JP2008035224A - Log information management system, log information management device, log information management method, log information management program, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a log information management system, a log information management device, a log information management method, a log information management program, and a storage medium which reduce the amount of information to be handled. <P>SOLUTION: A log information management system 100 comprises an image forming data management device 200 for managing image forming data outputted from an image forming apparatus 500 and a log information management device 300 for managing log information on the basis of the image forming data. The log information management device 300 includes a storage device 320 for storing the image forming data, and image data included in image forming data acquired from the image forming data management device 200 is not stored in the case that image data identical to this image data is stored in the storage device 320. Instead of this image data, information of a storage position of image data identical to this image data is stored in the storage device 320. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a log information management system, a log information management device, a log information management method, a log information management program, and a storage medium that manage image formation data output from an image forming apparatus.

  As a system for managing log information of image data output from an image forming apparatus, there is a system that enables tracking when information leakage occurs. In such a system, for example, when operation of printing processing and FAX transmission / reception processing is performed, operation information and image data are linked and accumulated, thereby causing a security breach and information leakage through printing processing and FAX transmission / reception processing. The information leakage source can be traced when it is done.

  For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-149371 (Patent Document 1), it is possible to reconfirm the contents at a later date by securing a log of a print job. A security management system is described by storing print logs and print data that prevent leakage of information.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-330677 (Patent Document 2) obtains a print log by printing all print data from the client side via a server, and stores and stores the acquired print log and print data. A print data management system, method, program, and recording medium that can be traced when information leakage occurs are described.
JP 2002-149371 A JP 2002-330677 A

  However, since all the print data and log information are accumulated in the conventional system, the amount of information to be accumulated becomes enormous in an environment where frequent print processing is performed in an image forming apparatus, for example. It becomes difficult.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and has been made to solve these problems. A log information management system, a log information management apparatus, a log information management method, and log information that reduce the amount of information to be managed. It is an object to provide a management program and a storage medium.

  The log information management system of the present invention employs the following configuration in order to achieve the above object.

  The log information management system of the present invention includes an image formation data management device that manages image formation data that is output from an image formation device and includes image formation setting data and image data, and an image that is managed by the image formation data management device. In a log information management system including a log information management device that manages log information based on formation data, the log information management device controls storage of image formation data acquired from the image formation data management device in a storage device. Storage control means, image conversion means for converting image data into image data of a predetermined format among the image formation data acquired from the image formation data management apparatus, and the predetermined format converted by the image conversion means Determining means for determining whether the image data and the image data stored in the storage device match, When the determination unit determines that the image data in the predetermined format and the image data stored in the storage device substantially match, the storage control unit stores information on the storage location of the image data stored in the storage device Can be stored in the storage device instead of the image data in the predetermined format.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the amount of information to be managed because the same image data is not stored in multiple.

  The image forming data device stores a storage device in which the image forming data is stored, and whether or not there is image data that matches the image data newly acquired by the image forming data management device in the storage device. A determination unit for determining, and when the determination unit determines that there is no image data in the storage device that matches the image data newly acquired by the image formation data management device, the image formation data management The apparatus may be configured to send image formation data related to the image data newly acquired by the image formation data management apparatus to the log information management apparatus.

  According to such a configuration, the log information management apparatus is prevented from storing the same image data in multiple.

  Further, the determination unit of the log information management device may be configured to determine that the two image data match when the degree of matching for each pixel in the two image data is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. .

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to appropriately determine whether or not the two image data match.

  Further, the image data converted into the predetermined format can be configured in the same format as the image data stored in the storage device.

  According to this configuration, image conversion can be performed in accordance with the operating environment of the log information management device.

  Further, the image conversion means may be configured to convert image data relating to a document into text data.

  According to this configuration, for example, when the log information management system is in an environment where a large amount of image data related to a document is handled, image conversion can be performed in accordance with the operation environment.

  Further, the determination unit of the log information management device may be configured to determine whether or not a predetermined character string is included in the text data.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to make a determination in accordance with the operating environment of the log information management system.

  In addition, the log information management device may include a setting unit that sets the predetermined format, the predetermined value, and the predetermined character string.

