Workflow Setting Management for Customizable Image Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image processing systems lack the ability for users to set customizable values for workflow settings, limiting flexibility and user-specific preferences.

Innovation Solution

An image processing system that allows users to designate and set user-settable values for workflow settings through a network-connected device, enabling customization of system settings via a manager terminal device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the image processing system allows users to set customizable values for workflow settings, then user flexibility and personalization are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments workflow settings into two distinct categories: system-settable values (managed by administrators) and user-settable values (managed by end users). This segmentation allows the system to provide customization flexibility to users while maintaining centralized control over critical parameters, thereby resolving the contradiction between user flexibility and system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring workflow templates with default system-settable values that are established before user interaction. This allows users to start with pre-defined configurations and only modify the specific parameters they need, reducing the perceived complexity while maintaining flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If administrators can designate system-settable values through a manager terminal, then control over critical parameters is improved, but operational procedures become more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol over critical parametersVSAvoidoperational procedures
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a manager terminal as an intermediary interface between administrators and the image processing system. This intermediary provides a simplified web-based or application interface that allows administrators to designate and manage system-settable values without directly interacting with complex system configurations, thereby maintaining reliability while improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service capabilities by automatically managing the distinction between system-settable and user-settable values based on administrator designations. Once administrators configure which parameters are system-settable through the manager terminal, the system automatically handles the rest, reducing the need for manual intervention and simplifying operational procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4648398A1Image processing system, image reading apparatus, image processing program and workflow utilization program with usable settings management
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC
  • EP4648398A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4648398A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4648398A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An image processing system (20) includes a first communication device (23), a first operation device (21), and a first control device (25) that acts as an image processing device (25A). The first communication device (23) communicates via a network with an image reading apparatus (40) having a scanner (44). The image processing device (25A) executes a workflow, with respect to an image read by the scanner (44). Upon receipt through the first operation device (21), of a designation by a predetermined manager, of a system-settable value that a user of the image processing system (20) is permitted to set, out of the system-settable values that can be set for setting items related to the workflow, the image processing device (25A) sets the designated system-settable value, as a user-settable value.