JP2006243999A - Image-forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image-forming device which improves confidentiality and manageabilty to a paper medium and automates management to the paper medium which is left to a user's manual operation. <P>SOLUTION: It is difficult to automatically determine whether a paper medium, to which a document is outputted, is to be torn to pieces and thrown away or to be stored when the paper medium is managed. So, an image-forming device is constituted so that it may have a mechanism which prints or embeds management codes on a paper medium, receives information indicating whether a paper medium to which the management codes are added is torn to pieces and thrown away from a shredder device via a network, and manages the paper medium with the management codes. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that combines a shredder device that discards a paper medium and an authentication method on a network.

  Conventionally, in order to maintain confidentiality in a document output on a paper medium, the paper medium has been discarded using a shredder device. In that case, there is no criterion for determining whether or not the paper medium has been discarded by the shredder device, and it is left to the person who operates the shredder device, and security has not been maintained.

Even in the management of paper media that need to maintain confidentiality, a management number is printed on the paper media, and the management number is entered in another data database for management. Management number was not able to be managed.
JP 2003-62476 A

  Information management using highly confidential paper media requires only the management number to be printed or written separately and managed separately by the user. When paper media is destroyed, whether or not the paper media is securely destroyed There was no judgment standard and it was left to the user's report.

  On the other hand, as in Patent Document 1, it is known that a shredder acquires description information of a document before cutting and transfers it to a confidential document management system.

  However, no consideration is given to erasing corresponding electronic data when a paper document is cut with a shredder.

  For this reason, it is difficult for users to manage information on paper media and maintain confidentiality and security. When a highly confidential paper medium is copied or printed out, the management code is printed or written on the paper medium and registered directly in the storage database for new management. There is only. Even when a paper medium with a specific management code is discarded, register the information indicating that the user has directly discarded it into the management database, or delete the discarded paper medium management code from the management database. There must be. Also in this case, registration and management of the management database depend on user declarations and it is difficult to improve the reliability of the management database data.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to improve the confidentiality and manageability of the paper medium and to automate the management of the paper medium left to the user.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a management code embedding unit for embedding a management code for managing a paper medium in an image forming apparatus, a management code database for managing information on a management code embedded in the paper medium, and a management Management code information acquisition means for transmitting and receiving code information, management code database information transmission means, management code database information display means, and selection means for selecting whether to embed the management code in a paper medium The paper medium is managed by the management code.

  A shredder device is used as means for discarding the paper medium in which the management code is embedded. The shredder device has a paper medium reading unit and a paper medium discarding unit that discards the paper medium while the paper medium is inserted in the preceding stage. When the management code is present when the paper medium is read, the shredder device reads the management code information and transmits the management code information to the image forming apparatus in which the management code is embedded via the network. . The identifier of the image forming apparatus is held as management code information so that the image forming apparatus in which the management code is embedded can be identified.

  Whether or not to embed a management code for managing the output paper medium in the output paper medium when the paper medium is copied by the image forming apparatus or printed from the image forming apparatus via a network such as a PC The user makes a selection. When embedding the management code, the user selects the image forming apparatus to embed a unique management code in the output paper medium. When the image forming apparatus is selected to embed a management code, an identifier that can be identified by the output image forming apparatus and a unique management code for managing the paper medium are output to the paper medium. Embed. The management code may be embedded as code information that is visible to the user, or code information that is invisible or difficult to see by the user. When embedding the management code in the paper medium to be output, the output information is added to the database for managing the embedded management code.

  When the paper medium in which the management code is embedded is discarded by the shredder apparatus, information on the management code discarded from the shredder apparatus is transmitted to the image forming apparatus in which the management code is embedded via the network. The image forming apparatus acquires the information of the discarded management code from the shredder apparatus, and discards the discarded management code information from the management code database with respect to the management code database that manages the management code. Or, by adding information indicating that the management code is discarded by the shredder to the management code information that has been discarded, the paper medium in which the management code is embedded is reliably discarded by the shredder device. It shows that.

