JP2006184761A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the safety of a password for canceling forgery prevention processing. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus which reads a document and inhibits output by an output control means when detecting that specified image data is included in read image data is equipped with a current information acquiring means for acquiring current information in inhibiting the output by the output control means, a password generating means for generating the password on the basis of the current information acquired by the current information acquiring means, a password receiving means for receiving the input of the password, and a decision means for deciding whether or not the password generated by the password generating means coincides with the password received by the password receiving means. When the decision means decides that they coincide with each other, the output control means cancels the inhibition of the output. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having an anti-counterfeit function.

  In recent years, due to dramatic improvements in performance of color copiers, MFPs (Multi Function Products), color scanners, and color printers, the image quality of copied images has reached a high level that is indistinguishable from that of original images. It is now possible to make faithful copies of the manuscript.

  On the other hand, the danger of being used for counterfeiting of prohibited items such as banknotes and securities is increasing, and various anti-counterfeit technologies have been developed to prevent such danger.

  One such technique is to detect whether or not a specific image found in banknotes and securities is included in an image obtained by reading a document, and when a specific image is included There is also a technique for prohibiting image reading and output.

  However, the position and tilt of the document placed on the document table are not constant, and the document itself may be in various states such as wrinkles. If an attempt is made to detect, even an image similar to the specific image may be erroneously detected.

  In order to solve such problems, even if the anti-counterfeiting process malfunctions in regular copying that is not intended for counterfeiting of banknotes, etc., the image forming system can cancel the forgery-preventing process and execute copy output Has been proposed, and is specifically configured as shown below.

  If the copy output is prohibited due to a malfunction of the counterfeit prevention process of the copying machine, the customer of the copying machine notifies the control center to that effect.

  The control center that has received the notification notifies the customer management database of the control center of the password managed for each customer of the copying machine.

This is a technique in which a customer of the copying machine inputs the notified password to the copying machine to cancel the forgery prevention process and execute copying output (see Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-50525 A

  However, with the above-described conventional technology, there is a risk of password leakage due to unauthorized access by a third party to a customer management database that manages passwords, or by a password being stolen by a third party during password input operations. is there.

  Furthermore, even if a password is restricted in terms of usable period, if a password once used is leaked, unauthorized use by a third party is possible during the usable period. is there.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus capable of improving the security of a password for canceling a forgery prevention process.

  The present invention presupposes an image forming apparatus that reads an original and prohibits output by an output control means when it detects that the read image data includes specific image data.

  The present invention provides current information acquisition means for acquiring current information when output is prohibited by the output control means; password generation means for generating a password based on the current information acquired by the current information acquisition means; A password receiving unit that receives an input of a password, and a determination unit that determines whether or not the password generated by the password generating unit matches the password received by the password receiving unit, the output control unit Is configured to cancel the prohibition of output when it is determined by the determination means that they match.

  The current information may be current information including at least one of the output sheet counter value and the date and time.

  In this way, since the password is generated based on the current information when output is prohibited, the password is not unique, and it is possible to prevent unauthorized use later even if the password once used is leaked Thus, the security of the password can be improved.

  Since the password is generated based on the current information when the output is prohibited, the password is not unique, and even if the password once used is leaked, it is possible to prevent unauthorized use later, and the security of the password Can be increased.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram showing an image forming system constituting an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a color copying machine, for example, and is connected to an administrator terminal 2 via a network.

  With the above configuration, when the user sets a document on the document table of the image forming apparatus 1 and presses the start key, the reading unit 3 reads the document (S1).

  The image data read by the reading unit 3 is stored in the image memory 4, and the detection unit 5 refers to the image data stored in the image memory 4.

  The detecting means 5 stores specific image data of characteristic portions of various banknotes and various securities, and the specific image data and the image data stored in the image memory 4 are used for the reference. Compare.

  Here, as a result of the comparison by the detection means 5, when specific image data found in banknotes, securities, etc. is not detected, the output control means 6 is notified that output is to be executed.

  Upon receiving the notification that the output is to be executed, the output control means 6 outputs the image data stored in the image memory 4 by the output means 7 (S2 → S10). Note that the output may be executed even if there is no notification that the output is to be executed.

