JP2006123243A - Image forming apparatus management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus management system in which user identification information can be managed easily when limitation of use is managed for each user. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus management system for managing limitation of use for each user comprises a user ID for identifying a user, a password flag indicating whether a password is set for the use ID or not, a means for storing the password in association with the a character string when it is set for the user ID, a means for receiving print data imparted with the user ID and the password from a terminal, a means for judging whether a password is set for a received user ID or not based on a password flag stored in the storage means, and a means for registering a received password in the storage means in association with the user ID if the password is not set. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus management system that manages usage restrictions for each user.

Conventionally, in order to limit the number of printed sheets, a user management function is provided in a printing apparatus such as a printer or a multifunction peripheral. This is because the user ID and the upper limit number of prints for this user are set in the printing apparatus, data with a user ID is transmitted from a terminal connected via a network or the like, and the user ID is verified by processing in the printing apparatus. Thus, it is determined to permit printing and to save paper resources (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-055576 A

  However, the user ID is a numeric string of several digits, and the printing apparatus manager must allocate and manage the user ID for each user. Since the user ID is a code that identifies the user, unlike the password, the administrator assigns the user ID with a simple serial number, as well as an in-house affiliation code, an employee if it is an individual so that the management is as simple as possible. It is often managed with numbers and student ID numbers. However, when a user ID is given according to such a rule, when the number of prints of a certain user exceeds the upper limit number of prints, other user IDs can be easily estimated, and using the estimated user ID, There is a problem that it is possible to print by impersonating another user. On the other hand, when using a combination of a user ID and password instead of managing only a user ID, the printing device administrator must set the user ID and the password in the printing device, which takes time and effort. There is also.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides an image forming apparatus management system capable of easily managing user identification information when managing use restrictions for each user. Objective.

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus management system in which a terminal and an image forming apparatus are connected by a network and use restriction management is performed for each user. A user ID for identifying a user, and a password is set for the user ID Storage means for storing a password flag indicating whether or not the password flag and a character string of the password when the password is set for the user ID, and the user ID and password are given from the terminal A receiving unit that receives the received print data, a determination unit that determines whether a password is set for the received user ID, based on a password flag stored in the storage unit, and the determination unit, When it is determined that no password is set, the received user ID is assigned to the received user ID. Give communication with, characterized in that a registering means for registering in the storage means.

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus management system in which a terminal and an image forming apparatus are connected by a network and use restriction management is performed for each user. A user ID for identifying a user, and a password is set for the user ID Storage means for storing a password flag indicating whether or not the password flag and a character string of the password when the password is set for the user ID, and the user ID and password are given from the terminal A receiving unit that receives the received print data, a determination unit that determines whether a password is set for the received user ID, based on a password flag stored in the storage unit, and the determination unit, If it is determined that a password has not been set, the received password is updated to the specified administrator terminal. An authentication request means for requesting authentication for registration, and when authentication for newly registering a password is obtained from the predetermined administrator terminal, the received password is associated with the received user ID. Registration means for registering in the storage means.

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus management system in which a terminal and an image forming apparatus are connected by a network and use restriction management is performed for each user. A user ID for identifying a user, and a password is set for the user ID Storage means for storing a password flag indicating whether or not the password flag and a character string of the password when the password is set for the user ID, and the user ID and password are given from the terminal A receiving unit that receives the received print data, a determination unit that determines whether a password is set for the received user ID, based on a password flag stored in the storage unit, and the determination unit, If it is determined that a password has not been set, the terminal that sent the print data has a predetermined terminal. Only if it is transmitted from, characterized in that a registering means for registering in the storage means put associated with the user ID received the password received.

  According to the present invention, by setting a password for the user ID, it is possible to prevent others from printing due to impersonation, and it is possible to set the password by the user himself / herself. The effect of saving the trouble of password registration can be obtained.

  An image forming apparatus management system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the embodiment. In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an image forming apparatus capable of performing FAX transmission / reception, copying, image reading, printing, and the like. Reference numeral 11 denotes a control unit that performs overall control of processing operations of the image forming apparatus 1. Reference numeral 12 denotes an image forming unit that performs FAX transmission / reception, copying, image reading, printing, and the like. Reference numeral 13 denotes a management table storage unit that stores a management table composed of information for managing use restrictions for each user. Reference numeral 14 denotes a use record storage unit that stores use record information for each user. Reference numeral 2 denotes a system administrator terminal used by an administrator who manages the image forming apparatus 1. Reference numeral 31 denotes an administrator terminal used by the administrator of the department A. Reference numeral 32 denotes a user terminal used by a user in the department A. Reference numeral 41 denotes an administrator terminal used by the administrator of the department B. Reference numeral 42 denotes a user terminal used by a user in department B. Reference numeral N denotes a computer network that performs information communication between each terminal and the image forming apparatus. In the following explanation, the user is explained as an employee of a department in the company (for example, a design department, an accounting department, etc.), but there is no distinction between employees, and all employees belonging to the target department are treated as the same user. Shall.

