JP2006350493A - Printing system, driver program, printing device, and printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system which effectively prevents the contents of printed matter from being altered and enables highly reliable printing. <P>SOLUTION: The printing system comprises a host device on a print request origin side and a printing device which executes printing according to a printing request. The host device generates printing data relating to a printing request, generates first identification information unique to a data string, which includes the printing data thus generated, from the data string, and transmits the first identification information thus generated and the printing data to the printing device. The printing device receives the first identification information and the printing data, and generates second identification information unique to the data string, which includes the printing data thus received, from the data string, by means of the same method as the generation method of the first identification information in the host device. If the second identification information accords with the first identification information, the printing device executes printing for the data thus received. If the second identification information does not accord with the first identification information, the printing device does not execute printing for the data thus received. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system including a host device and a printing device, and more particularly to a printing system that can effectively prevent alteration of print data and increase the reliability of printing.

  In general, it is frequently performed that a print request is issued from a host device such as a personal computer, and a printed matter is output from a printer connected to the host device. With the spread of computers and improved printer functions, various types of printed matter are being output. Among them, there are items that do not allow tampering with the contents of the print. This includes items that you do not want to output, and items that you want to keep confidential.

  Therefore, in an application provided in a host device that issues a print request, the number of prints is limited, or data to be printed cannot be edited.

Further, in the following Patent Document 1, in view of the fact that it is not preferable from the viewpoint of confidentiality when anyone can pick up and view the printed matter output from the printing apparatus, this problem is solved by allowing the user to input a password. It has been proposed.
Japanese Patent No. 3363470

  However, in the above-described security maintenance method by the application of the host device, the printer driver for each printing device provided in the host device is in an unprotected state after generating print data for the printing device for the print target. Yes, it is not completely secure. For example, there is a risk that the print data generated in PDL (page description language) or the like is extracted while being transmitted from the host device to the printer, and the content is tampered with and then sent to the printer for printing. In this case, if a printed matter having an incorrect content is output, or if the information regarding the number of prints in the print data is falsified, the required number of copies will be printed. In addition, the print data generated by the printer driver can be filed and stored in the host device. If the filed data is altered, the filed print data is sent to the printer. In this case, the same illegal content and illegal number of prints as those described above are performed. Further, since the print data is stored in the host device, many outputs can be illegally created by sending the print data to the printer many times without altering the contents.

  Further, the method described in Patent Document 1 cannot prevent fraud such as falsification of print data as described above.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is a printing system comprising a print request source host device and a printing device that executes printing, and can effectively prevent alteration of the contents of the printed matter and enable highly reliable printing. It is to provide a printing system and the like.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing system including a host device that is a print request source and a printing device that executes printing according to the print request, wherein the host device relates to the print request. The print data is a data string for a predetermined information item including at least the print data, and the print data is a data string including the data string of the generated print data. When the print request is made, the first recognition information and the generated print data are transmitted to the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus receives the first recognition information and the print data. And a data string for the predetermined information item, the print data being a data string including the data string of the received print data. The second recognition information unique to the data string is generated by the same method as the first recognition information generation method in the host device, and the second recognition information matches the received first recognition information. For example, printing is performed on the received print data, and if the second recognition information does not match the first recognition information, printing is not performed on the received print data.

  Furthermore, in the above invention, a preferred aspect is characterized in that the predetermined information item further includes model identification information of the printing apparatus and / or individual identification information of the printing apparatus.

