JP2006198889A - Image forming apparatus and method of confirming content - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of allowing a sender to recognize that a content of a print material is surely confirmed by a receiver by simple confirmation processing, and a method of confirming the content. <P>SOLUTION: A printing code for clearing a sender with respect to print data requested to be printed is generated by a printing code generation section 12 to be added to the print data, and then the print data is output by an engine section 14. When a user makes a reading section 15 to read the output print document, the printing code is analyzed to be verified by a printing controller 11, and then a content confirmation notice to the printing requester is generated by a content confirmation notice generation section 17 and is sent according to a transmission command from the printing controller 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a content confirmation method for confirming output of a printed document that has been printed out, and in particular, image formation that enables a sender to recognize that the content of a printed document has been confirmed by simple processing. The present invention relates to a device and a content confirmation method.

  In general, in an apparatus or system that prints out received data, such as an Internet facsimile, a network scanner, or automatic printing of a file attached to an e-mail, the output document cannot be reliably confirmed by the sender, so the sender It is necessary to confirm the recipient using other means such as a telephone or a messenger.

  For this reason, it is necessary to confirm using these means each time a document is transmitted, and it cannot be used for transmission / reception of information that requires real-time, and transmission / reception of highly important information such as information to be transmitted reliably. Also difficult to use.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional technique in which a reception confirmation notification indicating that an e-mail has been received is transmitted to the e-mail transmission side so that the e-mail can be confirmed on the transmission side. Some have been disclosed.

  In the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1, a document is received by any system in an environment where there is a system (personal computer) using the Internet and a system (facsimile apparatus) using a public line other than the Internet. It is also possible to efficiently perform e-mail printing processing via the Internet.

  In addition, there is a technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 as a conventional technique that enables a user to surely know whether or not a content requested to be printed by an e-mail has been normally printed by a designated printing apparatus. .

In the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 2, a record associated with a mail identifier of an e-mail is created for a print processing result that has been printed out, and this is written into an intermediate file. A record is read out, a delivery notification or non-delivery notification is created based on the contents of the print processing result set in the record, and the caller is notified.
JP 09-247335 A JP 08-130554

  However, in the prior art shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, even if it is possible to confirm whether or not the contents requested for print output such as e-mail have been reliably output, they are designated as the destination. When it is difficult to recognize whether the content of the output document has been confirmed by the recipient, and a highly important document is transmitted, it is necessary to separately confirm it using a means such as a telephone.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus and a content confirmation method that enable a sender to recognize that the content of a printed matter has been reliably confirmed by a recipient through a simple confirmation process.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a print request receiving means for receiving a print request for a print document, and a unique print corresponding to the print document added to the print document received by the print request receiving means. Print code generating means for generating a print code, print code adding means for adding the print code generated by the print code generating means to the print document, and a print document to which the print code is added by the print code adding means Print output means for printing out, a code reader for reading the print code from the printed document that has been printed out, and a confirmation notification means for sending a confirmation notice to the print request source based on the print code read by the code reader It is characterized by comprising.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the print code reading means for reading the print code using the code reader from the print document output by the print output means, and the print code reading means. Content confirmation notification creating means for creating a content confirmation notification indicating the content confirmation of the print document based on the print code read by the step, and sending the content confirmation notification created by the content confirmation notification creating means to the print request source The content confirmation notification transmission means is further provided.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the print request receiving unit further includes a reception history holding unit that generates and holds a reception history as information relating to transmission / reception of the print request. The content confirmation notification creating means includes a reception history inquiry means for inquiring the reception history held by the reception history holding means based on the print code read by the print code reading means, and the reception history inquiry means. A reply destination address is specified from the received reception history inquired, and a content confirmation notification is transmitted to the address.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the second or third aspect, the print code indicates a two-dimensional bar code having information in a two-dimensional direction, and the content confirmation notification creating means includes the two-dimensional bar code. The content confirmation notice is created based on the information obtained by reading and converting the data with the code reader.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the print code indicates a management number that uniquely identifies a print request and can specify a transmission source. A reception history management unit that holds information of a transmission destination for the management number as a reception history, and the content confirmation notification transmission unit includes a transmission destination included in the reception history for the management number managed by the reception history management unit. A content confirmation notification is transmitted.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a print request receiving unit accepts a print request for a print document, the print code to be added to the print document received by the print request receiving unit is generated by a print code generating unit, and the print The print code generated by the code generation means is added to the print document by the print code addition means, the print document to which the print code is added by the print code addition means is printed out by the print output means, and the print output means The print code is read from the print document output by the print code reading means using the code reader, and a content confirmation notification indicating the content confirmation of the print document is received based on the print code read by the print code reading means. The content confirmation notice created by the content confirmation notice creation means and the content confirmation notice created by the content confirmation notice creation means And transmitting for.

