JP2008066793A - Image processing system and image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance security with respect to data leakage by not storing image data altogether. <P>SOLUTION: The image processing system includes: a setup part 20 which sets an external device to cooperate to store the image data; a confirmation part 21 which confirms whether the data can be sent to and received from the cooperating external device; and an image data processing part 22 which divides the image data. The image processor 1 sets a plurality of external devices as storage destinations. The external devices each sets the image processor 1 allowed to store the image data in themselves. The image processor and external devices mutually set themselves and then the both cooperate with each other. Once the confirmation part 21 confirms that communication with the external devices as the storage destinations, the image processor 1 transmits divided image data to the external devices respectively. The respective external devices store the image data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing system including a plurality of image processing apparatuses that can communicate with each other.

  An image processing apparatus that performs processing such as copying, printing, facsimile communication, and data transmission stores the processed image data and created management information in a storage unit such as a hard disk device. The image processing apparatus has a filing function for storing and managing image data in the storage unit as described above. The user can reuse the image data by printing the image data, transmitting the data, and outputting the data.

By connecting such an image processing apparatus to a network, an image processing system is formed. The image processing apparatus can communicate with other image processing apparatuses and management servers. Therefore, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the image processing apparatus transmits image data to the management server, and the management server collectively stores and manages the image data. Thereby, convenience can be achieved in terms of protection of image data and sharing of image data.
JP 2005-149088 A JP-A-11-134263

  In the image processing apparatus, its own image data is stored in the storage unit. In the image processing system, the management server stores the image data of each image processing apparatus in a batch. In any case, there is only one place where the image data exists. Therefore, a third party who wants to steal image data may try unauthorized access to the image processing apparatus or the management server. On the other hand, leakage of image data can be prevented if security against unauthorized access is strengthened. However, the user is forced to perform complicated operations in order to use the image processing apparatus or to access the management server, which causes a problem in ease of use as the entire system.

  Therefore, in view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing system capable of preventing leakage of image data by eliminating the security vulnerability that is revealed when the image data is collectively stored.

  The present invention is an image processing system in which an image processing apparatus and an external apparatus are communicably connected, and the image processing apparatus and the external apparatus have a storage unit for image data. The image processing apparatus divides the image data. And stored in a plurality of storage units.

  As the image processing apparatus and the external apparatus cooperate, the image data processed by the image processing apparatus is divided and transmitted to a plurality of external apparatuses. Each external device stores the image data in the storage unit and saves it. In this way, the divided image data is distributed and stored. The affiliated external device is any external device. Therefore, it is difficult for a third party to specify an external device that stores image data, and it is difficult to identify the location where the image data exists.

  The image processing apparatus stores part of the image data in the storage unit of the external device. That is, at least one of the divided image data is stored in an external device different from the processed image processing device. All the divided image data may be stored in an external device. Therefore, image data can be reliably distributed and stored. Note that the image processing apparatus can save part of the image data in the storage unit of the apparatus itself.

  In order to distribute and store the image data, the image processing apparatus includes a dividing unit that divides the image data and a storage destination setting unit that determines a storage unit that stores the image data. When the image processing apparatus determines the storage destination of the image data, it is in cooperation with the external apparatus. When the image processing apparatus transmits image data to the external device that is the storage destination, the external device stores the image data.

  The image processing apparatus and the external apparatus include a storage permission unit that determines another image processing apparatus that allows the image data to be stored in the self apparatus. When the image processing apparatus and the external apparatus permit the storage of the image data, an alliance with another image processing apparatus is established. Therefore, when image data is transmitted from another image processing apparatus that is permitted to save, the image processing apparatus and the external apparatus store and save the image data of the other image processing apparatus in its own apparatus. For image processing devices that are not permitted to be saved, the image processing device does not save the image data of the image processing device.

  When the image processing apparatus cannot store the image data in the storage unit of the storage destination, the image processing apparatus stores the image data in its own apparatus. That is, the image processing apparatus confirms whether the image data can be transmitted to the external device that is the storage destination. When it is confirmed, the image data is transmitted to the external device as the storage destination and stored. When it cannot be confirmed, the image data is stored in the own device. After the image processing apparatus stores the image data in the local apparatus, the image processing apparatus transmits the image data stored in the local apparatus to the storage destination external apparatus when communication with the external apparatus is performed.

