JP2005063238A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of reducing the load for ID setting and shortening the output time, through simple output control of confidential documents. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of MAC addresses of electronic apparatuses such as a computer, capable of outputting images to the image forming apparatus used by a person who belongs to a confidential level denoting a permission level for browsing the confidential documents, are recorded internally. Also, the confidential level can be recorded based on the MAC addresses, after being classified into a plurality of stages. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an output control technique for a confidential designated document.

Conventionally, in connection with the output control of a confidential designated document of an image forming apparatus, an ID is provided when a highly confidential document is output, and data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 and the like have been proposed. In these conventional proposals, it is possible to securely output documents that are not desired to be viewed by others.
JP 2001-043045 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-244836

However, in actual office sites, there are many levels of confidentiality such as documents that can only be viewed within the department, such as confidential inside or outside the department. On the other hand, for example, in the case of departmental secrecy, if the output from an image forming apparatus close to the department is assumed, the use of the image forming apparatus by a person in another department may be considered. When a meeting is being held or the image forming apparatus of the own department is congested, the use of other departments is also necessary. Therefore, assuming the limited case of output by a person from another department, it is very inefficient to perform the above ID setting and access to the machine every time in order to maintain confidentiality.
The present invention has been made in view of the above, and provides an image forming apparatus capable of reducing a load for setting an ID and shortening an output time by simply performing output control of a confidential document. For the purpose.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the invention according to claim 1 is capable of outputting an image to an image forming apparatus used by a person belonging to a confidential level that is a confidential document browsing level. An image forming apparatus capable of recording a plurality of MAC addresses of electronic devices such as computers inside is the main feature.
The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, the image forming apparatus in which the security level can be classified and recorded in a plurality of stages based on the MAC address. And
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, when setting the security level, a person who belongs to a high security level includes a plurality of security levels including that the security level also belongs to a low security level. The main feature is an image forming apparatus that can be registered simultaneously.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the secret level can be automatically set by performing a dummy output for setting the secret level once from the electronic device. The image forming apparatus is a main feature.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, the main feature of the image forming apparatus is that the registration of electronic devices belonging to a plurality of security levels can be arbitrarily changed.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the security level of the electronic device that has received the output instruction until the output image is removed from the paper discharge unit is stored. Main features.
Further, in the invention according to claim 7, in the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, when a confidential document is output, if it is specified that the document is a confidential document when an output instruction is given, it belongs to which level of the confidential level. An image forming apparatus that recognizes whether it is a document and handles it as a confidential level document is a main feature.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the sixth or seventh aspect, the image forming apparatus that has received the confidential designation specifies the output of the discharged document to the current discharge section. If it can be determined that the confidential level can be retrieved and output, the image forming apparatus that outputs the confidential designated document as it is is a main feature.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the eighth aspect, in the situation where the confidential level of the person who has instructed the output of the discharged document is searched, it cannot be determined that it can be output. When it is determined that there is a problem with the output, the confidential document is mainly characterized by an image forming apparatus that stops the output.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the ninth aspect, with respect to a confidential document that has not been output, the confidential document is stored after a certain period of time after all the documents on the paper discharge section are removed. An image forming apparatus for outputting is a main feature.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the tenth aspect, an image forming apparatus that can be arbitrarily set for a predetermined time is a main feature.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus according to the fourth aspect is characterized in that the image forming apparatus stops outputting an image when a dummy output operation is performed at the time of registration of a confidential level.
The invention according to claim 13 is directed to the image forming apparatus according to claim 6, in the case where an instruction to output an image from an electronic device that has not been registered with a confidentiality level to be stored is “no registration”. The main feature is an image forming apparatus that recognizes that it is a confidential stage "and performs the operation shown in claim 6.
According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the thirteenth aspect, when the confidential stage of “no registration” is given, the MAC address of the electronic device instructing the image output is not registered. The main feature of the image forming apparatus is that the provision of the confidential level is temporary.

