JP2004157874A - Image processing system, image processing method, and image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the print-out of a secret document, in print-processing by a network printer, from a printer that is a request destination of distributed processing or representative processing to harm security. <P>SOLUTION: When the printing of image data is requested from a certain printer to the other printer, the printer that is the destination of processing request is selected based on an assurable security level to the processing of the image data of each printer 3, etc. The security level of each printer 3, etc. is determined whether the printer can perform the invalidation of the image data or not. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an image processing apparatus which requests an image processing apparatus other than an image processing apparatus designated by a user to process image data after confirming a security level of another image processing apparatus to be requested. The present invention relates to a system, an image processing method, and an image processing device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, devices such as an inkjet printer and a laser printer have been commercialized as printers such as personal computers. On the other hand, in the market, networking of personal computers and peripheral devices is progressing, and network printers that can be shared by a plurality of personal computers (client machines) have been put on the market.
[0003]
In such a situation, where the operating rate of the network printer is high due to the large number of personal computers, problems such as stagnation of print jobs occur. As a solution to this, a plurality of printers are installed on a network, and the printer closest to the printer whose print job has been stagnated processes the print job so that the job is not concentrated on a specific printer.
[0004]
Further, if a network printer is requested to process a print job including a large amount of data, the print processing speed of the printer requested to process may be a problem. As a solution to this problem, a method of introducing a network printer capable of high-speed processing can be cited. However, the introduction of the high-speed printer increases the cost for constructing a network.
[0005]
Therefore, a method as described in Patent Document 1 below has been proposed. The method described in Patent Literature 1 is a method of performing a so-called distributed processing in which a print job input from one image forming apparatus is distributed to another image processing apparatus and output processing is performed. In addition, when a trouble (paper jam, paper empty, out of toner, etc.) occurs in one image processing apparatus while a print job is being processed by each image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus remains in another image processing apparatus. A printing system having a so-called proxy processing function for performing the proxy printing process and completing the output process is also disclosed in Patent Document 1.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-61-198958 (published on September 3, 1986)
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The above-described distributed processing and proxy processing of the network printer are effective functions for efficiently and reliably processing a print job on a network. On the other hand, in recent years, there has been a tendency for printer users to increase security awareness in order to prevent leakage of confidential information in a company or a workplace. Therefore, when processing a print job on a network, it is preferable that the print job is processed in a state where the standard for the security level desired by the user is secured.
[0008]
However, in the conventional distributed processing method and proxy processing method, the security level of each device is not taken into consideration at the stage of selecting a device to request distributed processing or proxy processing. Therefore, there is a problem that the confidential document is printed out from the device that has requested the distributed processing or the proxy processing, and security is impaired.
[0009]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide an image processing system, an image processing method, and an image processing apparatus that can prevent security from being compromised when processing image data. It is in.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An image processing system according to the present invention is directed to an image processing system for processing image data by a plurality of network-connected image processing apparatuses. When processing is requested, the image processing apparatus selects an image processing apparatus to which processing is requested based on a security level that the image processing apparatus can guarantee for processing image data.
[0011]
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method for processing image data by a plurality of network-connected image processing apparatuses. When requesting data processing, the image processing apparatus selects an image processing apparatus as a processing request destination based on a security level that the image processing apparatus can guarantee for image data processing.
[0012]
Further, in order to solve the above-described problem, the image processing apparatus of the present invention can guarantee that another image processing apparatus can process image data in an image processing apparatus connected to a plurality of image processing apparatuses via a network. Based on the security level, a processing request destination of image data is selected from a plurality of image processing apparatuses connected to the own apparatus.
[0013]
According to the above configuration, the image processing apparatus to which the processing is requested is selected based on the security level that the image processing apparatus can guarantee for the processing of the image data.
[0014]
Therefore, it is possible to select an image processing apparatus having the same security level as the image processing apparatus that is the processing request source as the processing request destination. Therefore, when the requesting image processing device is selected from those satisfying the security level desired by the user when processing the image data, the image processing device requested to process is selected from those satisfying the security level desired by the user. You can choose.
[0015]
Therefore, when processing image data by a plurality of image processing apparatuses, it is possible to prevent security from being compromised when processing image data.
[0016]
Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the image processing system according to the present invention, in the image processing system having the above-described configuration, determines whether or not the security level can invalidate the image data by the image processing apparatus to be determined. It is characterized by being determined by the
[0017]
According to the above configuration, the security level of the image processing apparatus to which the processing is requested is determined based on whether or not the image processing apparatus to be determined can invalidate the image data.
