JP2012133612A - Image processing apparatus and image processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To guarantee that a user stays in the vicinity of a printer, by allowing a portable terminal to acquire latest authentication information at all the time, thereby shortening the validity of the authentication information.SOLUTION: An image processing apparatus is connected to a network and includes: an authentication information creation section 103 which creates authentication information containing identification information of the image processing apparatus and information about the validity or invalidity of the identification information; an operation panel 105 which displays the authentication information; an authentication information re-creation instruction section 104 which instructs the authentication information creation section 103 to re-create authentication information; and a connection response section 107 which determines, upon receiving a connection from the network, whether to receive a connection from a portable terminal 200 on the basis of the information contained in the authentication information about the validity or invalidity of the authentication information, and creates response information and transmits it to a connection destination.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing system that operates authentication print data stored in the image processing apparatus with a portable terminal.

  Conventionally, various techniques have been proposed for an image processing system that operates authentication print data stored in an image processing apparatus with a portable terminal. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses the following contents. That is, in this technique, when the user presses a button or the like provided on the printer, the printer creates authentication information and displays it on the operation panel. The authentication information includes an authentication server address and use permission information (for example, time information). The user captures the authentication information with the camera of the mobile terminal, acquires the address of the authentication server, and transmits data to the authentication server. When the authentication server confirms that the mobile terminal that has transmitted the data is valid, it transmits use permission information to the printer. When the use permission information is sent to the printer, the printer checks whether it is within the expiration date. If it is valid, the printer permits the user to use the printer.

JP 2006-31368 A

  However, the conventional technique has a problem that the user may leave the printer after obtaining the authentication information and may access the printer, and cannot guarantee that the user is in the vicinity of the printer.

  Therefore, in view of the above technical problems, the present invention can shorten the expiration date of authentication information by allowing the mobile terminal to always acquire the latest authentication information, so that the user is in the vicinity of the printer. An object is to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing system that can be guaranteed.

  In order to solve the above technical problem, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes, in an image processing apparatus connected to a network, identification information of the image processing apparatus and information on validity or invalidity of the identification information. An authentication information creation unit that creates authentication information including: a display unit that displays the authentication information; an authentication information re-creation instruction unit that instructs the authentication information creation unit to re-create the authentication information; and the network When receiving a connection from the network, based on information on the validity or invalidity of the authentication information included in the authentication information, it is determined to accept the connection from the network, and response information is generated and transmitted to the connection destination. And a connection response unit.

  According to the image processing apparatus and the image processing system according to the present invention, since the expiration date of the authentication information can be shortened by having the mobile terminal always acquire the latest authentication information, the user is in the vicinity of the printer. Can be guaranteed.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus and an image processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of creating authentication information by the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the authentication information preserve | saved at the authentication information preservation | save part. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the authentication information on an operation panel. 4 is a flowchart illustrating operations of an authentication information acquisition unit of a portable terminal and a connection response unit of a printer according to the image processing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of processing print data using a mobile terminal by the image processing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the connection confirmation screen displayed on a portable operation part. It is a figure which shows an example of the user information input screen displayed on a portable operation part. It is a figure which shows an example of the print data processing selection screen displayed on a portable operation part. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the image processing apparatus and image processing system which concern on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement of authentication information creation by the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the authentication information acquisition part of a portable terminal, and the connection response part of a printer by the image processing system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the warning screen displayed on a portable operation part.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to an image processing apparatus and an image processing system of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the image processing apparatus and the image processing system of the present invention are not limited to the following descriptions, and can of course be changed as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image processing apparatus and an image processing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, the image processing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention is configured such that a printer 100 as an image processing apparatus and a mobile terminal 200 are communicably connected via a network. .

  The printer 100 is a device that receives and prints print data as image information transmitted through a network. The printer 100 includes an authentication print data storage unit 101 as an image information storage unit, a printing unit 102 as an image forming unit, an authentication information creation unit 103, an authentication information re-creation instruction unit 104, and an operation panel as a display unit. 105, an authentication information storage unit 106, and a connection response unit 107.

  The portable terminal 200 is a device that can be carried by a user. The portable terminal 200 includes an authentication information acquisition unit 201, a connection unit 202, and a portable operation unit 203.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the printer 100 will be described in more detail.

  The authentication print data storage unit 101 stores authentication print data received by the printer 100 through the network. At least the ID and password of the user who created the authentication print data are added to the authentication print data. The authentication print data stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 is sent to the printing unit 102 after being authenticated by the operation panel 105 or the like of the printer 100, and printing based on the authentication print data is performed. As soon as the print data other than the authentication print data is received by the printer 100, it is sent to the printing unit 102, and printing based on the print data is performed.

  The printing unit 102 rasterizes print data. For example, in the case of an electrophotographic printer, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive drum, and printing is performed by copying the electrostatic latent image onto recording paper with toner. Do. Since the printer treats an image as a set of colored pixels arranged vertically and horizontally, the vector format information cannot be printed or displayed as it is. Rasterize to convert to.