  According to this configuration, for example, the predetermined format, the predetermined value, and the predetermined character string are set in advance by an administrator of the log information management apparatus.

  The storage control unit may be configured to store the erased image data in a predetermined location in the storage device when the image data storing the storage location information is erased.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to maintain the consistency of the image forming data stored in the storage device.

  A log information management apparatus according to the present invention is a log information management apparatus that acquires image formation data from an image formation data management apparatus that manages image formation data that is output from the image formation apparatus and that includes image formation setting data and image data. Storage control means for controlling storage of the acquired image formation data in a storage device, image conversion means for converting image data of the acquired image formation data into image data of a predetermined format, and the image conversion Determining means for determining whether the image data in the predetermined format converted by the means matches the image data stored in the storage device, and the determining means includes the image in the predetermined format. When it is determined that the data and the image data stored in the storage device are substantially the same, the storage control unit is configured to store the image data stored in the storage device. Information 憶場 stations can be configured to be stored in the storage device instead of the image data of the predetermined format.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the amount of information to be managed because the same image data is not stored in multiple.

  According to the log information management method of the present invention, log information management for obtaining image formation data from an image formation data management device that manages image formation data that is output from the image formation device and includes image formation setting data and image data. A log information management method in an apparatus, comprising: a storage control procedure for controlling storage of the acquired image formation data in a storage device; and converting image data of the acquired image formation data into image data of a predetermined format And a determination procedure for determining whether or not the image data of the predetermined format converted by the image conversion procedure matches the image data stored in the storage device. When the procedure determines that the image data in the predetermined format and the image data stored in the storage device substantially match, the storage control procedure Information storage location of the image data stored in the device, may be a method of storing in the storage device instead of the image data of the predetermined format.

  According to such a method, the same image data is not stored in multiple, so that the amount of information to be managed can be reduced.

  The log information management program according to the present invention is a log information management apparatus that acquires image formation data from an image formation data management apparatus that manages image formation data that is output from the image formation apparatus and includes image formation setting data and image data. A log information management program, wherein the log information management program stores, in a computer, a storage control step for controlling storage of the acquired image formation data in a storage device, and image data of the acquired image formation data. An image conversion step for converting the image data into a predetermined format, and whether the image data in the predetermined format converted by the image conversion step matches the image data stored in the storage device A determination step, wherein the determination step includes the image data of the predetermined format and the storage device. When it is determined that the stored image data substantially matches, the storage control step stores information on the storage location of the image data stored in the storage device in the storage device instead of the predetermined format image data. The program can be stored.

  According to such a program, the same image data is not stored in multiple, so the amount of information to be managed can be reduced.

  The storage medium of the present invention is a computer-readable storage medium in which the log information management program is stored.

  According to the present invention, according to the configuration, the same image data is not stored in multiple, so the amount of information to be managed can be reduced.

  The present invention relates to an image formation data management device that manages image formation data, which is output from an image formation device and includes image formation setting data and image data, and a log based on the image formation data managed by the image formation data management device. A log information management system including a log information management device that manages information. The log information management device of the present invention includes a storage device that stores image formation data, and image data that is the same as the image data included in the image formation data acquired from the image formation data management device is already stored as log information. If it is stored in the storage device, this image data is not stored. Then, instead of the image data, information on the storage location of the image data that is the same as the image data is stored in the storage device.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an example of a functional configuration diagram of a log information management system 100 according to the present invention.

  The log information management system 100 includes an image formation data management apparatus 200, a log information management apparatus 300, a client computer (hereinafter referred to as client PC) 400, and an image formation apparatus 500 connected via a network.

  In the log information management system 100, the image formation data management apparatus 200 manages image formation data created by the client PC 400 and output from the image formation apparatus 500. Then, the log information management apparatus 300 manages log information of processing executed in the image forming apparatus 500 based on the image forming data.

  Here, the image formation data will be described.

  The image formation data in this embodiment is composed of image data and image formation setting data. The image data is data formed as an output image in the image forming apparatus 500. Specifically, the image formation data may be, for example, print data when the image forming apparatus 500 prints out a document or an image created by using an arbitrary application on the client PC 400.

