JP4839103B2 - Image forming apparatus, security method for image forming apparatus, program, and storage medium storing program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus capable of permitting an authenticated user to operate a stored document, a security method for the image forming apparatus, a program, and a storage medium storing the program.

Consciousness regarding the handling of information is improved, the importance of security functions is also increased in image forming apparatuses such as printers, and functions for limiting the use of functions and resources of image forming apparatuses are installed. In the security function, user information (ID, password, etc.) is registered and held in advance for each user who uses the device, and when the user operates the device, the user is prompted to enter the password and ID, and the user has the consistency. If is authenticated, use of device functions and resources is permitted.
In addition, the image forming apparatus can store a print document as electronic data in a storage area such as an HDD, and the stored document can be printed later when the user needs (document printing). function). It is also possible to restrict operations such as browsing and printing from the user for the stored documents.
Management information such as a document name, document creator or document owner information, password, storage date and time, and an access control list (hereinafter referred to as document ACL) recorded for operation restrictions can be added to each document. That is, the document ACL is management information for setting whether the user registered in the device can perform various operations such as printing, deleting, and editing the document.
By restricting the operation of the document, it is possible to maintain confidentiality because a person who does not know the password cannot print as inputting a password when performing operations such as printing and deleting the document.
Further, by setting the document ACL for each document, it is possible to prevent an unintended user from operating the document, and the confidentiality is further improved.
Regarding such a security technique, an invention has been proposed in which a user has not only access to an image processing apparatus but also an access right to functions of the image processing apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the security technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, by providing a user restriction database in which access rights for functions of image forming apparatuses are registered on a network, it is possible not only to restrict use of devices but also to restrict use of functions.
Also, an image processing apparatus that easily restricts access to an electronic document read by the image processing apparatus has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 2). Since the access restriction is applied to the read electronic document, the third party cannot access the electronic document without authority and can keep confidentiality.
JP 2004-289302 A JP 2005-149088 A

However, when the security performance is improved, the operation becomes complicated, for example, it becomes necessary to input the password a plurality of times before performing various operations such as printing and deleting the document accumulated by the user.
FIG. 16 shows an example of conventional authentication processing when an image forming apparatus is used. When deleting, for example, a document in the image forming apparatus, the user must first enter a login ID and a password to receive user authentication (S100).
Next, the user selects a document to be printed (S200), and selects and operates a delete button from the operation panel (S300). Then, the image forming apparatus determines whether or not a password is registered in the designated document (S400), and if it is registered (Yes in S400), requests the password input again (S500). When the user inputs a correct password (S600), the specified document is deleted from the HDD (S700), and a result (or error display) indicating that the document has been deleted is displayed on the operation panel or the like (S800).
As described above, the confidentiality is greatly improved by increasing the number of password input requests. However, it is troublesome and time-consuming for the document owner or the like who has accumulated the documents to input the password a plurality of times. Moreover, it is necessary to memorize various passwords for each document, which is troublesome.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of operating a document with good operability while reducing the password input operation during document operation while maintaining the confidentiality of the document, and a method for maintaining the confidentiality of the image forming apparatus An object of the present invention is to provide a program and a storage medium storing the program.

In view of the above problems, the present invention registers an authentication means for authenticating a user, a document owner for each document, a document password , and access management information in which operation authority for each operation content for the document is set for each user. In the image forming apparatus, the user is authenticated by the authentication unit, and the operation authority determining unit requests the user to input the document password and the operation content when the document stored in the storage area is operated. If the user is determined to be the document owner of the document, the operation authority determination unit omits the input request for the document password, and the user is not the document owner of the document. The user who has been authenticated by the authentication means is set with the operation authority of the user. When working with the document operation content, the operation authority determining unit is characterized in that, retyping request for the document password.
Note that the authentication by the authentication means is, for example, determination of consistency between the user ID and the password, but biometric authentication or the like may be used.
According to the present invention, by further determining the operation authority based on the access management information, even when the document is not the document owner, when the operation authority is set in the access management information, the document operation of the user is maintained while maintaining the confidentiality of the document. Can be improved. For example, even if the owner is a document owner and the access management information is changed by another user and the owner authority is lost, the operation can be performed without inputting the document password.

  Image forming apparatus capable of manipulating a document with good operability by reducing password input work during document operation while maintaining confidentiality of the document, method for maintaining confidentiality of image forming apparatus, program, and storage medium storing program Can be provided.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The password input process according to the present embodiment is mainly applied to an image forming apparatus having a printer function for printing a document. However, the password input process is applied to a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus, a scanner apparatus, and a multifunction machine MFP (Multi Function Printer). Is also applicable.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a print system using the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. A personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) 3 and an image forming apparatus 4 are connected via a network 2. A document created or held by the PC 3 is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 4 and is usually printed as it is by the image forming apparatus 4, and the document is stored in an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or the like of the image forming apparatus 4.

