JP2010129031A - Apparatus, system and program for processing image - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for processing an image that does not require carrying of a medium on which a content is printed though an RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) is not incorporated in the medium and suppresses outflow of information. <P>SOLUTION: An image receiving means of the apparatus for processing the image receives an image containing at least an information image showing an identification code capable of identifying information. A user authentication information receiving means receives user authentication information as information for authenticating a user. A decoding means decodes the information image included in the image received by the image receiving means. A transmitting means transmits the identification code decoded by the decoding means and the user authentication information received by the user authentication information receiving means to an information management apparatus. A receiving means receives, from the information management apparatus, availability information related to whether user can use the information identified with the identification code. An output means outputs the availability information received by the receiving means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing system, and an image processing program.

Amid increasing demands for security enhancement of information handled, the number of companies implementing the following measures is increasing.
(1) Measures to prohibit taking out personal computers (PCs) holding confidential documents and customer data because they may be stolen or lost.
(2) Measures to prohibit taking out paper that has been copied or printed on confidential documents or customer data because of theft or loss.

  As a technique related to this, for example, Patent Document 1 has an object to provide a technique for identifying and managing a document at a paper level using an identifier attached to the paper itself. The management system includes a content generation device that generates content including information such as characters and images to be printed, a printing device that prints on paper, an approval device that functions as office supplies for approval of documents, It is disclosed to have a reading device for reading RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) provided in a document, a document data management device for managing document data, and a LAN connecting them.

In addition, for example, Patent Document 2 aims to provide a document management system and a document management method that facilitate handling of a paper document on which an electronic document is printed. An RFID antenna for reading the identification information attached to the sheet, and the electronic document from a database storing the electronic document associated with the identification information attached to the sheet based on the identification information attached to the sheet An RFID controller, a print mechanism for printing the read electronic document on a sheet, and an RFID antenna for reading the identification information attached to the sheet. The RFID controller reads the identification information attached to the sheet. It is disclosed to store in a database in association with the read electronic document.
JP 2002-120475 A JP 2007-034446 A

By the way, in the above-described background art, printing can be performed only on a medium such as paper to which an information identification code is given by incorporating an RFID.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing system, and an image processing program that can solve such problems.

The gist of the present invention for achieving the object lies in the inventions of the following items.
The invention according to claim 1 is an image receiving means for receiving an image including at least an information image representing an identification code for identifying information, and a user authentication information receiving means for receiving user authentication information which is information for authenticating a user. Decoding means for decoding the information image included in the image received by the image receiving means, identification code decoded by the decoding means, and user authentication information received by the user authentication information receiving means Transmitting means to the information management device, receiving means for receiving from the information management device whether or not the user can use the information identified by the identification code, An image processing apparatus comprising output means for outputting usable information received by a receiving means.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the transmission unit further transmits image processing device authentication information, which is information for authenticating the image processing device, and the receiving unit receives the information from the information management device. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein usable information regarding whether or not the information identified by the identification code is usable by the image processing apparatus is received.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an instruction receiving means for receiving an instruction for transmitting information relating to the usable information received by the receiving means to a communication terminal owned by the user, the identification code, and the user authentication information. As a reply to the transmission by the second transmission means from the information management apparatus, the user is identified by the identification code at the communication terminal. A second receiving means for receiving availability information regarding whether or not the information is available; and a third sending means for transmitting the available information received by the second receiving means to the communication terminal. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image processing apparatus.

  The invention according to claim 4 is an image receiving means for receiving an image including at least an information image representing an identification code for identifying information, and a user authentication information receiving means for receiving user authentication information which is information for authenticating a user. Decoding means for decoding the information image included in the image received by the image receiving means, identification code decoded by the decoding means, and user authentication information received by the user authentication information receiving means Transmitting means to the information management device, receiving means for receiving from the information management device whether or not the user can use the information identified by the identification code, An image processing apparatus having output means for outputting usable information received by the receiving means, and an identification code and user authentication information from the image processing apparatus; Based on the identification code and user authentication information received by the reception means, the user specified by the user authentication information can use the information identified by the identification code. An information management device comprising: a usable information generating unit that determines whether or not usable information is generated; and a transmitting unit that transmits the usable information generated by the usable information generating unit to the image processing device. An image processing system is provided.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the transmission means of the image processing apparatus further transmits image processing apparatus authentication information, which is information for authenticating the image processing apparatus, and the reception means of the image processing apparatus includes the information From the management device, the user receives availability information regarding whether or not the information identified by the identification code is available in the image processing device, and the receiving means of the information management device further includes image processing. The device authentication information is received, and the usable information generating unit of the information management device is configured to receive the user based on the identification code, the user authentication information, and the image processing device authentication information received by the reception unit of the information management device. The user specified by the authentication information can use the information identified by the identification code by determining whether the information can be used by the image processing apparatus specified by the image processing apparatus authentication information. An image processing system according to claim 4, characterized in that to generate the distribution.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the image processing apparatus uses image receiving means for receiving an image including at least an information image representing an identification code for identifying information, and user authentication information that is information for authenticating a user. User authentication information receiving means, decoding means for decoding an information image included in the image received by the image receiving means, identification code decoded by the decoding means, and user authentication information receiving means. The user authentication information is transmitted to the information management device, and the user receives from the information management device availability information regarding whether the user can use the information identified by the identification code. An image processing program that functions as a receiving unit and an output unit that outputs usable information received by the receiving unit A.

  According to the image processing apparatus of the first aspect, it is not necessary to carry the medium on which the contents are printed even though the RFID is not incorporated, and the outflow of information can be suppressed.

  According to the image processing apparatus of the second aspect, it is possible to suppress the outflow of information that cannot be used by the image processing apparatus.

