JP2002370425A - Printing controller, printing system, method of controlling printing, program and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent print data from being leaked to a third party while the printing is executed based on the print data stored in a server requiring authentication. SOLUTION: It is judged whether or not a reference address for obtaining the other print data from an external server is involved in print data sent from a host computer (S302). When the reference address is involved, it is judged whether or not the accessing of the external server requires the authentication on the basis of the reference address (S305). When the authentication is required, authentication information is obtained from a user through a panel operation section and the authentication operation with the external server is executed (S306). After the authentication operation is completed, the other data is obtained from the external server (S308), the printing is executed by a printing section based on the other print data obtained and the print data sent from the host computer (S309).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print control apparatus, a print system, a print control method, a program, and a storage medium, and more particularly to a print control apparatus connected to at least one host computer via a network. A print control device, a print system connected to each other via a network, a host computer having a storage device, and a print control device having a printing device and an input / output device, which is applied to the print control device or the print system. The present invention relates to a print control method, a program for causing a computer to execute the print control method, and a storage medium storing the program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, if a host computer attempts to acquire and print data stored in a server and access the server requires authentication, the host computer application temporarily requires a user name. After accessing the server after inputting authentication information such as password and password, after authentication, data is taken from the server to the host computer, and the data is converted into print data.
A series of steps of transmitting to a printing device has been executed.

[0003] Further, in print data such as Adobe's PDF format in which a server address can be specified as a reference destination in print data, authentication is required in a server specified as a reference destination.
Similarly, it is necessary to execute a procedure of accessing the server by inputting a user name and a password in the application on the host computer side, thereby acquiring other print data, and transmitting the two print data to the printing apparatus. there were.

[0004]

By the way, in a network to which a plurality of host computers are connected, a large and high-speed printing apparatus is connected to the network, and the printing apparatus is set in a shared state by the plurality of host computers. There is a printing system in which a printing apparatus receives print data transmitted from a host computer and performs printing. In such a printing system, the host computer and the printing apparatus are often installed at positions separated from each other.

In such a printing system, when the user of the host computer causes the printing device to perform printing, it is necessary to go to the printing device for the obtained printed material, and during that time, the completed printed material is transferred to the printing device. There was a danger of being taken out or stolen by three parties.
Therefore, as described in the conventional printing procedure described above,
Even if authentication is performed to access the server to prevent information leakage, in the above printing system, confidential information stored on the server is leaked to a third party at the printing stage. There was a possibility.

Further, when the print data is transmitted to the printing apparatus, if the print data includes the above-mentioned reference destination and if authentication is required to access this reference destination, the printing apparatus performs authentication. Since processing cannot be performed, necessary print data cannot be obtained, and printing cannot be performed.

Further, once the authentication information is input by the host computer side application and the print data is obtained from the server, the user is completely authenticated in the process until the printing based on the print data is executed. There was a problem that was not.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and in a printing process performed based on print data located in a server requiring authentication, the print data is transmitted to a third party. It is a first object of the present invention to provide a print control device, a print system, a print control method, a program, and a storage medium that prevent leakage to a printer.

Also, a print control apparatus, a print system, and a print control method that enable a printing apparatus to execute printing even when receiving print data that needs to access a reference destination and require authentication to access the reference destination, A second object is to provide a print control method, a program, and a storage medium.

[0010] Further, in a process up to printing performed based on print data placed in a server requiring authentication,
A third object is to provide a print control device, a print system, a print control method, a program, and a storage medium that can perform user authentication.

[0011]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus which is connected to at least one host computer via a network and achieves the first and second objects. In a print control device comprising: a display input / output unit for performing a display output for a user and an operation input from the user; a communication unit for communicating with various devices connected to the network; and a communication unit via the communication unit. Receiving means for receiving print data sent from the host computer, and determining whether or not the print data received by the receiving means includes a reference address for obtaining other print data from an external device When the first discriminating means determines that the reference address is included in the print data, Second determining means for determining whether or not authentication is required to access the external device based on a reference address; and the second determining means determines that the access requires authentication. Authentication executing means for acquiring authentication information from a user via the input / output means and performing an authentication process with the external device,
After the authentication processing is completed by the authentication executing means, the input means for obtaining the other print data from the external device, the other print data obtained by the obtaining means, and the print data received by the receiving means A printing control device is provided, comprising: printing execution means for causing the printing device to execute printing based on print data.

Further, according to the present invention, the printer is connected to at least one host computer via a network, and is provided with a printing device and an input / output for performing display output to the user and operation input from the user. Means, and a print control method applied to a print control apparatus comprising communication means for communicating with various devices connected to the network, wherein the print data transmitted from the host computer via the communication means A receiving step of receiving; a first determining step of determining whether the print data received in the receiving step includes a reference address for obtaining other print data from an external device; When it is determined in the determination step that the print data includes the reference address, To access the external device based on address, first determines whether or not authentication is required 2
When it is determined in the determination step that the access requires authentication, the authentication information is obtained from the user through the input / output unit, and authentication is performed with the external device. An authentication execution step of executing processing; an input step of obtaining the other print data from the external device after the authentication processing is completed by the authentication execution step; and the other print data obtained by the obtaining step And a print execution step of causing the printing device to execute printing based on the print data received in the reception step.

