JPH0646168A - Remote communication system for copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To ensure the security of transmitted data by collating a machine identification number transmitted by a host computer. CONSTITUTION:When a host computer 1 requests the transmission of audit data to a copying machine 3, the host computer 1 is connected through a telephone line 2 to the copying machine 3, and the host computer 1 transmits the machine identification number and an auditor identification number. The copying machine 3 receives the machine identification number, and then receives the auditor number. Then, the copying machine 3 judges whether or not the received machine number is matched with the machine number preliminarily registered in the copying machine 3, and judges whether or not the auditor identification number is included in the auditor identification number preliminarily registered in the copying machine 3 when the machine number is matched. Then, at the time of judging that the received auditor number is included in the registered auditor number, the copying machine 3 reads the audit data corresponding to the auditor number from an RAM 13, transmits the audit data to the host computer 1, and ends a communication processing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telecommunication system of a copying machine for transmitting / receiving data between the copying machine and an external computer device via a telephone line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some copiers have an auditer (department management counter) or the like and have a function of totaling copy counts for each department to which a user belongs. Further, there may be a case where a remote communication system is provided in which such a copying machine is connected to an external host computer via a telephone line, and audit data such as a copy count aggregated for each department is transmitted by communication.

[0003]

However, in the conventional telecommunications system, when the host computer makes a call to the telephone number of the copying machine, makes a connection in a predetermined procedure, and requests the transmission of the audit data, the copying machine immediately. The relevant audit data was sent. However, since this copying machine is connected to the public telephone line, it is possible for other computer devices to connect, and thus it is easy to transmit audit data.
There is a problem in terms of data security.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention has an object to provide a telecommunication system of a copying machine capable of ensuring the security of transmitted data by collating a machine identification number or the like sent from a host computer. There is.

[0005]

A telecommunication system of a copying machine according to the present invention is a telecommunication system of a copying machine for transmitting and receiving data between a copying machine and an external computer device via a telephone line. The external computer device side is provided with an identification code transmitting means for transmitting an identification code after connecting to the copying machine via a telephone line, and the copying machine side transmits the identification code in the external computer device. Identification code receiving means for receiving the identification code transmitted from the means, identification code determining means for determining whether the identification code received by the identification code receiving means matches a previously registered identification code, and the identification code Data transmission means is provided for transmitting data to an external computer device only when the determination means determines that the identification code matches. It allows the above-mentioned object can be achieved.

[0006]

With the above construction, when the copying machine is connected to the external computer device via the telephone line, the identification code transmitting means in the external computer device first transmits the identification code to the copying machine. This identification code is a machine identification number or the like for identifying the connected copying machine.

On the copying machine side, the identification code receiving means receives the identification code, and the identification code determining means determines whether or not the identification code matches the previously registered identification code. Then, the data transmitting means transmits the data to the external computer device only when the received identification code is determined by the identification code determination means to match the previously registered identification code. The data transmitted by this data transmission means is
For example, the copy count of a copying machine.

Therefore, according to the telecommunication system of the copying machine of the present invention, the data is not transmitted from the copying machine side unless the external computer device transmits the identification code registered in advance. Accurate data transmission / reception can be performed without compromising the data security.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 8 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the operation of the remote communication system of the copying machine, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the structure of the main body of the copying machine. FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the modem controller of the copying machine, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the remote communication system of the copying machine, and FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the operation panel of the copying machine. Is a perspective view of a personal identification number type auditor, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a card input type auditor, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a commander.

In this embodiment, a telecommunications system of a copying machine having a function of totaling copy counts for each department to which a user belongs will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4, the telecommunications system of this copying machine comprises one host computer 1 and a telephone line 2.
It is connected to a plurality of copying machines 3 installed under the respective users via. The copying machine 3 comprises a main body 10 and a modem controller 20 for connecting the main body 10 to the telephone line 2. Also, the host computer 1
It comprises a computer device 30 and a modem controller 40 for connecting the computer device 30 to the telephone line 2.

The copying machine 3 installed under each user is
As shown in FIG. 5, the auditor 5 is provided on the side of the operation panel 4.
Can be attached. This Auditor 5
This is an input device for identifying and collating the department to which the user of the copying machine 3 belongs. In the case of the personal identification number type shown in FIG. 6, the number for which the auditor identification number input by the 10 keypad 5a is registered in advance. To determine if
In the case of the card input type shown in FIG. 7, it is determined whether the auditor identification number recorded on the inserted card matches the number registered in advance. When the auditor 5 confirms that the user's department is legitimate, the copying machine 3 becomes ready for copying, and thereafter, the AUDITTCLE of the 10 keypad 5a.
The number of copies until the copying machine 3 is closed by the operation of the AR key or the like is added to the copy count of the department to which it belongs. The commander 6 shown in FIG. 8 is a maintenance device that is connected to the auditor 5 to register the personal identification number of the department to which it belongs and to print the registered contents.

