JP2003330686A - Network printing system, its program and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system for limiting print for each user in an environment where printing devices connected to a large-scale network are shared by a plurality of users. <P>SOLUTION: This print system is provided with: a plurality of print networks 50 where computers 30 and printing devices 40 are connected through a network to one print limiting server 10 for managing them; and one authentication server 20 connected through the network to those print networks 50 for registering the authentication information of a user. When a user uses the printing device 40, the authentication server 20 is inquired thorough the print limiting server 10 to which the printing device 40 is belonging, and a print job is issued through the print limiting server 10. When the job ends, log-out is noticed. The print limiting server 10 decides the validity/invalidity of print of the transmitted print job on the basis of the authentication information of the user transmitted from the authentication server 20, and erases the authentication information of the user according to the reception of the log-out notice. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network printing system, a program for executing the network printing system, and a computer-readable recording medium having the program recorded therein. More specifically, the present invention relates to a plurality of networks connected to a network. The present invention relates to a technique for reducing the management load of a printing device (including a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile, a multifunction peripheral, etc.).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, in offices, OA devices such as personal computers (hereinafter referred to as PCs), printers, copiers, facsimiles, and multi-function peripherals in which these are integrated are shared and used via a network. For example, when the printer is shared by a plurality of personal computers, the printer managed by another department connected to the network can be used. Therefore, if the printer of his / her department is frequently used by the users of other departments, the user of the department of the printer cannot use the printer when he / she wants to use it.

To solve this, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-4816
In the "printer" of Japanese Patent Publication No. 5, the permission / non-permission of use of the printer is set for each user in the printer itself, the permission / non-permission of use is set for each tray, and the use of the printer for each user is further set. You can record the situation and perform efficient management and operation.

However, the "printer" disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-48165 is effective for use in a department composed of small-scale personnel, but is connected to a network used by large-scale personnel. If all the printers are provided with the print restriction function and the charge management function, the whole network printing system becomes very expensive. Moreover, if a large number of authentication information is registered / updated / edited in each printer, it becomes difficult to execute the operation because of the problem of the storage capacity of the printer, which makes management difficult.

An improvement on this point is disclosed in JP-A-9-18.
There is a "print management device" in Japanese Patent No. 5474. In this technology, the network that issues the job and the network that connects the printer are physically separated, a print management device is installed at the boundary, and the print management device has an authentication function for identifying the user and a printer. And a billing calculation function for accumulating billing information. However, even this technology only manages printers used in the department, and if this technology is made available to a large number of people,
You have to maintain the print management devices of all departments,
After all, management becomes practically difficult.

On the other hand, in the conventional print management, a printing apparatus is managed by a server computer, and a user who has the authority to print is permitted to print, and a user who does not have the authority does not permit printing. Is going in a way.

In the "printing system" of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-161823, not only the setting of the usage right but also the limitation of the number of prints for each user or the printing function that can be used is set for the printing apparatus shared through the network. We provide a printing system that enables restrictions and allows the administrator to manage the usage status.

[0008]

As described above, the network printing system in the prior art has already been proposed to limit the number of users who print and the maximum number of prints. It is realized by a table (for example, user name, password, ID card information, etc.) for user authentication placed on the printing apparatus or the print management server and a billing information table.

If the user who uses the printing apparatus is independent for each network, the user authentication table may be created in the print management server of each network. However, in a large-scale company, in an environment in which users frequently move between networks and one user uses printing devices of multiple networks, all print management servers have user authentication tables for all employees. There is a need. In such a situation, when a specific user is deleted or a password is changed, it is necessary to maintain the user authentication tables of all print management servers, resulting in a very large management load.

Further, when the number of prints that a user can print is limited, in an environment composed of a plurality of print management servers, even if the number of prints reaches one print management server, the other print management servers print. The problem of being able to do this occurs, and it becomes impossible to achieve the strict limit on the number of prints.

On the other hand, recently, in large-scale companies, Active Directory of Microsoft Corp. and Directory Serv of NDS (Novell Directory Service) of Novell Corp.
The number of cases where ice is installed and the personal information and authentication information of employees are centrally managed is increasing.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is a printer connected to a network,
When restricting the use of OA devices such as copiers, facsimiles and multi-function peripherals, by coordinating with a company-wide authentication management mechanism such as the above-mentioned Directory Service, centralized management is performed for user authentication and billing information. It is an object of the present invention to provide a network printing system that reduces the management load of the system, a program for executing the network printing system, and a computer-readable recording medium that records the program.

[0013]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a network printing system according to claim 1 of the present invention connects at least one computer and a printing device via a network, and the computer prints the printing device. In a network printing system for submitting print jobs to a plurality of printing networks, the computer and the printing apparatus are connected to one printing control server that manages them, and these printing networks are connected to each other by a network. When a user uses the printing apparatus, the computer inquires of a printing restriction server of the printing network to which the printing apparatus belongs, and the authentication server registers the authentication information for each user. When using after the authentication procedure, When a print job is issued via the printer and the use of this printing apparatus is terminated, the print restriction server is notified of logout, and the print restriction server verifies the authentication information of the user inquired from the computer by the authentication. If the server authenticates and the user is successfully authenticated, the user authentication information sent from the authentication server is stored. Based on the stored user authentication information, it is sent from the computer after the authentication procedure. The printability of the print job is returned, and the stored authentication information of the user is deleted by the logout notification received from the computer.

