JP2010016438A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus for designating a plurality of recipients and preventing a printed matter from being taken away by someone other than the recipients. <P>SOLUTION: In the image forming apparatus, one or several agent recipients are registered in a recipient management database 30 beforehand corresponding to a first recipient, and when a print job for which the first recipient is designated is received, an image relating to the print job is formed on a paper sheet with an RFID tag and output to a paper discharge tray, and the tag ID of the RFID tag of the paper sheet, the first recipient and the agent recipients are stored in correspondence. When communication is performed with the RFID tag of the paper sheet and the take-out of the paper sheet is detected, an alarm is issued when a user authenticated at the point of time is not coincident with one of the recipients stored corresponding to the tag ID of the RFID tag of the paper sheet. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a function of preventing a printed matter from being taken away by another person.

  As a technique for preventing a printed matter from being taken away by another person, when printing, the ID information of the recipient is transmitted together with the print job, and the ID information is stored on the non-contact IC-tagged paper for printing. The IC tag information within the reading range of the IC reader installed in the IC reader is read, and the person carrying the ID information and the printed matter with the non-contact IC tag storing the same ID information as the ID information are in a certain period of time. There is a technique for determining that the printed matter has been taken out normally when it goes out of the reading range of the reader, and generating a warning sound or the like in other cases (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-243893 A

  Normally, the ID information transmitted together with the print job is the ID information of the user who requests the print job. However, if the person cannot receive the printed matter, the ID information transmitted with the print job is actually received. By using person ID information, it is possible to cope with a case where the creator of the job and the recipient are different.

  However, since only one recipient can be designated, if the designated recipient can no longer receive it, another person cannot receive and deliver it instead. For this reason, there is a problem that the document is left unattended for a long time, which is not preferable in terms of security.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of designating a plurality of recipients and preventing a printed matter from being taken away by those other than the recipients.

  The gist of the present invention for achieving the object lies in the inventions of the following items.

[1] A receiving unit that receives a print job including recipient information designating a plurality of recipients;
An image forming unit that forms an image relating to a print job received by the receiving unit on a sheet with an RFID tag and outputs the image to a paper discharge tray;
A storage unit that stores identification information of an RFID tag attached to a sheet on which an image related to the print job is formed and the recipient information in association with each other;
A reading unit that communicates with an RFID tag attached to a sheet on the paper discharge tray to read identification information;
A user specifying unit for specifying a user who has taken out paper from the paper discharge tray;
A warning section for giving a warning to a user who has taken out paper from the paper discharge tray;
Based on the identification information read by the reading unit, the removal of the sheet with the RFID tag from the paper discharge tray is detected, and the storage unit is associated with the identification information of the RFID tag attached to the detected sheet. A control unit that issues a warning by the warning unit when any of the plurality of recipients indicated by the recipient information stored in the user identification unit does not match the user specified by the user identification unit;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

  In the above invention, when a print job designated by a plurality of recipients is received, an image relating to the print job is formed on a sheet with an RFID tag and output to a paper discharge tray, and at the same time the tag ID ( (Identification information) and recipient information are stored in association with each other. Thereafter, when communication with the RFID tag is detected to detect removal of the paper, the user who is authenticated at that time does not match any of the recipients stored in association with the tag ID of the RFID tag of the paper. To warn you.

[2] A receiving unit that receives a print job including recipient information designating a plurality of recipients;
An image forming unit that forms an image relating to a print job received by the receiving unit on a sheet with an RFID tag and outputs the image to a paper discharge tray;
A writing unit for writing the recipient information related to the print job to an RFID tag attached to a sheet on which an image related to the print job is formed;
A reading unit that reads information of a recipient by communicating with an RFID tag attached to a sheet present in the paper discharge tray;
A user specifying unit for specifying a user who has taken out paper from the paper discharge tray;
A warning section for giving a warning to a user who has taken out paper from the paper discharge tray;
Based on the recipient information read by the reading unit, the removal of the sheet with the RFID tag from the discharge tray is detected, and the recipient information stored in the RFID attached to the detected sheet indicates A control unit that issues a warning by the warning unit when any of a plurality of recipients does not match the user specified by the user specifying unit;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

  In the above invention, when a print job designated by a plurality of recipients is received, an image relating to the print job is formed on a sheet with an RFID tag and output to a paper discharge tray, and the recipient's RFID tag is placed on the RFID tag of the sheet. Write information. Thereafter, when communication with the RFID tag is detected to detect removal of the sheet, a warning is issued if any of the recipients read from the RFID tag of the sheet does not match the user authenticated at that time.

