JP2008021151A - Confidential printing system, its method, printer server, authentication server, and their program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To print a confidential document by a printer desired by a distribution user destination without distributing an electronic file of a confidential document. <P>SOLUTION: A request terminal 100 transmits print data of the confidential document to a printer server 200. The printer server 200 associates and stores the print data received from the request terminal 100 and a newly assigned print request number. A user terminal 600 transmits the print request number and a printer ID to the printer server 200. The printer server 200 associates and stores the print request number and the printer ID received from the user terminal 600. The printer server 200 transmits a print command of the stored print date to the printer of the printer ID stored in association with the print request number stored in association with the print data. A printer 400 performs printing according to the print command received from the printer server 200. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a confidential printing system, a method thereof, a printer server, an authentication server, and these programs, and in particular, a confidential printing system capable of printing only by a distribution destination user designated by a distribution source user, a method thereof, a printer server, The present invention relates to authentication servers and their programs.

A conventional confidential printing apparatus receives a password set when a user instructs printing, together with print data, and stores them in a hard disk included in the confidential printing apparatus. When the password input by the user matches the stored password, the confidential printing apparatus prints the print data stored on the hard disk together with the password (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Further, the user ID and the password are stored in the confidential printing apparatus in association with each other, and the user ID of the user who has instructed printing is stored together with the print data in a hard disk included in the confidential printing apparatus. When the password input by the user matches the password corresponding to the stored user ID, some print data stored together with the user ID is printed on the hard disk. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-326556 A

  However, in a conventional confidential printing apparatus, when a distribution source user distributes a confidential document to a distribution destination user at a remote location, the electronic file of the confidential document is attached to an e-mail or the like and transmitted. The distribution destination user who receives the electronic file of the confidential document prints it using the confidential printing device. Thus, it is possible to prevent another user from bringing the confidential document printed, but there is a problem that the electronic file of the confidential document is distributed, which is not preferable from the viewpoint of security. Further, if the distribution source user designates and prints the confidential document electronic file so that the electronic file of the confidential document is not distributed, it may be printed by a printer that is inconvenient for the distribution destination user. There is a problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a confidential printing system capable of printing a confidential document by a printer desired by a distribution destination user without distributing an electronic file of the confidential document. Is to provide.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and the confidential printing system of the present invention is a confidential printing system having a request terminal, a user terminal, a plurality of printers, and a printer server. Transmits the print data to the printer server, and the printer server stores the print request identification information and the print data in association with each other, and the print request identification information and the printer identification information in association with each other. A designated printer storage unit, a print request reception processing unit that receives print data from the requesting terminal, associates the received print data with the newly allocated print request identification information, and stores the print request identification information in the print request storage unit; The user terminal owned by the user of the user identification information received from the request terminal is the print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit. A user notification processing unit to be transmitted to the printer, a printer that receives print request identification information and printer identification information from the user terminal, and stores the received print request identification information and printer identification information in the designated printer storage unit in association with each other A print instruction for print data stored in the designation processing unit and the print request storage unit is stored in the designated printer storage unit in association with the print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit in association with the print data. A printer print request processing unit that transmits the printer identification information to the printer, and the user terminal receives the print request identification information received from the printer server together with the printer identification information designated by a user operation. And the printer responds to the print instruction received from the print request processing unit of the printer server. There, characterized by printing.

  The confidential printing system of the present invention is the above-described confidential printing system, comprising a plurality of identification information acquisition devices each corresponding to one of the printers, and an authentication server, wherein the requesting terminal includes print data In addition, the user identification information of the distribution destination user designated by the user operation is transmitted to the printer server, and the print request storage unit of the printer server associates the user identification information in addition to the print request identification information and the print data. The print request reception processing unit of the printer server receives the user identification information in addition to the print data from the request terminal, and adds the received print data and the newly allocated print request identification information. The received user identification information is associated and stored in the print request storage unit, and the printer request is received by the print request reception processing unit. Acquiring print request identification information and user identification information stored in association with the request storage unit, acquiring printer identification information stored in the designated printer storage unit in association with the acquired print request identification information, and acquiring the acquired An authentication request processing unit that transmits the print request identification information, the acquired user identification information, and the acquired printer identification information to the authentication server, wherein the authentication server includes the print request identification information, the user identification information, and the printer identification; An authentication request storage unit that associates and stores information, a printer information storage unit that associates and stores printer identification information and identification information of the identification information acquisition device, and print request identification information from the authentication request processing unit of the printer server. An authentication request registration processing unit which receives user identification information and printer identification information and stores it in the authentication request storage unit; The printer identification information stored in the printer information storage unit in association with the identification information of the identification information acquisition apparatus that received the user identification information from the information acquisition apparatus, and the received user identification information, and the received user identification information And an authentication processing unit that transmits the print request identification information stored in the authentication request storage unit to the printer server, and the identification information acquisition device receives the user identification information input by a user operation. The print instruction transmitted to the authentication server and transmitted by the printer print request processing unit of the printer server is an instruction to transmit the print data stored in the print request storage unit in association with the print request identification information received from the authentication server. It is characterized by being.

  The confidential printing system of the present invention is any one of the above-described confidential printing systems, wherein the printer server stores a printer identification storage unit that stores printer identification information of each of the printers, and a printer list request from the user terminal. A printer list transmission processing unit for receiving the printer identification stored in the printer identification storage unit and transmitting the received print request identification information to the user terminal. The user notification processing unit transmits to the user terminal, together with the print request identification information, notification information indicating that there is a print request addressed to the user and reference information to the printer list transmission processing unit. Receiving notification information, reference information and print request identification information from the printer server, and displaying the received notification information In response to a user operation, a printer list request and the received print request identification information are transmitted to the printer list transmission processing unit based on the reference information, and the printer identification information and the print request identification information transmitted by the user terminal are: Among the printer identification information received from the printer server, the printer identification information designated by a user operation and the print request identification information received from the printer server.