A network printing system according to a second aspect of the present invention is a network printing system in which one or more computers and a printing device are connected by a network, and a print job is input from the computer to the printing device. And the printing device,
The computer includes a plurality of print networks in which one print restriction server that manages them is connected to the network, and one authentication server that registers authentication information for each user connected to these print networks via the network. When users use this computer,
When inquiring about the print restriction server of the printing network to which this computer belongs, and when terminating the use of this computer, notify the print restriction server of logout, and the print restriction server authenticates the user who has made an inquiry from the computer. If the authentication to the user is successful, the authentication information of the user sent from the authentication server is stored, and the stored authentication information of the user is stored by the logout notification received from the computer. Is to be deleted.

A network printing system according to a third aspect of the present invention is a network printing system in which one or more computers and a printing device are connected by a network, and a print job is submitted from the computer to the printing device. And the printing device,
A plurality of print networks in which one print restriction server that manages them is connected via a network, and one authentication server in which authentication information and print number information for each user connected to these print networks are registered. When the user uses the printing apparatus, the computer inquires of the printing restriction server of the printing network to which the printing apparatus belongs, and when the printing apparatus is used after the authentication procedure, the computer passes through the printing restriction server. When issuing a print job and ending the use of this printing apparatus, the print restriction server is notified of logout, and the print restriction server inquires the authentication server of the authentication information of the user inquired from the computer, If the user is successfully authenticated, The user authentication information and the number-of-prints information that are received are stored, and the print permission / prohibition is returned based on the predicted number of sheets predicted from the print job and the stored user authentication information and the number-of-prints information. It is characterized in that the stored authentication information of the user and information of the number of printed sheets are deleted by the logout notification received from.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the network printing system according to the third aspect, the print restriction server acquires the actual number of print result sheets from the printing apparatus that has transmitted the print job, and prints the number. It is characterized in that the resultant number of sheets is accumulated in the printed number information and updated. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the network printing system according to the third aspect, when the print restriction server cannot acquire the actual number of print result sheets from the printing apparatus that has transmitted the print job, the print job is analyzed. The predicted number of sheets to be obtained is accumulated in the number-of-prints information and updated. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the network printing system according to the fourth or fifth aspect, the print permission / prohibition in the print restriction server is the number of print result sheets accumulated so far among the stored print number information. It is characterized in that the sum of the predicted number of sheets and the upper limit number of prints are compared to make a determination. Further, claim 7 of the present invention includes claims 4, 5
Or in the network printing system described in 6,
Only when the print restriction server receives the logout notification, the print restriction server notifies the authentication server of the number of print result sheets accumulated so far, and updates the number of print result sheets on the authentication server.

Further, in the network printing system according to claim 8 of the present invention, one or more computers and an OA device having a printing function or a copying function are connected by a network, and the printing function or the copying function is performed from the computer or the OA device. In a network printing system using, a plurality of printing networks in which the computer and the OA device are connected to one printing control server that manages them, and a plurality of printing networks are connected to each user. When the user uses the copy function of the OA device, the OA device inquires of the print restriction server of the print network to which the OA device belongs, and the OA device. When you finish using the Is sent to the print restriction server, the print restriction server inquires of the authentication server about the authentication information of the user inquired from the OA device, and if the authentication for the user is successful, the print restriction server sends the authentication information. The authentication information of the incoming user is stored, and the stored authentication information of the user is deleted by the logout notification received from the OA device.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network printing system in which one or more computers and an OA device having a printing function or a copying function are connected by a network, and the printing function or the copying function is performed from the computer or the OA device. In a network printing system using, a plurality of printing networks in which the computer and the OA device are connected to one printing control server that manages them, and a plurality of printing networks are connected to each user. The OA device has one authentication server in which the authentication information and the print number information are registered, and when the user uses the copy function of the OA device, the OA device queries the print restriction server of the print network to which the OA device belongs. , One copy operation of this OA equipment When the OA device finishes, the number of copied sheets is transmitted to the print restriction server, and when the use of this OA device is finished, a logout is notified to the print restriction server, and the print restriction server receives an inquiry from the OA device. If the user is authenticated successfully, the user authentication information and the number of printed sheets sent from the authentication server are stored and transmitted from the OA device after the authentication procedure. Based on the number of copied sheets and the stored user authentication information and print number information, the next copy permission / prohibition is returned, and the stored user's stored user is notified by the logout notification received from the OA device. It is characterized in that the authentication information and the print number information are deleted.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the network printing system according to the ninth aspect, the print restriction server accumulates the number of copies sent from the OA device to update the number of print results. However, only when the logout notification is received, the number of print results copied so far is notified to the authentication server, and the number of print results on the authentication server is updated. A program according to claim 11 of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute the function of the network printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
A recording medium according to claim 12 of the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium recording the program of the network printing system according to claim 11.