According to the twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention, the printer is connected to at least one host computer via a network, and is provided with a printing device and an input / output for performing display output to the user and operation input from the user. Means, and a program for causing a computer to execute a print control method applied to a print control apparatus including communication means for communicating with various devices connected to the network, wherein the print control method includes A receiving step of receiving print data sent from the host computer via a communication unit, and the print data received by the receiving step includes a reference address for obtaining other print data from an external device A first determination step of determining whether or not the mark is present, and the first determination step A second determining step of determining whether authentication is necessary to access the external device based on the reference address when it is determined that the reference address is included in the data; By the determination step, when it is determined that authentication is required for the access, an authentication execution step of obtaining authentication information from a user via the input / output unit and performing an authentication process with the external device; Receiving the other print data from the external device after the authentication process is completed by the authentication execution step, the other print data obtained by the obtaining step, A print execution step of causing the printing apparatus to execute printing based on the print data obtained. It is.

Further, according to the invention of claim 29,
A printer connected to at least one host computer via a network, input / output means for performing display output to the user and operation input from the user, and communicating with various devices connected to the network A print control method applied to the print control apparatus having the communication means, as a program, in a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the print control method is transmitted from the host computer via the communication means. Receiving the received print data and a first determining step of determining whether or not the print data received in the receiving step includes a reference address for obtaining other print data from an external device. The reference address is included in the print data by the first determination step. A second determination step of determining whether authentication is necessary to access the external device based on the reference address, when the second determination step An authentication execution step of obtaining authentication information from a user via the input / output means and executing an authentication process with the external device when it is determined that authentication is required for the access; and After the authentication process is completed by
An input step of obtaining the other print data from the external device; and performing printing on the printing apparatus based on the other print data obtained in the obtaining step and the print data received in the receiving step. And a print execution step of causing the storage medium to execute.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a host computer connected to each other via a network and having a storage device, and a printing device and an input / output device. In a print system including a print control device, when print data includes data obtained from an external device that requires authentication for access, the print request includes authentication request information added to the print data. And additional storage means for storing in the storage device, and provided in the host computer,
When print data desired to be printed by the printing device is specified among the print data stored in the storage device, it is determined whether or not the authentication request information is added to the specified print data. 1 determination means, provided in the host computer, and provided by the first determination means
When it is determined that the authentication request information is added to the print data, the print control device adds user identification information for identifying a user who can perform printing based on the print data to the print data. Additional transmitting means for transmitting to the print control device, a second determining means for determining whether or not the user identification information is added to the print data transmitted from the host computer; and When the second determining unit determines that the user identification information is added to the print data, a message prompting the user to input authentication information is output to the input / output device. Display control means for displaying, and authentication provided in the print control device and operated and input by a user via the input / output device according to the message. Authentication means for performing an authentication process based on the information, and print execution means provided in the print control device, and when the authentication is completed by the authentication means, causes the printing device to execute printing based on the print data. A printing system is provided.

According to the twenty-second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing system comprising a host computer having a storage device and a printing control device having a printing device and an input / output device, which are connected to each other via a network. In the applied print control method, when print data includes data obtained from an external device that requires authentication to access, the print data is stored in the storage device by adding authentication request information to the print data. An additional storing step executed by the host computer, and when print data desired to be printed by the printing device is specified among print data stored in the storage device, the authentication request is included in the specified print data. A first determining step executed by the host computer to determine whether information is added,
When it is determined in the first determination step that the authentication request information is added to the print data,
An additional transmission step executed by the host computer, wherein the print data is transmitted to the print control device by adding user identification information that identifies a user who may perform printing based on the print data; and A second determining step executed by the print control device for determining whether or not the user identification information is added to the transmitted print data; and When it is determined that the specific information is added, a message prompting the user to input authentication information is output and displayed on the input / output device, a display control step executed by the print control device, and Performing an authentication process based on authentication information input and operated by a user via the input / output device; An authentication step executed by the printing apparatus, and a print execution step executed by the print control apparatus, which causes the printing apparatus to execute printing based on the print data when the authentication is completed by the authentication step. Is provided.

Further, according to the invention of claim 28, a printing system which is connected to each other via a network and comprises a host computer having a storage device and a printing control device having a printing device and an input / output device. In a program for causing a computer to execute a print control method to be applied, the print control method includes:
When data obtained from an external device that requires authentication for access is included, the print data is added with authentication request information and stored in the storage device; an additional storage step executed by the host computer; When print data to be printed by the printing device is specified among print data stored in a storage device, it is determined whether or not the authentication request information is added to the specified print data. A first determining step executed by a host computer, and when it is determined in the first determining step that the authentication request information is added to the print data, the print data is added to the print data. The user computer executes a process executed by the host computer by adding user identification information for identifying a user who can perform printing based on the information and transmitting the user identification information to the print control device. An additional transmission step, a second determination step executed by the print control device, for determining whether the user identification information is added to the print data transmitted from the host computer; When the determination step determines that the user identification information is added to the print data, a message prompting the user to input authentication information is output and displayed on the input / output device. Performing an authentication process based on authentication information input and operated by a user via the input / output device in accordance with the message, an authentication step executed by the print control device, and an authentication process performed by the authentication step. When printing is completed, causing the printing device to execute printing based on the print data. Program; and a print execution step which is provided.