[0018]
Here, the invalidation of the image data means that the processed image data is deleted from the data recording medium of the image processing apparatus, or a process for preventing the image data from being reproduced is added to the image data. That is, if an image processing apparatus can invalidate image data, it can be said that the image processing apparatus has a very high security level when processing image data.
[0019]
In the above configuration of the present invention, the security level is determined based on whether or not image data can be invalidated, so that the security level of the requested image processing apparatus can be more accurately determined. Therefore, it is possible to select the image processing apparatus to which the processing is requested from those that reliably satisfy the security level desired by the user.
[0020]
Therefore, when image data is processed by a plurality of image processing apparatuses, it is possible to more reliably prevent security from being compromised when processing image data.
[0021]
Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the image processing system according to the present invention, in the image processing system having the above-described configuration, transmits information relating to invalidation of image data from an image processing apparatus which is a processing request source of image data. And the image processing apparatus of the processing request destination invalidates the image data based on the information on the invalidation.
[0022]
According to the above configuration, the information regarding the invalidation of the image data is transmitted from the image processing apparatus that has requested the processing of the image data to the image processing apparatus that has requested the processing. Further, in the image processing apparatus of the processing request destination, the image data is invalidated based on the transmitted information on the invalidation.
[0023]
Therefore, the image data can be invalidated on the same basis in the image processing apparatus that is the processing request source of the image data and the image processing apparatus that is the processing request destination. Therefore, it is possible to cause the image processing apparatus of the processing request destination to execute the invalidation at the level desired by the image processing apparatus of the processing request source.
[0024]
Therefore, when image data is processed by a plurality of image processing apparatuses, it is possible to more reliably prevent security from being compromised when processing image data.
[0025]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, in an image processing system 1 of the present embodiment, a plurality of printers (image processing devices) 3... And a personal computer 4 as a client machine are installed on a network 2. As shown in FIG. 2, "AR-XX1,""AR-XX2,""AR-XX3," and "AR-XX4" are assigned to each printer 3 as printer names. Security levels are set for data processing methods and the like.
[0026]
The security level set for each of the printers 3 will be described more specifically. As a method of authenticating a user who uses the printer 3, a method of authenticating a user by biometric information such as a fingerprint, a retina, and facial features, and an authentication of a user by specific code information recorded on a magnetic card or the like owned by the user. And a method of authenticating the user with a password input to the user from a numeric keypad or the like of a personal computer.
[0027]
Since biometric information is unlikely to match between users, it can be said that a printer that authenticates a user based on biometric information has a high security level.
[0028]
Further, in the user authentication method using the magnetic card possessed by the user, the user can be authenticated without fail unless a third party steals the magnetic card. In addition, if it is a magnetic card, it is possible to record even some complicated code information. Even if the magnetic card is stolen by a third party, it is possible to prevent the third party from stealing the magnetic card by setting so that the magnetic card cannot be used unless the user enters a password. . Therefore, a printer that authenticates a user with a magnetic card has a medium security level.
[0029]
On the other hand, when a user is authenticated by a password input from a numeric keypad or the like, if password data is leaked, a third party may steal another person's password. Also, since only about eight-digit code information can be set as a password, plagiarism by a third party is easier than a magnetic card. Therefore, a printer that authenticates a user with a password input by the user has a low security level.
[0030]
A method of processing data set in each of the printers 3 will be described. As a method of processing the data set in each printer 3, there are a method of processing the compressed image data input to each printer in a decompressed state, a method of encrypting the input image data, and processing the same. Can be. Of course, a printer that performs encryption processing on image data has a higher security level than a printer that does not perform encryption processing.
[0031]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, whether each printer is equipped with a hard disk (Hard Disk: HD) erasing function or an access restriction function is also a reference for judging the security level of each printer.
[0032]
The HD erasure function is an invalidation process that erases printed image data from a data storage device such as a hard disk installed in the printer, or prevents the reproduced image data from being reproduced by overwriting data. The function to be performed. If the image data can be invalidated by the printer after the print processing is completed in a certain printer, it can be said that the printer has a higher security level than the printer that cannot perform the invalidation processing.
[0033]
The distribution processing of image data in the image processing system 1 having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0034]
First, when performing the distributed processing of the image data, the setting of the distributed processing is performed (S0). The setting of the distributed processing is basically performed by a personal computer that requests an arbitrary printer on the network to process the print job. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, when a print instruction is issued from application software running on a personal computer, a printer driver window is opened. The setting of the distributed processing is performed from the printer driver window.