  Next, the table structure of the management table storage unit 13 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The management table includes a “department ID” corresponding to the user ID, a “restricted number” for restricting use of the department ID, and a “password flag” indicating whether or not a password is set for the department ID. , It has four fields of “password” in which an arbitrary character string is set when a password is set. Among these fields, “Department ID” and “Limited number” are fields set in advance by the system administrator, and can be set only by a setting operation from the system administrator terminal 2. The “password flag” is a field that can be reset (set to 0) only by a setting operation from the system administrator terminal 2.

  Next, the table structure of the usage record storage unit 14 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The use record table has two fields of “department ID” that is the same as that stored in the management table storage unit 13 and “use number” that is the use record for each department ID. The number of used sheets is a count value of the number of sheets printed in the image forming unit 12.

Next, the processing operation of the image forming apparatus management system shown in FIG. 1 will be described. First, an operation for registering a department ID and a limited number of sheets performed in advance by a system administrator will be described.
First, the system administrator operates the system management terminal 2 to transmit a user registration request from the system administrator terminal 2 to the image forming apparatus 1. This registration request includes the network address of the system administrator terminal 2. The registration request is received by the control unit 11, and the network address included in the registration request is collated with the network address registered in advance in the control unit 11. The system administrator terminal 2 that has transmitted the request is requested to transmit the department ID and the limited number of sheets. In response to this, the system administrator terminal 2 displays an instruction message for inputting the department ID and the limited number of sheets. In response to this message, when the system administrator inputs a combination of the department ID and the limited number from the system administrator terminal 2, the system administrator terminal 2 displays the input combination of the department ID and the limited number of images in the image forming apparatus 1. Send to. The control unit 11 registers the set of the department ID and the limit number transmitted from the system administrator terminal 2 in the management table storage unit 13, and sets the password flag associated with the registered department ID to “0” (password is set). (Not in the state). By repeating this registration operation as many times as the number of department IDs, a plurality of sets of department IDs and a limited number of sheets are registered in the management table storage unit 13.

  This registration operation is performed by directly inputting the registration operation to the image forming apparatus 1 using the numeric keypad, function key, and display device provided in the image forming apparatus 1 without using the system administrator terminal 2. The department ID and the limited number of sheets may be registered.

  Next, a printing operation and a password registration operation will be described with reference to FIG. First, a user in department A who wants to perform printing transmits a print job from the user terminal 32 to the image forming apparatus 1. This print job includes the print data to which the department ID and password are assigned, and the network address of the user terminal 32. This print job is received by the control unit 11 (step S1). The control unit 11 extracts the department ID given to the received print data, and determines whether or not this department ID is registered in the management table storage unit 13 (step S2). If not registered, the print job is canceled (step S6), and the user terminal 32 that has transmitted the print job is notified of the cancellation.

  When the received department ID is registered in the management table storage unit 13, the control unit 11 refers to the password flag stored in the management table storage unit 13, and determines the password associated with the received department ID. It is determined whether it is registered (step S3). If the result of this determination is that a password has been registered, the control unit 11 checks the password assigned to the received print data against the registered password to determine whether they match (step S4). ). As a result, if the passwords match, the received print data is printed (step S5), and the used number stored in the use record storage unit 14 is updated according to the number printed. When executing this printing, the value obtained by adding the number of sheets to be printed and the number of used sheets stored in the usage record storage unit 14 does not exceed the limit number stored in the management table storage unit 13 Only printing is performed. On the other hand, if the passwords do not match, the control unit 11 cancels the print job (step S6), and notifies the user terminal 32 that has transmitted the print job of the cancellation.

  Next, when it is determined in step S3 that the password is not registered, the control unit 11 obtains a network address included in the received print job and a plurality of network addresses registered in advance in the control unit 11. Whether the terminal that transmitted the print job is a previously registered terminal is determined based on whether or not there is a match (step S7). If the result of this determination is that the print job is not sent from a pre-registered terminal, the control unit 11 requests the administrator terminal 31 of the department A administrator to authenticate the new password registration. To do. In response to this, the administrator of the department A sends back to the image forming apparatus 1 that password registration is permitted from the administrator terminal 31 (step S8).