[3] An agent storage unit that stores in advance one or more agent recipients in association with the first recipient;
Recipient information indicating the first recipient is attached to the print job,
The plurality of recipients are specified by a first recipient indicated by recipient information attached to the print job and a substitute recipient stored in the substitute storage unit in association with the first recipient. The image forming apparatus according to [1] or [2], wherein:

  In the above invention, if the first recipient is designated, the proxy recipient and the first recipient registered in advance in association with the first recipient are designated as a plurality of recipients.

[4] The control unit issues a warning by the warning unit when a valid recipient among a plurality of recipients specified by the recipient information does not match a user specified by the user specifying unit. At the same time, the first effective recipient related to the print job received by the receiving unit is the first recipient, and an image related to the print job is formed on a sheet with an RFID tag and output to a paper discharge tray. Thereafter, the range of the effective recipient is expanded to a range including the proxy recipient according to the establishment of a predetermined condition. The image according to any one of [1] to [3] Forming equipment.

[5] The control unit issues a warning by the warning unit when a valid recipient among a plurality of recipients specified by the recipient information does not match a user specified by the user specifying unit. At the same time, after an image related to the print job received by the receiving unit is formed on a sheet with an RFID tag and output to a paper discharge tray, a plurality of recipients related to the print job are determined according to a predetermined condition. The image forming apparatus according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the range of the effective recipient is expanded.

  In the above inventions [4] and [5], after an image relating to a print job is formed on a sheet with an RFID tag and output to a paper discharge tray, the range of effective recipients is expanded according to the establishment of a predetermined condition. Is done.

[6] The image forming apparatus according to [4] or [5], wherein the predetermined condition is elapse of a predetermined time.

  In the above-described invention, after the sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge tray, the range of the recipient is expanded as time passes.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of recipients of the printed material can be designated. This prevents other people from taking away the printed material, but even if some of the designated recipients are unable to receive the printed material because they are out of office or attending a meeting, the other designated recipients. Since the printed matter can be taken out, the printed matter can be prevented from being left for a long time.

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

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a multifunction machine 10 as an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The multi-function device 10 has a copy function for optically reading a document image and printing the duplicate image on a recording paper, a scan function for saving the image data of the read document as a file, and transmitting it to an external terminal, a personal computer And a printing function for forming and outputting an image relating to a print job received from an external terminal on a recording sheet, a facsimile function for transmitting and receiving image data, and the like.

  In the multi function device 10, the recipient of the paper output by the printing function or the facsimile receiving function can be designated, and a user other than the designated recipient picks up the paper designated by the recipient from the paper discharge tray. And a function for issuing a warning to the user.

  The multifunction machine 10 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 11, a scanner unit 13, a printer unit 14, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 15, a RAM (Random Access) as a control unit that performs overall control of the operation of the multifunction machine 10. Memory) 16, nonvolatile memory 17, hard disk device 18, operation unit 21, display unit 22, warning unit 23, RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) communication unit 24, user authentication unit 25, and timer unit 26. The network control unit 27 and the facsimile control unit 28 are connected via the bus 12.

  The CPU 11 executes various processes according to programs and data stored in the ROM 15. The RAM 16 is used as a work memory for temporarily storing various data when the CPU 11 executes a program and an image memory for temporarily storing image data. The nonvolatile memory 17 stores various information that should be saved even when the power is turned off, in addition to information necessary for user authentication such as a user ID and a password. The hard disk device 18 is a large-capacity non-volatile storage device that stores image files and data related to received jobs, as well as data related to a recipient management database 30 and a monitoring database 40 described later.