According to the first aspect, it is possible to recognize an electronic device that performs confidential output and an electronic device used by a person who can browse.
According to claim 2, it is possible to simultaneously recognize a plurality of levels of confidentiality and electronic devices belonging to the level.
Further, according to claim 3, it is possible to register a plurality of authorities, and it is possible to use a flexible device such as using a conventional security level while setting a special security level to be temporarily used. Become.
According to the fourth aspect, the user can easily set the secret level without requiring special network knowledge.
Further, according to the fifth aspect, the user himself can arbitrarily change the confidential level due to the change of department or the like.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to recognize the confidential level of the person who instructed to output the image currently output to the paper discharge unit of the image forming apparatus.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the user can easily specify an appropriate confidentiality for a confidential level document that is easily obtained by only specifying the confidentiality without setting a complicated ID.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, even if the person comes to retrieve his / her document from the confidential level to which the person who has output the document remaining on the image forming apparatus belongs, the confidential document to be output at present can be seen. If it can be determined that it is acceptable, the document can be obtained by performing the output immediately and omitting the ID input and the output waiting time from the conventional image forming apparatus.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, when an output image from a user who does not want to see a confidential document remains in the image forming apparatus, the confidential document can be maintained by not outputting the confidential document. Become.
According to the tenth aspect, after the output image from the user who does not want to see the confidential document is removed, it can be safely output after a time when it can be determined that the confidential document may be output. Become.
According to the eleventh aspect, the user can arbitrarily set a necessary time such as a sufficient time for reaching the image forming apparatus from the electronic device for which the output is designated.
According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent unnecessary image formation and paper output in the dummy output for registration.
According to the thirteenth aspect, it is possible to handle an output image from an unregistered electronic device in the same manner as an output image having another confidential level.
According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to save the memory in the image forming apparatus by not registering in the new image forming apparatus as the confidential level at the “no registration” stage.

Exemplary embodiments of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 controls each part of the image forming apparatus according to a program in the ROM 2, and executes the processing of the present embodiment, the basic program of the image forming apparatus, the processing program of the present embodiment, and the like. ROM 2 in which a work area is formed, a RAM 3 in which various data necessary for controlling the image forming apparatus are stored, a scanner 4 for reading a document, and a plotter 5 for printing a copy or a received document. ing.
The image forming apparatus also includes an operation display control unit 6 that inputs an operation from the user and transmits information to the user, and a communication control unit that exchanges a facsimile control signal with the counterpart image forming apparatus and executes a facsimile communication procedure. (CCU) 7, a modem 8 that modulates a transmission signal and a demodulation of a reception signal, and a SAF (Store And Forward) memory 9 that stores images.
The image forming apparatus also encodes image information in accordance with a predetermined encoding method, and also encodes and decodes (DCR) 10 that decodes the encoded image information, and a network control unit that controls the communication line (NCU) 11, a network interface control unit 12 that controls the network, and a confidential document control unit 13 that controls confidential designated document processing. The above means are connected to each other by a bus 14.