  The image processing apparatus divides image data in units of pages. As described above, when image data is divided in units of pages, data management becomes easy, and when image data is synthesized, processing can be performed quickly. In particular, the image data may be divided into even pages and odd pages, or may be divided in random page order. In the divided individual image data, there is no connection before and after each page, resulting in unclear image data, and security against leakage of image data is improved.

  According to the present invention, image data is divided and stored in an external device different from the image processing device that processed the image data. As described above, since the image data is distributed and stored, it is difficult to specify the location of the data, and the effect of preventing data leakage is enhanced. Moreover, even if part of the image data leaks, it is difficult to extract the entire image data, and the protection of the image data can be strengthened. Therefore, the security of the image processing system can be increased.

  An image processing system of this embodiment is shown in FIG. In this image processing system, a plurality of image processing apparatuses 1 and an information processing apparatus 2 such as a personal computer and a server are communicably connected through networks N1 to N4. The networks N1 to N4 are a LAN, a WAN, the Internet, and the like. The image processing device 1 and the information processing device 2 are connected to the individual networks N1 to N4, respectively. Network. Here, for any one image processing apparatus 1, the other image processing apparatus 1 and the information processing apparatus 2 are regarded as external apparatuses.

  The image processing apparatus 1 is a multifunction machine that executes a copy mode, a print mode, a scanner mode, and a facsimile mode. The image processing apparatus 1 communicates with an operation unit 5 for performing display and input operations, an image reading unit 6 for reading a document and inputting image data, an image forming unit 7 for printing image data, and an external device. A communication unit 8 for performing communication, a modem unit 9 for facsimile communication, an image memory 10 for temporarily storing image data, a storage unit 11 for storing image data, and a management unit for storing and managing various information 12 and a control unit 13 that controls the entire apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 5 includes various operation keys 15 and a display unit 16, which are provided on the operation panel. The display unit 16 includes a liquid crystal display and is a touch panel. Touch keys are formed in the operation screen displayed on the display unit 16, and these are also referred to as operation keys 15.

  The image reading unit 6 includes a scanner device that reads an image of a document and inputs it as image data, and an automatic document transport device that automatically transports the document. That is, the image reading unit 6 executes a data input function for inputting image data.

  The communication unit 8 is a communication interface for communicating with an external device through a network. The communication unit 8 inputs and outputs image data with an external device. The modem unit 9 is connected to the public telephone line network Nn and performs facsimile communication with the facsimile apparatus 17 which is an external apparatus. The modem unit 9 is capable of data communication with an external device such as a server or a portable information terminal by dial-up connection. That is, the communication unit 8 and the modem unit 9 execute a data input function for inputting image data and a data transmission function for transmitting and outputting image data.

  The image forming unit 7 includes a photoconductor, a charging device, a laser beam exposure device, a transfer device, a cleaning device, and a fixing device, and forms an image on a sheet by an electrophotographic method. The image forming unit 7 performs color printing, but may perform only monochrome printing. The image formation is not limited to the electrophotographic method, but may be another method such as an ink jet method or a thermal transfer method. As described above, the image forming unit 7 executes a data output function for printing and outputting image data.

  The image memory 10 is composed of, for example, a DRAM. The image memory 10 temporarily stores input image data or output image data such as read image data, image data received from an external device, image data to be output by printing or data communication. The image data is subjected to image processing such as compression, decompression, and processing. The image data subjected to the image processing is stored in the storage unit 11.

  The storage unit 11 includes a hard disk device. The storage unit 11 accumulates the image data transferred from the image memory 10. At this time, the image data may be encrypted. The storage unit 11 also stores log information created when each function is executed. Then, image data is read from the storage unit 11 according to a user instruction or an external device instruction, and the image data is output to the outside by printing, data transmission, or facsimile communication. In other words, the storage unit 11 executes a filing function for saving input image data for output.

  Note that the output image data is erased from the storage unit 11 in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 13. At the time of this erasure, the image data is invalidated so that it cannot be restored by overwriting the image data with random data.

  The management unit 12 includes a non-volatile memory, and stores information necessary for operating the image processing apparatus 1 such as control information, setting information, and user authentication information of the image processing apparatus 1. When these pieces of information are created and changed, the management unit 12 updates the information as needed.