  The scanner unit 13 performs a function of optically reading a document and acquiring image data. The scanner unit 13 sequentially moves, for example, a light source that irradiates light to a document, a line image sensor that receives the reflected light for one line in the width direction, and a reading position in line units in the length direction of the document. And an optical path composed of a lens, a mirror, and the like for guiding the reflected light from the original to the line image sensor to form an image.

  The printer unit 14 functions as an image forming unit that forms an image corresponding to input image data on a recording sheet. Here, the printer unit 14 includes a recording paper conveyance device, a photosensitive drum, a charging device, a laser unit, a developing device, a transfer separation device, a cleaning device, and a fixing device, and an electrophotographic process. It is configured as a so-called laser printer that performs image formation. Other image forming type printers may be used.

  When performing image formation related to a print job designated by the recipient (a job involving image formation such as printing based on print data or printing by facsimile reception), at least an image of the print job A sheet with an RFID tag is used as one of the sheets used for forming. The RFID tag is an electronic tag having a wireless communication function, and includes an IC chip and an antenna that operate by receiving electric power electromagnetically from the outside. A unique identification number is stored in advance in the IC chip of the RFID tag. In addition, arbitrary data can be written to the IC chip of the RFID tag from outside through wireless communication. Data and identification numbers stored in the IC chip of the RFID tag can be read through wireless communication.

  The network control unit 27 performs a function of communicating with an external terminal such as a personal computer through a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network). The facsimile control unit 28 performs communication control for facsimile transmission and facsimile reception.

  The display unit 22 functions to display various operation screens, setting screens, selection screens, guidance screens, and the like, and includes a liquid crystal display (LCD). The operation unit 21 includes a touch panel for detecting a coordinate position laid on the screen of the display unit 22 and pressed, various operation switches such as a numeric keypad and a start button, and the like. It fulfills the function of accepting various operations such as operations.

  The warning unit 23 functions to warn the user when the user who has taken out the paper from the paper discharge tray is not the designated recipient of the paper. The warning unit 23 includes a buzzer that sounds an alarm sound and a speaker, and a lamp that warns with light. The display unit 22 may fulfill the function of the warning unit 23 by displaying a warning message on the display unit 22.

  The RFID communication unit 24 includes an antenna for communicating with the RFID tag and a wireless control unit, and functions to transmit / receive data to / from the RFID tag and supply power to the RFID wirelessly. The RFID communication unit 24 is provided on the paper discharge tray 29 of the multifunction machine 10, and as shown in FIG. 2, the vicinity area A including the paper discharge tray 29 is set as a communication range and is placed on the paper discharge tray 29. It can communicate with the RFID tag attached to the paper.

  The user authentication unit 25 performs a function of identifying a user currently in use or a user within a predetermined distance range from the multifunction device 10 by performing user authentication. Here, the user authentication unit 25 is a second RFID communication unit having the same configuration as that of the RFID communication unit 24, and communicates with an RFID tag built in a personal authentication card possessed by each user. As shown, a user who is within a range B of a predetermined distance from the multifunction machine 10 is specified. The user authentication method is not limited to this. For example, a user may be specified by receiving a user ID and password input from the operation unit 21 and comparing them with user authentication information registered in advance.

  The timer unit 26 measures the passage of time. Here, the function of measuring the elapsed time since the RFID-added paper is discharged to the discharge tray is achieved. The elapsed time is managed for each sheet or each job.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of registered contents in the recipient management database 30. The recipient management database 30 includes an individual registration unit 31 and a group registration unit 32. The individual registration unit 31 includes a first recipient and one or more proxy recipients for the first recipient. The recipient expansion information 33 is registered in association with each other. In the group registration section 32, a recipient group is registered.

  In the example of FIG. 3, D, F,..., P are registered as “employee Gr” in the group registration unit 32. In addition, Mr. S, Mr. T, and Mr. U are registered as “management positions Gr”. The group registered in the group registration unit 32 as the first recipient or the substitute recipient in the individual registration unit 31 can be used.