  According to the image processing apparatus of the third aspect, the information can be used even in the communication terminal owned by the user while suppressing the outflow of the information.

  According to the image processing system of the fourth aspect, it is not necessary to carry the medium on which the contents are printed even though the RFID is not incorporated, and the outflow of information can be suppressed.

  According to the image processing system of the fifth aspect, it is possible to suppress the outflow of information that cannot be used by the image processing apparatus.

  According to the image processing program of the sixth aspect, it is not necessary to carry the medium on which the contents are printed even though the RFID is not incorporated, and the outflow of information can be suppressed.

Hereinafter, an example of a preferred embodiment for realizing the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a conceptual module configuration diagram of a configuration example of the present embodiment.
The module generally refers to components such as software (computer program) and hardware that can be logically separated. Therefore, the module in the present embodiment indicates not only a module in a computer program but also a module in a hardware configuration. Therefore, the present embodiment also serves as an explanation of a computer program, a system, and a method. However, for the sake of explanation, the words “store”, “store”, and equivalents thereof are used. However, when the embodiment is a computer program, these words are stored in a storage device or stored in memory. It is the control to be stored in the device. In addition, the modules correspond almost one-to-one with the functions. However, in mounting, one module may be composed of one program, or a plurality of modules may be composed of one program. A plurality of programs may be used. The plurality of modules may be executed by one computer, or one module may be executed by a plurality of computers in a distributed or parallel environment. Note that one module may include other modules. Hereinafter, “connection” is used not only for physical connection but also for logical connection (data exchange, instruction, reference relationship between data, etc.).
In addition, the system or device is configured by connecting a plurality of computers, hardware, devices, and the like by communication means such as a network (including one-to-one correspondence communication connection), etc., and one computer, hardware, device. The case where it implement | achieves by etc. is also included. “Apparatus” and “system” are used as synonymous terms. “Predetermined” means before the target process, and before the process according to the present embodiment is started, even after the process according to the present embodiment is started, It is used according to the situation / state at that time or with the intention to be decided according to the situation / state up to that point.

Hereinafter, information is information that can be visualized, and will be described mainly using document data (hereinafter also referred to as a document). Document data is text data, in some cases electronic data such as images, moving images, audio, etc., or a combination of these, and is subject to storage, editing, search, etc., and is an individual unit between systems or users. Things that can be exchanged, including similar ones.
When the information is a document, the code that can identify the information is a document identifier. The document identifier may be a URI including a document name, URL, etc., as long as the document can be identified.

Further, as an image processing apparatus, a multifunction peripheral (an image processing apparatus having any two or more functions such as a scanner, a printer, a copying machine, and a fax machine) will be mainly described as an example. In addition, a mobile phone will be mainly exemplified and described as a communication terminal owned by a user.
The information image refers to an image code that is systematically created to represent electronic data in a machine-readable manner, and specifically includes a one-dimensional bar code, a two-dimensional code, and the like. In particular, recently, a QR code (Quick Response code) has been used as a two-dimensional code, and this QR code is mainly exemplified in the present embodiment as well.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the present embodiment has an information image output device 110, an image processing device 120, a document management device 160, and a communication terminal 180. The image processing apparatus 120 and the document management apparatus 160, and the image processing apparatus 120 and the communication terminal 180 are connected via a communication line.

  As a usage scene of the present embodiment, for example, a user has an index image 191 printed by the information image output device 110, goes to a conference room outside the company, and indexes by the image processing device 120 in the conference room. The document 192 is to be printed using the image 191. The document 192 that can be displayed for security can also be displayed on the communication terminal 180 possessed by the user.

  The information image output device 110 includes a document information storage module 111, an information image generation module 112, and an image output module 113.

  The document information storage module 111 stores target data that is accessed from the information image generation module 112 and encoded as an information image. For example, there is a document identifier (hereinafter also referred to as an index) that allows a user to uniquely identify a document that the image processing apparatus 120 wants to print. With this document identifier, the document stored in the document storage module 171 in the document management apparatus 160 can be accessed.

  In addition to the document identifier, information attached to the document (document name, outline, creator, etc.) may be stored. The document information storage module 111 stores, for example, an incidental information table 900 as incidental information. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the data structure of the incidental information table 900. The incidental information table 900 has a document ID column 910, a document name column 920, a creator column 930, a summary column 940, an issuing department column 950, and an approver column 960. The document ID column 910 stores a document identifier. The document name column 920 stores the document name of the document. The creator column 930 stores the identifier of the creator of the document. The summary column 940 stores the summary of the document. The issue department column 950 stores the department that issued the document. The approver column 960 stores the approver of the document. The incidental information table 900 is not limited to this, and other incidental information may be stored. These (other than the document ID column 910) are described in the index image 191 corresponding to the image information.

  The information image generation module 112 is connected to the document information storage module 111 and the image output module 113, and extracts target data to be encoded as an information image from the document information storage module 111. An information image (for example, QR code) representing the target data is generated. Then, the generated information image is transferred to the image output module 113. The target data includes at least a document identifier that can identify the document. Therefore, at least the document identifier is represented in the information image. Further, the target data may be encrypted. In addition to the information image, supplementary information of the document may be extracted from the document information storage module 111 and passed to the image output module 113.

  The image output module 113 is connected to the information image generation module 112 and outputs an index image 191. That is, the information image received from the information image generation module 112 is output to a medium. Outputting an image includes printing with a printing device such as a printer, transmitting an image with an image transmission device such as a fax, and writing an image into an image storage device such as an image database. For example, a QR code is printed on paper. At that time, information attached to the document may be output in association with the information image. The medium may be a thin display called electronic paper.

  The image processing apparatus 120 includes an image output module 121, an operation reception module 122, a panel output module 123, a reception module 124, a transmission module 125, an access right inquiry management module 130, a list generation module 141, and a mail generation management module 150. Yes.

