JP2005078527A - Image management device, method, and program, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image management device, method, a program, and a storage medium, with which setting and setting change of a print limiting function and a print management function can be easily performed. <P>SOLUTION: When a server 1 permits access on the basis of a user name and a password which are inputted by the input means of a client 5, the server 1 performs selection processing of image data and selection processing of a printer and sets the user name and the printer name of the printer to a key 1 and a key 2 respectively and inquires of a database program 32 to acquires data 1 and data 2 being corresponding authentication information from the database 34, when authentication information corresponding to the combination of two set keys is stored in a database 34 in a hard disk 9. The server 1 sets them as a group ID and a passcode, adds the set group ID and passcode to the selected image data, and transmits them to the selected printer. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image management apparatus and method, a program, and a storage medium, and in particular, has a print restriction function for prohibiting or restricting printing by authentication, and a print management function for managing the number of prints and accounting for each department. The present invention relates to an image management apparatus and method for transmitting image data to a printer, a program, and a storage medium.

  An IPP protocol has been proposed as a service for transmitting image data from a client to a printer via the Internet. By using the IPP protocol, a print job can be transmitted to a remote printer via the Internet and printed. However, in printing using the IPP protocol, a print job cannot be transmitted to the printer unless the printer host name or IP address is known in advance, and it is difficult for an unspecified number of users to use the printer. It was.

  For this reason, a print mediation method has been proposed in which a plurality of printers are registered in a print mediation server, and a print job can be transmitted to a designated printer in accordance with a print instruction from a client (for example, Patent Documents). 1). According to this print mediation method, it is possible for an unspecified number of users to search for a printer located near him and send a print job to the printer. Also, printing can be prohibited or restricted according to the client and the output destination printer that transmits the print job.

In addition, a technique has been proposed in which a job to which authentication information indicating use authority for a printer is added is sent from the client to the printer (for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2001-236183 A JP 2000-200240 A

  However, since the print mediation method restricts output to the output destination printer by the intermediary computer, a print restriction function that prohibits or restricts printing on the output destination printer side, and management and accounting of the number of prints for each department If there is a print management function that manages printing, when changing the settings of the print restriction function and print management function, the two settings on the output destination printer side and the intermediary computer side must be kept consistent. However, the setting change is complicated and there is a possibility of incorrect setting.

  Further, when there are a plurality of mediating computers, it is necessary to change the settings of all the mediating computers, and it takes time to change the settings.

  In addition, when managing the number of printed sheets or charging management, if the output destination printer is a multi-function device having a printer function, a copier function, a FAX receiving function, etc., the intermediary computer side is not a printer function. Cannot manage the number of printed pages and charge management.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image management apparatus and method, a program, and a storage medium that can easily set a print restriction function and a print management function and change the settings.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image management apparatus according to claim 1 is an image management apparatus that transmits image data to at least one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses that perform printing restriction based on authentication information. Among them, the image processing apparatus includes a holding unit that manages authentication information corresponding to one image forming apparatus in the plurality of image forming apparatuses that are managed corresponding to a user and to which image data is to be transmitted.

  An image management device according to claim 2 is the image management device according to claim 1, wherein user information input means for inputting user information for specifying the user and the image data to be transmitted are specified. Image data information input means for inputting image data information, and image forming apparatus information input means for inputting image forming apparatus information for specifying one of the image forming apparatuses to which the image data is to be transmitted, And image data transmission means for transmitting the image data specified by the input image data information to the image forming apparatus specified by the input image forming apparatus information together with the authentication information. .

  The image management apparatus according to claim 3 is the image management apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the authentication information corresponds to the input user information and the input image forming apparatus information. To do.

  The image management device according to claim 4 is the image management device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising belonging department information storage means for storing belonging department information for specifying a department to which the user belongs from the user information. The authentication information corresponds to the specified department information and the input image forming apparatus information.

  The image management method according to claim 5, wherein the image management method transmits image data to at least one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses that perform printing restriction according to authentication information, and corresponds to a user among the authentication information. A holding step of holding authentication information corresponding to one image forming apparatus in the plurality of image forming apparatuses to be managed and to which image data is to be transmitted is provided.

  The image management method according to claim 6 is the image management method according to claim 5, wherein a user information input step for inputting user information for specifying the user, and image data for specifying the image data to be transmitted. An image data information input step for inputting information; and an image forming apparatus information input step for inputting image forming apparatus information for specifying one of the image forming apparatuses to which the image data is to be transmitted. An image data transmission step of transmitting the image data specified by the information together with the authentication information to the image forming apparatus specified by the input image forming apparatus information.