  By obtaining information in the management code database, the user can know the state of the paper medium in which the management code is embedded. The management code database can acquire data from a PC or the like via a network, or can acquire data from a display unit of a user interface of the image forming apparatus.

  As a result, when managing with paper media, the management of paper media can be easily made into a database, and it is possible to reliably determine whether or not the media has been discarded and to improve security.

  Although the details of the present invention have been described above, this will be organized and described below.

  (1) It has a function of embedding a management code for managing a paper medium in a paper medium, and is discarded via a network with a shredder device that discards the paper medium embedded with the management code by the function of embedding the management code. An image forming apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires information on a management code of a paper medium; and a management unit that manages the paper medium based on the management code of the discarded paper medium acquired from the shredder device.

  As in the present invention, a management code for management is embedded in a paper medium at the time of print output by the image forming apparatus, the management code is read into a shredder apparatus for discarding the paper medium, and the management code is notified to the image forming apparatus. By having the function, the management of paper media can be automated and the security of paper media can be improved. As a result, even in a highly confidential paper medium, the management of the paper medium and high security can be maintained, and the confidentiality in the paper medium can be easily maintained.

  By having a database for managing the management code in the image forming apparatus, the user can easily manage the paper medium in which the management code is embedded.

  Preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  A typical use example of an image forming apparatus that controls a removable storage medium suitable for application of the present embodiment is shown in FIGS.

  First, there are a plurality of PCs, image forming apparatuses, and shredder apparatuses connected on the same network 200. The image forming apparatus 220 includes a management code database 502 that manages management code information, a database management unit 501 that controls the management code database 502, and a management code embedding unit 503 that has a function of embedding the management code. . However, the management code to be printed may be information that is made into a pattern that is visible to the user, or may be a pattern or color component that is invisible or difficult to see for the user.

  The image forming apparatus 220 is an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine, and mainly has an image input / output function. The shredder device 1000 has a function of discarding a paper medium. The shredder apparatus 1000 determines whether or not a management code is embedded in the paper medium to be discarded. The image forming apparatus 220 is notified.

  When an output command to the paper medium is generated from the PC 212 via the network 200, the image forming apparatus 220 outputs print output data from the PC to the paper medium. At that time, a management code is added from the user. When the selection is made, the management code uniquely determined for management on the paper medium and the device ID information of the image forming apparatus for identifying the image forming apparatus 220 are printed on the paper medium. As a method of printing the management code and the device ID information of the image forming apparatus 220 on the paper medium from the image forming apparatus 220, even if the code number visible to the person is printed, it is not visible to the person (or the person It is also possible to print a coded version that is difficult to see. The color component for printing only the management code and the device ID information of the image forming apparatus may be changed to a color component that is difficult for human eyes to identify. If the addition of the management code to the paper medium is not selected, the image forming apparatus 220 does not add the management code and the device ID information of the image forming apparatus to the paper medium.

  Similarly, when the user selects to add a management code when copying a paper medium on the image forming apparatus 220, the management code and the device ID information of the image forming apparatus 220 are printed on the paper medium. . The printing method is the same as described above.

  When the image forming apparatus 220 is selected to add the management code, the image forming apparatus 220 further stores the management code to be added to the paper medium in the management code database 502 via the database management unit 501.

  The management code database 502 holds management code information added to the paper medium, and the image forming apparatus 220 manages the paper medium with the management code added based on the management code.

  When receiving the discard information from the shredder apparatus 1000 via the network 200, the image forming apparatus 220 determines whether the device ID of the image forming apparatus in the discard information of the paper medium matches. Here, the paper medium discard information received from the shredder apparatus 1000 includes information on the device ID of the image forming apparatus for identifying the image forming apparatus and information on the management code.

  If the device IDs of the image forming apparatuses match, the image forming apparatus 220 reads the management code information and checks whether the management code information exists in the management code database 502. If the management code exists in the management code database 502, it is determined that the paper medium to which the management code is added has been discarded by the shredder apparatus 1000, and is deleted from the management code database 502. Alternatively, information indicating that the paper medium having the management code has been discarded is added to the management code database 502.

