JP2010016472A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor can avoid login standby for a long period of time and being used comfortably. <P>SOLUTION: An MFP 10 receives a login request, receives the login request from PCs 20A-20G and sets the exclusive time of each user for whom reception is permitted. Information (a name and contents of a job, etc.) relating to the user for whom the login request is received is registered in a management table inside the MFP 10. Then, the users registered in the management table are made to perform login successively and the job of the user is processed. Also, when the number of users waiting to log in becomes a prescribed value or larger, the exclusive time of at least one of the users registered in the management table is changed to be short. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that permits login for each user (communication terminal apparatus) and allows a logged-in user to use the apparatus exclusively. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that appropriately manages login time.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an image processing apparatus that permits login for each user and can be used exclusively by the logged-in user. In such an image processing apparatus, when a plurality of users output a login request, normally, the login of the user who requested the login first is permitted and the job of the user is executed. On the other hand, a job of a user who is not permitted to log in enters a standby state and is held in the image processing apparatus, and is executed after the logged-in user logs out.

As a technique for managing jobs from a plurality of users, for example, there is a job management system disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the job management system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-260688, when print requests from a large number of users are concentrated, use of the user is restricted based on use restriction information such as a user name and the number of prints.
JP 2007-193672 A

  However, the conventional image processing apparatus described above has the following problems. That is, when a large number of users request login, a user whose login priority is low cannot log in for a long time until the login period of all users whose priority is higher than his own priority ends. As a result, the user with low login priority is uncomfortable.

  The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the conventional image processing apparatus described above. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that avoids waiting for a long login time and can be used comfortably.

  In order to solve this problem, an image processing apparatus includes a receiving unit that accepts a login request from a user, a setting unit that sets the exclusive time of the user who has accepted the login request by the receiving unit, and a login by the receiving unit. A database for storing users who have received requests, login means for sequentially logging in users stored in the database, and determining whether the waiting time until login of a user who has received a login request is long by the receiving means And changing means for changing the exclusive time of at least one of the users who received the login request by the receiving means when it is determined that the waiting time is long.

  The image processing apparatus of the present invention accepts a login request and sets the exclusive time of each user who has accepted the login request. Information about the user who accepted the login request (name, job content, etc.) is registered in the database. Then, the login means sequentially logs in the users registered in the database, and processes the user's job. Further, the image processing apparatus of the present invention can change the exclusive time of at least one of the users who have accepted the login request, that is, the users registered in the database, by the changing means.

  That is, in the image processing apparatus of the present invention, when it is determined that the waiting time of the user waiting for login is long, the exclusive time of at least one of the users who have accepted the login request (logged in users or users who are waiting for login) is obtained. Change it short. Thereby, the waiting time of the user whose login priority is lower than that of the user whose exclusive time has been changed is shortened. Therefore, it can be expected to reduce the discomfort of the user waiting for login.

  Further, the changing means of the image processing apparatus of the present invention is better when the waiting time is long when the number of users who have received a login request by the receiving means exceeds a threshold, and the exclusive time is changed short. That is, there is a concern that the larger the number of users, the longer the waiting time for users with lower login priority. Therefore, in such a case, a more appropriate effect can be expected by changing the exclusive time of the user with high login priority to a short time.

  Further, the changing means of the image processing apparatus of the present invention may, for example, change the exclusive time of the user waiting for login among the users who have received the login request by the receiving means. That is, since the processing of the user waiting for login has not started, the exclusive time is changed during the work, and the processing is not interrupted. Therefore, distrust of the logged-in user can be avoided.

  On the other hand, the changing unit of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention may change, for example, the exclusive time of the logged-in user among the users who have received the login request by the receiving unit. That is, the waiting time of all the users waiting for login is changed to be shorter by changing the dedicated time of the logged-in user to be shorter. Also, switching to the next user is quick.

  Also, the above-mentioned image processing apparatus automatically registers the user in the database as a user waiting for login when the exclusive time of the logged-in user is changed short and the job of the user is interrupted due to the change. It is better to have automatic registration means. In other words, when the job is finished in the middle of processing, execution of the remaining processing is automatically registered. This allows the job to be completed even if the processing ends due to a change in the exclusive time.

  Further, the automatic registration means of the image processing apparatus described above preferably registers the user whose occupation time is changed by the changing means and whose job is interrupted by the change so that the user has the highest login priority. In other words, by registering at the highest level, the job is completed at an early stage even if the processing ends in the middle. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the discomfort of the user who has ended halfway.

