JP2006085615A - Printing system and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a structure to reliably perform security management for printing outputs from a plurality of printers, and print desired printing jobs selected from ones stored in a server in a specified order. <P>SOLUTION: Corresponding relations between printing apparatuses 30-1 to 30-n and authentication apparatuses 40-1 to 40-n which perform user authentication to allow users to acquire printing matters from the printing apparatuses are stored in a printing server 20. The printing server stores and manages printing jobs related to printing instructions from client apparatuses 10-1 to 10-m. Based on user authentication by the authentication apparatuses 40-1 to 40-n, printing jobs which are permitted with printing are selected through the printing server 20 and transmitted from a printing job list transmitting part 213 to the authentication apparatuses 40-1 to 40-n to be displayed in a printing jobs list. Based on the display, the selected printing jobs are transmitted to the printing apparatuses 30-1 to 30-n in a specified order, and then printed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system and a control method therefor, and more particularly, to select a desired print job by acquiring a list of print jobs stored in a server upon authentication of the authentication device and displaying the list on the authentication device or the printing device. The present invention relates to a printing system whose operability is improved by instructing a printing order and a control method therefor.

  Recently, there are many systems that can use a printer in a so-called network environment in which a plurality of client devices are connected to a network, a plurality of printers are connected, and the plurality of printers are shared by a plurality of client devices. Has been built.

  In a system that shares a printer in such a network environment, ensuring the security of the printed document is a problem.

For example, in such a network environment, it is possible to instruct printing of a document from an arbitrary client device to an arbitrary printer, and the printer is not necessarily arranged near the client device.
1) A print instruction may be issued from a user who does not have the authority to print a document. 2) Even if a print instruction is issued from a user having a valid authority, the user outputs a document output from the printer based on the print instruction. There is a problem that this document may be taken away by a third party or the contents of the document may be seen by the time it is taken.

  In order to solve this problem, conventionally, as shown in Patent Document 1, when printing is performed from a printer in a network environment, an input of a personal identification number is requested from the operation panel of the printer, and the personal authentication is performed using the personal identification number. A configuration has been proposed in which printing is permitted by performing the above.

Also, as shown in Patent Document 2, a configuration has been proposed in which printing is performed by performing personal authentication using an IC card when printing from a printer.
In addition, a configuration is also known in which personal authentication is performed by biometric authentication such as fingerprint authentication to allow printing or take out printed matter.
JP-A-8-256239 JP2002-240398

  However, since both of those disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 perform personal authentication on the printer side, it is difficult to cope with the variety of authentication media and biometric authentication devices. .

  Because there are so many authentication devices in the market and there are many types that are not compatible for each authentication device, providing a part to perform authentication judgment for each authentication device in the printer There was a problem that the cost was significantly increased.

  Further, in a configuration in which identity authentication is performed using an IC card as shown in Patent Document 2, generally, there is a tendency that card configuration information and usage information are not disclosed except for a specific OS environment. There is also a problem that it is difficult to provide a personal authentication configuration using a card in a printer in a general network environment.

  In addition, since both the configurations of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 need to provide a configuration for performing authentication determination in the printer body, the network environment that has already been introduced is changed with the change of the configuration of the printer. It was difficult to employ various authentication devices.

  Also, in a configuration in which a print job related to a print instruction from the client device is stored in the server and the print job stored in the server is executed based on authentication by the authentication device, the print job stored in the server for the same user When there are a plurality of print jobs, there is a demand for printing all or a part of the plurality of print jobs stored in the server when the authentication apparatus is authenticated in a predetermined order.

  Thus, the present invention makes it possible to employ various authentication devices without changing the network environment that has already been introduced, and to ensure security management of print output from a plurality of printers with a simple configuration. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system and a control method therefor that can be performed in the same manner.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide a printing system and a control method therefor that can print a desired print job among print jobs stored in a server in a predetermined order.

  In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 connects an authentication device for authenticating printing permission in a printing device corresponding to one or a plurality of printing devices connected to the network to each of the clients, and In a printing system that stores a print job related to a print instruction from a device in a server and executes the print job stored in the server based on authentication of the authentication device, the print stored in the server upon authentication of the authentication device A print job list acquisition unit that acquires a list of jobs, and a display unit that displays a list of print jobs acquired by the print job list acquisition unit.

