JP2006259866A - Print system and print control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print system, a print control method and a server improved in its operability by easily setting printing while securing security. <P>SOLUTION: Client devices 10-1 to 10-m certificate print instruction by certification devices 11-1 to 11-m mounted corresponding to the client devices, and transmit print jobs relating to the certificated print instruction to a print server 20. Print devices 30-1 to 30-n certificate print permission of the print job stored in the print server 20 by certification devices 40-1 to 40-n mounted corresponding to the print devices and execute the print job. The certification of print instruction by the certification devices 11-1 to 11-m is performed by using a security card storing prescribed certification information. The client devices set the print setting information to the print job and transmit the same to the server when the print setting information is stored in the security card. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system and a printing control method, and more particularly, to a printing system and a printing control method that improve operability by allowing a plurality of users to easily perform print settings while ensuring security.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  Also, in an environment where a plurality of users use one client device, there is a problem in operability because it is necessary to perform print settings corresponding to each user each time a user issues a print instruction.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system and a print control method server that have improved operability by making it possible to easily perform print settings while ensuring security.

  To achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 includes a client device connected to a network, a server device, and one or a plurality of printing devices, and the client device corresponds to the client device. The first authentication apparatus provided authenticates the print instruction, sets predetermined print setting information to a print job related to the authenticated print instruction, and transmits the print setting information to the server apparatus. Printing is performed based on the print setting information set in the print job by performing authentication of the print permission of the print job stored in the second authentication device provided for the print device. In the system, the first authentication device performs authentication of the print instruction using a storage medium storing predetermined authentication information, and the client device prints on the storage medium. If the constant information is stored, characterized in that the print setting information set in the print job includes a print instruction unit that transmits to the server.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the second authentication device authenticates the authentication of the print permission by using the storage medium used for authentication of the print instruction by the first authentication device. It is characterized by performing.

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

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the server device includes: print information added to a print job authenticated by the second authentication device; and print information stored in the storage medium. Collation is performed, and when the print information added to the print job matches the print information stored in the storage medium, the print job is transmitted to the printing apparatus.

  Further, in the invention of claim 5, in the invention of claim 4, if the print information added to the print job does not match the print information stored in the storage medium, the server device The print setting information stored in the storage medium is set and transmitted to the printing apparatus.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a client device connected to a network, a server device, and one or a plurality of printing devices, wherein the client device is provided in correspondence with the client device. The authentication apparatus authenticates the print instruction, sets predetermined print setting information for the print job related to the authenticated print instruction, and transmits the print setting information to the server apparatus. The print apparatus stores the print instruction stored in the server apparatus. A print control method for a printing system, wherein authentication of print permission of a print job is performed by a second authentication device provided corresponding to the printing device, and the print job is executed based on print setting information set in the print job The first authentication device performs authentication of the print instruction using a storage medium storing predetermined authentication information, and the client device performs print setting on the storage medium. If broadcast is stored, wherein the set to the print job to the print setting information in the print instruction unit transmits to the server.

  According to the present invention, a client device connected to a network, a server device, and one or a plurality of printing devices are included, and the client device is a first authentication device provided corresponding to the client device. Authenticate the print instruction, set predetermined print setting information for the print job related to the authenticated print instruction, and transmit the print setting information to the server apparatus. The print apparatus authenticates the print permission of the print job stored in the server apparatus. In a printing system that executes the print job based on the print setting information set in the print job by performing the print job on a second authentication device provided for the print device, the first authentication device includes a print instruction Authentication is performed using a storage medium that stores predetermined authentication information. When the print setting information is stored in the storage medium, the client device prints the print setting information. And then, it is transmitted to the server is set to blanking, an effect that multiple users can easily perform the print settings while ensuring security.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  However, if it is determined that the user has the authority to issue a print instruction for the document, a print job based on the print instruction is generated.

