JP2001086275A - Apparatus and system for processing image - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve security using simple operations without having to watch a processed image by an outsider by detecting the position of a user, holding processing of the image, while the user is not located close to the device and starting processing of the image when the user approaches. SOLUTION: When a request for printing is received via a network, a CPU 11 of a printer 10 holds data as the object of printing on a RAM 13 as a print queue after adding an accept ID as a number for identifying each accepted printing request and returns data showing the acceptance of the printing request via the network and the accept ID. Also this CPU 11 receives the present position of the user via the network together with the accept ID and stores the position as position information, corresponding to the data to be the object of printing and when the relative distance between the issue source of the request and the present printer is within a preset range, data to be the object of printing related to the print queue are printed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing system including a printer, a scanner, and an image display device, and more particularly to an improvement in preventing unauthorized use of a processed image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the development of network technology,
Each user can issue a print request from a remote location to the shared printer and print it. Here, the user can execute printing via wireless communication by outputting a printing instruction from an information terminal connected to the PHS or the like.

[0005] Such a network will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a configuration block diagram schematically illustrating a conventional image processing system. As shown in FIG. 7, a conventional image processing system mainly includes a printer 1 as an image processing device, a gateway device 2, a wireless terminal 3, and a wireless communication base station 4. The device 2 is mutually connected via a network 5, and the gateway device 2 and the wireless communication base station 4 are connected via a telephone line such as a public telephone network (PSTN) or ISDN. Originally, the overall configuration is that more computers and other devices are connected to the network 5, but they are not shown here for the sake of explanation.

[0004] Each of these parts will be described in detail below. The printer 1 is a printer shared via the network 5 and prints a specified document in response to a print request instruction received via the network 5. Specifically, the printer 1 receives an instruction of a document described in a page description language (PDL) such as PostScript (trademark) from the wireless terminal 3 via the gateway device 2 and processes the document to form an image. Then, the formed image is printed.

[0005] The gateway device 2 transmits a print request received via a telephone line to the printer 1 via the network 5. The gateway device 2 is, for example, a dial-up connected computer. Wireless terminal 3
Is a portable computer connected to a wireless communication device such as a PHS, and transmits a print request to the printer 1 by wireless communication. The wireless communication base station 4 transmits and receives information to and from the wireless terminal 3 wirelessly, and exchanges the transmitted and received information with the gateway device 2 via a telephone line.

[0006] The user of the wireless terminal 3 outputs an instruction for requesting printing to the printer 1 from the wireless terminal 3. Then, the wireless communication base station 4 wirelessly receives the request instruction from the wireless terminal 3 and outputs the request instruction to the gateway device 2 via the telephone line. Then, the gateway device 2 outputs the instruction to the printer 1 via the network 5, and the printer 1 receives the instruction of the request and performs printing.

[0007]

However, in the above-described conventional image processing system, since the printer performs printing immediately upon receiving a print request instruction, for example, output is performed in response to a request from a remote user. The printed matter is kept until the user comes to the printer.
There is a security problem that the printed matter is left in the tray of the printer and the printed matter is seen by others.

Therefore, a technique has been considered in which a password is set and the printer does not output a printed material until the password is input. In this case, however, the password must be input to the printer. However, there was a problem that it was complicated and the convenience was low.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an image processing apparatus capable of improving security with a simple operation.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: means for detecting a position of a user; and means for detecting an image based on the position of the user. Control means for outputting an instruction to start processing,
Image processing means for processing an image in response to input of an instruction to start processing the image.

As described above, by starting the image processing based on the position of the user, the image processing is suspended when the user is not nearby, and the image processing is started when the user approaches. Thus, the security of the image can be improved without others viewing the processed image.

It is preferable that the control means outputs an instruction to start image processing based on a relative position between the position of the user and the position of the user.

According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus, comprising: means for detecting a position of a user; and an instruction to stop image processing based on the position of the user. And an image processing means for stopping image processing in response to input of an instruction to stop processing of the image.

[0014] Thus, the image processing instruction when the user is at a remote location is stopped, and it is possible to prevent another person from erroneously viewing the image that is instructed from a remote location, thereby improving security.

Further, the image processing means receives an input of information which is a basis of the image, forms and holds an image in advance based on the information, and receives an input of an instruction to start processing the image. Then, it is preferable to process the held image.

With this configuration, the image processing can be executed immediately when the user approaches, and the user can quickly see the processed image, thereby improving the convenience.

Here, the apparatus further comprises means for receiving a request for image processing from a user, wherein the means for detecting the position of the user sets the place where the request for image processing is made as the position of the user. It is preferable to detect.

Further, the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems of the prior art is directed to an image processing system, comprising: an information terminal having means for periodically notifying its own current position; Image processing means for obtaining an instruction, and outputting an instruction to start image processing based on the obtained current position of the information terminal; and means for processing the image in response to an input of the instruction to start image processing Equipment and
It is characterized by including.

