JP2001067191A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a safe printing system capable of preventing printing data from being leaked to the outside. SOLUTION: A printing requester 1 issues a printing request including printing request issue time, a printing starting period, etc. At the time of receiving the printing request, a printer 2 judges whether the request is issued within the printing period or not by using an expiration judgment device 3, a timer device 4, etc., on the basis of the printing request issue time included in the request. When the request is within the period, the request is executed, and when the request is out of the period, the request is rejected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing system, and more particularly, to a printing system including a printer, a printer driver, a print server, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There have been many proposals for enhancing security in printing. Conventional techniques relating to the present invention are disclosed, for example, in JP-A-8-185349 and JP-A-10-21022. There is. In the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-185349 ("Data Security"), a table in which security information is set for each item of a file and a record is stored in a magnetic disk device. The data of each item of the file is read out according to the security level of the user by referring to the table of the record specified by the data control device, and for the item for which the user does not have read access restriction, the data is specified. The data is output to the data control device by replacing the code, and the data control device outputs the record to the display control device or the print output control device. When these devices display the contents of the record, the specific code is set. Some items are output with symbols that are unrelated to the actual data. In, without modifying the application, in which as can be easily changed the security level for individually configurable data file for each item of the record.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-21022 ("Data output control device and data output system using this data output device") discloses a print server which stores print data stored in a first queue in a file server. ID data is added to the head file, and data indicating copy printing is added to the head file of the print data stored in the second queue. In the security print mode, the input of the ID and the collation of the password must be performed in the print server. If the print data does not output to the printing device, in the copy print mode, for the print data to which the data indicating the copy printing is added, the print data to which the data indicating the copy printing is added should be selected and output to the printing device. By
This is to protect the confidentiality of the print data.

[0004]

However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-185349 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-210
No. 22 is a proposal to prevent a person other than the print requestor from viewing or holding the printed document while the printed paper document is in the output bin of the printer. Was.

That is, the device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 8-185349 determines whether access is possible when data is output by adding a security level to each data. Once allowed, once the data was retrieved, protection of the data was not possible.

[0006] In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-21022, print data is collected by a print server.
Print data that requires security is to prevent printing by the print requester by entering a password into the print server, thereby preventing anyone other than the print requester from viewing the document. It was necessary for the print requester to actually move to the print server and wait for printing to be completed in front of the printing apparatus.

Therefore, while the data to be printed is being sent to the printer via the network, the print data is vulnerable, and this data can be collected and printed by another printer. By recording flowing print data and printing it with another printer, it was also possible to duplicate a print document of the print data.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and protects print data until it arrives at a printer via a network so that print data can be securely printed without leaking to the outside. The purpose of the system is to provide a system. More specifically, (1) printing cannot be performed at a time other than the time at which the print requester requests printing (2) a printer other than the printer at which the print requester requested printing Cannot print with a printer (3) Provide a secure printing system where only the print requestor can obtain the data to be printed.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print requesting side for issuing a print request for print data, and a printer for printing the print data based on a print request issued from the print requesting side. In the printing system, the print request side inserts the issuance time information of the request into the print request, and the printer, when receiving the print request, performs printing for the print request based on the issuance time information. If it is determined that it is too late to start printing data, the print request is rejected, so that printing cannot be performed outside of the time requested by the print requester.

