JP2004326271A - Department management system for image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a department management system for an image forming device capable of automatically recognizing a department of an output requiring destination for managing it and capable of performing fee charging management according to the output. <P>SOLUTION: In this department management system, to which data input devices such as host computers 2a-2c are connected via a network 1, for the image forming device 3, a data input device has a function for adding data input device identification information constructed of an IP address or a computer name to image formation information. The image forming device 3 has an extraction means automatically extracting the data input device identification information from the data input device and performs department management according to management information previously registered in the image processing device on the basis of the information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with a department management system in an office or the like, and in particular, a department capable of automatically recognizing and managing a department to which an output request is made, and performing charge management according to the output. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a management system.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, especially in companies, image forming apparatuses having not only a copying machine function but also an image scanner function, a facsimile function, a printer function, etc. have been frequently used in order to save installation space for various office equipment. Have been. Such an image forming apparatus is usually connected to a computer (PC) or a server of each department via a local area network (LAN) or the like, and further executes input / output processing of image data to / from an external storage device via various interfaces. In the image forming apparatus, image data once received or input is stored in an image memory, and thereafter, output processing such as print output and data transfer is performed. .
[0003]
On the other hand, such an image forming apparatus is often used by a plurality of departments because of its excellent ability. Therefore, from the viewpoint of budget, environmental load, and the like, particularly, a printer function and a copier function are required. For the number of sheets output to a sheet when using a printing function such as, operation management is performed in which a limit is set for each department in order to prevent unlimited output and prevent wasteful consumption of sheets and toner. For example, when using the printing function, a limit count value is set in advance for the amount of paper used and the amount of toner consumed, and when the cumulative number of prints or the accumulated amount of toner reaches the limit count value, By controlling the printing operation to be stopped, appropriate operation management for each department with respect to use of printing functions such as a printer function and a copying machine function is performed.
[0004]
In this case, when a print instruction is issued from the user's terminal via the network and printing is performed, a print operation is performed by adding the department ID to which the user belongs to the print data, and the print operation is performed in the same manner for the print. Is usually added. For example, in Patent Document 1 below, an ID (identification) code is stored in advance in a printer connected to a network, and only when print data received from an external device includes data that matches the ID code. A printer capable of printing is disclosed. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-163873 discloses a printer configured to efficiently manage / operate a printer by setting use / non-permission of the printer for each terminal connected to the network in the printer itself connected to the network. A system is disclosed.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a system, if the department ID or the like input by the user is wrong or if the user forgets to add the department ID to the print data, the printing is not performed. May be forgotten, but in such a case, printing becomes impossible at all. Furthermore, when a new terminal device is added, it is necessary to perform the department management setting for each terminal device, and it takes much time and effort for department management.
[0006]
On the other hand, in order to eliminate the need for inputting a user ID in such a conventional image forming apparatus, when a user selects a printer to output on a PC, a parameter including an IP address and a user name of the PC is automatically set. Patent Literature 3 discloses a printer user restriction system that acquires a user restriction server and makes an inquiry about whether or not printing is possible. Therefore, in order to understand the present invention, a system disclosed in Patent Document 3 below will be described first with reference to FIG.
[0007]
FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a printer user restriction system disclosed in Patent Document 3 below. The printer user restriction system 51 includes client computers 55a to 55n connected to a network 52, printer devices 54a to 54n, and a user restriction server 53. The user restriction server 53 includes a user management table storage unit 61 for registering users who are permitted to use the printer devices 54a to 54n.
[0008]
Each of the printer devices 54a to 54n includes an access control list storage unit 70 that stores the IP addresses of the client computers 55a to 55n to which access is permitted. An access control unit 71 for controlling access permission / non-permission based on whether or not the IP addresses of the computers 55a to 55n are registered is provided.
[0009]
Prior to the user making a print request from the client computers 55a to 55n to the printer devices 54a to 54n, the user makes an authentication request specifying the printer devices 54a to 54n to the user restriction server 53, and the user restriction server 53 If the user is registered as usable in the user management table storage unit 61 in response to the authentication request, the access control list of the IP addresses of the client computers 55a to 55n used by the user with respect to the printer devices 54a to 54n , The user is allowed to print on the printer devices 54a to 54n using the client computers 55a to 55n.
[0010]
Therefore, even in a system in which the user restriction server 53 that manages the print restriction and the printer devices 54a to 54n that receive the print data are separated, the printer devices 54a to 54n can be used without using a complicated configuration or advanced technology. It is possible to appropriately limit the use of the printer without using a complicated user management list (user management table) and adding authentication information to print data, and to appropriately and inexpensively restrict printer users. And an effect that the usability can be improved.