  In this embodiment, when a print job is generated, settings relating to printing (hereinafter referred to as print settings) such as double-sided printing, N-up, sort printing, and resolution setting are performed. It is configured to perform based on the stored print setting information.

  That is, in this print setting, the default print setting information is usually displayed on the user interface screen of the print driver, and the default print setting information is changed to desired print setting information by user input as necessary. However, this print setting must be performed every time a print instruction is issued. If the print setting information in this case is forgotten, the print result intended by the user cannot be obtained.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, print setting information used by the user for normal printing is stored in advance in a security card used for user authentication, and the print setting information is stored in the security card for generation of a print job. If it is, the print setting information stored in the security card is read out and automatically added to the print job, so that the print setting can be easily performed.

  In the client apparatuses 10-1,... 10-m, the print settings automatically set for the print job based on the print setting information set by the user on the user interface screen of the print driver or the print setting information stored in the security card. The information can be changed on the user interface screen of the print driver. When the changed print setting is reused, the changed print setting can be stored in the security card. It is configured.

  The print job generated in this way is encrypted using the secret key read from the security card, and the encrypted print job is transmitted to the print server 20 via the network 50.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  If it is determined by the user authentication that the user has the authority to acquire a printed matter based on the print instruction in the printing apparatus 30-1, the print server 20 authenticates the authentication apparatuses 40-1,. Search for the corresponding print job from the encrypted print jobs stored and managed based on the user ID included in the authentication data sent from -n, take out the searched print job, and use the print job as the authentication data Decrypt using the included public key.

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

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

  In the above configuration, the print server 20 compares the print setting information set in the print job with the print setting information read from the security card when transmitting the print job to the printing apparatus 30-1. The print job may be transmitted to the printing apparatus 30-1 only when the two match.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent printing with different print setting information against the user's will.

  Further, the print server 20 checks whether the print setting information is included in the information read from the security card. If the print setting information is included, the print server 20 displays the print setting information set in the print job. The print setting information read from the security card may be replaced and transmitted to the printing apparatus 30-1.

  According to such a configuration, by rewriting the print setting information stored in the security card in advance, printing can be performed with print setting information different from the print setting information set for the print job. It becomes possible.

  As described above, in this embodiment, when the print instruction using the authentication devices 11-1,... 11-m is used, the print setting of the print job can be easily and appropriately set by using the print setting information stored in the security card. In addition, when user authentication is performed by the authentication devices 40-1,... 40-n, the print setting information set in the print job is compared with the print setting information read from the security card. Thus, printing with an incorrect print setting can be prevented, and printing can be performed by changing the print setting for printing.

  In this embodiment, since user authentication is performed by the authentication devices 40-1, ... 40-n during printing, the printed matter is taken away by a third party or the contents thereof are seen. Inconvenience does not occur, and the authentication determination configuration is not provided in the printing devices 30-1,... 30-n, so that the authentication devices 11-1,. It is possible to employ various authentication devices as m and authentication devices 40-1,.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  The print setting information receiving unit 210 receives the print setting information read from the security card at the time of user authentication in the authentication devices 40-1,.

  The print setting information received by the print setting information receiving unit 210 is collated with the print setting information set in the print job by the print data generating unit 209, and one of the following operations is performed.

  1) Priority is given to the print setting information set in the print job, and print data is generated ignoring the print setting information read from the security card.

  2) If the print setting information set in the print job is different from the print setting information read from the security card, the generation of print data is prohibited.

  3) Priority is given to the print setting information read from the security card, and print data is generated by replacing the print setting information set in the print job with the print setting information read from the security card.

  It should be noted that either of the operations 1), 2), and 3) described above in the print data generation unit 209 may be set in advance in the print server 20, but this selection may be made on the security card. You may comprise so that the information for performing may be preset.