[0010] According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the expiration determination for receiving the issuance time information and determining whether or not the printing start of the print data for the print request based on the issuance time information has expired. Having the device, when the printer receives the print request, transmits the issuance time information to the expiration determination device, and the expiration determination device prints the print data corresponding to the print request based on the issuance time information. If it is determined that it is too late to start, the printer rejects the print request, so that printing cannot be performed other than at the time when the print requester requests printing.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the print requesting side enters validity information of the request into the print request, and the printer receives the print request when the printer receives the print request. If it is determined that it is too late to start printing the print data for the print request based on the issuance time information and the validity period information, the print request is rejected, and Other than this, printing cannot be performed, and the allowable range of the time can be specified by the print issuer.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a clock device which replies a current time in response to an inquiry from the printer, wherein the print request side responds to the request by the print request. The expiration date information and the clock device identification information are inserted, and when the printer receives the print request, the expiration date of the print request is inquired to a specific clock device based on the clock device identification information of the print request. When the obtained current time is exceeded, the printer rejects the print request, and data printing by time operation can be prevented by referring to the same clock device.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing system comprising: a print requesting side for issuing a print request for print data; and a printer for printing the print data based on a print request issued from the print requesting side. Wherein the print requester puts printer specification information for the request in the print request, and rejects the print request if the printer is not a printer specified based on the printer specification information of the received print request. The print requester cannot perform printing on a printer other than the specific printer that has requested printing.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing system comprising a print requesting side for issuing a print request for print data, and a printer for printing the print data based on a print request issued from the print requesting side. Having a data providing device for storing print data in response to the print request,
The print requesting side inserts data providing device information in which print data corresponding to the request is stored in the print request, and the printer transmits the data from the data providing device in which the print data is stored based on the data providing device information. The print data is obtained and printed, and the print data cannot be obtained from communication between the print requester and the printer.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect, the data providing apparatus encrypts and provides the print data using a public key of the printer. Is monitored so that the contents to be printed are not understood.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the data providing device does not provide the print data in response to a print data providing request for print data for which the user does not have the right to print. When a printer prints, when the data is read, the print data is determined by comparing the request authority of each data with the authority of the print requester, so that even a user who has insufficient authority can use most of the document. Can be printed.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the sixth aspect, the data providing device responds to a print data providing request for print data for which the user does not have the right to print by using the same print outline as the print data. Is provided, and a document including data that cannot be partially printed can be printed in a correct format.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of a printing system according to the present invention.
Denotes a workstation, 2 denotes a printer, 3 denotes an expiration judging device, 4 denotes a clock device, and 5 denotes a data providing device.

The workstation 1 is a terminal used by a print requester and is connected to a network. Although not described here, the print requester is associated with the print requester after the print requester is authenticated by a system-specific authentication method. This privilege information holds the privileges that the print requester has for this system.

The printer 2 is connected to a network, and a plurality of printers 2 exist in the network.
The expiration judging device 3 receives the print request issuance time information and judges whether or not the print request can be executed based on a preset judgment criterion. A configuration is possible in which the devices cooperate to improve fault tolerance and response speed.

The clock device 4 has a built-in clock and provides time information via a network. The clock device 4 may be constituted by only one device on the network, or a plurality of devices may cooperate to perform fault tolerance and response speed. Can be improved. The data providing device 5 holds various data, and is a device that receives a request for access to specific data via a network and changes or reads the data. The data providing device 5 is the only device on the network. Or a configuration in which a plurality of devices cooperate to improve fault tolerance and response speed.

(1) Operation of Print Requester FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the operation on the print request side of the print system shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2A shows an example of a document to be printed. FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a print request. The print requester first creates a document to be printed as shown in FIG. In this document,
Sensitive data and non-sensitive data are mixed. Documents are treated the same as normal data. These data are stored in the data providing device 5. Data embedded in the document data is held in the document data as a reference to the data. For example, in the example of the document shown in FIG. 2, the “accounting report” document refers to “sales amount” data and “company name logo” data.

When printing a document, the print requester must
A print request is created as shown in FIG. The print request includes “print request issuance time”, “print start time limit”, “clock device name”, “target printer name”, “print requester name”, “reference to print data”, and the like. .
The “print request issuance time” is the time obtained from the work station or the clock device 4 on the network. The “print start time limit” is a time limit after the print request issuance time when the print request is valid. The designation of the “print start time limit” is not essential, and the determination of the print start time limit when there is no designation is left to the printing system or the printer. The “clock device name” is information for specifying the clock device 4, and uses a clock device name, a network address, and the like.

The "target printer name" is information for specifying a printer to execute printing, and uses a printer name, a unique printer identification number of each printer, a network address, or a printer group name. The “print requester name” is information for specifying the print requester, and uses the user name or employee number of the print requester. “Reference to print data” is the designation of the location of print data, and can designate data stored in the data providing device 5 or data included in a print request. The print request is encrypted in a format that can be decrypted only by the target printer, and transmitted to the target printer.

(2) Operation of Printer FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining one embodiment of the operation of the printer of the printing system shown in FIG. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printer following the embodiment shown in FIG. Upon receiving the encrypted print request (S1), the printer 2 decrypts the print data (S2) and checks the contents of the print request. First,
The target printer name is checked (S3), and if it is different from itself, the print request is rejected (S13).