The main body 10 of the copying machine 3 is controlled by a microcomputer 11 as shown in FIG. The microcomputer 11 includes a ROM 12 and a RAM 13 together with the operation panel 4.
And various load sensors 14 are connected. ROM12
Is a read-only nonvolatile semiconductor memory device that stores a control program. The RAM 13 is a readable and writable volatile semiconductor memory device that stores audit data such as copy count for each department, and the stored contents are backed up by the battery 15. The various load sensors 14 represent circuits of various drive systems of the copying machine 3 and I / O interfaces of the sensors. The auditor 5 is also attached to the side portion of the operation panel 4 so as to be connected to the microcomputer 11. A serial interface 16 according to the RS-232C standard is connected to the microcomputer 11.

The modem controller 20 of the copying machine 3
Are controlled by a microcomputer 21, as shown in FIG. The microcomputer 21 includes a PROM 22, a RAM 23 and a timer 2.
4 is connected. The PROM 22 is a rewritable nonvolatile semiconductor memory device that stores a control program. The RAM 23 is a readable / writable volatile semiconductor storage device used as a communication buffer or the like, and the stored contents are backed up by the battery 25. Timer 24
Is a circuit for clocking the current time, and the backup of the battery 25 allows the clock to always be continued. Further, the microcomputer 21 has an RS-2
A serial interface 26 according to the 32C standard is connected. Therefore, the modem controller 20 is connected to the serial interface 16 of the main body 10 via the communication cable by the serial interface 26, and is capable of serially transmitting and receiving commands and data. Further, the microcomputer 21 has a telephone line 2 via a modem NCU 27.
Are connected. The modem NCU 27 is a modem (demodulator) for transmitting and receiving digital signals via the telephone line 2 and an NCU (network control unit) for controlling this telephone line.
It is a circuit consisting of. Therefore, the modem controller 20 connects the main body 10 to the telephone line 2, whereby the copying machine 3 and the host computer 1 are connected.
Will be connected to form a telecommunications system.

The communication operation between the host computer 1 and the copying machine 3 in the remote communication system of the copying machine having the above structure will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG.

When the host computer 1 requests the copying machine 3 to transmit the audit data, after connecting to the copying machine 3 via the telephone line 2, first, the machine identification number and the auditor identification number are transmitted. Then, in the copying machine 3, in step (hereinafter referred to as "S") 1, the machine identification number is received, and subsequently the auditor identification number is received (S).
2). Further, it is judged whether or not the received machine identification number matches the machine identification number registered in advance in the copying machine 3 (S3), and if they match, the auditor identification number is registered in the copying machine 3 in advance. It is determined whether or not it is included in the auditor identification number (S4). When it is determined that the audit data is included in the registered auditor identification number, the audit data corresponding to the auditor identification number is read from the RAM 13 and transmitted to the host computer 1 (S5), and the communication process is ended.

However, if it is determined in S3 that the machine identification numbers do not match, a signal indicating that the machine identification numbers are incompatible is transmitted (S6),
The communication process ends. If it is determined in S4 that the auditor identification number is not registered,
A signal indicating that the auditor identification number is incompatible is transmitted (S7), and the communication process ends.

As a result, according to the remote communication system of the copying machine of the present embodiment, the copying machine 3 transmits the audit data only when the other party of the communication sends the proper machine identification number and the auditor identification number. Since the data is transmitted, important audit data will not be erroneously transmitted unless the host computer 1 is authorized to access the data, and the security of the data is surely ensured.

[0020]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the remote communication system of the copying machine of the present invention, unless the external computer device transmits the identification code registered in advance in the copying machine. Since no data is transmitted from the copying machine side, the external computer device and the copying machine can transmit and receive data accurately, and the reliability of the telecommunications system can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing an operation of a telecommunications system of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main body of a copying machine.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a block diagram showing a configuration of a modem controller of a copying machine.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a block diagram showing a configuration of a remote communication system of a copying machine.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a partially enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of an operation panel of a copying machine.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a perspective view of a personal identification number type auditor.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a perspective view of a card input type auditor.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a perspective view of a commander.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Host computer 2 Telephone line 3 Copier 10 Main unit 20 Modem controller

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A remote communication system of a copying machine for transmitting / receiving data between a copying machine and an external computer device via a telephone line, wherein the copying machine via the telephone line is provided to the external computer device side. And an identification code receiving means for receiving the identification code transmitted from the identification code transmitting means in the external computer device on the copying machine side. An identification code determining means for determining whether the identification code received by the identification code receiving means matches a previously registered identification code, and a case where the identification code determining means determines that the identification code matches And a data transmission means for transmitting data to the external computer device.