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

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

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

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

  The client apparatus 10 includes a print instruction reception unit 101, a print job generation unit 102, a print setting information reception / write processing unit 103, an authentication data reception unit 104, an authentication processing unit 105, an authentication data transmission unit 106, and an authentication result reception unit 107. A print job encryption unit 108, a print job transmission unit 109, and a network interface unit 110.

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

  The print setting information receiving / writing processing unit 103 receives print setting information stored in the security card transmitted from the authentication device 11 and writes the print setting information to the security card via the authentication device 11.

  The authentication data receiving unit 104 receives authentication data related to this print instruction from the authentication device 11.

  The authentication processing unit 105 performs user authentication based on the authentication data received by the authentication data receiving unit 104 to determine whether or not the user who issues the print instruction is a user with a valid authority.

  User authentication by the authentication processing unit 105 is performed by an inquiry to the print server 20.

  That is, when user authentication is performed in the authentication processing unit 105, a part or all of the authentication data from the authentication device 11 is transmitted to the print server 20 via the authentication data transmission unit 106 and the network interface unit 110, thereby An inquiry is made as to whether the user involved in this is a user who has the authority to issue a print instruction using this printing system.

  Then, the result of this inquiry is received by the authentication result receiving unit 107 in the network interface unit 110, and the authentication processing unit 105 uses the printing system by the user related to the authentication data based on the received information of the authentication result receiving unit 107. It is determined whether the user is authorized to issue a print instruction.

  When it is determined by the user authentication in the authentication processing unit 105 that the user related to the authentication data is a valid user who has the authority to issue a print instruction using the print system, the print job generation unit 102 receives a print instruction. Based on the print instruction received by the unit 101, a print job for issuing a print instruction is generated using this printing system.

  When a print job is generated by the print job generation unit 102, print settings are made on a user interface screen of a print driver (not shown).

  In this print setting, when the print setting information receiving / writing processing unit 103 has not received the print setting information stored in the security card, the default print setting information is displayed on the user interface screen of the print driver. A desired print setting is performed by changing the default print setting information by a user input as necessary.

  However, when the print setting information receiving / writing processing unit 103 receives the print setting information stored in the security card, the print setting of the print job is automatically performed based on the print setting information stored in the security card.

  The print setting information automatically set for the print job based on the print setting information set by the user on the user interface screen of the print driver or the print setting information stored in the security card can be changed by user input.

  When the changed print setting is reused, the changed print setting information is sent to the print setting information receiving / writing processing unit 103 and stored in the security card by the authentication device 11.

  The print job encryption unit 108 encrypts the print job generated by the print job generation unit using a print job encryption private key included in the authentication data.

  The print job transmission unit 109 transmits the print job encrypted by the print job encryption unit 108 to the print server 20 via the network interface unit 110 and the network 50.

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

  In FIG. 4, the client apparatus 10 first checks whether the print instruction receiving unit 101 has received a print instruction (step 401). If the print instruction has not been received (NO in step 401), the client apparatus 10 returns to step 401 to print. While waiting for an instruction, if it is determined that a print instruction has been received (YES in step 401), it is next checked whether authentication data related to this print instruction has been received by the authentication data receiving unit 104 (step 402).

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

  When the authentication data is received (YES in step 402), the authentication processing unit 105 performs user authentication based on the received authentication data to determine whether the user related to the authentication data has the authority to issue a print instruction using the printing system. Perform (step 403).

  If it is determined by this user authentication that the user has authority to issue a print instruction using this printing system (YES in step 404), the process proceeds to step 405.

  In step 405, it is checked whether the print setting information receiving / writing processing unit 103 has received the print setting information (step 405). If not received (NO in step 405), the default is displayed on the user interface screen of the print driver. The print setting information is displayed. When the print setting information is received (YES in step 405), the print setting information received by the print setting information receiving / writing processing unit 103 is displayed on the user interface screen of the print driver.