  The control unit 13 includes a CPU, reads a control program stored in the ROM 18 into the RAM, and executes the control program. As each unit operates according to the control program, the data input function, data output function, data transmission function, and filing function are executed. The control program also includes a browser and mail software, and the control unit 13 performs data communication with an external device or transmits / receives an e-mail using a communication protocol such as a TCP / IP protocol.

  Here, in the image processing system, when executing the filing function, the image data processed by the image processing apparatus 1 is divided, and a part of the image data is stored in the external apparatus. The remaining image data is stored in another external device or its own device. That is, the image data of the image processing apparatus 1 is stored in the storage unit 11 of the other image processing apparatus 1 or the storage unit 11 of the information processing apparatus, and the image data of the other image processing apparatus 1 is stored in the storage unit 11 of the own apparatus. To do.

  Therefore, the image processing apparatus 1 includes a setting unit 20 that sets a partner external device for storing image data, a confirmation unit 21 that confirms whether data can be transmitted and received between the partner external device, and an image. An image data processing unit 22 that divides and combines data is controlled by the control unit 13.

  In addition, the image processing apparatus 1 includes a second storage unit 23 for storing image data of other image processing apparatuses 1. The second storage unit 23 is a storage medium such as a hard disk device, a non-volatile memory, or an optical disk, and is a built-in image processing apparatus 1 or a removable external storage medium. Note that the storage unit 11 is a first storage unit. In addition, the second storage unit 23 is not limited to the one provided separately from the storage unit 11, and a partition may be created for the second storage unit by dividing the storage unit 11.

  The setting unit 20 performs a storage setting for determining an affiliated external device by an input operation from the operation unit 5. For the save setting, a partner external device is determined, a save destination setting for setting an external device as a save destination of image data, and another image processing device 1 that allows image data to be saved in the own device are determined. There is a save permission setting. Further, the setting unit 20 sets the number of divisions of the image data.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the save setting is performed by a user operation. When the user setting key on the operation panel shown in FIG. 2 is operated (S1), the user setting screen shown in FIG. 4 is displayed. When the key operator program key is operated (S2), a screen for authenticating the user is displayed. The user inputs a service code or password (S3). When the user is authenticated (S4), a program setting screen is displayed.

  When the save setting key is operated (S5), the save setting screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed. When the division setting key is operated (S7), an image data division number input screen is displayed as shown in FIG. The user inputs an arbitrary number of divisions (S8).

  When the save destination setting key is operated (S7), a list of storage units 11 that can be saved is displayed as shown in FIG. The user selects the storage unit 11 that the user wants to save (S9). The storable storage unit 11 includes a storage unit 11 of an external device connected to a network, a storage unit 11 of the own device, and a second storage unit 23. A plurality of storage units 11 may be selected. When selecting a plurality of storage units 11, it is preferable to determine the priority order for saving.

  Next, when the save permission key is operated on the save setting screen of FIG. 5 (S7), a list of image processing apparatuses 1 connected to the network is displayed as shown in FIG. The user selects the image processing apparatus 1 that is allowed to be saved (S10). At this time, a plurality of image processing apparatuses 1 may be selected. As described above, when the save setting is completed (S6), the operation screen of FIG. 2 is restored.

  As a result, the storage setting is validated, and an external device to be affiliated is determined. The division information, storage destination information, and permission information determined in this way are stored in the management unit 12 as setting information.

  In the image processing apparatus 1, an external apparatus such as another image processing apparatus 1 or an information processing apparatus is selected as a storage destination of image data. In the selected external apparatus, the image processing apparatus 1 that has selected the self apparatus as the storage destination is selected as the image processing apparatus 1 that allows the image data to be stored in the self apparatus. By setting each other in this way, the image processing apparatus 1 and the external apparatus are affiliated. The external device can store the image data of the image processing apparatus 1.

  The confirmation unit 21 operates the communication unit 8 to detect whether communication with an external device is possible. That is, the operating state of the external device is confirmed. Thereafter, it is confirmed whether saving of image data is permitted. When the external device is in an operating state and storage is permitted, image data can be transmitted. When the external device is not in an operating state or when saving is not permitted, image data input to the external device is prohibited.

  The image data processing unit 22 performs image processing such as compression, decompression, and processing of image data, and performs division and synthesis as image processing. The image data processing unit 22 develops the image data in the image memory 10, creates a plurality of image data according to the set number of divisions, and temporarily stores it in the storage unit 11.