  In the example of FIG. 3, in the personal registration unit 31, the first recipient: Mr. A is associated with the representative recipient (second recipient to final recipient) B, C, X, etc. A group (employee Gr) is registered. The recipient expansion information 33 relating to “first recipient: Mr. A” is “collective”, and all of the first recipient and the substitute recipient are valid recipients from the initial state. In addition, Mr. F, Mr. P, Mr. X, and an employee group (employee Gr) are registered as proxy recipients (second recipient to final recipient) in association with “first recipient: Mr. D”. ing. Recipient expansion information 33 relating to “first recipient: Mr. D” is “expanded”, and in the initial state, only the first recipient is a valid recipient, and a predetermined condition is satisfied (here, time The range of valid recipients is set to expand as the time elapses). In addition, the range of valid recipients is F, P, X ... Employee group (employee Gr) and may be expanded sequentially (in stages) in the order of registration, or when a predetermined condition is met It may be enlarged at a stretch so that all registered proxy recipients are valid, and the setting method can be changed.

  The portion registered as “FAX reception” is a registration of the recipient for the facsimile received original, and is the employee Gr in the example of FIG.

  Registration, editing, and deletion of data in the recipient management database 30 can be performed from the operation unit 21 of the multi-function peripheral 10 or from an external terminal through the network control unit 27. The recipient management database 30 may be provided in an external server capable of communicating via the network control unit 27 and the network, in addition to the configuration built in the multifunction machine 10.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the monitoring database 40. The monitoring database 40 includes identification information (tag ID) of the RFID tag attached to the paper discharged to the paper discharge tray 29, identification information (job ID) of the print job formed on the RFID-tagged paper, and its print. Information related to the recipient related to the job is registered in association with each other. The information on the recipient includes information on the first recipient, the recipient extension information, and the second recipient to the final recipient. Information indicating whether the recipient is valid or invalid is added to the second recipient to the final recipient. Here, the recipients marked with “*” are invalid, and the recipients not marked with “*” are valid.

  Next, the operation of the multifunction machine 10 will be described.

  5 and 6 show the operation of the multifunction device 10 that has received a print job. The operation is controlled by the CPU 11 executing a program stored in the ROM 15. When the multifunction device 10 receives a print job from an external terminal through the network control unit 27 or a print job related to facsimile reception occurs (step S101), the multifunction device 10 checks whether the recipient information is included in the print job. (Step S102) If not included (Step S102; No), the printer unit 14 forms an image related to the print job on a normal sheet without an RFID tag (Step S103), and the process ends. In the case of facsimile reception, if a proxy recipient is registered for “FAX reception” in the recipient management database 30, the recipient information is designated as designated.

  If recipient information is included in the received print job (step S102; Yes), a new record is secured in the monitoring database 40, and the first recipient indicated by the recipient information and the print job are combined. The job ID assigned by the machine 10 is registered in the new record (step S104). Further, from the recipient management database 30, information on the recipient expansion information, the second recipient, the third recipient,..., The final recipient associated with the first recipient is obtained, and these are obtained earlier. The new record is registered in the corresponding area (step S105). At this time, if the recipient expansion information is “enlarge”, each recipient from the second recipient to the final recipient is marked with “*” and is initially registered as an invalid recipient.

  Next, the printer unit 14 forms an image related to the print job on a sheet with an RFID tag, and discharges it to the discharge tray 29 (step S106). At this time, the tag ID of the RFID tag attached to the discharged paper is read by the RFID communication unit 24, and the read tag ID is registered in the tag ID column of the record relating to the print job in the monitoring database 40 ( Step S107). Note that an RFID communication unit may be separately provided in the paper feeding unit or the like, and a tag ID of an RFID tag attached to a sheet on which an image is formed may be read by the RFID communication unit.

  After the paper discharge, the removal of the RFID-tagged paper from the paper discharge tray 29 is monitored (step S108). Here, the change of the tag ID received by the RFID communication unit 24 is monitored, and when the received tag ID decreases, it is determined that the paper corresponding to the decreased tag ID has been taken out from the paper discharge tray 29. Alternatively, the tag ID received by the RFID communication unit 24 is compared with the tag ID registered in the monitoring database 40, and when a tag ID registered in the monitoring database 40 but not received by the RFID communication unit 24 occurs, It is determined that the paper corresponding to the tag ID has been taken out from the paper discharge tray 29. On the other hand, when the tag ID received by the RFID communication unit 24 increases (excluding an increase related to new paper discharge), a sheet corresponding to the increased tag ID is placed on the paper discharge tray 29 (returned). ) Or when the increased tag ID is registered in the monitoring database 40, it is determined that the paper corresponding to the tag ID has been returned to the paper discharge tray 29.