  The image output module 121 outputs a document 192. More specifically, the document in the list output to the panel by the list generation module 141 via the panel output module 123 is selected according to the user's operation. A document retrieval request using the document identifier of the selected document is transmitted to the document management apparatus 160 via the transmission module 125, and the document is received from the document management apparatus 160 via the reception module 124. Then, the received document is output to a medium (document 192). The medium may be a thin display called electronic paper in addition to paper.

The operation accepting module 122 accepts a user's operation based on an operation on a key provided in the image processing apparatus 120, or coordinates touched on the panel when the panel is a touch panel.
The panel output module 123 displays a display for prompting the user to operate, a list generated by the list generation module 141, and the like on a panel which is a display provided in the image processing apparatus 120.

The reception module 124 is connected to the transmission module 161 of the document management apparatus 160 via a communication line, and receives information from the document management apparatus 160. Pass the received information to other modules.
The transmission module 125 is connected to the reception module 162 of the document management apparatus 160 and the communication terminal 180 via a communication line. A request from another module (for example, an inquiry generated by the access right inquiry module 135 or the mail generation module 152) is transmitted to the document management apparatus 160. In addition, an e-mail or the like is transmitted to the communication terminal 180.

The access right inquiry management module 130 includes an image reception module 131, a decryption module 132, a user authentication information reception module 133, an image processing apparatus authentication information management module 134, and an access right inquiry module 135.
The image receiving module 131 is connected to the decoding module 132 and receives the index image 191. That is, an index image 191 including at least an information image representing a document identifier is received and the image is passed to the decoding module 132. “Accepting an image” means, for example, accepting an image input by a scanner or the like, or being stored in a hard disk (including those connected to the image processing apparatus 120 in addition to those connected via a network). For example, reading an image being received and receiving an image by fax.

  The decryption module 132 is connected to the image reception module 131 and the access right inquiry module 135. The information image included in the image received by the image receiving module 131 is decoded to obtain a document identifier. The position of the information image is detected, and the information image is decoded. If there are a plurality of information images, each information image is decoded. If the document identifier is encrypted, the encryption is also decrypted. Then, the decrypted document identifier is passed to the access right inquiry module 135.

  The user authentication information reception module 133 is connected to the access right inquiry module 135. User authentication information that is information for authenticating the user is received. Then, the user authentication information is passed to the access right inquiry module 135. The user authentication information may be, for example, a user name, a password, or the like received by the operation receiving module 122 according to a user operation, or from an IC card possessed by the user, the image processing device 120. It may be user authentication information read by a card reader attached to the card, or other biometric information such as a fingerprint.

  The image processing apparatus authentication information management module 134 is connected to the access right inquiry module 135. Image processing apparatus authentication information, which is information for authenticating the image processing apparatus 120, is acquired, and the image processing apparatus authentication information is passed to the access right inquiry module 135. For example, as the image processing apparatus authentication information, an image processing apparatus identifier that uniquely identifies the image processing apparatus 120, and when the image processing apparatus 120 is equipped with an electronic certificate in PKI (Public Key Infrastructure), the electronic certificate When the image processing apparatus 120 includes a GPS (Global Positioning System), there is position information (latitude, longitude, etc., that is, a place where the image processing apparatus 120 is installed) measured by the GPS.

The access right inquiry module 135 is connected to the decryption module 132, the user authentication information reception module 133, and the image processing apparatus authentication information management module 134. Using the document identifier decrypted by the decryption module 132 and the user authentication information received by the user authentication information reception module 133, an inquiry is generated as to whether or not the user has the right to access the document, and is transmitted. The data is transmitted to the document management device 160 via the module 125. The access right here refers to the authority of a user who can perform operations such as printing on a document, and may be determined for each operation.
Further, the image processing apparatus authentication information may be received from the image processing apparatus authentication information management module 134 and the image processing apparatus authentication information may be transmitted to the document management apparatus 160. That is, using the document identifier, user authentication information, and image processing apparatus authentication information, an inquiry is generated as to whether or not the user has an access right to the document in the image processing apparatus 120, and via the transmission module 125. The document is transmitted to the document management device 160.

The list generation module 141 receives a user as a reply to a query (a query using document identifier and user authentication information) by the access right query module 135 from the document management device 160 via the reception module 124. The availability information regarding whether or not the document to be used is available is received.
In addition, the list generation module 141 returns, as a reply to the inquiry (inquiry using document identifier, user authentication information, image processing apparatus authentication information) by the access right inquiry module 135 from the document management apparatus 160 via the reception module 124. The user receives availability information regarding whether or not the document identified by the document identifier can be used by the image processing apparatus 120.
Then, the list generation module 141 converts the received usable information into a list format, controls the panel output module 123, and outputs it to the panel of the image processing apparatus 120.

  The mail generation management module 150 includes a mail address reception module 151 and a mail generation module 152, and the mail address reception module 151 and the mail generation module 152 are connected.

  The mail address reception module 151 receives the user's mail address and passes the mail address to the mail generation module 152. As the reception of the e-mail address, for example, the e-mail address is received via the operation reception module 122 according to the user's operation, and is stored in the IC card when the user authentication information reception module 133 reads the IC card. Reading a mail address, preparing a table in which a mail address corresponding to a user name is stored in advance, obtaining a mail address using the table, and the like.