  When the confidentiality of the document is high, the stored document can be printed by performing a predetermined operation such as inputting a password after the user who transmitted the document from the PC 3 reaches the image forming apparatus 4. . In this way, the printed document is prevented from being seen by a third party. The stored document can be printed by inputting a password if it is an authorized person. Hereinafter, a password for the user to operate the image forming apparatus 4 (to be authenticated) is referred to as a user password, and a password for operating a document after authentication is referred to as a document password.

  The image forming apparatus 4 of the present embodiment can reduce the input work of a document password that is required to be input when printing, faxing, scanning, etc., a document stored in an HDD or the like.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a hardware configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus 4. The image forming apparatus 4 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 that centrally controls each unit. The CPU 11 can read and write various data to a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12 that is a read-only memory. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 13 that stores and functions as a work area of the CPU 11 is connected by a bus 19 to constitute a computer. Further, the bus 19 includes an NV-RAM (Non-Volatile RAM) that stores setting contents, an HDD 15 that stores programs and files for image processing and control, a memory card, a CD (Compact Disc) -ROM, and the like. A drive device 17 that reads the storage medium 18 is connected to a network interface card (NIC) 16 that is connected to the network 2 and enables communication with the PC 3.

  The storage medium 18 corresponds to the storage medium in the claims, and stores the program in the claims.

  The CPU 11 reads the program stored in the storage medium 18 from the drive device 17 and installs it in the HDD 15. Alternatively, the program may be downloaded from the network 2 and installed in the HDD 15.

  When the CPU 11 executes the program of the HDD 15, the computer constituting the image forming apparatus 4 requests the authentication unit for authenticating the user and the user authenticated by the authentication unit to input the document password for operating the document. It functions as an operation authority determination means.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a software configuration of the image forming apparatus 4 according to the present embodiment. Although FIG. 3 shows an example of a multifunction peripheral, a printing apparatus having a printing mechanism may be used. In addition, FIG. 1 shows each applicable range as an example for explanation as software of each function in the present embodiment, and the structural unit may be simpler or more complicated than this.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 4 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a hardware of an operation panel 34 that includes an interface 30 that receives data such as a document, and a touch panel that displays an operation unit and allows a user to input an operation. Have resources.

  The communication control unit 25, the address book management unit 26, the document management unit 27, the system management unit 28, and the panel control unit 29 are service controls configured by software modules and are common control services for the image forming apparatus 4. Further, the printer unit 21, the copy unit 22, the facsimile unit 23, and the scanner unit 24 are applications configured by application software, and each control functions of printing, copying, facsimile transmission, and scanning.

  The service control and application are started on an OS (operation system) installed in the image forming apparatus 4 and perform control of connected hardware resources, management of setting information, screen display request, and the like. The OS may be a general-purpose operating system such as UNIX (registered trademark) or LINUX (registered trademark), and each software of service control and application is executed in parallel as processes.

  The service control communicates with the application in a broad sense through an application program interface (API) that enables a processing request from the application to be received by a predefined function. Service control interprets a processing request from an application and generates a hardware resource acquisition request.

  The system management unit 28 performs overall system management such as application management, operation unit management, system screen display (job list screen, counter display screen, etc.), resource management, and interrupt application control. For example, in application management, processing for registering an application and notifying other applications of the information is performed. In the operation unit management, exclusive control of the operation unit usage right of the application is performed. Then, the key information input from the operation unit panel 34 is exclusively notified to the application having the right to use the operation unit. Further, in the system screen display, a warning screen corresponding to a state such as warm-up or paper jam is displayed according to the request content from the application having the operation unit use right. In resource management, a service for exclusive control of engine resources (scanners, staples, etc.) that must be excluded when an application executes a job (printing operation of one document in the case of the printer unit 21). Do it. In the interrupt application control, control / service for preferential operation of a specific application is performed.

  The communication control unit 25 is a module group for providing a service that can be commonly used for applications that need to communicate via a network, and distributes data received by each protocol from the network side to each application, Mediates when data is sent from the application to the network side.

  The address book management unit 26 is a module for managing users who use the image forming apparatus 4 and newly registers or deletes users. The registered user name (ID) and user password are stored in the address book 31, and the address book management unit 26 performs user authentication by checking consistency in response to a request from the application. The user name registered here may be any information that can identify the user, such as a user ID, and is associated with the user who uses the image forming apparatus 4 on a one-to-one basis and is duplicated among a plurality of users. is not.

  The document management unit 27 is a control service that performs memory control, and performs acquisition and release of an image memory, use of an HDD, compression and decompression of image data, and the like. The file management information 32 stores information for managing documents and image data stored in the hard disk device. The file management information 32 stores document information including a document ID, a document name, a document owner, a document password, a creation date and time, a valid period, the number of pages, a document ACL, and the like. The document ID is a unique identifier for identifying the document. The document name is a file name that can be recognized by a person such as the document owner. The document owner has the most authority such as the creator, administrator, and saver of the document. It is a high-level concept of a high user, the creation date / time is the creation date / time of a document, the valid period is a period during which the contents of the document are valid, and the number of pages is the total number of pages of the document. The document ACL (access control list) will be described later.