  If the user authentication unit 25 detects the removal of the RFID-tagged paper before performing user authentication (identifying the user and acquiring the user ID) (step S108; Yes), a user other than the designated recipient receives the paper. A predetermined alarm indicating the removal is output from the warning unit 23 (step S116). The alarm is continuously output until the sheet is returned to the discharge tray 29 (step S117; No). When the sheet is returned to the discharge tray 29 (step S117; Yes), the alarm output is stopped. Returning to step S108, the processing is continued.

  Here, when a plurality of sheets are taken out, it is possible for the user to determine which of the sheets is the alarm-related sheet, or to check with a separate RFID reader, or to discharge the sheets one by one. You may return to the tray 29 and judge by whether an alarm goes out. In the case of issuing an alarm, it is preferable to notify the number of sheets related to the alarm (paper related to a print job in which another person is designated as the recipient) among the taken out sheets.

  When the RFID tag paper is not removed (step S108; No) and the predetermined time has elapsed since the paper is discharged (step S109; Yes), the range of valid recipients is expanded (step S110). . Specifically, the record in which the tag ID of the paper in the monitoring database 40 is registered is referred to. If the expanded recipient information of the record is “expanded”, the range of valid recipients is expanded according to the setting. To do. Specifically, in the monitoring database 40, the “*” mark attached to the recipient to be effectively transitioned is deleted.

  In a state where the RFID-tagged paper is not taken out (step S108; No), when the user authentication unit 25 identifies the user (identifies the user and acquires the user ID) (step S111; Yes), the user is authenticated (user It is checked whether or not a print job with the user as the recipient (whose ID has been acquired) is registered in the monitoring database 40 (step S112). If it is registered (step S112; Yes), the user is identified as the recipient. The fact that the printed matter to be present exists in the paper discharge tray 29 is notified (step S113), and the process proceeds to step S114. For example, a message to the effect that the printed material having the user as the recipient exists in the paper discharge tray 29 is displayed on the display unit 22 or outputted as a sound.

  If a print job whose recipient is an authenticated user (having acquired a user ID) is not registered in the monitoring database 40 (step S112; No), the process proceeds to step S114 without performing the notification in step S113.

  In step S114, it is checked whether or not a sheet with RFID has been taken out under the state of user authentication. If it has not been taken out (step S114; No), the process returns to step S109 to continue the processing. When the RFID-added paper is taken out under the state of user authentication (step S114; Yes), one of the recipients registered in the monitoring database 40 in association with the tag ID of the taken-out paper and the relevant It is checked whether or not the authenticated user matches (step S115). If there is no matching recipient (step S115; No), it is determined that the unauthorized user has taken out the sheet, and the process proceeds to step S116. Then, a predetermined alarm is output to the effect that a user other than the designated recipient has taken out the sheet relating to the print job designated by the recipient (step S116).

  When any one of the recipients registered in the monitoring database 40 in association with the tag ID of the taken-out paper matches the authenticated user (step S115; Yes), the matched user is the print job. If it is the first recipient (step S118; Yes), a message or voice message indicating that the paper relating to the print job having the user as the first recipient is included in the taken-out paper. This is notified by output or the like (step S119), and the process is terminated. For example, it is notified by voice or display that important documents are mixed.

  If the recipient who matches the authenticated user is not the first recipient relating to the print job (step S118; No), the paper relating to the print job in which the user is the substitute recipient is the It is notified by display of a message, voice output, or the like (step S120), and the process ends. At this time, the user who is the first recipient may be notified by a message such as “Ms. XXX's paper is mixed”, etc., and urged to be delivered to the first recipient.

  When a paper is taken out by any authorized recipient, the record relating to the paper is deleted from the monitoring database 40.