  The mail generation module 152 receives usable information (information on whether or not a user can use the document, or the image processing apparatus 120 for the document) received by the list generation module 141 via the operation reception module 122. In this case, an instruction to transmit information regarding whether or not the user can use the communication terminal 180 to the communication terminal 180 owned by the user is accepted. For example, an instruction to transmit information related to the list of documents displayed on the panel to the mobile phone owned by the user corresponds (selection of the mail button 1320 shown in the example of FIG. 13 described later). However, since the list displayed on the panel may be information on whether or not the user can use the document in the image processing apparatus 120, the information cannot be transmitted to the communication terminal 180 as it is. . Therefore, under the control of the mail generation module 152, the access right inquiry module 135 makes an inquiry using the document identifier and user authentication information (an inquiry including that for e-mail transmission) via the reception module 124. 160. Further, the access right inquiry module 135 only displays the document identifier and the user authentication information when the list displayed on the panel is information indicating whether or not the user can use the document with respect to the document. May be transmitted to the document management apparatus 160 via the reception module 124.

Then, the mail generation module 152 identifies the user by the document identifier at the communication terminal 180 as a reply to the transmission from the document management apparatus 160 by the access right inquiry module 135 (inquiry using the document identifier and user authentication information). Receives availability information regarding whether the document is available.
Next, the mail generation module 152 transmits the received usable information to the communication terminal 180 via the transmission module 125. At that time, the e-mail may be transmitted using the e-mail address received from the e-mail address receiving module 151.

  The document management apparatus 160 includes a transmission module 161, a reception module 162, and a document management module 170.

The transmission module 161 is connected to the reception module 124, the list generation module 174, and the document extraction module 175, and transmits usable information received from the list generation module 174 to the image processing apparatus 120. Further, the document received from the document extraction module 175 is transmitted to the image processing apparatus 120.
The reception module 162 is connected to the transmission module 125, the access right determination module 173, and the document extraction module 175. The reception module 162 passes the inquiry transmitted from the image processing apparatus 120 to the access right determination module 173, and receives the document extraction request. Pass to module 175.

  The document management module 170 includes a document storage module 171, an access right management module 172, an access right determination module 173, a list generation module 174, and a document extraction module 175.

  The document storage module 171 is accessed from the list generation module 174 and the document retrieval module 175, and stores documents. The document is accessible by document identifier. In addition to the document, additional information of the document may be stored. Similarly to the document information storage module 111, the document storage module 171 may store, for example, an incidental information table 900 as incidental information.

  The access right management module 172 is connected to the access right determination module 173. Information required when the access right determination module 173 performs determination processing in response to an inquiry from the image processing apparatus 120 is stored. For example, there are an access right determination table 1000 shown in the example of FIG. 10, a user attribute table 1100 shown in the example of FIG. 11, and a multifunction device attribute table 1200 shown in the example of FIG.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the data structure of the access right determination table 1000. The access right determination table 1000 includes a document ID column 1010, a document name column 1020, an accessible user attribute column 1030, an accessible multifunction device attribute column 1040, a sensitivity column 1050, and a creation date column 1060.
The document ID column 1010 stores a document identifier.
The document name column 1020 stores the document name of the document.

The accessible user attribute column 1030 stores therein items that define attributes of users who can perform operations such as printing on the document. For example, here, the operation is printing. “None” indicates that anyone can access the document. “Employee only” indicates that the employee of the company can access the document. “Development employees only” indicates that employees belonging to the development department can access the document. “Limited to IP members” indicates that employees belonging to the IP department can access the document.
The accessible user attribute column 1030 may be provided for each operation such as printing, editing, and deletion.

The accessible multi-function device attribute column 1040 stores information that defines attributes of the image processing apparatus 120 that can perform operations such as printing on the document. For example, here, the operation is printing. “Not specified” indicates that the document can be used by any image processing apparatus 120. “Certificate mounting machine” indicates that the document can be used by the image processing apparatus 120 mounting the electronic certificate. “Head office installed machine” indicates that the document can be used by the image processing apparatus 120 installed in the head office.
The accessible multifunction device attribute column 1040 may be provided for each operation such as printing, editing, and deletion.

The confidentiality column 1050 stores the confidentiality of the document. Here, three levels of sensitivity are stored.
The creation date column 1060 stores the creation date of the document (hours / minutes / seconds may be included in addition to the year / month / day).

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the data structure of the user attribute table 1100. The user attribute table 1100 has a user ID column 1110 and an affiliation column 1120.
The user ID column 1110 stores a user identifier (which can be a part of user authentication information).
The affiliation column 1120 stores the department (organization) to which the user belongs.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the data structure of the multifunction device attribute table 1200. The multifunction device attribute table 1200 has a multifunction device ID column 1210, a certificate column 1220, and a GPS position information column 1230.
The MFP ID column 1210 stores an identifier of the image processing apparatus 120 (which can be a part of image processing apparatus authentication information).
The certificate column 1220 stores whether or not an electronic certificate is installed.
The GPS position information column 1230 stores position information by GPS.

The access right determination module 173 is connected to the reception module 162, the access right management module 172, and the list generation module 174. An inquiry using the document identifier and user authentication information is received from the image processing apparatus 120 via the receiving module 162. Based on the received document identifier and user authentication information, the user specified by the user authentication information determines whether or not the document identified by the document identifier can be used. Generate possible information.
Further, the access right determination module 173 may further receive image processing apparatus authentication information from the image processing apparatus 120 via the reception module 162. That is, an inquiry using a document identifier, user authentication information, and image processing apparatus authentication information is received. Based on the received identification code, user authentication information, and image processing apparatus authentication information, the user specified by the user authentication information uses the image processing apparatus authentication information to identify the document identified by the document identifier. The usable information may be generated by determining whether the image processing apparatus can be used.
Then, the generated usable information is passed to the list generation module 174.
The details of the above-described determination processing example performed by the access right determination module 173 using the access right determination table 1000, the user attribute table 1100, and the multifunction device attribute table 1200 stored in the access right management module 172 will be described later. To do.