  The panel control unit 29 is a module that controls the operation panel 34 that serves as an interface with the user, a process for notifying the main body control of a user's key operation event, and a process for providing a library function for each application to construct a GUI. Then, processing for managing the constructed GUI information for each application, display reflection processing on the operation panel, and the like are performed. In addition, the panel control unit 29 has a touch panel key input detection function, display application switching, display language switching, message display, hard key input detection function, and the like.

  Subsequently, the operation of the image forming apparatus 4 of the present embodiment will be briefly described. Data (document) transmitted from the PC 3 is input to the image forming apparatus 4 from the interface 30 via the network 2. The input data is processed by the communication control unit 25 and sent to another control service or each application.

  The operation content (data) input from the operation panel is processed by the panel control unit 29 and sent to another control service or each application under the control of the system management unit 28. The address book management unit 26 receives data related to user information sent from the communication control unit 25 or the panel control unit 29 and registers it in the address book 31. The address book management unit 26 also performs authentication processing such as determining the consistency between the user ID and the user password by login processing. The system management unit 28 manages and stores basic settings related to the entire system of the image forming apparatus 4.

  Next, user registration and login processing will be described. FIG. 4 shows a sequence diagram of user registration and login.

  In FIG. 4, user A performs user registration via the network (S1), and user B performs user registration via the operation panel 34 (S2). When performing user registration via a network, a user name and a user password transmitted from another computer are received by the communication control unit 25 and transmitted to the address book management unit 26. The address book management unit 26 registers the user name and the user password in the address book 31 in association with each other. The user name, user password, and transmission / reception may be items specified by a predetermined tag in a Web browser displayed on a computer, for example.

  When performing user registration via the operation panel 34, the panel control unit 29 displays a user name and user password input field, and when the user inputs the user name and user password, the panel control unit 29 transmits the user name and user password to the address book management unit 26. . The address book management unit 26 registers the user name and the user password in the address book 31 in association with each other.

  FIG. 5A shows an example of an operation panel screen displayed on the operation panel 34 by the panel control unit 29. On the operation panel screen, various selection buttons such as “system initial setting”, “copy / document box initial setting”, “printer initial setting”, “scanner initial setting”, “login”, “English”, “inquiry information” , “Counter” is displayed.

  When the user A touches “Login”, a login screen shown in FIG. 5B is displayed. The user operates a touch panel type keyboard (not shown) from the operation panel to input a user name and a user password, and finally touches an “execute” button. Accordingly, the panel control unit 29 transmits the user name and user password to the address book management unit 26 (S3). For example, “User A” is entered in the user name entry field and “User Password” is entered in the password entry field on the login screen.

  The address book management unit 26 receives the user name and the user password, and collates whether or not the input user name and user password of the user A match the user name and user password stored in the address book 31. It is then determined whether or not login authentication is possible (S4). The authentication result is transmitted to the system management unit 28 (S5).

  When the user name of the user A matches the user password, the system management unit 28 requests that the user name input to the panel control unit 29 be displayed on, for example, the operation panel screen (initial setting screen) (S6). . If the user name of the user A and the user password do not match, the system management unit 28 displays, for example, “The password does not match. Enter the user name and password again.” Request display of message and login screen. The panel control unit 29 displays a screen on the operation panel 34 based on the request (S6).

  FIG. 5C shows an example of the operation panel screen on which the user name is displayed. “User A” is displayed after “Login:” in the upper left of the screen. In addition, the button displayed as “login” in FIG. 5A is changed to “logout”. The user A can also recognize that the user has logged in by this display.

  Next, document information added to the document stored in the HDD 15 will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of document information stored in the file management information 32. In FIG. 6, document information of each document (three in the figure) is displayed.

  Document information including a document ID, a document name, a document owner, a document password, a creation date and time, a valid period, the number of pages, a document ACL, and the like is added to each document. Here, the document password is an arbitrary password set in order to perform operations such as printing and deleting the document.

  The user can display a list of accumulated documents based on such document information. When the user logs in and desires to display a list of accumulated documents, the document management unit 27 performs a predetermined operation from the operation panel 34, and the document information transmitted from the file management information 32 to the panel control unit 29 by the document management unit 27. A part is displayed on the operation panel 34.

  FIG. 7 shows a display example of the accumulated document list displayed on the operation panel 34. In the display example of the accumulated document list, “registration number”, “document name”, “document owner name”, and “creation date” of each document are displayed. The panel control unit 29 extracts these items from each document management file 32 and displays them as a list.

  In the display example of the accumulated document list, a detail display button 41, a print button 42, a delete button 43, and the like are displayed as various operation buttons for operation. When these operation buttons are selected, the input of the document password is always required, and a user who does not know the document password cannot display or print the document. In this embodiment, as will be described in the embodiment, the input of the document password can be omitted in a predetermined case.

  After selecting (after touching) one of the documents in the list, when the detail display button 41 is selected, the contents of the document and the contents of the document information are displayed. Further, when any one of the documents in the list is selected and the print button 42 is selected, the document is printed. In addition, when any one of the documents in the list is selected and then the delete button 43 is selected, the document is deleted from the HDD 35.