  As described above, since a plurality of recipients (first recipient and its substitute recipient) can be designated, even if the first recipient cannot get the printed matter for a meeting or the like, the substitute recipient can receive it. Therefore, the printed material is not left in the paper discharge tray 29 for a long time, and the important printed material is prevented from being touched by another person's eyes or taken away by another person, thereby improving the security.

  In addition, the range of valid recipients is automatically expanded when a predetermined time has elapsed since the paper was ejected to the paper output tray 29, so that only the first recipient or a limited proxy recipient is permitted to receive the original. However, if these recipients do not collect the printed matter even after a certain amount of time has passed, an operation is automatically performed to allow the delegate recipients with lower priority to accept the receipts, thereby providing high convenience. The

  In the case of a print job related to facsimile reception, as exemplified in the recipient management database 30 in FIG. 3, an employee Gr or the like is designated as a recipient, and a plurality of employees belonging to the designated employee Gr are recipients. Specified.

<Second Embodiment>
In the first embodiment, the tag ID of the RFID tag attached to the paper and the recipient information are registered in the monitoring database 40 in association with each other, and the paper tag detected by the RFID communication unit 24 is detected. The recipient of the paper is recognized by searching the monitoring database 40 by ID, but in the MFP 10 according to the second embodiment, the user of the recipient is added to the RFID tag attached to the paper. An ID (other information such as a user name may be used as long as it can identify a user) is directly written.

  The configuration of the MFP 10 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment except for the following points, and the description thereof is omitted. The RFID communication unit 24 is configured to be able to write and read data with respect to the RFID tag.

  7 and 8 show the operation of the multifunction machine 10 according to the second embodiment that has received a print job. The operation is controlled by the CPU 11 executing a program stored in the ROM 15. When the multifunction device 10 receives a print job from an external terminal via the network control unit 27 or a print job related to facsimile reception occurs (step S201), the multifunction device 10 checks whether the recipient information is included in the print job. (Step S202) If not included (Step S202; No), the printer unit 14 forms an image related to the print job on a normal sheet without an RFID tag (Step S203), and the process is terminated.

  If recipient information is included in the received print job (step S202; Yes), the recipient enlargement information associated with the first recipient indicated by the recipient information from the recipient management database 30, the first Information about the two recipients, the third recipient,..., And the final recipient is acquired (step S204). Then, an image related to the print job is formed on the paper with the RFID tag by the printer unit 14 and discharged to the paper discharge tray 29 (step S205), and the RFID tag attached to the discharged paper is The first recipient indicated by the recipient information, the recipient expanded information obtained earlier, the second recipient, the third recipient,..., The final recipient, are allocated to the print job by the MFP 10. The job ID is written (step S206). If the recipient expansion information is “enlarge”, each recipient from the second recipient to the final recipient is marked with “*” and written as an invalid recipient in the RFID tag.

  Thereafter, the removal of the RFID-tagged paper from the paper discharge tray 29 is monitored (step S207). Here, the change of the tag ID received by the RFID communication unit 24 is monitored, and when the received tag ID decreases, it is determined that the paper corresponding to the decreased tag ID has been taken out from the paper discharge tray 29. On the other hand, when the tag ID received by the RFID communication unit 24 increases (excluding an increase related to new paper discharge), a sheet corresponding to the increased tag ID is placed on the paper discharge tray 29 (returned). ).

  If the user authentication unit 25 detects the removal of the RFID-tagged paper before performing user authentication (identifying the user and acquiring the user ID) (step S207; Yes), a user other than the designated recipient receives the paper. A predetermined alarm indicating that it has been taken out is output by the warning unit 23 (step S215). The alarm is continuously output until the sheet is returned to the discharge tray 29 (step S216; No). When the sheet is returned to the discharge tray 29 (step S216; Yes), the alarm output is stopped. Returning to step S207, the processing is continued.

  When the RFID tag paper is not removed (step S207; No) and the predetermined time has elapsed since the paper is discharged (step S208; Yes), the range of valid recipients is expanded (step S209). . Specifically, when the recipient expansion information read from the RFID tag attached to the paper is “enlarged”, the range of valid recipients is enlarged according to the setting. That is, the stored content of the RFID tag is rewritten so as to delete the “*” mark attached to the recipient information to be validated.