  The image data of the image formation data includes data relating to an image, data relating to a document, and the like. The image data here may be data in a format that can be recognized as an image only in the image forming apparatus 500.

  Further, the image formation setting data of the image formation data includes setting information required when the image forming apparatus 500 executes the image formation data output process. The image formation setting data may be set by the creator of the image formation data in the client PC 400 when the image formation data is created, for example.

  The image formation setting data may be, for example, setting information relating to the number of copies to be printed or setting information relating to enlargement / reduction, in the case where the image formation data is print data to be printed out. Further, the image formation setting data may include information for specifying the creation source of the image formation data. This information is, for example, the IP address of the client PC 400 where the image formation data is created, the name of the creator who created the image formation data, and the like.

  The image forming data management apparatus 200 will be described below. The function of the image forming data management apparatus 200 can be realized by a computer having an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU.

  The image formation data management apparatus 200 includes a control unit 210, a storage device 220, and a determination unit 230. The image forming data management apparatus 200 receives an image forming data output request from the client PC 400, stores the image forming data, monitors the state of the image forming apparatus 500, and controls transmission of the image forming data.

  The control unit 210 controls various processes in the image forming data management apparatus 200. The storage device 220 stores and stores image formation data received from the client PC 400.

  The determination unit 230 determines whether or not image formation data that matches the image formation data newly received from the client PC 400 is stored in the storage device 220. In this embodiment, the determination unit 230 determines the identity of image formation data based on whether or not the image data portions of the image formation data match each other.

  Next, the log information management apparatus 300 will be described. The log information management device 300 can realize its function in, for example, a computer equipped with an arithmetic processing unit or the like.

  The log information management device 300 includes an image conversion unit 310, a storage device 320, a determination unit 330, a setting unit 340, and a storage control unit 350.

  In the log information management device 300, when image formation data is acquired from the image formation data management device 200, the image conversion unit 310 converts the image data of the image formation data into image data of a predetermined format. Then, the determination unit 230 determines whether there is image data that matches the converted image data. The storage device 320 stores image data that has been converted into a predetermined format in the past as log information. Further, the determination criterion at this time may be set in advance by the setting unit 340.

  In the log information management device 300, when the determination unit 330 determines that there is no image data that matches the converted image data in the storage device 320, the storage control unit 350 sends the converted image data to the storage device 320. Remember. If the determination unit 330 determines that there is image data that matches the converted image data in the storage device 320, the storage control unit 350 matches the converted image data instead of the converted image data. Information on the storage location of the image data to be stored is stored in the storage device 320. In this way, the log information management device 300 prevents the image log information from being stored in the storage device 320 in a multiple manner and reduces the amount of information to be managed.

  Next, each unit included in the log information management apparatus 300 will be described.

  The image conversion unit 310 converts the image data included in the image formation data acquired from the image formation data management apparatus 200 into a predetermined format. The predetermined format mentioned here means a format that can be browsed by image browsing software or the like used in a general computer or the like. For example, if the image data is a photograph or the like, the predetermined format may be a JPEG (Joint Picture Experts Group) format, a PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format, a TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) format, or the like. If converted into such a format, the log information management system 300 can view the converted image data stored as log information in the log information management system 300, for example. Thus, if image data stored as log information can be browsed, for example, when image data leaks, the image data can be browsed from a large number of log information stored in the storage device 320. Can quickly identify the leaked information.

  The conversion process in the image conversion unit 310 may be, for example, the same method as the process for outputting image formation data in the image forming apparatus 500. In the image conversion unit 310, the image forming data may be converted into the predetermined format after being developed by the same processing as that of the image forming apparatus 500.

  Further, in the log information management apparatus 300 of the present embodiment, this predetermined format may be arbitrarily set by the administrator of the log information management system 100. For example, when the image data is document data, the predetermined format may be a text format. At this time, the image conversion unit 310 may perform OCR (Optical Character Reader) processing on the image data when converting the image data into text format data. Furthermore, the predetermined format of the present embodiment may be the same format as the format of the converted image data stored in the storage device 320.