  The confidential printing system of the present invention is any one of the above-described confidential printing systems, wherein the printer server receives a request from a user setting storage unit that stores user identification information and the requesting terminal, and A user list transmission processing unit that transmits user identification information stored in a user setting storage unit to the requesting terminal, wherein the requesting terminal requests user identification information from the printer server and receives the request as a reply to the user The identification information is displayed, and the user identification information designated by the user operation from the displayed user identification information is transmitted to the printer server together with the print data as the user identification information of the distribution destination user.

  The confidential printing method of the present invention is a confidential printing method in a confidential printing system having a request terminal, a user terminal, a plurality of printers, and a printer server, wherein the request terminal transmits print data to the printer server. First, the printer server receives print data from the requesting terminal, and stores the received print data in association with the newly allocated print request identification information in the print request storage unit. A third process in which the printer server transmits print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit to a user terminal owned by the user of the user identification information received from the request terminal; The user terminal, together with the print request identification information received from the printer server, displays the printer identification information specified by the user operation. A fourth process of transmitting to the data server, and the printer server receives the print request identification information and the printer identification information from the user terminal, and associates the received print request identification information and the printer identification information with the designated printer. A fifth step of storing in the storage unit, and a print request identification stored in the print request storage unit in association with the print data by the printer server in association with a print instruction of the print data stored in the print request storage unit A sixth step of transmitting to the printer of the printer identification information stored in the designated printer storage unit in association with the information, and a seventh step of printing according to the print instruction received from the print request processing unit of the printer server. The process is provided.

  The printer server of the present invention includes a print request storage unit that stores print request identification information and print data in association with each other in a printer server to which a request terminal, a user terminal, and a plurality of printers are connected, and a print request. A designated printer storage unit for storing the identification information and the printer identification information in association with each other; and receiving the print data from the requesting terminal; and associating the received print data with the newly allocated print request identification information A print request reception processing unit stored in the storage unit, and a user notification processing unit that transmits the print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit to the user terminal owned by the user of the user identification information received from the request terminal Receiving print request identification information and printer identification information from the user terminal, and receiving the received print request identification information and printer identification information. A print request stored in the print request storage unit in association with the print data by associating the print designation of the print data stored in the print request storage unit with the printer designation processing unit linked and stored in the designated printer storage unit A printer print request processing unit for transmitting to the printer the printer identification information stored in the designated printer storage unit in association with the identification information.

  Further, the program of the present invention receives a print data from the request terminal, a print request newly assigned to the computer to which a request terminal, a user terminal, and a plurality of printers are connected. A print request reception processing unit that associates the identification information with the print request storage unit and stores the print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit by the user of the user identification information received from the request terminal A user notification processing unit for transmitting to the printer, a printer designation process for receiving print request identification information and printer identification information from the user terminal, and storing the received print request identification information and printer identification information in association with each other in a designated printer storage unit A print instruction for print data stored in the print request storage unit is stored in the print request storage unit in association with the print data. To function as a printer print request processing unit to send to the printer the printer identification information stored in the designated printer storage unit in association with printing request identification information.

  Further, the authentication server of the present invention is an authentication server in which a printer server and a plurality of identification information acquisition devices are connected, and print request identification information, user identification information, and printer identification information from the authentication request processing unit of the printer server. An authentication request registration processing unit that associates the received print request identification information, user identification information, and printer identification information and stores them in an authentication request storage unit, and receives user identification information from the identification information acquisition device, The received user identification information is stored in the authentication request storage unit in association with the printer identification information stored in the printer information storage unit in association with the identification information of the transmission source identification information acquisition device and the received user identification information. And an authentication processing unit that transmits the print request identification information to the printer server.

  The program of the present invention receives a print request identification information, a user identification information, and a printer identification information from a printer server and a computer connected to a plurality of identification information acquisition devices from an authentication request processing unit of the printer server. An authentication request registration processing unit that associates the received print request identification information, user identification information, and printer identification information and stores them in an authentication request storage unit; receives user identification information from the identification information acquisition device; Print information stored in the authentication request storage unit in association with the printer identification information stored in the printer information storage unit in association with the identification information of the identification information acquisition device that is the transmission source of user identification information. The request identification information is caused to function as an authentication processing unit that transmits the request identification information to the printer server.

  According to the present invention, the electronic file of the confidential document is designated by designating the electronic file and the distribution destination user of the confidential document for the requesting terminal, and the printer desired by the distribution destination user for the user terminal. The confidential document can be printed by the printer desired by the distribution destination user without distributing the message.

  In the confidential printing system of the present invention, when a distribution source user designates a distribution destination user and prints an electronic file such as a confidential document owned by the distribution source user, a notification that the printing instruction has been issued is sent to the distribution destination user. To be sent to. The distribution destination user who sees the notification specifies the printer to be printed, and then authenticates the distribution destination user, and then prints the electronic file without distributing the electronic file to the distribution destination user. In addition, the electronic file print result is distributed to the distribution destination user without passing the print result of the electronic file to other users.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a confidential printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference numeral 100 denotes a request terminal through which a distribution source user inputs an instruction for the confidential printing system. When the request terminal 100 is designated by a user operation to distribute an electronic file by confidential printing, the request terminal 100 acquires a list of user IDs and user names from the storage unit of the printer server 200 or its own device and displays the list. The requesting terminal 100 uses the user ID specified by the user operation from the displayed list or the user ID input by the user operation as the distribution destination user ID, and the specified electronic file as the print file. The ID is sent to the printer server 200 as the distribution source user ID and the current date and time as the request date and time.
The request terminal 100 stores in advance a user ID of an available user (for example, “001001” of the user A who is the distribution source user here), and the user ID received by the reader / writer 150 is stored in advance. The user's input operation is accepted only when the user ID matches with the user ID.