  The authentication information creation unit 103 creates authentication information, displays it on the operation panel 105, and stores the authentication information in the authentication information storage unit 106. The authentication information includes identification information of the printer 100 and information indicating the validity of the authentication information. In the present embodiment, the identification information is generated by a combination of identification information (for example, an IP (Internet Protocol) address) on the network and a random number. The information indicating the validity of the authentication information represents the expiration date of the authentication information.

  The authentication information re-creation instruction unit 104 instructs the authentication information creation unit 103 to re-create the authentication information. In this embodiment, the authentication information re-creation instruction unit 104 instructs the authentication information creation unit 103 to re-create authentication information every time a predetermined time interval, that is, a predetermined time elapses. Alternatively, when the expiration date of the authentication information created by the authentication information creation unit 103 approaches, the authentication information creation unit 103 is instructed to recreate the authentication information. However, the timing of the re-creation instruction is not limited to this.

  The operation panel 105 is a user interface with the user. The operation panel 105 receives authentication information from the authentication information creation unit 103 and displays it. It also accepts input from the user. In the present embodiment, the operation panel 105 is mounted on the printer 100 with a touch panel.

  The authentication information storage unit 106 stores the authentication information created by the authentication information creation unit 103. The authentication information storage unit 106 stores the authentication information until the stored authentication information is no longer valid. In the present embodiment, the validity of the authentication information is determined by the expiration date of the authentication information. Therefore, the authentication information is stored in association with the expiration date, and the authentication information is deleted from the authentication information storage unit 106 when the authentication information expiration date is reached.

  The connection response unit 107 receives a connection from the connection unit 202 of the mobile terminal 200 and determines the validity of the connection. Furthermore, response data is generated as response information and sent to the connection source to respond. The determination of validity is based on the authentication information stored in the authentication information storage unit 106. In response, the contents of the authentication print data stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 are read to generate response data. In response to an instruction from the connection unit 202, the connection response unit 107 sends the authentication print data stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 to the printing unit 102, and executes printing. Alternatively, the connection response unit 107 deletes the authentication print data stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 according to an instruction from the connection unit 202.

  That is, the connection response unit 107 creates authentication print data as image information stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 as an image information storage unit and a selection screen for selecting processing for the authentication print data as response information. To do. Further, the connection response unit 107 performs processing on the authentication print data as the image information stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 as the image information storage unit according to an instruction from the user based on the selection screen. Further, the connection response unit 107 deletes the authentication print data stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 as the image information storage unit. Further, the connection response unit 107 forms an image of the authentication print data as the image information stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 as the image information storage unit by the printing unit 102 as the image forming unit.

  Next, the configuration of the mobile terminal 200 will be described in detail.

  The authentication information acquisition unit 201 acquires authentication information displayed on the operation panel 105 as a display unit of the printer 100 using a camera or the like. In the present embodiment, authentication information displayed on the operation panel 105 is converted into a two-dimensional code. Therefore, the authentication information acquisition unit 201 acquires the two-dimensional code captured by the camera by reconverting it into authentication information as data. The acquired authentication information is passed to the connection unit 202. Further, the reading result may be displayed on the portable operation unit 203. In the present embodiment, the authentication information acquisition unit 201 is implemented as a two-dimensional code reading application.

  The connection unit 202 connects to the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 based on the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquisition unit 201. Also, response data from the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 is received, the portable operation unit 203 is drawn based on the response data, and an input from the user is accepted through the portable operation unit 203. Further, the connection is again made to the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 based on an instruction from the user. In the present embodiment, the connection unit 202 is implemented as a Web browser.

  The portable operation unit 203 is a user interface with the user of the portable terminal 200. Information is transmitted to the user by drawing, and input from the user is received using the touch panel. The connection unit 202 displays the selection screen created by the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 as the image processing apparatus on the portable operation unit 203, accepts an instruction from the user, and transmits the instruction to the connection response unit 107.

  The authentication information creation unit 103, the authentication information re-creation instruction unit 104, and the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 are installed in the printer 100 as programs. These programs may be stored in a non-volatile memory such as a ROM of the printer 100, a volatile memory, or a non-volatile rewritable storage device such as a flash memory. It may be stored in a magnetic medium such as a hard disk.

  The storage portions of the authentication print data storage unit 101 and the authentication information storage unit 106 of the printer 100 are implemented as a nonvolatile rewritable storage device such as a volatile memory or a flash memory. It may also be implemented as a hard disk.

  The operation panel 105 of the printer 100 and the portable operation unit 203 of the portable terminal 200 are mounted as touch panels, but are not limited thereto. It may be a combination of a display for displaying and a mechanical key.

  The authentication information acquisition unit 201 and the connection unit 202 of the mobile terminal 200 are implemented in the mobile terminal 200 as programs. These programs may be stored in a nonvolatile memory such as a ROM of the portable terminal 200, may be stored in a volatile memory, or may be stored in a nonvolatile rewritable storage device such as a flash memory. It may be stored in a magnetic medium such as a hard disk.