  Next, the document ACL will be described. FIG. 8 shows an example of the document ACL. As shown in FIG. 6, in the document information, a document ACL is added to each document. In the document ACL, whether or not a user registered in the image forming apparatus 4 can perform operations such as printing, deleting, and editing (hereinafter referred to as operation authority) is set for each user and operation.

  According to the document ACL of FIG. 8, the registered user A has the viewing authority, the registered user B has the viewing authority, and the registered user C has the full control authority for the document with the document ID 1. In addition, the registered users A to C have browsing authority for the document with the document ID 2. Further, the registered users A to C have full control authority for the document with the document ID 3.

  When the user selects any button from the operation panel 34 in FIG. 7, the panel control unit 29 sends the operation content to the document management unit 27, so that the document management unit 27 selects the document based on the operation content and the user name. The document ACL is referred to and it is determined whether or not the user is permitted to operate the operation content.

  The document ACL is automatically added by the document management unit 27 when the document is stored in the HDD. The initial state when automatically added is a state in which there is no operation authority permitted for all operation items.

  The setting of the document ACL will be described. FIG. 9 shows an example of a setting screen for the document ACL. Although the document ACL can be set on the operation panel 34, FIG. 9 is displayed by a Web browser of a computer connected to the network 2. When the computer is connected, the Web application of the image forming apparatus 4 transmits a file of HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) or XML (eXtensible Markup Language) that forms a setting screen of the document ACL. The screen of FIG. 9 is displayed by interpreting the transmitted file by the Web browser of the computer.

  In FIG. 9, together with the document name and document owner of the document to which the document ACL is added, an “all users” column 44 that can be set for all users at once, which can be set for each user or group. It has an “access permitted user / group” column 45. In the “access permitted user / group” column 45, a narrowing condition column 46 for setting narrowing conditions and a setting table 47 for setting for each user are displayed.

  On the setting screen of the document ACL, the authority “view”, “edit”, “edit / delete”, and “full control” can be set for each registered user. For example, when “view” is checked (selected) in the “all users” column 44, the document ACL is permitted (set as operation authority) for all users. That is, operation authority can be given to all users at once.

  Further, when the operation authority is registered using the “all users” field 44, the operation authority for the operation (for example, browsing) is set for the user who is registered in the image forming apparatus 4 later.

  In the case of setting for each registered user, the “browsing”, “editing”, “editing / deleting”, and “full control” columns of the corresponding user in the setting table 47 may be checked.

  When the number of registered users is large, the users to be displayed can be narrowed down by inputting the narrowing condition in the narrowing condition column 46. For example, it is possible to narrow down by a range of user registration numbers or a user name. Further, a group can be selected by pulling down the narrowing condition column 46.

  When the “OK” button in the upper right of the screen is clicked, the setting contents are transmitted to the image forming apparatus 4. Since the communication control unit 25 transmits the received setting contents of the document ACL to the document management unit 27, the document management unit 27 updates the document management ACL of the document.

  FIG. 10 is an example of document management information indicating the relationship between document ACL settings and document operation authority. In FIG. 10, document operations that are prohibited by “◯” are indicated by “x” in association with the setting items of the document ACL.

  For example, when “view” is checked in the document ACL, bibliographic information can be viewed, printing is possible, document name change is prohibited, deletion is prohibited, document password change is prohibited, and ACL setting is prohibited. That is, these document operations cannot be performed by the user unless the operation authority is set in the document ACL. Such document management information is held in the document management unit 27. The document management information may be editable.

  Next, a processing procedure that can omit the input of the document password when deleting the document stored in the image forming apparatus 4 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, a user password for login is input from the user (S11). That is, the user selects a login button from the operation panel screen as shown in FIG. 5A, and inputs the user name and user password from the login screen as shown in FIG. The panel control unit 29 sends the user name and user password to the address book management unit 26, and the address book management unit 26 checks the consistency between the user name and the user password.

  When the user name and the user password match and the user is authenticated, the system management unit 28 stores the logged-in user. When the user operates from the operation panel 34 to display a list of stored documents, a stored document list screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed.

  Next, selection and deletion of a document to be operated by the user are input from the operation panel 34 (S12). The user selects a document to be deleted from the accumulated document list screen and touches the delete button 43.

  The operation panel control unit 29 determines the operation content from the user's operation (S13). The operation panel control unit 29 sends a document ID and a deletion signal indicating a deletion operation to the document management unit 27.

  The document management unit 27 extracts the document information of the selected document stored in the file management information 32, and determines whether or not the document password is registered (S14).

  When the document password is not registered (No in S14), the document management unit 27 deletes the selected document from the HDD 15 (S15).

  When the deletion is completed, the document management unit 27 requests the panel control unit 29 to display the result of the document operation, and the panel control unit 29 displays the operation result on the operation panel 34 (S16). For example, “Document XX has been deleted” is displayed on the operation panel 34.

  If the document password is registered (Yes in S14), the document management unit 27 determines whether the logged-in user is the document owner (S17). That is, it is determined whether or not the document owner of the document information matches the user name. When the document owner of the document selected as the object of deletion has operated the document (Yes in S17), since the user has already been authenticated by the login in step S11, the request for inputting the document password is not requested again. Proceeding to S16, the document is deleted.