  According to the present invention, the generated print code is added to the print document that has received the print request, the print output is performed, the print code is read using the code reader, and the confirmation is performed based on the information embedded in the read print code. Since the notification is created and sent, the contents of the printed document that has been printed out can be confirmed securely, and the confirmation can be notified to the user who made the print request. This brings about an effect that information can be shared more reliably.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an image forming apparatus and a content confirmation method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus constructed by applying the image forming apparatus and content confirmation method according to the present invention.

  1, the image forming apparatus includes an interface 10, a print control unit 11, a print code generation unit 12, a reception history management unit 13, an engine unit 14, a reading unit 15, a display unit 16, and a content confirmation notification generation unit 17. The print document can be printed out based on the print request. It is also possible to read a printed document that has been printed out.

  The interface 10 is an external interface when the image forming apparatus is externally connected by a USB cable, an Ethernet (registered trademark) cable, or the like. The apparatus that issues a print data print request realizes a network connection using an Ethernet (registered trademark) cable in addition to a local connection using a cable represented by a USB cable / RS232C cable.

  Furthermore, the print data can be attached to an e-mail to be printed and received by e-mail.

  The print control unit 11 analyzes a print request for print data received by the interface 10 and identifies a print request source (sender, reply destination, etc.). A print code generation request for identifying the print request source is sent to the print code generation unit 12. The generated print code is attached to the print data and transmitted to the engine unit 14 for output. At this time, the print data and the print code may be printed out as different jobs. In addition, the engine unit 14 converts the data into an optimal format for print output.

  Further, at the same time as requesting print output from the engine unit 14, the reception history having received the print request is associated with the print code and stored and managed in the reception history management unit 13. There are two types of print codes at this time, such as a two-dimensional bar code having information in the two-dimensional direction of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, a management number, and a sender address (reply address). When a print document is output by attaching to the print data, the management number and the reception history are stored and managed in association with each other. That is, information such as a request source that has made a print request can be obtained by the management number.

  When the reading unit 15 reads the print document, it is determined whether a print code is assigned to the print document. If the print document is further added, the print code reading state is determined. If normal reading has not been performed, a message to that effect is displayed on the display unit 16.

  When the reading is normally performed, the transmission source is identified with respect to the read print code, and a content confirmation notification creation instruction for the transmission source is sent to the content confirmation notification creation unit.

  When the print code is a two-dimensional barcode, information is read from the two-dimensional barcode and the transmission source is specified. When the print code is an identification number such as a management number, information such as a transmission source for the read management number is specified from the reception history for the management number managed by the reception history management unit 13. Furthermore, when the print code is a transmission source address or a reply source address, an address read using the OCR function is set as the transmission source.

  As described above, the print control unit 11 controls other components constituting the image forming apparatus of the present invention, and sends a content confirmation notice to the print request source.

  The print code generation unit 12 generates a print code to be given to the print data requested for printing. The generated print code is a code that can clarify the print request source, and indicates a two-dimensional bar code, a management number, and the like as described above. The print code is created based on the information of the print request source, and by analyzing the print code by the print control unit 11, it is possible to determine the sender address and reply address that made the print request.

  The reception history management unit 13 manages a reception history in a print request for print data received via the interface 10. The contents managed as the reception history include a transmission source address, a reply address, a reception date and time, a print data size, whether or not a confirmation notification needs to be transmitted, and these reception histories are generated by the print code generation unit 12 Manage print codes in association.

  The engine unit 14 is an output unit that prints out the print data controlled by the print control unit 11. A print document with a print code is output by printing out the print data to which the print code is added.

  The reading unit 15 includes a bar code reader, a scanner, a digital camera, an OCR (Optical Character Reader), and the like, and can read a printed document. Further, when a print code is assigned to a print document, it is not always necessary to read the entire print document, but the print code can be read alone. The read data is transmitted to the print control unit 11 and the print code is analyzed.

  Furthermore, the print controller 11 can determine the position where the print code is added in advance and print it out, so that reading by the reader 15 can be easily performed.

  The display unit 16 is configured by an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like and is a user interface. The result read by the reading unit 15 is judged by the print control unit 11 and the result is displayed. As a result, the user can check the reading state.