  If the device ID of the image forming apparatus received from the shredder apparatus 1000 does not match the device ID of the image forming apparatus 220, no processing is performed on the received management code information.

  If the management code received from the shredder apparatus 1000 does not exist in the management code database 502, it is determined whether or not to process the received management code information as an error, and the error notification is notified. For devices or users.

  The error notification means may be a method of notifying the administrator via the network 200 or notifying the user via the user interface of the image forming apparatus 220. There is no particular limitation on the means for error notification.

  The management code database 502 in the image forming apparatus 220 transmits database information to the user via the network 200 so that the user or the administrator can collate data, or on the user interface on the image forming apparatus 220. indicate.

  When the paper shredder apparatus 1000 discards the paper medium, the shredder apparatus 1000 discards the paper medium while reading the information on the paper medium. The paper medium information includes the management code added to the paper medium and the device ID of the image forming apparatus.

  When there is a management code and device ID information of the image forming apparatus on the paper medium, the shredder apparatus 1000 sets the read image ID of the image forming apparatus and the management code as a pair to the image forming apparatus connected on the network 200. Send to.

  When receiving the error notification from the image forming apparatus via the network 200, the shredder apparatus 1000 notifies the user that an error has occurred. There is no particular limitation on the error notification method.

  Under the control of the image forming apparatus 220 and the shredder apparatus 1000, the print output and discard state of the paper medium are automatically managed by the management code database 502 in the image forming apparatus 220.

  Hereinafter, the detailed system form in a present Example is demonstrated.

<Description of system configuration in this embodiment>
FIG. 3 shows a network system configured according to this embodiment.

  Reference numeral 200 in FIG. 3 denotes an Internet communication network. A web server 201 is connected to the Internet 200 and provides a specific service to Internet users. Reference numeral 202 denotes an electronic money server that performs a settlement process between a financial institution and a consumer client. A service provider 204 performs a connection process between the personal user terminal and the Internet 200. A firewall 203 connects the inside of the LAN 2011 shown below and an external communication network (Internet 200), and performs security management and the like. Reference numeral 210 denotes each of the device management servers 211 to 214, 220 connected via the LAN 2011. Reference numeral 211 denotes a file server, which allows a plurality of users connected via the LAN 2011 to share data.

  In the image forming apparatus 220, 140 is an operation unit for a user to perform various operations, 10 is an image scanner for reading an image in accordance with instructions from the operation unit 140 and PCs 212 and 213, and 20 is a PC 212 and 213. This is a printer that prints data from the file server 211 on paper.

  A controller unit 30 controls input / output of image data to the scanner 10 and the printer 20 based on data from the operation unit 140, the LAN 2011, and the MODEM 2050, and instructions from the PCs 212 and 213. For example, control such as receiving command data on the network via the LAN 2011 and accumulating the image data captured by the scanner 10 in a memory inside the controller, outputting it to the personal computers 212 and 213, or printing it with the printer 20 I do.

  A printer 214 can output image data from the personal computers 212 and 213 and the file server 211 onto a recording medium. Reference numerals 212 and 213 denote personal computers connected as terminal devices. Information provided from the web server 201 via the Internet 200 can be browsed, and image data can be output to the image forming apparatus 220 and the printer 214.

  In the above configuration, the LAN 2011 is connected to the Internet via the firewall 203, but the firewall 203 may be connected to the Internet via the service provider 204.

<Description of Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus>
The appearance of the image forming apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIG.

  The scanner unit 10 as an image input device irradiates a document image with a lamp, reads it with a CCD line sensor (not shown), and converts it into an electrical signal to process it as image data. The original paper is set on the original feeder 142, and when the apparatus user gives a reading start instruction from the operation unit 140, the feeder feeds the original paper one by one and performs an original image reading operation.

