JP2007055099A - Image formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image formation device which enables a user to establish customized information while a customized screen peculiar to the user being displayed just after authorizing the user. <P>SOLUTION: The image information device comprises a user authorization means 100 for authorizing the user by reading user's identification information 511, a customization means 200 for reading the customized information 512 which includes the data of the customized screen 220 of the user who has been registered beforehand from the user's identification information 511 and then sending out the customized information to an image formation means while displaying the customized screen on an indication unit 410 and an image formation means 300 for forming image information from the customized information 512 from the customization means and performing an image formation processing such as a printing. The customization means makes the customized screen 220 displayed on the indication unit instead of a default screen 210 from the customized information 512. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an insertion printing and insertion copy function such as a printer or a multifunction peripheral.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a case where an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a multifunction peripheral is shared by a plurality of users, in order to provide a desired operability for each user, personal identification means for identifying each user, and identification An image forming apparatus provided with a customizing unit for customizing the operation of the device for each user, that is, the setting of operability, is known from, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-151867.
Here, the customization means can automatically customize the setting of the operability for each user by learning based on the operation history of the user.

However, in the image forming apparatus having such a configuration, the setting contents of the one-touch key are switched along the operation history for each user, and the customization contents are set for each image forming apparatus. ing.
For this reason, it is difficult to cope with slightly different operations for each user, and when the user uses another image forming apparatus, it is necessary to customize the interface again.

For this reason, even if the image forming apparatus is of the same model, when the user uses each image forming apparatus, the operability is different for each image forming apparatus, and the operability is deteriorated. was there.
In particular, since the customization means customizes based on the operation history of the user, the user cannot perform customization manually. Therefore, it is difficult to make the customization contents of the respective image forming apparatuses the same, and the operability is further deteriorated.

On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, customization contents of a plurality of users are stored in an IC card, and when each user uses the image forming apparatus, the customization contents recorded on the IC card unique to the user. An image forming apparatus that reads (use frequency information) and forms an image is disclosed.
JP 2000-231309 A JP 2003-266860 A

By the way, in the image forming apparatus according to Patent Document 2, when the user tries to perform image forming processing such as printing processing by the image forming apparatus, first, after personal identification is performed, the display unit of the image forming apparatus is displayed. A so-called default screen is displayed.
Here, when the user operates the application mode key on the default screen, the image forming apparatus reads the usage frequency information as the customization content recorded in association with the user, and customizes based on the usage frequency information. Create a screen and display it on the display.
From this state, the user performs predetermined various setting operations on the customization screen and operates the start button. As a result, the image forming apparatus performs a printing process.

For this reason, since it is necessary for the user to operate the application mode key on the default screen in order to display the customization screen, the operation becomes complicated.
Since the image forming apparatus reads the usage frequency information as the customization information after the application mode key is operated, the customization screen is created based on the usage frequency information and displayed. The time until the customization screen is displayed is relatively long.

  Further, since the customization information processing is performed after the print processing is completed, a waiting time for the customization information processing occurs.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides an image forming apparatus in which a user-specific customization screen is displayed immediately after user authentication and the user can set customization information. Objective.

  In order to achieve this object, an image forming apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is registered in advance based on user authentication means for performing user authentication by reading user identification information and user identification information read by the user authentication means. The customization information including the customization screen data of the user is read out, the customization screen is displayed on the display unit, and the customization information is sent to the image forming unit. Based on the customization information from the customization unit Forming image information and performing image forming processing such as printing, and the customization unit displays the customization screen instead of the default screen on the display unit based on the customization information This is a configuration to be made.

When the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, when the user causes the image forming apparatus to perform image formation such as print output, the user authentication unit first reads the user identification information and performs user authentication, and then the customization unit The customization information registered in advance based on the user identification information is read out, and the customization screen is displayed on the display unit instead of the default screen based on the customization screen data included in the customization information.
Then, based on the customization information, the image forming unit performs image forming processing such as printing.

  In this case, since the customization screen data is registered in advance with the customization information, when the customization means reads the customization information, it is not necessary to generate the customization screen, and the customization screen is immediately displayed on the display unit. It will be. Therefore, the user can visually recognize the customized screen without waiting time.