  Next, the control unit 11 registers the password assigned to the received print job in the management table storage unit 13 when the print job is transmitted from the registered terminal or when the password registration is authenticated. In addition, the password flag is set to “1” (step S9). Thereafter, the control unit 11 prints the received print data (step S5), and updates the number of used sheets stored in the use result storage unit 14 according to the number of printed data. However, when printing is performed, the value obtained by adding the number of sheets to be printed and the number of used sheets stored in the usage record storage unit 14 does not exceed the limit number stored in the management table storage unit 13. Only when printing is performed.

  If the user forgets the password, the system administrator can reset the password flag (set it to 0) so that the user can set the password again. You only have to set it. In this way, the system administrator can only reset the password flag, so that it is possible to prevent the system administrator from knowing the password.

  As described above, the combination of the user ID and the password prevents spoofing, and the user who uses the image forming apparatus 1 registers the password. Therefore, the system administrator does not register the password for each user. And password registration work can be done easily.

  Note that the program for realizing the functions of the processing unit in FIG. 1 is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on the recording medium is read into a computer system and executed, thereby executing the function of the image forming apparatus. Management processing may be performed. Here, the “computer system” includes an OS and hardware such as peripheral devices. The “computer-readable recording medium” refers to a portable medium such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, and a CD-ROM, and a storage device such as a hard disk built in the computer system. Further, the “computer-readable recording medium” refers to a volatile memory (RAM) in a computer system that becomes a server or a client when a program is transmitted via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. In addition, those holding programs for a certain period of time are also included.

  The program may be transmitted from a computer system storing the program in a storage device or the like to another computer system via a transmission medium or by a transmission wave in the transmission medium. Here, the “transmission medium” for transmitting the program refers to a medium having a function of transmitting information, such as a network (communication network) such as the Internet or a communication line (communication line) such as a telephone line. The program may be for realizing a part of the functions described above. Furthermore, what can implement | achieve the function mentioned above in combination with the program already recorded on the computer system, and what is called a difference file (difference program) may be sufficient.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the system shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the table structure of the management table memory | storage part 13 shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the table structure of the use performance memory | storage part 14 shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus, 11 ... Control part, 12 ... Image forming part, 13 ... Management table memory | storage part, 14 ... Usage result memory | storage part, 2 ... System administrator terminal, 31, 41 ... manager terminal, 32, 42 ... user terminal

Claims (3)

An image forming apparatus management system in which a terminal and an image forming apparatus are connected via a network, and usage restriction management is performed for each user.
Associating a user ID for identifying a user, a password flag indicating whether or not a password is set for the user ID, and a password character string when a password is set for the user ID Storage means for storing
Receiving means for receiving print data to which a user ID and a password are assigned from the terminal;
Determination means for determining whether a password is set for the received user ID based on a password flag stored in the storage means;
And a registration unit that registers the received password in the storage unit in association with the received user ID when the determination unit determines that a password is not set. Forming device management system. An image forming apparatus management system in which a terminal and an image forming apparatus are connected via a network, and usage restriction management is performed for each user.
Associating a user ID for identifying a user, a password flag indicating whether or not a password is set for the user ID, and a password character string when a password is set for the user ID Storage means for storing
Receiving means for receiving print data to which a user ID and a password are assigned from the terminal;
Determination means for determining whether a password is set for the received user ID based on a password flag stored in the storage means;
An authentication requesting unit for requesting authentication for newly registering the received password to a predetermined administrator terminal when the determination unit determines that a password is not set;
Registration means for registering the received password in the storage means in association with the received user ID when authentication for newly registering a password is obtained from the predetermined administrator terminal. An image forming apparatus management system. An image forming apparatus management system in which a terminal and an image forming apparatus are connected via a network, and usage restriction management is performed for each user.
Associating a user ID for identifying a user, a password flag indicating whether or not a password is set for the user ID, and a password character string when a password is set for the user ID Storage means for storing
Receiving means for receiving print data to which a user ID and a password are assigned from the terminal;
Determination means for determining whether a password is set for the received user ID based on a password flag stored in the storage means;
The user who has received the received password only when the terminal that has transmitted the print data is a transmission from a predetermined terminal when the determination unit determines that a password has not been set. An image forming apparatus management system comprising: registration means for registering in the storage means in association with an ID.

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