  The invention of claim 2 is the invention of claim 1, further comprising selection means for selecting a desired print job to be printed based on the list of print jobs displayed on the display means. .

  The invention of claim 3 further comprises a print order specifying means for specifying the print order of print jobs based on the list of print jobs displayed on the display means in the invention of claim 1 or 2. Features.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the display unit is provided in the authentication device.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the display unit is provided in the printing apparatus.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, an authentication apparatus that authenticates printing permission in the printing apparatus corresponding to one or a plurality of printing apparatuses connected to the network is connected to the network, and a print instruction is issued from the client apparatus. In a printing system control method for storing a print job related to the above in a server and executing the print job stored in the server based on authentication of the authentication device, the print job stored in the server during authentication of the authentication device A list is acquired by a print job list acquisition unit, a list of print jobs acquired by the print job list acquisition unit is displayed by a display unit, and a desired print job is displayed based on the list of print jobs displayed by the display unit. It is characterized in that selection and printing order are instructed.

  According to the present invention, a list of print jobs stored in the server upon authentication of the authentication device is acquired by the print job list acquisition unit, and the list of print jobs acquired by the print job list acquisition unit is displayed by the display unit. Since the desired print job is selected and the print order is instructed based on the list of print jobs displayed by the display means, the security of the printed matter can be ensured, and the necessary print job is required. There is an effect that printing can be performed in order.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a printing system and a control method thereof according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an outline of a printing system according to the present invention.

  1, this printing system includes a plurality of client devices 10-1,... 10-m, a print server 20, a plurality of printing devices 30-1,... 30-n, and a plurality of printing devices 30-1. ,..., 30-n are connected to the network 50, respectively.

  Here, the client apparatuses 10-1,..., 10-m issue a print instruction for a desired document using this printing system, and perform a plurality of user authentications as to whether the user has the authority for this print instruction. Authentication apparatuses 11-1,... 11-m are connected locally.

  The authentication devices 40-1,... 40-n are connected to the network 50 corresponding to the printing devices 30-1,..., 30-n, respectively, and the above-described printing devices 30-1,. When printing a document related to a print instruction, user authentication is performed to determine whether the user has authority to print.

  User authentication in the authentication devices 11-1, ... 11-m and the authentication devices 40-1, ... 40-n is a card-like storage medium (hereinafter referred to as security) in which user identification information (user ID) carried by the user is stored. User authentication using a card), user authentication that reads biometric feature information such as a user's fingerprint, and the like can be employed. In this embodiment, a case where user authentication is performed using a security card will be described as an example. .

  Here, the security card can be composed of an IC card equipped with an IC (integrated circuit), a magnetic card using a magnetic stripe as a storage means, and the like, in addition to the user ID, department information to which the user belongs. In addition, various information necessary for user authentication such as a range of authority, a secret key used for encryption of a print job formed based on a print instruction, a public key used for encoding, and the like are stored in advance.

  The client apparatuses 10-1,... 10-m issue a print instruction using the printing apparatuses 30-1,... 30-n of documents created and edited by themselves or documents acquired from a document management system (not shown).

  When a print instruction is issued from the client device 10-1,... 10-m of this document, user authentication as to whether or not the user has authority to issue a print instruction of this document is given to the client device 10-1,. This is performed using authentication devices 11-1,... 11-m connected locally.

  The authentication devices 11-1,... 11-m include a card reader that reads information necessary for user authentication from a security card carried by the user, and information required for user authentication from the security card is used for user authentication. (Hereinafter referred to as “authentication data”), and this authentication data is input to the corresponding client device 10-1,.

  The client apparatuses 10-1,... 10-m perform necessary user authentication based on this authentication data. This user authentication is performed by an inquiry to the print server 20.

  That is, the client apparatuses 10-1,... 10-m transmit all or part of the authentication data read from the security card to the print server 20 via the network 50, and the user sends this document to the print server 20. An inquiry is made as to whether or not the user has the authority to issue a print instruction.

