JP2005316833A - Image forming device and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the wasteful use of a storage area in a printer spooling document data, and reading and printing the document data after performing authentication of a user. <P>SOLUTION: A controller part 5 determines whether or not authentication information is included in document data received by a receiving part 7, stores image data generated based on the document data in a spool part 13 in case that the authentication information is included, and supplies the image data to an engine part 6 in case that the authentication information is not included. The spool part 13 determines whether or not authentication information matched to the authentication information included in the document data is inputted within a predetermined period from storage of the image data, supplies the image data to the engine part 6 in case that the input is determined, and performs processing for reducing the data quantity to the image data in case that the input is not determined. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that receives print data from a plurality of transmission sources via a network.

  When multiple users use the same printer (shared printer) connected to the network, if the printed paper is left at the paper discharge position of the printer, the printed content may touch the eyes of others. is there. Such a situation is not preferable in terms of security when a highly confidential document is printed. In order to prevent others from seeing the printed content, it is troublesome because it is necessary to go to the place where the printer is installed to get the printed paper as soon as the data is sent to the printer. Furthermore, when another user is printing, it is inconvenient because it is necessary to wait until it is finished.

Techniques for solving such problems have been proposed. For example, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, a printer driver creates document data including a password and transmits it to a printer. The printer temporarily stores (spools) the document data. When the user inputs a password to the printer, it is determined whether or not this password is the same as the password included in the document data (authentication). If the password is the same, the spooled print data is read and printed. I do.
JP 2000-309148 A

However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since document data occupies a storage location until the user inputs a password, if a certain user does not come to input a password for a long time, there is an available storage area. It will decrease. Therefore, there may occur a situation in which document data cannot be accepted when another user tries to print.
The present invention has been made under the background described above, and prevents wasteful use of a storage area in a printer that prints document data after spooling the document data and performing user authentication. The purpose is to provide technology that can be used.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention stores a communication unit that performs communication via a network, a conversion unit that generates image data based on document data received by the communication unit, and the image data. Whether the authentication information is included in the document data received by the spool means, the image forming means for forming an image based on the image data, the authentication information input means for inputting the authentication information, and the communication means If the authentication information is included, the image data generated based on the document data is stored in the spool unit. On the other hand, if the authentication information is not included, the image data is stored in the image data. A determination unit supplied to the forming unit, and an authentication included in the document data within a predetermined period after the image data is stored by the spool unit. It is determined whether or not authentication information that matches the information has been input. If the authentication information is input, the image data is supplied to the image forming unit. And an image forming apparatus having processing means for performing processing for reducing the amount of noise.

  According to the image forming apparatus having the above configuration, the determination unit determines whether or not the authentication information is included in the document data received by the communication unit, and if the authentication information is included, The image data generated on the basis of the image data is stored in the spool unit. On the other hand, if the authentication information is not included, the image data is supplied to the image forming unit. Then, the processing means determines whether or not authentication information matching the authentication information included in the document data is input within a predetermined period after the image data is stored by the spool means. Supplies image data to the image forming means, and if not inputted, performs processing for reducing the data amount of the image data.

  The present invention also includes a step of receiving document data, and determining whether authentication information is included in the received document data. If the authentication information is included, the document data is generated based on the document data. If the authentication information is not included, an image is formed based on the image data, and the document data is included within a predetermined period after the image data is stored. It is determined whether or not authentication information that matches the authentication information that has been input, and if it is input, an image is formed based on the image data. And an image forming method including a step of performing a process for reducing a data amount.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent wasteful use of a storage area in a printer that spools document data, reads the document data after performing user authentication, and performs printing.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
<First Embodiment>
<Configuration>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
A printer (image forming apparatus) 4 is communicably connected to a plurality of computers 1 via a network 3. The computer 1 has a function of creating data using an application program or the like. The application program is, for example, a word processor, a spreadsheet program, or a graphic drawing program. The computer 1 has a built-in printer driver 2, and data (hereinafter referred to as “PDL data”) written using a page description language (hereinafter referred to as “PDL”) is created using an application program or the like. Is transmitted to the printer 4. This PDL data is composed of attribute information and drawing information. The attribute information is information for controlling the engine unit 6 such as paper feed cassette designation and paper discharge position designation. The drawing information is information representing characters, figures, and the like to be drawn by the engine unit 6. The computer 1 includes an instruction input unit (not shown) including a display unit (not shown) for displaying information based on data received via the network 3 and a keyboard for a user to input instructions. )have.

