JP2006033529A - Setting information management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a setting information management system for improving security by performing centralized management of multifunctional image forming apparatuses. <P>SOLUTION: The setting information management system is provided in which the multifunctional image forming apparatus A and a managing server B are connected through a network, wherein the managing server B periodically reads out management information on the side of the multifunctional image forming apparatus A to manage the multifunctional image forming apparatus one by one, and adds a changed parameter, if any, to history information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a setting information management system in which a multifunctional (copying function, printer function, facsimile function, scanner function, etc.) image forming apparatus capable of being connected to a network and a management server are connected via a network.

A setting information management system is known in which a multifunctional image forming apparatus and a management server are connected via a network, and the management server periodically manages each setting state of the multifunctional image forming apparatus at a remote location, whether there is a failure, or the like. Yes. Related techniques include the following Patent Documents 1 to 4.
JP-A-11-220563 JP 2000-165567 A JP 2001-229110 A JP 2001-337797 A

Recently, however, the number of multifunctional image forming apparatuses that are used by connecting to a network is increasing. Therefore, if the settings of the multifunctional image forming apparatus are changed incorrectly or maliciously, there is a great problem for business operations. Further, since the number of multifunctional image forming apparatuses in the department is increasing, the burden on the administrator is also increasing. Furthermore, it is difficult to understand who has done what to access the multifunctional image forming apparatus.
An object of the present invention is to provide a setting information management system capable of centrally managing a multi-function image forming apparatus and improving security.

To achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a setting information management for connecting an image forming apparatus capable of network connection and a management server via a network and managing setting information of the image forming apparatus by the management server. In the system, the management server periodically reads out management information of the image forming apparatus and performs management for each image forming apparatus, and adds any changed parameters to the history information.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the setting information management system according to the first aspect, when the setting important for the image forming apparatus is changed, the management server changes the setting for the administrator registered in advance. It is characterized by presenting.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the setting information management system according to the first aspect, the management server transmits a login and a password to authenticate the image forming apparatus, and in the case of authentication OK, the management server is accessed by the image forming apparatus. Is stored as access record data.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the setting information management system according to the first aspect, when the image forming apparatus information is read from the management server, the image forming apparatus stores information relating to the transmitted data. It is characterized by.