  Thus, by making it possible to set the format of the converted image data, the log information management apparatus 300 can manage the image formation data as log information that matches the operating environment of the log information management system 100. In the following description of this embodiment, the converted image data converted by the image conversion unit 310 is referred to as converted image data.

  The storage device 320 mainly stores image formation data acquired from the image formation data management device 200 as log information, and includes an image formation setting data storage unit 321 and a converted image data storage unit 322.

  The image formation setting data storage unit 321 mainly stores image formation setting data among image formation data. Further, the image formation setting data may be given information related to the time when the image formation data management apparatus 200 receives an output request for image formation data from the client PC 400. In addition, the image formation setting data storage unit 321 stores a storage destination address that is information on the storage location of the converted image data stored in the converted image data storage unit 322.

  The converted image data storage unit 322 stores image data converted into a predetermined format by the image conversion unit 310, that is, converted image data. The converted image data stored in the converted image data storage unit 322 may be image data, text data, or the like, and corresponds to the image formation setting data stored in the image formation setting data storage unit 321. It is remembered.

  The determination unit 330 determines whether or not converted image data that matches the converted image data newly converted by the image conversion unit 310 exists in the storage device 320. At this time, the determination unit 330 matches the newly converted image data and the converted image data stored in the storage device 320, for example, when the degree of coincidence for each pixel is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. You may judge. The degree of coincidence may be indicated, for example, as a percentage. When the percentage is set to 60%, the determination unit 330 has a degree of coincidence for each pixel of each converted image data of 60% or more. At this time, it is determined that the converted image data match.

  For example, when the converted image data is text data, the determining unit 330 may determine the identity of the two converted image data depending on whether or not the text data includes a predetermined character string. good. The predetermined character string is, for example, a specific keyword.

  If the determination unit 330 determines the identity of the two converted image data in this way, even if the two converted image data do not completely match, it can be determined that they match. For this reason, even when the two converted image data do not completely match, it is possible to make a reasonable determination as to the identity.

  In the setting unit 340, a predetermined format in which image data is converted, a predetermined value as a determination criterion, a keyword, and the like are set. This setting may be input and set by an input unit (not shown) included in the log information management apparatus 300 by, for example, an administrator of the log information management system 100. Further, for example, the log information management apparatus 300 may be set via the network by input means (not shown) provided in each of the image formation data management apparatus 200, the client PC 400, the image formation apparatus 500, and the like.

  The storage control unit 350 mainly performs control related to storage of image formation data in the storage device 320. Specifically, for example, control of storage processing of image formation data in the storage device 320, control of erasure processing of image formation data stored in the storage device 320, and the like.

  The client PC 400 is a general computer having an arithmetic processing unit. For example, a user of the log information management system 100 may create image formation data in the client PC 400.

  In addition to the printing function, the image forming apparatus 500 may be a multifunction machine having, for example, a scanner function and a FAX function, or may be a printer having only a printing function.

  Next, the overall operation of the log information management system 100 will be described. FIG. 2 is an example of a sequence diagram for explaining the overall operation of the log information management system 100.

  Here, as a specific example of the operation of the log information management system 100, a case where a print request is issued by the client PC 400 in the log information management system 100 will be described.

  In the log information management system 100, the log information management apparatus 300 monitors the image formation data management apparatus 200 (S21), and can acquire image formation data from the image formation data management apparatus 200 at an arbitrary timing.

  The arbitrary timing here refers to, for example, when the image formation data stored in the image formation data management apparatus 200 reaches a certain amount, or the free capacity of the storage device 220 of the image formation data management apparatus 200 is less than a certain amount. It may be when it becomes.

  First, a print request is sent from the client PC 400 (S22). The image formation data management apparatus 200 accepts image formation data in response to this print request. The image formation data management apparatus 200 extracts image formation setting data from the received image formation data (S23). At this time, the control unit 210 of the image formation data management apparatus 200 may add the time information for receiving the image formation setting data to the image formation setting data. Thereafter, the image formation data management apparatus 200 stores the image formation data in the storage device 220 (S24).