With the above-mentioned configuration, the authentication mechanism in the network printing system can be linked with the company-wide authentication management mechanism that has already been managed, so that user restriction in a large-scale environment can be realized and user authentication can be realized. It is possible to reduce the management load for maintaining information. Further, in an environment in which a plurality of users share a printing apparatus connected to a large-scale network, not only the user restriction but also the print number restriction can be performed for each user including printing and copying. Further, by obtaining the actual number of print result sheets from the printing apparatus, it is possible to realize an accurate limitation of the number of sheets to be used.
In addition, the frequency of access to the authentication server is reduced by notifying the authentication server of the print result number information only when the authentication state of the specific user of the printing apparatus is released.
It is possible to realize a responsive printing restriction system.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conceptual configuration of a network printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the network printing system includes one authentication server 20 and a plurality of printing networks 50. These authentication servers 2
0 and the print network 50 are WAN (Wide Area Neighbor).
twork) and other networks. In addition, each printing network 50 includes a plurality of printing devices 40 (including a printer, a facsimile, a multifunction peripheral, etc.) shared within the network, and a plurality of client PCs 30 that can input print requests to the printing devices 40. And 1
LAN (Local Area Network)
rk) and other networks. Here, it is assumed that a printing device includes a device that can make a print request without requiring the client PC 30, such as a copying machine or a multifunction peripheral. From the client PC 30 connected to one of the print networks 50 to another print network 50
It is also possible to make a print request to the printing device 40 connected to the. In addition, one user may use the same print network 50.
Alternatively, a plurality of printing devices connected to another printing network 50 may be used.

Next, the outline of the operation of the network printing system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the following, if one print restriction server covers a certain range of departments, it is rare for a specific user to use a plurality of print restriction servers at the same time, so one user uses one printing device. Time will be described as an example.

(1) When making a print request to the printing apparatus using the client PC The user uses the client PC 30 to print the printing apparatus 4.
When making a print request to 0, an authentication procedure for obtaining print permission is performed with respect to the print restriction server 10 of the print network 50 to which the printing device 40 belongs. Upon receiving the authentication procedure, the print restriction server 10 inquires of the authentication server 20 whether the request source user is registered in the authentication server 20.

The authentication server 20 confirms whether or not the request source user is registered, and returns the print number information regarding the request source user to the print restriction server 10. If it is not registered, the print restriction server 10 is notified that it is not registered.

The print restriction server 10 stores the returned user information of the request source. Based on this information, it is checked whether or not the number of print sheets of the request source user has reached the upper limit, and when the upper limit is not reached, print permission is notified to the request source client PC 30, and when the upper limit is reached, Notify that printing is not permitted.

When the authenticated user gives an instruction to execute the printing of the document created by the document creating application at an arbitrary timing after the completion of the authentication, the client PC 30 issues a print job to the print restriction server 10. To this print job, in addition to the print data expressed in the page description language, an identifier (for example, a login user name) for identifying the user who issues the print job and the address of the destination printing apparatus are added. .

The print restriction server 10 analyzes the print job, confirms whether the user who has sent the print job has the print authority, and further confirms that the "maximum number of prints" has not been reached, and then prints the print job with the specified print job. Send to the device. For this user,
If the user does not have the print authority or the total number of prints has reached the upper limit of prints, the client PC 30 of the transmission source is notified of the print job rejection.

In the printing device 40 which has received the print job,
After executing the print processing, the print restriction server 10 is notified of how many prints have been executed as a result. The print restriction server 10 accumulates and stores the notified number of print results. If the printing device 40 is a device that cannot notify the number of print results, the print number predicted from the print job is accumulated.

When the user finishes using the printing device 40 on the client PC 30, the client PC 30 notifies the print restriction server 10 of logout. Upon receiving the logout notification, the print restriction server 10 notifies the authentication server 20 of the “number of print results after the authentication procedure” and deletes the user entry.

The authentication server 20 accumulates the received "print result number after the authentication procedure" of the user and updates the print number information. By thus rewriting the number information only at the time of logout, the frequency of access to the authentication server can be reduced and the responsiveness of the system can be improved.

(2) When making a print request using the multi-function peripheral When the user makes a copy request using the printing device (multi-function peripheral) 40, the user requests the print restriction server 10 of the print network 50 to which the multi-function peripheral 40 belongs. On the other hand, the authentication procedure to obtain the copy permission is performed. Upon receiving the authentication procedure, the print restriction server 10 inquires of the authentication server 20 whether the request source user is registered in the authentication server 20.

The authentication server 20 confirms that the request source user is registered, and returns the print number information of the request source user to the print restriction server 10. If it is not registered, the print restriction server 10 is notified that it is not registered.

The print restriction server 10 stores the returned information of the requesting user. With this information,
It is checked whether the number of print sheets of the requesting user has reached the upper limit. If the upper limit has not been reached, copy permission is notified to the requesting multifunction device 40, and if the upper limit is reached, copy not permitted To notify.

The authenticated user uses the multi-function device 40 to execute copying. When the copy is completed, the multi-function device 40 notifies the print restriction server 10 how many copies the user has made. The print restriction server 10 accumulates and stores the notified number of print results.

The multi-function device 40 retains the authentication permission state of the user for a certain period of time after the completion of the copy operation, and omits the authentication procedure for continuous copying. It should be noted that the certain time is the time (1) when the user finishes copying and leaves the multifunction device, and then shifts to the residual heat mode.
~ 3 minutes). However, if a certain period of time has passed or if the authentication procedure is performed by another user,
The multifunction device 40 notifies the print restriction server 10 of logout.

Upon receiving the logout notification, the print restriction server 10 notifies the authentication server 20 of the "number of print results after the authentication procedure" of the corresponding user, and deletes the user entry. The authentication server 20 accumulates the received “print result number of sheets after the authentication procedure” of the user and updates the print number information.