Further, according to the invention of claim 30,
A printing control method applied to a printing system, which is connected to each other via a network and includes a host computer having a storage device and a printing control device having a printing device and an input / output device as a program, is read by a computer. In a possible storage medium, when the print control method includes, in the print data, data obtained from an external device that requires authentication for access, the print control method adds authentication request information to the print data, and And an additional storage step executed by the host computer. When print data desired to be printed by the printing device is specified from among the print data stored in the storage device, Executed by the host computer to determine whether the authentication request information is added to the When it is determined by the first determining step and the first determining step that the authentication request information is added to the print data, printing based on the print data may be performed on the print data. An additional transmission step executed by the host computer for adding user identification information for identifying a user and transmitting the user identification information to the print control apparatus; and whether the user identification information is added to print data transmitted from the host computer. Determining whether or not the user identification information is added to the print data by the second determination step executed by the print control device and determining whether or not the authentication information is included in the print data. Display control executed by the print control device, causing the input / output device to output and display a message prompting the user to input Performing an authentication process based on authentication information input and operated by a user via the input / output device in accordance with the step and the message; an authentication step executed by the print control device; and when authentication is completed by the authentication step. And a print execution step executed by the print control device, which causes the printing device to execute printing based on the print data.

[0019]

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

[First Embodiment] The first embodiment is intended to achieve the first and second objects of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a print control apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the embodiment. In the first embodiment, the printing control device is a printing device (10
Included in 1).

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus 101 is connected to a host computer 1 via an intranet.
06, connected to the internal server 107. The intranet is connected to the Internet, and an external server 108 exists on the Internet. Host computer 106
Consists of a personal computer (PC) or a workstation (WS). Here, it goes without saying that the printing apparatus 101 and the host computer 106 may be connected to each other via the Internet.

The printing apparatus 101 includes a printer controller 102, a job controller 103, a network interface unit 104, and a panel operation unit 105. The network interface unit 104 communicates with an external communication device (for example, a host computer 106) connected to an intranet or the Internet, and transmits and receives data. Job controller 103
Analyzes data transmitted from an external communication device via the network interface unit 104, and causes the printer unit 102 to perform printing based on the result. The job controller 103 displays various information related to the printing process on the panel operation unit 105 and transmits the information to the user, and acquires data input by the user via the panel operation unit 105.

In the first embodiment, print data is transmitted from the host computer 106 to the printing apparatus 101, and the address of the server is specified as a reference destination in the print data as in the PDF format. It is possible. In such a case, the printing apparatus 101 accesses the server according to the address designated as the reference destination, acquires print data from the server, and performs printing based on the print data and the original print data.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing print data in which a server address is specified as a reference destination, and print data obtained after accessing the specified server.

That is, the page description data 2 is included in the print data 201 before accessing the designated server.
02 together with an address 203 for accessing print data (page description data) stored in an external device (for example, the external server 108) connected to the network.
Is included. Based on the address 203, the printing apparatus 101
Accesses the reference destination and acquires print data from the reference destination (207). The resulting print data (page description data 206) and the original page description data 2
05 (= page description data 202) is the print data 204 after accessing the designated server.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a printing process performed by the job controller 103 of the printing apparatus 101.

In step S301, the job controller 103 receives the print data transmitted from the host computer 106 via the network interface unit 104 and analyzes the print data.

In step S302, it is determined whether or not the received print data includes a reference address 203 to the server like the print data 201 shown in FIG. If the reference address is not included, the process proceeds to step S309, where the received print data (corresponding to the page description data 202 shown in FIG. 2) is transmitted to the printer unit 102 as it is, and the printer unit 102 performs printing.

On the other hand, in step S302, the reference address (address 203 shown in FIG. 2) is included in the received print data.
Is determined to be included in step S
In step 303, the job controller 103 requests the network interface unit 104 to access the server corresponding to the reference address.

The network interface unit 104
Attempts to access the server at the specified address via the network. At this time, in step S304, it is determined whether or not access is possible unconditionally. If the access is unconditional, the process advances to step S308 to acquire print data (page description data 206 shown in FIG. 2) from the server corresponding to the reference address and send it to the job controller 103. In the job controller 103, like the print data 204 shown in FIG. 2, the print data acquired from the server (the page description data 206 shown in FIG. 2) and the page description data 2 shown in FIG.
05 and the printer unit 102 to perform printing (S309).

If it is determined in step S304 that access is unconditionally impossible, the flow advances to step S305 to determine whether it is necessary to transmit authentication information to a reference destination. If it is not necessary to transmit the authentication information to the reference destination but access is not possible, the process advances to step S310 to perform error processing (displaying that printing cannot be performed on the panel operation unit 105) and then end the processing. .

If it is determined in step S305 that the authentication information needs to be transmitted to the reference destination, the process proceeds to step S306, where the job controller 103 displays a message on the panel operation unit 105, and The user is notified that authentication is required to access the server at the reference address, and the user is prompted to enter authentication information such as a user name and password.

Here, not only the panel operation unit 105 but also the host computer 10 which is the transmission source of the print data
6 and notifies the user of the host computer 106 that authentication is required to access the server at the reference address, and inputs authentication information such as a user name and password. The user may be prompted to do so. The input of the authentication information may not be performed from the host computer 106, and the user may have to go to the printing apparatus 101 and operate the panel operation unit 105 to input the authentication information. Further, the transmitted authentication information may be encrypted by an encryption method such as PGP and transmitted.

When the user who has viewed the message displayed on the panel operation unit 105 inputs authentication information, the panel operation unit 105 notifies the job controller 103 of the authentication information. The job controller 103 includes the panel operation unit 10
The authentication information notified from 5 is notified to the network interface unit 104, and an access to the server is requested. The network interface unit 104 transmits authentication information to the server and attempts access.