  In addition, the image processing apparatus of the present invention is preferably provided with notification means for notifying the user whose exclusive time has been changed by the changing means that the exclusive time has been changed short. That is, a user whose occupation period is changed short can recognize the change. Therefore, it can be expected to avoid the distrust of the changed user.

  In addition, the image processing apparatus of the present invention preferably includes second notification means for notifying the user whose waiting time has been changed short by the changing means that the waiting time has been changed short. That is, a user whose waiting time has been changed short can recognize the change. Therefore, it can be expected to avoid the distrust of the changed user. The “user whose waiting time has been changed shortly” is a user whose login priority is lower than that of a user who has been changed to have a short exclusive time.

  The image processing apparatus according to the present invention determines whether there is a job for processing a specific function among the jobs of the user who has received the login request by the receiving unit, and determines that there is such a job. In this case, it is better to provide specific changing means for changing the exclusive time of at least one of the users who have received the login request by the receiving means. That is, when a job having a function that is predicted to have a high priority, such as PC-FAX, is registered, the waiting time is changed to be short so that the job is executed at an early stage. As a result, more appropriate operation can be achieved.

  In addition, the present invention stores a receiving unit that receives a login request from a user, a setting unit that sets the exclusive time of the user who has received the login request by the receiving unit, and a user who has received the login request by the receiving unit. It is determined whether there is a job for processing a specific function among a database, a login means for sequentially logging in users stored in the database, and a user job for which a login request is received by the reception means. An image processing apparatus comprising: a specific changing unit that changes the exclusive time of at least one of users who have received a login request by the receiving unit when it is determined that there is such a job. Is included.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus that can avoid waiting for a long login time and can be used comfortably.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments embodying an image processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to an image processing system in which a personal computer (PC) and a multifunction peripheral (MFP) as an image processing apparatus are connected to a network.

[System configuration]
As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing system 100 of this embodiment includes an MFP 10 and a plurality of PCs 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, 20E, 20F, and 20G. In the system 100, the MFP 10 and the PC 20 are connected via a network such as a LAN. Note that any number of MFPs and PCs constituting the system 100 may be connected.

  In the image processing system 100, login requests are output from the PCs 20A to 20G to the MFP 10. The MFP 10 manages the login state and allows the logged-in user to use it exclusively. That is, the MFP 10 permits login to one PC (user) among the PCs 20A to 20G (each of the users A to G), and processes a job from the logged-in PC (user).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the MFP 10 constituting the system 100 includes a CPU 11 (an example of an accepting unit, a setting unit, a login unit, a changing unit, an automatic registration unit, a notification unit, a second notification unit, and a specific changing unit). ROM 12, RAM 13, nonvolatile memory (NVRAM) 14, ASIC 15, network interface 16, USB interface 17, USB memory interface 171, display unit 18, operation unit 19, and image forming unit 110. And a scanner unit 120.

  The CPU 11 executes arithmetic operations for realizing various functions such as a scan function and a print function in the MFP 10 and is the center of control. The ROM 12 stores various control programs for controlling the MFP 10, various settings, initial values, and the like. The RAM 13 is used as a work area from which various control programs are read and a storage area for temporarily storing image data. The NVRAM 14 is a non-volatile storage means (Non Volatile RAM) and stores various settings or image data.

  The ASIC 15 is electrically connected to the image forming unit 110, the scanner unit 120, the display unit 18, the operation unit 19, and the like. The CPU 11 controls each component of the MFP 10 via the ASIC 15 while storing the processing result in the RAM 13 or NVRAM 14 according to the control program read from the ROM 12.

  The NVRAM 14 of the PC 10 stores a management table 141 (an example of a database) that records login information. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the management table 141 records the number, the name of the user who made the login request, the management status, the job contents, the timeout period that is the exclusive period, and the remaining time of the exclusive period. FIG. 3 shows the stored contents of the management table 141 when login requests are made in the order of user A, user B, user C, user D, and user E. Then, the user A who makes the login request first becomes a logged-in user (logged-in user), and the other users become logged-in users (logged-in users).

  The network interface 16 is connected to the network 30, and mutual data communication with the PCs 20 </ b> A to 20 </ b> G is possible via the network interface 16. An information processing apparatus such as a PC is connected to the USB interface 17 so that a job request can be received via the USB interface. The USB memory interface 171 is connected to a USB memory (not shown) as an external memory, and data can be read from and written to the USB memory via the USB memory interface 171.