  The print server 20 performs user authentication processing based on an inquiry to its own database or a separately provided user management system to determine whether or not the user has authority to issue a print instruction for the document, and the response is sent to the client device. Return to 10-1, ..., 10-m.

  In the client apparatuses 10-1,... 10-m, if it is determined that the user does not have the authority to print the document, the print job based on the print instruction is not submitted and discarded.

  However, if it is determined that the user has authority to issue a print instruction for the document, a print job based on the print instruction is generated, and the print job is read using the secret key read from the security card. The encrypted print job is transmitted to the print server 20 via the network 50.

  The print server 20 accumulates and manages the encrypted print jobs transmitted from the client apparatuses 10-1,... 10-m, for example, corresponding to the user ID of the user who issued the print instruction. At this time, printing related to this print job stored in the print server 20 is not started.

  When the user who has issued a print instruction on the client device 10-1,... 10-m or the user who has the authority to acquire the printed material based on the print instruction acquires the printed material based on the print instruction, print output is performed. .., 30-n, and user authentication is performed by the authentication devices 40-1,..., 40-n arranged near the printing devices 30-1,.

  This user authentication is performed using a security card in the same manner as the user authentication by the authentication devices 11-1,.

  For example, when a user who has performed near the printing apparatus 30-1 that performs print output inserts a security card carried by the user into the authentication apparatus 40-1 near the printing apparatus 30-1, the authentication apparatus 40- 1, the authentication data necessary for user authentication is read from the security card.

  The read authentication data is sent to the print server 20 via the network 50, and the print server 20 authenticates whether or not the user has the authority to acquire a printed material based on the print instruction.

  This user authentication is also performed based on an inquiry to the database of the print server 20 or a separately provided user management system.

  If it is determined by the user authentication that the user does not have the authority to acquire a printed material based on the printing instruction in the printing apparatus 30-1, printing based on the printing instruction is prohibited.

  If it is determined by the user authentication that the user has the authority to acquire a printed matter based on the print instruction in the printing apparatus 30-1, the print server 20 authenticates the authentication apparatuses 40-1,. Search for the corresponding print job from the encrypted print jobs stored and managed based on the user ID included in the authentication data sent from -n, and print the print job list data indicating the searched print job list as the user authentication It transmits to the authentication apparatus 40-1 which performed.

  As a result, the print job list is displayed on the authentication apparatus 40-1, and the user selects a print job to be printed and designates the print order based on the display of the print job list. The job list to be displayed may be only those related to the authenticated user, or may be a person who selects printing and designates the order based on the display.

  The print server 20 is notified of the print job selected based on the display of the print job list and the designated print order.

  The print server 20 extracts the print job from the selected print job and the encrypted print job stored and managed based on the designated print order, and uses the print job using the public key included in the authentication data. To decrypt.

  Further, the print server 20 stores a correspondence table that stores the correspondence between the printing devices 30-1,... 30-n and the authentication devices 40-1,. The printing apparatus 30-1 corresponding to the apparatus 40-1 is identified with reference to the correspondence relationship table, and the decrypted print data is transmitted to the identified printing apparatus 30-1.

  As a result, the printing apparatuses 30-1,..., 30-n start printing based on the decrypted print data.

  Thus, in this embodiment, upon user authentication using the authentication devices 40-1,... 40-n, a list of print jobs that can be printed on the authentication devices 40-1,. The print server 20 selects a print job to be printed and designates the print order based on the display of the print job list, and the print server 20 selects the print job stored and managed based on the selected print job and the designated print order. Since the configuration is such that the corresponding print job is taken out and transmitted to the printing apparatuses 30-1,..., 30-n, the necessary print jobs can be printed in the necessary order.

  Further, there is no security inconvenience that this printed matter is taken away by a third party or the contents are seen, and the authentication determination configuration is provided in the printing devices 30-1,... 30-n. Since it is not provided, various authentication devices can be employed as the authentication devices 11-1, ... 11-m and the authentication devices 40-1, ... 40-n without changing the already installed network environment. .