[0035]
More specifically, for example, when a printer having a printer name “AR-XX1” is set as a main printer, and a request for a print job for printing a certain number or more (for example, 100 or more) of documents is given to the printer, It is assumed that distributed processing is performed. At this time, the setting of the distribution processing is performed by checking the distribution processing check box (indicated by “レ” in FIG. 5) in the distribution processing check box on the lower left side of the printer driver window shown in FIG.
[0036]
When the distributed processing is set by the user's instruction, the image processing system checks other printers arranged on the network (S1) as shown in FIG. The security level that can be guaranteed for the data is determined (S2).
[0037]
In the image processing system of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the printers AR-XX1, AR-XX2, and AR-XX3 capable of HD erasure can be said to be printers that can guarantee security for image data.
[0038]
After S2, as shown in FIG. 5, the image processing system determines whether there is a printer that can guarantee the same security level as the main printer (S3). In the present embodiment, since AR-XX3 is common to AR-XX1 in that invalidation processing is possible and encryption processing is performed, the security level closest to the security level that AR-XX1 can guarantee is as follows. Is determined to be a printer that guarantees the following.
[0039]
If it is determined in S3 that there is no printer that can guarantee a security level equivalent to that of the main printer, the image processing system notifies the user that distributed processing is not possible (S9).
[0040]
On the other hand, if it is determined in S3 that a printer capable of guaranteeing the same security level as the main printer exists on the network in S3, the image processing system determines in S4 whether automatic selection of a printer to be subjected to distributed processing is set. I do. The setting as to whether or not to automatically select a printer to be subjected to the distributed processing is made by a system setting performed when the printer is installed.
[0041]
When the automatic selection is set, if it is determined in S3 that there is only one printer capable of guaranteeing the same security level as the main printer, the printer is automatically determined to be a printer that performs the distributed processing (S5). ). Then, the main printer and the printer determined in S5 cooperate to process the print job requested by the user (S8).
[0042]
If it is determined in S3 that there are a plurality of printers that can guarantee the same security level as the main printer, a printer to be subjected to distributed processing is automatically selected according to the selection criteria set in the system (S5). , S5, the print job is processed in cooperation with the printer selected. For example, a printer that guarantees a security level closest to the security level of the main printer is selected as a printer that performs distributed processing.
[0043]
Note that the number of printers selected in S5 is not necessarily limited to one, and when a long time is required for processing a print job, a plurality of printers may be selected in S5 to execute distributed processing. .
[0044]
On the other hand, when the manual selection is set, the printer determined to be able to guarantee the same security level as the main printer in S3 is operated together with the security level information, the operation status, and the like by operating the personal computer. A list is displayed on the instruction screen (S6). Then, the user manually selects a printer to be actually subjected to the distributed processing from the printers displayed in the list (S7).
[0045]
FIG. 6 shows an example of a screen for displaying a list of printers in S6. As shown in FIG. 6, an icon of a printer (AR-XX3) that can guarantee the same security level as the main printer (AR-XX1) is displayed on the list display screen of the present embodiment. The user can select the printer as a printer requesting the distributed processing by pressing the icon of the printer desired to execute the distributed processing via the transparent tablet arranged on the display. Alternatively, the user may select a printer to be subjected to the distributed processing by clicking the icon of the printer for which the distributed processing is desired from the list of displayed printer icons with a mouse.
[0046]
After S7, as shown in FIG. 3, the printer selected in S7, together with the main printer, processes the requested print job by hand (S8). At this time, image data for distributed processing, printing conditions such as the number of copies, and conditions for invalidating image data (erasing function ON, number of erasures, etc.) are also notified to the printer requesting the distributed processing. . In the printer requested to perform the distributed processing, the designated print job is executed, and the data after the print job is completed is invalidated.
[0047]
Next, substitute processing of image data in the image processing system of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0048]
When a printer is processing a print job requested from a personal computer on the network and the printer cannot continue processing the print job due to a lack of consumables such as paper and developer, the printer is Printing is interrupted (S10). In the present embodiment, the following description will be made on the assumption that the printer with the printer name “AR-XX1” cannot continue the processing of the print job.
[0049]
Thereafter, the image processing system according to the present embodiment checks other printers arranged on the network (S11), and determines a security level that can be assured by each printer on the network for image data (S11). S12).
[0050]
The determination of the security level of each printer in S12 is performed, for example, by determining whether or not the HD erasing function is installed in the printer to be determined. The determination in S12 may be made every time a print interruption occurs or may be made periodically.
[0051]
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the printers AR-XX1, AR-XX2, and AR-XX3 capable of HD erasure can be said to be printers that can guarantee security for image data.