Each case will be described in detail below. <Embodiment 1> FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining Embodiment 1 of the present invention (print request from a client PC). (1) Client PC When a user prints, the client PC 30 logs in to the print restriction server 10 of the print network 50 to which the target printing device 40 belongs in order to obtain print permission (for example, an individual is specified as an authentication procedure. Enter the user name and password, which is the information for doing so, and perform the authentication procedure. Further, the user can output to the plurality of printing devices 40 using the same client PC 30 or another client PC 30. In this case, it is necessary to perform the authentication procedure by logging in to the print restriction server 10 of the print network 50 to which each printing device 40 belongs in order to obtain print permission.

When the user gives an instruction to execute printing of a document created by the document creating application at an arbitrary timing after the completion of the authentication, the client PC 30 issues a print job to the print restriction server 10.
Further, when the user finishes using the printing apparatus 40, the client PC 30 notifies the print restriction server 10 of logout.

(2) Printing Restriction Server (A) User Authentication by Login FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of the user authentication procedure by login in the printing restriction server 10. An authentication inquiry by login is received from the client PC 30 (step S1). First, referring to the print information table 15 shown in FIG. 4, it is checked whether the same user has already logged in based on whether the login user name and its password have been registered. 20 is inquired whether the user has the right to use the printing apparatus (step S2). On the other hand, if the print information table 15 is already registered,
The process is executed from step S5.

If the request source user is not registered in the authentication server 20 (NO in step S3), print permission is notified to the request source client PC 30 (step S3).
7) Then, the process returns to step S1 to wait for the transmission from the next client PC. On the other hand, if the requesting user is registered in the authentication server 20 (YES in step S3), the authentication information (login user name, password) and print number information of the user returned from the authentication server 20 (print result). The number of prints, the maximum number of prints, and a list of other print restriction servers that are logged in are stored in the print information table 15, and the login counter is incremented by one and updated (step S4).

The print information table 15 (FIG. 4) holds at least the following information. The number of prints below is
Although it may be distinguished according to the size of the paper, the quality of the paper, and the like, one type will be used in the following description. -Login user name and its password-Number of printouts (V) It is the cumulative number of printouts used after clearing the charge. -Number of printed sheets after authentication (P) The number of printed sheets as a result of printing after login. -Maximum number of prints given to user (M) This number is the number of prints given to the user in a unit for clearing the charge. -List of other print restriction servers that are logged in When the same user is printing using another print restriction server, it indicates which other print restriction server is being used. -Login counter Indicates the number of times the same user has logged in.

It is checked with reference to the print information table 15 whether the user has already reached the upper limit number of prints (step S5). This judgment is made as follows. (A) When the user does not use another print restriction server The cumulative number of prints (V) printed so far in the print information table 15 is compared with the maximum print number (M) given to the user, If V ≧ M, the upper limit is reached. (B) When the user is using another print restriction server The other print restriction server is inquired about the current number of prints. As a result, the number of prints from each printing control server (i), i.e., the cumulative number of sheets printed in the past _{(V i)} and to obtain a number of sheets printed after authentication _{(P i), V + Σ} (V i + P i - If V) ≧ M, the upper limit is reached.

If the upper limit is reached (N in step S5)
O), the print permission is notified to the requesting client PC 30 and a logout notification is issued to the authentication server 20 (step S7), and the process returns to step S1 to wait for the transmission from the next client PC. On the other hand, if the upper limit is not reached (YES in step S5), print permission is notified to the requesting client PC 30 (step S5).
6) Return to step S1 to wait for the next transmission from the client PC.

(B) Reception of Print Job FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure when the print restriction server 10 receives a print job from a user. When the user gives an instruction to execute printing of a document created by the document creating application at any timing after the completion of authentication, the client PC 30 issues a print job to the print restriction server 10. The print restriction server 10 receives from the client PC 30 the print job (see FIG. 6) to which the print data expressed in the page description language, the user name of the user who issues the job, and the address of the destination printing device are added. Yes (Step S
11).

Analyze the received print job and add to it
The registered user name is recorded in the print information table 15.
Is checked (step S12). In addition, the mark received
Estimate the number of prints from the print data of the print job.
Let C be the number of prints.)
It is checked whether or not (step S13). This print limit
The confirmation as to whether or not has reached is performed as follows. (A) The user is not using another print restriction server
If no Number of print results printed so far in print information table 15
(V), number of prints after authentication (P), and estimated number of prints (C)
And the maximum number of prints (M) given to the user
Compared to, V + P + C ≧ M If so, the upper limit is reached. (B) The user is using another print restriction server
If Queries the current print number from other print restriction servers
It As a result, print sheets obtained from each print restriction server (i)
Number, that is, the number of print results printed so far (V _i)
Number of sheets printed after certification (P_i), (V + P + C) + Σ (V_i+ P_i−V) ≧ M If so, the upper limit is reached.

If the user name is registered in the print information table 15 and the maximum number of prints has not been reached (YES in step S13), a print job (see FIG. 7) including the user name and print data is designated. The data is transmitted to the selected printing device 40 (step S14). On the other hand, if the user name added to the print job does not exist in the print information table 15 or if the total number of prints reaches the upper limit of prints (NO in step S13), the client P
Notify C of print job rejection (step S17),
This print job is discarded (step S18), and the process returns to step S11 to wait for transmission from the next client PC.

From the printing device 40 that receives the print job,
The number of printed sheets (C) after executing the corresponding printing process is received (step S15). If the mechanism for transmitting the actual number of printed sheets by the printing device 40 cannot be used, the previously predicted estimated sheet number (C) is regarded as the resultant sheet number.