  In step S17, if the logged-in user is not the document owner (No in S17), the document management unit 27 requests the panel control unit 29 to display a screen requesting input of the document password (S18).

  When a screen requesting input of the document password is displayed, the user inputs the document password (S19). If the input document password matches the document password of the document information, the document is processed as in steps S15 and S16. Is deleted. In step S19, the case where the input document password is not correct is omitted for simplicity. However, if the document password is not correct, an error message or the like is displayed without being deleted.

  As described above, in this embodiment, when the logged-in user is the document owner, the user does not need to input the document password again even if a document operation of deletion is input. In addition, since the authentication is performed based on the user password of the user at the time of login, the security is not lowered. In this embodiment, deletion is taken as an example of the document operation. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to other document operations such as detailed display, printing, and document password change.

  In the first embodiment, input of the document password is requested when the logged-in user is not the document owner. However, in this embodiment, input of the document password is omitted when the operation authority for the document operation is registered in the document ACL. The image forming apparatus 4 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  First, a user password for login is input from the user (S21). That is, the user selects a login button from the operation panel screen as shown in FIG. 5A, and inputs the user name and user password from the login screen as shown in FIG. The panel control unit 29 sends the user name and user password to the address book management unit 26, and the address book management unit 26 checks the consistency between the user name and the user password.

  When the user name and the user password match and the user is authenticated, the system management unit 28 stores the logged-in user.

  When the user operates the operation panel 34 to display a list of accumulated documents, the document management unit 28 refers to the document ACL, and stores the document name, document owner name, creation date and time of the document that can be viewed by the logged-in user. Extracted from the management information 32, the stored document list screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the panel control unit 29 (S22).

  Next, selection and deletion of the document to be operated by the user are input from the operation panel 34 (S23). The user selects a document to be deleted from the accumulated document list screen and touches the delete button 43.

  The operation panel control unit 29 determines the operation content from the user's operation (S24). The operation panel control unit 29 sends a document ID and a deletion signal indicating a deletion operation to the document management unit 27.

  The document management unit 27 extracts the document information of the selected document stored in the file management information 32, and refers to the document ACL (S25). In the document ACL, whether or not deletion is permitted in association with the logged-in user is set.

The document management unit 27 determines whether or not a deleted document operation is permitted for the user who has logged in based on the document ACL (S26).
If not permitted (No in S26), the document management unit 27 registers and holds that the document cannot be deleted as an error history (S27). In this case, the document is not deleted.
Then, the panel control unit 29 displays on the operation panel 34 whether or not the deletion process has been correctly performed and if not deleted, and notifies the user of the reason (S29).

When deletion of the logged-in user is permitted in the document ACL (Yes in S26), the document management unit 27 deletes the selected document from the HDD 15 (S28). In other words, if deletion operation authority is set for the logged-in user, even if a document password is assigned to the document, the deletion process is continued without being input without inputting the document password. Thereby, the troublesomeness by the user's user password input can be reduced.
The panel control unit 29 displays on the operation panel 34 that the deletion process has been performed correctly and notifies the user (S29).

  In this embodiment, if the logged-in user has deletion operation authority set in the document ACL, the user does not need to input the document password again even if the deletion document operation is input. It does not take a long time, and since the authentication is performed based on the user password of the user at the time of login, the security is not lowered. In this embodiment, deletion is taken as an example of the document operation. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to other document operations such as detailed display, printing, and document password change.

  In this embodiment, even when the logged-in user is not the document owner, the image forming apparatus 4 that omits the input of the document password will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In FIG. 13, the same steps as those in FIG.

  First, a user password for login is input from the user (S21). That is, the user selects a login button from the operation panel screen as shown in FIG. 5A, and inputs the user name and user password from the login screen as shown in FIG. The panel control unit 29 sends the user name and user password to the address book management unit 26, and the address book management unit 26 checks the consistency between the user name and the user password.

  When the user name and the user password match and the user is authenticated, the system management unit 28 stores the logged-in user.

  When the user operates the operation panel 34 to display a list of accumulated documents, the document management unit 28 refers to the document ACL, and stores the document name, document owner name, creation date and time of the document that can be viewed by the logged-in user. Extracted from the management information 32, the stored document list screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the panel control unit 29 (S22).

  Next, selection and deletion of the document to be operated by the user are input from the operation panel 34 (S23). The user selects a document to be deleted from the accumulated document list screen and touches the delete button 43.

  The operation panel control unit 29 determines the operation content from the user's operation (S24). The operation panel control unit 29 sends a document ID and a deletion signal indicating a deletion operation to the document management unit 27.

  The document management unit 27 extracts the document information of the selected document stored in the file management information 32, and refers to the document ACL (S25). In the document ACL, whether or not deletion is permitted in association with the logged-in user is set.