  The printer unit 20 that is an image output device is a part that converts image data into an image on paper. In the specification of the present invention, an electrophotographic method using a photosensitive drum or a photosensitive belt will be described. An ink jet system that prints an image directly on a sheet by ejecting ink from a minute nozzle array may be used. The activation of the printing operation is started by an instruction from a controller (described later) inside the apparatus. The printer unit 20 has a plurality of paper feed stages so that different paper sizes or different paper orientations can be selected, and has paper cassettes 2101, 2102, 2103, and 2104 corresponding thereto. Further, the paper on which the image is formed is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 132.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. Details of the operation will be described with reference to the drawings.

  Reference numeral 101 denotes an original platen glass on which originals fed from the automatic document feeder 142 are sequentially placed at predetermined positions. Reference numeral 102 denotes a document illumination lamp composed of, for example, a halogen lamp, which exposes a document placed on the document table glass 101. Reference numerals 103, 104, and 105 denote scanning mirrors, which are accommodated in an optical scanning unit (not shown), and guide reflected light from the original to the CCD unit 106 while reciprocating. The CCD unit 106 includes an imaging lens 107 that forms an image of reflected light from an original on the CCD, for example, an image sensor 108 composed of a CCD, a CCD driver 109 that drives the image sensor 108, and the like. An image signal output from the image sensor 108 is converted into, for example, 8-bit digital data and then input to the controller unit 30. Reference numeral 110 denotes a photosensitive drum, which is discharged by a pre-exposure lamp 112 in preparation for image formation. A primary charger 113 uniformly charges the photosensitive drum 110. Reference numeral 117 denotes an exposure unit, which is composed of, for example, a semiconductor laser and exposes the photosensitive drum 110 based on image data processed by the controller unit 30 that controls image formation and overall apparatus, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image. . Reference numeral 118 denotes a developing device that contains a black developer (toner). A pre-transfer charger 119 applies a high voltage before transferring the toner image developed on the photosensitive drum 110 onto a sheet. Reference numerals 120, 122, 124, 142, and 144 denote paper feeding units (120 is a manual paper feeding unit), and the transfer paper is fed into the apparatus by driving the paper feeding rollers 121, 123, 125, 143, and 145. Then, the operation is temporarily stopped at the position where the registration roller 126 is disposed, and the writing start timing with the image formed on the photosensitive drum 110 is taken and the paper is fed again. A transfer charger 127 transfers the toner image developed on the photosensitive drum 110 onto a transfer sheet to be fed. Reference numeral 128 denotes a separation charger that separates the transfer sheet on which the transfer operation has been completed from the photosensitive drum 110. The toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 110 without being transferred is collected by the cleaner 111. Reference numeral 129 denotes a conveyance belt which conveys the transfer sheet on which the transfer process has been completed to the fixing device 130 and is fixed by heat, for example. Reference numeral 131 denotes a flapper that controls the transfer path of the transfer sheet after the fixing process to one of the arrangement directions of the sorter 132 and the intermediate tray 137. Reference numerals 133 to 136 denote feeding rollers which feed the transfer paper once the fixing process is completed to the intermediate tray 137 by being reversed (multiple) or non-reversed (both sides). Reference numeral 138 denotes a re-feed roller that transports the transfer paper placed on the intermediate tray 137 to the position where the registration roller 126 is disposed again.

  The controller unit 30 includes a CPU, a scanner image processing unit, a printer image processing unit, a security management unit 501, a data control unit 502, and the like, which will be described later, and controls the above-described image forming operation. Details of the controller unit 30 will be described later.

<Description of operation unit of image forming apparatus>
The configuration of the operation unit 140 is shown in FIG. The LCD display unit 1032 has a touch panel sheet affixed on the LCD, displays an operation screen of the system, and transmits position information to the controller unit 30 when a displayed key is pressed. This will be described later with reference to FIG. The numeric keypad 1028 is used when inputting numbers such as the number of copies and a password for authentication. A start key 1029 is used when starting a document image reading operation. A stop key 1030 is used to stop an operation in operation. A reset key 1031 is used to initialize settings from the operation unit.