  Furthermore, in the above invention, a preferable aspect is that the host device sends the first recognition information and the print data at the time of the print request after storing the generated print data as a file. The printing apparatus, when the second recognition information matches the first recognition information, the matching recognition information matches any of the recognition numbers related to the print data that has been previously printed. If not, the printing is executed, and if it matches one of the identification numbers related to the print data that has been previously printed, the printing is not executed.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to another aspect of the present invention, a driver program that causes a host device to execute a print request process for a printing apparatus generates print data related to the print request, and at least print data. A data string for a predetermined information item, and for print data, a first recognition information unique to the data string is generated from the data string including the data string of the generated print data, and the print request In this case, the generated first recognition information and the generated print data are transmitted to the printing device, the host device is caused to execute the process, and the first recognition information and the print data are received in the printing device, A data string for the predetermined information item, wherein the print data includes a data string of the received print data In the same manner as the first recognition information generation method in the host device, unique second recognition information is generated for the data string, and the second recognition information matches the received first recognition information. Then, printing is performed for the received print data, and if the second recognition information does not match the first recognition information, printing is not performed for the received print data.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to still another aspect of the present invention, a printing apparatus that executes printing in accordance with a printing request from a host apparatus generates print data related to the printing request in the host apparatus. The first recognition information unique to the data string is generated from the data string for the predetermined information item including at least the print data, the print data including the data string of the generated print data. When the generated first recognition information and the generated print data are transmitted to the printing apparatus at the time of the print request, the first recognition information and the print data are received, and the predetermined information item The print data is a first authentication in the host device from the data string including the received print data data string. If the second recognition information unique to the data string is generated by the same method as the information generation method, and the second recognition information matches the received first recognition information, the received print data If printing is executed and the second recognition information does not match the first recognition information, printing is not executed for the received print data.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing method in which a printing apparatus executes printing in accordance with a printing request from a host apparatus, wherein the host apparatus generates print data related to the printing request. In addition, a data string for a predetermined information item including at least print data, and for the print data, the first recognition information unique to the data string is obtained from the data string including the data string of the generated print data. When the print request is generated, the generated first recognition information and the generated print data are transmitted to the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus receives the first recognition information and the print data, and A data string for the information item, and for the print data, the data string including the data string of the received print data is sent to the host device. The second recognition information unique to the data string is generated by the same method as the first recognition information generation method, and if the second recognition information matches the received first recognition information, the reception Printing is performed on the printed data, and if the second recognition information does not match the first recognition information, printing is not performed on the received print data.

  Further objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments of the invention described below.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, such an embodiment does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In the drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals or reference symbols.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram according to an embodiment of a printing system using the present invention. A printing system 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a printing system using a host computer 1 and a printer 2 using the present invention. In the printing system 100, when generating print data for the printer 2 in the host computer 1, a unique identification number is generated based on at least the data string of the print data. The number is transmitted to the printer 2 together with the print data, and the recognition number is generated by the same method based on the print data received by the printer 2. Then, the printing is executed only when the coincidence of the two recognition numbers is seen. In this way, the printing system 100 intends to realize highly reliable printing.

  A host computer 1 constituting the printing system 100 is a host device in the present embodiment, and makes a print request by generating print data for the printer 2 and transmitting it to the printer 2.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the host computer 1 includes an application 11, a printer driver 12, a memory 13, and the like. The host computer 1 can be configured by a so-called personal computer.

  The application 11 is, for example, a print request source such as document creation software, and passes data to be printed to the printer driver 12 in a predetermined format.

  The printer driver 12 is a part that receives a print request from the application 11, generates print data (for example, PDL format) to be sent to the printer 2, and transmits the print data to the printer 2. This print data includes image control data such as the image data of the print object and the number of prints. When the printer driver 12 generates this print data, it generates a unique identification number NUM, and the recognition number NUM is sent to the printer 2 together with the print data. The printer driver 12 has a feature in processing using the identification number, and specific processing contents will be described later. The printer driver 12 can be configured by a program for instructing a processing procedure and a control device that executes processing according to the program. The program is provided in the host computer 1 by installing a program stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or by downloading it from a predetermined site via a network such as the Internet.

  Next, the memory 13 is a storage means provided in the host computer 1 and is used for various purposes, but temporarily stores data at each stage until print data to be transmitted to the printer 2 is generated. To do.

  The print data file 14 shown in FIG. 1 is a file of the print data generated by the printer driver 12 and the identification number NUM, and is stored in the hard disk or the like of the host computer 1. The print data of the file and the recognition number NUM are appropriately transferred to the printer 2 based on the user's instruction.

  The printer 2 is a printing device that constitutes the printing system 100, receives print data from the host computer 1, and executes printing based on the print data. For example, a 4-cycle laser printer.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 2 includes an I / F unit 21, a data storage unit 22, a recognition number generation unit 23, a recognition number determination unit 24, a printed recognition number list 25, an image processing unit 26, and an engine 27. Etc. are provided.

  The I / F unit 21 is a part that controls an interface with the host computer 1, receives the print data and the identification number NUM transmitted from the host computer 1, and the data is stored in the data storage unit 22. The data storage unit 22 is constituted by a memory or the like provided in the printer 2 and stores each data generated in the process of the image processing unit 26 described later in addition to the received print data.