The number of print results (C) or the predicted number of prints (C) notified from the printing device 40 is added to the "printed number after authentication" of the print information table 15 of the user (step S16). , To return to step S11 to wait for transmission from the next client PC.

(C) Logout When the user finishes using the printing device 40, the user notifies the print restriction server 10 of logout from the client PC 30, and the print restriction server 10 receives this notification. The print restriction server 10 adds the “print result number after authentication (P)” of the user and sends a logout notification to the authentication server 20. Upon receiving the logout processing completion notice from the authentication server 20, the login counter of the corresponding user in the print information table 15 is decremented by one. When this login counter reaches zero, the entry for the user is deleted.

The authentication server 20 also indicates that "the other print restriction server used by the user has logged out".
When notified from, the “print result sheet number” in the print information table 15 is replaced with the “print result sheet number” received from the authentication server 20, and the user is logged out from the list of the “other print restriction server currently logged in” of the user. Delete the specified print restriction server.

(3) Authentication server (A) Authentication of login Upon receipt of an authentication inquiry at the time of login from the print restriction server 10, it is checked whether the user name and password of the inquired user are registered in the authentication information table 25. . This authentication information table 25 (FIG. 8) holds at least the following information. -Login user name and its password-Number of print results printed so far (V) This is the number of prints that have been used after the settlement of charges. -Maximum number of prints given to user (M) This number is the number of prints given to the user in a unit for clearing the charge. -List of print restriction servers during login If the same user is printing using a print restriction server, it indicates which print restriction server is being used.

If the user name is registered,
The print restriction server 10 that has made an authentication request is additionally updated to the “login restricted print server” list for the user in the authentication information table 25. The login user name and password are used as the authentication information of the user, and the print result number, the print upper limit number, and a list of other print limiting servers that are logged in are returned to the print limiting server as the print number information. On the other hand, if the user name is not registered in the authentication information table 25, the user is returned as an unregistered user to the print restriction server 10 that he does not have the usage authority.

(B) Logout When a logout notification is received from the print restriction server 10, the received "printed number of sheets" is accumulated in the "printed number of sheets" of the user in the authentication information table 25, and the authentication information table is accumulated. Update 25. In addition, the print restriction server 10 that has transmitted the logout is deleted from the “login restricted print server” list for the user, and a deletion completion notification is transmitted to the print restriction server 10. Further, the updated “print result number” and “logged-out print restriction server” are notified to all the print restriction servers in the “logged-in print restriction server” list of the user who have not logged out. In this way, the print restriction server requests rewriting of the number-of-sheets information only at the time of logout, so that it is possible to reduce the frequency of access to the authentication server and increase the responsiveness of the system.

In the first embodiment, the authentication server is not notified of the number of print results after authentication until the user finishes using the printing apparatus and logs out. However, the authentication is performed every time the printing apparatus 40 prints. The server 20 may be notified, the latest print result number may be accumulated in the authentication information table 25, and the updated latest print result number may be notified to the logged-in print restriction server.

In addition, when the number of sheets to be used is not strictly limited, such as at a company or school, each time a print request is made, the print server after the authentication is not inquired to the print server to which the same user has logged in, and printing is performed. It may be possible to check whether or not the maximum print number has been reached within the requesting print limit server. However, it is necessary to manage so that the total number of printed sheets does not finally differ.

It is also possible to set an expiration date in the logged-in state and to make an inquiry to the authentication server again when the expiration date expires. The management accuracy of the number of used sheets can be improved depending on the setting of the length of the expiration date. The length of this expiration date is set according to the degree of accuracy required.

<Second Embodiment> FIG. 9 is a block diagram for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention (a copy request from a multi-functional peripheral). The components having the same functions as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description of the functions will be described only regarding the differences.

(1) Multifunction peripheral (A) Authentication by login from multifunction peripheral When a user makes a copy on the printing device (multifunction peripheral in this example) 40, user authentication is performed by a card reading device connected to the multifunction peripheral 40. Is performed by reading the authentication data of the ID card (employee card, etc.). The multifunction machine 40 is the print restriction server 1 of the printing network 50 to which the multifunction machine 40 belongs.
For 0, the user ID read from the ID card is transmitted to perform authentication. Further, instead of using the card reading device, the user may input the login user name and login password used when logging in from the client PC. In that case, the input login user ID and login password are transmitted to the print restriction server for authentication.

(B) Copying in multifunction device The user executes copying in the multifunction device 40 at an arbitrary timing after completion of authentication. At the timing when this one-time copying is completed, the print restriction server 10 is notified of the card user ID or login user name and the number of copies. If the notification of the next copy is not permitted from the print restriction server 10 by this notification, the subsequent copying cannot be executed.

(C) Logout from the multi-function device The multi-function device 40 holds the authentication permission state of the user for a certain period of time after the completion of the copy operation, and omits the authentication procedure for continuous copying. The fixed time is about the time (1 to 3 minutes) to shift to the residual heat mode after the user finishes copying and leaves the multifunction peripheral. However, after a certain period of time, the multifunction device 40 notifies the print restriction server 10 of logout. Alternatively, when used by another user, the multifunction device 40 is used for the previous user.
From the print restriction server 10 to notify the logout,
Perform a new user authentication procedure.