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of the print server 20 shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 2, the print server 20 includes a network interface unit 201 that constitutes an interface with the network 50, a print job reception unit 202, a print job accumulation management unit 203, an authentication data reception unit 204, an authentication processing unit 205, and an authentication result transmission. Unit 206, print job selection unit 207, print job decryption unit 208, print data generation unit 209, printing device authentication device correspondence storage unit 210, printing device identification unit 211, print data transmission unit 212, print job list transmission unit 213 The print request receiving unit 214 is provided.

  Here, the print job accepting unit 202 accepts an encrypted print job related to a print instruction from the client apparatuses 10-1 to 10 -m via the network interface unit 201.

  The print job accumulation management unit 203 accumulates and manages the encrypted print job received by the print job reception unit 202 in correspondence with the user ID.

  The authentication data receiving unit 204 receives authentication data related to an inquiry from the client devices 10-1,... 10-m and authentication data from the authentication devices 40-1,.

  Based on the authentication data received by the authentication data receiving unit 204, the authentication processing unit 205 authenticates the authentication data from the client devices 10-1, ... 10-m and the authentication data from the authentication devices 40-1, ... 40-n. And a public key for decrypting the print job related to the print instruction is extracted from the authentication data from the authentication devices 40-1,... 40-n.

  Here, the user authentication based on the authentication data related to the inquiry from the client devices 10-1,..., 10-m in the authentication processing unit 205 is a print instruction from the client devices 10-1,. The user authentication based on the authentication data from the authentication devices 40-1,... 40-n obtains a printed matter related to the print instruction. Authentication is performed to determine whether or not the user who has the right is authorized.

  This user authentication can be performed with reference to a database (not shown) in the print server 20 or a database of a user management system (not shown) linked to the printing system.

  When the authentication processing unit 205 performs user authentication based on the authentication data related to the inquiry from the client devices 10-1,... 10-m, the authentication result transmission unit 206 passes the authentication result via the network interface unit 201. When the user authentication is performed based on the authentication data from the authentication devices 40-1,... 40-n, the authentication result is passed through the network interface unit 201. To the authentication devices 40-1,... 40-n.

  When the authentication processing unit 205 authenticates the user based on the authentication data from the authentication devices 40-1,... 40-n and authenticates that the user is a valid user who obtains the printed matter, the print job selection unit 207 Based on the user ID of the user, a print job permitted to be printed is selected from print jobs stored and managed in the print job storage manager 203.

  In addition, the print job selection unit 207 transmits print job list data indicating a list of print jobs permitted to be printed to the print job list transmission unit 213 based on the selection of the print job, and the print request reception unit 214 receives the print job list data. A print job to be printed is selected based on the print request from the authentication devices 40-1,.

  Here, the print job list data includes a print job name and various attribute information of the print job.

  The print job decryption unit 208 decrypts the print job selected by the print job selection unit 207 based on the public key extracted by the authentication processing unit 205, and the print data generation unit 209 decrypts the print job by the print job decryption unit 208. Based on the data, print data to be transmitted to the printing apparatuses 30-1 to 30 -n is generated.

  The printing apparatus authentication device correspondence storage unit 210 stores a correspondence table that stores the correspondence between the printing devices 30-1, ... 30-n and the authentication devices 40-1, ... 40-n. The identification unit 211 stores the above-mentioned printing apparatus authentication apparatus correspondence relationship according to which authentication apparatus 40-1,... 40-n the authentication apparatuses 40-1,. Referring to the correspondence table stored in the unit 210, the printer that transmits the print data is identified from the printers 30-1,... 30-n.

  The print data transmission unit 212 transmits the print data generated by the print data generation unit 209 to the printing device specified by the printing device specification unit 211 via the network interface unit 201.

  The print job list transmission unit 213 transmits the print job list data from the print job selection unit 207 to the authentication devices 40-1,.

  The print request receiving unit 214 receives print requests from the authentication devices 40-1,. Here, the print request from the authentication devices 40-1,... 40-n includes a print job selected based on the print job list displayed by the authentication devices 40-1,. Contains information.

  3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a detailed configuration of the client apparatuses 10-1,... 10-m (collectively referred to as client apparatus 10) illustrated in FIG.

  In FIG. 3, a client device 10 issues a print instruction using this printing system, and is composed of a personal computer or the like, and authentication devices 11-1,... 11-m (collectively referred to as authentication device 11) are locally provided. Connected.