As described above, by starting the image processing based on the position of the information terminal, the image processing is suspended when the information terminal is not in the vicinity of the information terminal, and the user having the information terminal approaches. By starting image processing with
If the user has an information terminal, the security can be improved without any special operation.

Here, the information terminal further comprises means for transmitting an immediate printable attribute in accordance with an instruction, and the image processing means of the image processing apparatus, upon receiving the immediate printable attribute from the information terminal, immediately transmits the image. It is preferable to start the processing of (1).

Further, the information terminal determines its current position by GPS.
It is preferable to detect by.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: means for detecting a position of a user; and an instruction for controlling printing of an image based on the position of the user. And printing means for printing based on the instruction.

Thus, by starting printing based on the position of the user, printing is suspended when the user is not in the vicinity, and printing is started when the user approaches, so that others can print the printed matter. You can improve security without seeing.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, an image processing system including an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention basically includes a printer 10, a gateway device 2, a wireless terminal 30, and a wireless communication base station 4. Have been. Here, the printer 10 and the gateway device 2 are mutually connected via a network 5, and the gateway device 2 and the wireless communication base station 4 are connected via a telephone line such as a public telephone network or ISDN. ing.

The printer 10, as shown in FIG.
It comprises a U11, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, a hard disk 14, a network interface 15, and a printer engine 16, and each unit is mutually connected by a bus. The wireless terminal 30, as shown in FIG.
It is basically composed of a U31, a ROM 32, a RAM 33, a hard disk 34, a PHS unit 35, and a GPS 36, and each unit is mutually bus-connected. Originally, more computers and peripheral devices are connected to the network 5, and various telephone devices are connected to the telephone line. It is illustrated.

The components will be specifically described below. However, the gateway device 2 and the radio communication base station 4 are the same as the conventional one shown in FIG.
The CPU 11 of the printer 10 according to a processing program stored in the ROM 12 or the hard disk 14
Control each part. The operation of the CPU 11 will be described later. The ROM 12 stores a program to be processed by the CPU 11. The RAM 13 holds the input print request as a print queue. Also, this R
The AM 13 operates as a work memory of the CPU 11 and holds an image drawn based on a PDL or the like on which the image is based. Further, the RAM 13 also operates as a buffer memory for temporarily storing information transmitted and received via the network interface 15. Hard disk 1
Reference numeral 4 stores programs processed by the CPU 11 and various parameters including the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the installation location of the printer 10. The network interface 15 exchanges information with another device via the network 5. The printer engine 16 has a CP
Printing is performed on paper based on an instruction from U11.

The CPU 31 of the wireless terminal 30 has a ROM 32
The processing is performed according to a processing program stored in the hard disk 34 or the like. The CPU 31 transmits a print request to the printer 10 together with data to be printed.
Further, the CPU 31 detects its own position by the GPS 36, and as the position information, together with the reception ID, the printer 1.
Send to 0. The specific operation of the CPU 31 will be described later. The ROM 32 stores a program to be processed by the CPU 31. RAM 33 is
It operates as a work memory of the CPU 31. The hard disk 34 stores programs processed by the CPU 31 and various parameters. The PHS unit 35
Based on an instruction from the CPU 31, information is transmitted to and received from the wireless communication base station 4 by radio. The PHS unit 35
Moves between cells while performing handoff with many wireless communication base stations 4 like a general PHS, but here, for simplicity, it moves between one wireless communication base station 4 and The case where communication is performed is illustrated. GPS3
Numeral 6 outputs the current position using latitude, longitude, and altitude parameters based on signals from GPS satellites.

Here, the processing performed by the CPU 11 of the printer 10 will be described with reference to FIG. CPU11
Receives a print request via the network, attaches a reception ID as a number for identifying each received print request, holds data to be printed in the RAM 13 as a print queue, and prints the data via the network. , And data indicating that the request has been received, and the reception ID. Further, the CPU 11 receives the user's current position along with the reception ID via the network, and stores it as position information in association with data to be printed.

Further, the CPU 11 performs the processing shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the CPU 11. The CPU 11 checks whether a request has been received via the network (S1). If there is a request (Yes), the CPU 11 checks whether an immediate print instruction has been received together with the request (S2). If there is an instruction for immediate printing in this process S2 (if Yes), data to be printed according to the request is acquired and the image is stored in the RAM1.
3 and output to the printer engine 16 for printing (S3), returning to the process S1 to continue the process. On the other hand, if there is no instruction for immediate printing in the process S2, a reception ID is generated, and the reception ID is transmitted to the request issuing source (S4). Then, it waits for the position information of the request issuer (S5), and upon receiving the position information together with the reception ID, further acquires its own position from the hard disk 14 (S5).
6) The relative distance between the request source and the self is calculated from the difference between these positions (S7). Then, it is checked whether or not the calculated distance is within a preset range (S8). If the calculated distance is within the range (Yes), the process proceeds to step S3 to perform printing and ends the process.