  FIG. 4 shows the appearance of the MFP 10. The image forming unit 110 prints image data sent from the PC 20 or image data of a document read by the scanner unit 120 on a sheet. The image forming method may be an electrophotographic method or an ink jet method. The scanner unit 120 reads an image of a document set on a document table and creates document image data. The scanner unit 120 includes an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 121 that automatically conveys a document, and can continuously read a plurality of documents.

  The display unit 18 is located on the front side of the scanner unit 120 and includes display means such as a liquid crystal display. The operation unit 19 is also located on the front side of the scanner unit 120 and includes input means such as a touch panel and various buttons. In the MFP 10, an operation status can be displayed and input by a user can be performed by the display unit 18 and the operation unit 19.

[Operation of login function]
Next, the operation of the MFP 10 will be described. The user makes a login request to the MFP 10 through the PC. The MFP 10 permits login for each user via the PC, and allows the logged-in user to use it exclusively. When a plurality of users output login requests, the user who first requested the login is permitted to log in, and the user's job is executed. Further, the user's job that is not permitted to log in is stored in the RAM 13 and executed after the logged-in user logs out. Logout is triggered when a predetermined time elapses without any instruction after the job processing is completed, when a timeout time elapses, when a logout request is accepted, or the like.

  In the MFP 10, the upper limit of the number of login waiting users is set to 5, and when a user other than the administrator user requests login, five login waiting users are already registered, and the login request is rejected.

  For example, in this image processing system 100 (see FIG. 1), when login requests are output in the order of PCs 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, 20E, 20F, and 20G, login is permitted to the first user, user A, User A becomes a logged-in user. User B, the second user, waits for login, and becomes the first login wait user with the highest priority. Further, the users C, D, E, and F are the second, third, fourth, and fifth log-in waiting users, respectively. On the other hand, since the user G who is the sixth user already has five users waiting for login, the login request is rejected.

  As described above, the MFP 10 controls the login management state of each user. FIG. 5 shows the state transition of the management state. The management status is “logged in”, which is the login status, “login wait”, where login is refused and waiting for login, and “change” where the timeout time has been shortened while logged in. State ". The management status is stored in the “management status” column of the management table 141 (see FIG. 3).

  When the MFP 10 receives the login request, if the user who has output the login request is the first user, that is, no one is logged in, the user who has output the login request enters the login state. On the other hand, if someone is already logged in, that is, if there is a logged-in user, the user who has output the login request enters a login waiting state. Then, when the logged-in user logs out, the logged-in state transitions from the login waiting state.

  Further, the MFP 10 has a function of changing the remaining time of the exclusive time during the login state. When the remaining time is changed, the logged-in user transitions from the logged-in state to the changed state. When the job requested by the user is completed in the logged-in state or the changed state, the user logs out. Hereinafter, a login process for realizing such an operation will be described.

[Login management processing]
Next, login management processing, which is the overall operation of the login function, will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The login management process is started immediately after the MFP 10 is turned on.

  First, as a login request detection process, a login request is detected, and if it is the first user, login is permitted and the job is executed (S101). Next, as a login waiting process, when a logged-in user logs out, the logged-in user is shifted to a logged-in state (S102). Details of the processing of S101 and S102 will be described later.

  Thereafter, it is determined whether an end instruction has been received (S103). Examples of the termination instruction include reset and power off. If an end instruction is received (S103: YES), this process ends. If an end instruction has not been received (S103: NO), the process returns to the process of S101 and the processes of S101 and S102 are repeated.

[Login request detection processing]
Next, the login request detection process in S101 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, it is determined whether or not there is a login request (S201, an example of accepting means). If there is no login request (S201: NO), the subsequent processing is bypassed and this processing is terminated.

  If there is a login request (S201: YES), it is determined whether there is a logged-in user (S202). The presence or absence of a logged-in user can be determined by referring to the management table 141.

  When there is no logged-in user (S202: NO), that is, when no user is logged in, the user who has issued the login request is set as the logged-in user (S211, an example of login means). Then, 10 minutes is set as the timeout time (S212). Then, the user is registered in the management table 141 (S213). In the management table 141 before registration, no record is registered, and the record of the user becomes the first record.

  Then, the time measurement for exclusive use is started (S214). This timing is set until the time-out time set in S211 and recorded in the management table 141 elapses. After the timing is started, execution of job processing is started (S215). That is, login is permitted. After the process of S215, this process ends.