The reader / writer 150 is installed in the vicinity of the requesting terminal 100, wirelessly transmits an activation command, and receives a user ID wirelessly transmitted by the IC tags 700 and 701 that have received the activation command.
The IC tags 700 and 701 store a user ID, and upon receiving an activation command, wirelessly transmit the user ID. Here, as an example, the IC tag 700 stores the user ID “001001” of the user A, and the IC tag 701 stores the user ID “001002” of the user B.

  The printer server 200 receives a request for confidential printing from the requesting terminal 100, and when the distribution destination user is authenticated by the authentication server, instructs the printer 400a or the printer 400b to perform printing. As shown in the block diagram of the schematic configuration of the printer server 200 in FIG. 2A, the printer server 200 includes a print request storage unit 201, a user setting storage unit 202, a printer identification storage unit 203, and a designated printer storage. Section 204, user list transmission processing section 210, print request reception processing section 211, user notification processing section 212, printer list transmission processing section 213, printer designation processing section 214, authentication request processing section 215, print A request processing unit 216.

  The print request storage unit 201 stores a print request number, a distribution destination user ID, a distribution source user ID, a print file file name, and a request date and time in association with each other, as shown in the example of stored contents in FIG. To do. Also, the print file having the file name designated by the print file file name is stored.

  The user setting storage unit 202 stores a user ID, a user name, and an e-mail address in association with each other, as shown in the stored content example in FIG. The user setting storage unit 202 stores in advance the user ID, user name, and mail address of a user who is a candidate for a distribution destination user in association with each other.

  The printer identification storage unit 203 stores a printer name and a printer ID in association with each other as shown in the example of stored contents in FIG. In the printer identification storage unit 203, a printer name and a printer ID of a printer that is an output destination candidate are associated with each other and stored in advance.

  The designated printer storage unit 204 stores the print request number, the printer ID, and the queue data converted into the printer data format of the printer ID in association with each other as shown in the example of the stored contents in FIG. The queue data may be stored as an independent file, and the file name of the file may be stored in association with the print request number.

  The user list transmission processing unit 210 receives a list request from the requesting terminal 100, reads out a user ID and a user name from the user setting storage unit 202, generates a list, and transmits this list to the requesting terminal 100.

  The print request reception processing unit 211 receives the distribution destination user ID, the print file, the distribution source user ID, and the request date and time from the request terminal 100, and associates these with the newly allocated print request number, and the print request storage unit Stored in 201.

  The user notification processing unit 212 acquires an email address associated with the distribution destination user ID received from the requesting terminal 100 from the user setting storage unit 202, and is an email addressed to this email address. An e-mail notifying a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for document distribution and printer list request is transmitted to the mail server 500. This URL includes a print request number assigned by the print request reception processing unit 211 as a parameter.

  Upon receiving a printer list request including a print request number from the user terminal 600, the printer list transmission processing unit 213 reads all the printer names and printer IDs stored in the printer identification storage unit 203 and lists them. The printer list is transmitted to the user terminal 600 together with the print request number received from the user terminal 600.

  When the printer designation processing unit 214 receives a printer designation notification including the print request number and the printer ID from the user terminal 600, the printer designation processing unit 214 stores the print file stored in the print request storage unit 201 in association with the received print request number into the printer. To queue data for use. The queue data is data for printing in a format unique to each type of printer, and each printer prints a document based on the data. In this conversion, conversion is made into printer queue data of the printer ID stored in the user setting storage unit 202 in association with the distribution source user ID of the print file. Further, the printer designation processing unit 214 stores the converted queue data in the designated printer storage unit 204 in association with the print request number associated with the original print file and the above-described printer ID.

  The authentication request processing unit 215 acquires the print request number and the distribution destination user ID stored in the print request storage unit 201 by the print request reception processing unit 211, and further stores the user setting in association with the distribution destination user ID. The printer ID stored in the unit 202 is acquired, and the acquired print request number, distribution destination user ID, and printer ID are transmitted to the authentication server 300 as an authentication request.

  The print request processing unit 216 receives the print request number from the authentication server 300 as the authentication result of the authentication request transmitted by the authentication request processing unit 215 and stores it in the designated printer storage unit 204 in association with the received print request number. The printer ID and the queue data are read out, and a print instruction for the queue data is transmitted to the printer 400a or 400b with the printer ID.

  Upon receiving an authentication request from the printer server 200, the authentication server 300 authenticates the distribution destination user. The authentication server 300 includes a printer information storage unit 301, an authentication request storage unit 302, an authentication request registration processing unit 310, an authentication process, as illustrated in a block diagram of a schematic configuration of the authentication server 300 in FIG. Part 311.

  As shown in the example of stored contents in FIG. 4A, the printer information storage unit 301 includes a printer ID and a reader that is an IP address of a reader / writer 450a or 450b installed in the vicinity of the printer 400a or 400b of the printer ID. The writer address is associated and stored. In this printer information storage unit 301, the printer ID and the reader / writer address of the corresponding reader / writer are registered in advance for all printers provided in the confidential printing system.