If the printing expiration judging device 3 has been set in advance (YES in S4),
The expiration determination device 3 is inquired of the print request issuance time (S5). The expiration determination device 3 returns a determination of “permitted” or “non-permitted” to the inquiry source with respect to the print request (S6). The printer 2 determines whether or not printing is possible according to the received determination (S7).

If it is not set to use the print expiration judging device 3 (NO in S4), the clock device name is checked (S8). If the clock device name is specified, the current time information is obtained from the clock device 4 (S9). If the clock device name is not specified, the current time held by the printer 2 or the current time information is obtained from the clock device 4 preset in the printer 2 (S
10).

Next, if the print start time limit is designated, the print request issuance time is checked to determine a difference from the current time (S11). If the difference is outside the print start time limit, the print request is rejected. (S13). If the print start time limit is not specified, it is determined whether the print start time limit is within the print start time limit set in the printer 2 in advance (S11), and if not, the print request is rejected (S13). If it is within the print start time limit (YES in S11), the print requester name is checked, and it is determined whether the user has authority to use the printer 2 (S12).
The print request is rejected (S13).

If the print requestor has the authority to use the printer 2 (YES in S12), then reference is made to the print data, and an access request is issued to the data supply device 5 to obtain the referenced data. (S14). The access request to the print data includes a reference destination for designating the data,
It includes a printer name that specifies the requester and a print requester name that specifies the original print requester. The access request may be issued after being encrypted by a method that the data supply device 5 can decrypt.

In some cases, the received print data refers to further print data. In this case, the operation of step S14 is repeated (S15) to obtain all print data. The print image is started from the portion where the print data is ready, and although not described here, a command is sent to the print engine unit to print on a print medium such as paper (S16) and wait for the next request. (S17).

(3) Operation of Expiration Determination Apparatus The expiration determination apparatus 3 allows an administrator to set expiration determination criteria. This can be set by operating an input device to the expiration determination device 3 or sending a command via a network. The expiration judging device 3 receives expiration judgment requests from various servers including the printer 2 shown in FIG. 1, selects a judgment criterion according to the type of server, makes a judgment, and transmits the result to an inquiry source. .

(4) Operation of the Clock Device The clock device 4 has a clock for measuring the accurate time inside, receives a current time request from various servers including the printer 2 shown in FIG. 1, and inquires about the current time. Send to original.

(5) Operation of Data Supply Device The data supply device 5 holds one or more data.
The data is a byte string of any length. For data, operations such as generation, deletion, change, and reading are possible, and a mechanism for preventing contention due to multiple accesses is provided. The data can be specified as a file path of a normal file system, specified by a number such as an address, or specified by a search using an SQL (Strucutured Query Language) command.

The data is associated with one piece of necessary authority information. The necessary authority information includes a creation authority, a deletion authority, a change authority, a read authority, and the like according to the type of operation, and a required authority level is individually set.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining one embodiment of the operation of the data supply device of the printing system shown in FIG. The data supply device 5 receives an access request to various data from another device (S21), and decrypts it (S22). The access request may be encrypted. The access request includes a reference destination for specifying data, a device name for specifying a request source, and a requester name for specifying a user who has started the request. The data supply device 5 extracts the access authority required for access from the requesting device (S24) from the necessary authority information associated with the designated data (S23), and associates this with the requester name. Obtain privilege information (S2
5) By comparison, it is confirmed that the requester's privilege is higher than the necessary authority for the operation that can be executed by the device (S26).

If the privilege is insufficient (NO in S26),
It is determined that access is not possible, and the access request is rejected (S
28). However, if this is a read request from the printer (YES in S27), blank data (for example, the same number of blank characters) having the same print shape and area as the requested data is generated (S29) and transmitted to the printer. Do (S
31). If there is more privilege than the required authority (YE in S26)
S), it is determined that access is possible, the requested access is executed (S30), the result is returned (S31), and the next access request is waited for (S32). The result may be encrypted in a manner that the access requestor can decrypt.

[0037]

(1) Effects of the Inventions of Claims 1 and 2 Since printing is not possible except at the time when the print requester requests printing, reprinting of a document by eavesdropping / recording and reproducing print data is performed. Can be prevented.