  In this embodiment, the authentication information acquisition unit 201 and the connection unit 202 of the mobile terminal 200 are implemented as separate programs, but the present invention is not limited to this. Of course, the authentication information acquisition unit 201 and the connection unit 202 may be implemented as an application on the mobile terminal 200 in which the authentication information acquisition unit 201 and the connection unit 202 are integrated.

  In FIG. 2, the authentication information creation unit 103 and the authentication information re-creation instruction unit 104 of the printer 100 as the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention operate to create authentication information. 5 shows a flowchart showing an operation for displaying authentication information.

  This operation starts immediately after activation of the printer 100 or starts according to an instruction from a user who uses the operation panel 105 of the printer 100. Hereinafter, each step will be described in detail.

  The authentication information creation unit 103 of the printer 100 creates authentication information (S101). The authentication information created here includes at least “identification information on the network” and “information indicating the validity of the authentication information”. In the present embodiment, the “identification information on the network” is a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the printer 100, for example, “http://192.168.0.1/ConfidentialPrint/1234567890”. This identification information is generated by a random number based on time, for example. Therefore, the same identification information is not generated within a certain period. “Information indicating the validity of authentication information” represents an expiration date in this embodiment, and is “20100601120020”, for example. This indicates that this authentication information is valid until 12:00:20 on June 1, 2010. The expiration date is a time when a certain time (for example, 60 seconds) has elapsed from the current time.

  The authentication information creation unit 103 stores the authentication information created in S101 in the authentication information storage unit 106 (S102). FIG. 3 shows an example of authentication information stored in the authentication information storage unit 106 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The authentication information storage unit 106 stores the identification information included in the authentication information in association with the expiration date of the identification information.

  The authentication information creation unit 103 displays the authentication information created in S101 on the operation panel 105 (S103). Here, the authentication information is two-dimensionally encoded and displayed on the operation panel 105.

  FIG. 4 shows an example in which authentication information that is two-dimensionally encoded is displayed on the operation panel 105. On the operation panel 105, a menu button 111 and two-dimensionally encoded authentication information 112 are displayed. Here, a URL combining the identification information included in the authentication information created in S101 and the expiration date is created, and “http://192.168.0.1/ConfidentialPrint/1234567890? Expiration date = 2010/06 / 01_12: 00: 20 "Is converted into a two-dimensional code. In this embodiment, the authentication information is two-dimensionally encoded and displayed on the operation panel 105. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It may be an enumeration of numbers or letters. Further, only the identification information included in the authentication information may be displayed as a two-dimensional code.

  Subsequently, the authentication information creation unit 103 detects whether or not there is an end instruction (S104). Here, the termination instruction means that the user presses the menu button 111 on the operation panel 105, selects an item for terminating the display of authentication information from the menu, or enters the power saving state of the printer 100. If there is an end instruction, the operation of S105 is performed, and if not, the operation of S107 is performed. When the printer 100 is in the power saving state, the user starts the process from S101 again by performing some operation on the operation panel 105.

  If there is an end instruction (S104 branches to Yes), the authentication information creation unit 103 ends the display of the two-dimensionally encoded authentication information displayed on the operation panel 105 (S105). Then, the authentication information creation unit 103 deletes the authentication information stored in the authentication information storage unit 106 (S106), and ends the series of processes. In this embodiment, if there is an end instruction, the authentication information is deleted from the authentication information storage unit 106. However, the deletion may be interrupted until the validity of the authentication information is lost, that is, until the expiration date expires. .

  If there is no end instruction (S104 branches to No), the authentication information creation unit 103 investigates the authentication information stored in the authentication information storage unit 106 and examines its validity (S107). In the present embodiment, the validity is time information. Therefore, it is investigated whether the expiration time associated with the authentication information is before the current time. If there is authentication information whose expiration date has expired (S107 branches to Yes), the authentication information creation unit 103 deletes the authentication information determined to have expired in S107 from the authentication information storage unit 106 (S108). ).

  On the other hand, if there is no expired authentication information (S107 is branched to No), or after S108, the authentication information re-creation instruction unit 104 is constant after the authentication information creation unit 103 creates the authentication information in S101. It is determined whether time (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed (S109). If the predetermined time has elapsed, the operation of S101 is performed, and if it has not elapsed, the operation of S104 is performed. Alternatively, the operation of S104 may be performed when the expiration date of the authentication information stored in the authentication information storage unit 106 approaches.

  As described above, the authentication information creation unit 103 creates authentication information in response to an instruction from the authentication information re-creation instruction unit 104 every time a predetermined time has elapsed. Therefore, the authentication information displayed on the operation panel 105 changes every elapse of a certain time.

  Next, in FIG. 5, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the authentication information acquisition unit 201 of the portable terminal 200 acquires the two-dimensionally encoded authentication information 112 displayed on the operation panel 105, and the printer 100 A flowchart showing an operation of accessing the server will be described. This flow starts when the user operates the mobile terminal 200, for example, and issues an instruction to read authentication information.

  The authentication information acquisition unit 201 of the mobile terminal 200 acquires the two-dimensionally encoded authentication information 112 (FIG. 4) displayed on the operation panel 105 of the printer 100 using the camera of the mobile terminal 200 or the like. The acquired two-dimensionally encoded authentication information 112 is converted back to authentication information as data (S121).