If it is determined in step S8 that the calculated relative distance is not within the range (No), the data to be printed together with the reception ID is set as a print queue, and the process proceeds to step S8.
6 and the hard disk 14 in association with the position information
(S9). In the process S9, if the data to be printed is data that is the basis of an image such as a PDL, it is preferable to form an image in advance based on this data and store it as a print queue. . With this configuration, printing can be started immediately when an instruction to start printing is received later, so that a printed material can be quickly obtained.

Then, the CPU 11 repeats the processing from the processing S1. If there is no request for printing in Step S1 (if No), the reception I
D (S10), position information corresponding to the print queue of the reception ID is obtained (S11), and its own position is obtained from the hard disk 14 (S12). The relative distance between the issuer and the self is calculated (S13). Then, it is checked whether or not the calculated distance is within a preset range (S14). If the calculated distance is within the range (Yes), the process proceeds to step S3. Is printed, and the process ends. If it is not within the range (if No) in step S14, the process returns to step S1 and continues.

Next, the processing of the CPU 31 of the wireless terminal 30 will be described with reference to FIG. C of the wireless terminal 30
The PU 31 mainly performs two processes, a process of notifying its own current position when making a print request, and a process of notifying its own current position periodically. That is, the CPU 31
As shown in FIG. 3, it is determined whether or not a print instruction has been received from the user (S21).
s), the GPS 36 detects its own current position (S22), and uses the data to be printed and its own current position as a print request to indicate which printer to print (printing). PHS section 35 together with previous information)
(S23). Then, the CPU 31 receives the reception ID as a response to the print request via the PHS unit 35.
Is received (S24). When the reception ID is received, the reception ID is stored in the RAM 33 (S25), and the process returns to step S21 to continue the process.

On the other hand, if there is no instruction input in step S21 (if No), the CPU 31 measures a predetermined time by a timer (not shown) as a process for periodically informing its own current position (S26). When the timing of the predetermined time is completed, the current position is detected by the GPS 36 (S27), and the reception ID received in the processing S24 is stored in the RAM.
33, and outputs its own current position and the reception ID to the PHS unit 35 together with information on the printing destination as the transmission destination (S28), and returns to step S21 to continue the processing.

Here, the wireless terminal 30 performs wireless communication by PHS, but other mobile phone services may be used.

The above has specifically described each unit. The operation of the image processing system according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. The wireless terminal 30 receives a print instruction input from the user, acquires the current position by the GPS 36, and obtains document data to be printed, position information indicating the current position of the wireless terminal 30, and information on the printer 10 to be printed Is output to the PHS unit 35, the PHS unit 35 wirelessly transmits them to the gateway device 2 (A), and the gateway device 2 receives this and prints it on the printer 10 designated as the printing destination. Is transmitted, and the current position of the wireless terminal 30 is transmitted (B). Then, the printer 10 as an image processing apparatus receives these data and checks whether or not there is an instruction for immediate printing. If there is no instruction for immediate printing, the CPU 11 of the printer 10 determines the relative position between itself and the wireless terminal 30. To determine the distance,
If the specified distance is equal to or less than the preset distance, printing is started immediately. Here, if the distance is not shorter than the preset distance, a reception ID is generated, and the reception ID is returned to the wireless terminal 30 via the gateway device 2 (C). The gateway device 2 receives this reception ID, relays it to the wireless terminal 30 wirelessly, and transmits it (D).
Then, the wireless terminal 30 receives this data and receives
D is held in the RAM 33, and after waiting for a certain period of time, the current position is acquired by the GPS 36, and position information representing the current position is output to the PHS unit 35 together with the reception ID and the information of the printing destination ( E). And the PHS unit 35
Gateway device 2 that has received these data via
Transmits the position information and the reception ID to the printer 10 (F). The printer 10 receives the data, specifies the distance based on the position information, and performs printing if the distance is equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

After the printing is completed, information for notifying that the printing including the reception ID has been completed is transmitted to the gateway device 2.
(G, H) to the wireless terminal 30 via the
It is preferable that 0 receives this data and detects that the printing is completed, thereby stopping the process of periodically informing the current position.

When the distance between the wireless terminal 30 and the printer 10 is short, an instruction for immediate printing may be transmitted together with the request for printing. In this way, the CPU 11 of the printer 10 outputs an instruction for immediate printing, and printing is performed immediately without calculating the relative distance (P).