As a result, it is determined in step S307 whether or not the access has succeeded. If the access has succeeded, the flow advances to step S308 to send the print data (page description data 206 shown in FIG. 2) from the server corresponding to the reference address. ) Is acquired and sent to the job controller 103.
In the job controller 103, like the print data 204 shown in FIG.
The page description data 206 shown in FIG. 2) and the page description data 205 shown in FIG. 2 are sent to the printer unit 102 to perform printing (S309).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S307 that the access has not been successful,
At step 05, it is displayed that the authentication information input by the user is not appropriate, and at step S311, the user is again requested to input the authentication information, and it is determined whether or not the access retry has been performed a predetermined number of times N or more. If the number of retries has not yet reached the predetermined number N, the process returns to step S306. If the number of retries has reached the predetermined number N, the process proceeds to step S312 to perform error processing (for example, access to the panel operation unit 105 to access the reference destination). Is displayed), and the process ends. The predetermined number N may be arbitrarily set by the user.

The print data transmitted from the host computer 106 corresponds to the print data 201 shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, when the page description data 202 and the reference address 201 to the server are included, in the error processing in step S310, the options of the three processing methods are displayed on the panel operation unit 105. May be selected. The three processing method options include a method of printing only the page description data 202 when an error occurs, a method of not printing the page description data 202, and a method of printing the page description data 202. Is a method of adding an error message to a place where is displayed.

As described above, the user operates the printing apparatus 10
Since the printing is executed by operating the printing apparatus 101 near the printer 1, it is possible to prevent the printed matter from being taken away or viewed by a third party in the printing process. Further, since the authentication processing can be performed in the printing apparatus 101, the printing apparatus 101
Even if the printing apparatus 101 needs to access a reference destination and receives print data that requires authentication at the reference destination, the printing apparatus 101 can reliably access the reference destination and smoothly perform printing based on such print data. Can be performed.

[Second Embodiment] The second embodiment is intended to achieve the third object of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the print control apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the embodiment. In the second embodiment, the print control device is a printing device (40
Included in 1).

In the figure, a printing device 401,
403, host computer 404, internal server 409
Are connected, the intranet is connected to the Internet, and the external server 410 is connected to the Internet. The printing device 401 is a printing device capable of performing confidential printing, and the printing device 401 includes a panel operation unit 402. The printing device 403 is a normal printing device that does not support confidential printing.

The host computer 404 includes a printer driver 405, an application 406, a RAM 407, and the like. The application 406 on the host computer 404 uses an external communication device (for example, an external server) using a communication interface (not shown) of the host computer 404. 410) to obtain data.

When the user wants the printing devices 401 and 403 to print the data obtained by the application 406, the data is converted into print data by the printer driver 405, and the printing devices 401 and 403 are converted via the communication interface. Send it to 403. This enables printing.

FIG. 5 shows that the user
10 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process performed when an attempt is made to acquire data from the external server 410 through the server.

This processing is executed when the user instructs the application 406 to acquire data from the external server 410, and the acquisition of data is started (S501).

In step S502, it is determined whether or not access to the external server 410 from which data is to be obtained requires authentication. If authentication is necessary, the process proceeds to step S503, where the RAM of the host computer 404
The confidential print flag 408 secured on the 407 is turned on. If the authentication is unnecessary, step S50
Skip 3

When a command to save the data obtained from the external server 410 is received (S504), the data is written to the specified file in step S505. Then, in step 506, the RAM 40
7 is checked whether the confidential print flag 408 is on, and if the confidential print flag 408 is on, the process proceeds to step S507, and as shown in FIG. Confidential printing information (authentication request information)
To indicate that the data 701 is data that has been placed on a server that requires authentication. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating acquired data to which confidential print information has been added.

In step 506, the RAM 4
If the confidential print flag 408 stored on the address 07 is off, the process skips step S507 and ends the process.

FIG. 6 shows that the user
Is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing from opening data stored through to printing.

This processing is performed when the user
This is executed when the data file saved through step 6 is opened and printing is to be performed. First, the data file is opened (S601). In step S602, it is determined whether confidential print information is included in the data file. If confidential printing information is included, step S60
In step 3, the confidential print flag 408 secured on the RAM 407 of the host computer 404 is turned on.
It is assumed that the flag is initialized and turned off when the processing shown in FIG. 6 is started. If the confidential print information is not included in the data file, step S603 is skipped.

Next, in step S604, data is obtained from the opened data file.
At 5, it is determined whether or not an address for accessing the external server and acquiring the data is described in the data. If not described, step S60
8; if so, step S60
Proceeding to 6, it is determined whether authentication is necessary to access the external server. Step S if authentication is required
Proceeding to 607, an authentication process is performed with the external server for access, and required data is acquired. On the other hand, if authentication is not required, step S607 is skipped. However, even though the steps are skipped, although illustration of the steps is omitted, an external server is accessed to obtain required data.

In step S608, step S604
The printing based on the data obtained in step (1) and the data obtained from the external server as necessary is started in accordance with an instruction from the user. First, in step S609, a printing apparatus to be used for printing is specified by the user. Next, in step S610, it is determined whether the confidential print flag 408 stored in the RAM 407 is on or off. Here, if the flag is OFF, that is, if the data acquired through the application 406 is not data stored in a server that requires authentication for access, the process proceeds to step S611, and the application 406 proceeds to step S604. The printer driver 405 converts the obtained data and, if necessary, data obtained from an external server into print data, transmits the print data to a designated printing device, and performs printing.