  The connection unit 202 of the portable terminal 200 accesses the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 based on the authentication information acquired in S121 (S122). As an access method, for example, a URL included in authentication information is used, and access is performed by HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol). At this time, information is transmitted from the portable terminal 200 to the printer 100 by a URL argument as necessary. When the authentication information shown in FIG. 4 is used, the URL is “http://192.168.0.1/ConfidentialPrint/1234567890? Expiration date = 2010/06 / 01_12: 00: 20”. In the present embodiment, the expiration date of the authentication information included in the authentication information is also transmitted, but it is not always necessary.

  The connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 determines whether the authentication information transmitted by the connection unit 202 of the accessed mobile terminal 200 is valid (S123). The identification information is extracted from the URL used for access from the connection unit 202, and it is determined whether there is identification information that matches the identification information stored in the authentication information storage unit 106. If it exists, the access is valid, so the operation of S124 is performed. If it does not exist, it is determined that the access is invalid and the operation of S125 is performed.

  When it is determined that there is identification information that matches the identification information stored in the authentication information storage unit 106 (S123 branches to Yes), the connection response unit 107 creates response data (S124). At this time, information other than the authentication information included in the argument of the URL transmitted from the mobile terminal 200 is extracted as necessary, and response data is created.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no identification information that matches the identification information stored in the authentication information storage unit 106 (S123 branches to No), the connection response unit 107 displays the information on the operation panel 105 of the printer 100. Response data for requesting reacquisition of the displayed authentication information is created (S125). At this time, information other than the authentication information included in the argument of the URL transmitted from the mobile terminal 200 may be stored in the response data.

  The connection response unit 107 transmits the response data created in S124 or S125 to the connection unit 202 of the mobile terminal 200 (S126).

  The connection unit 202 of the mobile terminal 200 determines whether the received response data includes a request for reacquisition of authentication information (S127). That is, it is determined whether the response data is created in S125. If the reacquisition request is not included, the operation of S128 is performed, and if included, the operation of S121 is performed. When performing the operation of S121, the operation of S121 may be performed while retaining the information included in the response data, and the information may be transmitted again to the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 as a URL argument by S122. At this time, a message requesting reacquisition of the two-dimensionally encoded authentication information 112 may be displayed on the portable operation unit 203. If the request for reacquiring the authentication information included in the response data cannot be acquired due to the implementation, the portable operation unit 203 is displayed based on the response data, and the series of operations is terminated. The response data at this time does not include data for accepting an instruction from the user via the portable operation unit 203.

  The connection unit 202 of the portable terminal 200 performs display on the portable operation unit 203 based on the response data transmitted by the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 (S128). The connection unit 202 of the portable terminal 200 receives an instruction from the user through the portable operation unit 203 (S129).

  The connection unit 202 determines whether or not the user instruction received in S128 is an end instruction (S130). If it is an end instruction, a series of operations are ended. On the other hand, if it is not an end instruction, the operation of S122 is performed and the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 is accessed again. At this time, a URL including an instruction from the user accepted in S129 is created in S122.

  As described above, every time the connection unit 202 of the portable terminal 200 accesses the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100, the validity of the authentication information is checked to determine whether access is possible. When the validity of the authentication information becomes invalid and access is denied, the authentication information acquisition unit 201 of the mobile terminal 200 can re-acquire the authentication information to continue the operation. Therefore, the user can always stay in the vicinity of the printer 100. Further, when the authentication information is reacquired, by taking over the argument included in the URL, the operation up to that point can be continued even when the authentication information is reacquired.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation when the user performs the operation of the authentication print data stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 of the printer 100 using the mobile terminal 200 in the first embodiment. To do. This operation is started when the user activates an application in which the authentication information acquisition unit 201 of the mobile terminal 200 is installed.

  The authentication information acquisition unit 201 causes the user to read the two-dimensionally encoded authentication information displayed on the operation panel 105 of the printer 100 using the camera of the mobile terminal 200 (S141). FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen displayed on the portable operation unit 203 of the portable terminal 200 when the authentication information acquisition unit 201 reads the authentication information in this embodiment. In 212, the content of the read two-dimensionally encoded authentication information is displayed. At this time, the expiration date of this authentication information is displayed. When the user presses the connection button 213, the read authentication information is passed to the connection unit 202, and connection to the printer 100 is performed. When the cancel button 214 is pressed, a series of operations is terminated.

  The connection unit 202 of the portable terminal 200 accesses the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 based on the authentication information acquired in S141 (S142). When the authentication information shown in FIG. 7 is used, the URL is “http://192.168.0.1/ConfidentialPrint/1234567890? Expiration date = 2010/06 / 01_12: 00: 20”. Further, other information is transmitted as a URL argument as necessary.

  The connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 accepts the connection in S142 and determines whether the authentication information transmitted by the connection unit 202 of the mobile terminal 200 that has accessed is valid. The identification information is extracted from the URL sent from the connection unit 202 and compared with the identification information stored in the authentication information storage unit 106 to determine whether matching identification information exists in the authentication information storage unit 106. In this flow, it is assumed that it is determined that the access is valid (S143).