  The authentication request storage unit 302 stores a monitoring number, a print request number, a distribution destination user ID, a reader / writer address, and a status, as shown in the stored content example of FIG.

  The authentication request registration processing unit 310 receives a print request number, a distribution destination user ID, and a printer ID as an authentication request, acquires a reader / writer address associated with the printer ID from the printer information storage unit 301, and creates a new Are stored in the authentication request storage unit 302 in association with the received print request number, the received distribution destination user ID, the acquired reader / writer address, and “monitoring” as the status. Further, the authentication request registration processing unit 310 instructs the activation command transmission to the IC tag to the acquired reader / writer address.

  The authentication processing unit 311 is stored in the authentication request storage unit 302 in association with the user ID received from the reader / writer 450a or 450b and the printer ID of the printer 400a or 400b associated with the source reader / writer 450a or 450b. The print request number is read, and the read print request number is transmitted to the printer server 200.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of printers 400 a and 400 b are provided, each of which is assigned a printer ID, and printing is performed based on the queue data received from the printer server 200.
Reader / writers (identification information acquisition apparatuses) 450a and 450b are installed in the vicinity of the printers 400a and 400b, and wirelessly transmit activation commands, and user IDs wirelessly transmitted by the IC tags 700 and 701 that have received the activation commands. Receive.

  The mail server 500 is a server that delivers electronic mail by SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), and stores the electronic mail addressed to the user registered in the own apparatus in the own apparatus without delivery. Upon receiving an inquiry from the user terminal 600, the mail server 500 returns an e-mail addressed to the corresponding user stored in the own device.

The user terminal 600 inquires about the electronic mail stored in the mail server 500 and displays the acquired electronic mail. When a reference for a printer list request included in the e-mail is selected by a user operation, the printer list request is transmitted to the printer list transmission processing unit 213 of the printer server 200 based on the reference.
Note that the user terminal 600 stores in advance a user ID of an available user (for example, “001002” of the user B who is the distribution destination user here), and the user ID received by the reader / writer 650 is stored in advance. The user's input operation is accepted only when the user ID matches with the user ID.

  A reader / writer 650 wirelessly transmits an activation command and receives a user ID wirelessly transmitted by the IC tags 700 and 701 that have received the activation command.

  Reference numeral 800 indicates that the request terminal 100, reader / writer 150, printer server 200, authentication server 300, printers 400a and 400b, reader / writers 450a and 450b, mail server 500, user terminal 600, and reader / writer 650 can communicate with each other. It is a network (communication network) to be connected. The network 800 uses IP (Internet Protocol) as a protocol.

  The request terminal 100 and the user terminal 600 are connected to an input device, a display device, and the like (none of which are shown) as peripheral devices. Here, the input device refers to an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse. The display device refers to a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), a liquid crystal display device, or the like.

  In this embodiment, the reader / writer 450 is used as the identification information acquisition device, the IP address of the reader / writer 450 is used as the identification information of the identification information acquisition device, the print file and queue data are used as print data, and the user ID is used as user identification information. The print request number is used as print request identification information, and the printer ID is used as printer identification information.

  FIG. 5A is a display example of an email received from the user notification processing unit 212 by the user terminal 600 in the present embodiment. The user terminal 600 displays a URL (reference display area A1) for requesting a printer list together with a text for notifying distribution of a document / document received as an e-mail. When the user selects the reference display area A1 with an input means such as a mouse, the user terminal 600 receives the printer list transmission processing unit 213 of the printer server 200 that is the reference destination of the reference display area A1. Send request. This URL includes a print request number (“print request No = 000002” in the figure) as a parameter, and the user terminal 600 sends a print request number to the printer list transmission processing unit 213 together with a request for the printer list. Send.

  FIG. 5B is a display example of a printer list received from the printer list transmission processing unit 213 by the user terminal 600 according to this embodiment. The user terminal 600 displays a list of received printer names or printer IDs as shown in the option display area A2. In the case of the display example shown in FIG. 5B, when the user selects a desired printer as an output destination from the option display area A2 using an input means such as a mouse, and further selects the selection button A3. The user terminal 600 transmits the printer ID of the selected printer to the printer designation processing unit 214 of the printer server 200 together with the print request number (“print request No = 00002” in the drawing).

  Note that the user notification processing unit 212 transmits an e-mail including the print request number assigned by the print request reception processing unit 211 as a parameter, and the user terminal 600 transmits the request for the printer list and the printer ID. The printer list transmission processing unit 213 transmits the printer list together with the print request number. As a result, the printer designation processing unit 214 receives the print request number together with the printer ID, and associates the print file to be output to the printer designated by this printer ID as an output destination with the received print request number. It can be a print file stored in the storage unit 201. As described above, the print request number is used for matching between the user notification processing unit 212 and the printer designation processing unit 214. However, instead of the print request number, the reference display area A1 in FIG. 5A is exemplified. A unique number for matching, such as “matching key = 325”, may be delivered in the same manner as the print request number. In this case, the user notification processing unit 212 needs to notify the printer designation processing unit 214 of the correspondence between the unique number and the print file.

Next, the operation of this confidential printing system will be described with reference to the sequence diagram shown in FIG.
Here, a case where user A distributes a confidential document to user B will be described as an example. Note that the user A has an IC tag 700 with a user ID “001001”, and the user B has an IC tag 701 with a user ID “001002”.