  Reference numeral 1023 denotes a management code key for selecting whether or not to add a management code to a paper medium, and is pressed when adding management code information to a paper medium to be output. Reference numeral 1024 denotes a copy mode key which is pressed when copying. Reference numeral 1025 denotes a fax key which is pressed to make settings related to fax. Reference numeral 1026 denotes a file key, which displays file data stored in a storage medium in the image forming apparatus and management code information stored in the management code database 502 on the LCD display unit 1032 and the PCs 212 and 213 on the network 200. Or when you want to output to paper media. Reference numeral 1027 denotes a printer key, which is used to make settings relating to print output from an external device such as a computer.

  FIG. 11 is a basic screen displayed on the LCD display unit corresponding to the panel on the operation unit 140.

  Reference numeral 1001 denotes an extended function key. When this key is pressed, a mode such as double-sided copying, multiple copying, movement, binding margin setting, frame erasing setting, or the like is entered. An image mode key 1002 enters a setting mode for performing shading, shadowing, trimming, and masking on a copy image. Reference numeral 1003 denotes a user mode key, which can perform mode memory registration, standard mode screen setting, management code setting, and the like for each user. The management code setting will be described later in the description of the database management unit 501 and the management code database 502. Reference numeral 1004 denotes an applied zoom key, which enters a mode for independently scaling the X and Y directions of a document, and a zoom program mode for calculating a scaling factor from the document size and copy size. Reference numerals 1005, 1006, and 1007 denote an M1 key, an M2 key, and an M3 key, which are pressed when calling each mode memory. Reference numeral 1008 denotes a call key, which is pressed to call the copy mode that was previously set. An option key 1009 sets an optional function such as a film projector for copying directly from a film. Reference numeral 1010 denotes a sorter key for setting modes such as sort output and group output. Reference numeral 1011 denotes a document mixed loading key which is pressed when setting A4 size and A3 size or B5 size and B4 size documents together in the document feeder. Reference numeral 1012 denotes an equal magnification key which is pressed when the copy magnification is set to 100%. Reference numerals 1014 and 1015 denote a reduction key and an enlargement key, respectively, which are pressed when performing regular reduction or enlargement. Reference numeral 1016 denotes a zoom key which is pressed when performing non-standard reduction or enlargement in increments of 1%. A sheet selection key 1013 is pressed when selecting a copy sheet. The density keys 1018 and 1020 are darkly copied every time 1018 is pressed, and lightly copied every time 1020 is pressed. Reference numeral 1017 denotes a density display. When the density key is pressed, the display changes to the left and right. Reference numeral 1019 denotes an AE key which is pressed when a document having a dark background such as a newspaper is copied for automatic density adjustment. Reference numeral 1021 denotes a HiFi key, which is pressed when copying a document having a large halftone density such as a photographic document. Reference numeral 1022 denotes a character emphasis key which is pressed when it is desired to make a character stand out when copying a character document.

<Description of scanner and printer section of image forming apparatus>
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating configurations of the scanner 10 and the printer 20 in the image forming apparatus.

  A CPU 751 controls the entire scanner 10 and sequentially reads and executes the program from a read-only memory 753 (ROM) that stores the control program. The CPU address bus and data bus are connected to each load via a circuit including a bus driver and an address decoder 752. Further, it is connected to the CPU of the controller unit 30 and performs communication.

  Reference numeral 754 denotes a random access memory (RAM) as a main storage device used as input data storage, a working storage area, or the like. Reference numeral 755 denotes an I / O interface. Each load of devices such as a motor 756, a lamp 757, and a paper detection sensor 758 for detecting a sheet to be conveyed is driven. Connected to.

  The image data read by the CCD unit 106 is transferred to the controller unit 30.

