JP2007213162A - Image formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image formation device for confirming the validity of a worker who prints out a data file, based on a printed result. <P>SOLUTION: Identification data D of the worker input into an identification input part 121 are authenticated by a worker authentication part 122, using authentication data C of the data file F, and result data are print-output together with a body data B of the data file F, according to whether at least the identification data D is valid or not, by a printing execution part 123. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that prints out a data file, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that prints out a data file having main data to be printed out and additional data that is not printed out.

  Data files having main body data such as document data and image data are generally managed by a computer system, and the originality of the data file can be obtained by embedding authentication data as additional data in the data file. Guarantee is also implemented.

  The data file as described above is managed by a computer device, but the computer device can also send the data file to a printer device and print it out on a print medium.

  In such a system, for example, the computer device converts the data file into print data and transmits it to the printer device, so the printer device prints out the received print data. In this case, of course, the main data of the data file is printed out, but the authentication data used for the authentication process is not printed out.

  Note that the data file to which the authentication data is assigned as described above is generally important. Therefore, when a data file is transmitted from the computer device to the printer device together with the authentication data, the printer device executes authentication processing of the data file with the authentication data, and prints the authentication result as an authentication mark together with the data file. (For example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  It is also practiced to print out the authentication data as described above as machine-readable print data together with the main data of the data file. In this case, the print result can be read and scanned by the scanner device, and the authentication data can be combined to execute the authentication process.

Furthermore, the identification data of the worker is input to such a scanner device, the identification data is authenticated with authentication data combined from the read image, and warning data is added to the read result when the worker is determined to be inappropriate. There is also a proposal for output (for example, see Patent Document 3).
JP 2002-316465 A JP 2003-348079 A JP 2003-134327 A

  In the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 3 described above, the identification data of the worker is authenticated by the authentication data read and scanned from the print image, and if the worker is authenticated as inappropriate, the read result is given warning data and printed out. You can also.

  However, the above-described device of Patent Document 3 performs authentication processing on a worker who scans and scans a print image with a scanner device using authentication data combined from the print image, and prints a data file stored in the computer device. An operator who prints out the apparatus cannot be authenticated with the authentication data of the data file.

  A first image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that prints out a data file having main data to be printed out and additional data that is not printed out. At least authentication data is included in the additional data of the data file. An identification input unit that accepts input of worker identification data, a worker authentication unit that authenticates the worker identification data with the authentication data of the data file, and whether the identification data subjected to the authentication processing is appropriate or inappropriate And a print execution unit that prints and outputs the result data together with the main data of the data file.

  A second image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus that transmits a data file having main data to be printed and additional data not to be printed to an external printer device, and causes the printer device to print out the data file. At least authentication data is included in the additional data of the data file to be transmitted, and an identification input unit that receives input of worker identification data, and a worker authentication unit that performs authentication processing of worker identification data with the authentication data of the data file And a print execution unit that transmits the result data to the printer device together with the main data of the data file and prints out the data corresponding to at least one of the identification data subjected to the authentication process.

  A third image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that receives a data file having main data to be printed out and additional data that is not printed out from an external computer device, and prints out the data file. At least authentication data is included in the additional data of the data file to be received, an identification input unit that accepts input of worker identification data, and a worker authentication unit that performs authentication processing of worker identification data with the authentication data of the data file And a print execution unit that prints out the result data together with the main data of the data file corresponding to at least one of the identification data subjected to the authentication process being appropriate or inappropriate.

  Therefore, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the identification data of the worker who prints out the data file is authenticated by the authentication data of the data file to be printed out, and the authentication result is printed out together with the main body data as result data. The

  It should be noted that each unit referred to in the present invention is only required to be formed so as to realize its function. For example, dedicated hardware that exhibits a predetermined function, a computer device provided with a predetermined function by a computer program, a computer It can be realized as a predetermined function realized in a computer device by a program, an arbitrary combination thereof, or the like.