[0052]
After the determination in S12, the image processing system determines whether there is a printer that can guarantee the same security level as the printer that interrupted the print processing (S13). In the present embodiment, since the AR-XX3 is common to the AR-XX1 in performing the invalidation processing and performing the encryption processing, the printer that guarantees the security level closest to the security level of the AR-XX1 is used. Is determined.
[0053]
If it is determined in S13 that there is no such printer, the image processing system notifies the user that proxy processing is not possible (S19).
[0054]
As a method of notifying the user in S19, for example, there is a printer that can request replenishment of consumables and request a substitute process on an operation panel of the printer that has interrupted the process because the printing process cannot be continued. What you do not do is displayed on the computer screen.
[0055]
On the other hand, if it is determined in S13 that there is a printer that can guarantee the same security level as the printer whose print processing has been interrupted, the image processing system determines in S14 whether the automatic selection of a printer to perform proxy processing has been set. Judge. The setting of whether or not to automatically select a printer to be subjected to proxy processing is performed by system settings performed when the printer is installed.
[0056]
When the automatic selection is set in the system, if it is determined in S13 that there is only one corresponding printer, the printer is automatically determined as a printer to perform proxy processing (S15). Then, the image processing system performs proxy processing by the printer determined in S15 (S18), and processes the remaining print job in which the print processing has been interrupted.
[0057]
If it is determined in S13 that there are a plurality of applicable printers, the printer that can guarantee the security level closest to the security level that can be assured by the printer whose processing has been interrupted is determined in S15 as the printer to perform the proxy processing. do it.
[0058]
On the other hand, when the manual selection is set in the system, the printer determined to be able to guarantee the same security level as the printer whose processing has been interrupted in S13 is added together with information such as security level information and operation status. A list is displayed on the operation instruction screen of the client machine (S16). Then, the user manually selects a printer to be actually processed on behalf of the printers displayed in the list (S17).
[0059]
FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen for displaying a list of printers in S16. As shown in FIG. 7, the printer name (AR-XX3) of the printer determined to be able to guarantee the same security level as the printer whose processing has been interrupted in S13 is displayed on the personal computer screen. Also, it is displayed that the printer (AR-XX1) which has first requested the print processing has run out of consumables and the print job has not been processed.
[0060]
The user can select the printer as a proxy processing printer by pressing an icon of a printer for which the proxy processing is desired to be performed, via a transparent tablet arranged on the screen. Alternatively, the user may select a printer to perform proxy processing by clicking on the list of displayed printer icons with a mouse.
[0061]
After the selection of the printer for which the proxy processing is requested in S17, the image processing system processes the remaining print job in which the print processing has been interrupted by the selected printer (S18).
[0062]
Although not shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, the printer (AR-XX1) in which the print job has been stagnated due to lack of paper is restarted by supplying paper before requesting the substitute processing. When the printer returns to a possible state, the printer may perform print processing.
[0063]
In the proxy process in S18, the proxy process is requested for the image data to be proxy-processed, the print conditions such as the number of remaining copies, and the conditions for invalidating the image data (HD erasure function ON, number of erasures, etc.). The printer is notified. Then, in the printer for which the proxy processing has been requested, processing of the designated print job and invalidation of data after the completion of the print job are performed.
[0064]
On the other hand, the continuation of the processing becomes difficult, and the printer that requested the subsequent print job to another printer invalidates the print job data temporarily stored for the processing.
[0065]
Note that the image processing apparatus of the present invention is an image processing apparatus that performs processing of input image data. When requesting a part of the processing of image data to another apparatus, the image data to be requested and the A configuration for transferring information on data invalidation (conditions for invalidating data after processing is completed) may be used.
[0066]
According to the image processing apparatus having the above configuration, security for the image data requested to be processed is ensured even among a plurality of apparatuses.
[0067]
Further, the image processing apparatus of the present invention, in the image processing apparatus having the above configuration, confirms that the image data can be invalidated when requesting a part of the processing of the input image data to another apparatus. May be configured to request image data processing.
[0068]
According to the image processing apparatus having the above configuration, even when the processing capacity is improved by dispersing or acting on image data processing, the security level for the image data is reliably guaranteed.
[0069]
Further, according to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, in the image processing apparatus having the above-described configuration, the apparatus (another apparatus) on the side that has been requested to perform a part of the processing may invalidate the image data after the processing of the image data is completed. The image data may be invalidated according to the information.
[0070]
According to the above configuration, even in the device on which the request for a part of the processing of the image data has been made, the data invalidation processing is surely performed, and the security level for the image data is reliably guaranteed. .
[0071]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, when an image processing apparatus requests processing of image data from one image processing apparatus to another image processing apparatus, the image processing system has a security level that the image processing apparatus can guarantee for the processing of image data. Based on this, an image processing apparatus to be a processing request destination is selected.