  The recognition number generation unit 23 is a part that generates a unique recognition number NUM ′ from the received print data. Also, the recognition number determination unit 24 compares the generated recognition number NUM ′ with the received recognition number NUM, and determines whether or not to print the received print data. For this determination, a printed recognition number list 25 in which recognition numbers of print data that has already been printed is recorded is used. The generation of these identification numbers and the determination of printing are characteristics of the printing system 100, and specific processing contents will be described later. Note that the recognition number generation unit 23 and the recognition number determination unit 24 can be configured by a program for instructing processing contents, a control device that executes processing according to the program, and the like. The printed recognition number list 25 is stored in any data storage means provided in the printer 2.

  When executing printing, the image processing unit 26 executes various image processes that need to be performed on the received data, and the processed data is sent to the engine 27 to be printed on a print medium. The

  As described above, the printing system 100 according to the present embodiment having the configuration as described above is characterized in that the process using the identification number is performed when printing is performed. The specific contents of the process will be described with a focus on the above.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating processing performed in the printing system 100. First, the user of the host computer 1 instructs the application 11 to print a predetermined print target. Then, the printer driver 12 receives a print request based on the print instruction from the application 11 (step S1). Here, the printer driver 12 sends an instruction to temporarily generate the print data as a file and hold it in the host computer 1 without sending the print data for the printer 2 to the printer 2 as it is and performing the printing process. It is checked whether or not it is being performed (step S2).

  When there is an instruction to create a file (Yes in step S2), as shown in FIG. 1B, the print data file 14 is generated and held, and then transferred to the printer 2. Thus, the processing contents in that case will be described later.

  On the other hand, if there is no instruction to file (No in step S2), as shown in FIG. 1A, print processing in which the print data generated from the printer driver 12 is transmitted to the printer 2 as it is is performed. . In this case, first, print data for the printer 2 is generated in a predetermined format (for example, PDL) based on the image data and printing conditions for the printed matter that has received the print request (step S3).

  Next, the printer driver 12 generates a recognition number NUM from the generated print data and the model ID (model identification information) of the printer 2 that performs printing (step S4). Specifically, for example, using a so-called message digest function in which the MD5 method, the SHA1 method, etc. are known, a fixed-length identification number can be obtained from the print data and the model ID data string. As a result, a unique identification number NUM is generated for the print data and model ID. In this example, the identification number is generated from the print data and the model ID. However, the print data, the model ID, and the serial number are further added in the same manner, and the serial number (identification information of the individual device) of the printer 2 is added. From these, a unique identification number may be generated, or a recognition number may be generated only from print data.

  As described above, when the recognition number NUM is generated, the printer driver 12 transmits the generated print data and the recognition number NUM to the printer 2 (step S5).

  These transmitted data are received by the printer 2 (step S6). Then, the recognition number generation unit 23 generates a recognition number NUM ′ from the received print data and the model ID of the printer 2 by the same method as the method used by the printer driver 12 in step S4 (step S7). As described above, when print data, model ID, and serial number are used on the printer driver 12 side to generate a recognition number, these pieces of information are also used here, and the printer driver If only print data is used on the 12 side, only print data is used here.

  Next, the recognition number determination unit 24 of the printer 2 compares the received recognition number NUM with the generated recognition number NUM ′ (step S8), and if both match (Yes in step S8), the reception Print processing is executed for the print data that has been printed (step S9). On the other hand, if they do not match in the comparison (No in step S8), the received print data is discarded (step S10) and printing is not performed. In the case of discarding the print data, a message or the like that informs the user to that effect may be sent to the host computer 1 and / or the printer 2.

  Thus, in the printing system 100 according to the present embodiment, the host computer 1 generates a recognition number for identifying the print job from the print data to be printed and the model of the printer 2 that performs printing. Then, it is transmitted to the printer 2 together with the print data. On the other hand, the printer 2 generates a recognition number by the same method from the received print data and its own model, and executes printing only when it matches the received recognition number.

  Accordingly, when the print data transmitted from the host computer 1 is falsified during transmission, the recognition number generated on the printer 2 side is different from the received recognition number, and the print data is not printed. It is not executed, and it is possible to prevent printing of illegal contents whose contents have been tampered with, and printing of illegal numbers whose number of prints has been tampered with. Also, when the print data transmitted from the host computer 1 is stolen in the middle of transmission and sent to a different printer of another model for printing, the received identification number generated on the printer side is the host computer 1. Since it is different from the generated identification number, printing cannot be performed and such fraud can also be prevented.