On the other hand, in step S610, the RAM 4
If the confidential print flag 408 stored in 07 is ON, that is, if the data acquired through the application 406 is data stored in a server that requires authentication for access, the process proceeds to step S612. It is determined whether or not the printing device selected and designated in step S609 is a printing device capable of performing confidential printing. This determination is made by the application 406
Is performed by inquiring the printing device. In addition,
The printing apparatus may notify the host computer 404 that the printing apparatus is a printing apparatus that can perform confidential printing. In addition, the host computer 4
01, a list of printing devices capable of confidential printing may be held so that an inquiry to the printing device is not required.

If it is determined in step S612 that the printing device selected and designated is a printing device that cannot perform confidential printing, the process advances to step S614 to execute error processing (printing data to the printing device). (Not transmitted), and terminates this processing. On the other hand, if it is determined that the printing device selected and designated is a printing device capable of performing confidential printing, the process proceeds to step S613, and the application 406 transmits the data acquired in step S604 and the Based on the data acquired from the external server, the printing apparatus performs confidential printing using the printer driver 405 in accordance with the processing shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the confidential printing process of the printer driver 405 performed in step S613 of FIG.

When confidential printing is started, first, in step S
At 901, confidential print data 801 shown in FIG. 8 is created based on the acquired data. The confidential print data 801 includes page description data 802, and attribute information (user specifying information) 80 for specifying a user who is permitted to print and use the page description data 802.
3 is included. Note that the user identification information may use the authentication information such as the user name and password used to access the data acquisition destination server when acquiring the print data.

In step S 903, it is determined whether or not a group of a plurality of users is allowed to print and use the page description data 802. If printing is permitted for the group, the process advances to step S904 to add, to the user attribute information 803, group information for specifying a group permitted to print and use the page description data 802. If the group is not allowed to print and use the page description data 802, step S904 is skipped.

The confidential print data 801 thus generated is transmitted to the designated printing device in step S905.

FIG. 10 shows a printing apparatus 401 capable of confidential printing.
7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when the confidential print data 801 is received and printed.

In step S1001, the confidential printing apparatus 401 receives the print data and analyzes it, and in step S1002, determines whether the received print data is confidential print data 801. If the user attribute information 803 is not included and the data is not confidential print data, the process advances to step S1006 to perform normal printing based on the page description data 802. On the other hand, confidential print data 8 including user attribute information 803
If it is 01, the process advances to step S1003 to display that it is confidential print on the panel operation unit 402, and prompts the user who wants to perform printing to input a user name and password.

When the user inputs a user name and a password, in step S1004, the input information is
It is determined whether it matches the user attribute information 803 of the confidential print data 801. As a result, if they match, in step S1005, the group to which the user belongs and the user attribute information 803 of the confidential print data 801
It is determined whether or not the group information included in. In step S1004 and step S1005, when the authentication for the user to be printed and the group to which the user belongs is successful (step S1004).
1004 and YES in step S1005), the process proceeds to step S1006, where confidential print data 80
1 based on the page description data 802. On the other hand, when the authentication for the user who wants to print or the group to which the user belongs fails (step S
In either step 1004 or step S1005 (NO in step S1005), the process proceeds to step S1007, in which the user is requested to input authentication information again, and it is determined whether the number of retries for performing authentication is equal to or greater than a predetermined number M. If the number of retries has not reached the predetermined number M yet, the process returns to step S1003. If the number of retries has reached the predetermined number M, the process proceeds to step S1008 to perform error processing, and ends this processing.

As described above, when the host computer obtains the print data placed on the server requiring authentication, user attribute information is added to the print data. The printing apparatus that has received the print data to which the user attribute information has been added performs user authentication based on the user attribute information and then performs printing. Thus, it is possible to prevent confidential information from being leaked due to improper printing.

[Other Embodiments] A storage medium storing program codes of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or an apparatus, and a computer (or CPU) of the system or the apparatus is provided. It is needless to say that the present invention can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium by the MPU or the MPU.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. .

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk,
Hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-
A ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, and the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS or the like running on the computer based on the instructions of the program code. Performs some or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.
Needless to say, this is included in the present invention.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instructions of the program code, It is needless to say that the present invention includes a case where the CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments. No.

[0069]

As described in detail above, claims 1 and 1
4. According to the invention described in claim 27 or claim 29,
Since printing is performed by the user operating the print control device near the print control device, it is possible to prevent the printed matter from being taken away or viewed by a third party in the printing process. In addition, since the authentication processing can be performed in the print control apparatus, even if the print control apparatus needs to access a reference destination and receives print data requiring authentication at the reference destination, the print control apparatus can perform authentication processing. Can reliably access the reference destination, and can smoothly execute printing based on such print data.

