JP2010041451A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image forming apparatus for collectively outputting print jobs relating to a plurality of documents without spoiling user convenience. <P>SOLUTION: When acquiring operation information relating to an authentication information input for a plurality of documents via an operation information acquisition section 71, an authentication section 77 authenticates validity of document authentication information on the basis of stored contents of an authentication information storage section 73 and the operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition section 71. When an authentication result is obtained that indicates validity of the document authentication information for the plurality of documents, a printing control section 79 controls to cause an engine section to collectively carry out print jobs relating to the plurality of documents. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a private print function, and in particular, when a plurality of documents are designated as private print targets and a common password is set for each of the plurality of documents, it is convenient for the user. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of collectively outputting print jobs for a plurality of documents without impairing the performance.

  In recent image forming apparatuses having a printing function, in order to meet various needs of users, there has been an apparatus capable of performing document printing while maintaining security such that the third party cannot see. ing.

  As an example of an image forming apparatus having such a security function, an image forming apparatus having a so-called private print function is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The private print function is a system in which a plurality of client PCs and an image forming apparatus serving as a print server are connected via a network such as a LAN, from a certain client PC, confidential documents, confidential documents, etc. When an image forming apparatus is instructed to print a document that requires confidentiality, the print job is temporarily stored in the apparatus without being immediately printed. A function that allows an output of a print job of the user after the authentication procedure by the password input of the user who originally came. According to such a private print function, security functions can be achieved by preventing mistakes in taking documents from the stack of output materials and information leakage from the documents left on the stack tray being exposed to the eyes of third parties. Can be constructed.

By the way, according to the research of the inventor of the present application, in the technology related to the conventional private print function, a plurality of documents are designated as private print targets from a client PC of a certain user, and a common password is assigned to each of the plurality of documents. If set, the user who came to the device can execute the print job output for each document by performing password authentication for each document as many as the number of documents. It has been necessary to repeat the process, and it has been found that this repeated authentication procedure may be complicated and impair user convenience. This is considered to be based on the idea that an independent password will be set for each of a plurality of documents due to the nature of enhancing the security function of the private print function. However, there are not a few requests among users who want to implement a mechanism to authenticate each of these documents at once after giving a common password to each of the documents. There was actually a need to meet the needs.
JP 2005-335281 A

  The problem to be solved is to execute output of a print job related to a plurality of documents when a plurality of documents are designated as private print targets and a common password is set for each of the plurality of documents. This is a point that the user authentication procedure is complicated and the convenience of the user may be impaired.

  In the present invention, when a plurality of documents are designated as private print targets and a common password is set for each of the plurality of documents, the prints associated with the plurality of documents are not impaired without impairing the convenience of the user. For the purpose of providing an image forming apparatus capable of collectively performing job output, a display unit for displaying various information, and a document storage unit for temporarily storing data relating to a document to be privately printed An image forming apparatus having an operation information acquisition unit for acquiring operation information related to image formation and an engine unit for performing a print job and having a private print function, wherein the document authentication information is used for authentication related to a document. Are stored in association with each of the plurality of documents, and the plurality of documents are privately stored via the operation information acquisition unit. A display control unit for displaying a prompting screen for prompting input of authentication information related to the plurality of documents on the display screen in the display unit when the operation information for designating as a target is acquired, and the operation information acquisition unit When the operation information related to the authentication information input regarding the plurality of documents is acquired, the validity of the document authentication information is determined based on the storage content of the authentication information storage unit and the operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition unit. When an authentication result indicating that the document authentication information related to the plurality of documents is valid is obtained by the authentication unit, the print job related to the plurality of documents is sent to the engine unit. The most important feature is that it includes a print control unit that performs control for batch execution.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the authentication information storage unit stores document authentication information for authentication related to a document in association with each of a plurality of documents. On the other hand, when the operation information for designating a plurality of documents as private print targets is acquired via the operation information acquisition unit, the display control unit displays a prompt screen for prompting input of authentication information related to the plurality of documents. Display on the display screen. Further, when the operation information related to the authentication information input regarding the plurality of documents is acquired via the operation information acquisition unit, the authentication unit stores the storage contents of the authentication information storage unit and the operation acquired by the operation information acquisition unit. Based on the information, authentication relating to the validity of the document authentication information is performed. When the authentication unit obtains an authentication result indicating that the document authentication information related to the plurality of documents is valid, the print control unit collects the print jobs related to the plurality of documents in the engine unit. Control to make it happen. That is, in the present invention, for example, when a plurality of documents are designated as private print targets and a common password is set for each of the plurality of documents, each document is individually authenticated. In view of the fact that the repeated authentication operation impairs the user's convenience, and in such a case, even if collective authentication is permitted, it is considered that the security function is hardly impaired. In this case, priority is given to the convenience of the user over the maintenance of the security function, and output of print jobs relating to a plurality of documents can be performed at once. Therefore, when a plurality of documents are designated as private print targets and a common password is set for each of the plurality of documents, a print job related to each of the plurality of documents is not impaired without impairing user convenience. An image forming apparatus capable of performing output in a batch can be obtained.

