Image Forming UI Lock With Timed Temporary Settings Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses require users to perform complex operations to transition between locked and unlocked states to display or hide setting screens, which is inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a user interface that transitions to a locked state preventing setting screen display, allowing temporary release through a different operation, and automatically returning to locked state after a period or event, without requiring additional user input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the user interface is locked to prevent setting screen display, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates because users must perform complicated operations to access settings
Solution Approach 1:
The locked state is made dynamic through temporary release functionality. The system transitions from a static locked state to a dynamic state where the lock can be temporarily lifted through specific operations (such as pressing a dedicated button or performing a sequence of actions). This allows the system to adapt its security state based on user needs, maintaining security while enabling easy access when required.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary mechanism is introduced between the locked state and the setting screen. This intermediary is the temporary release function, which acts as a bridge allowing users to access settings without permanently compromising security. The intermediary process involves specific trigger operations that temporarily lift the lock, enabling setting access while maintaining overall security posture.
2Ease of operation
If the setting screen is always displayed, then ease of operation is improved, but security deteriorates because the locked state cannot prevent setting access
Solution Approach 1:
The visibility of the setting screen is made dynamic rather than static. The system can transition between locked and temporarily released states, allowing the setting screen to be hidden when security is required and displayed when access is needed. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by making the interface adapt to security requirements while maintaining ease of operation when unlocked.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of state (locked/unlocked) to control setting screen visibility. By modifying the state parameter through temporary release operations, the system can switch between secure hidden state and accessible displayed state. This parameter change mechanism allows the system to prioritize security when needed while maintaining operational ease when unlocked.
3Reliability
If the locked state requires manual release operation, then security is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple state transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service through automatic state management. The temporary release function is designed to automatically revert to the locked state after a predetermined time period or when no operations are detected, eliminating the need for manual lock reapplication. This self-service mechanism reduces the operational burden on users while maintaining security, and the controller automatically manages the state transitions without requiring complex user interactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The locked state maintains continuous security protection through automatic re-engagement. The system continuously monitors the temporary release state and automatically returns to the locked state after the predetermined time period, ensuring continuous security without requiring discrete manual lock operations. This continuous action mechanism simplifies the user experience while maintaining robust security.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2F
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus configured to perform the display of a setting screen and non-display of the setting screen in a user interface which is in a locked state, without forcing the user to perform any complicated operation. A controller 23 causes a setting icon to transition to a locked state in response to an operation received via a user I/F 22. In a case where a temporarily releasing operation of temporarily releasing the locked state is performed while the user interface is in the locked state, the controller 23 causes the user I/F 22 to be in a temporarily released state. The controller 23 is configured to release the temporarily released state and to cause the user interface to return to the locked state, triggered by the temporarily released state having been continued for a predetermined period of time.