  First, when the user A performs a login operation to the request terminal 100, the request terminal 100 instructs the reader / writer 150 installed in the vicinity thereof to issue an activation command to the IC tag. Upon receiving this instruction, the reader / writer 150 wirelessly transmits an activation command. When receiving the activation command, the IC tag 700 possessed by the user A wirelessly transmits the user ID “001001” stored in the own device. Upon receiving the wirelessly transmitted user ID “001001”, the reader / writer 150 transmits this to the requesting terminal 100. Upon receiving this user ID “001001”, the requesting terminal 100 compares it with the user ID stored in its own device. Here, it is assumed that the stored user ID is “001001” and the comparison results match. The requesting terminal 100 permits the user A to log in when the comparison results match.

  Next, when the user A operates the requesting terminal 100 to instruct reading of the electronic file “file B” of the confidential document from a medium such as a flexible disk, the requesting terminal 100 reads this and stores it in its own device. Remember. Further, when the user A operates the requesting terminal 100 to request the distribution destination designation of the electronic file “file B”, the requesting terminal 100 requests the user list from the printer server 200 (S1).

  Upon receiving the user list request, the user list transmission processing unit 210 of the printer server 200 reads the user ID and user name stored in the user setting storage unit 202 and generates a user list that is a list of these. Then, this user list is transmitted to the requesting terminal 100 (S2).

  When the request terminal 100 receives the user list, the request terminal 100 displays it. When the user A operates the requesting terminal 100 and designates the user B as a distribution destination from the displayed user list, the requesting terminal 100 sets the electronic file stored earlier as the print file, the user ID of the user B A print request is sent to the printer server 200 with “001002” as the distribution destination user ID, the user ID of the user A “001001” as the distribution source user ID, and the current date and time as the request date and time (S3).

  When receiving a print request, the print request reception processing unit 211 of the printer server 200 newly assigns a print request number to the print request, and associates the assigned print request number with each item of the print request in the print request storage unit 201. Store. Here, for example, “00002” is assigned as the print request number and stored in the print request storage unit 201 as shown in FIG.

  Next, the user notification processing unit 212 reads the distribution destination user ID “001002” newly stored in the print request storage unit 201 by the print request reception processing unit 211, and refers to the user setting storage unit 202 to read the distribution The mail address “B@xx.co.jp” associated with the user ID that matches the previous user ID “001002” is acquired (here, the contents stored in the user setting storage unit 202 are shown in FIG. 3B). Example). The user notification processing unit 212 is an e-mail addressed to this e-mail address “B@xx.co.jp”, and describes a “file B” distribution notification by confidential printing and a URL notification for requesting a printer list. The sent electronic mail is transmitted to the mail server 500 (S4). This URL is a URL for requesting the printer list from the printer list transmission processing unit 213 of the printer server 200 by accessing the URL, and the print request acceptance processing unit 211 assigns the print request together with the request for the printer list. The request number “00002” is included as a parameter.

  Next, when the user B performs a login operation to the user terminal 600, the user terminal 600 instructs the reader / writer 650 installed in the vicinity thereof to issue an activation command to the IC tag. Upon receiving this instruction, the reader / writer 650 wirelessly transmits an activation command. When detecting the activation command, the IC tag 701 possessed by the user B wirelessly transmits the user ID “001002” stored in the own device. Upon receiving the wirelessly transmitted user ID “001002”, the reader / writer 650 transmits this to the user terminal 600. Upon receiving this user ID “001002”, the user terminal 600 compares the user ID with the user ID stored in its own device. Here, it is assumed that the stored user ID is “001002” and the comparison results match. The user terminal 600 permits the login of the user B when the comparison results match.

  When the user B operates the user terminal 600 to instruct acquisition of an e-mail addressed to the user B, the user terminal 600 inquires the e-mail to the mail server 500. Here, since the e-mail transmitted by the printer server 200 in step S4 is stored in the mail server 500, the mail server 500 transmits the e-mail to the user terminal 600 (S5).

  Upon receiving the e-mail, the user terminal 600 displays a notification of “file B” distribution by confidential printing and a URL for requesting a printer list. When the user B selects the displayed URL, the user terminal 600 transmits a printer list request to the printer list transmission processing unit 213 that is a reference destination of the URL (S6).

  When the printer list transmission processing unit 213 receives the printer list request from the user terminal 600, the printer list transmission processing unit 213 reads all the printer names and printer IDs stored in the printer identification storage unit 203, generates a printer list, and receives the printer list request. The printer list is transmitted to the user terminal 600 together with the print request number included (S7).

  Upon receiving the print request number and the printer list, the user terminal 600 displays the printer list. When the user selects a desired printer as an output destination from the displayed printer list (for example, the printer 400a with the printer name “printer 1” and the printer ID “0007”), the user terminal 600 displays the selected printer. The printer ID “0007” of 400a and the received print request number “00002” are transmitted to the printer server 200 (S8).

  Upon receiving the printer ID “0007” and the print request number “00002” from the user terminal 600, the printer designation processing unit 214 of the printer server 200 stores them in the print request storage unit 201 in association with the received print request number “00002”. The distribution destination user ID “001002” and the print file “file B” are read out. Next, the printer designation processing unit 214 converts the print file “file B” into printer queue data for the printer ID “0007”, and the converted queue data is the print request number “00002” acquired previously. Are associated with the printer ID “0007” and stored in the designated printer storage unit 204.

  Next, the authentication request processing unit 215 refers to the print request storage unit 201, and the distribution destination user ID stored in association with the print request number “00002” stored in the specified printer storage unit 204 by the printer specification processing unit 214. “001002” is acquired. Further, the authentication request processing unit 215 refers to the user setting storage unit 202 and acquires the printer ID “0007” associated with the user ID that matches the previously acquired distribution destination user ID “001002”. The authentication request processing unit 215 transmits the print request number “00002”, the distribution destination user ID “001002”, and the printer ID “0007” to the authentication server 300 as an authentication request (S9).