Further, FIG. 5 shows the printing status (whether the printing is suspended or printing has been started), the name of the print document as the data to be printed, and the printing conditions for each reception ID. RAM1 as a table as shown
3 and the wireless terminal 30 via the gateway device 2
The state of printing may be transmitted and received between the printer and the printer. In this way, the printing status of the document on the printer 10 can be easily grasped from the wireless terminal 30.

Further, the wireless terminal 30 determines whether or not a print request to the printer is permitted or not as attributes of the printer type (device name, network address, etc.) and the printing location as the printing destination, and the printing based on the relative distance of the present invention described above. It is preferable to store in the RAM 33 a table as shown in FIG.
Note that the wireless terminal 30 does not need to hold such a table, and can store the directory service (L
DAP) or the like may be acquired from the server that provides the print location.

Here, the wireless terminal 30 is a GPS 3
6, the current position is acquired, but the current position may be acquired depending on which wireless communication base station 4 the PHS unit 35 of the wireless terminal 30 is communicating with. In this case, even if the wireless terminal 30 does not report its current position, the printer 10 directly
The current position of the wireless terminal 30 may be obtained.

Further, when the printing request source is connected to the printer 10 via a network without using wireless communication by PHS or the like, the position is detected from the connection point of the computer as the printing request source. You may. In this case, the route from which the data from the print request source arrives is detected from the information of the router.

In the above description, the case where the image processing apparatus is a printer has been described, but the image processing apparatus of the present invention may be a facsimile or a display in addition to a printer.

Further, for example, a user who requests printing is
The user who receives the processed image may be different from the user. More specifically, confidential FA for a specific user
To transmit X, the FAX as the image processing apparatus of the present invention receives FAX image data from the request source of image processing and the number of the PHS of the other party to be transmitted in confidential,
The current position of the PHS is detected from the received PHS number, the relative distance from the PHS is checked, and if the distance is less than a preset distance, a FAX image is output.

Further, the image processing apparatus of the present invention described above starts processing of an image if the relative distance between itself and the user is close, but if the relative distance is large, the image processing of the image is started. The processing may be terminated without performing the processing. By doing so, it is possible to improve security without printing out an erroneously transmitted image.

[0045]

According to the present invention, the image processing apparatus and the image processing system detect the position of the wireless terminal carried by the user and control the image processing based on the detected position. The user can prevent another person from seeing the processed image without having to perform any special operation just by having the wireless terminal, thereby improving security.

According to the present invention, an image is formed in advance, and the image formed when the relative position between the wireless terminal held by the user and the image processing apparatus is within a predetermined range. The image processing apparatus and the image processing system that process the image data can be quickly obtained when the user comes near the image processing apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 illustrates a C of the printer 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
It is a flowchart figure showing the process of PU11.

FIG. 3 shows C of wireless terminal 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
It is a flowchart figure showing the process of PU31.

FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart showing an operation of the image processing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a table holding a printing state.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a table holding attributes of a printing place.

FIG. 7 is a configuration block diagram of a conventional image processing system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1,10 printer, 2 gateway device, 3,30
Wireless terminals, 4 wireless communication base stations, 5 networks,
11, 31 CPU, 12, 32 ROM, 13, 33
RAM, 14, 34 Hard disk, 15 Network interface, 16 Printer engine, 35
PHS section, 36 GPS.

Claims (9)

[Claims] A means for detecting a position of a user; a control means for outputting an instruction to start processing of an image based on the position of the user; and an instruction to start processing of the image. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that starts processing. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit outputs an instruction to start image processing based on a relative position between the position of the user and a position of the user. Image processing device. 3. A means for detecting a position of a user, a control means for outputting an instruction to stop processing of an image based on the position of the user, and an instruction to stop processing of the image, An image processing apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that stops processing. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processing means forms an image in advance based on said information upon receiving input of information which is a basis of the image. Receiving the control instruction to start the image processing,
An image processing apparatus for processing a stored image. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a unit configured to receive a request for image processing from the user, wherein the unit configured to detect a position of the user includes: An image processing apparatus for detecting a place where an image processing request is made as a position of the user. 6. An information terminal comprising means for periodically notifying its own current position, means for outputting an instruction to start image processing based on the current position of the information terminal obtained from the information terminal, and An image processing system, comprising: an image processing device including: an image processing unit configured to process an image in response to an input of an instruction to start processing the image. 7. The image processing system according to claim 6, wherein the information terminal further includes a unit that transmits an immediate printable attribute in accordance with an instruction, and wherein the image processing unit of the image processing apparatus includes: An image processing system characterized by immediately starting image processing upon receiving an immediate printable attribute. 8. The image processing system according to claim 6, wherein the information terminal detects its current position by GPS. 9. A unit for detecting a position of a user, a unit for outputting an instruction for controlling printing of an image based on the position of the user, and a printing unit for performing printing based on the instruction. An image processing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.