  Next, it is checked whether or not the print setting information has been changed on the user interface screen of the print driver (step 406). If the print setting information has been changed (step 407), for example, the changed print is instructed by the user. The setting information is sent to the print setting information receiving / writing processing unit 103, and the print setting information is written to the security card (step 407), and the process proceeds to step 408. .

  If it is determined in step 406 that there is no change in the print setting information (NO in step 406), the process proceeds to step 408 as it is.

  In step 408, print setting is performed using the print setting information on the user interface screen of the print driver, and the print job relating to the print instruction is generated by the print job generation unit 102 (step 408).

  Next, the generated print job is encrypted by the print job encryption unit 107 using the secret key included in the authentication data (step 409), and the encrypted print job is transmitted by the print job transmission unit 109 to the network interface unit. 110 to the print server 20 (step 410), and the processing in the client device 10 is terminated.

  If it is determined in step 404 that the user related to the authentication data does not have the authority to issue a print instruction using this printing system (NO in step 404), the user issues a print instruction using this printing system. Therefore, a print instruction prohibition message is displayed on the display of the client device 10 indicating that the print instruction is not authorized (step 411), and the print instruction received by the print instruction receiving unit 101 is displayed. Print prohibition processing such as discarding is performed (step 412), and the processing in the client device 10 is terminated.

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

  In FIG. 5, when the print setting information set in the print job is different from the print setting information read from the security card, the print setting information set in the print job is transferred from the security card to the print server 20. Processing in the case where it is set to generate print data by replacing the read print setting information with print data will be described.

  In FIG. 5, the print server 20 first checks whether the print job reception unit 202 has received an encrypted print job from the client device 10 (step 501). If an encrypted print job from the client device 10 has not been received (NO in step 501), the process proceeds to step 503.

  When the print job reception unit 202 receives an encrypted print job from the client device 10 (YES in step 501), the encrypted print job is stored in the print job storage management unit 203 and is associated with a print instruction. Management is performed corresponding to the user ID (step 502), and the process proceeds to step 503.

  In step 503, it is checked whether the authentication data receiving unit 204 has received authentication data based on an inquiry from the client device 10 or authentication data from the authentication device 40. If authentication data has not been received (NO in step 503), the process returns to step 501, but if authentication data is received (YES in step 503), the authentication processing unit 205 performs user authentication.

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

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

  If it is determined that the user has the authority to acquire the printed material (YES in step 507), the print job selection unit 207 performs printing based on the user ID included in the authentication data sent from the authentication device 40. The encrypted print job stored and managed in the job storage management unit 203 is selected, and the selected encrypted print job is decrypted by the print job decryption unit 208 using the public key included in the authentication data. (Step 508).

  Then, it is checked whether the print setting information is received by the print setting information receiving unit 210 (step 509). If the print setting information is not received (NO in step 509), the process proceeds to step 512.

  If it is determined in step 509 that the print setting information receiving unit 210 has received the print setting information (YES in step 509), the print setting information and the print set in the decrypted print job are printed. Whether the print setting information received by the setting information receiving unit 210 matches (step 510). If they match (NO in step 510), the print setting information set in the decrypted print job. Is reset with the print setting information received by the print setting information receiving unit 210 (step 511), and the process proceeds to step 512.

  In step 512, the print data generation unit 209 generates print data based on the print setting information set in the print job (step 512).

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

  Then, the print data generated by the print data generation unit 209 is transmitted to the printing apparatus 30 specified in step 513 via the print data transmission unit 213 and the network interface unit 201 (step 514), and the processing of the print server 20 is completed. To do.

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

  In the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, if the print setting information set in the print job is different from the print setting information read from the security card, the print server 20 displays the print setting information set in the print job. The print setting information read from the security card has been described for the case where it is set to generate print data by replacing the print data. However, the print setting information set for the print job is the same as the print setting information read from the security card. If they are different, the print job may be prohibited from being printed.

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

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

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

  Next, in response to this authentication request, the print server 20 checks whether there is a print request authority based on the authentication result (step 603).