  The document authentication information relating to the plurality of documents is valid for the purpose of obtaining an image forming apparatus capable of collectively executing print jobs relating to the plurality of documents without impairing user convenience. When the authentication result is obtained by the authentication unit, it is realized by a print control unit that performs control for causing the engine unit to collectively execute print jobs related to the plurality of documents.

  Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[Schematic configuration around the image forming apparatus]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external view of an operation panel unit in the image forming apparatus.

  This device can use various functions including, for example, a copy job, a fax transmission job, a print job, or a network transmission (email transmission or data transmission) job, and includes a microcomputer and a dedicated hardware circuit. It is controlled by the main control unit 11. As an input / output device connected to the main control unit 11 and responsible for various functions, this apparatus includes a scanner unit 21, an image processing unit 31, an engine unit 41, an operation panel unit 51, a facsimile communication unit 61, and an HDD (hard disk drive) 63. A network I / F (interface) unit 65, and an IC card communication unit 67.

  The main control unit 11 includes a scanner controller 13 that performs operation control for realizing a scanner function, a facsimile controller 15 that performs operation control for realizing a facsimile function, and a printer controller that performs operation control for realizing a printer function. 17 and a copy controller 19 for controlling the operation for realizing the copy function are incorporated, and the overall operation of the apparatus is controlled.

  The scanner unit 21 includes an image irradiation lamp 23 and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor 25 constituting a scanner (not shown). The scanner unit 21 irradiates the document with the image irradiation lamp 23, receives the reflected light with the CCD sensor 25, reads an image from the document, and outputs image data corresponding to the read image to the image processing unit 31. .

  The image processing unit 31 includes a correction unit 33, an image processing unit 35, and an image memory 37. The image processing unit 31 processes the image data read by the scanner unit 21 with the correction unit 33 and the image processing unit 35 as necessary, and stores the processed image data in the image memory 37, the engine unit 41, Output to the facsimile communication unit 61 or the like. The correction unit 33 performs predetermined correction processing such as level correction and gamma correction on the image data read by the scanner unit 21. The image processing unit 35 performs various types of processing such as image data compression or expansion processing and enlargement or reduction processing.

  The engine unit 41, which plays a role in executing a print job in the present invention, includes a paper transport unit 43 including a paper feed cassette and a paper feed roller (not shown), a photoconductor drum (not shown), an exposure device, a developing device, and the like. The image forming unit 45 includes a transfer unit 47 including a transfer roller (not shown), and a fixing unit 49 including a fixing roller (not shown). The engine unit 41 includes image data read by the scanner unit 21, document or image data transmitted from a client PC (personal computer) or the like via a LAN (Local Area Network) via the network I / F unit 65, facsimile communication An image is printed on a sheet using image data such as fax data received from an external facsimile machine using the unit 61. Specifically, the paper transport unit 43 transports the paper to the image forming unit 45, the image forming unit 45 forms a toner image corresponding to the image data, the transfer unit 47 transfers the toner image to the paper, The fixing unit 49 fixes the toner image on a sheet to form an image.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the operation panel unit 51 includes a touch panel unit 53 and a function key unit 55. The operation panel unit 51 is used for a user to perform operations related to a scanner function, a facsimile function, a printer function, a copy function, and the like, and gives an operation command and the like by the user to the main control unit 11.

  The touch panel unit 53 serving as a display unit in the present invention includes a touch panel unit that combines a touch panel and a color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and the like, and various operation screens, for example, when executing a copy function, Information related to the copy size, the number of copies, etc. is displayed, and operation buttons for inputting various operation commands by the user touching the corresponding part are displayed. The touch panel unit 53 is used when displaying a prompting screen for prompting input of authentication information related to the plurality of documents on the display screen when acquiring operation information for designating a plurality of documents as private print targets.

  The operation key unit 55 includes a plurality of operation keys for receiving user operation inputs. Specifically, for example, a start key 57 and a numeric keypad that are operated when performing an instruction operation related to execution of a copy function or a scanner function are provided. The plurality of operation keys are used when the user selectively executes a key input operation of a required function from various functions such as a facsimile function, a copy function, a printer function, and a scanner function. Specifically, for example, it is used when a user performs a numeric key input operation for selecting a key related to a password when using the private print function.

  The facsimile communication unit 61 includes an encoding / decoding unit (not shown), a modem unit (not shown), and an NCU (Network Control Unit) (not shown). The facsimile communication unit 61 transmits image data of a document read by the scanner unit 21 to a facsimile apparatus or the like via a telephone line, or receives image data transmitted from the facsimile apparatus or the like.