  The image data is composed of header information and data. For example, as shown in FIG. 9A, when dividing image data consisting of a plurality of pages into two, it is divided in units of pages as shown in FIGS. In FIG. 5B, the image data is divided into two parts in the first half and the second half of the page. In FIG. 3C, the image data is divided into two parts, odd pages and even pages. The header information of the divided image data includes information such as identification information of the image processing apparatus 1 that created the image data, a file name, and a page number of the divided data.

  Next, a procedure for storing image data will be described with reference to FIG. When the image processing apparatus 1 inputs image data (S1), the image processing apparatus 1 processes the image data according to the function designated by the user. When the input of the image data is completed (S2), the control unit 13 confirms whether the storage setting is valid (S3). When the save setting is invalid, the control unit 13 saves the image data in the storage unit 11.

  When the storage setting is valid, the control unit 13 reads the division information from the management unit 12 (S4), and divides the image data into a plurality of pieces (S5). Then, the storage destination information is read from the management unit 12 (S6). The control unit 13 starts communication with the external device of the storage destination and checks whether there is a response signal (S7). When there are a plurality of storage destination external devices, confirmation is made with each external device. If the external device of the storage destination is in an operating state, there is a response signal and access is possible.

  The control unit 13 checks with the external device that is the storage destination whether the storage is permitted (S8). When the storage is permitted, the control unit 13 transmits the divided image data to the external device as the storage destination. The external device of the saving destination inputs the image data, stores the image data in the storage unit 11, and saves it (S9).

  When the saving of the image data is completed in the saving destination external device (S10), in the image processing device 1 that has transmitted the image data, the control unit 13 confirms the completion of the saving and displays log information regarding saving of the image data. It is created and stored in the management unit 12 or the storage unit 11 (S11). The log information includes identification information such as a file name of each divided image data, an IP address related to a storage destination external device, and a MAC address.

  When transmitting image data, the image data may be encrypted. The external device stores the encrypted image data. The encryption key is stored in the image processing apparatus 1 on the transmission side. Therefore, the stored image data cannot be decrypted at the storage destination, and data leakage can be prevented.

  When the storage destination external device is not in the operating state, the image processing apparatus 1 cannot access the storage destination external device. Further, when the image processing apparatus 1 is not permitted to store, the external apparatus does not store the image data. In this case, the control unit 13 stores the image data in the storage unit 11 or the second storage unit 23 of the own device (S12). Then, a message indicating that the image data cannot be saved is displayed on the external device, and log information indicating that the image data has been saved on the own device is created.

  Thereafter, the image processing apparatus 1 repeats access to the external device as the storage destination. When the access becomes possible, the image processing apparatus 1 transmits the stored data to the external device that is the storage destination. The external device of the saving destination inputs the image data, stores the image data in the storage unit 11, and saves it.

  In this way, the image data processed by the image processing apparatus 1 is divided and stored in a plurality of affiliated external apparatuses. The image processing apparatus 1 and the external apparatus are connected through a network, and usually exist in remote locations. In addition, since a plurality of external devices are connected to the network, it is difficult for a third party to know which external device stores the data. As a result, it is difficult to illegally access an external device for stealing data, and the security of the image processing system can be improved. Further, since the image data is distributed and stored in different external devices, even if the image data leaks from one external device, the whole image data cannot be grasped. Therefore, the protection of image data can be enhanced.

  In the above, the storage destination of image data is a plurality of external devices. It is also possible to save part of the image data in its own device. In this case, in the storage destination setting, the storage unit 11 or the second storage unit 23 of the own device is set as the storage destination. By setting in this way, the divided image data is stored in the external device and the own device, respectively.

  When the user reads the divided and stored image data, as shown in FIG. 11, when there is an instruction to read (S1), the control unit 13 reads the log information (S2). And the control part 13 confirms whether image data is divided | segmented and preserve | saved from log information (S3). If it is not divided, normal reading is performed. That is, image data is read from one external device. Alternatively, image data is read from the storage unit 11 or the second storage unit 23 of the own device.

  If it is divided, the control unit 13 reads the storage destination information recorded in the log information and confirms the storage destination (S4). When the external device is the storage destination, the control unit 13 specifies the external device of the storage destination (S5), starts communication with the external device, and confirms whether it is accessible (S6). If the external device of the storage destination is in an operating state, there is a response signal and access is possible.