  Further, as described above, when the serial number of the printer 2 is also used when generating the identification number, the security level is further increased, and when the transmission to the other printer is illegal, the printer is the regular printer 2. Even if it is the same model, the identification numbers do not match, and this fraud can be prevented.

  As described above, in the printing system 100, it is possible to appropriately prevent fraud with respect to the print contents, the number of printed sheets, and the printer that performs printing, and it is possible to provide highly reliable printing processing.

  Next, the case where there is an instruction to file in step S2 of FIG. 2 described above (Yes in step S2) will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the processing contents in such a case.

  In such a case, similarly to step S3 described above, print data for the printer 2 is generated in a predetermined format (for example, PDL) based on the image data and printing conditions for the printed matter that has received the print request (step S11). ).

  Next, the printer driver 12 prompts the user to input the serial number of the printer 2 that causes the user to perform print processing. Specifically, an interface screen including a message to that effect is displayed on a display device (not shown) of the host computer 1. In response to this, when the user inputs the serial number of the printer 2, the printer driver 12 acquires the number (step S12), and from the generated print data, the model ID of the printer 2, and the acquired serial number. A recognition number NUM is generated (step S13). More specifically, a fixed-length identification number is obtained using a so-called message digest function in the same manner as described above. As a result, a unique identification number NUM is generated for the print data, model ID, and serial number. Note that the recognition number NUM may be generated from the print data and the serial number.

  Next, the printer driver 12 stores the generated print data and the recognition number NUM as the print data file 14 in the host computer 1 (step S14).

  Thereafter, the user performs a print output operation using the stored print data file 14 at a desired timing. At that time, an operation of transferring the print data of the print data file 14 and the recognition number NUM to the printer 2 is performed (step S15). For example, transfer using FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or the like is performed.

  These transferred data are received by the printer 2 (step S16). Then, the recognition number generation unit 23 generates the recognition number NUM ′ from the received print data, the model ID of the printer 2 and the serial number by the same method as the method used by the printer driver 12 in step S13 (step S13). S17). In the case where the recognition number NUM is generated from the print data and the serial number on the printer driver 12 side, this is also done here.

  Next, the recognition number determination unit 24 of the printer 2 compares the received recognition number NUM with the generated recognition number NUM ′ (step S18). If they do not match (No in step S18), the reception number is determined. The printed data is discarded (step S19), and printing is not performed. In the case of discarding the print data, a message or the like that informs the user to that effect may be sent to the host computer 1 and / or the printer 2.

  On the other hand, if the two match (Yes in step S18), the recognition number determination unit 24 checks whether or not the matching recognition number is in the printed recognition number list 25 (step S20). As described above, the printed recognition number list 25 is a list containing the recognition numbers related to the print data that has been subjected to print processing before. If the list is in the list (Yes in step S20), the received recognition number list 25 is received. The print data is discarded and printing is not performed (step S19).

  On the other hand, if it is not in the printed recognition number list 25 (No in step S20), a printing process is executed for the received print data (step S21). Thereafter, the recognition number determination unit 24 puts the recognition number relating to the print data that has undergone the printing process into the printed recognition number list 25 (step S22). As a result, the number is not printed thereafter.

  As described above, processing in the case of filing is performed, and in such a case, printing is executed based on the coincidence of the identification number generated from the print data to be printed and the serial number of the printer that performs the printing process. Is done. Accordingly, when the print data file 14 is stored in the host computer 1 or when the contents of the print data are altered during transfer to the printer 2, the recognition numbers do not match, and printing cannot be realized. It is possible to prevent fraud related to the content and number. Further, even if the print data file 14 is transferred to a printer other than the printer 2 that should initially perform printing and printing is executed, the recognition numbers do not match due to differences in serial numbers and the like, and printing cannot be performed. .

  Further, since the print data file 14 is stored in the host computer 1, the print data file 14 is normally transferred to the printer 2 a plurality of times even if the output number (number of sheets) is originally limited. Thus, in the printing system 100, it is possible to output a printed matter regardless of the limitation by the processing based on the above-described step S20 in response to these multiple printing requests having the same identification number. Since printing can be performed only in response to the first request, it is possible to appropriately prevent such multiple times of illegal printing.