  Next, reference numeral 701 denotes a CPU that controls the printer 20, and sequentially reads and executes a program from a read-only memory 703 (ROM) storing a control procedure (control program). The address bus and data bus of the CPU 701 are connected to each load through the bus driver circuit and address decoder circuit of 702. Reference numeral 704 denotes a random access memory (RAM) which is a main storage device used as a storage area for input data, a working storage area, or the like. Reference numeral 705 denotes an I / O interface, and motors 707, clutches 708, solenoids 709 for driving the paper feed system, transport system, and optical system, and paper detection sensors 710 for detecting the transported paper. Connected to each load of the device. The developing device 118 is provided with a toner residual detection sensor 711 that detects the amount of toner in the developing device, and its output signal is input to the I / O port 705. A high voltage unit 715 outputs a high voltage to the above-described primary charger 113, developing device 118, pre-transfer charger 119, transfer charger 127, and separation charger 128 in accordance with instructions from the CPU 701.

  The image signal output from the CCD unit 106 is subjected to image processing, which will be described later, by the controller unit 30 and outputs a control signal 117 of the laser unit according to the image data. Laser light output from the laser unit 117 irradiates and exposes the photosensitive drum 110, and a light emission state is detected by a beam detection sensor 713 serving as a light receiving sensor in a non-image area. 705 is input.

<Description of controller unit of image forming apparatus>
A block diagram of the controller unit 30 is shown in FIG. The controller unit 30 is connected to the scanner 10 as an image input device and the printer 20 as an image output device. On the other hand, the controller unit 30 is connected to a network of a LAN 2011 or a public line (WAN) 2051 to connect to image information and the network. Input / output and control of device ID information, management code information, and user data information of the image forming apparatus.

  A CPU 2001 is a controller that controls the entire system. A RAM 2002 is a system work memory for the operation of the CPU 2001, an image memory for temporarily storing image data, and a memory for holding an access record when a write access is made to the HDD 2004. A ROM 2003 is a boot ROM that stores a system boot program and the license information.

  An HDD 2004 is a storage medium and represents a hard disk drive. The HDD 2004 stores system software, image data, software counter values, license information for license management, and the like. Further, one or more HDD 2004 is provided in the image forming apparatus, and can be used as a storage medium for storing data by the user, and is removable.

  An operation unit I / F 2006 performs an interface with the operation unit 140 and outputs image data to be displayed on the operation unit 140 to the operation unit 140. Further, it plays a role of transmitting information input by the system user from the operation unit 140 to the CPU 2001. A network 2010 is connected to the LAN 2011 and inputs / outputs information. The Modem 2050 is connected to the public line 2051 and inputs / outputs information.

  The database management unit 501 is a block that controls data access to the management code database 502 via a network such as the LAN 2011. When the management code database 502 receives information on the management code discarded for the paper medium via the network such as the LAN 2011, the device ID of the image forming apparatus is authenticated and the device ID of the image forming apparatus matches. Only at this time, the management code database 502 is accessed with the information of the discarded management code.

  Identification information indicating that the management code stored in the management code database is erased or discarded is added to the discarded management code.

  When a paper medium is printed out from the image forming apparatus 220, the database management unit 501 registers information on the management code added to the paper medium in the management code database 502. However, the management code information is registered in the management code database 502 only when the management code information is selected to be added to the paper medium.

  Details of the flow of collation when writing and reading the data control unit 502 so as to permit reading to 2004 will be described later.

  The management code database 502 is a database that stores management code information under the control of the database management unit 501.

  Details of the control flow for the management code database 502 of the database management unit 501 will be described later.

  A scanner / printer communication I / F 2005 is an I / F for communicating with the CPUs of the scanner 10 and the printer 20. The above devices are arranged on the system bus 2007.

  An Image Bus I / F 2005 is a bus bridge that connects a system bus 2007 and an image bus 2008 that transfers image data at high speed, and converts a data structure. The image bus 2008 is configured by a PCI bus or IEEE1394. The following devices are arranged on the image bus 2008. A raster image processor (RIP) 2060 expands the PDL code into a bitmap image. The device I / F unit 2020 connects the scanner 10 and the printer 20 that are image input / output devices to the controller unit 30, controls the bus access sequence of image data, and performs synchronous / asynchronous conversion.