  In addition, the various constituent elements referred to in the present invention do not necessarily have to be individually independent, and a plurality of constituent elements are formed as one member, and one constituent element is formed from a plurality of members. It is possible that a certain component is a part of another component, a part of a certain component overlaps a part of another component, and the like.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention can read a computer program and execute corresponding data processing, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), an I / F. It can be implemented as hardware constructed by general-purpose devices such as (Interface) units, dedicated logic circuits constructed to execute predetermined data processing, combinations thereof, and the like.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the identification data of the worker is authenticated with the authentication data of the data file, and the result data corresponding to at least one of the identification data subjected to the authentication processing is appropriate or inappropriate. By printing together, it can be confirmed from the print result whether the operator who printed out the data file is appropriate or inappropriate.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the same portions as those of the conventional example described above with respect to the present embodiment are denoted by the same names, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

    [Configuration of the embodiment]

  As shown in FIG. 2, a data processing system 1000, which is an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, includes a computer apparatus 100 and a printer apparatus 200, which are wiredly connected via a LAN (Local Area Network) or the like. (Not shown).

  The computer apparatus 100 includes a CPU 101 as hardware that is a main component of the computer. The CPU 101 includes an FDD 107 and a CD-ROM 108 in which a ROM 103, a RAM 104, an HDD 105, and an FD 106 are interchangeably loaded via a bus line 102. Hardware such as a CD drive 109, a keyboard 110, a mouse 111, a display unit 112, and an I / F unit 113, which are loaded in a replaceable manner, is connected.

  In the computer apparatus 100 of this embodiment, hardware such as the ROM 103, the RAM 104, the HDD 105, the replaceable FD 106, the replaceable CD-ROM 108, and the like corresponds to an information storage medium, and at least one of them includes a computer program for the CPU 101 and The resource is stored as software.

  Such software is pre-installed in the computer apparatus 100, and is stored in the RAM 104 when the computer apparatus 100 is activated so that it can be read by the CPU 101.

  When the CPU 101 executes various processes corresponding to the computer program, the data processing system 1000 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes an identification input unit 121 that receives input of worker identification data D, as shown in FIG. Authentication unit 122 for authenticating the identification data D of the data file F with the authentication data of the data file F, the result data R corresponding to at least one of the identification data D subjected to the authentication processing being appropriate or inappropriate, and the main data of the data file F B logically includes a print execution unit 123 that prints out together with B.

  Each of the above-described units 121 and 122 is realized as a processing operation of the computer apparatus 100 corresponding to the computer program, and the print execution unit 123 is a cooperative operation of the computer apparatus 100 and the printer apparatus 200 corresponding to the computer program. It is implemented in the data processing system 1000.

  In the data processing system 1000 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3A, the data file F is data having main body data B and additional data S, as in the so-called e-document or PDF (Portable Document Format) data. It has a structure.

  The main body data B is composed of text data and image data, and is printed out by normal processing as shown in FIG. The additional data S includes authentication data C, which will be described later in detail, and is not printed out unless special processing is executed.

  In this embodiment, for each worker who uses the computer device 100, identification data D is defined as an ID (Identity) consisting of a small number of text data, and the data file F has created its body data B, for example. The worker identification data D is included in the authentication data C.

  Further, in the data file F of this embodiment, the result data R is included in the additional data S, and the result data R includes the identification data D of the worker who has been authenticated as shown in FIG. It is set as a watermark that is printed out if it is inappropriate.

  The watermark of the result data R is, for example, warning guidance such as “This document is not printed by the creator”, and the dots are diffused so that the body data B to be synthesized can be confirmed. Print output repeatedly.

  In the computer apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the identification input unit 121 accepts an input of the worker's identification data D when the CPU 101 recognizes a manual operation of the keyboard 110 by the worker according to the computer program, for example.

  For example, when the CPU 101 executes predetermined data processing, the worker authentication unit 122 detects the additional data S from the data file F instructed to be printed out by the worker, and obtains the authentication data C from the additional data S. Then, the identification data D is detected from the authentication data C, and the identification data D of the data file F is compared with the input identification data D to execute the authentication process.