The list generation module 174 is connected to the transmission module 161, the document storage module 171, and the access right determination module 173. The available information generated by the access right determination module 173 is generated as a list and transmitted to the image processing apparatus 120 via the transmission module 161. In that case, the supplementary information of the document stored in the document storage module 171 may be added to the list.
The document retrieval module 175 is connected to the transmission module 161, the reception module 162, and the document storage module 171. A document retrieval request using a document identifier from the image processing apparatus 120 is received via the reception module 162, a document identified by the document identifier is retrieved from the document storage module 171, and the image processing apparatus 120 is transmitted via the transmission module 161. Send to.

  The communication terminal 180 is possessed by a user (may be the same person as the user of the image processing apparatus 120 or a different person), receives an e-mail from the transmission module 125, and communicates the e-mail. It is displayed on the display of the terminal 180. Further, in response to a user operation, the document management apparatus 160 in which the document is stored may be accessed to display the content of the document.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed by the information image output apparatus 110. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a generation process of the index image 191. The flowchart shown in FIG. 2 will be described using the example of FIG.
In step S202, the information image generation module 112 receives an instruction to generate an index image 191 in accordance with a user operation. For example, the document index creation instruction 601A shown in the example of FIG. 6A1 or the document index creation instruction 601B shown in the example of FIG. 6B1 is received. These document index creation instructions describe whether or not document auxiliary information is to be described in the index image 191. For example, in the document index creation instruction 601A, “document name is printed” and “document density is not printed”, but in the document index creation instruction 601B, “document name is not printed”, “document "The density is not printed." A document identifier to be converted into a QR code (URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating the location where the document is stored in the example of FIG. 6) is designated. The document index creation instruction may be an instruction using a user interface such as a display or a keyboard of the information image output apparatus 110, or a document index creation instruction that is paper is recognized using character recognition technology. May be.

In step S <b> 204, the information image generation module 112 extracts information for generating an index image 191 image from the document information storage module 111.
In step S206, the information image generation module 112 converts the information extracted in step S204 into an information image such as a QR code. Further, necessary supplementary information is passed to the image output module 113 based on an instruction as to whether or not document supplementary information is to be described in the index image 191.
In step S208, the image output module 113 prints the index image 191 on which the information image is described. The example of FIG. 6A2 shows an index image 191A output corresponding to the document index creation instruction 601A. That is, the index image 191A includes a plurality of QR codes 610A and attribute information 620A corresponding to the QR codes 610A. The example of FIG. 6B2 shows an index image 191B output corresponding to the document index creation instruction 601B. That is, the index image 191B includes a plurality of QR codes 610B without describing incidental information.

3 and 4 are flowcharts illustrating an example of processing performed by the image processing apparatus 120.
First, the panel output module 123 outputs the display screen 700 shown in the example of FIG. 7 to the panel. In other words, the normal copy button 710 and the document index processing button 720 are displayed, and the operation receiving module 122 receives the user's operation for selecting one of them. When the normal copy button 710 is selected, the image processing apparatus 120 performs normal copy processing. When the document index processing button 720 is selected, the following processing is performed.

In step S302, the image receiving module 131 receives the index image 191. That is, the image of the index image 191 is read.
In step S304, the decoding module 132 decodes, for example, a QR code described in the index image 191. The document identifier is obtained by decoding. At this stage, as shown in the example of FIG. 8, a display screen 700 “Reference document ID has been detected” indicating that the information image has been decoded may be displayed on the panel.

In step S306, the user authentication information receiving module 133 receives user authentication information. For example, user authentication information such as a user identifier in an IC card possessed by the user is read.
In step S <b> 308, the image processing apparatus authentication information management module 134 receives the image processing apparatus authentication information of the image processing apparatus 120. Note that the process of step S308 may not be performed.

In step S310, the access right inquiry module 135 uses the document identifier in step S304, the user authentication information in step S306, and the image processing apparatus authentication information in step S308 to allow the user to perform image processing on the document. The document management apparatus 160 is inquired as to whether or not the access right usable by the apparatus 120 is possessed. In addition, the access right inquiry module 135 uses the document identifier in step S304 and the user authentication information in step S306 to determine whether the user has an access right that can be used by the user. Queries the device 160.
In step S <b> 312, the list generation module 141 receives an inquiry result from the document management apparatus 160 via the reception module 124.

In step S314, the list generation module 141 generates a list of the inquiry results.
In step S316, the list generation module 141 outputs the generated list to the panel via the panel output module 123. For example, FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of the display screen 700 on the panel. On the display screen 700, a document thumbnail 1310A, a printability column 1311A, a display availability column 1312A, a file name column 1313A, and a summary column 1314A are displayed in a list format. A document that cannot be used by the user or a document that the user cannot use with the image processing apparatus 120 is marked with a “x” mark as a document thumbnail and cannot be accessed. Is shown. Note that the example shown in FIG. 13 shows the result when the index image 191A shown in the example of FIG. In addition to the list, a mail button 1320 is displayed on the display screen 700. Furthermore, buttons operable for those documents may be displayed according to the inquiry result.

In step S318, when the operation reception module 122 detects that a document in the list displayed on the panel is selected and the print key provided in the image processing apparatus 120 is pressed, the process proceeds to step S320. When the mail button 1320 in the display screen 700 shown in the example 13 is selected, the process proceeds to step S330.
In step S320, the operation reception module 122 extracts the document identifier of the selected document (print target document) from the list.

In step S322, the image output module 121 transmits a document identifier to the document management apparatus 160 via the transmission module 125, and transmits a document retrieval request as a transmission request for the document.
In step S 324, the image output module 121 receives a document from the document management apparatus 160 via the reception module 124.
In step S326, the image output module 121 prints the received document.