  On the other hand, if there is a logged-in user (S202: YES), that is, if someone is already logged in, it is determined whether or not the user who has output the login request is an administrator user (S203). ).

  If the user is an administrator user (S203: YES), the user is set as a login waiting user, and the user is set as the first login waiting user with the highest priority (S221). For example, it is assumed that the user C is an administrator user in the image processing system 100 (see FIG. 1). In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, even when the user C outputs a login request after the user B, the user C is set as the first login waiting user. That is, it is possible that jobs from the administrator user include those with high urgency. Therefore, when there are multiple users waiting for login, the priority of the administrator user waiting for login is raised, and smooth system operation is achieved. After the process of S221, the process proceeds to S206.

  If it is not an administrator user (S203: NO), it is determined whether or not there are four or less registered login waiting users (S204). If there are already five users waiting for login, that is, six users including registered users are registered (S204: NO), it is notified that the user is congested (S231), and the process is terminated. As the notification, a message as shown in FIG. 9 may be displayed on the display unit 18, or the message may be sent to the user who made the login request. If the user who made the login request becomes the sixth user waiting for login, it is predicted that the waiting time until login will be long. Therefore, the login is rejected, the login is not waited, and the job is not executed. As a result, the user whose job execution has been rejected can take measures such as re-executing after a while or executing it on another MFP, and can avoid waiting for a long time while waiting for login.

  On the other hand, if the number of registered users waiting for login is 4 or less (S204: YES), the user is set as a user waiting for login and the user is set as the last user waiting for login with the lowest priority. (S205).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the RAM 13 has a storage area for storing job data of a job requested by the user (S206). If there is no storage area (S206: NO), that is, if the job data cannot be stored, it is notified that it is congested (S231), and this process is terminated. If there is a storage area (S206: YES), that is, if the job data can be stored, the job data is stored in the RAM 13 (S207).

  Next, the user is registered in the management table 141 (S208). As the timeout time and remaining time in the management table 141, 10 minutes is recorded as an initial value. Thereafter, the user is notified that the user is waiting for login (S209). The notification contents include the number of users waiting for login and the waiting time. The waiting time is the sum of the remaining times of all the users registered in the management table 141. As the notification, a message as shown in FIG. 10 may be displayed on the display unit 18, or the message may be sent to the user who made the login request. After the notification in S209, this process ends.

[Login wait processing]
Next, the login waiting process in S102 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This process determines whether the process of the logged-in user's job has been completed, that is, whether or not the user has logged out (S301), and based on the result, the process when the logged-in user's job is being executed (in FIG. 11) And a process after the job processing is completed and logged out (broken line frame (β) in FIG. 11).

  First, processing when a logged-in user's job is being executed (broken frame (α) in FIG. 11) will be described. This process is started when the job has not ended (S301: NO) and the timeout period has not elapsed (S302: NO).

  First, it is determined whether or not the user who is processing the job is a changed user (S303). If it is a changed state (S303: YES), this process is terminated. If it is not changed (S303: NO), it is determined whether there are five or more users waiting for login registered in the management table 141 (an example of a threshold) (S304). If there are not five or more users waiting for login (S304: NO), this process ends.

  If there are five or more users waiting for login (S304: YES), it is predicted that a long waiting time has occurred for each user waiting for login, especially the user waiting for login registered at the end. Therefore, the remaining time of the logged-in user who is currently executing job processing is changed to 2/3 (S305, an example of changing means). This shortens the waiting time of all users waiting for login.

  After the remaining time is shortened in the process of S305, the logged-in user is set to the changed state (S306), and the management table 141 is updated (S307). That is, as shown in FIG. 12, the management state of the logged-in user is changed from “logged in” to “login changed”.

  After that, it notifies that the remaining time or waiting time has been changed. That is, the change of the remaining time is notified to the user in the changed state (S308, an example of notification means). For example, a message as shown in FIG. 13 may be sent to the user who has changed. In addition, the waiting time change is notified to each of the users waiting for login (S309, an example of second notification means). For example, a message as shown in FIG. 14 may be sent to the first user waiting for login. Either the process of S308 or the process of S309 may be first. After the notification, this process ends.

  Next, processing after the job processing is finished and logged out (broken frame (β) in FIG. 11) will be described. This process is started when the job is finished (S301: YES), that is, when the user is logged out or when the job is being processed but the timeout time has passed (S302: YES).

  If the timeout period has elapsed while the job is being processed (S302: YES), the job ends even during the job processing, and logs out as soon as the job ends (S311). For example, if the timeout time has elapsed on the 90th page of a 100-page print job, the process ends after the 90th page is printed.