[0072]
Further, as described above, the image processing method according to the present invention provides a security that the image processing apparatus can guarantee for the processing of the image data when a certain image processing apparatus requests another image processing apparatus to process the image data. This is a method of selecting an image processing apparatus to be a processing request destination based on the level.
[0073]
Further, as described above, the image processing apparatus of the present invention is configured such that the image data processing request destination is connected to the own apparatus based on the security level that other image processing apparatuses can guarantee for the processing of image data. This is to select from a plurality of image processing apparatuses.
[0074]
According to the above configuration, the image processing apparatus to which the processing is requested is selected based on the security level that the image processing apparatus can guarantee for the processing of the image data.
[0075]
Therefore, it is possible to select an image processing apparatus having the same security level as the image processing apparatus that is the processing request source as the processing request destination. Therefore, when the requesting image processing device is selected from those satisfying the security level desired by the user when processing the image data, the image processing device requested to process is selected from those satisfying the security level desired by the user. You can choose.
[0076]
Therefore, when processing image data by a plurality of image processing apparatuses, it is possible to prevent security from being compromised when processing image data.
[0077]
Further, as described above, in the image processing system of the present invention, the security level is determined based on whether the image processing apparatus to be determined can invalidate image data. Is what is done.
[0078]
According to the above configuration, since the security level is determined based on whether or not the image data can be invalidated, the security level of the requested image processing apparatus can be more accurately determined. Therefore, it is possible to select the image processing apparatus to which the processing is requested from those that reliably satisfy the security level desired by the user.
[0079]
Therefore, when processing image data by a plurality of image processing apparatuses, an effect is obtained that security can be more reliably prevented from being impaired when processing image data.
[0080]
Further, as described above, in the image processing system having the above-described configuration, the image processing system of the present invention transmits, from the image processing apparatus serving as the image data processing request source, information relating to invalidation of the image data to the image data processing request. The image data is transmitted to the preceding image processing apparatus, and the image data of the processing request destination invalidates the image data based on the invalidation information.
[0081]
According to the above configuration, the information regarding the invalidation of the image data is transmitted from the image processing apparatus that has requested the processing of the image data to the image processing apparatus that has requested the processing. Further, in the image processing apparatus of the processing request destination, the image data is invalidated based on the transmitted information on the invalidation.
[0082]
Therefore, the image data can be invalidated on the same basis in the image processing apparatus that is the processing request source of the image data and the image processing apparatus that is the processing request destination. Therefore, it is possible to cause the image processing apparatus of the processing request destination to execute the invalidation at the level desired by the image processing apparatus of the processing request source.
[0083]
Therefore, when processing image data by a plurality of image processing apparatuses, an effect is obtained that security can be more reliably prevented from being impaired when processing image data.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of an image processing system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a table showing information on a printer installed in the image processing system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which the image processing system in FIG. 1 performs distributed processing.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which the image processing system in FIG. 1 performs proxy processing.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of a screen for setting the image processing system of FIG. 1 to execute distributed processing.
6 is a diagram showing a display example of a screen for selecting a printer capable of performing distributed processing in the image processing system of FIG. 1;
7 is a diagram showing a display example of a screen for selecting a printer capable of performing proxy processing in the image processing system of FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Image processing system
2 Network
3 Printer (image processing device)
4 PC

Claims (5)

In an image processing system that processes image data by a plurality of network-connected image processing apparatuses,
When a certain image processing apparatus requests another image processing apparatus to process image data, the image processing apparatus selects an image processing apparatus to which processing is requested based on a security level that the image processing apparatus can guarantee for the processing of the image data. An image processing system, characterized in that: The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the security level is determined based on whether the image processing apparatus to be determined can invalidate the image data. From the image processing apparatus serving as the image data processing request source, information regarding invalidation of the image data is transmitted to the image data processing request destination image processing apparatus,
3. The image processing system according to claim 2, wherein the image processing apparatus of the processing request destination invalidates the image data based on the information on the invalidation. In an image processing method for processing image data by a plurality of network-connected image processing apparatuses,
When a certain image processing apparatus requests another image processing apparatus to process image data, the image processing apparatus selects an image processing apparatus to which processing is requested based on a security level that the image processing apparatus can guarantee for the processing of the image data. An image processing method comprising: In an image processing apparatus connected to a plurality of image processing apparatuses via a network,
The image data processing request destination is selected from a plurality of image processing devices connected to the own device, based on a security level that can be assured by another image processing device for the processing of image data. Image processing device.

Images