  The image management method according to claim 7 is the image management method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the authentication information corresponds to the input user information and the input image forming apparatus information. To do.

  The image management method according to claim 8 is the image management method according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising a belonging department information storing step of storing belonging department information for specifying a department to which the user belongs from the user information. The authentication information corresponds to the specified department information and the input image forming apparatus information.

  An image management program according to claim 9 is an image management program for causing a computer to execute an image management method for transmitting image data to at least one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses that restricts printing based on authentication information. Among these, a holding module that holds authentication information corresponding to one image forming apparatus in the plurality of image forming apparatuses that are managed corresponding to the user and to which image data is to be transmitted is provided.

  A computer-readable storage medium according to a tenth aspect stores the program according to the ninth aspect.

  According to the image management apparatus according to claim 1, the image management method according to claim 5, the image management program according to claim 9, and the computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, the authentication information is transmitted to the user. Since authentication information corresponding to one image forming apparatus among a plurality of image forming apparatuses that are managed correspondingly and to which image data is to be transmitted is held, it is possible to easily set and change the print restriction function and the print management function. Can do.

  According to the image management apparatus of claim 2 and the image management method of claim 6, the image data specified by the input image data information is specified by the input image forming apparatus information together with the authentication information. Since the data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus, the print restriction function and the print management function can be easily set and changed.

  According to the image management apparatus according to claim 3 and the image management method according to claim 7, since the authentication information corresponds to the input user information and the input image forming apparatus information, the print restriction function and the print management are performed. Function setting and setting change can be easily performed.

  According to the image management device according to claim 4 and the image management method according to claim 8, the department information for identifying the department to which the user belongs is stored from the user information, and the authentication information is the identified department Since it corresponds to the information and the input image forming apparatus information, it is possible to easily set the print restriction function and the print management function and change the settings, and also easily manage the number of prints for each department and charge management. It can be carried out.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image management system including an image management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, the image management system stores a plurality of image data and transmits image data to an external printer in response to an input from the external device, and an image transmitted from the server 1. Among the data, printers 2 to 4 having a print restriction function for printing image data transmitted by an authorized user and a client 5 for giving a print instruction to the server 1 are provided. Are connected to each other.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the server 1 in FIG.

  In FIG. 2, the server 1 includes a network interface 6 for communicating with external devices via the Internet 50, a CPU 7 for controlling the entire server 1, a RAM 8 having a working storage area at the time of program execution, and the like. A hard disk 9 capable of storing a plurality of programs and data by a general disk operating system is provided, and these are connected to each other by an internal bus 51.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the hard disk 9 is a combination of an operating system 31 that performs processing for controlling the entire server 1, a control program 33 that realizes a function of the server 1 as an image management apparatus, and a user and an output destination printer. Is stored in the database program 32 for performing processing for returning data in response to an inquiry from the control program 33, the database 34 for authentication information read and written by the database program 32, and the image data 35. doing.

  When the server 1 is activated, the operating system 31 stored in the hard disk 9 is read out and executed by the CPU 7 using the RAM 8 as a work area. Next, the database program 32 and the control program 33 are read from the hard disk 9 and executed by the CPU 7 respectively. At this stage, connection from an external client becomes possible.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of image data transmission processing executed by the control program 33 in FIG.

  In FIG. 4, it is assumed that printers 2 to 4 that are output destinations of image data are registered in the server 1 in advance.

  In FIG. 4, first, when the server 1 receives a login request issued from the client 5 (YES in step S <b> 101), the server 1 transmits data requesting input of a user name and a password to the client 5. Based on the user name and password input by the means, it is determined whether or not access is permitted (step S102).

  If access is not permitted as a result of the determination in step S102, an authentication error notification is transmitted to the client 5 (step S110), and the processing in step 101 and subsequent steps is repeated.

  If access is permitted as a result of the determination in step S102, the process proceeds to step S103, and image data selection processing is performed. That is, the server 1 temporarily stores the user name and password in the RAM 8, and then transmits the image data list data stored in the image data 35 of the hard disk 9 to the client 5. The received client 5 displays an interactive screen requesting selection of image data to be printed. On this interactive screen, the user selects image data to be printed from the list of image data. Information on the selected image data is transmitted to the server 1.