  Logged out (S301: YES), or after the job is forcibly terminated in the process of S311, the exclusive time allocated to the next logged-in user, that is, a timeout time is set (S312).

  FIG. 15 shows details of the timeout time setting process in S312. First, it is determined whether the number of users waiting for login is 5 or more (an example of a threshold value) (S401). If the number of users waiting for login is 4 or less (S401: NO), it is determined whether or not there is a job containing “PC-FAX” in the job details of the users waiting for login (S402). If there is no user waiting for login requesting execution of PC-FAX (S402: NO), the timeout time is set to 10 minutes.

  On the other hand, when the number of login waiting users is 5 or more (S401: YES), it is predicted that a long waiting time is generated for each login waiting user, especially the login waiting user registered at the end. Is done. Therefore, the timeout time is set to 5 minutes, which is shorter than usual (S411, an example of changing means). After that, it notifies that the timeout time or waiting time has been changed. That is, the change of the timeout time is notified to the user who will be the next logged-in user (S412, an example of notification means). In addition, a change in the waiting time is notified to each login waiting user other than the user who will be the next logged-in user (S413, an example of second notification means).

  In addition, even if there is a login waiting user who requests execution of PC-FAX (S402: YES), the timeout time is set to 5 minutes, which is a shorter time than usual (S411, an example of specific changing means). That is, the PC-FAX is more likely to be a urgent or important job than other jobs. Therefore, when execution of PC-FAX is requested, the timeout time is shortened so that the execution of the job is accelerated as much as possible.

  Returning to the description of the login waiting process (FIG. 11), the first login waiting user registered in the management table 141 is set as the next logged-in user (S313, an example of login means). Next, it is determined whether or not the user who has been logged in last time, that is, the user who has logged out has been changed (S314). Further, if it is in the changed state (S314: YES), it is determined whether or not the process has been terminated in the process of S311 (S321).

  If the process is terminated in the middle of processing (S321: YES), the user is set to the first login waiting user whose job content is an unprocessed job (S322, an example of automatic registration means). In other words, the user who has been in the changed state may end the job processing halfway due to the unintentionally changing the timeout time to be short. Therefore, the first user waiting for login is set, and the unprocessed jobs are executed automatically and early to complete the job. After the process of S322, the process proceeds to S315. The user may be notified that unprocessed jobs have been automatically set.

  When the user who has been logged in last time is not in the changed state (S314: NO), or is in the changed state but has finished the process (S321: NO), the management table 141 is updated (S315). For example, in the management table 141 when there are five users waiting for login at the stage of the processing of S312, it is recorded that the timeout time of the user B who is logged in is 5 minutes as shown in FIG. The Also, in the management table 141 in the case where a user who performs “PC-FAX” is registered at the stage of the processing of S312, as shown in FIG. 17, the timeout time of the user B who is logged in is 5 minutes. Is recorded.

  Thereafter, the time measurement for exclusive use is started (S316). This time is set until the time-out time set in S312 and recorded in the management table 141 elapses, and time-out occurs after elapses. After the start of timing, execution of the job processing of the user who has newly become a logged-in user is started (S317). After the process of S317, this process ends.

  As described above in detail, when the MFP 10 of this embodiment determines that the number of users waiting for login is 5 or more, the remaining time of the currently logged-in user is shortened to 2/3 (S305). If the previous logged-in user has just logged out, the time-out time of the first login-waiting user is changed to a half of the initial value (S411). This shortens the waiting time of the user waiting for login. Therefore, it can be expected to reduce the discomfort of the user waiting for login. Further, it is predicted that the waiting time of a login waiting user having a lower login priority becomes longer as the number of login waiting users increases. Therefore, when the number of users waiting for login becomes equal to or greater than the threshold (5 in the embodiment), it is determined that the waiting time becomes longer, and the exclusive time of the users waiting for login or the users waiting for login with high login priority is changed short. Therefore, more appropriate effects can be expected.

  Note that this embodiment is merely an example, and does not limit the present invention. Therefore, the present invention can naturally be improved and modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof. For example, an image processing apparatus that permits login is not limited to an MFP, and may be an image processing apparatus that permits login for each user and can be used exclusively by the logged-in user. Is also applicable. Further, the communication terminal device that requests login is not limited to a PC, and may be, for example, a workstation or a portable information terminal.

