JP2006192812A - Image-forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable the date for deleting accumulated printing data to be freely set by a user in an image-forming device which can accumulate data to be printed and output. <P>SOLUTION: The date on which accumulated documents (printing data) which have been transmitted to a printer 1 are accumulated is acquired (S101), and from the data of the accumulated documents, a number of days and a period of time till the deletion being set by the user for the accumulated documents are acquired (S102). In this case, a time metering section 15 is referred, and whether the present date has passed the date till the deletion which is designated by a driver in advance or not is determined (S103). If the date till the deletion of the accumulated documents has passed, the data of the accumulated documents is deleted (S104), and when the date till the deletion of the accumulated documents has not passed, the processing is finished as it is. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a function of accumulating and printing data.

  In recent years, with the spread of networks and the like, it has become commonplace to exchange data by connecting a plurality of personal computers via a LAN (Local Area Network) or the like. As a result, printers and copiers connected via a LAN are shared and used for printing out personal computer data.

  However, printed matter may contain highly confidential items. As described above, when printing is performed from a plurality of personal computers connected via a network, conventionally, printing is often performed using a function called confidential printing.

  Confidential printing means that print data sent from each computer is not printed out immediately, but is temporarily stored in a data storage unit such as memory on the output side. The print data can be printed out only when the condition for specifying is satisfied.

  However, when the confidential print function is used, for example, data is continuously stored in the above-described data storage unit unless highly confidential print data is printed. That is, since the memory or the like is used for the amount of stored data, there is a problem that the operation of the output side device itself becomes heavy (slow) and the work efficiency is deteriorated.

As an invention for solving this problem, Patent Document 1 is known. The present invention stores the time when a document (print data) is received, and if the recipient does not confirm the document even after a preset time, the received document is deleted, and the fixed time has passed. Therefore, the storage device (data storage unit) is not occupied by a document whose meaning does not make sense, and the storage device is prevented from being wasted.
JP-A-10-215335

  However, the above-described conventional example has the following problems.

  For example, when print data is accumulated and printed as in a document server, a large amount of print data is handled. Therefore, measuring the elapsed time one by one for one print data becomes quite complicated.

  In addition, the transmitted print data is automatically performed after a preset time. Therefore, it is inconvenient when the user wants to freely set the time for deleting data.

  In order to solve such a problem, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of storing data to be printed out, and allowing the user to freely set the date and time for deleting the stored print data. It is intended to provide.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an invention according to claim 1 is an image forming apparatus having a storage unit that stores data received from a transmission side, and an output unit that outputs data only when there is a specific instruction. Further, there is a time measuring means for measuring the current time and a date specifying means for specifying the date and time for deleting the data, and the date and time for deletion specified by the date and time specifying means for the time measured by the time measuring means. When reaching the above, the accumulated data is deleted.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, when information specifying the transmission side is added to the data, the data is deleted on the transmission side when the data is deleted. It has the 1st notification means which notifies that it does. It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, when the information specifying the transmission side is added to the data, the data is stored when a predetermined time elapses. It has the 2nd notification means to notify that it is accumulate | stored to a transmission side, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the second or third aspect, the first notification unit and the second notification unit include a unit for setting a time for notification to the transmission side. And

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, since it is possible to make an inquiry to the user when deleting the accumulated print data, the print data is not deleted without permission. On the contrary, since the omission of deletion of print data such as confidential documents that are no longer necessary is reduced, the leakage of confidential information can be prevented.

  In the following, an embodiment in which the image forming apparatus of the present invention is suitably implemented will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this embodiment is not limited to this, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the meaning. In this embodiment, a printer is used as the image forming apparatus.

  The printer of this embodiment is usually often configured as a print network system as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of PCs, a server, and a printer 1 are connected via a LAN.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printer 1.
The printer 1 includes a CPU 11, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, a storage unit 14, a time measurement unit 15, an operation display unit 16, a plotter unit 17, an I / O (Input-Output) unit 18, a network interface ( I / F) 19.

  The CPU 11 is a central processing unit that executes a program written in the ROM 12 and controls each unit of the printer 1. The ROM 12 is a read-only memory in which a program for the CPU 11 to control each unit of the printer 1 and fixed data used for control are stored. The RAM 13 is a random access memory used when a work area for executing a program for controlling each unit of the printer 1 and data to be printed are expanded. In addition, print data sent from each PC may be temporarily stored.

  The storage unit 14 temporarily stores and holds print data sent from each PC to the printer 1. For example, when performing the confidential printing described above, printing is executed after the user-specific information for the print data held in the storage unit 14 is confirmed by inputting a password or the like. The time measuring unit 15 measures the current time and counts the time after the print data is deleted. The operation display unit 16 includes operation keys for the user to set the device and the like, and a display unit such as a liquid crystal display for displaying the operation state and message of the device to the user. The plotter unit 17 performs an operation of forming and outputting an image on a recording sheet. The I / O unit 18 includes an input / output port. The network I / F 19 connects each PC and a printer via a network.