  The client apparatus 10 includes a print instruction reception unit 101, a print job generation unit 102, an authentication data reception unit 103, an authentication processing unit 104, an authentication data transmission unit 105, an authentication result reception unit 106, a print job encryption unit 107, a print job. A transmission unit 108 and a network interface unit 109 are provided.

  Here, the print instruction receiving unit 101 receives a print instruction using this printing system based on an input selection operation such as a keyboard and a mouse (not shown).

  The authentication data receiving unit 103 receives authentication data related to this print instruction from the authentication device 11.

  The authentication processing unit 104 performs user authentication based on the authentication data received by the authentication data receiving unit 103 to determine whether or not the user who issues the print instruction is a user who has a valid authority.

  User authentication by the authentication processing unit 104 is performed by an inquiry to the print server 20.

  That is, when user authentication is performed by the authentication processing unit 104, a part or all of the authentication data from the authentication device 11 is transmitted to the print server 20 via the authentication data transmission unit 105 and the network interface unit 109, thereby An inquiry is made as to whether the user involved in this is a user who has the authority to issue a print instruction using this printing system.

  Then, the result of this inquiry is received by each authentication receiving unit 106 by the network interface unit 109, and the authentication processing unit 104 uses the printing system by the user related to this authentication data based on the reception information of each authentication receiving unit 106. It is determined whether the user is authorized to issue a print instruction.

  When it is determined by the user authentication in the authentication processing unit 104 that the user related to the authentication data is a valid user who has the authority to issue a print instruction using the print system, the print job generation unit 102 receives a print instruction. Based on the print instruction received by the unit 102, a print job for issuing a print instruction is generated using this printing system.

  The print job encryption unit 107 encrypts the print job generated by the print job generation unit using a print job encryption secret key included in the authentication data.

  The print job transmission unit 108 transmits the print job encrypted by the print job encryption unit 107 to the print server 20 via the network interface unit 109 and the network 50.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing of the client apparatus 10 shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 4, the client apparatus 10 first checks whether the print instruction receiving unit 101 has received a print instruction (step 401). If the print instruction has not been received (NO in step 401), the client apparatus 10 returns to step 401 to print. Although it waits for acceptance of the instruction, if it is determined that the printing instruction has been accepted (YES in step 401), it is next checked whether the authentication data receiving unit 102 has received the authentication data related to this printing instruction (step 402).

  If authentication data has not been received (NO in step 402), the process returns to step 402 and waits for reception of authentication data.

  When the authentication data is received (YES in step 402), the authentication processing unit 104 performs user authentication based on the received authentication data to determine whether the user related to the authentication data has the authority to issue a print instruction using the printing system. Perform (step 403).

  If the user authentication determines that the user has authority to issue a print instruction using the printing system (YES in step 404), the print job related to the print instruction received by the print instruction receiving unit 101 is transmitted. Generated by the print job generation unit 103, the generated print job is encrypted by the print job encryption unit 107 using the secret key included in the authentication data (step 406), and the encrypted print job is transmitted to the print job transmission unit. Then, the data is transmitted to the print server 20 via the network interface unit 109 (step 407), and the processing in the client device 10 is terminated.

  If it is determined in step 404 that the user related to the authentication data does not have the authority to issue a print instruction using this printing system (NO in step 404), the user issues a print instruction using this printing system. Therefore, a print instruction prohibition message is displayed on the display device of the client apparatus 10 and the like indicating that the print instruction authority is not granted (step 408), and the print instruction received by the print instruction receiving unit 101 is displayed. Print prohibition processing such as discarding is performed (step 409), and the processing in the client device 10 is terminated.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing of the print server 20 shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 5, the print server 20 first checks whether the print job reception unit 202 has received an encrypted print job from the client device 10 (step 501). If an encrypted print job from the client apparatus 10 has not been received (NO in step 501), the process returns to step 501 to wait for a print job from the client apparatus 10.

  When the print job reception unit 202 receives an encrypted print job from the client device 10 (YES in step 501), the encrypted print job is stored in the print job storage management unit 203 and is associated with a print instruction. Management is performed corresponding to the user ID (step 502).