  In the case of performing printing with authentication, when data is created using an application program or the like, the user inputs an instruction indicating that printing with authentication is performed to the computer 1 and further inputs authentication information (password). . The password is a character string consisting of alphanumeric characters. Then, the printer driver 2 creates PDL data in which a command (hereinafter referred to as “authentication command”) indicating that printing with authentication is performed on data created using an application program or the like and a password are added. When printing without authentication is performed, the user inputs an instruction indicating that printing without authentication is performed to the computer 1. Then, the printer driver 2 creates PDL data without adding an authentication command and a password.

  The controller unit 5 of the printer 4 has a receiving unit 7, an interpreter unit 8, and a rasterizing unit 9 in addition to controlling the entire printer 4. The receiving unit 7 receives the PDL data transmitted from the computer 1. The interpreter unit 8 interprets the received PDL data and converts it into an internal code of the printer 4 (hereinafter referred to as “display list”). The rasterizing unit 9 generates image data that is bitmap data for performing actual printing based on the display list. The engine unit 6 forms an image on the surface of the paper by electrophotography.

The controller unit 5 and the engine unit 6 are connected by a video interface (hereinafter referred to as “V-I / F”) 12. The V-I / F 12 includes an image data transmission unit 10 for transmitting image data, and a serial communication unit 11 for transmitting engine control commands such as printing start, paper feed cassette designation, paper discharge position designation, and the like. doing.
The spool unit 13 is a nonvolatile memory such as a hard disk or a flash memory. Since the processing speed of peripheral devices such as printers is generally slower than the processing speed of computers, data sent from computers is temporarily stored in memory, and data is read from memory according to the processing speed of printers. Process. Further, when a plurality of computers are connected to one printer, data transmitted from the plurality of computers is stored in a memory, and the data is read and processed sequentially in the order received. Such temporary storage is called spooling (SPOOL, Simultaneous Peripheral Operation On-Line). The spool section 13 is means for performing the above-described spool.

The authentication information input unit 15 includes a keyboard and a mouse, and is a means for the user to input a password.
The authentication unit 14 determines whether the password included in the PDL data transmitted from the computer 1 matches the password input by the authentication information input unit 15.

<Operation>
The operation of the printer 4 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a flow of processing performed by the printer 4.
First, in step S <b> 101, PDL data transmitted from the computer 1 is received by the receiving unit 7, and this PDL data is supplied to the interpreter unit 8. The interpreter unit 8 separates the PDL data into attribute information and drawing information. The separated attribute information and drawing information are each converted (interpreted) into a display list (internal code). When the creation of the display list is completed for one page of PDL data, a display list representing drawing information is sent to the rasterizing unit 9.

In step S102, the rasterization unit 9 generates image data (bitmap data) by interpreting and rasterizing the display list supplied from the interpreter unit 8.
In step S103, the controller unit 5 determines whether an authentication command is included in the PDL data. When the authentication command is included (step S103: YES), the process proceeds to step S104. On the other hand, when the authentication command is not included (step S103: NO), the process proceeds to step S122. In step S <b> 122, the controller unit 5 interprets the display list representing the attribute information, generates an engine control command, and supplies the engine control command to the engine unit 6 via the serial communication unit 11. Further, the image data generated by the rasterizing unit 9 is supplied to the engine unit 6 via the image data transmitting unit 10. Then, an image is formed on the surface of the paper based on the engine control command and the image data.

  In step S <b> 104, the image data generated by the rasterizing unit 9 is stored in the spool unit 13. In step S <b> 105, the controller unit 5 generates data representing the end of rasterization and the spool period of image data, and this data is transmitted to the computer 1 via the network 3. Then, information representing the end of rasterization and the spool period transmitted from the printer 4 is displayed on the display unit of the computer 1. The spool period is a period in which image data can be held in the spool unit 13, and is a time such as 10 minutes, for example.