(2) Print Restriction Server (A) User Authentication FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the user authentication procedure when the print restriction server 10 makes an authentication request to the multi-function device 40. A user authentication inquiry is received from the multi-function device 40 (step S21). First, Fig. 1
By referring to the print information table 15 shown in FIG. 1, it is checked whether the authentication request has already been made by the same user, depending on whether the card user ID or the login user name / its password has been registered. Authentication server 2
0 is inquired whether the user has the copy authority (step S22). On the other hand, the print information table 1 has already been
If it is registered in 5, the process is executed from step S25.

If the request source user is not registered in the authentication server 20 (NO in step S23), the copy prohibition is notified to the request source multifunction device 40 (step S27).
Step S2 to wait for the next authentication request to be sent
Return to 1. On the other hand, if the requesting user is registered in the authentication server 20 (YES in step S23), the authentication information (card user ID or login user name / password) and the number of printed sheets of the user returned from the authentication server 20. (The number of print results, the maximum number of prints, and a list of other print restriction servers that are logged in) are stored in the print information table 15, and the login counter is incremented by one and updated (step S24). This print information table 15 (see FIG.
1) holds the "card user ID" in addition to FIG.

It is checked with reference to the print information table 15 whether the user has already reached the upper limit number of prints (step S25). This judgment is made in the same manner as in the first embodiment. If the upper limit has been reached (NO in step S25), the copy prohibition is notified to the requesting multifunction device 40, and
Issue a logout notification to the authentication server 20 (step S
27), to wait for the transmission of the next authentication request, step S2
Return to 1. On the other hand, if the upper limit is not reached (step S
25), the copy permission is notified to the requesting multifunction device 40 (step S26), and the process returns to step S21 to wait for the next authentication request to be transmitted.

(B) Cumulative number of copy results When one copy execution is completed, the card user ID or login user name and the number of copies are received. The received number of copies is accumulated and updated in the “printed number of sheets after authentication” of the print information table 15 of the user. Next, it is confirmed as follows whether the total number of prints of the user has reached the upper limit of prints.

(A) When the user is not using another print restriction server: The sum of the number of print results (V) printed so far in the print information table 15 and the number of print results after authentication (P). , And the upper limit number of prints (M) given to the user is compared, and if V + P ≧ M, the upper limit is reached. (B) When the user is using another print restriction server The other print restriction server is inquired about the current number of prints. As a result, the number of prints from each printing control server (i), i.e., the cumulative number of sheets printed in the past (V _i) and to obtain a number of sheets printed after authentication _{(P i), (V +} P) + Σ (V i If + P _i −V) ≧ M, the upper limit is reached.

When the total number of printed sheets reaches the upper limit of the number of printed sheets, the multifunction device 40 is notified that copying is not permitted, and the logout process is performed. If the total number of prints does not reach the upper limit of the number of prints, the next copy permission is notified to the multi-function device 40.

(C) Logout When a logout notification is received from the multi-function device 40, or when the user logs out due to the print upper limit being reached, the print restriction server 10 causes the print limit number (P) of the user to be printed. And add a logout notification to the authentication server 2
Send to 0. Upon receiving the logout processing completion notice from the authentication server 20, the login counter of the corresponding user in the print information table 15 is decremented by one. When this login counter reaches zero, the entry for the user is deleted.

When the authentication server 20 notifies that the other print restriction server used by the user has logged out, the “print result number” of the print information table 15 is changed to the received “print result number”. Replace and replace the user's "other logged-in restricted server"
Delete the logged-out print restriction server from the list.

(3) Authentication Server The function of the authentication server is the same as that of the first embodiment,
If the authentication data from the user is the card user ID,
In addition to FIG. 8, the authentication information table 25 (FIG. 12) holds “card user ID”.

With the above configuration, it is possible to limit the number of copies in the multi-function peripheral as with the print request from the client PC.

<Third Embodiment> In the above-described first and second embodiments, the upper limit of the number of printed sheets is set for each user, and it is determined whether printing or copying is possible in response to a printing or copying request from the user. ing. Embodiment 3
Does not set an upper limit and only determines whether or not the user who has issued the print request or the copy request has the authority to use the printing apparatus or the multifunction peripheral. In addition, in the third embodiment,
Not limited to the printing apparatus and the multifunction machine, all OA devices connected to the print restriction server 10 via the network are targeted. The configuration for this has almost the same functions as those of the first and second embodiments, but the differences will be described below.

(1) OA Equipment (Client PC, Printer, Copying Machine, Facsimile, or Multifunction Machine) Authentication, print / copy (functional operation) request, and logout in the OA equipment are the same as those in the first and second embodiments. Is.

(2) Print Restriction Server (A) User Authentication by Login The user authentication procedure by login in the third embodiment is as follows. When the authentication inquiry by login is received from the OA device, referring to the print information table 15, it is checked whether the login has already been performed by the same user, whether the login user name and its password have been registered, and if they have not been registered. Asks the authentication server 20 whether the user has the usage right.

This print information table 15 is used in the first embodiment.
Alternatively, at least the following information among the information registered in the second embodiment (see FIG. 4 or FIG. 11) is held.・ Card user ID or login user name / password ・ Login counter

If the requesting user is not registered in the authentication server 20, the requesting OA device is notified of the non-permission. On the other hand, if registered in the authentication server 20, the authentication information (login user name, password) of the user returned from the authentication server 20 is stored in the print information table 15.

If it is already registered in the print information table 15 or registered in the authentication server 20, the login counter is incremented by one and updated, and the permission of use is notified to the requesting OA device.