  When it is determined that the identification data D matches and is appropriate by the authentication process, the print execution unit 123 converts only the main data B of the data file F into print data, and transmits the print data from the I / F unit 113 to the printer device 200. If the identification data D does not match and is determined to be inappropriate, the body data B and the result data R of the data file F are converted to print data, and the print data is combined and transmitted to the printer apparatus 200.

  Each unit 121 to 124 of the data processing system 1000 as described above is realized by using hardware such as the keyboard 110 and the I / F unit 113 as necessary, but the main body is stored in an information storage medium such as the RAM 104. This is realized by the function of the CPU 101 as hardware corresponding to the computer program.

  Such a computer program, for example, receives input of worker identification data D from the keyboard 110 or the like, authenticates the input identification data D with the identification data D of the data file F to be printed, and the authentication result. If the authentication is appropriate, only the main data B of the data file F is transmitted to the printer device 200 for printing, and if the authentication result is inappropriate, the main data B and the result data R of the data file F are transmitted to the printer device 200. Are stored in an information storage medium such as the RAM 104 as software for causing the CPU 101 to execute processing operations such as printing out.

    [Operation of the embodiment]

  In the configuration as described above, in the data processing system 1000 of the present embodiment, for example, the data file F to which the authentication data C is assigned is registered in the computer apparatus 100, and the data file F is transferred to the computer apparatus 100. Can be printed out by the printer device 200 in response to the instruction.

  For example, when the operator manually operates the computer apparatus 100 to read out a desired data file F and prints out the data file F, as shown in FIG. A print output is instructed to the computer apparatus 100 (step S1).

  Then, the computer device 100 checks whether the authentication data C is attached to the data file F (step S2), and if not, the main body data B of the data file F is converted to normal print data such as a bitmap. (Step S8). Since the print data is transmitted from the computer apparatus 100 to the printer apparatus 200 (step S12), the printer apparatus 200 prints out the main data B of the data file F as shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, when the authentication data C is given to the data file F (step S2), the computer apparatus 100 displays input guidance such as “Please input your identification data D” on the display unit 112 (step S2). S3).

  Therefore, when the operator who has confirmed the input guidance inputs his / her identification data D to the computer apparatus 100 by manual operation of the keyboard 110 (step S4), the computer apparatus 100 uses the identification data D from the authentication data C of the data file F. Is detected, and the identification data D of the data file F is compared with the input identification data D to execute an authentication process (step S6).

  If it is determined that the identification data D matches and is appropriate by this authentication process (step S7), only the main data B of the data file F is converted into print data (step S8), and the I / F unit 113 transfers it to the printer apparatus 200. It is transmitted (step S12).

  Since the printer device 200 prints out the received print data on a print medium such as print paper, only the main data B of the data file F is printed out on the print medium P as shown in FIG. .

  On the other hand, if the identification data D does not match and is determined to be inappropriate by the authentication process (step S7), the main data B and the result data R of the data file F are converted into print data (steps S9 and S10). Next, since these print data are combined (step S11) and transmitted to the printer device 200 (step S12), the printer device 200 prints out the received print data on a print medium such as print paper. .

  In the computer apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, since the result data R is set to be combined with the main body data B as a watermark, the main body data B is included in the print medium P as shown in FIG. Along with the data R watermark, it is printed out. The watermark of the result data R consists of warning guidance as described above, and is printed out in a state where the main data B to be synthesized can be confirmed.

  Note that the computer apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment does not input the operator identification data D even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the identification data input guidance is displayed on the display unit 112 (step S3) (step S4). S5) The operator is automatically authenticated as unsuitable, and the main body data B of the data file F and the result data R are combined and printed out by the printer device 200 (steps S9 to S12).

    [Effect of the embodiment]

  In the data processing system 1000 of this embodiment, the identification data D of the worker who prints out the data file F is authenticated with the authentication data C of the data file F as described above, and the identification data D that has been authenticated is appropriate. For example, only the main data B of the data file F is printed out. However, if the result is unsuitable, the result data R is combined with the main data B and printed out, so it is printed whether the operator who printed out the data file F is appropriate It can be confirmed by the result.