  In the subsequent step S104, printer selection processing is performed. That is, when the server 1 transmits the printer list data registered in the server 1 to the client 5, the client 5 that has received the printer list data displays an interactive screen asking for selection of the printer. On this interactive screen, the user selects a printer from the printer list. Information on the selected printer is transmitted to the server 1.

  Next, the user name temporarily stored in step S102 is set to key 1, the printer name of the printer selected in step S104 is set to key 2, and the database program 32 is inquired (step S105). It is determined whether or not authentication information corresponding to one key combination is stored in the database 34 in the hard disk 9 (step S106). As shown in FIG. 5, the database 34 includes a combination of a key 1 that is a user name and a key 2 that is a printer name, and a combination of two authentication information of data 1 and data 2 corresponding to the combination. A data table is stored.

  As a result of the determination in step S106, when the corresponding authentication information is stored, the server 1 acquires data 1 and data 2 as the corresponding authentication information from the database 34, and sets them as the group ID and passcode, respectively. Then, the image data selected in step S103 is added with the set group ID and passcode (step S107), and then transmitted to the printer selected in step S104 (step S108), and this process is terminated.

  As a result of the determination in step S106, if the corresponding authentication information is not stored, the server 1 selects the image data selected in step S103 in step S104 without adding the group ID and passcode. The data is transmitted to the printer (step S108), and this process is terminated.

  According to the processing of FIG. 4, the print job is transmitted to the printer after authentication information corresponding to the combination of the user name and the printer name of the output destination printer is added (step S107). Since (Step S108), the setting of the printing restriction function and the printing management function and the change of the setting can be easily performed.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the printing process executed by the printers 2 to 4 in FIG.

  In FIG. 6, the printer 2 stores in advance a plurality of combinations of group IDs and pass codes corresponding to the groups for which printing is permitted, and receives image data from the server 1 (YES in step S <b> 601). If the group ID and passcode are added to the received image data (YES in step S602), and the combination of the group ID and passcode matches one of the combinations stored in the printer 2 (step S603). YES), the received image data is image-formed on a sheet and output (printed) (step S604).

  On the other hand, when the group ID and pass code are not added to the received image data (NO in step S602), or any combination in which the combination of the group ID and pass code added to the image data is stored in the printer 2 is selected. If they do not match (NO in step S603), the process ends without printing the received image data.

  According to the process of FIG. 6, the group ID and passcode are added to the received image data (YES in step S602), and the combination of the group ID and passcode is one of the combinations stored in the printer 2. If they match (YES in step S603), the received image data is image-formed on a sheet and output (printed) (step S604), so that only a user who is permitted to print has a print restriction function. Can be printed.

  In the present embodiment, the image stored in the server 1 has been described as image data. However, it may be data in a page description language represented by the PostScript language or the like. Alternatively, a document file of a general word processor application may be stored, converted to print data formation that can be printed by the printer, and then output to the printer.

  In the selection of a printer, a list of printers registered in advance in the server 1 is transmitted to the client 5 and the user selects a printer from the list, but the printer ID number that can be easily input by the user in the client 5 The printer may be designated by inputting information for specifying the printer. Further, a search may be performed using a printer installation location, a function of the printer, or the like as a search condition to select an optimum printer for the user.

  In the selection of image data, a list of image data stored in the server 1 is transmitted to the client 5 and the user selects image data from the list. The image data may be designated by inputting information specifying the image data such as a data ID number.

  According to the present embodiment, since the image data is stored inside the server 1, it is easy to generate a list of image data to be output.

  Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In the present embodiment, the user performs all operations by the interactive means of the image management apparatus, selects and transmits image data stored in an image file server different from the image management apparatus, and a plurality of The image management apparatus manages the information of the group including the user, together with the authentication information to be transmitted to the output destination printer.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image management system including an image management apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 7, the image management system has a means for interacting with a user, communicates with an external image storage device, and transmits image data to an external printer. The printers 2 to 4 having a print restriction function and a print management function for printing image data transmitted by a user and an image server 10 for storing a plurality of image data are connected to each other via the Internet 50. Has been.

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the server 1 in FIG.

  In FIG. 8, the server 1 includes a network interface 6 for communicating with external devices via the Internet 50, a CPU 7 for controlling the entire server 1, a RAM 8 having a working storage area at the time of program execution, and the like. Consists of a hard disk 9 capable of storing a plurality of programs and data by a general disk operating system, a display means such as a liquid crystal display, and an input means such as a touch screen incorporated therein. And an interactive module 11 for performing output processing, which are connected to each other via an internal bus 51.