Next, the document management unit 27 determines whether or not the logged-in user is the document owner of the document selected for deletion (S31). The document information of the selected document is referred to, and it is checked whether or not the registered document owner and the login user match.
If the logged-in user is the document owner (Yes in S31), the document management unit 27 deletes the selected document from the HDD 15 (S28). The panel control unit 29 displays on the operation panel 34 that the deletion process has been performed correctly and notifies the user (S29). That is, if the logged-in user and the document owner match, even if a document password is assigned to the document, the user has already been authenticated as a user by logging in, and therefore, the input of the document password is not requested again.

  If the logged-in user is not the document owner (No in S31), the document management unit 27 determines whether or not a deleted document operation is permitted for the logged-in user based on the document ACL (S32). The document management unit 27 extracts the document information of the selected document stored in the file management information 32, and refers to the document ACL. In the document ACL, whether or not deletion is permitted in association with the logged-in user is set.

If not permitted (No in S32), the document management unit 27 registers and holds that the document cannot be deleted as an error history (S33). In this case, the document is not deleted.
Then, the panel control unit 29 displays on the operation panel 34 whether or not the deletion process has been correctly performed and if not deleted, and notifies the user of the reason (S29).

  When deletion of the logged-in user is permitted in the document ACL (Yes in S32), the document management unit 27 deletes the selected document from the HDD 15 (S28). In other words, if delete user authority is set for the logged-in user, even if the document owner is not the document owner or the document password is assigned to the document, the deletion process is continued without prompting the user to enter the document password. To do. As a result, it is possible to reduce the trouble of inputting the user's document password.

  In this embodiment, even if the logged-in user is not the document owner, if the delete operation authority is set in the document ACL, the user is not bothered to input the document password, so that the user may feel bothered or take extra time. In addition, since the authentication is performed based on the user password of the user at the time of login, the security is not deteriorated. In this embodiment, deletion is taken as an example of the document operation. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to other document operations such as detailed display, printing, and document password change.

  In the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 4 that reduces the number of times of inputting a document password in the case of a document operation of a plurality of documents will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  First, a user password for login is input from the user (S41). That is, the user selects a login button from the operation panel screen as shown in FIG. 5A, and inputs the user name and user password from the login screen as shown in FIG. The panel control unit 29 sends the user name and user password to the address book management unit 26, and the address book management unit 26 checks the consistency between the user name and the user password.

  When the user name and the user password match and the user is authenticated, the system management unit 28 stores the logged-in user.

  When the user operates the operation panel 34 to display a list of accumulated documents, the document management unit 28 refers to the document ACL, and stores the document name, document owner name, creation date and time of the document that can be viewed by the logged-in user. Extracted from the management information 32, the stored document list screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the panel control unit 29 (S42).

  Next, selection and deletion of a document to be operated by the user are input from the operation panel 34 (S43). In this embodiment, the user selects a plurality of documents at once from the operation panel 34 and touches the delete button 43.

  The operation panel control unit 29 determines the operation content from the user's operation (S44). The operation panel control unit 29 sends a deletion signal indicating a plurality of document IDs and a deletion operation to the document management unit 27.

  The document management unit 27 extracts the document information of all the selected documents stored in the file management information 32, and refers to the document ACL (S45). In the document ACL, whether or not deletion is permitted in association with the logged-in user is set.

Next, the document management unit 27 sequentially determines whether or not the logged-in user is the document owner of the document selected for deletion (S46). The document information of the selected document is referred to, and it is checked whether or not the registered document owner and the login user match.
If the logged-in user is the document owner (Yes in S46), the document management unit 27 deletes the selected document from the HDD 15 (S49). That is, if the logged-in user and the document owner match, even if a document password is assigned to the document, the user has already been authenticated as a user by logging in, and therefore, the input of the document password is not requested again.
In this embodiment, since a plurality of documents are selected, the document management unit 27 holds the result of whether or not each document is deleted in the NV-RAM or the like until the processing of all the documents is completed. .

  If the logged-in user is not the document owner (No in S46), the document management unit 27 sequentially determines whether the logged-in user is permitted to delete the document based on the document ACL (S47). The document management unit 27 extracts the document information of the selected document stored in the file management information 32, and refers to the document ACL. In the document ACL, whether or not deletion is permitted in association with the logged-in user is set.

  When deletion of the logged-in user in the document ACL is permitted (Yes in S47), the document management unit 27 deletes the selected document from the HDD 15 (S49). In other words, if the logged-in user is authorized to delete, even if the document owner is not the document owner or the document password is assigned to the document, the deletion process can be continued without entering the document password. finish. As a result, it is possible to reduce the trouble of inputting the user's document password.

If not permitted (No in S47), the document management unit 27 registers and holds that the document cannot be deleted as an error history (S48). In this case, the document is not deleted.
Next, the document management unit 27 determines whether there is an unprocessed document among the selected documents (S50). If there is an unprocessed document (Yes in S50), the process returns to step S46 and the processing is repeated until the processing of all documents is completed.
When there are no more unprocessed documents (No in S50), the panel control unit 29 displays on the operation panel 34 whether or not the deletion processing has been performed correctly and the reasons for the deletion processing in association with a plurality of documents. Tell the user (S51). Since a record is held as an error log for each failed document, the user can recognize the document that failed to be deleted and the reason, and can take another action.