(B) When the user gives an instruction to execute printing of a document created by the document creating application at any timing after the completion of the reception and authentication of the print job, the OA device (client PC or the like) instructs the print restriction server 10 to perform the printing. A print job is submitted. The print restriction server 10 analyzes the received print job and checks whether the user name added to the print job is registered in the print information table 15.

When the user name is registered in the print information table 15, the print job including the user name and the print data is transmitted to the designated OA device (printing device). On the other hand, when the user name added to the print job does not exist in the print information table 15, the print job is notified to the OA device and the print job is discarded.

(C) Logout When the user finishes using the printing apparatus 40, the user notifies the print restriction server 10 of the logout from the OA device. When the OA device is a copying machine or a multifunction peripheral, the print restriction server 10 is notified of logout when the user does not use the OA device for a certain period of time or when another user performs an authentication operation. Print restriction server 1 that received this notification
0 decrements the login counter of the corresponding user in the print information table 15 by one. When this login counter reaches zero, the entry for the user is deleted.

(3) Authentication Server (A) Login Authentication Upon receiving an authentication inquiry at login from the print restriction server 10, the user name and password of the inquired user are displayed in the authentication information table 25 (see FIG. 8 or FIG. 12). ) To see if it is registered. As the authentication information of the user, a card user ID or a login user name /
The password is returned to the print restriction server 10. On the other hand, if the user name is not registered in the authentication information table 25, the user is returned as a non-registered user that the user is not authorized to use the print restriction server 10.

As a usage example of the third embodiment, the above-mentioned authentication inquiry is made to the print restriction server 10 of the print network 50 to which the client PC 30 desired by the user belongs, and it is confirmed whether or not the user can use the client PC 30. be able to.

<Embodiment Based on Program and Recording Medium> FIG. 13 shows an authentication server, a print restriction server, and a client P which constitute the network printing system of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram for realizing each function of C, a printing apparatus, a multifunction peripheral, and the like by a computer. That is, the computer in this embodiment is a keyboard,
An input device 101 such as a mouse or a touch panel, a display device 102 such as a display, an output device 103 such as a printer or a multi-function peripheral, a CPU (central processing unit) 104, a RAM 105 for storing a program or a mid-execution result, and a storage device 106 such as a hard disk. A network connection device 107, which is an interface for communicating with another computer via a network, and a medium reading device 108 are connected by a data bus 109.

A program for executing the function is recorded in a recording medium for each device or server of the above-described embodiment, and the program recorded in the recording medium is read by the medium reading device 108.
13 is read from the storage device 106 and installed in the computer shown in FIG.
The present invention can be easily implemented by executing the method of 04.
In this case, the program itself read from the recording medium also realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the program and the recording medium storing the program constitute the present invention.

In the above, the program recording medium is, for example, a semiconductor medium (for example, a non-volatile memory card), an optical medium (for example, DVD-ROM, MO, MD, or the like).
CD-R) or a magnetic medium (for example, magnetic tape, flexible disk, etc.).

In addition to executing the functions of the above-described embodiment by executing the loaded program, the operating system or the like performs some or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program, and It also includes the case where the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

Further, when the above-mentioned program is stored in a storage device such as a magnetic disk of a server computer and downloaded by a user's computer connected via a network, or when the program is distributed from the server computer in a form such as distribution, The storage device of this server computer is also included in the recording medium of the present invention.

[0087]

As described above, according to the present invention, the authentication mechanism in the network printing system is linked with the company-wide authentication management mechanism that is already managed.
Users can be restricted in a large-scale environment, and the management load for maintaining user authentication information can be reduced. Further, in an environment in which a plurality of users share a printing apparatus connected to a large-scale network, not only the user restriction but also the print number restriction can be performed for each user including printing and copying.

Further, by obtaining the actual number of print result sheets from the printing apparatus, it is possible to realize an accurate limitation of the number of sheets to be used. Further, by notifying the authentication server of the print result number information only at the timing when the authentication state of the specific user of the printing apparatus is released, the frequency of access to the authentication server can be reduced and a highly responsive printing restriction system can be realized. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conceptual configuration of a network printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a user authentication procedure in the print restriction server.

FIG. 4 is an example of a data structure of a print information table.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure when a print job is received from a user by the print restriction server.

FIG. 6 is an example of the data structure of a print job issued from the client PC to the print restriction server.

FIG. 7 is an example of the data structure of a print job input from the print restriction server to the printing apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a data structure example of an authentication information table.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a user authentication procedure when a print restriction server issues an authentication request to a multifunction peripheral.

FIG. 11 is another example of the data structure of the print information table.

FIG. 12 is another example of the data structure of the authentication information table.

FIG. 13 is a hardware configuration diagram for realizing the present invention by a computer.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Printing restriction server, 15 ... Printing information table, 20
... authentication server, 25 ... authentication information table, 30 ... client PC, 40 ... printing device, multifunction machine, 50 ... printing network, 101 ... input device, 102 ... display device, 10
3 ... Output device, 104 ... CPU, 105 ... RAM, 10
6 ... Storage device, 107 ... Network connection device, 108
... medium reader, 109 ... data bus.