  A scanner image processing unit 2080 corrects, processes, and edits input image data. The printer image processing unit performs printer correction, resolution conversion, and the like on the print output image data. The image rotation unit 2030 rotates image data. The image compression unit 2040 performs compression / decompression processing of JPEG for multi-value image data and JBIG, MMR, and MH for binary image data.

  FIG. 8 shows the configuration of the scanner image processing unit 2080. The image bus I / F controller 2081 is connected to the image bus 2008 and controls the bus access sequence and generates control and timing of each device in the scanner image processing unit 2080. The filter processing unit 2082 performs a convolution operation with a spatial filter. For example, the editing unit 2083 recognizes a closed region surrounded by a marker pen from the input image data, and performs image processing such as shading, shading, and negative / positive inversion on the image data in the closed region. A scaling unit 2084 performs enlargement and reduction by performing an interpolation operation in the main scanning direction of the raster image when changing the resolution of the read image. The scaling in the sub-scanning direction is performed by changing the scanning speed of an image reading line sensor (not shown). A table 2085 is table conversion performed to convert image data, which is read luminance data, into density data. Binarization 2086 binarizes multi-value grayscale image data by error diffusion processing or screen processing.

  The processed image data is transferred to the image bus via the image bus controller 2081 again.

  The configuration of the printer image processing unit 2090 is shown in FIG. The image bus I / F controller 2091 is connected to the image bus 2008, and controls the bus access sequence and generates control and timing of each device in the scanner image processing unit 2090. A resolution conversion unit 2092 performs resolution conversion for converting image data coming from the network 2011 or the public line 2051 to the resolution of the printer 20. The smoothing processing unit 2093 performs processing to smooth out jaggies of the image data after resolution conversion (roughness of an image appearing at a black and white border such as an oblique line).

  Further, the management code selected by the database control unit 501 is added by the printer image processing unit 2090. There is no particular method for adding a management code.

<Description of registration control flow for paper media with management code added>
FIG. 12 shows a control flow of the database management unit 501 and the management code database 502 in the image forming apparatus 220 when adding a management code to a paper medium.

  When printing or copying output from the image forming apparatus 220 to a paper medium, the user issues a print output command from the PCs 212 and 213 on the network or the operation unit 140 on the image forming apparatus 220 (S100).

  Next, the user determines whether or not to add a management code to the paper medium to be output (S101). The selection of management code addition is performed using the code 1023 of the operation unit 140 on the image forming apparatus 220 or from the PCs 212 and 213.

  When the management code is not added to the paper medium, the image forming apparatus 220 prints out the output data designated by the user (S105).

  When adding a management code to a paper medium, the database management unit 501 selects a management code that is not registered in the management database 502 and is unique (S102).

  Next, the database management unit 501 registers the information of the selected management code in the management code database 502 (S103).

  Next, the printer image processing unit prints out the selected management code and device ID information of the image forming apparatus for determining the image forming apparatus on a paper medium (S103). There are no particular restrictions on the method and output format for printing the management code and the device ID of the image forming apparatus.

  Next, the image forming apparatus 220 prints out the output data designated by the user (S105).

  The output data designated by the user is printed out (S105), and the operation of printing out to the paper medium is terminated.

<Explanation of control flow when discarding paper media with management code added>
FIG. 13 shows a control flow of the database management unit 501 and the management code database 502 in the image forming apparatus 220 when adding a management code to a paper medium.

  FIG. 13 shows the management code processing and control flow of the shredder apparatus 1000 and the image forming apparatus 220 when the paper medium is discarded.

  The user uses the shredder apparatus 1000 connected to the image forming apparatus 220 via the network 200 in order to discard the paper medium. The paper medium discarded by the shredder apparatus 1000 may or may not have a management code embedded therein.

  First, the user inserts a paper medium to be discarded into the shredder apparatus 1000 (S200).

  The shredder apparatus 1000 discards the paper medium while reading the print information of the paper medium in order to determine whether or not the management code is embedded in the inserted paper medium (S201).

