JP2007083439A - Image output unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image output unit in which an input of a password by each user can be omitted when an electronic document is printed from an existing printer. <P>SOLUTION: A means for presetting a plurality of passwords is prepared in an MFP body. When a password protected direct job is supplied, collation with a preset password is carried out and a matched password, if any, is printed out automatically. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system having a function for printing an electronic document with password protection.

  A method of restricting browsing of document files premised on electronic distribution has been put into practical use. For example, in PDF, a password can be set for a document file, and browsing is possible only when the password entered by the user at the time of browsing matches the password set for the document file.

  On the other hand, as a method for printing an electronic document file with a printer or the like connected to a network, a method for printing without going through a printer driver by directly transmitting the document file to a printing apparatus has been put into practical use.

For example, Patent Document 1 can be cited as a conventional example.
JP-A-8-39898

  By the way, when an electronic document file that is restricted by a password is sent directly to the printing device, the user needs to input the password to the printing device in some way, using the UI of the printing device. A method and a method of transmitting a password from a host computer connected to a network are conceivable.

  In the case where the intention of browsing restriction by the password is to permit browsing only to a certain individual, a method of inputting the password every time the electronic document file is transmitted to the printing apparatus as described above is appropriate. However, for example, if you want to allow browsing only to a specific department in the organization, there is a mechanism that eliminates password entry by each user only when outputting from a printing device installed in the department. If there is, it is convenient.

In order to solve the above problem, the printing apparatus of the present invention provides:
A printing device capable of printing a password-protected electronic document,
As a password input means, a means for presetting at least one password in the printing apparatus in advance,
Means for verifying a password preset in the printing apparatus in advance when a password-protected electronic document is received;
If there is a matching password as a result of the collation, a printing output unit is provided.

  According to the present invention, when printing an electronic document that is secret outside the department but is restricted by using a password known within the department, the printing apparatus installed in the department By performing password presetting in advance, it is possible to omit password entry by each user when printing an electronic document from the general printing apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of an image output apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(First embodiment of the present invention)
An overall configuration of an image input / output system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  A reader unit (image input device) 200 optically reads a document image and converts it into image data. The reader unit 200 includes a scanner unit 210 having a function for reading a document and a document feeding unit 250 having a function for transporting a document sheet.

  A printer unit (image output device) 300 conveys recording paper, prints image data as a visible image thereon, and discharges the recording paper out of the device. The printer unit 300 has a paper feed unit 310 having a plurality of types of recording paper cassettes, a marking unit 320 having a function of transferring and fixing image data to the recording paper, and a function of outputting the printed recording paper to the outside of the apparatus. And a finisher unit 500 that performs stapling and sorting.

  The control device 110 is electrically connected to the reader unit 200 and the printer unit 300, and is further connected to host computers 401 and 402 via the network 400.

  The control device 110 controls the reader unit 200 to read image data of a document, and controls the printer unit 300 to output the image data to a recording sheet to provide a copy function. In addition, the image data read from the reader unit 200 is converted into code data and transmitted to the host computer via the network 400, the code data received from the host computer via the network 400 is converted into image data, A printer function for outputting to the printer unit 300 is provided.

  The operation unit 150 is connected to the control device 110, is configured with a liquid crystal touch panel, and provides a user I / F for operating the image input / output system.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the reader unit 200 and the printer unit 300. The document feeding unit 250 of the reader unit feeds the documents one by one onto the platen glass 211 in order from the top, and discharges the documents on the platen glass 211 to the discharge tray 219 after the document reading operation is completed. When the document is conveyed onto the platen glass 211, the lamp 212 is turned on, and the movement of the optical unit 213 is started to expose and scan the document. The reflected light from the original at this time is guided to a CCD image sensor (hereinafter referred to as CCD) 218 by mirrors 214, 215, 216 and lens 217. In this way, the scanned image of the document is read by the CCD 218. Image data output from the CCD 218 is transferred to the control device 110 after being subjected to predetermined processing.

  The laser driver 321 of the printer unit 300 drives the laser light emitting unit 322, and causes the laser light emitting unit 322 to emit laser light corresponding to the image data output from the control device 110. The laser beam is irradiated on the photosensitive drum 323, and a latent image corresponding to the laser beam is formed on the photosensitive drum 323. A developer is attached to the latent image portion of the photosensitive drum 323 by a developing device 324.