The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 is configured such that the customization unit updates the customization information in accordance with the setting content from the operation unit and sends the customization information to the image formation unit.
When the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the user can set the setting contents of the customization information by performing an input operation on a desired item from the operation unit while viewing the customization screen displayed on the display unit of the image forming apparatus. It is possible to perform image formation such as printing that reflects this change.

According to another aspect of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the customization unit rewrites the registered customization information based on the updated customization information during the image forming process by the image forming unit.
When the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the customization information changed by the user can be overwritten by overwriting the stored customization information, and the overwriting can be performed by the image forming unit. By doing so, the user's waiting time for rewriting the customization information is eliminated.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the customization information is recorded on a recording medium together with user identification information, and the customization information recorded on the recording medium can be read and written by the user identification means. It is as.
When the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, a user records user identification information and customization information in a recording medium such as an IC card in advance, and carries the recording medium when using the image forming apparatus. Even if there are a plurality of image forming apparatuses by going to the place where the image forming apparatus is installed, any image forming apparatus can use the recording medium to form an image such as a print with the same customization information. Can be done.

The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 is configured such that the customization information is registered in association with the user identification information in a server connected to the image forming apparatus via a network.
When the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, after the authentication by the user identification information, the customization unit reads the customization information associated with the user identification information registered in the server, so that there are a plurality of image forming apparatuses. In any of the image forming apparatuses, by reading the customization information associated with the user identification information from the server, image formation such as printing can be performed with the same customization information.

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the user-specific customization screen is displayed immediately after the user authentication, and the user can set the customization information. become.

[First embodiment]
A first embodiment of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to FIG.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 10 is an image forming apparatus having a copy function and a scanner function, and includes a user authentication unit 100, a customization unit 200, an image forming unit 300, an operation panel 400, It is composed of

  Here, the operations of the user authenticating unit 100, the customizing unit 200, and the image forming unit 300 of the image forming apparatus 10 are controlled by programs operating on a computer.

  In this case, the user authentication means 100 is an IC card reader / writer, and after performing user authentication by reading user identification information 511 recorded on an IC card 510 as a recording medium possessed by each user 500. Similarly, the customization information 512 recorded on the IC card 510 is read and written.

  Here, the user identification information 511 is a unique ID assigned to the user in advance, and the user authentication unit 100 uses the password associated with the user identification information 511 in advance to 500 authentications are performed.

  The customization information 512 includes, for example, usage frequency information of the user and customization screen data.

  Based on the customization information 512 from the user authentication unit 100, the customization unit 200 sends the customization screen data to the operation panel 400 and immediately displays the customization screen 220 on the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400.

The customization unit 200 displays the preset standard screen 210 (default screen) on the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400 and does not customize the user when the customization information 512 corresponding to the user identification information is not found. Information 512 is newly created.
Here, the newly created customization information 512 includes the same customization screen data as the standard screen 210.

Here, the standard screen 210 described above is registered in advance in, for example, the customizing means 200, and is configured as shown in FIG.
That is, in FIG. 2, a standard screen 210 displayed on the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400 includes function keys 211 (“copy”, “scan”, “FAX”, “E-mail”, “other”) for function selection. Various setting keys 212 (“paper setting”, “enlarge / reduce”, “density”, “double-sided / divided”, “staple”) and tags 213 (“standard”, “document”, “image quality”, “ Layout "" others ").
In the case shown in the figure, a function key 211 and various setting keys 212 for the tag “standard” are displayed.

  In this case, the operation panel 400 is configured as a so-called touch panel, and by touching the display portion of each key or tag with a fingertip, the setting item assigned to the key or tag is selected or changed. It has become.

On the other hand, the customization screen 220 is configured as shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, for example.
In FIG. 3, a first customization screen 220a is shown. The first customization screen 220a is further displayed in addition to the default display keys including the function keys 211 and various setting keys 212 in the standard screen 210 described above. An additional display key 214 (“paper type”, “image quality”, “punch”, “staple”, “color”, etc.) and an “other” key 215 are displayed.

Here, as keys to be displayed, keys for settings or functions that the user has used a predetermined number of times (for example, once) or more in the past are selected and displayed based on the usage frequency information of the user.
In this case, since the setting content corresponding to the tag on the standard screen 210 is displayed as the additional display key 214 (shortcut key), the tag is omitted. Therefore, if it is desired to select a setting or function that is not displayed on the screen, the “others” key 215 may be operated. By operating the “others” key 215, the keys for the respective setting items are sequentially displayed after the next screen.