  According to the present embodiment, even when a plurality of documents are selected at a time, it is not necessary to request the input of the document password. Therefore, the password can be input only once by the user password. Also, the user does not feel bothersome or take extra time, and the security is not lowered because the user is authenticated based on the user password at the time of login.

  In this embodiment, deletion is taken as an example of the document operation. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to other document operations such as detailed display, printing, and document password change.

  Further, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which both the determination match determination of the document owner and the logged-in user and the determination of whether or not the operation authority of the logged-in user is set are set. Also, it is possible to determine only whether or not the document owner and the logged-in user match (Example 1) or only whether or not the operation authority of the user who has logged into the document ACL is set (Example 2). Good.

  As described above, when the operation authority is registered using the “all users” field 44, the operation authority for the operation (for example, browsing) is automatically set for the user registered in the image forming apparatus 4 later. Is done. In this way, even when it is determined that the operation authority may be given to all registered users when the document ACL is set, the same authority is given to all registered users thereafter. There are cases where it is not necessarily good.

  For this reason, when the operation authority is set in the “all users” field 44, the confidentiality of the stored document is maintained by requesting the input of the document password even if the operation authority is set in the document ACL. .

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a processing procedure for a user to delete a document when the operation authority is set in the “all users” field 44.

  First, a user password for login is input from the user (S61). That is, the user selects a login button from the operation panel screen as shown in FIG. 5A, and inputs the user name and user password from the login screen as shown in FIG. The panel control unit 29 sends the user name and user password to the address book management unit 26, and the address book management unit 26 checks the consistency between the user name and the user password.

  When the user name and the user password match and the user is authenticated, the system management unit 28 stores the logged-in user.

  When the user operates the operation panel 34 to display a list of accumulated documents, the document management unit 28 refers to the document ACL, and stores the document name, document owner name, creation date and time of the document that can be viewed by the logged-in user. Extracted from the management information 32, the stored document list screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the panel control unit 29 (S62).

  Next, selection and deletion of the document to be operated by the user are input from the operation panel 34 (S23). The user selects a document to be deleted from the accumulated document list screen and touches the delete button 43.

  The operation panel control unit 29 determines the operation content from the user's operation (S64). The operation panel control unit 29 sends a document ID and a deletion signal indicating a deletion operation to the document management unit 27.

  The document management unit 27 extracts the document information of the selected document stored in the file management information 32, and refers to the document ACL (S65). In the document ACL, whether or not deletion is permitted in association with the logged-in user is set.

Next, the document management unit 27 determines whether or not the logged-in user is the document owner of the document selected for deletion (S66). The document information of the selected document is referred to, and it is checked whether or not the registered document owner and the login user match.
If the logged-in user is the document owner (Yes in S66), the document management unit 27 deletes the selected document from the HDD 15 (S72). The panel control unit 29 displays on the operation panel 34 that the deletion process has been performed correctly and notifies the user (S73). That is, if the logged-in user and the document owner match, even if a document password is assigned to the document, the user has already been authenticated as a user by logging in, and therefore, the input of the document password is not requested again.

  If the logged-in user is not the document owner (No in S66), the document management unit 27 determines whether or not a deletion operation is permitted for the logged-in user based on the document ACL (S67).

If not permitted (No in S67), the document management unit 27 registers and holds that the document cannot be deleted as an error history (S71). In this case, the document is not deleted.
If deletion of the logged-in user in the document ACL is permitted (Yes in S67), the document management unit 27 then determines whether or not the deletion operation authority is due to the setting in the “all users” column 44 ( S68).

  If it is not based on the setting of the “all users” column 44 (No in S68), since it is permitted for each user, the document management unit 27 deletes the selected document from the HDD 15 (S72). That is, it does not require input of a document password.

  If the deleted document operation is permitted by the setting of the “all users” column 44 (Yes in S68), the document management unit 27 requests the panel control unit 29 to display a document password input screen (S69). That is, in this case, after setting the document ACL, it is unknown whether the operation authority is automatically set or the operation that should be permitted originally, and therefore it is necessary to input the document password.

  When the correct document password is input (S70), the document management unit 27 deletes the selected document from the HDD 15 (S72). The panel control unit 29 displays on the operation panel 34 that the deletion process has been performed correctly and notifies the user (S73). If the correct document password is not entered, the document is not deleted.

According to the present embodiment, when the logged-in user is the document owner, the user is not bothered because the input of the document password is not requested. Also, even if the login user deletion operation authority is set in the document ACL, if the authority is common and set for all users, the document is not deleted and the logged-in user is not deleted. Since password input is required, security can be ensured. Further, if the authority is not set in a lump, the document is deleted as it is without requesting input of the document password, so that the user does not feel bothered or take extra time.
As described above, the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment provides an image forming apparatus that reduces the cumbersome password input operation for document operation while maintaining the confidentiality of the document, and has good document operability. be able to.