(2) Effects of the Invention of Claim 3 Printing cannot be performed at a time other than the time when the print requester requests printing.
Since the print issuer can also specify the allowable time range, it is possible to prevent reprinting of documents by eavesdropping, recording, and reproducing print data. High security can be added.

(3) Advantageous Effects of the Invention According to Claim 4 By referring to the same clock device, it is possible to prevent data printing by time operation, so that wiretapping and recording of print data is performed and the data is sent to a printer whose time is shifted. Of the document can be prevented from being reprinted.

(4) Advantageous Effects of the Invention of Claim 5 Since printing cannot be performed by a printer other than the specific printer to which the print requester has requested printing, the print data is intercepted / recorded and reproduced by another printer of the same model. Document reprinting can be prevented.

(5) Effect of the Invention of Claim 6 Since print data cannot be obtained from the communication between the print requester and the printer, the print content can be obtained by eavesdropping on the communication between the print requester and the printer. Never be known.

(6) Effects of the Invention of Claim 7 Even if the input data to the printer is monitored, the contents to be printed are not known.

(7) Effect of the invention of claim 8 If the required authority of a part of the document to be printed is different, the authority to access all the data in the document is required to print the document. However, according to the invention of claim 8, when the printer prints, when reading out the data, the print data is determined by comparing the request authority of each data with the authority of the print requester. Even authorized users can print most of a document.

(8) Effect of the invention of claim 9 If the required authority of a part of a document to be printed is different, the data of the part cannot be obtained, so that the entire document is not printed or the document is formatted due to lack of data. However, according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, a document including data that cannot be partially printed can be printed in a correct format.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a main part configuration diagram for explaining an embodiment of a printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining an embodiment of an operation on a print request side of the printing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an embodiment of the operation of the printer of the printing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printer following the embodiment shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an embodiment of the operation of the data supply device of the printing system shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Work station, 2 ... Printer, 3 ... Expiration judgment device, 4 ... Clock device, 5 ... Data provision device.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A printing system comprising: a print requesting side that issues a print request for print data; and a printer that prints the print data based on a print request issued from the print requesting side. Side inserts the issuance time information of the request into the print request, and determines that the printer is late to start printing the print data corresponding to the print request based on the issuance time information when receiving the print request A print system that rejects the print request when the print request is made. 2. The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising an expiration judging device for receiving the issuance time information and judging whether printing start of print data for the print request based on the issuance time information has expired. Transmitting the issuance time information to the expiration determination device when the printer receives the print request, and the expiration determination device starts printing of print data corresponding to the print request based on the issuance time information. If you decide it ’s too late,
A printing system, wherein the printer rejects the print request. 3. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the print requesting side puts the validity period information of the request into the print request, and the printer receives the print time information and the issue time information when receiving the print request. A printing system comprising: rejecting a print request when it is determined that it is too late to start printing of print data corresponding to the print request based on the validity period information. 4. The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising a clock device for replying to a current time in response to an inquiry from the printer, wherein the print request side includes, in the print request, expiration date information for the request. Clock device identification information, when the printer receives the print request,
If the expiration date of the print request exceeds the current time obtained by inquiring of a specific clock device based on the clock device identification information of the print request, the printer rejects the print request. And printing system. 5. A printing system comprising: a print requesting side for issuing a print request for print data; and a printer for printing the print data based on a print request issued from the print requesting side. A printing system comprising: a printer including, in the print request, printer specification information corresponding to the request; and rejecting the print request if the printer is not a printer specified based on printer specification information of the received print request. 6. A printing system comprising: a print requesting side that issues a print request for print data; and a printer that prints the print data based on a print request issued from the print requesting side. Has a data providing device that stores print data for the, the print request side puts the data providing device information in which the print data for the request is stored in the print request, the printer,
A printing system, wherein the print data is obtained from a data providing device in which the print data is stored based on the data providing device information and printed. 7. The printing system according to claim 6, wherein the data providing device encrypts and provides the print data with a public key of the printer. 8. The printing system according to claim 6, wherein the data providing device does not provide the print data in response to a print data providing request for print data for which the user does not have the authority to print. Printing system. 9. The printing system according to claim 6, wherein the data providing apparatus has a blank print having the same print outline as the print data in response to a print data providing request for print data to which the user does not have authority to print. A printing system for providing data.