  When the image formation data is stored in the image formation data management apparatus 200, the log information management apparatus 300 first acquires the image formation setting data to which the time information is added (S25), and stores the image formation setting data. The data is stored in the image formation setting data storage unit 321 of the apparatus 320 (S26). Next, the log information management apparatus 300 refers to the image formation data related to the image formation setting data (S27), and acquires the image data of the image formation data.

  The log information management apparatus 300 uses the image data acquired by the image conversion unit 310 as converted image data by the image conversion unit 310. Then, the log information management device 300 determines in the determination unit 330 whether or not data that matches the converted image data exists in the converted image data storage unit 322 of the storage device 320 (S28). The log information management device 300 stores the converted image data in the converted image data storage unit 322 as log information based on the determination result in S28 (S29).

  The image forming data management apparatus 200 transmits the image forming data to the image forming apparatus 500 when the image forming apparatus 500 is ready to execute print output processing of the image forming data (S30).

  Next, the storage operation of the converted image data in the log information management apparatus 300 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is an example of a flowchart for explaining the storage operation of the converted image data in the log information management apparatus 300.

  The image formation data management apparatus 200 receives image formation data from the client PC 400 (S31). Then, the determination unit 230 determines whether or not image formation data that matches the received image formation data is stored in the storage device 220 (S32).

  At this time, the determination unit 220 may determine that the two pieces of image formation data match when the two pieces of image formation data match each other. The determination of whether or not each image data matches may be the same as the determination in the determination unit 330 of the log information management apparatus 300. For example, the determination is made according to the degree of coincidence for each pixel of the image data. You may do it.

  If the determination unit 230 determines in S32 that there is no image formation data in the storage device 220 that matches the image formation data received in S31, the image data of this image formation data is converted into the converted image data in the log information management device 300. It is said.

  In the log information management apparatus 300, the image conversion unit 310 converts the image data of the image formation data into image data of a predetermined format, and generates converted image data (S33). When the converted image data is generated, the determination unit 330 determines whether converted image data that matches the converted image data is stored in the converted image data storage unit 322 of the storage device 320 (S34).

  When the determination unit 330 determines in S34 that the converted image data that matches the converted image data generated in S33 does not exist in the converted image data storage unit 322, the storage control unit 350 logs the converted image data. Information is stored in the converted image data storage unit 322 as information (S35). At this time, the converted image data stored in the converted image data storage unit 322 is associated with the image formation setting data related to the image data before conversion of the converted image data, and is converted to the converted image data storage unit 322. Remembered.

  If the determination unit 330 determines in S34 that the converted image data that matches the converted image data generated in S33 exists in the converted image data storage unit 322, the storage control unit 350 converts the converted image generated in S33. The data is discarded without being stored in the storage device 320 (S36). Then, the storage control unit 350 stores information on the storage location of the converted image data that matches the discarded converted image data stored in the converted image data storage unit 322 instead of the discarded converted image data. (S37). The storage location information may be, for example, a URL indicating the storage destination address of the converted image data. The information on the storage location is added to the image formation setting data related to the discarded converted image data and stored in the image formation setting data storage unit 321 of the storage device 320.

  In S32, if the determination unit 230 of the image formation data management apparatus 200 determines that the image formation data that matches the image formation data received in S31 is stored in the storage device 220, the determination is received in S31. The converted image data related to the image data of the image formation data has already been generated in the log information management device 300.

  Therefore, in this case, the storage control unit 350 in the log information management device 300 may store the storage location information of the corresponding converted image data stored in the converted image data storage unit 322 in S37 in the storage device 320. good.

  As described above, in the log information management system 100 of the present invention, when the log information management apparatus 300 acquires image formation data having image data determined to be the same as image data acquired in the past, the image data portion Is stored, and the storage destination address of the existing image data is stored as log information instead of the image data. As a result, the log information management apparatus 300 can be prevented from storing the same image data in multiples, and the amount of log information to be managed can be reduced.

  The log information stored in the log information management apparatus 300 will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is an example of a diagram illustrating log information stored in the log information management apparatus 300.