Further, claim 9, claim 22, and claim 28
Alternatively, when the host computer acquires print data placed on a server requiring authentication, user attribute information is added to the print data. The print control device that has received the print data to which the user attribute information has been added performs user authentication based on the user attribute information and then performs printing. This allows
Leakage of confidential information due to unauthorized printing can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a print control apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating print data in which a server address is designated as a reference destination and print data obtained after accessing the designated server.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a printing process performed by a job controller of the printing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a print control apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a process performed when a user attempts to acquire data from an external server through an application.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing from when a user opens data stored through an application to when printing is performed.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating acquired data to which confidential print information is added.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of confidential print data.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a confidential printing process of the printer driver performed in step S613 of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure when a printing apparatus capable of confidential printing receives and prints confidential printing data.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 printing device (print control device) 102 printer unit (printing device) 103 job controller (receiving unit, first determining unit, second determining unit, authentication executing unit, input unit, print executing unit) 104 network interface unit ( Communication means) 105 panel operation unit (input / output means) 106 host computer 108 external server (external device) 201 print data 204 print data 401 printing device 403 printing device 404 host computer 405 printer driver 406 application 407 RAM 408 confidential print flag 410 external server

Claims (30)

[Claims] 1. A print control device connected to at least one host computer via a network and provided with a printing device, an input / output means for performing display output to a user and operation input from the user, Communication means for communicating with various devices connected to a network, reception means for receiving print data transmitted from the host computer via the communication means, and print data received by the reception means, First determining means for determining whether or not a reference address for obtaining other print data from an external device is included; and if the reference data is included in the print data by the first determining means. When it is determined, it is determined whether or not authentication is necessary to access the external device based on the reference address. A second determining unit that determines, when the second determining unit determines that the access requires authentication, acquires authentication information from a user via the input / output unit and establishes a connection with the external device. An authentication executing unit that executes an authentication process between the input device; an input unit that obtains the other print data from the external device after the authentication processing is completed by the authentication executing unit; and the other that is obtained by the obtaining unit. And a print execution unit that causes the printing device to execute printing based on the print data and the print data received by the reception unit. 2. A message prompting a user to input authentication information to said input / output means when said second determination means determines that authentication is required for said access. Display control means for displaying, when a user who has viewed the message displayed on the input / output means inputs authentication information to the input / output means, acquires the authentication information and transmits the authentication information to the external device to perform an authentication process. 2. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a transmission execution unit that executes the following. 3. The authentication execution unit, when the second determination unit determines that authentication is required for the access, inputs authentication information to a host computer that has transmitted the print data. 3. The print control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a transmission unit that transmits a message prompting the user to print. 4. The authentication execution unit, when the second determination unit determines that the access requires authentication, inputs authentication information to a host computer that has transmitted the print data. Transmitting means for transmitting a message prompting the user, when the user of the host computer having received the message inputs authentication information to the input / output means of the print control device, acquires the authentication information and transmits it to the external device 2. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a transmission execution unit configured to execute an authentication process. 5. A first display for displaying, on the input / output unit, a message prompting re-input of authentication information when the external device is not authenticated as a result of the execution of the authentication processing by the authentication execution unit. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit; and a print prohibition unit configured to prevent the printing device from performing printing when the authentication information is not authenticated from the external device even after performing the re-input of the authentication information a predetermined number of times. 2. The print control device according to claim 1. 6. The printing control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined number of times can be arbitrarily set by a user. 7. A second display control means for displaying, on the input / output means, a message indicating that the external apparatus cannot be accessed, when the external apparatus is not authenticated even after re-inputting the authentication information a predetermined number of times. 6. The print control device according to claim 5, further comprising: 8. A first method for causing the printing apparatus to execute printing based only on print data received by the receiving unit when authentication is not performed from the external apparatus even after the authentication information is re-input a predetermined number of times. A second method for preventing the printing apparatus from performing printing, and executing printing on the printing apparatus based on print data in which an error message is described at a position of a reference address included in the print data received by the receiving unit. A third display control means for displaying, on the input / output means, three options consisting of a third method to be performed, and a method selected by a user among the three options,
6. The printing control apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: an execution unit that causes the printing apparatus to execute printing. 9. Connected to each other via a network,
In a printing system including a host computer including a storage device and a printing control device including a printing device and an input / output device, provided in the host computer, and included in print data,
When data obtained from an external device that requires authentication for access is included, additional storage means for adding authentication request information to the print data and storing the print data in the storage device; When print data desired to be printed by the printing device is specified among print data stored in the device, a first determination is made as to whether the authentication request information is added to the specified print data. Determining means provided in the host computer, wherein when the first determining means determines that the authentication request information is added to the print data, printing based on the print data is performed on the print data. An additional transmitting unit that adds user specifying information that specifies a user who may perform the process and transmits the user specifying information to the print control device; A second determination unit that determines whether the user identification information is added to the print data transmitted from the host computer; and A display control unit configured to output and display on the input / output device a message prompting a user to input authentication information when it is determined that the user identification information is added; and in accordance with,
An authentication unit that performs an authentication process based on authentication information input and operated by a user via the input / output device; provided in the print control device, and when the authentication is completed by the authentication unit, the print data is sent to the printing device. A printing execution unit for executing printing based on a print job. 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional transmission unit includes a user who may perform printing on the print data based on the print data.