  In step S106, the controller unit 5 determines whether authentication information (password) has been input. If the password has been input (step S106: YES), the process proceeds to step S121. In step S121, the authentication unit 14 determines whether or not the password included in the PDL data matches the input password (YES in step S121), and proceeds to step S122. When the passwords do not match (step S121: NO) and when the password is not input (step S106: NO), the process proceeds to step S107, and the controller unit 5 determines whether or not the spool period has elapsed. If the spool period has not elapsed (step S107: NO), the process returns to step S106, and if the spool period has elapsed (step S107: YES), the process proceeds to step S108. The controller unit 5 repeats the determinations in steps S106 and S107 at regular time intervals (for example, every 1 second).

In step S <b> 108, the rasterizing unit 9 reversely converts the image data into a display list and stores it in the spool unit 13. At this time, since the display list has a smaller amount of data than the image data, the storage area occupied by the display list is smaller than that of the image data.
In step S109, the controller unit 5 generates data indicating that the image data has been converted back into the display list and the display list spool period (for example, 10 minutes), and sends these data to the computer via the network. 1 to send. Then, the information transmitted from the printer 4 is displayed on the display unit of the computer 1.

  In step S110, the controller unit 5 determines whether or not a processing instruction has been input. The processing instruction is that the user who is informed by the information displayed on the display unit of the computer 1 that the image data has been converted back into the display list instructs the printer 4 again to perform printing using the display list. It is an instruction to do. When this processing command is input (step S110: YES), the process proceeds to step S124, and the display list is rasterized again by the rasterizing unit 9 to generate image data. On the other hand, if a processing command has not been input (step S110: NO), the process proceeds to step S111, where it is determined whether the spool period has elapsed. If the spool period has not elapsed, the process returns to step S110, and if the spool period has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S112.

In step S112, the interpreter unit 8 converts the display list back to PDL data and stores it in the spool unit 13. At this time, since the PDL data has a smaller data amount than the display list, the storage area occupied by the PDL data is smaller than that of the image data.
In step S113, the controller unit 5 generates data indicating that the display list is reversely converted into PDL data and a spool period (for example, 10 minutes) of the PDL data, and these data are transmitted to the computer via the network. 1 to send. Then, the information transmitted from the printer 4 is displayed on the display unit of the computer 1.

  In step S114, the controller unit 5 determines whether or not a processing instruction has been input. The processing instruction is that the user who is informed by the information displayed on the display unit of the computer 1 that the display list has been converted back to PDL data instructs the printer 4 again to perform printing using the PDL data. It is an instruction to do. When this processing instruction is input (step S114: YES), the process proceeds to step S123, where the PDL data is converted again by the interpreter unit 8 to create a display list. This display list is sent to the rasterizing unit 9 and rasterized to create image data. On the other hand, if a processing command has not been input (step S114: NO), the process proceeds to step S115 to determine whether or not the spool period has elapsed. If the spool period has not elapsed, the process returns to step S114, and if the spool period has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S116.

In step S116, the controller unit 5 generates data representing a warning message asking whether to approve discarding of the PDL data, and transmits this data to the computer 1 via the network. Then, a warning message transmitted from the printer 4 is displayed on the display unit of the computer 1. The user who sees the warning message determines whether or not to approve the destruction of the PDL data, and inputs the determination result to the computer 1.
In step S117, the controller unit 5 determines whether or not there is a response from the computer 1. If there is a response (step S117: YES), the process proceeds to step S118, and it is determined whether or not the response indicates that the PDL data is to be discarded. When approving the discard (step S118: YES), the process proceeds to step S120. In step S120, the controller unit 5 performs a process for discarding the PDL data stored in the spool unit 13. If the cancellation is not accepted (step S118: NO), the process returns to step S123. If there is no response from the computer 1 in step S117, the process proceeds to step S119, and it is determined whether or not a predetermined period (for example, 10 minutes) has elapsed. If the predetermined period has not elapsed, the process returns to step S117, and if the predetermined period has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S120.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, spooled print data (rasterized image data) is spooled in a printer that prints print data after spooling print data and authenticating the user. Is discarded after a lapse of a predetermined period, it is possible to prevent wasteful use of the storage area.
Since the image data is converted back into the display list after a predetermined spool period has elapsed, the storage area can be saved. Furthermore, since the display list is returned to the PDL data after a predetermined spool period has elapsed, the storage area can be further saved.
Further, since the user is warned before the spooled PDL data is discarded, the user can determine whether or not to discard the PDL data.