  Upon receiving the authentication request from the authentication request processing unit 215, the authentication request registration processing unit 310 of the authentication server 300 acquires the print request number “00002”, the distribution destination user ID “001002”, and the printer ID “0007” from the authentication request. To do. Next, the authentication request registration processing unit 310 refers to the printer information storage unit 301 and acquires a reader / writer address associated with the acquired printer ID “0007”. Here, assuming that the content stored in the printer information storage unit 301 is the content example shown in FIG. 4A, the reader / writer address “zz.zz.zz.zz” is acquired. The authentication request registration processing unit 310 includes a print request number “00002” acquired from the authentication request, a distribution destination user ID “001002”, and a reader / writer address “zz.zz.zz.zz” acquired from the printer information storage unit 301. In addition, the newly assigned monitoring number (for example, “0414”) and the status “monitoring” are associated with each other and stored in the authentication request storage unit 302. Furthermore, the authentication request registration processing unit 310 instructs the reader / writer address “zz.zz.zz.zz” acquired from the printer information storage unit 301 to transmit an activation command to the IC tag (S10).

  Here, the reader / writer address “zz.zz.zz.zz” is an IP address of the reader / writer 450a installed in the vicinity of the printer 400a, and the reader / writer 450a transmits an activation command from the authentication request registration processing unit 310. When the instruction is received, the wireless transmission of the periodic activation command is started (S11).

  First, when the user B who sees the notification of the distribution of “file B” by confidential printing at the user terminal 600 and selects the printer 400a having the printer name “printer 1” as the output destination comes to the vicinity of the printer 400a, The IC tag 701 possessed by the user B receives the activation command wirelessly transmitted by the reader / writer 450a installed in the vicinity of the printer 400a. When receiving the activation command, the IC tag 701 wirelessly transmits the user ID “001002” stored in the own device (S12).

  Upon receiving the user ID “001002” from the IC tag 701, the reader / writer 450a transmits this user ID to the authentication server 300 (S13).

  Upon receiving the user ID “001002” from the reader / writer 450a, the authentication processing unit 311 of the authentication server 300 refers to the authentication request storage unit 302, and the IP address “zz.zz.zz of the reader / writer 450a that is the transmission source. The print request number stored in association with the reader / writer address that matches “.zz” and the distribution destination user ID that matches the received user ID “001002” is acquired. Here, since the reader / writer address previously registered by the authentication request registration processing unit 310 matches the user ID, the print request number “00002” stored in association therewith is acquired. The authentication processing unit 311 transmits this print request number “00002” as an authentication notification to the printer server 200 (S14), and also stores the status stored in the authentication request storage unit 302 in association with the print request number “00002”. Update to “Authenticated”.

  At this time, the authentication processing unit 311 generates an e-mail indicating that the print request with the print request number “00002” and the distribution destination user ID “001002” is “authenticated”, and distributes the e-mail. The original user may be sent to the mail server 500. At this time, since the mail address of the distribution source user of the print request number that is the destination of the electronic mail is obtained by referring to the print request storage unit 201 and the user setting storage unit 202 of the printer server 200, the authentication process The unit 311 may make a request to the printer server 200, or the authentication request processing unit 215 may transmit to the authentication server 300 when an authentication request is made. Instead of sending an e-mail, the status stored in the authentication request storage unit 302 in association with the print request may be sent to the requesting terminal 100 in response to a request from the distribution source user. .

  Upon receiving the authentication notification from the authentication server 300, the print request processing unit 216 of the printer server 200 acquires the print request number “00002” from the authentication notification. Next, the print request processing unit 216 refers to the designated printer storage unit 204 and acquires the printer ID and queue data stored in association with the print request number “00002”. Here, the printer ID “0007” and the queue data previously stored by the printer designation processing unit 214 are acquired. The print request processing unit 216 instructs the printer 400a whose printer ID is “0007” to print the acquired queue data (S13). When the printer 400a receives the queue data from the print request processing unit 216, the printer 400a prints based on the queue data. Note that after printing is completed, the print request processing unit 216 notifies the distribution source user of the print request number that the printing has been completed in response to an e-mail or a request from the distribution source user in the same manner as the authentication processing unit 311. It may be.

As a result, the electronic file instructed to be distributed by the user A is printed only when the IC tag 701 possessed by the user B designated as the distribution destination by the user A is within a range in which the user A can communicate with the reader / writer 450a. It is possible to prevent a printed document from being taken by a person other than the user B designated as the distribution destination.
Further, the user terminal 600 selects the printer desired by the distribution destination user as the output destination printer, and the user terminal 600 transmits it to the printer designation processing unit 214, so that the distribution destination user (user B) desires. The electronic file designated by the distribution source user (user A) can be printed by the printer.

  In this embodiment, the reader / writers 450a and 450b installed in the vicinity of the printers 400a and 400b have been described as receiving user IDs from the IC tag 701. However, the reader / writers 450a and 450b are built in the printers 400a and 400b. It may be. Further, instead of the reader / writers 450a and 450b, a fingerprint authentication device, an iris authentication device, or a password input keyboard may be used. In this case, the user identification information acquired by these devices is not the user ID but the authentication information of each user, and the authentication request storage unit 302 stores the authentication information instead of the user ID, or the user ID and the authentication Memorize information. This authentication information may be stored in the user setting storage unit 202, and the authentication request processing unit 215 may transmit it to the authentication server 300 at the time of the authentication request, or the authentication server 300 stores the user ID in association with the user ID. Also good.