  An HDD (hard disk drive) 63 serving as a document storage unit in the present invention stores image data read by the scanner unit 21, while being transmitted from the client PC via the network I / F unit 65. A plurality of documents related to the private print function are temporarily stored. The document or image data stored in the HDD is not only used inside the image forming apparatus, program, and recording medium, but also confirmed from a client PC or the like via the network I / F unit 65 as necessary. In some cases, the data is transferred to a predetermined folder such as a client PC or an FTP server.

  The network I / F unit 65 uses a network interface (10 / 100Base-TX) or the like to control transmission / reception of various data to / from a user terminal such as a client PC connected via a LAN.

  The IC card communication unit 67 has a function of detecting the access of the card key 69 such as an IC tag possessed by the user, reading the user identification information stored in the card key 69, and transferring it to the main control unit 11. I have.

  By the way, when a plurality of documents are designated as private print targets and a common password is set for each of the plurality of documents, the print job of each of the plurality of documents is not impaired without impairing the user's convenience. In order to be able to perform output collectively, the main control unit 11 includes an operation information acquisition unit 71 that acquires operation information related to image formation, and document authentication information for authentication related to a document (however, a plurality of each The document authentication information common to the documents is allowed to be set) is associated with each of the plurality of documents, and the plurality of documents are privately stored via the operation information acquisition unit 71. When the operation information for designating the print target is acquired, a prompt screen for prompting input of authentication information related to the plurality of documents is displayed on the display screen of the touch panel unit 53. When the operation information related to the authentication information input regarding the plurality of documents is acquired via the display control unit 75 and the operation information acquisition unit 71, the storage contents of the authentication information storage unit 73 and the operation information acquisition unit 71 acquire the operation information. Based on the operation information, the authentication unit 77 that performs authentication related to the validity of the document authentication information, and the authentication unit 77 obtains an authentication result that the document authentication information related to the plurality of documents is valid. A print control unit 79 that performs control for causing the engine unit to collectively execute print jobs related to the plurality of documents.

[Operation of Image Forming Apparatus According to Embodiment of Present Invention]
Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the image forming apparatus, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a display screen in a state where a plurality of document files related to the private print function are selected as print targets, and FIG. FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a print start instruction waiting screen.

  Prior to the description of this operation, the presupposed configuration of the image forming apparatus will be described. The image forming apparatus includes a card key authentication mode that permits use of the apparatus through data exchange related to authentication information with a card key 69 possessed by the user, and key input operation of user identification information and a personal identification number (authentication information). There are two panel authentication modes that permit the use of the device by requesting the user, and in principle, it operates in the card key authentication mode. In the following embodiment, the operation of the image forming apparatus in the card key authentication mode, which is a process according to the principle, will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the IC card communication unit 67 constantly monitors the access of the IC card key 69. At this time, if a user who came to the apparatus to try to execute a private print job relating to a plurality of documents sets the IC card key 69 to an IC card reader / writer (not shown) in the image forming apparatus, IC card communication The unit 67 detects the access of the IC card key 69 (step S11), reads the user identification information stored in the IC card key 69, and uses the read user identification information of the IC card key 69 as the main control unit 11. Forward to.

  The main control unit 11 (specifically, the authentication unit 77) collates the user identification information transferred from the IC card communication unit 67 with the user identification information registered in the authentication information storage unit 73 in advance. Thus, user authentication is performed to determine whether the user who has accessed via card key authentication is an authorized user (step S12). Note that a login management function based on a password may be added for user authentication.

  As a result of the user authentication in step S12, if the access user is approved as an authorized user, the operation information acquisition unit 71 acquires the operation information input by the access user via the operation key unit 55 (step S13). ) Pass the acquired operation information to the authentication unit 77.

  In response to this, the authentication unit 77 checks whether or not the access user has designated a plurality of documents as private print targets, based on the operation information acquired in step S13. As a result of this investigation, when a plurality of documents to be privately printed are designated (see FIG. 4, three documents are designated as private print targets in the example of FIG. 4) and further designated. It is checked whether a password (document authentication information) is set for each of the plurality of documents. The designation of a plurality of documents to be privately printed is performed, for example, by pressing a “print” button after designating a plurality of documents on the screen shown in FIG.

  As a result of this investigation, when it is determined that a password has been set for the designated document to be privately printed (“Yes” in step S14), the display control unit 75 displays the passwords related to the plurality of documents ( A prompting screen (see FIG. 5A) for prompting input (document authentication information) is displayed on the display screen of the touch panel unit 53 (step S15).