  In the present embodiment, the programs and data stored in the hard disk 9 are the same as those shown in FIG.

  However, the database 34 stores the data table shown in FIG. 11 and the data table shown in FIG. 12, and the database program 32 refers to the data table shown in FIG. Referring to the first database program for obtaining the code and group number from data 1 and data 2, respectively, and the data table shown in FIG. 12, the group ID is used as key 1 and the corresponding group ID and pass code are used as data. 1 and a second database program acquired from the data 2.

  9 and 10 are flowcharts of the image data transmission process executed by the control program 33 in FIG.

  In FIG. 9, first, a login information input screen for a user to perform a login procedure to the server 1 is displayed on the dialog module 11 (step S121).

  As shown in FIG. 13, the login information input screen displays a user ID input area 61, a passcode input area 62, and a button image 63, which are preferable examples of user information. A user number is input into the ID input area 61, a passcode is input into the passcode input area 62, and the button image 63 is used. Needless to say, instead of the user ID, an electronic certificate that is previously authenticated by a certificate authority and can identify an individual, or electronic information of a biometric feature acquired from a fingerprint or a voiceprint may be used.

  Returning to FIG. 9, when the user number and passcode are input to the login information input screen in step S122 (YES in step S122), the input user number is set as key 1 and shown in FIG. Data 1 and data 2 corresponding to authentication information are acquired from the data table (step S123), set as the passcode and group number, respectively, and the passcode input in step S122 and the passcode acquired from the database in step S123. Is matched (step S124).

  If the passcodes do not match as a result of step S124, an authentication error message is displayed on the dialog module 11 (step S125), and the process returns to step S121.

  If the passcodes match as a result of step S124, the server 1 acquires a list of image data from the image server 10 (step S126), and displays an image data selection screen on the dialog module 11 based on the acquired list. (Step S127). In step S 126, specifically, the server 1 transmits a command requesting a list of image data to the image server 10, and the image server 10 that has received the command stores the image stored in the image server 10. A list of data is generated and transmitted to the server 1. The list of image data is the entire list of images managed hierarchically in the storage device inside the image server 10 by the directory structure, and the list including the information of this hierarchy is generated.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the image data selection screen displays a hierarchically displayed image data list 71 and a button image 72, and the user operates the image data selection screen to output it. Specify image data. For example, image data to be output is selected by an operation such as selecting one item above or below the button image 72 with the up and down keys and expanding or folding the selected directory with the left and right keys.

  Returning to FIG. 9, when the OK button is pressed and selection of image data is completed in step S128 (YES in step S128), a printer is selected from a list of printers registered in advance as the image data output destination of the server 1. A printer selection screen is displayed on the dialog module 11 (step S129).

  As shown in FIG. 15, the printer selection screen displays a printer list 81 and a button image 82 that are grouped for each installed area. By operating the up / down / left / right keys of the button image 82, an output can be performed. The previous printer can be selected.

  Returning to FIG. 10, when the OK button is pressed and the selection of the printer is completed (YES in step S130), the group number acquired from the database in step S123 is set to key 1, and the data table shown in FIG. In step S131, it is determined whether authentication information corresponding to the set key is stored in the data table (step S132).

  If the result of determination in step S132 is that corresponding authentication information is not stored, an authentication error message is displayed on the dialog module 11 (step S133), and the process returns to step S121.

  As a result of the determination in step S132, when the corresponding authentication information is stored, the server 1 acquires data 1 and data 2 as the corresponding authentication information from the database 34, and sets them as the group ID and pass code, respectively. (Step S134), the image data transfer request selected in Step S128 is transmitted to the image server 10, the image data is acquired from the image server 10 (Step S135), and is temporarily stored in the hard disk 9.

  Next, the image data temporarily stored in the hard disk 9 is added with the group ID and passcode set in step S133 (step S136), and transmitted to the printer selected in step S130 (step S137). finish.

  In the printer that has received the image data from the server 1, a group ID and a pass code are added to the received image data (YES in step S602), and the combination of the group ID and pass code is the printer 2 as in FIG. Is matched (YES in step S603), the received image data is imaged on a sheet and output (printed) (step S604) to perform printing restriction. Manages the number of prints for each department and manages billing.

  According to the processing of FIGS. 9 and 10, the authentication information corresponding to the group number of the group including a plurality of users stored in advance in the server 1 is added (step S136), and the print job is transmitted to the printer. Thus (step S137), it is possible to easily set and change the print restriction function and the print management function.