  Further, in FIG. 4, another customization screen 220 b is shown. This second customization screen 220 b is compared with the standard screen 210 among the default display keys (function keys 211 and various setting keys 212). The settings or functions that the user has never selected in the past are omitted.

  In this way, when the user performs an input operation on the operation unit of the operation panel 400 with reference to the standard screen 210 or the customization screen 220, the customization means 200 is based on the customization setting change corresponding to the input operation. Then, the customization information 512 is updated and a customization screen 220 corresponding to the setting change is created and displayed on the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400.

  When the start button (not shown) is operated on the operation unit 420 of the operation panel 400, the customization unit 200 sends the customization information 512 to the image forming unit 300 and the image formed by the image forming unit 300. During the formation process, the updated customization information 512 is rewritten and overwritten on the IC card 510 by the user authentication means 100 and stored.

  The image forming unit 300 is configured to perform image formation such as printing on the basis of the customization information 512 from the customization unit 200 based on the customization information 512 from the image input unit (not shown) input from the outside. It has become.

The operation panel 400 is configured as an operation panel provided on, for example, the upper surface of the image forming apparatus 10, and includes a display unit 410 and an operation unit 420.
Here, when the user 500 performs an input operation on the operation unit 420 based on the screen display displayed on the display unit 410, the input information 430 that has been input is sent to the customization unit 200 and the image forming unit 300. Based on the information 430, the customization information 220 is updated by the customization means 200, or the image forming means 300 is operated to perform image formation.

Next, the customization information processing operation of the image forming apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
In FIG. 5, when the user 500 inserts the IC card 510 into the user authentication unit 100 of the image forming apparatus 10 in step A1, the user authentication unit 100 reads the user identification information 511 from the IC card 510 and performs user authentication. To do.

Next, in step A <b> 2, the customization unit 200 retrieves the customization information 512 from the IC card 510 by the user authentication unit 100.
If the customization information 512 exists in step A3, the customization unit 200 reads the customization information 512 by the user authentication unit 100 and sends the data of the customization screen 220 to the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400. In step A4, the customization screen 220 is displayed on the display unit 410.

  If there is no customization information 512 in step A3, the customization unit 200 newly creates customization information 512 related to the user 500 in step A5, and the standard screen as the customization screen 220 in step A6. 210 is displayed on the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400.

  Next, the user 500 is displayed on the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400 in step A7 with respect to the customization screen 220 displayed in step A4 or the standard screen 210 displayed in step A6. When the setting is changed by touching each key or tab, the customization unit 200 updates the customization information 512 based on the setting change in step A8 and sets the setting in step A9. A customization screen 220 reflecting the content of the change is created and displayed on the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400.

  Thereafter, or without changing the setting, when the user 500 operates the start button on the operation unit 420 of the operation panel 400 in step A10, the customization unit 200 displays the latest customization information at that time in step A11. 512 is sent to the image forming unit 300, and the image forming unit 300 starts image formation.

Subsequently, if the customization information 512 has been updated in step A12, the customization unit 200 sends the updated customization information 512 to the user authentication unit 100 in step A13. The user 500 saves the IC card 510 by overwriting. Here, the overwriting of the customization information 512 is performed during the image forming process by the image forming unit 300 started in step A11 described above.
Note that if the customization information 512 has not been updated, step A13 is omitted.
This completes the customization information processing.

[Second Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the second embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 6, in the image forming apparatus 20, the IC card has only the user identification information 511 recorded therein, and the customization unit 200 is connected to the server 700 via the network 600, so that the customization of each user 500 is performed. The information 512 has a different configuration in that it is registered in the server 700.

Here, the operations of the user authentication unit 100, the customizing unit 200, the image forming unit 300, and the server 700 of the image forming apparatus 20 are controlled by programs operating on the computer.
The network 600 is a network such as a local area LAN, for example, and connects the above-described image forming apparatus 20 and the server 600 to each other.
In this case, only one image forming apparatus 20 is illustrated, but a plurality of image forming apparatuses 20 may be connected to the server 600 via the network 600.

Here, after performing user authentication, the user authentication unit 100 sends the user identification information 511 to the customization unit 200.
Thereby, the customization means 200 accesses the server 700 via the network 600 and reads the customization information 512 associated with the user identification information 511.