  The content confirmation notification generation unit 17 generates a content confirmation notification based on the content confirmation notification generation request from the print control unit 11. The generated content confirmation notification includes information indicating that the print document has been normally output to the print request source that has issued the print request and information indicating that the content of the print document has been confirmed. The generated content confirmation notification is transmitted to the print request source via the interface 10 based on a transmission instruction from the print control unit 11.

  The content confirmation notification at this time is converted into an email attachment by the interface 10 and can be transmitted as an email.

  Here, the control of the content confirmation notification by the print control unit 11 is performed by causing the user to read the content of the print document or the print code added to the print document using the reading unit 15, and the content of the read print document. Alternatively, a content confirmation notification based on the print code is created and notified to the print request source.

  For example, when a two-dimensional barcode is added as a print code to a print document output in response to a print request, the content confirmation notification is read by the reading unit 15 and analyzed and transmitted to the print request source Create That is, it can be assumed that the content of the printed document on which the two-dimensional barcode is printed is confirmed by the user's active action of causing the reading unit 15 to read the two-dimensional barcode.

  With the configuration as described above, it is possible to notify the print request source that the user has confirmed the contents of the print document by reading the print code added to the print document.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of image formation in the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

  In FIG. 2, when a print request is received, the process starts, and the print control unit analyzes the content of the print request (S201). A print code is generated based on the analyzed content (S202). For example, when the print code to be generated is a two-dimensional barcode and a return address of the analyzed content is designated, a two-dimensional barcode embedded with the return address is generated. If the print code to be generated is a management number, the return address is stored as a reception history, and a management number that can specify the reception history is generated.

  A reception history associated with the generated print code is created and stored (S203). The print data requested to be printed is converted into a printable format (S204), print output processing is performed, and a print document is output (S205).

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for notifying content confirmation in the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

  FIG. 3 shows a flowchart in the case where the generated print code is a two-dimensional bar code or a management number.

  In FIG. 3, when a print document to which a print code is assigned is read by the user, the process is started, and it is confirmed whether the print code is added to the read print document (S301). The print code at this time can be confirmed by the shape of the print code even when it is printed at a position designated in advance or when printed at an arbitrary position.

  As a result of the confirmation, it is determined whether a print code is added (S302). If no print code is added (NO in S302), document scanning processing by a normal scanner is executed (S303). On the other hand, if a print code has been added (YES in S302), a process for recognizing the added print code is performed (S304), and it is determined whether or not the print code has been recognized (S305). If the print code cannot be recognized (NO in S305), a screen for instructing execution of the print document reading process is displayed again (S306), and if the print code is recognized (YES in S305). It is confirmed whether the print code is a two-dimensional bar code (S307). This flowchart is a flowchart when the print code is either a two-dimensional barcode or a management number.

  It is determined whether the barcode is a two-dimensional barcode (S307). If it is determined that the barcode is a two-dimensional barcode (YES in S307), a process of reading information embedded in the two-dimensional barcode is performed (S309). . On the other hand, if it is determined that the barcode is not a two-dimensional barcode (NO in S307), that is, if it is determined that the print code is a management number, the reception history for the management number is searched (S310), A print request source is specified from the reception history (S311).

  A content confirmation notification is created for the print request source or the print request source specified from the received history in the read information (S312) and transmitted to the print request source (S313). Then, the presence / absence of transmission of the reception history content confirmation notification is updated from “not notified” to “notified” (S314).

  As a result, the print code is reliably read, and a content confirmation notification can be transmitted to the print request source. Further, the printed document whose contents have been confirmed can also be confirmed on the image forming apparatus side that has performed the printout.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print document to which a print code is added.

  FIG. 4 shows an example in which a two-dimensional barcode is assigned as a print code to a blank portion where the content of print data requested for printing is not printed.

  The reading unit 15 shown in FIG. 1 can acquire embedded information by reading this two-dimensional barcode.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a reception history to be managed.

  FIG. 5 shows the structure of the reception history when the print code generated by the print code generation unit 12 shown in FIG. 1 is a management number. The reception history can be specified by reading the management number from the print document, and the print request source can be identified.

  The configuration of the reception history is created by analyzing the print request by the print control unit 11 shown in FIG. 1 and managed in association with the management number generated by the print code generation unit 12.