  The connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 creates response data for creating a user information input screen. In the present embodiment, the user information is a user ID and a password. Further, the created response data is transmitted to the connection unit 202 of the connection source portable terminal 200 (S144).

  The connection unit 202 of the portable terminal 200 receives the response data created in S144. Further, a user information input screen is displayed on the portable operation unit 203 based on the response data, and an input from the user is accepted. In the present embodiment, “user ID” and “password” are requested as user information (S145).

  FIG. 8 shows an example of a user information input screen displayed on the portable operation unit 203. The user information input screen includes a user ID input field 221, a password input field 222, a send button 223, a clear button 224, and a cancel button 225. When the user inputs the user ID and password in the user ID input field 221 and the password input field 222 and presses the send button 223, the operation of S146 is performed. When the user presses the clear button 224, the data input in the input field is deleted, and when the cancel button 225 is pressed, the series of operations is terminated.

  The connection unit 202 of the portable terminal 200 transmits the user ID and password input by the user in S145 and the authentication information to the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 (S146). Here, the user ID, password, and authentication information are transmitted to the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 as URL arguments. For example, the URL is “http://192.168.0.1/ComfidentialPrint/1234567890? Expiration date = 2010/06 / 01_12: 00: 20 & USERID = username & PASSWORD = abcd1234”. In this example, the user ID is “username” and the password is “abcd1234”. The user ID and password may be encrypted and used as URL arguments.

  The connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 receives the connection in S146 and investigates whether the authentication information transmitted by the connection unit 202 of the accessed mobile terminal 200 is valid. If it is valid, the user ID and password To get. Further, the authentication print data stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 is checked, and the authentication print data in which the user ID and password that match the acquired user ID and password are selected. Here, a plurality of authentication print data may be selected (S147).

  Subsequently, the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 generates response data for generating an authentication print data processing selection screen that allows the user to select the processing of the authentication print data selected in S147. Further, the created response data is transmitted to the connection unit 202 of the connection-source mobile terminal 200 (S148).

  The connection unit 202 of the portable terminal 200 receives the response data created in S148. Further, an authentication print data processing selection screen is displayed on the portable operation unit 203 based on the response data, and an input from the user is accepted. In the present embodiment, selection of authentication print data to be processed and selection of processing for the selected authentication print data are requested (S149).

  FIG. 9 shows an example of an authentication print data processing selection screen displayed on the portable operation unit 203. That is, the authentication print data processing selection screen includes a list (231 to 233) of selectable authentication print data, a scroll bar 234, a print button 235, a delete button 236, and a cancel button 237. On this screen, the user selects authentication print data to be processed from the list, and selects a process for the selected authentication print data by pressing the print button 235 or the delete button 236. When the user selects one or more authentication print data from the authentication print data list and presses the print button 235 or the delete button 236, the operation of S150 is performed. When the user presses the cancel button 235, the series of operations is terminated.

  Subsequently, the connection unit 202 of the portable terminal 200 transmits the authentication print data selected by the user in S149, the process selected by the user, and the authentication information to the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100. Here, the authentication print data, the process, and the authentication information selected by the user are transmitted to the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 as a URL argument (S150). For example, the URL is “http://192.168.0.1/ComfidentialPrint/1234567890? Expiration date = 2010/06 / 01_12: 00: 20 & DATA = 1,3? ACTION = PRINT”. In this example, the user selects the authentication print data (231 and 233) displayed first and third, and further selects the print button 235. The selected authentication print data and the character string representing the selected process may be encrypted and used as a URL argument.

  The connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 accepts the connection in S150, determines whether the authentication information transmitted by the connection unit 202 of the accessed mobile terminal 200 is valid, and if valid, the authentication print selected by the user. The selected process is executed on the data (S151). In other words, when the user selects “print” in S 149, the authentication print data is extracted from the authentication print data storage unit 101 and sent to the printing unit 102, and a print instruction is issued. Also, the authentication print data printed from the authentication print data storage unit 101 is deleted. If the user selects “Delete” in S 149, the authentication print data is deleted from the authentication print data storage unit 101. Furthermore, it returns to S147 and continues a process.

  As described above, the user acquires the authentication information displayed on the operation panel 105 of the printer 100 by the authentication information acquisition unit 201 of the mobile terminal 200, and saves it from the mobile operation unit 203 of the mobile terminal 200 to the printer 100. It is possible to obtain a list of authenticated print data. Furthermore, the authentication print data to be processed can be selected from the list of authentication print data, and the authentication print data can be printed or deleted by selecting a process.

  According to the first embodiment of the present invention, in the printer 100 as the image processing apparatus connected to the network, authentication including identification information of the image processing apparatus and information regarding validity or invalidity of the identification information. An authentication information creation unit 103 for creating information, an operation panel 105 as a display unit for displaying the authentication information, an authentication information recreation instruction unit 104 for instructing the authentication information creation unit 103 to regenerate authentication information, and a network A connection response that determines acceptance of the connection from the mobile terminal 200 based on information on validity or invalidity of the authentication information included in the authentication information when the connection is received, creates response information, and transmits the response information to the connection destination An image processing apparatus including the unit 107 is provided.