In addition, since the user is informed of the spool period of the image data, printing can be performed with a shorter waiting time than when the image data is converted into a display list.
In addition, since the conversion of the image data into the display list and the spool period after the conversion are notified to the user, printing can be performed with a shorter waiting time than when the display list is converted into PDL data.
Further, since the conversion of the display list into PDL data and the spool period after conversion are notified to the user, printing can be performed using the PDL data before the PDL data is discarded.
Normally, the printer performs print processing in the order in which data is received. However, if data with authentication and data without authentication are mixed, the data without authentication is processed first and the password is entered. It is preferable to process data with authentication at the time.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the user can determine the spool period of the rasterized image data and the scheduled end time of rasterization by the rasterization unit 9. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image forming apparatus 4 in the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the image forming apparatus 4 has a spool period setting unit 17. The structure of other parts is the same as that of the first embodiment.

  Specifically, after the PDL data transmitted from the computer 1 is received by the receiving unit 7, the interpreter unit 8 analyzes the PDL data and determines whether the PDL data is a password added. When a password is added, the controller unit 5 transmits a message for prompting the computer 1 to input a spool period of image data and a scheduled rasterization end time. Then, this message is displayed on the display unit of the computer 1. When the user inputs the image data spool period and the rasterization end scheduled time to the computer 1, the computer 1 transmits these data to the printer 4. When these data are received by the receiving unit 7, these data are supplied to the spool period setting unit 17. When the expected rasterization end time is input, the spool period setting unit 17 calculates the time required for rasterization based on the processing speed of the rasterization unit 9 and the data amount of the display list, and the rasterization ends at the scheduled end time. The scheduled rasterization start time is determined so that when this time comes, an instruction to start rasterization is sent to the rasterization unit 9.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the user can set the spool period of the image data. In addition, the estimated rasterization end time can be set. Accordingly, it is possible to cause the printer to perform printing according to the user's situation (degree of busyness, schedule, etc.). Since rasterization is a process that requires a certain amount of time, the user can make a work schedule in consideration of this time. In addition, since the amount of data can be reduced until rasterization, useless use of the storage area can be prevented.
Note that a display list or PDL data spool period may be set.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the user can determine the data format for spooling data. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of the image forming apparatus 4 in the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the image forming apparatus 4 has a spool format selection unit 16. The structure of other parts is the same as that of the second embodiment.

  Specifically, after the PDL data transmitted from the computer 1 is received by the receiving unit 7, the interpreter unit 8 analyzes the PDL data and determines whether the PDL data is a password added. When the password is added, the controller unit 5 transmits a message for prompting the input of the data spool format to the computer 1. Then, this message is displayed on the display unit of the computer 1. Specifically, an input screen that prompts the user to select one of image data, a display list, and PDL data is displayed. For example, when the user wants to print quickly, image data is selected. If the print result cannot be obtained for a long time, PDL data is selected. For those intermediate situations, select the display list.

When the user inputs a data spool format to the computer 1, the computer 1 transmits this data to the printer 4. When this data is received by the receiving unit 7, this data is supplied to the spool format selecting unit 16. When image data or a display list is selected, the PDL data is converted into the selected format and spooled in the spool unit 13. When PDL data is selected, the PDL data is spooled.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the user can set the data spool format, printing can be performed according to the user's situation (degree of busyness, schedule, etc.).