[0011]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-5-330152 [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-9-288552 [Patent Document 3]
JP-A-2002-063008
The above-described printer user restriction system has an advantage that the user does not need to input an ID when issuing a print instruction to each printer selected from the user's PC, but a user restriction server is separately provided for user restriction. There is no technical idea that the system becomes large-scale and that department management for each user is performed simply by determining whether or not print use is possible for each user.
[0013]
In view of this, the present inventor has attempted to obtain a department management system for an image forming apparatus that can efficiently perform department management for a system that allows a user terminal to perform print processing from a user terminal via such a network. As a result of various studies, in consideration of the fact that each user terminal connected to the current network is assigned an IP address, a computer name, a work group name, etc., at least the IP address or the computer name is assigned to the terminal. If used instead of the ID code of the data input device for the image processing device, each user does not need to memorize or input the ID code of each department, and also does not need to use a separate large device such as a server. To find that the department management can be effectively performed in the image processing apparatus, and to complete the present invention. Than it was Tsu.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
That is, the present invention provides a department management system for an image forming apparatus in an office or the like, which automatically recognizes and manages, in particular, a department to which an output request is issued, and performs charge management according to the output. An object of the present invention is to provide a department management system for a forming apparatus. The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following configurations.
[0015]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, in the department management system for an image forming apparatus in which a data input device and an image forming device are connected via a network and process image information from the data input device, The data input device has a function of adding data input device distinguishing information including an IP address or a computer name (PC name) to the image forming information, and the image forming device automatically converts the data input device distinguishing information from the data input device. A division management system for an image forming apparatus, comprising: an extraction unit for performing a division extraction, and performing division management based on management information registered in the image processing apparatus in advance based on the information. You.
[0016]
According to this aspect, since the data input device identification information including the IP address or the PC name is used instead of the ID code of the data input device for the image processing device, each user can store or input the ID code of each department. This makes it possible to perform department management effectively in the image processing apparatus without using a large-scale device such as a server, without having to do so.
[0017]
In this aspect, the image forming apparatus includes: a registration unit that registers a department for each of the data input device distinguishing information; and the data input device distinguishing information added to the registration information to output data from the data input device. It is preferable to have a charging system for comparing and automatically counting and charging the corresponding department. With such a configuration, the accounting processing according to the usage amount to the image processing apparatus without error for each section corresponding to each data input apparatus identification information including the IP address or the computer name automatically recognized by the image forming apparatus. Will be able to do.
[0018]
In this aspect, it is preferable that the input device discrimination information is an IP address, and the registering means registers a designated upper digit of the IP address for each department. With such a configuration, even if a plurality of users belong to a predetermined department, it is possible to automatically assign the count value of the predetermined department by making the designated upper digits of the IP address the same. For example, even if the number of users belonging to the department changes due to a personnel change or the like, the user can easily be recognized as a user of the department only by changing the specified upper digit of the IP address and changing the lower digit.
[0019]
Further, in this aspect, the input device distinguishing information may be a computer name, and the registration unit may register the computer name as a wild card for each department. Even with such a configuration, a plurality of computer names can be assigned by assigning an arbitrary fixed character string to the computer name for each predetermined department.
[0020]
Furthermore, in this aspect, the image forming apparatus has a discriminating device for discriminating output data having data input device discrimination information other than the registered data input device discrimination information. It is preferable to have a function of canceling the processing of the output data having the following. With such a configuration, when an output request is issued from a user other than the department managed by the image forming apparatus, the processing is automatically stopped since the output is inappropriate since the output is requested. And appropriate department management can be performed.
[0021]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the image processing apparatus according to the present invention means a device that processes a document or image that is subject to some department management, such as at least a printing function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function, which are connected to a network. In the following, an example will be described in which print processing is performed in an image processing apparatus including a digital multifunction peripheral having a plurality of functions such as a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be applied to any of the above devices.
[0022]
(Example 1)
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a host computer and an image forming apparatus connected to a network. That is, a plurality of host computers 2a to 2c and an image forming apparatus 3 having a department management function are connected to a network 1 such as the Internet or a LAN. Although only one image forming apparatus 3 is shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of image forming apparatuses 3 can be connected on a network.