User authentication information for specifying the group to which the user belongs is added and transmitted to the print control apparatus. The authentication unit, in accordance with the message, has been operated and input by the user via the input / output device, and 10. The printing system according to claim 9, wherein authentication processing is performed based on authentication information for specifying a group to which the user belongs. 11. When a plurality of printing devices are connected to the network, provided in the host computer, and a printing device to execute printing among the plurality of printing devices is designated.
An inquiry means for inquiring whether or not confidential printing can be performed on the designated printing apparatus; and confidential printing from the designated printing apparatus provided in the host computer in response to an inquiry by the inquiry means. 10. The printing system according to claim 9, further comprising: an operation control unit that activates the additional transmission unit when a response indicating that the transmission is possible is provided. 12. A plurality of printing devices are connected to the network, provided in the printing control device, and when the printing device is designated as a printing device to execute printing, the own device performs confidential printing. If it is possible to perform the confidential printing, a notifying means for notifying the host computer that confidential printing can be performed is provided. The confidential printing is provided from the designated printing apparatus by the notifying means. 10. The printing system according to claim 9, further comprising an operation control unit that operates the additional transmission unit when notified that printing can be performed. 13. A printing system, comprising: a plurality of printing apparatuses connected to the network; a storage unit provided in the host computer for storing a list of printing apparatuses capable of performing confidential printing among the plurality of printing apparatuses; Provided, when a printing device to execute printing is specified among the plurality of printing devices,
A third determination unit that determines whether the designated printing device is a confidential printing device with reference to the list held in the holding unit, 10. An operation control unit for operating the additional transmission unit when the determination unit determines that the designated printing device is a printing device capable of confidential printing. Printing system. 14. A printing apparatus, an input / output means for performing display output to a user and inputting an operation from the user while being connected to at least one host computer via a network, and various types of devices connected to the network. In a print control method applied to a print control device including a communication unit for communicating with a device, a reception step of receiving print data transmitted from the host computer via the communication unit, In the received print data,
A first determining step of determining whether or not a reference address for obtaining other print data from an external device is included; and the first determining step determines that the print data includes the reference address. When it is determined, a second determining step of determining whether or not authentication is required to access the external device based on the reference address; and When it is determined that the authentication process is necessary, an authentication execution step of acquiring authentication information from a user via the input / output unit and executing an authentication process with the external device; After the input, an input step of obtaining the other print data from the external device; and the other print data obtained by the obtaining step; A printing execution step of causing the printing apparatus to execute printing based on the print data received in the receiving step. 15. The authentication execution step, further comprising: when the second determination step determines that authentication is required for the access, a message prompting a user to input authentication information to the input / output unit. A display control step of displaying the message displayed on the input / output unit, and when the user inputs the authentication information to the input / output unit, acquires the authentication information and transmits the authentication information to the external device to perform an authentication process. 15. The print control method according to claim 14, further comprising a transmission execution step of executing the print control. 16. The authentication execution step, wherein, when it is determined in the second determination step that the access requires authentication, authentication information is input to a host computer that has transmitted the print data. 16. The print control method according to claim 15, further comprising a transmission step of transmitting a message prompting the user. 17. The authentication execution step, wherein, when it is determined in the second determination step that authentication is required for the access, authentication information is input to a host computer that has transmitted the print data. Transmitting a message for prompting the user, and when the user of the host computer having received the message inputs authentication information to the input / output unit of the print control device, acquires the authentication information and transmits the authentication information to the external device. 15. The print control method according to claim 14, further comprising a transmission execution step of performing an authentication process. 18. A first display for displaying, on the input / output means, a message prompting re-input of authentication information when the external device is not authenticated as a result of the execution of the authentication processing in the authentication execution step. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: a control step; and a print prohibition step of preventing the printing apparatus from executing printing when the authentication information is not authenticated from the external apparatus even after performing the re-input of the authentication information a predetermined number of times. 15. The print control method according to item 14. 19. The print control apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined number of times can be arbitrarily set by a user. 20. A second display control step of displaying, on the input / output means, a message indicating that the external device cannot be accessed, if the external device is not authenticated even after the authentication information has been re-entered a predetermined number of times. 19. The print control method according to claim 18, further comprising: 21. A first method for causing the printing apparatus to execute printing based only on the print data received in the receiving step, when the authentication information is not authenticated from the external apparatus even after performing the re-input of the authentication information a predetermined number of times. A second method for preventing the printing apparatus from performing printing, and executing printing on the printing apparatus based on print data in which an error message is described at a position of a reference address included in the print data received in the receiving step. A third method of displaying on the input / output means the three options of the third method.
Display control step, and according to the method selected by the user among the three options,
19. The printing control method according to claim 18, further comprising an execution step of causing the printing device to execute printing. 22. A print control method applied to a print system including a host computer having a storage device and a print control device having a printing device and an input / output device, which are connected to each other via a network. An additional storage step executed by the host computer, wherein when data obtained from an external device that requires authentication for access is included in the print data, authentication data is added to the print data and stored in the storage device. When print data desired to be printed by the printing device is specified among print data stored in the storage device, it is determined whether or not the authentication request information is added to the specified print data. A first determining step executed by the host computer; and When it is determined that the authentication request information is added to the
An additional transmission step executed by the host computer, wherein the print data is added with user identification information for identifying a user who can perform printing based on the print data and transmitted to the print control device; and Determining whether the user identification information has been added to the transmitted print data,
A second determining step executed by the print control device, and when it is determined by the second determining step that the user identification information is added to the print data,
A display control step executed by the print control device, which causes a message prompting the user to input authentication information to be output and displayed on the input / output device; and Perform authentication processing based on the authentication information