  When the user viewing the prompt screen inputs passwords (document authentication information) related to the plurality of documents, the operation information is passed to the authentication unit 77. Note that the password (document authentication information) is input by, for example, pressing a “OK” button after inputting a predetermined password on the prompt screen shown in FIG. Now, upon receiving the operation information related to the password (document authentication information) input relating to the plurality of documents, the authentication unit 77 performs document authentication information based on the stored contents of the authentication information storage unit 73 and the operation information. Is authenticated (step S16).

  As a result of the authentication in step S16, when it is determined that the passwords (document authentication information) related to the plurality of documents are valid (“Yes” in step S16), the display control unit 75 displays the plurality of documents. Is displayed on the display screen of the touch panel unit 53 (step S17).

  When the user viewing the instruction waiting screen gives an instruction to start printing related to the plurality of documents (“Yes” in step S18), the operation information is transferred to the print control unit 79. The instruction to start printing is executed by, for example, pressing a “print start” button on the print start instruction waiting screen shown in FIG. Upon receiving this operation information, the print control unit 79 performs control for causing the engine unit 41 to collectively execute print jobs relating to the plurality of documents (step S19).

  Note that the print control unit 79 prints the print of a part of the document when the authentication result indicating that the document authentication information of the part of the document is valid among the plurality of documents to be privately printed is obtained. A configuration may be adopted in which control is performed so that the engine unit 41 performs the process in a batch without limiting to jobs. By adopting such a configuration, a document for which authentication with a password (document authentication information) has been unsuccessful is excluded from an output target, so that it is possible to prevent the security function from being impaired.

  Further, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which data relating to a document to be privately printed that is temporarily stored in the HDD (document storage unit) 63 is deleted after a print job relating to the document is executed. it can. If such a configuration is adopted, a document for which output has been completed is deleted thereafter, so that it is superior in security compared to a case where a document that has finished a predetermined role remains in the document storage unit 63 indefinitely. Sexuality can be secured.

[Effect of Example]
As described above, in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, for example, when a plurality of documents are designated as private print targets and a common password is set for each of the plurality of documents, In the case where the documents were individually authenticated, in consideration of the repeated authentication operation impairing the convenience of the user, and in such a case, even if collective authentication is permitted, the security function is not impaired. Since it is considered that there is almost no, in such a case, priority is given to the convenience of the user over the maintenance of the security function, and output of print jobs relating to a plurality of documents can be performed at once. Therefore, when a plurality of documents are designated as private print targets and a common password is set for each of the plurality of documents, a print job associated with each of the plurality of documents is not impaired without impairing user convenience. An image forming apparatus capable of performing output in a batch can be obtained.

[Others]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the invention read from the claims and the entire specification or the technical idea, and image formation accompanied by such changes The apparatus is also included in the scope of the technical scope of the present invention.

  That is, in the embodiment of the present invention, the image forming apparatus operating in the card key authentication mode has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, the user identification information and the password The present invention is also applicable to an image forming apparatus that is operating in a panel authentication mode that permits use of the apparatus by requesting a user to perform a key input operation.

  Finally, the “user” in the present invention naturally includes an individual user, and it is needless to say that, for example, a department user that comprehensively means a member of a certain department is included in the concept.

1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external view of an operation panel unit in the image forming apparatus. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a display screen of the state which selected the some document file which concerns on a private print function as a printing target. FIG. 5A is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a password input prompting screen, and FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a print start instruction waiting screen.

Explanation of symbols

11 Main control part 41 Engine part 53 Touch panel part (display part)
63 HDD (document storage unit)
71 Operation Information Acquisition Unit 73 Authentication Information Storage Unit 75 Display Control Unit 77 Authentication Unit 79 Print Control Unit

Claims (3)

A display unit for displaying various information, a document storage unit for temporarily storing data relating to a document to be privately printed, an operation information acquisition unit for acquiring operation information for image formation, and a print job. An image forming apparatus having a private print function,
An authentication information storage unit that stores document authentication information for authentication related to a document in association with each of a plurality of documents;
When the operation information for designating a plurality of documents as private print targets is acquired via the operation information acquisition unit, a prompting screen for prompting input of authentication information related to the plurality of documents is displayed on the display screen of the display unit. A display control unit to display;
Based on the storage content of the authentication information storage unit and the operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition unit when the operation information related to the authentication information input regarding the plurality of documents is acquired via the operation information acquisition unit. An authentication unit for authenticating the validity of the document authentication information,
When an authentication result indicating that the document authentication information related to the plurality of documents is valid is obtained by the authentication unit, control is performed to cause the engine unit to collectively execute a print job related to the plurality of documents. A print control unit;
An image forming apparatus comprising: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The print control unit
In order to cause the engine unit to collectively execute a print job related to a part of the document when an authentication result indicating that the document authentication information related to the part of the plurality of documents is valid is obtained. Control
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
Data related to a document to be privately stored temporarily stored in the document storage unit is deleted after a print job related to the document is executed.
An image forming apparatus.