  The reception history includes a management number 501 that uniquely identifies a record of the reception history for the print request, a sender address 502 of the sender who made the print request, a reply address 503 that designates a reply destination designated by the sender, a print request Received date and time 504, print request data size 505, and notification status 506 indicating the notification status of the content confirmation notification for the print request.

  For example, the sender address 502 indicates the sender's e-mail address when a print request is received as an attached file of an e-mail at the interface 10 shown in FIG. 1, and a print request is made as a normal print output. Displays the IP (Internet Protocol) address and user name of the print request source.

  The management number 501 is a number generated by the print code generation unit 12 shown in FIG. 1, and the notification status 506 is notified via the print control unit 11 when a content confirmation notification is generated by the content confirmation notification generation unit 17. Then, the notification is updated by the print control unit 11 from “not notified” to “notified”.

  FIG. 5 shows the structure of the reception history when the print code is a management number. The print code generated by the print code generation unit 12 and printed on the print document is a sender address or a reply address. Even in such a case, a configuration may be adopted in which a reception history other than the management number 501 shown in FIG. 5 is created, and an address printed on the print document is checked against the reception history to transmit a content confirmation notification.

  With the above processing, the image forming apparatus of the present invention can add a print code for confirming the contents to the print data and output the print document, and the user can read the print document with the print code added. Whether or not the contents are confirmed can be grasped by using as a trigger.

  Therefore, by applying the present invention, it is possible to recognize that the user who made the print request has been printed out and the contents of the print document have been confirmed by the destination user without fail, and the transmission of information can be made more reliable. The effect that it can be performed can be expected.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope not changing the gist thereof.

  The present invention is applicable to an image forming apparatus and a content confirmation method for transmitting a status confirmation notification indicating a print status in response to a print request, and in particular, confirms that the content of a printed document that has been printed out has been confirmed. This is useful for the user who made the print request to recognize.

1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus configured by applying an image forming apparatus and a content confirmation method according to the present invention. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of image formation in the image forming apparatus of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for performing content confirmation notification in the image forming apparatus of the present invention. The figure which shows an example of the printing document to which the printing code was added. The figure which shows the structure of the reception log | history managed.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Interface 11 Print control part 12 Print code production | generation part 13 Reception log | history management part 14 Engine part 15 Reading part 16 Display part 17 Content confirmation notification production | generation part

Claims (6)

Print request receiving means for receiving a print request for a print document;
Print code generating means for generating a unique print code corresponding to the print document to be added to the print document received by the print request receiving means;
Print code adding means for adding the print code generated by the print code generating means to the print document;
Print output means for printing out the print document to which the print code is added by the print code adding means;
A code reader that reads the print code from the printed document that has been printed out;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a confirmation notification unit that transmits a confirmation notification to a print request source based on the print code read by the code reader. Print code reading means for reading the print code using the code reader from the print document output by the print output means;
Content confirmation notification creating means for creating a content confirmation notification indicating content confirmation of the printed document based on the print code read by the print code reading means;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a content confirmation notification transmission unit configured to transmit a content confirmation notification created by the content confirmation notification creation unit to a print request source. The print request receiving means includes
Reception history holding means for creating and holding a reception history as information relating to transmission / reception of the print request;
The content confirmation notification creating means includes:
A reception history inquiry means for referring to the reception history held by the reception history holding means based on the print code read by the print code reading means;
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a reply destination address is specified from the reception history inquired by the reception history inquiry unit, and a content confirmation notification is transmitted to the address. The print code is
Shows a 2D barcode with information in 2D directions,
The content confirmation notification creating means includes:
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a content confirmation notification is created based on information obtained by reading and converting the two-dimensional barcode with the code reader. The print code is
A management number that uniquely identifies the print request and identifies the source,
The content confirmation notification creating means includes:
Receiving history management means for holding transmission destination information for the management number as a receiving history,
The content confirmation notification transmission means includes:
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a content confirmation notification is transmitted to a transmission destination included in a reception history for the management number managed by the reception history management unit. The print request receiving means accepts a print request for a print document,
The print code to be added to the print document received by the print request receiving means is generated by a print code generating means,
The print code generated by the print code generation means is added to the print document by the print code addition means,
The print document to which the print code is added by the print code adding means is printed out by a print output means,
Using the code reader, the print code is read from the print document output by the print output means with a print code reading means,
Based on the print code read by the print code reading means, a content confirmation notification indicating content confirmation of the print document is created by the content confirmation notification creating means,
A content confirmation method, comprising: transmitting a content confirmation notification created by the content confirmation notification creation unit to a print request source.

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