Unified API for Multi-Device Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
In offices and similar environments, the complexity of managing multiple devices with unique APIs, such as printers, copiers, and video conference systems, hinders developers' ability to create user-friendly solutions, as they must individually learn and integrate with each device's API, leading to delayed responses to user requests.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus and method that provides a common API independent of device type, allowing developers to create applications that interact with various devices through a unified interface, simplifying the process by acquiring usage authorization and specifying user account information to facilitate operations across multiple devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If each device has a unique API for enabling construction of device-specific solutions, then device functionality and control are improved, but developer complexity and time to respond to user requests increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal authentication system that works across multiple device types (image forming devices, communication devices, etc.) through a common API interface. The authentication apparatus provides unified login processing that is independent of device type, allowing a single authentication mechanism to serve multiple functions across different device categories.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an authentication apparatus as an intermediary component that mediates between the user and various devices with unique APIs. This mediator handles authentication requests through a common interface, translating universal authentication requests into device-specific operations without exposing device complexity to the developer.
2Ease of operation
If developers learn and investigate each device's unique API to provide solutions, then device-specific operations are improved, but response time to user requests decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication where user credentials are verified in advance through a common API before device-specific operations are initiated. The authentication apparatus pre-processes login requests and establishes session information that can be reused across multiple device operations, eliminating the need for repeated authentication investigations.
Solution Approach 2:
The common API provides universal authentication functionality that works across all device types, allowing developers to implement device-specific operations without needing to investigate each device's unique authentication API. This universal approach maintains ease of operation while significantly reducing response time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple device types with unique APIs are used in offices, then system versatility is improved, but ease of use and operation simplification deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the authentication function from device-specific operations. The authentication apparatus handles authentication independently through a common API, while device-specific functionalities remain separate. This segmentation allows multiple device types to be used without complicating the user experience, as authentication is handled uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal authentication mechanism that provides ease of use across multiple device types. The common API enables single sign-on functionality where users authenticate once and can access various devices (image forming devices, communication devices, etc.) without repeated authentication, maintaining system versatility while simplifying operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
An information processing apparatus (10), system, method, and a carrier means. The information processing apparatus acquires usage authorization information indicating authority to use any one of the plurality of types of devices (20) in response to an operation request not dependent on a type of the device (20) based on user identification information of a user requesting an operation, specifies user account information with respect to the device (20) related to the operation request based on the acquired usage authorization information, and cause the device to process the requested operation through an interface (12) corresponding to the device (20) based on the specified account information.