  Next, it is checked whether the authentication data receiving unit 204 has received the authentication data based on the inquiry from the client device 10 or the authentication data from the authentication device 40 (step 503). If authentication data has not been received (NO in step 503), the process returns to step 503 to wait for reception of authentication data, but if authentication data is received (YES in step 503), the user by the authentication processing unit 205 Authenticate.

  Next, it is checked whether the user authentication is authentication based on an inquiry from the client device 10, that is, an authentication request from the client device 10 (step 505). If the user authentication is an authentication request from the client device 10 (YES in step 505), the authentication result is transmitted to the client device 10 via the authentication result transmitting unit 206 and the network interface 201 (step 505). 506), the processing of the print server 20 is terminated.

  In step 505, if the user authentication is not an authentication request from the client device 10 (NO in step 505), the user authentication is based on the authentication data from the authentication device 40. It is determined whether or not the user has the authority to acquire a printed material based on the instruction (step 507).

  If it is determined that the user has the authority to acquire the printed material (YES in step 507), then it is checked whether the print job list acquisition request is received from the authentication device 40 (step 508), and the print job list is acquired. If it is a request (YES in step 5087), the print job selection unit 207 encrypts the print job stored and managed in the print job storage management unit 203 based on the user ID included in the authentication data sent from the authentication device 40. The corresponding print job is searched from the received print job, and print job list data indicating a list of print jobs that can be printed based on the searched print job is sent via the print job list transmission unit 213 and the network interface unit 201. This is transmitted to the authentication device 40 that has performed user authentication (step 509), and the processing of the print server 20 is terminated.

  If it is determined in step 508 that the request is not a print job list acquisition request from the authentication device 40 (NO in step 508), then it is checked whether the print request is from the authentication device 40 (step 510). (YES in step 510), the print job selection unit 207 selects a print job related to the print instruction from the encrypted print jobs stored and managed in the print job storage management unit 203 (step 511). The selected encrypted print job is decrypted by the print job decrypting unit 208 using the public key included in the authentication data (step 512).

  Further, the printing apparatus 30 corresponding to the authentication apparatus 40 that has transmitted the authentication data is specified with reference to the correspondence table stored in the printing apparatus authentication apparatus correspondence storage unit 210 (step 513).

  Then, the print data generated by the print data generation unit 209 based on the decrypted print job is transmitted to the printing apparatus 30 specified in step 810 via the print data transmission unit 212 and the network interface unit 201 (step 514). The process of the print server 20 is finished.

  If it is determined in step 507 that the user related to the authentication data does not have the authority to acquire a printed material based on the print instruction (NO in step 507), printing based on the print instruction cannot be performed. Print prohibition processing is performed (step 515), and the processing of the print server 20 is terminated.

  In the above embodiment, the encrypted print job stored and managed in the print server 20 is decrypted in the print server 20 by using the public key included in the authentication data from the authentication device 40, and the print data is printed. Although it is configured to transmit to the apparatus 30, the print job may be decrypted in the authentication apparatus 40 or may be configured to be performed in the printing apparatus 30.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing of the authentication devices 40-1,... 40-n (collectively referred to as authentication device 40) shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 6, the authentication device 40 first checks whether authentication data has been accepted by inserting a security card (step 601). If authentication data is accepted (YES in step 601), an authentication request is made to the print server 20 based on this authentication data (step 602).

  When an authentication result is received from the print server 20 in response to this authentication request (YES in step 603), it is checked whether there is a print request authority based on this authentication result (step 604).

  If it is determined that the user has authority to request printing (YES in step 604), the print server 20 is requested for a list of print jobs that can be printed (step 605). Then, based on the print job list data received from the print server 20 in response to the print job list request, the print job list is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel provided in the authentication device 40 (step 616).

  FIG. 7 shows an example of an operation panel 700 provided in the authentication device 40. The operation panel 700 includes a display unit 710, an up scroll button 720, a down scroll button 730, an enter button 740, an enter button 750, and a reset. A button 760 is provided.

  Here, the display unit 710 displays a print job list that can be printed based on the print job list data acquired from the print server 20.