The operation of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment configured as shown in FIG. 1 will be described below according to the flow shown in FIGS.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the confidential level registration. The user designates the confidential level to be registered for the image forming apparatus and designates the confidential level setting mode (S1). Furthermore, an output instruction is given to the image forming apparatus as a dummy for MAC address (machine address) registration from an electronic device such as a PC that issues one image output instruction (S2). In the image forming apparatus that has received this, the confidential document control unit 13 acquires the MAC address of the electronic device and registers it inside together with the confidential stage (S3, S4).
In this dummy output, the confidential document control unit 13 does not operate the image forming process, and does not particularly output an image. Furthermore, if you want to have multiple security levels on the same device, or when registering other users, you can register your security level for the security level that is the target of the image forming device. Do. On the other hand, if there is a change in the registered content, the user can change the confidential level of the registered electronic device directly, for example, when manually providing a plurality of confidential levels (S5).
FIG. 3 shows a flow for performing the image output operation after the confidential level is set as described above. In response to the image output instruction (S1), in the image forming apparatus, the confidential document control unit 13 belongs to which of the registered confidential stages from the MAC address of the electronic device that issued the output instruction. The confidential level is recognized (S2). A non-registered electronic device is temporarily given a confidential stage as a stage corresponding to “no registration”.
In this way, the confidential document control unit 13 outputs an image after recording the confidential level (S3), and when it is detected that the output image has been removed by a paper detection sensor mounted on a paper discharge unit (not shown). (Yes in S4), the confidential document control unit 13 clears the confidential stage of the device that has been registered as described above and instructed the output image (S5). If it is not possible to detect that the output image has been removed (No in S4), the confidential document control unit 13 continues to hold the confidential stage of the device that has instructed the image (S6).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the output control of the confidential designated document. When the user wants to output a document with confidential designation, the user designates that the document is a confidential document when instructing image output (S1). In the image forming apparatus that receives the output instruction, the confidential document control unit 13 recognizes the confidential level as described above, and at the same time, recognizes that the target of the instruction is a confidential document (S2). Here, the confidential document control unit 13 determines whether an output image remains in the paper discharge unit of the image forming apparatus (S3). If there is no output paper in the paper discharge unit, it is determined that there is no person who will be picking up the output image, and the above-mentioned classified document is output (S4).
On the other hand, if the confidential document control unit 13 determines that the image output to the paper discharge unit remains, the above-described confidential level search for the output image on the paper discharge unit is performed ( S5). The confidential document control unit 13 compares the confidential level of the remaining output image with the confidential level of the confidential document that is currently instructed to be output, and this belongs to the same confidential level, or the confidential level is higher than the document. If it is determined that there is no problem even if it is output (Yes in S6), the above-mentioned classified document is output.
On the other hand, when it is determined that there is a problem in output (No in S6), image output is not performed. After the output image remaining on the paper discharge unit is removed (Yes in S7), the confidential document control unit 13 measures the time after the removal, and when the time specified in advance by the user has elapsed. (Yes in S8), the above-mentioned classified document is output (S4). In addition, if the user sets the above time to be, for example, the arrival time from each person's seat to the image forming apparatus or the like, the user can reach the image forming apparatus after the paper is removed and output, Confidentiality is surely protected.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of confidential level (level) registration. Those belonging to the stage of FIG. 5 are defined as having the confidential level. In FIG. 5, if stage 1 is the highest security level and stage 3 is the lowest security level, the user having the highest security level belongs to any of stages 1 to 3, and the user having the lowest security level is the stage. Only belong to 3. There may also be an independent secrecy stage such as stage 4. In this case, the document cannot be accessed except in the case of having the security level of stage 4.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is useful for output control of confidential documents.

1 is a block configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart of a confidential level registration. The flowchart of the output control of a confidential designation | designated document. The flowchart of the output control of a confidential designation | designated document. The conceptual diagram of confidential level (level) registration.

Explanation of symbols

1 CPU
13 Confidential Document Control Department

Claims (14)

  It is possible to record a plurality of MAC addresses of electronic devices capable of outputting an image to an image forming apparatus used by a person belonging to a confidential level that is a confidential document browsing level. Image forming apparatus.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the security level can be classified and recorded in a plurality of stages based on the MAC address.   3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, when setting the security level, a person who belongs to a higher security level can simultaneously register at a plurality of security levels, including belonging to a lower security level. Image forming apparatus.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the security level can be set automatically by performing a dummy output for setting the security level once from an electronic device. Forming equipment.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein registration of electronic devices belonging to a plurality of levels of confidentiality can be arbitrarily changed.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a security level of an electronic device that has received an output instruction is stored before the output image is removed from the paper discharge unit.   In the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, when a confidential document is output, if it is specified that the document is a confidential document when an output instruction is given, the document is recognized as to which level of the confidential level the document belongs. An image forming apparatus which is treated as a confidential level document.   8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the image forming apparatus that has received the confidential designation searches for and outputs a confidential level of a person who has instructed to output the discharged document to the current discharge section. If it can be determined that there is no problem, the confidential designated document is output as it is.   9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein in the situation of searching the confidential level of the person who has instructed to output the discharged document, it cannot be determined that it can be output, and it is determined that the output is hindered. In the case, the image forming apparatus is characterized in that output of the confidential document is stopped.   10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the confidential document that has not been output is output after a predetermined time after all the documents on the paper discharge unit are removed. apparatus.   11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined time can be arbitrarily set.   5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the output of the image is stopped in the dummy output operation at the time of registering the secret level.   7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein when an image output is instructed from an electronic device that has not been registered with a secret level to be stored, it is recognized as a secret stage “no registration”. An image forming apparatus that performs the operation according to claim 6.   14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein when the confidential stage of “no registration” is given, the MAC address of the electronic device instructing the image output is not registered, and the confidential stage is temporarily given. What is claimed is: 1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

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