  4A is stored when the determination unit 330 determines in S34 of FIG. 3 that the converted image data that matches the converted image data generated in S33 does not exist in the converted image data storage unit 322. 4 is an example of a diagram showing log information stored in a device 320. FIG. FIG. 4B illustrates a log stored in the storage device 320 when the determination unit 330 determines that converted image data that matches the converted image data generated in S33 exists in the converted image data storage unit 322. It is an example of the figure which shows information.

  Assume that log information 40 shown in FIG. 4A is stored in the storage device 320. At this time, the log information 40 is divided into image formation setting data 41 and converted image data 42, the image formation setting data 41 is stored in the image formation setting data storage unit 321, and the converted image data 42 is converted into the converted image data storage unit 322. Is saved. At this time, the storage control unit 350 stores in the log information management device 300 identifiable that the converted image data 42 is image data related to the image formation setting data 41. This can be realized, for example, by adding common identification information for identifying the log information 40 to the image formation setting data 41 and the converted image data 42.

  Here, it is assumed that the log information management apparatus 300 newly acquires image formation data that matches the converted image data 42. In this case, the storage control unit 350 discards the converted image data that matches the converted image data 42 generated in S33 of FIG.

  Then, the storage control unit 350 stores the storage destination address of the converted image data 42 in the image formation setting data storage unit 321 as log information instead of the discarded converted image data.

  The log information stored in this way is the log information 50 shown in FIG. The log information 50 includes image formation setting data 51 and a storage destination address 52 that is information on the storage location of the converted image data 42. In this embodiment, as the storage location information of the converted image data 42 at the storage destination address 52, the log number of the log information 40, which is unique data for identifying the log information 40 including the converted image data 42, is stored. In this way, when managing the log information 50, the converted image data 42 can be referred to by tracing the storage destination address 52, and the same data as the converted image data 42 need not be stored again.

  If log information is managed in this way, the log information management apparatus 300 outputs the same image data multiple times, for example, when the same image data is output from the image forming apparatus 500 in different time zones, or in a plurality of image forming apparatuses. When output, the image data portion is not stored redundantly. Therefore, the amount of information to be managed in the log information management apparatus 300 is reduced, and the load on the entire log information management system 100 can be reduced.

  In the log information management device 300, for example, when the storage device 320 has insufficient free space, the log information stored in the storage device 320 may be deleted.

  The case where the image formation data is erased will be described again with reference to FIG. Here, for example, the log information 40 is deleted.

  When the log information 40 is deleted, the converted image data 42 is also deleted. Then, it is impossible to refer to the converted image data 42 in the log information 50 in which the storage destination address of the converted image data 42 is stored.

  Therefore, when the log information 40 is deleted, the storage control unit 350 in the log information management apparatus 300 stores the converted image data 42 again in any location of the converted image data storage unit 322. The place where the converted image data 42 is stored again may be a place where the storage destination address 52 is stored in the log information 50, for example.

  Further, the converted image data 42 may be stored again in any of the empty areas of the converted image data storage unit 322. In this case, in the log information 50, the storage destination address 52 is updated with a new storage destination address of the converted image data 42. For example, when other log information referring to the converted image data 42 exists in the storage device 320, the storage destination of the converted image data 42 is stored in all the log information referring to the converted image data 12. Update the address.

  In this way, even if the log information of the reference destination is deleted from the log information management apparatus 300, the conversion image data referred to is prevented from being lost, and the consistency of information is maintained in the log information management apparatus 300. It becomes possible.

  The procedure for realizing each function in the embodiment described above may be recorded on a storage medium as a log information management program readable by a computer.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a storage medium in which a log information management program for realizing each function described in the embodiment is recorded. Each function described in the present embodiment can be realized by the program recorded in the storage medium 700 being read and executed by the computer 600.

  For example, the computer 600 includes a CPU 610, a hard disk 620, a memory 630, a display unit 640, an input unit 650, a communication unit 660, and a storage medium reading unit 670. The CPU 610 is an arithmetic processing unit, and executes arithmetic operations and processes executed in the computer 600. The hard disk 620 is a storage means for storing data, and stores an application operating on the computer 600, data created by this application, and the like. The memory 630 stores various setting values related to the computer 600, calculation results in the CPU 610, and the like.