Next, the operation in this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 3, the user presets the number of days and time until print data is deleted on the PC. In the case of confidential printing, print data can be output and printed by inputting user-specific information on this screen.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a normal operation of the printer 1 according to the present embodiment.
First, the date and time when the accumulated document (print data) sent from the PC to the printer 1 is accumulated is acquired (step S101). Next, the number of days / time until the deletion set by the user for the stored document is acquired from the data of the stored document (step S102). Here, the time measurement unit 15 is referred to, and it is determined whether or not the current date and time has passed the date and time until deletion specified in advance by the driver (step S103). If the date and time until the stored document is deleted (step S103 / Yes), the stored document data is deleted (step S104). If the date and time until the stored document has been deleted has not passed (step S103 / No), the process ends here.

  In this way, the accumulated print data is deleted after a predetermined date and time. Therefore, the trouble of deleting unnecessary data can be saved. Further, since the print data is always deleted at the designated date and time, there is no omission of deletion of the print data, and as a result, it is possible to prevent a situation such as leakage of information from the omission of deletion.

  Further, according to the printer of the present embodiment, if there is data in the accumulated print data that can specify the information on the transmission side that has transmitted the data, the transmission side is notified that the print data is to be deleted. You can also.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation when the printer 1 according to the present embodiment notifies the transmission side (user) that print data is to be deleted.
First, the date and time when the accumulated document (print data) sent from the PC to the printer 1 is accumulated is acquired (step S201). Next, the number of days / time until the deletion set by the user for the stored document is acquired from the data of the stored document (step S202). Here, the time measurement unit 15 is referred to, and it is determined whether or not the current date and time has passed the date and time until the deletion specified in advance by the driver (step S203). If the date and time until the accumulated document is deleted has not passed (step S203 / No), the process ends here.

  If the date and time until the stored document is deleted (step S203 / Yes), the user information is searched from the stored document data (step S204). Here, as a result of searching whether or not there is user information (step S205), when there is user information (step S205 / Yes), the user is notified that the stored document is deleted by e-mail or the like. A message to be transmitted is transmitted (step S206). Thereafter, the stored document is deleted (step S207), and the process is terminated. If there is no user information (step S205 / No), the stored document is deleted as it is, and the process is terminated.

  As described above, according to the printer of this embodiment, the user can be notified when the stored document is deleted. Therefore, the user can recognize that the print data has been deleted when it is deleted.

  The printer according to the present embodiment can also transmit a message prompting the user to delete the stored document when there is a stored document that has passed for a certain period of time. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation when there is an accumulated document sent to the printer 1 after a predetermined time has elapsed. In FIG. 6, the user is set to notify the user by e-mail one hour before deleting the stored document.

  First, the date and time when the accumulated document (print data) sent from the PC to the printer 1 is accumulated is acquired (step S301). Next, the number of days / time until deletion of the stored document set by the user is acquired from the stored document data (step S302). Here, the time measurement unit 15 is referred to, and it is determined whether or not the current date and time is one hour before the date and time until the deletion specified in advance by the driver (step S303). If the time until deleting the stored document does not exceed one hour (step S303 / No), the process ends here.

  When the time until deleting the stored document has passed one hour (step S303 / Yes), the user information is searched from the stored document data (step S304). Here, as a result of searching whether or not there is user information (step S305), if there is user information (step S305 / Yes), the stored document is deleted in one hour by e-mail to the user. A message notifying this is transmitted (step S306). If there is no user information (step S305 / No), the process is terminated as it is.

  As described above, according to the printer of this embodiment, an inquiry is made to the user with respect to the accumulated document accumulated for a certain period of time. Therefore, the user is less likely to forget to output / delete the stored document, and the usability is improved.

1 is a diagram illustrating a print network system to which a printer according to an embodiment is applied. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer according to an embodiment. It is an example of a designation | designated screen which designates the deletion date of an accumulation | storage document. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a normal operation of the printer of the present embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation in the case of performing notification when deleting a stored document in the printer of the present embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation in a case where a notification for urging deletion is performed on an accumulated document after a predetermined time has elapsed in the printer according to the present embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Printer 11 CPU
12 ROM
13 RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 Accumulation part 15 Time measurement part 16 Operation display part 17 Plotter part 18 I / O part 19 Network interface

Claims (4)

An image forming apparatus having storage means for storing data received from a transmission side, and output means for outputting the data only when there is a specific instruction,
A time measuring means for measuring the current time;
A date and time designation means for designating a date and time for deleting the data;
An image forming apparatus, wherein the accumulated data is deleted when the time measured by the time measuring unit reaches the date and time for deletion specified by the date and time specifying unit. When information specifying the transmission side is added to the data,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first notification unit that notifies the transmission side that the data is deleted when the data is deleted. When information specifying the transmission side is added to the data,
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second notification unit that notifies the transmission side that the data is stored when the data is stored for a predetermined time.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a unit configured to set a time for notification to the transmission side by the first notification unit and the second notification unit. 5.

Images