  Note that the print job list data acquired from the print server 20 includes the print job name and various attribute information of the print job. In FIG. 7, the “print attribute” is displayed on the display unit 710 together with the “job name”. , “Paper attribute” and “paper direction attribute” are displayed.

  The print job list data also displays the “order” for printing each print job.

  The authentication device 40 uses the up scroll button 720, down scroll button 730, enter button 740, and confirm button 750 to select a print job for requesting the print server 20 and specify the print order of these print jobs. Do.

  For example, a desired print job can be selected by inverting the display of a desired print job by operating the up scroll button 720 and the down scroll button 730 and pressing the enter button 740.

  Further, by scrolling the selected print job up or down with the up scroll button 720 and the down scroll button 730 and pressing the enter button 740, the print jobs are rearranged and the print order can be changed.

  Then, by finally pressing the confirm button 750, the selection of the print job for making a print request to the print server 20 and the designation of the print order are confirmed. Also, by pressing the reset button 760, the selection of the print job and the designation of the print order are reset.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of the operation panel 700 provided in the authentication device 40. The print job list display method, print job selection, and print order designation operation method are arbitrary.

  As described above, the print job is selected and the order is designated by operating the operation panel 700 provided in the authentication apparatus 40 (step 607), and the print request including the print job and the order is designated to the print server 20. This is transmitted (step 608), and the processing of the authentication device 40 ends.

  If it is determined in step 604 that there is no authority for print request (NO in step 604), a print prohibition process is performed (step 609), and the process of the authentication device 40 is terminated.

  In the above-described embodiment, a print job list that can be printed is displayed using the display unit 710 of the operation panel 700 provided in the authentication device 40, and a print request is issued to the print server 20 based on the print job list. The configuration is such that the job is selected and the print order is specified. This print job list is displayed on the display unit of the corresponding printing device 30-1,... 30-n (hereinafter referred to as the printing device 30). The server 20 may be configured to select a print job for which a print request is made and to specify a print order.

  FIG. 8 shows the processing of the authentication device 40 when the print job list is displayed on the display device of the printing device 30 and the print job to be requested for printing to the print server 20 is selected and the printing order is designated. It is a flowchart.

  In FIG. 8, the authentication device 40 first checks whether authentication data has been accepted by inserting a security card (step 801). If authentication data is received (YES in step 801), an authentication request is made to the print server 20 based on this authentication data (step 802).

  When an authentication result is received from the print server 20 in response to this authentication request (YES in step 803), it is checked whether there is a print request authority based on this authentication result (step 804).

  If it is determined that the user has authority to request printing (YES in step 804), a print job list that can be printed is requested to the print server 20 (step 805). When the print job list data is received from the print server 20 in response to the print job list request (YES in step 806), the received print job list data is transferred to the corresponding printing apparatus 30 (step 807).

  Accordingly, in the printing apparatus 30, the print job list is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel provided in the printing apparatus 30 based on the transferred print job list data.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of an operation panel 900 provided in the printing apparatus 30.

  9, an operation panel 900 provided in the printing apparatus 30 includes a display unit 910, an up scroll button 921, a down scroll button 922, a left scroll button 923, a right scroll button 924, an enter button 930, an enter button 940, A reset button 950 is provided.

  Here, the display unit 910 displays a print job list that can be printed based on the print job list data acquired from the print server 20.

  Since the display unit 910 of the operation panel 900 provided in the printing apparatus 30 is small, the list of all print jobs is displayed by operating the up scroll button 921, the down scroll button 922, the left scroll button 923, and the right scroll button 924. It can be confirmed.

  Even when the operation panel 900 provided in the printing apparatus 30 is used, the print server 20 is used by using the up scroll button 921, the down scroll button 922, the left scroll button 923, the right scroll button 924, the decision button 930, and the confirmation button 940. The user selects a print job that makes a print request and designates the print order of these print jobs. Also, by pressing a reset button 950, the selection of the print job and the designation of the print order can be reset.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of an operation panel 900 provided in the printing apparatus 30. The display method of the print job list, the selection of the print job, and the operation method of specifying the print order are arbitrary.