  Then, at the timing synchronized with the start of laser light irradiation, the recording paper is fed from any of the cassette 311, cassette 312, cassette 313, cassette 314, and manual feed stage 315, and transferred to the transfer unit 325 by the conveyance path 331, The developer attached to the photosensitive drum 323 is transferred to the recording paper. The recording paper on which the developer is placed is conveyed to the fixing unit 327 by the conveyance belt 326, and the developer is fixed to the recording paper by the heat and pressure of the fixing unit 327. Thereafter, the recording paper that has passed through the fixing unit 327 passes through the conveyance path 335 and the conveyance path 334 and is discharged. Alternatively, when the print surface is reversed and discharged, the paper is guided to the transport path 336 and the transport path 338, from which the recording paper is transported in the reverse direction, and passes through the transport path 337 and the transport path 334.

  If double-sided recording is set, after passing through the fixing unit 327, the recording paper is guided from the conveyance path 336 to the conveyance path 333 by the flapper 329, and then the recording paper is conveyed in the reverse direction. Thus, the sheet is guided to the conveyance path 338 and the refeed conveyance path 332. The recording sheet guided to the refeed conveyance path 332 passes through the conveyance path 331 at the timing described above and is fed to the transfer unit 325.

  The recording paper discharged from the conveyance path 334 is conveyed to the finisher unit 500.

  The conveyed recording paper is first sent to the buffer unit 501. Here, the recording paper conveyed according to circumstances is wound around a buffer roller for buffering. For example, when processing such as stapling that takes place downstream takes time, using this buffer unit can keep the conveyance speed of the recording paper conveyed from the main body constant, which helps to improve the throughput. Is possible.

  Thereafter, the recording paper is discharged to the stack tray 507a by the upstream discharge roller pair 502 and the downstream discharge roller pair 503.

  Next, the operation unit 150 will be described with reference to FIG.

  600 is an LCD touch panel, and the main mode setting and status display are performed here. Reference numeral 601 denotes a numeric keypad for inputting numerical values from 0 to 9. Reference numeral 602 denotes an ID key which is used when inputting a department number and a password mode when the apparatus is department-managed.

  603 is a reset key for resetting the set mode, 604 is a guide key for displaying an explanation screen for each mode, 605 is a user mode key for entering the user mode screen, and 606 is for performing interrupt copying It is an interrupt key.

  Reference numeral 607 denotes a start key for starting a copy operation, and reference numeral 608 denotes a stop key for stopping a copy job being executed.

  Reference numeral 609 denotes a soft power supply SW, and when pressed, the backlight of the LCD 600 is turned off and the apparatus falls into a power saving state. Reference numeral 610 denotes a power saving key, which is pressed to enter a power saving state and is pressed again to return from the power saving state.

  Reference numerals 611, 612, and 613 denote function keys for shifting to a copy, box, and extended function. In FIG. 3, the standard screen for copying is displayed. When the other function keys 612 and 613 are pressed, the standard screen for each function is displayed.

  Reference numeral 614 is an adjustment key for adjusting the contrast of the LCD touch panel.

  Reference numeral 615 denotes a counter confirmation key. When this key is pressed, a count screen for displaying the total number of copies specified so far is displayed on the LCD.

  616 is an LED indicating that the job is being executed and the image is being stored in the image memory, 617 is an error LED indicating that the device is in an error state such as a jam, door open, etc., and 618 is that the main switch of the device is ON The power LED indicates.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the image output apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 4, reference numeral 410 denotes a host computer. Reference numeral 411 denotes storage in the host computer 410. The electronic document file is stored in the storage 410, and when the user designates transfer, the electronic document file is transmitted to the printing apparatus via the network.

  Reference numeral 420 denotes a raster image processor for developing the output through the printer driver into image data. The raster image processor 420 includes an interpreter 421, a renderer 422, a memory 423 for storing image data, and a storage device 424. The raster image processor may be implemented as part of the configuration of the image output apparatus or may be configured separately from the image processing apparatus, but either of them may be used. A password storage unit 425 stores a password preset by the user. Note that the password storage unit exists on the volatile RAM.

  An image processing unit 430 performs image processing conversion such as binarization on the image data stored in the image memory 423, and can output image data (for example, CMYK binary images) that can be output by an image forming unit 440 described later. Data). The image forming unit 440 visualizes and outputs image data, which is electronic data, on a medium such as paper.

  The electronic document file transmitted from the host computer is received by the raster image processor 420 via the network, and is first analyzed by the interpreter 421. At this time, if password protection is applied to the electronic document file, it is tried whether it matches any of the preset passwords stored in the password storage unit 425. If the matching password is not preset in the password storage unit 425, the electronic document file is discarded without being analyzed.

  The renderer 422 converts the electronic document file interpreted by the interpreter 421 into two-dimensional bitmap data that can be appropriately processed, and stores it in the memory 423. In the case of a job to which an attribute that prevents immediate output from the image forming unit 440 is added, or when the renderer process is performed at a high speed and the output from the image forming unit 40 is not in time, rendering is once performed in the storage 423. The finished image is stored.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing that processing is divided according to the presence or absence of password protection for a received electronic document file.