<Modification>
The present invention is not limited to the form described above, and can be implemented in various forms. For example, the embodiment described above can be modified as follows.
When the spool period elapses in step S107, the image data stored in the spool unit 13 may be discarded. In addition, when the spool period has elapsed in step S111, the display list stored in the spool unit 13 may be discarded.
By generating data indicating the scheduled time of inverse conversion from image data to display list or the scheduled time of inverse conversion from display list to PDL data and transmitting it to the computer 1, the scheduled time is notified to the user. It may be.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the image forming apparatus concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the image forming apparatus concerning 3rd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a flow of processing performed by the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 4 ... Printer, 1 ... Computer, 2 ... Printer driver, 3 ... Network, 5 ... Controller part, 6 ... Engine part, 7 ... Receiving part, 8 ... Interpreter part, 9 ... Rasterizing part, 10 ... Image data transmission part, 11 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Serial communication part, 12 ... Video interface, 13 ... Spool part, 14 ... Authentication part, 15 ... Authentication information input part, 16 ... Spool format selection part, 17 ... Spool period setting part.

Claims (10)

A communication means for communicating via a network;
Conversion means for generating image data based on document data received by the communication means;
Spool means for storing the image data;
Image forming means for forming an image based on the image data;
An authentication information input means for inputting authentication information;
It is determined whether or not authentication information is included in the document data received by the communication unit. If the authentication information is included, image data generated based on the document data is stored in the spool unit. On the other hand, a determination unit that supplies the image data to the image forming unit when authentication information is not included,
It is determined whether or not authentication information matching the authentication information included in the document data has been input within a predetermined period after the image data is stored by the spool means. An image forming apparatus comprising: a processing unit that supplies data to the image forming unit, and performs processing for reducing the data amount of the image data when the data is not input. The converting means includes
First conversion means for converting the document data into an internal code of the image forming apparatus;
Second conversion means for converting the internal code into image data;
First inverse transformation means for inversely transforming the image data into an internal code,
The processing means stores the image data when the authentication information matching the authentication information included in the document data is not input within a predetermined period after the image data is stored by the spool means. When the processing instruction is input within a predetermined period after the internal code is stored by the spool means, the internal code is converted into image data and converted into image data. While storing in the spool means, there is means for performing processing for reducing the data amount of the internal code when the processing code is not input within a predetermined period after the internal code is stored by the spool means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The converting means includes second inverse converting means for inversely converting the internal code into document data;
The processing means reversely converts the internal code into document data and stores it in the spool section when a processing instruction is not input within a predetermined period after the internal code is stored by the spool means, When a processing instruction is input within a predetermined period after the document data is stored by the spool means, the document data is converted into an internal code, and the internal code is further converted into image data. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for discarding the document data when a processing command is not input within a predetermined period after the document data is stored by the spool means. The image forming apparatus described.   The image data, the internal code, and the document data are generated by generating data representing that the data is stored in the spool unit, and the generated data is transmitted to the document data transmission source. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for generating data representing the predetermined period and transmitting the generated data to a transmission source of the document data.   Means for receiving data defining a retention period of data stored in the spool means by the communication means and retaining the image data, the internal code, or the document data with the retention period as a predetermined period; The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   Data defining the data format of data stored in the spool means is received by the communication means, and any one of the image data, the internal code, and the document data is generated according to the data format and stored in the spool means The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   Data defining the end time of reverse conversion of the image data into internal code or reverse conversion of the internal code into document data is received by the communication means, and the end time is converted into the data amount of the reversely converted data. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for obtaining a start time of reverse conversion based on the start time and starting reverse conversion at the start time.   When another document data is received within a period in which any of the image data, the internal code, and the document data is stored in the spool unit, the processing unit uses the other document data. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus performs processing for printing. Receiving document data; and
It is determined whether or not the authentication information is included in the received document data. When the authentication information is included, the image data generated based on the document data is stored, while the authentication information is included. If not, forming an image based on the image data;
It is determined whether or not authentication information matching the authentication information included in the document data is input within a predetermined period after the image data is stored, and if input, based on the image data An image forming method comprising: forming an image, and performing a process for reducing the data amount on the image data when the image is not input.

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