  Here, the operation panel 105 as a display unit may display the authentication information with a two-dimensional code. The identification information may be generated by a combination of an IP address on the network and a random number. The information regarding the validity or invalidity of the identification information represents the expiration date of the authentication information. The authentication information re-creation instruction unit 104 may instruct the authentication information creation unit to re-create the authentication information at predetermined time intervals. The authentication information re-creation instruction unit 104 may instruct the authentication information creation unit 103 to re-create authentication information when the expiration date of the authentication information approaches. An authentication print data storage unit 101 as an image information storage unit that stores authentication print data as image information is further included, and the connection response unit 107 stores the image information stored in the image information storage unit and the image information. A selection screen for selecting the process may be created as the response information. The connection response unit 107 may perform processing on the image information stored in the image information storage unit according to an instruction from the user based on the selection screen. Further, the connection response unit 107 may delete the image information stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 as the image information storage unit. Further, the image processing apparatus further includes a printing unit 102 as an image forming unit that forms an image of authentication print data as image information, and the connection response unit 107 stores an image stored in the authentication print data storage unit 101 as an image information storage unit. The information may be imaged by the image forming unit.

  Furthermore, in the image forming system in which the printer 100 as the image processing apparatus having the above configuration and the mobile terminal 200 are connected through the network, the mobile terminal 200 is displayed on the operation panel 105 as a display unit of the image processing apparatus. Provided with an authentication information acquisition unit 201 that acquires the authentication information and a connection unit 202 that connects to the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 as an image processing apparatus based on the authentication information. Is done.

  Here, the portable terminal 200 further includes a portable operation unit 203 that is a user interface with the user, and the connection unit 202 performs a portable operation on the selection screen created by the connection response unit 107 of the printer 100 as the image processing apparatus. The information may be displayed on the unit 203, and an instruction from the user may be received and transmitted to the connection response unit 107.

  As described above in detail, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the authentication information to be displayed on the operation panel 105 is changed every predetermined time, and a predetermined number of authentication information is held in the authentication information storage unit 106. To do. Further, when access is performed by acquiring authentication information with the mobile terminal 200 and transmitting the authentication information to the printer 100, the printer 100 displays the authentication information stored in the authentication information storage unit 106 and the transmitted authentication information. Since the validity of the authentication information is determined by comparison, the expiration date of the authentication information can be shortened by causing the mobile terminal 200 to always acquire the latest authentication information, so that the user is in the vicinity of the printer 100. There is an effect that it can be guaranteed.

(Second Embodiment)

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an image processing apparatus and an image processing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  The configuration of the printer 300 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in comparison with the printer 100 according to the first embodiment. The printer 300 as an image processing apparatus has an authentication information creation unit 103 instead of the printer 100. There is an authentication status information creation unit 301. Furthermore, there is a device state change detection unit 302. The mobile terminal 400 includes an authentication state information acquisition unit 401 instead of the authentication information acquisition unit 201 of the mobile terminal 200.

  The authentication status information creation unit 301 of the printer 300 creates authentication information in the same manner as the authentication information creation unit 103 and creates authentication status information obtained by further adding the status information of the printer 300 to the authentication information. The created authentication status information is displayed on the operation panel 105 as a display unit. The status information of the printer 300 is information indicating whether printing can be executed or not. Further, when printing is impossible, the cause is also included in the status information. The apparatus state change detection unit 302 instructs the authentication state information creation unit 301 to recreate authentication state information when the printable / unprintable state of the printer 300 changes.

  The authentication status information acquisition unit 401 of the portable terminal 400 acquires the authentication status information displayed on the operation panel 105 of the printer 400 using a camera or the like. In the present embodiment, authentication status information displayed on the operation panel 105 is converted into a two-dimensional code. Therefore, the authentication status information acquisition unit 401 acquires the two-dimensional code captured by the camera by reconverting it into authentication status information as data.

  Further, based on the status information included in the acquired authentication status information, it is determined whether the printer 300 can print. If possible, the acquired authentication status information is converted into authentication information by removing the status information of the printer 300 and passed to the connection unit 202. Further, the reading result may be displayed on the portable operation unit 203. If it is not possible, the user is notified by displaying on the portable operation unit 203 the reason why printing included in the authentication status information is impossible. In the present embodiment, the authentication state information acquisition unit 401 is implemented as a two-dimensionally encoded reading application icon.

  That is, the authentication status information acquisition unit 401 acquires the authentication status information displayed on the operation panel 105 serving as a display unit, displays the status of the printer 300 on the portable operation unit 203 based on the status information, and notifies the printer 300 to the user. Notify the status of.

  In FIG. 11, the authentication status information creation unit 301, the device status change detection unit 302, and the authentication information re-creation instruction unit 104 of the printer 300 according to the second embodiment of the present invention operate to create authentication status information. Furthermore, a flowchart representing the operation displayed on the operation panel 105 will be described. This operation starts immediately after activation of the printer 300 or starts in response to an instruction from a user who uses the operation panel 105 of the printer 300. Each step will be described. The operations from S204 to S209 are the same as the operations from S104 to S109 in FIG.