  Further, the customization unit 200 accesses the updated customization information 512 to the server 700 via the network 600 during the image formation process by the image formation unit 300, and instead of the registered customization information, The updated customization information 512 is rewritten by overwriting and saved.

Next, the customization information processing operation of the image forming apparatus 20 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
In FIG. 7, when the user 500 inserts the IC card 510 into the user authentication unit 100 of the image forming apparatus 10 in step B1, the user authentication unit 100 reads the user identification information 511 from the IC card 510 and performs user authentication. And the user identification information 511 is sent to the customizing means 200.

Next, in step B <b> 2, the customization unit 200 searches for the customization information 512 associated with the user identification information 511 from the server 700 via the network 600 using the user identification information 511 from the user authentication unit 100.
If there is customization information 512 in step B3, the customization unit 200 reads the customization information 512 from the server 700 via the network 600, and displays the customization screen data on the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400. In step B4, the customization screen 220 is displayed on the display unit 410.

  If there is no customization information 512 in step B3, the customization unit 200 newly creates customization information 512 relating to the user 500 in step B5, and the standard screen as the customization screen 220 in step B6. 210 is displayed on the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400.

  Next, the user 500 is displayed on the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400 in step B7 with respect to the customization screen 220 displayed in step B4 or the standard screen 210 displayed in step B6. When the setting is changed by touching each key or tab, the customization unit 200 updates the customization information 512 based on the setting change in step B8 and sets the setting in step B9. A customization screen 220 reflecting the content of the change is created and displayed on the display unit 410 of the operation panel 400.

  Thereafter, or without changing the setting, when the user 500 operates the start button on the operation unit 420 of the operation panel 400 in step B10, the customization unit 200 displays the latest customization information at that time in step B11. 512 is sent to the image forming unit 300, and the image forming unit 300 starts image formation.

Subsequently, if the customization information 512 has been updated in step B12, the customization unit 200 sends the updated customization information 512 to the server 700 via the network 600 in step B13, and overwrites it. save. Here, the overwriting of the customization information 512 is performed during the image forming process by the image forming unit 300 started in step B11 described above.
Note that if the customization information 512 has not been updated, step B13 is omitted.
This completes the customization information processing.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. However, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. Needless to say, changes can be made.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, user authentication is performed by collating ID and password. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and information unique to each human body such as fingerprint authentication and palm print authentication is used. An authentication method or the like can also be used.

  In the above-described embodiment, the standard screen 210 is registered in the customization unit 200 in advance. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the customization is performed in a state where various settings are set to default values in the IC card 510. Information 512 may be registered.

  The present invention can be used for an image forming apparatus, for example, a digital multi-function peripheral having a printer function and a copy function.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a standard screen in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first configuration example of a customization screen in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second configuration example of a customization screen in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing of customization information in the image forming apparatus in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of 2nd embodiment of the image forming apparatus by this invention. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing of customization information in the image forming apparatus in FIG. 6.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 100 User authentication means 200 Customization means 210 Standard screen 211 Function key 212 Various setting keys 213 Tag 214 Additional display key 215 “Others” key 220 Customize screen 220a First customization screen 220b Second customization screen 300 Image formation Device 400 Operation panel 410 Display unit 420 Operation unit 430 Input information 500 User 510 IC card (recording medium)
511 User identification information 512 Customization information 600 Network 700 Server

Claims (5)

User authentication means for performing user authentication by reading user identification information, and customization information including data of customization screen of the user registered in advance based on the user identification information read by the user authentication means, and the customization screen Is displayed on the display unit, and customization means for sending customization information to the image forming means, and image forming means for forming image information based on the customization information from the customization means and performing image forming processing such as printing, , Provide
The image forming apparatus, wherein the customization unit causes the display unit to display the customization screen instead of the default screen based on the customization information. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the customization unit updates the customization information corresponding to the setting content from the operation unit and sends the customization information to the image forming unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the customization unit rewrites the registered customization information based on the updated customization information during the image forming process by the image forming unit. The customization information is recorded on a recording medium together with user identification information, and the customization information recorded on the recording medium can be read and written by the user identification means. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the customization information is registered in association with the user identification information in a server connected to the image forming apparatus via a network. .

Images