An authentication step executed by the print control device; and a print execution step executed by the print control device to cause the printing device to execute printing based on the print data when authentication is completed by the authentication step. A printing control method characterized by the above-mentioned. 23. The print control apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the additional transmission step adds, to the print control apparatus, user identification information for identifying a user who can perform printing based on the print data and a group to which the user belongs. Transmitting, the authentication step performs an authentication process based on authentication information specified by the user via the input / output device and specifying the user and the group to which the user belongs, in accordance with the message. Item 23. The print control method according to Item 22. 24. A plurality of printing apparatuses are connected to the network, and when a printing apparatus to execute printing is designated among the plurality of printing apparatuses, confidential printing can be performed on the designated printing apparatus. An inquiry step executed by the host computer for inquiring whether the confidential printing can be performed from the designated printing apparatus in response to the inquiry in the inquiry step, the additional transmission Run the steps,
23. The print control method according to claim 22, further comprising an operation control step executed by said host computer. 25. If a plurality of printing devices are connected to the network, and the device is capable of performing confidential printing when the printing device is designated as a printing device to execute printing among the plurality of printing devices. A notification step executed by the print control device for notifying the host computer that confidential printing can be performed; and the confidential printing can be performed from the designated printing device by the notification step. 23. The print control method according to claim 22, further comprising: an operation control step executed by the host computer when the notification is made. 26. A printing apparatus, comprising: a plurality of printing apparatuses connected to the network; and the host computer including a holding unit configured to hold a list of printing apparatuses capable of performing confidential printing among the plurality of printing apparatuses; When a printing device to execute printing is specified, referring to the list held in the holding unit, it is determined whether the specified printing device is a printing device capable of confidential printing, A third determining step executed by the host computer; and if the specified printing device is determined to be a confidential printing device by the third determining step, the additional transmitting step is executed. 23. The print control method according to claim 22, further comprising an operation control step executed by the host computer. 27. A printer connected to at least one host computer via a network, input / output means for performing display output to a user and operation input from the user, and various types of devices connected to the network. A program for causing a computer to execute a print control method applied to a print control device including a communication unit for communicating with a device, wherein the print control method is transmitted from the host computer via the communication unit. Receiving the received print data, and in the print data received by the receiving step,
A first determining step of determining whether or not a reference address for obtaining other print data from an external device is included; and the first determining step determines that the print data includes the reference address. When it is determined, a second determining step of determining whether or not authentication is required to access the external device based on the reference address; and When it is determined that the authentication process is necessary, an authentication execution step of acquiring authentication information from a user via the input / output unit and executing an authentication process with the external device; After the input, an input step of obtaining the other print data from the external device; and the other print data obtained by the obtaining step; A printing execution step of causing the printing apparatus to execute printing based on the print data received in the receiving step. A printing control method applied to a printing system including a host computer having a storage device and a printing control device having a printing device and an input / output device, which are connected to each other via a network. In the program to be executed, when the print control method includes, when the print data includes data obtained from an external device that requires authentication to access, the print control method adds authentication request information to the print data and stores the print data. An additional storage step executed by the host computer to be stored in the device; and, when print data desired to be printed by the printing device is designated among the print data stored in the storage device, the designated print data. Determining whether or not the authentication request information has been added to the first computer. A determination step, and when the first determination step determines that the authentication request information is added to the print data,
An additional transmission step executed by the host computer, wherein the print data is added with user identification information for identifying a user who can perform printing based on the print data and transmitted to the print control device; and Determining whether the user identification information has been added to the transmitted print data,
A second determining step executed by the print control device, and when it is determined by the second determining step that the user identification information is added to the print data,
A display control step executed by the print control device, which causes a message prompting the user to input authentication information to be output and displayed on the input / output device; and, according to the message, an operation input from the user via the input / output device is performed. Perform authentication processing based on the authentication information
An authentication step executed by the print control device; and a print execution step executed by the print control device to cause the printing device to execute printing based on the print data when authentication is completed by the authentication step. A program characterized by that: 29. A printing device, input / output means for performing display output to a user and inputting an operation from the user while being connected to at least one host computer via a network, and various types of devices connected to the network. A computer-readable storage medium storing a print control method applied to a print control apparatus including a communication unit for communicating with a device as a program, wherein the print control method includes the steps of: A receiving step of receiving print data sent from the host computer, and in the print data received by the receiving step,
A first determining step of determining whether or not a reference address for obtaining other print data from an external device is included; and the first determining step determines that the print data includes the reference address. When it is determined, a second determining step of determining whether or not authentication is required to access the external device based on the reference address; and When it is determined that the authentication process is necessary, an authentication execution step of acquiring authentication information from a user via the input / output unit and executing an authentication process with the external device; After the input, an input step of obtaining the other print data from the external device; and the other print data obtained by the obtaining step; A print execution step of causing the printing apparatus to execute printing based on the print data received in the receiving step. 30. A printing control method applied to a printing system, which is connected to each other via a network and includes a host computer having a storage device and a printing control device having a printing device and an input / output device, is stored as a program. In a computer-readable storage medium, the print control method adds authentication request information to the print data when the print data includes data obtained from an external device that requires authentication for access. An additional storage step executed by the host computer to store the print data in the storage device, and when print data desired to be printed by the print device is specified among print data stored in the storage device, the designation is performed. The host computer for determining whether the authentication request information is added to the received print data. A first discriminating step executed by the computer, when the first discriminating step determines that the authentication request information is added to the print data,
An additional transmission step executed by the host computer, wherein the print data is added with user identification information for identifying a user who can perform printing based on the print data and transmitted to the print control device; and Determining whether the user identification information has been added to the transmitted print data,
A second determining step executed by the print control device, and when it is determined by the second determining step that the user identification information is added to the print data,
A display control step executed by the print control device, which causes a message prompting the user to input authentication information to be output and displayed on the input / output device; and, according to the message, an operation input from the user via the input / output device is performed. Perform authentication processing based on the authentication information
An authentication step executed by the print control device; and a print execution step executed by the print control device to cause the printing device to execute printing based on the print data when authentication is completed by the authentication step. A storage medium characterized by the above-mentioned.