  If the management code and the device ID of the image forming apparatus are not embedded in the paper medium, the paper medium is discarded as it is to complete the operation (S208).

  When the management code and the device ID of the image forming apparatus are embedded in the paper medium, the management code information and the device ID of the image forming apparatus are acquired, and image formation having the acquired device ID is performed via the network. Information on the discarded management code is transmitted to the apparatus (S202).

  Next, the shredder apparatus 1000 discards the paper medium to be discarded (S203).

  Next, the image forming apparatus 220 having the device ID transmitted from the shredder apparatus 1000 receives the management code from the shredder apparatus 1000, and performs an access operation to change the management code data to the management code database 502 ( S204).

  Next, the database management unit 501 determines whether or not the management code received from the shredder apparatus 1000 exists in the management code database 502 (S205).

  If the management code does not exist in the management code database 502, the database management unit 501 determines that an error has occurred, and displays an error display on the PDL 1032 on the operation unit 140, or the PCs 212 and 213 connected on the network. An error display is issued or the occurrence of an error is notified to the administrator (S209). The operation is completed when the user recognizes the occurrence of the error and the error processing procedure is performed by the user (S210).

  When the management code exists on the management code database 502, the database management unit 501 determines that the paper medium having the management code has been discarded by the shredder apparatus 1000, and the management code on the management code database Erase the code. Alternatively, information indicating that the management code has been discarded is added to the management code database (S206).

  After the access to the management code database is completed, it is determined that the control of the paper medium discard information is completed, and the operation is completed (S207).

It is a figure which shows the usage example of paper medium discard of the system in this invention. It is a figure explaining the usage example of the paper medium print output of the system in this invention. 1 is a diagram showing a network system including an image forming apparatus of the present invention. 1 is an external view of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus. 2 is a block diagram illustrating configurations of a scanner and a printer in the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of a controller unit. It is a figure which shows the block diagram of a scanner image processing part. 2 is a block diagram of a printer image processing unit. FIG. It is a figure which shows an operation part. It is a figure which shows a LCD display. It is a figure explaining the control flow of the management code at the time of printing out the paper medium of a present Example. It is a figure explaining the control flow of the management code at the time of discarding the paper medium of a present Example.

Explanation of symbols

220 Image forming apparatus 501 Database management unit 502 Management code database 503 Management code embedding unit 1000 Shredder device

Claims (8)

  A function of embedding a management code for managing the paper medium in the paper medium, and a shredder device that discards the paper medium embedded with the management code by the function of embedding the management code, and a paper medium discarded via the network An image forming apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires management code information; and a management unit that manages a paper medium based on a management code of a discarded paper medium acquired from the shredder device.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the paper medium is discarded, the shredder device reads the management code for the paper medium having the management code embedded in the paper medium, and the read paper An image forming apparatus comprising: a function of transmitting information on a medium management code via a network; and a discarding unit for discarding a paper medium after reading the management code.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a management code uniquely determined is assigned to a paper medium to be managed, and the management code is embedded in the paper medium by printing the management code directly on the paper medium. An image forming apparatus having management means for managing paper media by creating a database.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the paper medium having the discarded management code is completely based on the discarded management code from the shredder apparatus by discarding the paper medium embedded with the management code by the shredder apparatus. An image forming apparatus characterized in that the security of a paper medium is enhanced by guaranteeing that it has been discarded.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the function of embedding the management code includes printing the management code by adding the print information when printing the paper medium from a PC or when copying the paper medium. An image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a database that holds management code information as a management unit that manages the management code, receives the management code sent from the shredder device, and is discarded as the management code An image forming apparatus for managing a paper medium having a management code by determining and adding information indicating that the discarded management code information has been deleted or discarded from the database having the management code information .   6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising selection means for embedding a management code in the paper medium and selecting whether or not to perform the management when the paper medium is copied or printed out from a PC or the like. Image forming apparatus.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the database for managing information on a paper medium in which a management code is embedded can display information to a user via a network, or displays information on the database from a user interface. An image forming apparatus capable of performing