In step S330, the mail generation module 152 receives the document identifier of the document in the list output to the panel (or the document identifier of the document in the inquiry result received in step S312).
In step S332, the user authentication information receiving module 133 receives user authentication information. The user authentication information received in step S306 may be used as it is.

In step S334, the access right inquiry module 135 uses the document identifier in step S330 and the user authentication information in step S332 to determine whether the user has an access right that can be used by the user. An inquiry is made to the document management device 160.
In step S <b> 336, the mail generation module 152 receives an inquiry result from the document management apparatus 160 via the reception module 124.

In step S338, the mail address reception module 151 receives the user's mail address and passes it to the mail generation module 152.
In step S340, the mail generation module 152 generates an e-mail containing available information as content using the mail address received in step S338.
In step S342, the mail generation module 152 transmits the email generated in step S340 to the communication terminal 180 via the transmission module 125.

A mobile phone 1400, which is an example of the communication terminal 180, receives an e-mail transmitted from the image processing apparatus 120. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of an e-mail received by the mobile phone 1400.
The mobile phone 1400 includes, for example, a microphone that can input voice so as to have a function as a telephone, a speaker that can output voice, a key that is a character input device for inputting characters such as a telephone number or an e-mail transmission / reception program, An antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves for data communication and a display 1410 for displaying e-mail as a result of character input using keys are provided. The mobile phone 1400 includes a CPU, a memory, and hardware such as a communication circuit for executing an e-mail transmission / reception program, and a computer program that is software for realizing the communication terminal 180 is stored in the memory. The communication terminal 180 is realized by storing the software and hardware resources in cooperation.

  The display 1410 displays the contents of the email sent by the image processing apparatus 120. For example, the document thumbnail 1420A, the file name column 1421A, and the summary column 1422A are displayed for the number of documents. This corresponds to what is displayed in the display screen 700 shown in the example of FIG. However, the third document from the top is displayed on the display 1410 of the mobile phone 1400 although the document name and the like are displayed in the example of FIG. This is because the third document is determined to be inaccessible in the mobile phone 1400 as the communication terminal 180 because the accessible multifunction device attribute column 1040 of the access right determination table 1000 is “head office installed device”. That is, a list of only documents in which the accessible multifunction device attribute column 1040 is “not specified” is displayed. In addition, when there is a URL link indicating the location where the document is stored in the document thumbnail 1420A or the like (storage position in the document storage module 171 of the document management device 160), and selected according to the user's operation, The document is taken out and displayed on the display 1410.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed by the document management apparatus 160.
In step S502, the receiving module 162 receives information transmitted from the image processing apparatus 120.
In step S504, the reception module 162 determines whether the received information is an access right inquiry or a document acquisition. If it is an access right inquiry, the process proceeds to step S506, and if it is a document acquisition, the process proceeds to step S512.

In step S506, the access right determination module 173 determines the access right using the access right management module 172 in response to the inquiry, and generates usable information that is the determination result.
First, a specific example in the case of an inquiry using a document identifier and user authentication information will be described. The access right determination module 173 makes a determination using the access right determination table 1000 and the user attribute table 1100 in the access right management module 172.
The access right determination module 173 searches the document identifier column 1010 of the access right determination table 1000 for the document identifier, and extracts the corresponding accessible user attribute column 1030. Here, if “not specified”, it is determined that the user has an access right to the document (printable). When there are other conditions (for example, “employee limited”, “development limited”, etc.), a determination using the user attribute table 1100 is performed.
User authentication information (including a user identifier) is searched from the user ID column 1110 of the user attribute table 1100, and the corresponding affiliation column 1120 is extracted. If these match the conditions of the accessible user attribute column 1030, it is determined that the user has an access right (printable) for the document.
Therefore, there are “20080422” (product information), “20080423” (design document), “20080424” (competition information), “20080425” (IP strategy) as document identifiers, and “20042” (IP). In the case of an inquiry that is a member), it is determined that there is an access right to “20080422” (product information), “20080424” (competition information), and “20080425” (IP strategy) by the above-described determination processing.

Next, a specific example in the case of an inquiry using a document identifier, user authentication information, and image processing apparatus authentication information will be described. The access right determination module 173 makes a determination using the access right determination table 1000, the user attribute table 1100, and the multifunction device attribute table 1200 in the access right management module 172.
The determination using the user identifier is the same as described above. The access right determination module 173 searches the document identifier column 1010 of the access right determination table 1000 for the document identifier, and extracts the corresponding accessible multifunction device attribute column 1040. Here, if “not specified”, the user determines that the image processing apparatus 120 has an access right (printable) for the document. When there are other conditions (for example, “Certificate Mounted Machine”, “Head Office Installed Machine”, etc.), a determination is made using the MFP attribute table 1200.
The image processing apparatus authentication information (including the image processing apparatus identifier) is searched from the MFP ID column 1210 of the MFP attribute table 1200, and the corresponding certificate column 1220 and GPS location information column 1230 are extracted. If these match the conditions in the accessible multifunction machine attribute column 1040, the user determines that the image processing apparatus 120 has access rights (printable) for the document.
Accordingly, there are “20080422” (product information), “20080423” (design document), “20080424” (competition information), “20080425” (IP strategy) as document identifiers, and “20042” (IP). In the case of an inquiry in which the image processing apparatus identifier is “8067” (no electronic certificate registration, factory location information), “20080422” (product information), “20080424” (competing) Information) is determined to have access rights.