  If it is determined that the print request is authorized (YES in step 603), it is checked whether there is print setting information stored in the security card (step 604). The print setting information stored in the security card is transmitted to the print server 20 (step 605), and this process ends.

  If it is determined in step 603 that there is no print authority (NO in step 603), it is notified by voice guidance or the like that printing is not possible (step 606), and this process ends.

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

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

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

  According to the present invention, authentication of a print instruction is performed using a storage medium that stores predetermined authentication information, and if the print setting information is stored in the storage medium, the client device prints the print setting information. Since it is configured to set a job and send it to the server, a plurality of users can easily perform print settings while ensuring security.

1 is a system configuration diagram showing an outline of a printing system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a detailed configuration of a print server illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a detailed structure of the client apparatus shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the client apparatus shown in FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing of the print server shown in FIG. 2. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing of an authentication apparatus that performs authentication processing on the printing apparatus side illustrated in FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10-1, ... 10-m Client device 11, 11-1, ... 11-m Authentication device 12 Security card 20 Security print server 30, 30-1, ... 30-n Printing device 40, 40-1, ... 40-n authentication device 50 network 101 print instruction reception unit 102 print job generation unit 103 print setting information reception / write processing unit 104 authentication data reception unit 105 authentication processing unit 106 authentication data transmission unit 107 authentication result reception unit 108 print job encryption Unit 109 print job transmission unit 110 network interface unit 201 network interface unit 202 print job reception unit 203 print job accumulation management unit 204 authentication data reception unit 205 authentication processing unit 206 authentication result transmission unit 207 print job selection unit 208 print job decryption unit 09 print data generation unit 210 print setting information receiving unit 211 the printing device authenticator correspondence relationship storage unit 212 the printing device specifying unit 213 the print data transmission unit

Claims (6)

A client device connected to the network; a server device; and one or a plurality of printing devices, wherein the client device authenticates a print instruction with a first authentication device provided corresponding to the client device. A predetermined print setting information is set in a print job related to the authenticated print instruction and transmitted to the server device, and the print device authenticates the print permission of the print job stored in the server device. In a printing system for executing the print job based on the print setting information set in the print job by using a second authentication device provided for the print device,
The first authentication device includes:
Performing authentication of the print instruction using a storage medium storing predetermined authentication information;
The client device is
When the print setting information is stored in the storage medium, the print system includes a print instruction unit that sets the print setting information in the print job and transmits the print job to the server. Print setting information setting changing means for changing the print setting information set by the print instruction means;
2. The print setting information writing unit for writing the changed print setting information to the storage medium when the print setting information is changed by the print setting information setting changing unit. The printing system described. The second authentication device includes:
The printing system according to claim 1, wherein authentication of print permission is performed using a storage medium used for authentication of a print instruction by the first authentication device. The server device
Collating the print information added to the print job authenticated by the second authentication device with the print information stored in the storage medium;
The printing system according to claim 3, wherein when the print information added to the print job matches the print information stored in the storage medium, the print job is transmitted to the printing apparatus. The server device
If the print information added to the print job does not match the print information stored in the storage medium, the print setting information stored in the storage medium is set in the print job and transmitted to the printing apparatus. The printing system according to claim 4. A client device connected to the network; a server device; and one or a plurality of printing devices, wherein the client device authenticates a print instruction with a first authentication device provided corresponding to the client device. A predetermined print setting information is set in a print job related to the authenticated print instruction and transmitted to the server device, and the print device authenticates the print permission of the print job stored in the server device. In a printing control method for a printing system, which is executed by a second authentication device provided corresponding to a printing device and executes the print job based on print setting information set in the print job,
The first authentication device performs authentication of the print instruction using a storage medium storing predetermined authentication information,
When the print setting information is stored in the storage medium, the client device sets the print setting information in the print job by a print instruction unit and transmits the print job to the server.

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