  In the present embodiment, the reader / writers 450a and 450b installed in the vicinity of the printers 400a and 400b have been described as receiving user IDs from IC tags. However, contact-type or non-contact-type IC cards are used instead of IC tags. Or a magnetic card.

  In the present embodiment, the printers 400a and 400b have been described as printers connected to the network 800 using IP as a protocol. However, the printers 400a and 400b may be faxes connected to a network such as a public telephone network. In this case, the printer server 200 is connected to the network 800 and a network such as a public telephone line network to which a fax is connected.

  The printer server 200 and the authentication server 300 are separate devices and are described as being connected via the network 800. However, instead of the printer server 200 and the authentication server 300, the functions of the printer server 200 and the authentication server 300 are described. A device having a function may be connected to the network 800.

  2A, the user list transmission processing unit 210, the print request reception processing unit 211, the user notification processing unit 212, the printer list transmission processing unit 213, the printer designation processing unit 214, the authentication request processing unit 215, and the print request processing. Section 216, and an authentication request registration processing section 310, authentication processing section 311 in FIG. 2 (b), and a program for realizing the functions of request terminal 100 and user terminal 600 in FIG. The processing of these processing units may be performed by causing the computer system to read and execute the program recorded on the recording medium. Here, the “computer system” includes an OS and hardware such as peripheral devices.

Further, the “computer system” includes a homepage providing environment (or display environment) if a WWW system is used.
The “computer-readable recording medium” refers to a storage device such as a flexible medium, a magneto-optical disk, a portable medium such as a ROM and a CD-ROM, and a hard disk incorporated in a computer system. Furthermore, the “computer-readable recording medium” dynamically holds a program for a short time like a communication line when transmitting a program via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. In this case, a volatile memory in a computer system serving as a server or a client in that case, and a program that holds a program for a certain period of time are also included. The program may be a program for realizing a part of the functions described above, and may be a program capable of realizing the functions described above in combination with a program already recorded in a computer system.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes a design and the like within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention.

  The present invention is suitable for use in a confidential printing system in which an electronic file designated by a distribution source user can be printed only by a distribution destination user designated by the distribution source user using a communication network such as a building or a premises. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the communication network may be between bases.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a confidential printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer server 200 and an authentication server 300 in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of stored contents of (a) a print request storage unit 201, (b) a user setting storage unit 202, (c) a printer identification storage unit 203, and (d) a designated printer storage unit 204 in the embodiment. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of stored contents of (a) a printer information storage unit 301 and (b) an authentication request storage unit 302 in the embodiment. FIG. 5A is a display example of an email received from the user notification processing unit 212 of the user terminal 600 in the embodiment, and FIG. 5B is a display example of a printer list received from the printer list transmission processing unit 213. It is a sequence diagram explaining operation | movement of the confidential printing system in the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Request terminal 150, 650 ... Reader / writer 200 ... Printer server 201 ... Print request memory | storage part 202 ... User setting memory | storage part 203 ... Printer identification memory | storage part 204 ... Designated printer memory | storage part 210 ... User list transmission process part 211 ... Print request reception Processing unit 212 ... User notification processing unit 213 ... Printer list transmission processing unit 214 ... Printer designation processing unit 215 ... Authentication request processing unit 216 ... Print request processing unit 300 ... Authentication server 301 ... Printer information storage unit 302 ... Authentication request storage unit 310 Authentication request registration processing unit 311 Authentication processing unit 400a, 400b Printer 450a, 450b Reader / writer 500 Mail server 600 User terminal 700, 701 IC tag 800 Network

Claims (9)