Next, a specific example in the case of an inquiry using a document identifier and user authentication information (an inquiry including that for e-mail transmission) will be described. The access right determination module 173 makes a determination using the access right determination table 1000 and the user attribute table 1100 in the access right management module 172.
The determination using the user identifier is the same as described above. The access right determination module 173 searches the document identifier column 1010 of the access right determination table 1000 for the document identifier, and extracts the corresponding accessible multifunction device attribute column 1040. Here, if “not specified”, it is determined that the user has an access right (printable) at the communication terminal 180 for the document. When there are other conditions (for example, “certificate loading machine”, “head office installation machine”, etc.), it is determined that there is no access right.
Accordingly, there are “20080422” (product information), “20080423” (design document), “20080424” (competition information), “20080425” (IP strategy) as document identifiers, and “20042” (IP). In the case of an inquiry that is a member) (inquiry including that it is for e-mail transmission), it is determined by the above-described determination processing that “20080422” (product information) and “20080424” (competition information) have access rights. To do.

In step S508, the list generation module 174 generates a list based on the access right determination result.
In step S <b> 510, the list generation module 174 returns the generated list to the image processing apparatus 120 via the transmission module 161.
In step S512, the document retrieval module 175 retrieves the target document from the document storage module 171.
In step S <b> 514, the document extraction module 175 transmits the document to the image processing apparatus 120 via the transmission module 161.
Note that the document may be transmitted from the communication terminal 180 in addition to the image processing apparatus 120.

  A hardware configuration example of the information image output device 110, the image processing device 120, and the document management device 160 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The configuration shown in FIG. 15 is configured by a personal computer (PC), for example, and shows a hardware configuration example including a data reading unit 1517 such as a scanner and a data output unit 1518 such as a printer.

  A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1501 includes various modules described in the above-described embodiments, that is, the information image generation module 112, the decryption module 132, the access right inquiry module 135, the list generation module 141, the mail generation module 152, and the access. The control unit executes processing according to a computer program describing an execution sequence of each module such as the right determination module 173.

  A ROM (Read Only Memory) 1502 stores programs used by the CPU 1501, calculation parameters, and the like. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 1503 stores programs used in the execution of the CPU 1501, parameters that change as appropriate during the execution, and the like. These are connected to each other by a host bus 1504 including a CPU bus.

  The host bus 1504 is connected to an external bus 1506 such as a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect / Interface) bus via a bridge 1505.

  A keyboard 1508 and a pointing device 1509 such as a mouse are input devices operated by an operator. The display 1510 includes a liquid crystal display device or a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), and displays various types of information as text or image information.

  An HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 1511 includes a hard disk, drives the hard disk, and records or reproduces a program executed by the CPU 1501 and information. The hard disk stores image data of the index image 191, a list generated by the list generation module 141, and the like. Further, various computer programs such as various other data processing programs are stored.

  The drive 1512 reads data or a program recorded on a removable recording medium 1513 such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, and reads the data or program into an interface 1507 and an external bus 1506. , To the RAM 1503 connected via the bridge 1505 and the host bus 1504. The removable recording medium 1513 can also be used as a data recording area similar to the hard disk.

  The connection port 1514 is a port for connecting the external connection device 1515 and has a connection unit such as USB and IEEE1394. The connection port 1514 is connected to the CPU 1501 and the like via an interface 1507, an external bus 1506, a bridge 1505, a host bus 1504, and the like. The communication unit 1516 is connected to a network and executes data communication processing with the outside. The data reading unit 1517 is a scanner, for example, and executes document reading processing. The data output unit 1518 is, for example, a printer, and executes document data output processing.

  Note that the hardware configuration of the image processing apparatus or the like shown in FIG. 15 shows one configuration example, and the present embodiment is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. Any configuration can be used. For example, some modules may be configured with dedicated hardware (for example, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), etc.), and some modules are in an external system and connected via a communication line In addition, a plurality of systems shown in FIG. 15 may be connected to each other via communication lines so as to cooperate with each other.

In the above embodiment, a document is shown as information, but any information that can be visualized may be used.
Further, although a multifunction peripheral is shown as the image processing apparatus, a copying machine, a fax machine, a scanner and a printer may be connected. In addition, the information image output device 110, the image processing device 120, and the document management device 160 are separate housings and are connected via a communication line. However, the information image output device 110 and the image processing device 120 are illustrated. The information image output device 110 and the document management device 160, the image processing device 120 and the document management device 160, and the information image output device 110, the image processing device 120, and the document management device 160 may be built in one casing.
In addition, although a mobile phone is shown as the communication terminal 180, if it is a terminal that can communicate other than the mobile phone, a data communication terminal such as a PHS, a notebook PC or a PDA, a game terminal having a communication function, It may be a navigation system, an information appliance, or the like. Furthermore, it is more suitable if it is portable.
Further, although the QR code is shown as the information image, it may be a one-dimensional barcode or the like.

The display order in the list may be rearranged by the list generation module 174 based on the incidental information. For example, a list that displays documents with new creation dates at the top, a list that displays documents that can be manipulated at the top, a list that displays documents with higher sensitivity, and a document that has many conditions suitable for the image processing device 120 are displayed at the top. There are a list to be displayed, a list to display documents with few users who can operate, and the like. The list generation module 174 includes an access right determination table 1000 stored in the access right management module 172, a user attribute table 1100, a multifunction machine attribute table 1200, and an incidental information table 900 stored in the document storage module 171. Sort using. For example, a document with few operable users has a condition (for example, a person belonging to a department) limited to the accessible user attribute column 1030 of the access right determination table 1000. Judgment is made based on the number of matched persons (for example, the number of persons belonging to the corresponding department is counted in the user attribute table 1100).
In addition, the list generation module 141 may rearrange the display order in the list based on the incidental information of the received document.
In addition, the access right determination module 173 determines that the image processing apparatus 120 is installed in a public place (such as a convenience store outside the company) according to the accessible multifunction device attribute column 1040 of the access right determination table 1000. Operations on the image processing apparatus 120 may be limited.