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A network printing system in which one or more computers and a printing device are connected by a network, and a print job is submitted from the computer to the printing device, the computer and the printing device,
The computer includes a plurality of print networks in which one print restriction server that manages them is connected to the network, and one authentication server that registers authentication information for each user connected to these print networks via the network. When the user uses the printing apparatus, the user inquires of the printing restriction server of the printing network to which the printing apparatus belongs, and when the printing apparatus is used after the authentication procedure, issues a print job via the printing restriction server. However, when the use of this printing apparatus is terminated, the print restriction server is notified of logout, and the print restriction server inquires the authentication server of the authentication information of the user inquired from the computer, and the authentication to the user is performed. If successful, the user sent from the authentication server Storing authentication information, based on the authentication information of the user who the storage, and returns the printability of the print job transmitted from the computer after authentication procedure,
By the logout notification received from the computer,
A network printing system characterized by deleting the stored authentication information of the user. 2. A network printing system in which one or more computers and a printing device are connected by a network, and a print job is submitted from the computer to the printing device, the computer and the printing device.
The computer includes a plurality of print networks in which one print restriction server that manages them is connected to the network, and one authentication server that registers authentication information for each user connected to these print networks via the network. When users use this computer,
When inquiring about the print restriction server of the printing network to which this computer belongs, and when terminating the use of this computer, notify the print restriction server of logout, and the print restriction server authenticates the user who has made an inquiry from the computer. If the authentication to the user is successful, the authentication information of the user sent from the authentication server is stored, and the stored authentication information of the user is stored by the logout notification received from the computer. A network printing system characterized by deleting. 3. A network printing system in which one or more computers and a printing device are connected by a network, and a print job is submitted from the computer to the printing device, the computer and the printing device,
A plurality of print networks in which one print restriction server that manages them is connected via a network, and one authentication server in which authentication information and print number information for each user connected to these print networks are registered. When the user uses the printing apparatus, the computer inquires of the printing restriction server of the printing network to which the printing apparatus belongs, and when the printing apparatus is used after the authentication procedure, the computer passes through the printing restriction server. When issuing a print job and ending the use of this printing apparatus, the print restriction server is notified of logout, and the print restriction server inquires the authentication server of the authentication information of the user inquired from the computer, If the user is successfully authenticated, The user authentication information and the number-of-prints information that are received are stored, and the print permission / prohibition is returned based on the predicted number of sheets predicted from the print job and the stored user authentication information and the number-of-prints information. A network printing system characterized by deleting the stored authentication information of the user and information of the number of printed sheets by the logout notification received from the user. 4. The network printing system according to claim 3, wherein the print restriction server acquires the actual number of print result sheets from the printing apparatus that has transmitted the print job, and uses the number of print result sheets as the print sheet number information. A network printing system characterized by accumulating and updating. 5. The network printing system according to claim 3, wherein when the print restriction server cannot acquire the actual number of print result sheets from the printing apparatus which has transmitted the print job, the prediction obtained by analyzing the print job. A network printing system characterized by accumulating the number of sheets in the number-of-prints information and updating. 6. The network printing system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the print permission / prohibition in the print restriction server is based on the stored print number information and the print result number and the estimated number of sheets. A network printing system characterized by comparing the sum and the maximum number of prints to make a judgment. 7. The network printing system according to claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein the print restriction server notifies the authentication server of the number of print result sheets accumulated so far only when a logout notification is received. A network printing system characterized by updating the number of print results on the authentication server. 8. A network printing system in which one or more computers and an OA device having a printing function or a copying function are connected by a network, and the printing function or the copying function is used from the computer or the OA device. A plurality of print networks in which OA devices and one print restriction server that manages them are connected via a network, and one authentication server in which authentication information for each user connected to these print networks via the network is registered. When the user uses the copy function of the OA device, the OA device inquires of the print restriction server of the print network to which the OA device belongs, and when the user finishes using the OA device, the logout is the print restriction. Notify the server, and the print restriction server Inquires of the authentication server about the authentication information of the user who has made an inquiry from the OA device. If the authentication of the user is successful, the authentication information of the user sent from the authentication server is stored and received from the OA device. The network printing system characterized in that the stored authentication information of the user is deleted by the logout notification. 9. A network printing system in which one or more computers and an OA device having a printing function or a copying function are connected by a network, and the printing function or the copying function is used from the computer or the OA device. A plurality of print networks in which OA devices and one print restriction server that manages them are connected by a network, and one print network and the authentication information and the number-of-prints information for each user connected by the network are registered in one print network. When the user uses the copy function of this OA device, the OA device includes an authentication server, and when the user uses the copy function of this OA device, the OA device inquires of the print restriction server of the print network to which this OA device belongs, and one copy operation of this OA device ends. The number of sheets copied when When the OA device is used, the logout is notified to the print restriction server, and the print restriction server queries the authentication server for the authentication information of the user inquired from the OA device. If the authentication is successful, the user authentication information and the number of printed sheets information sent from the authentication server are stored, and the number of copied sheets transmitted from the OA device after the authentication procedure and the stored user number are stored. Based on the authentication information and the number-of-printed-sheets information, the next copy permission / prohibition is returned, and the stored authentication information and number-of-printed-information of the user is deleted by the logout notification received from the OA device. Network printing system. 10. The network printing system according to claim 9, wherein the print restriction server updates the print result number by accumulating the number of copies sent from the OA device, and receives a logout notification. Only, the network printing system is characterized in that the number of print results copied so far is notified to the authentication server, and the number of print results on the authentication server is updated. 11. A program for causing a computer to execute the function of the network printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 10. 12. A computer-readable recording medium recording the program of the network printing system according to claim 11.