  In addition, it is possible to easily manage the number of printed sheets for each department and the management of billing.

  In the present embodiment, all items to be input are numerical values, but may be alphabetic characters or kanji characters as long as the interactive means and the internal program can handle them.

  In addition, the image data is selected based on a list of all image data acquired from the image server 10, but a directory is divided for each user so that the user can select image data only from his / her directory. It may be.

  The present invention supplies a software program (flowcharts of FIGS. 4, 6, 9 and 10) for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a computer or CPU 7, and the computer or CPU 7 supplies the program. Can be achieved by reading and executing.

  In this case, the program is directly supplied from a storage medium storing the program or downloaded from another computer or database (not shown) connected to the Internet 50, a commercial network, a local area network, or the like. Supplied by

  The form of the program may be in the form of object code, program code executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to an OS (operating system), and the like.

  The present invention also supplies a computer or CPU 7 with a storage medium storing a software program that implements the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the computer or CPU 7 reads and executes the program stored in the storage medium. Can also be achieved.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  As a storage medium for storing the program code, for example, ROM, RAM, floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk (registered trademark), magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, MO, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD -ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD + RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, and the like.

  The function of the above-described embodiment is not only by executing the program code read from the computer, but the OS or the like running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code. Can also be realized.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of an image management system provided with the image management apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the server 1 in FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the hard disk 9 in FIG. It is a flowchart of the image data transmission process performed by the control program 33 in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the data table memorize | stored in the database 34 in FIG. 4 is a flowchart of print processing executed by printers 2 to 4 in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of an image management system provided with the image management apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the server 1 in FIG. It is a flowchart of the image data transmission process performed by the control program 33 in FIG. It is a flowchart of the image data transmission process performed by the control program 33 in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the data table memorize | stored in the database 34 in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the data table memorize | stored in the database 34 in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the login information input screen displayed in step S121 of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the image data selection screen displayed in step S127 of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the printer selection screen displayed in step S129 of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Server 2 Printer 5 Client
9 Hard disk 10 Image server 32 Database program 33 Control program

Claims (10)

In an image management apparatus that transmits image data to at least one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses that perform printing restrictions based on authentication information,
The image processing apparatus includes a holding unit that holds authentication information corresponding to one image forming apparatus in the plurality of image forming apparatuses that are managed corresponding to a user and to which image data is to be transmitted, among the authentication information. Image management device.   User information input means for inputting user information for specifying the user, image data information input means for inputting image data information for specifying the image data to be transmitted, and transmitting the image data Image forming apparatus information input means for inputting image forming apparatus information for specifying one of the image forming apparatuses to be processed, and image data specified by the input image data information, together with the authentication information, The image management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image data transmission unit configured to transmit to an image forming apparatus specified by the input image forming apparatus information.   The image management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication information corresponds to the input user information and the input image forming apparatus information.   The apparatus further comprises department information storage means for storing department information for identifying department to which the user belongs from the user information, wherein the authentication information includes the identified department information and the input image forming apparatus. The image management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image management apparatus corresponds to information. In an image management method for transmitting image data to at least one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses that perform printing restrictions based on authentication information,
A holding step of holding authentication information corresponding to one image forming apparatus in the plurality of image forming apparatuses that are managed corresponding to a user and to which image data is to be transmitted is provided among the authentication information. Image management method.   A user information input step for inputting user information for specifying the user; an image data information input step for input of image data information for specifying the image data to be transmitted; and image formation for transmitting the image data. An image forming apparatus information input step for inputting image forming apparatus information for specifying one of the apparatuses, and the image data specified by the input image data information together with the authentication information. 6. The image management method according to claim 5, further comprising an image data transmission step of transmitting to an image forming apparatus specified by the apparatus information.   The image management method according to claim 5, wherein the authentication information corresponds to the input user information and the input image forming apparatus information.   And further comprising a department information storage step for storing department information for identifying department to which the user belongs from the user information, wherein the authentication information includes the identified department information and the input image forming apparatus. The image management method according to claim 5, wherein the image management method corresponds to information. In an image management program for causing a computer to execute an image management method for transmitting image data to at least one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses that restricts printing based on authentication information.
A holding module that holds authentication information corresponding to one image forming apparatus in the plurality of image forming apparatuses that are managed corresponding to a user and to which image data is to be transmitted among the authentication information is provided. Image management program.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 9.

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