  In the embodiment, the initial values of the timeout time and the remaining time are set when records are registered in the management table 141. However, they may be set at the time of login without being set at the registration stage.

  In the embodiment, when the record is registered in the management table 141, the initial values of the timeout time and the remaining time are set. However, if the login request is assigned the exclusive time desired by the user, the exclusive time is set. The time may be a timeout time.

  In addition, the management table 141 according to the embodiment may be prepared as a file in advance, or may be created every time a login request of the first user is detected, and may be deleted after processing of the last user.

  In the embodiment, it is determined whether to change the timeout time or the remaining time depending on the number of users waiting for login. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the waiting time of the user waiting for login at the end may be calculated based on the timeout time column of the management table 141, and the timeout time or the remaining time may be changed depending on whether the waiting time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an MFP constituting the image processing system. It is a figure which shows an example of the management table of login information. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an MFP constituting an image processing system. It is a figure which shows the state transition of a management state. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of login processing of the MFP. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of login request detection processing of the MFP. It is a figure (user C is an administrator user) which shows an example of the management table of login information when an administrator user requests login. It is a figure which shows an example of the message display at the time of congestion. It is a figure which shows an example of the message display at the time of a login waiting state. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of login waiting processing of the MFP. It is a figure which shows an example of the management table of login information at the time of a change state setting. It is a figure which shows an example of the message display (product for login users) at the time of a change state setting. It is a figure which shows an example of the message display (product for login waiting users) at the time of a change state setting. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of MFP timeout setting processing. It is a figure which shows an example of the management table of login information when four login waiting users are registered. It is a figure which shows an example of the management table of login information when PC-FAX is registered.

Explanation of symbols

10 MFP
18 Display unit 19 Operation unit 20A to 20G PC
100 Image Processing System 110 Image Forming Unit 120 Scanner Unit 141 Management Table

Claims (11)

A means for accepting login requests from users;
Setting means for setting the exclusive time of the user who has accepted the login request by the accepting means;
A database for storing a user who has accepted a login request by the accepting means;
Login means for sequentially logging in users stored in the database;
It is determined whether or not the waiting time until login of the user who has accepted the login request by the accepting unit is long, and when the waiting time is determined to be long, among the users who have accepted the login request by the accepting unit An image processing apparatus comprising: a changing unit that changes the exclusive time of at least one of the above. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The image processing apparatus, wherein the changing unit determines that the waiting time is long when the number of users who have received a login request by the receiving unit exceeds a threshold, and changes the exclusive time to be short. In the image processing device according to claim 1 or 2,
The image processing apparatus characterized in that the changing means changes the exclusive time of a user waiting for login among the users who have received the login request by the receiving means. In the image processing device according to claim 1 or 2,
The image processing apparatus characterized in that the changing means changes the exclusive time of a logged-in user among the users who have received a login request by the receiving means. In the image processing device according to claim 1 or 2,
The changing means is:
If the exclusive time of the logged-in user has not expired, change the exclusive time of the logged-in user to a shorter one,
An image processing apparatus characterized in that, when the exclusive time of a logged-in user has expired, the exclusive time of a user who is logged in next and waiting for login is changed. In the image processing apparatus according to claim 4 or 5,
When the exclusive time of the logged-in user is changed shortly and the user's job is interrupted due to the change, an automatic registration means is provided for automatically registering the user as a user waiting for login in the database. An image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6,
The automatic registration means registers the user whose occupation time is changed by the changing means and whose job is interrupted by the change so as to be the highest priority of login. In the image processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
An image processing apparatus comprising: notification means for notifying a user whose exclusive time has been changed by the changing means that the exclusive time has been changed short. In the image processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
An image processing apparatus comprising: second notification means for notifying a user whose waiting time has been changed by the changing means to be shorter. In the image processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
It is determined whether or not there is a job that performs processing of a specific function among the jobs of the user who has received the login request by the reception unit, and if it is determined that there is such a job, the reception unit An image processing apparatus comprising: a specific changing unit that changes the exclusive time of at least one of users who have received a login request. A means for accepting login requests from users;
Setting means for setting the exclusive time of the user who has accepted the login request by the accepting means;
A database for storing a user who has accepted a login request by the accepting means;
Login means for sequentially logging in users stored in the database;
It is determined whether or not there is a job for processing a specific function among the jobs of the user who has received the login request by the reception unit, and when it is determined that there is such a job, the reception unit An image processing apparatus comprising: a specific changing unit that changes the exclusive time of at least one of users who have received a login request.

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