  The authentication status information creation unit 301 of the printer 300 creates authentication status information by adding the status information of the printer 300 to the authentication information (S201). In the status information, information on whether or not the printer 300 can print and information on the cause is added when it is not possible.

  In the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the status information is added to the URL of the printer 300. For example, when printing is possible, “http://192.168.0.1/ComfidentialPrint/1234567890?PRINTABLE=TRUE”, and when there is no paper for printing in the printer 300, printing is impossible. http://192.168.0.1/ComfidentialPrint/1234567890? PRINTABLE = FALSE & REASON = "There is no paper in the tray. "" "TRUE" or "FALSE" in the "PRINTABLE" argument indicates that printing is possible or impossible. The content of the “REASON” argument is information about the cause of the non-printing.

  The authentication status information creation unit 301 stores the authentication status information created in S201 in the authentication information storage unit 106. At this time, the status information is removed from the authentication status information and stored as authentication information (S202).

  Subsequently, the authentication status information creation unit 301 displays the authentication status information created in S201 on the operation panel 105 (S203). Here, the authentication status information is two-dimensionally encoded and displayed on the operation panel 105. In the present embodiment, the identification information included in the authentication status information is combined with an expiration date, for example, “http://192.168.0.1/ComfidentialPrint/1234567890?PRINTABLE=TRUE&expiration date = 2010/06 / 01_12: 00 : 20 "or" http://192.168.0.1/ComfidentialPrint/1234567890?PRINTABLE= FALSE & REASON = "There is no paper in the tray. A character string “& expiration date = 2010/06 / 01_12: 00: 20” is converted into a two-dimensional code and displayed on the operation panel 105.

  The operation from S204 to S209 is the same as the operation from S104 to S109 in FIG. 2, and if there is no expired authentication information (S207 is branched to No), or after S208, the authentication information re-creation instruction unit 104 Determines whether a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed since the authentication state information creating unit 301 created the authentication state information in S201 (S209). If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the apparatus state change detection unit 302 of the printer 300 detects that the state that the printer 300 can perform printing has changed (S210). When there is a change in the printer state, the operation of S201 is performed, and when there is no change, the operation of S204 is performed.

  In the present embodiment, the status information of the printer 300 is added to the authentication information, and the authentication status information including the status of the printer 300 is displayed on the operation panel 105 of the printer 300 as a two-dimensional code. Further, the apparatus state change detection unit 302 rewrites the authentication state information that is two-dimensionally encoded even when the state of the printer 300 changes.

  In FIG. 12, in the image processing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the authentication status information creation unit 301 of the mobile terminal 400 acquires the two-dimensionally encoded authentication status information displayed on the operation panel 105. A flowchart representing an operation of accessing the printer 300 will be described. This flow starts when the user operates the mobile terminal 400, for example, and issues an instruction to read authentication information. The operations from S225 to S233 are the same as the operations from S122 to S130 in FIG.

  The authentication status information acquisition unit 401 of the mobile terminal 400 acquires the 2-dimensionally encoded authentication status information displayed on the operation panel 105 of the printer 300 using the camera or the like of the mobile terminal 400. The acquired two-dimensionally coded authentication status information is reconverted into authentication status information as data (S221).

  The authentication status information acquisition unit 401 extracts only the status information of the printer 300 from the authentication status information acquired in S221. The status information retrieved in this embodiment is “PRINTABLE = TRUE” or “PRINTABLE = FALSE & REASON = no paper in the tray. "" It is determined from the status information whether the printer 300 can print (S222). Here, the contents of the “PRINTABLE” argument are examined. When printing is possible (when PRINTABLE = TRUE), the operation of S225 is performed. When printing is impossible (when PRINTABLE = FALSE), the operation of S223 is performed. In the operation after S223, the status information of the printer 300 may be removed from the authentication status information and handled as authentication information.

  The authentication status information acquisition unit 401 warns the user that the printer 300 cannot print and displays a warning screen notifying the cause (S223). FIG. 13 shows an example of a warning screen displayed on the portable operation unit 203. On the portable operation unit 203, a message 241, a continuation button 242, a reread button 243, and an end button 244 are displayed. The message 241 is information on the cause of non-printing included in the status information (the content of the “REASON” argument in this embodiment). On this screen, the user presses the continue button 242, the reread button 243, or the end button 244.

  Subsequently, the authentication status information acquisition unit 401 determines which of the continuation button 242, the reread button 243, and the end button 244 the user has pressed on the warning screen as illustrated in FIG. If the continuation button is pressed, the operation of S225 is performed, if the reread button 242 is pressed, the operation of S221 is performed, and if the end button 243 is pressed, the series of processing is terminated.