1 is a configuration diagram of a print system using an image forming apparatus. 1 is an example of a hardware configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating a software configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a sequence diagram of user registration and login. It is an example of an operation panel screen displayed on the operation panel. It is a figure which shows the structure of the document information stored in file management information. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the accumulation | storage document list. It is a figure which shows an example of the document ACL. It is an example of a setting screen of a document ACL. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of document management information indicating a relationship between document ACL settings and document operation authority. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure that can omit inputting a document password when deleting a document stored in an image forming apparatus. FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a processing procedure for omitting input of a document password when the operation authority for the document operation is registered in the document ACL. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for omitting input of a document password based on a document ACL even when a logged-in user is not a document owner. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for reducing the number of times of inputting a document password in the case of a document operation for a plurality of documents. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a processing procedure when a document is operated when all users of the document ACL are given an operation authority. It is a flowchart figure which shows an example of the conventional authentication process.

Explanation of symbols

3 Personal computer (PC)
4 Image forming apparatus 21 Printer unit 22 Copy unit 23 Fax unit 24 Scanner unit 25 Communication control unit 26 Address book management unit 27 Document management unit 28 System management unit 29 Panel control unit 30 Interface 31 Address book 32 File management information 33 Basic setting 34 control panel

Claims (9)

An authentication means for authenticating the user;
For each document, a document owner, a document password, and access management information in which operation authority for each operation content for the document is set for each user, registered document information,
In an image forming apparatus comprising: an operation authority determining unit that requests the user to input the document password and operation content when operating a document stored in a storage area;
When it is determined that the user authenticated by the authentication unit is the document owner of the document, the operation authority determination unit omits the input request for the document password,
Even when the user is not the document owner of the document, when the user authenticated by the authentication unit operates the document with the operation content in which the operation authority of the user is set, the operation authority determining unit is Omit the input request of the document password;
An image forming apparatus. An authentication means for authenticating the user;
For each document, a document owner, a document password, and access management information in which operation authority for each operation content for the document is set for each user, registered document information,
In an image forming apparatus comprising: an operation authority determining unit that requests the user to input the document password and operation content when operating a document stored in a storage area;
When the user authenticated by the authentication unit operates the document with the operation content in which the operation authority of the user is set, the operation authority determination unit omits the document password input request.
An image forming apparatus. When selecting multiple documents and operating them at once,
The document in which the user authenticated by the authentication unit is a document owner, or the document in which the operation authority is set with a predetermined operation content for the user authenticated by the authentication unit is sequentially executed. To be processed,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus. In the access management information, an operation authority for a predetermined operation content is set for all users,
When a new user is registered in the image forming apparatus after the document information is generated, an operation authority for the predetermined operation content is set for the new user in the access management information,
In the access management information, when operation authority of a predetermined operation content is set for all registered users,
The operation authority determining unit requests the user to input the document password even when the user authenticated by the authentication unit operates the document with the operation content for which the user operation authority is set. To

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus. In the method for maintaining confidentiality of the image forming apparatus, the document owner, the document password for each document, and the access management information in which the operation authority for each operation content for the document is set for each user includes the registered document information.
An authentication step for authenticating the user;
A determining step of determining whether the user is a document owner of the document;
An operation authority determining step for requesting the user to input the document password and the operation content when operating the document stored in the storage area;
When it is determined that the user authenticated by the authentication step is the document owner of the document, the operation authority determining unit omits the input request for the document password,
Even when the user is not the document owner of the document, when the user authenticated by the authentication step operates the document with the operation content in which the operation authority of the user is set, the operation authority determining means Omit the input request of the document password;
A method for maintaining confidentiality. In the method for maintaining confidentiality of the image forming apparatus, the document owner, the document password for each document, and the access management information in which the operation authority for each operation content for the document is set for each user includes the registered document information.
An authentication step for authenticating the user;
An operation authority determining step for requesting the user to input the document password and the operation content when operating the document stored in the storage area;
When the user authenticated by the authentication step operates the document with the operation content in which the operation authority of the user is set, the operation authority determining means omits the input request for the document password.
A method for maintaining confidentiality. In a computer of the image forming apparatus , the document owner, the document password for each document, and the access management information in which the operation authority for each operation content for the document is set for each user is registered document information.
An authentication step for authenticating the user;
A determining step of determining whether the user is a document owner of the document;
An operation authority determining step for requesting the user to input the document password and the operation content when operating the document stored in the storage area; and
In the operation authority determining step,
If it is determined that the user authenticated by the authentication step is the document owner of the document, the input request for the document password is omitted,
Even if the user is not the document owner of the document, the user who has been authenticated in the authentication step operates the document with the operation content in which the operation authority of the user is set. Omit
A program that executes processing. In a computer of the image forming apparatus , the document owner, the document password for each document, and the access management information in which the operation authority for each operation content for the document is set for each user is registered document information.
An authentication step for authenticating the user;
An operation authority determining step for requesting the user to input the document password and the operation content when operating the document stored in the storage area; and
In the operation authority determining step,
When the user authenticated by the authentication step operates the document with the operation content in which the operation authority of the user is set, the input request for the document password is omitted.
A program that executes processing. A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 7 or 8.

Images