  When the user authentication unit 25 authenticates the user (identifies the user and obtains the user ID) (step S210; Yes) in a state where the RFID-tagged paper is not taken out (step S207; No), the paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 29. It is checked whether or not there is a recipient that matches the authenticated (acquired user ID) among the recipients read from the RFID tag attached to the existing paper (step S211). If it exists (step S211; Yes), it is notified that a printed matter having the user as the recipient exists in the paper discharge tray 29 (step S212), and the process proceeds to step S213. If it does not exist (step S211; No), the process proceeds to step S213 without performing the notification in step S212.

  In step S213, it is checked whether or not a sheet with RFID has been taken out in a state where user authentication has been performed. If it has not been taken out (step S213; No), the process returns to step S208 to continue the processing. When the RFID-added paper is taken out under the state of user authentication (step S213; Yes), one of the recipients read from the tag ID of the taken-out paper and the authenticated user Are matched (step S214), and if they do not all match (step S214; No), it is determined that an unauthorized user has taken out the sheet, and the process proceeds to step S215, where the recipient is designated. A predetermined alarm is output to the effect that a user other than the designated recipient has taken out the paper for the print job (step S215).

  If one of the recipients read from the tag ID of the paper matches the authenticated user (step S214; Yes), the matched user is the first recipient associated with the print job. (Step S217; Yes), it is notified by a message display, voice output, or the like that the paper related to the print job in which the user is designated as the first recipient is included in the taken-out paper (Step S217). S218) This process ends.

  If the matched user is not the first recipient associated with the print job (step S217; No), the sheet associated with the print job in which the user is designated as the proxy recipient is included in the retrieved sheet. This is notified by a message display, voice output, or the like (step S219), and the process is terminated.

  As described above, the function and effect similar to those of the first embodiment can be obtained by directly writing the information relating to the recipient in the RFID tag of each paper instead of registering it in the monitoring database 40.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to that shown in the embodiment, and there are changes and additions within the scope of the present invention. Are also included in the present invention.

  For example, in the embodiment, the RFID communication unit 24 for reading the RFID tag on the paper and the second RFID communication unit (user authentication unit 25) for user authentication are provided. However, if the distance to the RFID can be recognized, For example, these RFID communication units may be shared.

  In the embodiment, a warning is output when a user other than the designated recipient takes out the paper from the paper discharge tray 29. For example, the user is out of the predetermined distance range of the multifunction machine 10. An alarm may be issued at the point of time.

  In the embodiment, the recipient information attached to the print job indicates the first recipient, and the proxy recipient corresponding to the first recipient is acquired from the recipient management database 30. This information may be added to the print job itself for a plurality of people. In this case, a plurality of recipients can be designated for each job, and flexible designation is possible.

  In the first embodiment, the job ID is registered in the monitoring database 40 in association with the tag ID. However, the job ID may not be provided, and at least the tag ID and the recipient are associated with each other. As long as it is registered. In the second embodiment, the recipient information and the job ID are written in the RFID tag. However, the job ID may not be written.

  The first recipient may be the user who submitted the print job or may be another user. That is, the plurality of recipients that can be specified may be the print job submitting user and other users, or may be a plurality of other users.

  In the embodiment, the range of the recipient is expanded according to the elapsed time since the sheet is discharged to the discharge tray 29, but may be expanded according to other conditions. For example, an increase in the number of printed materials stacked on the same paper discharge tray 29, or the number of people approaching the multi-function peripheral 10 after paper discharge (for example, when a printed material is left in spite of a predetermined number of users approaching) The range of recipients may be expanded in accordance with, for example.

When a plurality of sheets are taken out from the discharge tray 29 at one time, the operation is as follows.
(1) An alarm is sounded if there is at least one sheet in which the authenticated user is not the recipient (step S116 or S215).
(2) If not both (1) and the authenticated user has both the paper designated as the first recipient and the paper designated as the proxy recipient, the process of S120 (or S219) Notification is performed, or both S120 and S119 (or both S219 and S218) are notified.