  On the other hand, as a result of the comparison by the detection means 5, when specific image data found in banknotes, securities, etc. is detected, the output control means 6 is notified that output is prohibited.

  Upon receiving the notification that the output is prohibited, the output control unit 6 prohibits the access to the image memory 4 by the output unit 7, and the image data stored in the image memory 4 by the output unit 7. The output is prohibited (S2 → S3).

  Further, the output control means 6 that has received the notification to prohibit the output instructs the current information acquisition means 8 to acquire current information. The current information is, for example, current information such as the output number counter value indicated by the counter built in the output means 7 when the output is prohibited, and the date and time indicated by the clock means 9.

  The current information acquisition unit 8 that has received the instruction acquires the current information (S4), and inputs the acquired current information to the password generation unit 10.

  The password generation unit 10 that has acquired the current information generates a password by arranging the numerical values in the order of the serial number, the output sheet counter value, and the date and time of the image forming apparatus 1, for example, as shown in FIG. 3 (S5). . It should be noted that the order of arrangement of the serial number, the output sheet counter value, and the date and time value when generating the password is not particularly limited as long as it is determined in advance. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which produces | generates a password by the combination of specific information and single current information like the combination of a serial number, output number counter value, serial number, date, etc., or a password is generated with single current information. It is good also as composition to generate.

  When the password generation unit 10 generates a password as described above, the password data of the generated password is input to the determination unit 11 and transferred to the transmission unit 12. At this time, the password data of the generated password is held in the determination unit 11 until a determination process S8 described later is executed.

  On the other hand, the transmission means 12 that has acquired the password data accesses the image memory 4, reads the image data stored in the image memory 4, and transmits the password data together with the image data to the administrator terminal 2. (S6).

  The administrator who has received the image data and the password data by the receiving means 13 of the administrator terminal 2 checks the image and password displayed on the display means 14 of the administrator terminal 2 by, for example, visual observation.

  When the administrator visually confirms the image displayed on the display means 14 and determines that the bill is not counterfeit such as banknotes and securities, the administrator notifies the password to the service person.

  The service person informed of the password as described above goes to the image forming apparatus 1 and inputs the password from the password receiving means 15 of the image forming apparatus 1 (S7).

  When a password is received from the password receiving unit 15, password data of the received password is input to the determination unit 11.

  At this time, the determination unit 11 determines whether or not the password generated by the password generation unit 10 matches the password received by the password reception unit (S8).

  If it is determined in the determination process S8 that they do not match, the process ends. If it is determined that they match, the determination unit 11 instructs the output control unit 6 to cancel the prohibition of output. The output control unit 6 that has received the notification cancels the prohibition of output by the output unit 7 (S9).

  As described above, when the prohibition of output is canceled, the output means 7 outputs the image data stored in the image memory 4 (S10).

  In this way, since the password is generated based on the current information when output is prohibited, the password is not unique, and it is possible to prevent unauthorized use later even if the password once used is leaked Thus, the security of the password can be improved.

  In the above embodiment, the service person is informed of the password from the administrator and input from the password receiving means. However, the service person himself visits the image forming apparatus 1 to obtain current information. The current information may be arranged on the spot to generate a password and input from the password receiving means based on the same arrangement order as that performed by the password generation means 10 determined in advance.

  The configuration described in the above embodiment is merely a specific example and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Any configuration can be employed within the scope of the effects of the present application.

  Since it is possible to improve the security of the password for canceling the forgery prevention process, the image forming apparatus having a forgery prevention function is useful.

1 is a schematic functional block diagram illustrating an image forming system that is configured by an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a password.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 3 Reading means 4 Image memory 5 Detection means 6 Output control means 7 Output means 8 Current information acquisition means 9 Clock means 10 Password generation means 11 Judgment means 12 Transmission means 15 Password acceptance means

Claims (2)

In an image forming apparatus that reads an original and prohibits output by an output control means when detecting that the read image data includes specific image data.
Current information acquisition means for acquiring current information when output is prohibited by the output control means;
Password generating means for generating a password based on the current information acquired by the current information acquiring means;
Password accepting means for accepting password input;
Determination means for determining whether or not the password generated by the password generation means and the password received by the password reception means match,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output control unit cancels the prohibition of output when the determination unit determines that they match.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the current information is current information including at least one of an output sheet counter value and a date.