In a confidential printing system having a request terminal, a user terminal, a plurality of printers, and a printer server,
The request terminal transmits print data to the printer server,
The printer server is
A print request storage unit that stores print request identification information and print data in association with each other;
A designated printer storage unit that stores the print request identification information and the printer identification information in association with each other;
A print request reception processing unit that receives print data from the request terminal, associates the received print data with newly allocated print request identification information, and stores the print request identification information in the print request storage unit;
A user notification processing unit that transmits the print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit to a user terminal owned by a user of the user identification information received from the request terminal;
A printer designation processing unit that receives print request identification information and printer identification information from the user terminal, and stores the received print request identification information and printer identification information in the designated printer storage unit in association with each other;
Printer identification information stored in the designated printer storage unit in association with print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit in association with a print instruction for print data stored in the print request storage unit A printer print request processing unit for sending to the other printer,
The user terminal transmits printer identification information designated by a user operation together with the print request identification information received from the printer server to the printer server,
The confidential printing system, wherein the printer performs printing in accordance with a print instruction received from a print request processing unit of the printer server. A plurality of identification information acquisition devices each corresponding to one of the printers, and an authentication server;
The request terminal transmits the user identification information of the distribution destination user designated by the user operation together with the print data to the printer server,
The print request storage unit of the printer server stores user identification information in association with print request identification information and print data,
The print request reception processing unit of the printer server receives user identification information in addition to print data from the request terminal, and in addition to the received print data and newly allocated print request identification information, Stored in the print request storage unit in association with the user identification information,
The printer server acquires print request identification information and user identification information stored in association with the print request storage unit by the print request reception processing unit, and associates the designated printer storage unit with the acquired print request identification information. An authentication request processing unit that acquires the printer identification information stored in the server, and transmits the acquired print request identification information, the acquired user identification information, and the acquired printer identification information to the authentication server,
The authentication server is
An authentication request storage unit that stores print request identification information, user identification information, and printer identification information in association with each other;
A printer information storage unit for storing the printer identification information and the identification information of the identification information acquisition device in association with each other;
An authentication request registration processing unit that receives print request identification information, user identification information, and printer identification information from the authentication request processing unit of the printer server, and stores the received information in the authentication request storage unit;
User identification information is received from the identification information acquisition device, the printer identification information stored in the printer information storage unit in association with the identification information of the identification information acquisition device that is the transmission source of the received user identification information, and the received user An authentication processing unit that transmits print request identification information stored in the authentication request storage unit in association with identification information to the printer server, and
The identification information acquisition device transmits user identification information input by a user operation to the authentication server,
The print instruction transmitted by the printer print request processing unit of the printer server is a transmission instruction of print data stored in the print request storage unit in association with the print request identification information received from the authentication server. The confidential printing system according to claim 1. The printer server is
A printer identification storage unit for storing printer identification information of each of the printers;
A printer list transmission processing unit that receives a printer list request and print request identification information from the user terminal, and transmits the printer identification stored in the printer identification storage unit and the received print request identification information to the user terminal; With
The user notification processing unit of the printer server transmits, together with the print request identification information, notification information indicating that there is a print request addressed to the user and reference information to the printer list transmission processing unit to the user terminal,
The user terminal receives notification information, reference information, and print request identification information from the printer server, displays the received notification information, and causes the printer list transmission processing unit to perform the user operation based on the reference information. Sending a printer list request and the received print request identification information;
The printer identification information and the print request identification information transmitted by the user terminal are the printer identification information designated by the user operation from the printer identification information received from the printer server, and the print request identification information received from the printer server. The confidential printing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The printer server is
A user setting storage unit for storing user identification information;
A user list transmission processing unit that receives a request from the request terminal and transmits user identification information stored in the user setting storage unit to the request terminal;
The request terminal requests the user identification information from the printer server, displays the user identification information received as a reply to the request, and displays the user identification information designated by the user operation from the displayed user identification information. The confidential printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the user identification information of the distribution destination user is transmitted to the printer server together with print data. In a confidential printing method in a confidential printing system having a request terminal, a user terminal, a plurality of printers, and a printer server,
A first process in which the requesting terminal transmits print data to the printer server;
A second process in which the printer server receives print data from the requesting terminal, associates the received print data with newly allocated print request identification information, and stores it in a print request storage unit;
A third process in which the printer server transmits print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit to a user terminal owned by the user of the user identification information received from the request terminal;
A fourth process in which the user terminal transmits printer identification information designated by a user operation to the printer server together with print request identification information received from the printer server;
A fifth process in which the printer server receives print request identification information and printer identification information from the user terminal, and stores the received print request identification information and printer identification information in the designated printer storage unit in association with each other; ,
The printer server stores a print instruction for print data stored in the print request storage unit in the designated printer storage unit in association with print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit in association with the print data. A sixth process of transmitting the printer identification information to the printer;
A confidential printing method, comprising: a seventh process in which the printer performs printing in accordance with a print instruction received from a print request processing unit of the printer server. In a printer server to which a request terminal, a user terminal, and a plurality of printers are connected,
A print request storage unit that stores print request identification information and print data in association with each other;
A designated printer storage unit that stores the print request identification information and the printer identification information in association with each other;
A print request reception processing unit that receives print data from the request terminal, associates the received print data with newly allocated print request identification information, and stores the print request identification information in the print request storage unit;
A user notification processing unit that transmits the print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit to a user terminal owned by a user of the user identification information received from the request terminal;
A printer designation processing unit that receives print request identification information and printer identification information from the user terminal, and stores the received print request identification information and printer identification information in the designated printer storage unit in association with each other;
Printer identification information stored in the designated printer storage unit in association with print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit in association with a print instruction for print data stored in the print request storage unit And a printer print request processing unit for transmitting to the printer. A computer to which a request terminal, a user terminal, and a plurality of printers are connected,
A print request reception processing unit that receives print data from the request terminal and associates the received print data with newly allocated print request identification information and stores the print request identification information in a print request storage unit;
A user notification processing unit that transmits the print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit to a user terminal owned by a user of the user identification information received from the request terminal;
A printer designation processing unit that receives print request identification information and printer identification information from the user terminal, and stores the received print request identification information and printer identification information in association with each other in a designated printer storage unit;
Printer identification information stored in the designated printer storage unit in association with print request identification information stored in the print request storage unit in association with a print instruction for print data stored in the print request storage unit Program to function as a printer print request processing unit to send to other printers. In an authentication server in which a printer server and a plurality of identification information acquisition devices are connected,
Print request identification information, user identification information, and printer identification information are received from the authentication request processing unit of the printer server, and the received print request identification information, user identification information, and printer identification information are associated with each other in the authentication request storage unit. An authentication request registration processing unit to store;
User identification information is received from the identification information acquisition device, the printer identification information stored in the printer information storage unit in association with the identification information of the identification information acquisition device that is the transmission source of the received user identification information, and the received user identification An authentication server comprising: an authentication processing unit that transmits print request identification information stored in the authentication request storage unit in association with information to the printer server. A computer connected to a printer server and a plurality of identification information acquisition devices,
Print request identification information, user identification information, and printer identification information are received from the authentication request processing unit of the printer server, and the received print request identification information, user identification information, and printer identification information are associated with each other in the authentication request storage unit. Authentication request registration processing unit to store,
User identification information is received from the identification information acquisition device, the printer identification information stored in the printer information storage unit in association with the identification information of the identification information acquisition device that is the transmission source of the received user identification information, and the received user A program for causing print request identification information stored in the authentication request storage unit in association with identification information to function as an authentication processing unit for transmitting to the printer server.

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