  In the embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the multifunction machine 10 has been described as an example. However, any apparatus that forms and outputs an image on a sheet may be used, and a printer or a facsimile may be used.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a multifunction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which illustrated the detection range of a paper, and the detection range of a user. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of a recipient management database. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the monitoring database. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment that has received a print job. 6 is a flowchart showing a continuation of FIG. 5. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the multifunction peripheral according to the second embodiment that has received a print job. It is a flowchart which shows the continuation of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 ... Machine 11 ... CPU
12 ... Bus 13 ... Scanner unit 14 ... Printer unit 15 ... ROM
16 ... RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 17 ... Nonvolatile memory 18 ... Hard disk device 21 ... Operation part 22 ... Display part 23 ... Warning part 24 ... RFID communication part 25 ... User authentication part (2nd RFID communication part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 26 ... Timer part 27 ... Network control part 28 ... Facsimile control part 29 ... Paper discharge tray 30 ... Recipient management database 31 ... Personal registration part 32 ... Group registration part 33 ... Recipient expansion information 40 ... Monitoring database

Claims (6)

A receiver for receiving a print job including recipient information designating a plurality of recipients;
An image forming unit that forms an image relating to a print job received by the receiving unit on a sheet with an RFID tag and outputs the image to a paper discharge tray;
A storage unit that stores identification information of an RFID tag attached to a sheet on which an image related to the print job is formed and the recipient information in association with each other;
A reading unit that communicates with an RFID tag attached to a sheet on the paper discharge tray to read identification information;
A user specifying unit for specifying a user who has taken out paper from the paper discharge tray;
A warning section for giving a warning to a user who has taken out paper from the paper discharge tray;
Based on the identification information read by the reading unit, the removal of the sheet with the RFID tag from the paper discharge tray is detected, and the storage unit is associated with the identification information of the RFID tag attached to the detected sheet. A control unit that issues a warning by the warning unit when any of the plurality of recipients indicated by the recipient information stored in the user identification unit does not match the user specified by the user identification unit;
An image forming apparatus comprising: A receiver for receiving a print job including recipient information designating a plurality of recipients;
An image forming unit that forms an image relating to a print job received by the receiving unit on a sheet with an RFID tag and outputs the image to a paper discharge tray;
A writing unit for writing the recipient information related to the print job to an RFID tag attached to a sheet on which an image related to the print job is formed;
A reading unit that reads information of a recipient by communicating with an RFID tag attached to a sheet present in the paper discharge tray;
A user specifying unit for specifying a user who has taken out paper from the paper discharge tray;
A warning section for giving a warning to a user who has taken out paper from the paper discharge tray;
Based on the recipient information read by the reading unit, the removal of the sheet with the RFID tag from the discharge tray is detected, and the recipient information stored in the RFID attached to the detected sheet indicates A control unit that issues a warning by the warning unit when any of a plurality of recipients does not match the user specified by the user specifying unit;
An image forming apparatus comprising: An agent storage unit that stores one or more agent recipients in advance in association with the first recipient;
Recipient information indicating the first recipient is attached to the print job,
The plurality of recipients are specified by a first recipient indicated by recipient information attached to the print job and a substitute recipient stored in the substitute storage unit in association with the first recipient. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus. The control unit issues a warning by the warning unit when a valid recipient among a plurality of recipients specified by the recipient information does not match a user specified by the user specifying unit, and The initial valid recipient related to the print job received by the receiving unit is the first recipient. After the image related to the print job is formed on a sheet with an RFID tag and output to a paper discharge tray, 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the range of the effective recipient is expanded to a range including the proxy recipient according to the establishment of the condition. 5. The control unit issues a warning by the warning unit when a valid recipient among a plurality of recipients specified by the recipient information does not match a user specified by the user specifying unit, and An image related to the print job received by the receiving unit is formed on a sheet with an RFID tag and output to a paper discharge tray, and then, according to the establishment of a predetermined condition, the plurality of recipients related to the print job The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the range of effective recipients is expanded. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined condition is a lapse of a predetermined time.

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