  Moreover, since the identification data D of the worker is set as the authentication data C in the data file F, it is not necessary for the computer apparatus 100 to manage the identification data C, and whether the worker is appropriate for each data file F is determined. Can be set.

  Further, since the result data R is also set in the data file F, it is not necessary for the computer device 100 to hold the result data R, and a plurality of types of result data R are associated with the contents of the main body data B, and the data file It is also possible to selectively set F.

  Since the identification data D and the result data R can be set as a small number of text data or the like, the data capacity of the data file F is excessively increased due to the identification data D and the result data R. Absent.

  Further, in the data processing system 1000 of this embodiment, if the authentication data C is not set in the data file F as described above, the printing process of the main body data B is automatically executed, so that it is unnecessary for the operator. There is no need to input the identification data D.

    [Modification of Embodiment]

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are allowed without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the result data R is combined with the body data B of the data file F and printed out only when the worker is authenticated as inappropriate. However, the result is only obtained when the worker is authenticated as appropriate. The data R can be combined with the main data B and printed out.

  In this case, the result data R is set as, for example, a report guidance such as “This document was printed by the creator” and printed on the upper or lower portion of the print medium P so as not to obstruct the main body data B. It is preferable to output.

  Further, the first / second result data R can be switched and printed out according to whether the authentication result of the worker is appropriate or inappropriate. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3B, it is preferable to set the first / second result data R in the data file F and selectively print out corresponding to the authentication result.

  In the above embodiment, the result data R is set in the data file F. However, it is also possible that the regular result data R is registered in the computer apparatus 100.

  Further, it is possible to register the first result data R corresponding to the appropriateness of the authentication result in the computer apparatus 100 and set the second result data R corresponding to the inappropriate result to the data file F. is there.

  In addition, the default result data R is registered in the computer apparatus 100, the original result data R is set in an arbitrary data file F, and the result data R is set in the data file F. When the computer apparatus 100 selects the result data R and the result data R is not set, the default result data R can be selected.

  Further, in the above embodiment, it is assumed that one identification data D is set as the authentication data C in the data file F. However, a plurality of identification data D can be set as the authentication data C in the data file F. It is.

  In the above embodiment, the worker identification data D is directly set as the authentication data C in the data file F. However, if the authentication data C is set so that the identification data D can be authenticated. good.

  For example, when a large number of workers are divided into a plurality of groups, and the suitability of print output is defined for each group, the group identification data is set in the worker identification data D and the authentication data C. It can also be included.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the authentication data C has been registered in the data file F. For example, the correspondence relationship between the plurality of identification data D and the plurality of authentication data C is registered in the computer device 100, for example. It is also possible to authenticate the input identification data D and authentication data C given to the data file F with a registered correspondence. In that case, since the authentication data C may be identification data of the data file F, the capacity of the data file F can be greatly reduced.

  In the above embodiment, it is assumed that the worker inputs his / her ID consisting of a small number of text data as the identification data D. For example, an ID and a password may be input as the identification data D. . In that case, various authentication processes can be executed by setting ID only, password only, a combination of ID and password, etc. as authentication data C.

  Further, in the above embodiment, it is exemplified that the operator inputs the identification data D by manual operation of the keyboard 110. For example, biometric data such as fingerprint scanning or voice input of the operator is input to the computer apparatus 100 as the identification data D. It is also possible to do. In that case, the authentication data C can be set as, for example, a plurality of feature portions extracted from the biometric data.

  In the above embodiment, the series of operations of the computer apparatus 100 has been specifically described with reference to FIG. 5, but the order of the series of operations can be changed within a consistent range. For example, the main body data is converted into print data after executing the authentication process. However, the authentication process may be executed after the main body data is converted into print data.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, only the authentication processing of the worker identification data D with the authentication data C of the data file F has been exemplified. For example, such authentication data C includes a so-called electronic signature or time stamp. In addition, it is possible to authenticate the worker identification data D with the authentication data C of the data file F and to authenticate the validity of the data file F with the authentication data C.