  When the user designates the image data to be read (S6), the control unit 13 requests the designated image data to be transmitted to the external device as the storage destination. The external device of the saving destination confirms whether the requested image processing apparatus 1 is the image processing apparatus 1 that permits saving. When the external device of the storage destination confirms that the image processing apparatus 1 is permitted to be stored, it permits the reading and transmits the designated image data to the image processing apparatus 1 (S7). When the transmission of the image data is completed (S8), the stored image processing apparatus 1 erases the stored image data.

  When the image data is stored in the own apparatus, the control unit 13 reads the image data from the storage unit 11 or the second storage unit 23.

  The image processing apparatus 1 that has received the plurality of divided image data synthesizes the divided image data (S9). The image data processing unit 22 rearranges the data based on the header information of each image data, and creates one image data. When the synthesis of the image data is thus completed (S11), the control unit 13 stores the image data in the storage unit 11. Note that, when combining image data, if a combining error occurs due to a lack of image memory capacity (S10), the control unit 13 displays an error message on the display unit 16 (S12), and stops combining the image data.

  If the external device of the storage destination confirms that the image processing apparatus 1 does not permit storage (S6), the image data reading is prohibited and the transmission prohibition is notified. Upon receiving this notification, the control unit 13 of the image processing apparatus 1 displays an error message on the display unit 16 (S12), and stops reading the image data.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Of course, many corrections and changes can be added to the said embodiment within the scope of the present invention. The division of the image data is not limited to a page unit, and may be divided randomly regardless of the page. Further, the data amount of the image data to be divided may be adjusted according to the free capacity of the storage unit of the external device that is the storage destination.

  When the number of divisions of image data and the number of storage units as storage destinations do not match, if the number of divisions is large, a plurality of image data is stored in one storage unit. When there are a large number of storage destination storage units, the storage unit has priority over the storage unit of the external device.

The figure which shows schematic structure of the image processing system and image processing apparatus of this invention The figure which shows the operation panel of an image processing apparatus Save settings flowchart Diagram showing the operation screen when saving settings Figure showing the save setting operation screen Figure showing the operation screen for setting the number of divisions The figure which shows the operation screen which sets up the image processing device of the preservation place The figure which shows the operation screen which sets the image processing device which permits preservation (A) is a diagram showing a configuration of image data before division, (b) is a diagram showing a configuration of image data divided into two in the first and second half, and (c) is a diagram of image data divided into two odd pages and even pages. Diagram showing configuration Flowchart when dividing and saving image data Flow chart when reading divided image data

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus 5 Operation part 6 Image reading part 7 Image formation part 8 Communication part 9 Modem part 11 Storage part 12 Management part 13 Control part 20 Setting part 21 Confirmation part 22 Image data processing part 23 2nd memory | storage part

Claims (9)

An image processing apparatus and an external apparatus are communicably connected to each other, and the image processing apparatus and the external apparatus are image processing systems having a storage unit for image data. The image processing apparatus divides the image data into a plurality of An image processing system, wherein the image processing system is stored in a storage unit. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus stores part of the image data in a storage unit of the external apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes a storage destination setting unit that determines a storage unit that is a storage destination of image data, and the image processing apparatus transmits the image data to an external device having a storage unit of the storage destination. 1. The image processing system according to 1. The image processing apparatus and the external apparatus include a storage permission unit that determines another image processing apparatus that allows the image data to be stored in the self apparatus, and the image processing apparatus and the external apparatus transmit from the image processing apparatus that has permitted the storage. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the processed image data is stored. 4. The image processing system according to claim 3, wherein the image processing apparatus stores the image data in the own apparatus when the image data cannot be stored in the storage unit of the storage destination. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus divides the image data in units of pages. 7. The image processing system according to claim 6, wherein the image processing apparatus divides the image data into even pages and odd pages. An image processing apparatus capable of communicating with an external device having a storage unit for image data, comprising: a dividing unit that divides image data; and a storage destination setting unit that determines an external device that is a storage destination of the image data. An image processing apparatus that transmits divided image data to a previous external apparatus. A storage permission unit that determines another image processing device that allows the image data divided by the device to be stored, and stores the image data transmitted from the image processing device that allows the storage. Item 9. The image processing apparatus according to Item 8.

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