[0023]
The image forming apparatus 3 is connected to the network 1 via an interface unit (I / F unit) 4, and further includes a display unit 5 for displaying various settings, an operation unit 6 for inputting various settings, , A printing unit 8 for printing image data, etc., a facsimile unit 10 connected to a public telephone line 9, an external memory interface 12 to which an external memory (storage unit) 11 can be connected, and a scanner unit 13. All of these units are controlled by the control unit 14.
[0024]
The external memory interface 12 includes various interfaces such as a parallel interface, a serial interface, a USB (Universal Serial Bus), an IEEE 1394, and a PC-Card bus, which are generally used, and can be connected to the external memory interface 12. As the external memory 11, a semiconductor memory, an HDD, a CD, a CD-R, a CD-RW, a DVD, a DVD-R, a DVD-RW, an FD, or the like can be used. It is also used as an input means of a person ID, a department ID, and the like.
[0025]
The storage unit 7 includes a section code correspondence management table previously associated with an IP address, a PC name, and the like corresponding to each section for which section management is to be performed in the image forming apparatus 3, and each section to be charged for each section. A cumulative count value indicating how much processing has been performed for the processing is stored, and a limit count value is stored for each processing in each section as needed.
[0026]
First, as an initialization operation, registration and setting of a department to be managed by the department are performed from the operation unit 6, and the target IP address or PC name, the number of copies, and the like are registered for each department. Further, regarding processing when image data with an IP address or PC name not registered in any department is sent, whether or not to cancel this job, whether or not to issue an error report, Alternatively, it is also registered whether or not to continue processing without being subject to department management. These various settings are stored in the storage unit 7 via the control unit 13.
[0027]
Further, the registered section information is displayed on the display means 5 so that it can be confirmed. Further, the registration and confirmation of various settings may be confirmed by the host computers 2a to 2c via the I / F unit 4 and the network 1. Normally, separate IP addresses or PC names are designated and registered for each of the host computers 2a to 2c.
[0028]
However, when an IP address is used, a plurality of registrations can be made for each department by setting a subnet mask. For example, when the IP address “192.168.10.10” is registered and the subnet mask is set to “255.255.255.0”, the IP address registered in the same department as the IP address is “192.168.10.10”. 10.0 "to" 192.168.10.25 ".
[0029]
Furthermore, when a PC name is used, a plurality of PC names can be registered in each section by setting a wild card in the PC name. For example, if a PC name belonging to a certain department is registered as "tec_ *", all the PC names belonging to that department have "tec_" at the beginning of the PC name.
[0030]
When an image printing request is issued by the host computer 2a, the driver automatically adds its own IP address or PC name to the image data and sends the image data to the image forming apparatus 3. The control unit 14 extracts an IP address or a PC name in the image data acquired by the I / F unit 4 of the image forming apparatus 3, and searches for and matches the IP address of the department registered in the storage unit 7. Search for If there is a department in which a matching IP address is registered, the limit such as the number of sheets in the department is checked, and if it is determined that printing is possible, the image data is printed by the printing unit 8. The count of printing is counted to the department in which the matching IP address is registered.
[0031]
FIG. 2 shows a flowchart in a case where a printing process is performed using the image forming apparatus 3 according to the present invention. When a print instruction is executed from the host computer 2a in step S10, an IP address or a PC name is obtained in step S11, and in step S12, a print request is issued by adding the IP address or the PC name to the print data.
[0032]
In the image forming apparatus 3, the code of the corresponding department is searched based on the IP address or the PC name added to the print data from the host computer 2a in step S21, and the department in which the IP address or the PC name is registered is searched. Judge whether or not it is permitted. If the department corresponding to this IP address or PC name is registered and printing is permitted, the limit count value of the corresponding department is checked in step S22, and if it does not exceed the limit count value, the process proceeds to step S23. In step S24, the printing process is executed, and in step S24, the count-up process of the corresponding section is performed, so that the bill is properly charged.
[0033]
If the process corresponding to the IP address or the PC name added to the print data from the user is not permitted in step S21, it is determined in step S25 whether cancel processing is set in advance. If it is set to perform the canceling process, the canceling process is performed in step S26, the transmitted print data is discarded, and information indicating that the canceling process has been performed is stored in the storage unit as necessary. Keep it.
[0034]
If it is set not to perform the canceling process in step S25, it is determined in step S27 whether the error report is set to be printed out in advance, and the setting is made to output the error report. If yes, the IP address or PC name that sent the print data, the print data file name, the department to which the print data belongs, etc. are printed in step S28, and the process ends. If it is set not to output an error report, an error message to that effect is displayed on the display means 5 or all the data is discarded and the process is terminated. Otherwise, the printing process may be performed in step S23.