  If the electronic document file is received in step S501 waiting for reception, it is determined in step S502 whether a password is attached. If the password is not added, the file is interpreted in step S507, rendering is performed in step S508, and output is performed in step S509. In this process, the electronic document file name is displayed on the normal job status display and job history display for the electronic document being processed.

  If the electronic document file has a password, it is determined in step S503 whether or not it matches any of the passwords stored in the password storage unit 425. If there is a matching password, the processing after step S507 is executed and output. In the course of this processing, the electronic document file name is not displayed on the job status display and job history display shown in FIG. 11 for the electronic document being processed. However, it can be confirmed which preset password has been matched, and in the administrator mode shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, it is possible to confirm the details of the job history. In this case, a password shared within the department is preset in the printing apparatus, and password entry by individual users is omitted.

  If the preset password does not match in step S503, the process proceeds to a password input waiting state by the user in step S504. Here, the user can input a password for the electronic document file with password protection being processed on the password input screen shown in FIG. If the password input by the user in step S504 matches, the processing after step S507 is performed and output. At this time, a history of “job processing OK” remains in the job history display shown in FIG. 11 described later, but detailed information such as a file name is not displayed. The file name cannot be confirmed even in the administrator mode. If the password entered by the user does not match, the processing of the electronic document file is stopped in step S504 and the file is discarded. During this process, the status of “job processing NG” is displayed in the job status display and job history display during processing. This case is a case where a different password is set for each electronic document file, and it is considered that the password-added file is highly confidential. Therefore, detailed information such as the file name does not remain in the job history.

  FIG. 6 is an example of an administrator mode screen displayed on the operation unit 150 of the printing apparatus. In order to shift to the administrator mode, it is necessary to preset the administrator password, and it is necessary to input the administrator password when shifting to the administrator mode.

  In the administrator mode, it is possible to confirm the preset password, the expiration date of the password, and the number of files output with the password. It is also possible to confirm details of the job processing history for each password. By pressing the [Detail History] button displayed next to the number of outputs, the detail history screen shown in FIG. 7 is displayed. When adding or deleting a preset password or changing contents, a password editing screen shown in FIG. 8 is displayed by pressing the [Edit] button. The registration number and the expiration date are changed by inputting a new expiration date from the numeric keypad and pressing the [Change] button. Password deletion is executed by pressing the [Delete Password] button. When a new password is added, when the [Add Password] button is pressed, a transition is made to the password addition screen shown in FIG. On the password addition screen, a new password character string can be set. By pressing the [Add] button in FIG. 9, the registration number and expiration date for the new password can be set on the detailed input screen in FIG.

(Other embodiments of the present invention)
The present invention may be applied to a system constituted by a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, a finisher, and an external storage device) or an apparatus constituted by one device.

  In addition, in order to operate various devices so as to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments, it is possible to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments for an apparatus or a computer in the system connected to the various devices. A program implemented by supplying software program code and operating the various devices in accordance with a program stored in a computer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus is also included in the scope of the present invention.

In this case, the program code of the software itself realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the program code itself and means for supplying the program code to the computer, for example, the program code The stored storage medium constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for storing the program code, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

  Further, by executing the program code supplied by the computer, not only the functions described in the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the OS (operating system) or other operating system in which the program code is running on the computer. It goes without saying that the program code is also included in the embodiment of the present invention even when the functions described in the above-described embodiment are realized in cooperation with application software or the like.

  Further, after the supplied program code is stored in a memory provided in a function expansion board of the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the CPU provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit based on the instruction of the program code The present invention also includes a case where the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized by performing part or all of the actual processing.

Diagram showing overall configuration of image input / output system Sectional view of the reader unit 200 and the printer unit 300 Explanatory drawing about the operation unit Block diagram showing the configuration of the image output device Flowchart showing processing for received electronic document files depending on password protection Example of administrator mode screen displayed on the operation unit of the printing device Example of detailed history screen Example of detailed input screen Example of password addition screen Example of password input screen Figure showing job history display

Claims (4)

A printing device capable of printing a password-protected electronic document,
As a password input means, a means for presetting at least one password in the printing apparatus in advance,
Means for verifying a password preset in the printing apparatus in advance when a password-protected electronic document is received;
A printing apparatus comprising: means for performing print output when a matching password exists as a result of the verification. The printing apparatus according to claim 1,
A password preset in the printing apparatus is stored only in a volatile memory in the printing apparatus. A printing apparatus according to claim 1 and claim 2,
General mode that does not display the stored password,
And a manager mode for displaying and changing a stored password. The printing apparatus according to claim 3,
Means for providing an expiration attribute in the stored password;
A printing apparatus comprising: means for deleting an approximate password when an expiration date defined by an approximate expiration date attribute has passed.

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