  As described above, when the print job is selected and the order is specified by operating the operation panel 900 provided in the printing apparatus 30, the print request data including the print job selection and the order is specified from the printing apparatus 30. Sent to the device 40.

  Upon receiving this print request data (step 808), the authentication device 40 transmits a print request including print job selection and order designation based on this print request data to the print server 20 (step 809). This process ends.

  If it is determined in step 804 that there is no authority for the print request (NO in step 804), the print prohibition process is performed (step 810), and the process of the authentication device 40 is terminated.

  In the above-described embodiment, the print job related to the print instruction is encrypted using the secret key included in the authentication data and sent from the client apparatus 10-1,... 10-m to the print server 20, and the encrypted print is performed. Although the job is configured to be decrypted with the public key included in the authentication data, a part of the authentication data may be used as an encryption / encoding key for the print job.

  In the above embodiment, the print job related to the print instruction is encrypted and sent from the client apparatus 10-1,... 10-m to the print server 20, and the encrypted print job is decrypted to print the print apparatus 30-1. ,... 30-n. However, when the network 50 is in an environment where there is no risk of information leakage, it is not always necessary to encrypt and decrypt the print job.

  The printing system and the control method thereof according to the present invention can be applied to a printing system for various documents that require security.

  According to the present invention, a list of print jobs stored in the server upon authentication of the authentication apparatus is acquired by the print job list acquisition unit, and the list of print jobs acquired by the print job list acquisition unit is displayed by the display unit. Since the desired print job is selected and the print order is instructed based on the list of print jobs displayed by the display means, the security of the printed matter can be ensured, and the necessary print job is required. Can be printed in order.

1 is a system configuration diagram showing an outline of a printing system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a detailed configuration of a print server illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a detailed structure of the client apparatus shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the client apparatus shown in FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing of the print server shown in FIG. 2. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing of the authentication device when a print job list is displayed on the authentication device. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation panel of an authentication apparatus that displays a print job list. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing of the authentication device when a print job list is displayed on the printing device. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation panel of a printing apparatus that displays a print job list.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10-1, ... 10-m Client device 11, 11-1, ... 11-m Authentication device 12 Security card 20 Security print server 30, 30-1, ... 30-n Printing device 40, 40-1, ... 40-n authentication device 50 network 101 print instruction reception unit 102 print job generation unit 103 authentication data reception unit 104 authentication processing unit 105 authentication data transmission unit 106 authentication result reception unit 107 print job encryption unit 108 print job transmission unit 109 network interface Unit 201 Network interface unit 202 Print job reception unit 203 Print job accumulation management unit 204 Authentication data reception unit 205 Authentication processing unit 206 Authentication result transmission unit 207 Print job selection unit 208 Print job decryption unit 209 Print data generation unit 210 Print置認 card device correspondence storage unit 211 the printing device specifying unit 212 the print data transmission unit 213 print job list transmission section 214 print request receiving section

Claims (6)

Corresponding to one or a plurality of printing devices connected to the network, an authentication device that authenticates printing permission in the printing device is connected to the network, and a print job related to a print instruction from the client device is stored in the server. In a printing system for executing a print job stored in the server based on authentication of the authentication device,
Print job list acquisition means for acquiring a list of print jobs stored in the server upon authentication of the authentication device;
And a display unit for displaying a list of print jobs acquired by the print job list acquisition unit. The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising a selection unit that selects a desired print job to be printed based on the list of print jobs displayed on the display unit. The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising: a print order designation unit that designates a print order of the print job based on the list of the print jobs displayed on the display unit.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is provided in the authentication device.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is provided in the printing apparatus. Corresponding to one or a plurality of printing devices connected to the network, an authentication device that authenticates printing permission in the printing device is connected to the network, and a print job related to a print instruction from the client device is stored in the server. In the printing system control method for executing the print job stored in the server based on the authentication of the authentication device,
A list of print jobs stored in the server upon authentication of the authentication device is acquired by a print job list acquisition unit,
A list of print jobs acquired by the print job list acquisition unit is displayed by a display unit;
A printing system control method, comprising: selecting a desired print job and instructing a print order based on a list of print jobs displayed by the display unit.

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