  As described above, by reading the authentication status information including the status information of the printer 300 with the mobile terminal 400, the user of the mobile terminal 400 can be notified of the status of the printer 300. When the portable operation unit 203 reads the authentication status information and the printer 300 cannot print, the user can be notified of the status. As a result, it is possible to prevent a print instruction from being given to the printer 300 in which the user cannot print.

  In the present embodiment, the state where printing is possible / impossible is described as the state information of the printer 300 included in the authentication state information. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It may be the remaining amount of consumables. Further, the portable terminal 400 may continuously display the state information on the portable operation unit 203 based on the state information.

  When authentication status information including the authentication information and the status information of the image processing apparatus is created and displayed on the operation panel 105 as a display section, and when a change in the status of the image processing apparatus is detected, authentication is performed. The apparatus further includes an apparatus state change detection unit 302 that instructs the state information creation unit 301 to recreate the authentication state information, and the mobile terminal 400 acquires the authentication state information displayed on the operation panel 105 as a display unit, An image processing system further comprising: an authentication state information acquisition unit 401 that displays the state of the printer 300 as an image processing apparatus on the portable operation unit 203 based on the state information and notifies the user of the state of the image processing apparatus. Is provided. Here, the state information may represent a possible or impossible state of the operation of the printing unit 102 as an image forming unit.

  As described above in detail, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the printer 300 notifies the portable terminal 400 of the status of the printer 300 by adding the status information of the printer 300 to the authentication information, and the portable terminal 400. Can display the status of the printer 300 on the portable operation unit 203, so that the user can know the status of the printer 300 when the status of the printer 300 is abnormal on the portable terminal 400, and the user cannot print. For this reason, it becomes impossible to issue a print instruction to the user, so that the convenience of the user is further improved.

  In the first and second embodiments of the present invention, the printer has been described as an example of the image processing apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this. Any device capable of printing print data, such as a copy device or an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) device, may be used. Further, the image forming apparatus and the information processing apparatus may be integrated. In the first and second embodiments of the present invention, as a method for transmitting information from a portable terminal to a printer as an image processing apparatus, a method using a URL argument has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. . Any method capable of transmitting information from the portable terminal to the printer may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Printer 101 Authentication print data storage part 102 Printing part 103 Authentication information creation part 104 Authentication information re-creation instruction part 105 Operation panel 106 Authentication information storage part 107 Connection response part 200 Portable terminal 201 Authentication information acquisition part 202 Connection part 203 Portable operation part DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 300 Printer 301 Authentication state information creation part 302 Apparatus state change detection part 400 Portable terminal 401 Authentication state information acquisition part

Claims (14)

In an image processing apparatus connected to a network,
An authentication information creating unit that creates authentication information including identification information of the image processing apparatus and information about validity or invalidity of the identification information;
A display unit for displaying the authentication information;
An authentication information re-creation instruction unit that instructs the authentication information creation unit to re-create the authentication information;
When receiving a connection from the network, based on information on the validity or invalidity of the authentication information included in the authentication information, it is determined whether to accept the connection from the network, and response information is created and connected to the connection destination. An image processing apparatus comprising: a connection response unit for transmitting. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays the authentication information with a two-dimensional code. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification information is generated by a combination of an IP address on the network and a random number. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information related to the validity or invalidity of the identification information represents an expiration date of the authentication information. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication information re-creation instruction unit instructs the authentication information creation unit to re-create the authentication information at predetermined time intervals. 6. The image according to claim 1, wherein the authentication information re-creation instruction unit instructs the authentication information creation unit to re-create the authentication information when an expiration date of the authentication information approaches. Processing equipment. An image information storage unit for storing image information;
The connection response unit creates the image information stored in the image information storage unit and a selection screen for selecting processing for the image information as the response information. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the connection response unit performs processing on the image information stored in the image information storage unit according to an instruction from a user based on the selection screen. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the connection response unit deletes the image information stored in the image information storage unit. An image forming unit that forms an image of the image information;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the connection response unit forms an image of the image information stored in the image information storage unit by the image forming unit. An image forming system in which the image processing apparatus according to claim 1 and a portable terminal are connected through the network,
The portable terminal is
An authentication information acquisition unit that acquires the authentication information displayed on the display unit of the image processing apparatus;
A connection unit that connects to the connection response unit of the image processing device based on the authentication information;
An image processing system. The portable terminal further includes a portable operation unit that is a user interface with a user,
The connection unit displays the selection screen created by the connection response unit of the image processing apparatus on the portable operation unit, receives an instruction from a user, and transmits the instruction to the connection response unit. The image processing system according to claim 11. The image processing apparatus includes:
An authentication status information creating unit that creates authentication status information including the authentication information and status information of the image processing apparatus and causes the display unit to display the authentication status information;
An apparatus state change detection unit that instructs the authentication state information creation unit to re-create authentication state information when detecting a state change of the image processing apparatus;
The portable terminal is
Authentication status information for acquiring the authentication status information displayed on the display unit, displaying the status of the image processing device on the portable operation unit based on the status information, and notifying the user of the status of the image processing device The image processing system according to claim 11, further comprising an acquisition unit. The image processing system according to claim 13, wherein the state information represents a possible or impossible state of the operation of the image forming unit.