[0035]
(Example 2)
The second embodiment is an example of the case where the copy and print processing of the original is performed by using the scanner 13 ′ separately connected to the network 1 or the scanner unit 13 of the image forming apparatus 3. A flowchart in this case is shown in FIG. Indicated. First, in step S30, when an instruction to read a document set on the scanner 13 'is issued from the host computer 2a, the document is read by the scanner 13' in step S31. Then, in step S32, the host computer 2a sends the document to the host computer 2a. The reading of the read data is performed. Thereafter, in step S33, printing is performed in the image processing apparatus 3 according to a print instruction from the host computer 2a. In this case, the processes up to steps S34 and S35 after the print instruction from the host computer 2a and the processing in the image processing apparatus 3 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0036]
(Example 3)
The third embodiment is an example in which an image input from the memory reader 15 connected to the host computer 2a is printed by the image processing apparatus 3, and a flowchart in this case is shown in FIG. First, print data is read from the memory device in step S36, and the print data is discharged to the host computer 2a in step S37. Thereafter, in step S38, printing is performed in the image processing apparatus 3 according to a print instruction from the host computer 2a. In this case, the processes up to steps S39 and S40 after the print instruction from the host computer 2a and the processing in the image processing apparatus 3 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0037]
(Example 4)
The fourth embodiment uses the facsimile means 10 of the image forming apparatus 3 or prints a facsimile image received by a facsimile apparatus (not shown) separately connected to the network 1 from the host computer 2a to the image processing apparatus. Is an example in which printing is performed by issuing a command, and a flowchart in this case is shown in FIG. In this case, since the received facsimile image is stored in the storage means 7 of the image forming apparatus 3 or the storage means in the facsimile apparatus separately connected to the network 1, these facsimile images are first sent from the host computer 2a in step S41. The user accesses the data to select predetermined facsimile image data, and then prints in the image processing apparatus 3 according to a print instruction from the host computer 2a. In this case, the processes subsequent to the print instruction from the host computer 2a are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically count and charge in the image processing apparatus in association with the corresponding department without adding a department management number or the like at the time of printing by the host computer. Therefore, each user does not need to store the department management number, the ID, and the like. Further, since there is no need to set a department management number or the like in the host computer, it is possible to prevent a situation where printing cannot be performed due to an incorrect department management number.
[0039]
Furthermore, since printing from a host computer that has not been registered can be made impossible, it is possible to prevent unauthorized persons from carrying out printing by taking out the department management number from somewhere. Further, even when a host computer as a terminal device is newly added, the department management can be performed without changing the department management setting according to the registration method of the IP address and the PC name.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a host computer and an image forming apparatus connected to a network.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart in a case where a printing process is performed using the image forming apparatus according to the present invention corresponding to the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a case where a printing process is performed using the image forming apparatus according to the present invention corresponding to the second embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a case where a printing process is performed using an image forming apparatus according to the present invention corresponding to a third embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a case in which a printing process is performed using an image forming apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a conventional printer user restriction system.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Network 2a-2c Host computer 3 Image forming apparatus 4 Interface (I / F) part 5 Display means 6 Operation means 7 Storage means 8 Printing means 9 Public telephone line 10 Facsimile means 11 External memory 12 External memory interface 13 Scanner means 13 ' Scanner 14 Control means 15 Memory reader

Claims (5)

A data input device and an image forming device are connected via a network, and in a department management system of an image forming device that processes image information from the data input device, the data input device may be configured such that the image forming information has an IP address or The image forming apparatus has a function of adding data input device distinguishing information including a PC name, and the image forming apparatus has an extracting unit that automatically extracts data input device distinguishing information from the data input device. A department management system for an image forming apparatus, wherein department management is performed using management information registered in the image processing apparatus in advance. The image forming apparatus has registration means for registering a department for each of the data input device identification information, and compares the registration information with data input device identification information added to output data from the data input device. 2. The department management system according to claim 1, further comprising a billing system for automatically counting and billing a corresponding department. 3. The department management of the image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the input device identification information is an IP address, and the registration unit registers a designated upper digit of the IP address for each department. system. 3. The department management system according to claim 2, wherein the input device identification information is a computer name, and the registration unit performs wild card registration of the computer name for each department. The image forming apparatus has a determination device that determines output data having data input device distinguishing information other than registered data, and performs processing of output data having data input device distinguishing information other than registered data. The department management system for a data output device according to claim 1, further comprising a cancel function.

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