  As described above, in the printing system 100 according to the present embodiment, even when the generated print data is once stored as a file on the host computer 1 side, unauthorized printing due to tampering or the like can be prevented and It is possible to ensure high-quality printing.

  When the print data is composed of a plurality of pages, when generating the recognition number from the print data, the recognition number is generated for each page in order of pages, and the generation of the recognition number for the nth page (N-1) The recognition number of the page may be used, and the recognition number generated for the last page may be used as the recognition number of the print data. By doing so, an identification number different from the regular print data is generated for the print data in which the page order is incorrect, and printing cannot be executed, and correct print processing can be ensured for the print order.

  The protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but covers the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

1 is a configuration diagram according to an embodiment of a printing system using the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed in the printing system. It is the flowchart which illustrated about the processing content in the case of file-izing.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer, 2 Printer, 11 Application, 12 Printer driver, 13 Memory, 14 Print data file, 21 I / F part, 22 Data storage part, 23 Recognition number production | generation part, 24 Recognition number judgment part, 25 Printed recognition number List, 26 image processing unit, 27 engine, 100 printing system

Claims (6)

A printing system comprising a host device that is a printing request source and a printing device that executes printing in accordance with the printing request,
The host device generates print data related to the print request and is a data string for a predetermined information item including at least the print data, and the print data includes data string of the generated print data From the column, the first recognition information unique to the data column is generated, and when the print request is made, the generated first recognition information and the generated print data are transmitted to the printing apparatus,
The printing apparatus receives the first recognition information and print data, and is a data string for the predetermined information item, and for print data, from the data string including the data string of the received print data, If the second recognition information unique to the data string is generated by the same method as the first recognition information generation method in the host device, and the second recognition information matches the received first recognition information, Printing is performed on the received print data, and if the second recognition information does not match the first recognition information, printing is not performed on the received print data. In claim 1,
The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined information item further includes model identification information of the printing apparatus and / or individual identification information of the printing apparatus. In claim 1,
When the host device sends the first recognition information and the print data at the time of the print request after storing the generated print data as a file,
When the second recognition information matches the first recognition information, the printing device does not match the matching recognition information with any of the recognition numbers related to the print data that has been printed before. In this case, the printing is executed, and the printing system is not executed when it matches one of the identification numbers related to the print data that has been printed before. A driver program that causes a host device to execute processing of a print request to a printing device,
The print data related to the print request is generated, and the data string for the predetermined information item including at least the print data, the print data is the data string including the data string of the generated print data. Generating unique first recognition information for a column, and transmitting the generated first recognition information and the generated print data to the printing apparatus at the time of the print request, causing the host device to execute processing,
In the printing apparatus, the first recognition information and the print data are received, the data string for the predetermined information item, and the print data from the data string including the data string of the received print data, If the second recognition information unique to the data string is generated in the same manner as the first recognition information generation method in the host device, and the second recognition information matches the received first recognition information, The driver program, wherein printing is executed for the received print data, and printing is not executed for the received print data unless the second recognition information matches the first recognition information. A printing device that executes printing in accordance with a print request from a host device,
In the host device, print data related to the print request is generated, and a data string for a predetermined information item including at least the print data, and the print data includes a data string of the generated print data. When the first recognition information unique to the data string is generated from the data string, and the generated first recognition information and the generated print data are transmitted to the printing apparatus at the time of the print request,
The first recognition information and the print data are received, and the data string for the predetermined information item, the print data being a data string including the received print data data string, the first data in the host device. If the second recognition information unique to the data string is generated by the same method as the generation method of the recognition information, and the second recognition information matches the received first recognition information, the received print data The printing apparatus is configured to perform printing for the received print data unless the second recognition information matches the first recognition information. A printing method in which a printing device executes printing in accordance with a printing request from a host device,
The host device generates print data related to the print request and is a data string for a predetermined information item including at least the print data, and the print data includes data string of the generated print data From the column, the first recognition information unique to the data column is generated, and when the print request is made, the generated first recognition information and the generated print data are transmitted to the printing apparatus,
The printing apparatus receives the first recognition information and print data, and is a data string for the predetermined information item, and for print data, from the data string including the data string of the received print data, If the second recognition information unique to the data string is generated by the same method as the first recognition information generation method in the host device, and the second recognition information matches the received first recognition information, Printing is performed on the received print data, and printing is not performed on the received print data unless the second recognition information matches the first recognition information.

Images