method

Publication Date: 2014.01.14 KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECH INC

AI summary

An image processing system comprises a job cooperation server for executing a predetermined processing necessary for execution of a job; an image processing device for cooperating with the job cooperation server and executing the job; an authentication server for executing user authentication and issuing an underlying ticket corresponding to a user and for issuing a ticket to use the job cooperation server based on the underlying ticket; and an information processing device for acquiring and storing the underlying ticket by sending a request for authentication to the authentication server and for acquiring the ticket to use the job cooperation server from the authentication server with the underlying ticket. The information processing device acquires the ticket to use the job cooperation server from the authentication server with the underlying ticket and transmits to the image processing device. The image processing device executes the job through cooperation with the job cooperation server.