  Further, in the above embodiment, it is exemplified that the respective units are logically realized as various functions of the computer apparatus 100 by the CPU 101 operating corresponding to the computer program stored in the RAM 104 or the like. However, each of these units can be formed as unique hardware, and a part can be stored in the RAM 104 or the like as software and a part can be formed as hardware.

It is a typical block diagram which shows the logical structure of the data processing system of embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the physical structure of a data processing system. It is a schematic diagram which shows the data structure of a data file. It is a typical front view which shows the printing result of a data file. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation in which a computer device causes a printer device to print out a data file.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Computer apparatus 121 Identification input part 122 Worker authentication part 123 Print execution part 200 Printer apparatus 1000 Data processing system

Claims (13)

An image forming apparatus for printing out a data file having main body data to be printed out and additional data not to be printed out,
At least authentication data is included in the additional data of the data file,
An identification input unit that accepts input of worker identification data;
An operator authentication unit that performs authentication processing of the identification data of the worker with the authentication data of the data file;
A print execution unit that prints out the result data together with the main data of the data file corresponding to at least one of whether the identification data subjected to the authentication process is appropriate or inappropriate;
An image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus that transmits a data file having main body data to be printed and additional data not to be printed to an external printer device, and prints the data file.
At least authentication data is included in the additional data of the data file to be transmitted to the printer device,
An identification input unit that accepts input of worker identification data;
An operator authentication unit that performs authentication processing of the identification data of the worker with the authentication data of the data file;
A print execution unit that transmits the result data to the printer device together with the main data of the data file in correspondence with at least one of whether the identification data subjected to the authentication process is appropriate or inappropriate; and
An image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus that receives a data file having main body data to be printed out and additional data not to be printed out from an external computer device, and prints out the data file.
At least authentication data is included in the additional data of the data file received from the computer device,
An identification input unit that accepts input of worker identification data;
An operator authentication unit that performs authentication processing of the identification data of the worker with the authentication data of the data file;
A print execution unit that prints out the result data together with the main data of the data file corresponding to at least one of whether the identification data subjected to the authentication process is appropriate or inappropriate;
An image forming apparatus.   The print execution unit prints out the first result data when the identification data is authenticated as appropriate by an authentication process, and prints out the second result data when the identification data is verified as inappropriate. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print execution unit stores the result data, and prints out the stored result data. The result data is also included in the additional data of the data file,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print execution unit prints out the result data included in the additional data. The identification data of the worker is included in the authentication data of the data file,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the worker authentication unit performs an authentication process based on whether the input identification data is included in the authentication data of the data file.   The worker authentication unit is registered with a correspondence relationship between the plurality of identification data and the plurality of authentication data, and the input identification data and the authentication data given to the data file are registered. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein authentication processing is performed based on the correspondence relationship. A computer program for an image forming apparatus which transmits a data file having main body data to be printed out and additional data not to be printed out to an external printer device for printing out,
At least authentication data is included in the additional data of the data file to be transmitted to the printer device,
Receiving input of worker identification data;
Authenticating the identification data of the worker with the authentication data of the data file;
Transmitting the result data together with the main data of the data file to the printer device for printing output corresponding to at least one of whether the identification data subjected to the authentication process is appropriate or inappropriate;
A computer program for causing the image forming apparatus to execute. A computer program for an image forming apparatus that receives a data file having main body data to be printed and additional data not to be printed from an external computer device and prints the data file,
At least authentication data is included in the additional data of the data file received from the computer device,
Receiving input of worker identification data;
Authenticating the identification data of the worker with the authentication data of the data file;
Printing out the result data together with the main data of the data file corresponding to at least one of the identification data subjected to the authentication processing being appropriate or inappropriate;
A computer program for causing the image forming apparatus to execute. A data file having main body data to be printed out and additional data not to be printed out, and printed out by the image forming apparatus according to claim 6,
A data file having a data structure in which at least the authentication data and the result data are included in the additional data.   The data file according to claim 11, having a data structure in which the first / second result data according to claim 4 is included in the additional data.   The data file according to claim 11 or 12, having a data structure in which the identification data is included in the authentication result.

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