The program described above may be provided by being stored in a recording medium, or the program may be provided by communication means. In that case, for example, the above-described program may be regarded as an invention of a “computer-readable recording medium recording the program”.
The “computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded” refers to a computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded, which is used for program installation, execution, program distribution, and the like.
The recording medium is, for example, a digital versatile disc (DVD), which is a standard established by the DVD Forum, such as “DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM,” and DVD + RW. Standard “DVD + R, DVD + RW, etc.”, compact disc (CD), read-only memory (CD-ROM), CD recordable (CD-R), CD rewritable (CD-RW), Blu-ray disc ( Blu-ray Disc (registered trademark), magneto-optical disk (MO), flexible disk (FD), magnetic tape, hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable and rewritable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash Includes memory, random access memory (RAM), etc. .
The program or a part of the program may be recorded on the recording medium for storage or distribution. Also, by communication, for example, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wired network used for the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, etc., or wireless communication It may be transmitted using a transmission medium such as a network or a combination of these, or may be carried on a carrier wave.
Furthermore, the program may be a part of another program, or may be recorded on a recording medium together with a separate program. Moreover, it may be divided and recorded on a plurality of recording media. Further, it may be recorded in any manner as long as it can be restored, such as compression or encryption.

It is a conceptual module block diagram about the structural example of this Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process example by an information image output device. It is a flowchart which shows the process example by an image processing apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the process example by an image processing apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the process example by a document management apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the production | generation process example of an index image. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a display of the panel in an image processing apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a display of the panel in an image processing apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a data structure of an incidental information table. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a data structure of an access right judgment table. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a data structure of a user attribute table. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a multifunction device attribute table. FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a display of the panel in an image processing apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a display of the electronic mail which the mobile telephone received. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware structural example of the computer which implement | achieves this Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 110 ... Information image output apparatus 111 ... Document information storage module 112 ... Information image generation module 113 ... Image output module 120 ... Image processing apparatus 121 ... Image output module 122 ... Operation reception module 123 ... Panel output module 124 ... Reception module 125 ... Transmission Module 130 ... Access right inquiry management module 131 ... Image reception module 132 ... Decryption module 133 ... User authentication information reception module 134 ... Image processing apparatus authentication information management module 135 ... Access right inquiry module 141 ... List generation module 150 ... Mail generation management Module 151... Mail address reception module 152... Mail generation module 160... Document management apparatus 161... Transmission module 162. 0 ... document management module 171 ... document storage module 172 ... access management module 173 ... access determining module 174 ... list generating module 175 ... document extraction module 180 ... communication terminal 191 ... index image 192 ... document

Claims (6)

Image receiving means for receiving an image including at least an information image representing an identification code capable of identifying information;
User authentication information receiving means for receiving user authentication information, which is information for authenticating a user;
Decoding means for decoding an information image included in the image received by the image receiving means;
Transmitting means for transmitting the identification code decoded by the decoding means and the user authentication information received by the user authentication information receiving means to an information management device;
Receiving means for receiving availability information regarding whether or not the user can use the information identified by the identification code, from the information management device;
An image processing apparatus comprising: output means for outputting usable information received by the receiving means. The transmission means further transmits image processing apparatus authentication information which is information for authenticating the image processing apparatus,
The receiving unit receives availability information from the information management device regarding whether or not the user can use the information identified by the identification code in the image processing device. The image processing apparatus according to 1. An instruction accepting means for accepting an instruction to transmit information relating to available information received by the receiving means to a communication terminal owned by the user;
Second transmitting means for transmitting the identification code and the user authentication information to the information management device;
As a reply to the transmission by the second transmission means from the information management device, the user receives usable information regarding whether or not the information identified by the identification code is usable at the communication terminal. A second receiving means;
3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a third transmission unit configured to transmit the usable information received by the second reception unit to the communication terminal. Image receiving means for receiving an image including at least an information image representing an identification code capable of identifying information;
User authentication information receiving means for receiving user authentication information, which is information for authenticating a user;
Decoding means for decoding an information image included in the image received by the image receiving means;
Transmitting means for transmitting the identification code decoded by the decoding means and the user authentication information received by the user authentication information receiving means to an information management device;
Receiving means for receiving availability information regarding whether or not the user can use the information identified by the identification code, from the information management device;
An image processing apparatus having output means for outputting usable information received by the receiving means;
Receiving means for receiving an identification code and user authentication information from the image processing device;
Based on the identification code and user authentication information received by the receiving means, the user specified by the user authentication information determines whether the information identified by the identification code can be used. Usable information generating means for generating usable information;
An image processing system comprising: an information management device having a transmission unit configured to transmit the available information generated by the available information generation unit to the image processing device. The transmission unit of the image processing apparatus further transmits image processing apparatus authentication information that is information for authenticating the image processing apparatus,
The receiving unit of the image processing device receives availability information regarding whether or not the user can use the information identified by the identification code from the information management device.
The receiving means of the information management device further receives image processing device authentication information,
The usable information generating unit of the information management device is a usage specified by the user authentication information based on the identification code, the user authentication information, and the image processing device authentication information received by the receiving unit of the information management device. The user determines whether the information identified by the identification code can be used by the image processing apparatus specified by the image processing apparatus authentication information, and generates usable information. 5. The image processing system according to 4. The image processing device
Image receiving means for receiving an image including at least an information image representing an identification code capable of identifying information;
User authentication information receiving means for receiving user authentication information, which is information for authenticating a user;
Decoding means for decoding an information image included in the image received by the image receiving means;
Transmitting means for transmitting the identification code decoded by the decoding means and the user authentication information received by the user authentication information receiving means to an information management device;
Receiving means for receiving availability information regarding whether or not the user can use the information identified by the identification code, from the information management device;
An image processing program that functions as output means for outputting usable information received by the receiving means.

Images