According to the present invention, since the setting contents in the image forming apparatus are compared, it can be seen that the contents have been changed, so that it is easy to find the cause of the malfunction.
In addition, when the setting contents are changed, it is possible to notify the administrator quickly by presenting by e-mail transmission, pop-up or the like.
Further, it is possible to know that unauthorized access has been made by leaving the access record data (account log).
Also, by leaving a log of information that has been made public, it is possible to know whether there is access to information (such as a phone book) that you do not want to be known.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In the present embodiment, a multifunctional (copying function, printer function, facsimile function, scanner function, etc.) image forming apparatus will be described as an example of an image forming apparatus capable of network connection according to the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a multi-function image forming apparatus constituting a setting information management system of the present invention.
In the figure, document sensor 1 detects whether there is a document. Also check the original jam. The paper sensor 2 detects the position of the paper in the apparatus. Also check the paper jam. The battery 3 backs up the RAM to store the telephone number, the name of the other party, and the like.
The scanner 4 reads a document image and extracts image information. The plotter 5 records image information. The operation display unit 6 displays the state of the apparatus and operation guidance, and performs various operations on the apparatus. The image memory 7 stores image data. The parameter memory 8 stores parameters such as telephone numbers. The clock circuit 9 is used for transmission and the like.
The communication control unit 10 controls the network control unit 17 and the modem 16 to perform facsimile communication according to a predetermined transmission control procedure. The encoding / decoding unit 11 encodes information to be transmitted and decodes the received document. The CPU 12 controls each unit and executes a predetermined operation of the facsimile apparatus.
The ROM 13 stores a program necessary for the operation of the facsimile apparatus. The RAM 14 stores data necessary for operating the program. The character generator 15 stores character font data such as English, numbers, kana, symbols, and kanji.
The modem 16 modulates and demodulates the image information and transmits it, and transmits various procedure signals in the transmission control procedure. The network control unit 17 performs a predetermined call operation and a call reception operation by supplementing a line, sending a selection signal that is a destination telephone number, detecting an incoming call, and the like. The network I / F 18 controls the protocol with the LAN line.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the setting information management system of the present invention. This setting information management system is configured by connecting a multifunctional image forming apparatus A (A-1, A-2) and a management server B via a LAN.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a first operation example in the setting information management system of the present invention. The management server B reads management information on the multifunctional image forming apparatus A side using a protocol such as soap (S1). The read data is managed on the management server B side for each multifunctional image forming apparatus A. The management server B periodically reads out the information and determines the changed parameter (S2). If there is a change, it is added to the history information (S3).
Recently, the number of devices connected to the network is increasing. In addition, the management load of network devices is increasing. When there is a problem, it is difficult to tell whether it is a “device failure” or “setting is bad (changed)”. The management server B constantly monitors network devices and collects information to identify the cause of failure.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a second operation example in the setting information management system of the present invention. The management server B periodically reads the setting information of the multifunction image forming apparatus A (S11). When settings (fax number, ID, etc.) important for the multifunctional image forming apparatus A are changed (Y in S12), an e-mail is sent to the administrator registered in advance to indicate that the settings have been changed, An alert is displayed in a pop-up (S13). As a result, the administrator can quickly notice the setting change.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a third operation example in the setting information management system of the present invention. The management server B first logs in and transmits a password (S21), and has the multifunctional image forming apparatus A authenticate (S22). In the case of authentication OK, access record data (log) indicating that access is made on the multifunctional image forming apparatus A side is left (S23). Thereafter, the setting information of the multifunction image forming apparatus A can be transmitted (S24). Unauthorized access can be known by leaving an access log.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a fourth operation example in the setting information management system of the present invention. When the multifunctional image forming apparatus A information is read from the management server B (S31), what information is transmitted is recorded in the log as information regarding the data transmitted on the multifunctional image forming apparatus A side (S32). In other words, keep a log of the published information.
In the case of network devices, it is difficult to understand who is accessing what. By leaving it in the log, it is possible to know whether information (such as a phone book) that you do not want to be known leaks due to unauthorized access. It is also possible to output the log to a report or display it on an LCD.
Device information can be acquired and registered by soap on models after Kir-c2. It is assumed that multiple machines will be set at once, but this will only be used when the machine is started up. If the operation is expanded to use constantly monitoring as in the present invention, it is useful for maintenance.

1 is a block diagram of a multi-function image forming apparatus constituting a setting information management system of the present invention. It is a block diagram of the setting information management system of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the 1st operation example in the setting information management system of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the 2nd operation example in the setting information management system of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the 3rd operation example in the setting information management system of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the 4th operation example in the setting information management system of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

A Multifunctional image forming apparatus B Management server

Claims (4)

  In a setting information management system in which an image forming apparatus capable of network connection and a management server are connected via a network, and the setting information of the image forming apparatus is managed by the management server, the management server stores management information of the image forming apparatus. A setting information management system characterized by periodically reading and managing each image forming apparatus and adding any changed parameters to the history information.   2. The setting information management system according to claim 1, wherein when a setting important for the image forming apparatus is changed, the management server presents the administrator who has been registered in advance that the setting has been changed. Setting information management system.   2. The setting information management system according to claim 1, wherein the management server transmits a login and a password to cause the image forming apparatus to authenticate, and in the case of authentication OK, stores that the image forming apparatus is accessed as access record data. A setting information management system characterized by:   2. The setting information management system according to claim 1, wherein when the image forming apparatus information is read from the management server, the image forming apparatus stores information relating to the transmitted data. .

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