  The display unit 640 is a display or the like, and displays data created in the computer 600 so that the user can view it. The input unit 650 is, for example, a keyboard or a mouse, and various data are input by a user operation. The communication unit 660 is a network control unit, for example, and is used for the computer 600 to communicate with an external device. The storage medium reading unit 670 reads data and programs recorded on various storage media, and is, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk driver.

  In the storage medium 700, a log information management program 710 for realizing each function of the present embodiment is recorded. The log information management program 710 is read by the storage medium reading unit 670 and executed by the CPU 610. The storage medium 700 may be, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk or a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), and may be any medium that can be read by the computer 600. The log information management program 710 may be received by the communication unit 660 via a network and stored in the hard disk 620 or the like.

  As described above, the present invention has been described based on the respective embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the requirements shown here, such as the configurations described in the above embodiments and combinations with other elements. With respect to these points, the present invention can be changed within a range that does not detract from the gist of the present invention, and can be appropriately determined according to the application form.

  The present invention can be applied to a log information management system, a log information management device, a log information management method, a log information management program, and a storage medium that manage image formation data output from the image forming apparatus.

It is a functional block diagram of the log information management system 100 of this invention. 5 is a sequence diagram for explaining the overall operation of the log information management system 100. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining conversion image data storage operation in the log information management apparatus 300; 6 is a diagram for explaining log information stored in a log information management apparatus 300. FIG. It is a figure explaining the storage medium with which the log information management program which implement | achieves each function demonstrated in the Example was recorded.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Log information management apparatus 200 Image formation data management apparatus 210 Control part 220,320 Storage device 230,330 Determination part 300 Log information management apparatus 310 Image conversion part 321 Image formation data setting storage part 322 Conversion image data storage part 340 Setting part 350 Storage control unit 400 Client PC
500 Image forming apparatus

Claims (12)

An image formation data management device that manages image formation data composed of image formation setting data and image data output by the image formation device, and manages log information based on the image formation data managed by the image formation data management device In a log information management system comprising a log information management device,
The log information management device includes storage control means for controlling storage of image formation data acquired from the image formation data management device in a storage device;
Image conversion means for converting image data into image data of a predetermined format among the image formation data acquired from the image formation data management device;
Determination means for determining whether or not the image data in the predetermined format converted by the image conversion means matches the image data stored in the storage device;
When the determination unit determines that the image data in the predetermined format and the image data stored in the storage device are substantially the same, the storage control unit stores the storage location of the image data stored in the storage device. A log information management system, wherein information is stored in the storage device instead of the image data of the predetermined format. The image formation data device includes a storage device for storing the image formation data;
Determining means for determining whether or not there is image data matching the image data newly acquired by the image formation data management device in the storage device;
When the determination unit determines that there is no image data in the storage device that matches the image data newly acquired by the image formation data management device,
2. The log information management system according to claim 1, wherein the image formation data management device sends image formation data related to image data newly acquired by the image formation data management device to the log information management device. 3. .   2. The log information management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit of the log information management apparatus determines that the two image data match when the degree of coincidence for each pixel in the two image data is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Or the log information management system according to 2;   4. The log information management system according to claim 1, wherein the image data converted into the predetermined format has the same format as the image data stored in the storage device. 5.   5. The log information management system according to claim 1, wherein the image conversion unit converts image data relating to a document into text data. 6.   6. The log information management system according to claim 5, wherein the determination unit of the log information management device determines whether or not a predetermined character string is included in the text data.   The log information management apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the log information management device includes setting means for setting the predetermined format, the predetermined value, and the predetermined character string. system. The storage control means, when the image data storing the storage location information is erased,
8. The log information management system according to claim 1, wherein the image data to be erased is stored in a predetermined location in the storage device. In a log information management device that acquires image formation data from an image formation data management device that manages image formation data composed of image formation setting data and image data output by the image formation device.
Storage control means for controlling storage of the acquired image formation data in a storage device;
Of the acquired image formation data, image conversion means for converting image data into image data of a predetermined format;
Determination means for determining whether or not the image data in the predetermined format converted by the image conversion means matches the image data stored in the storage device;
When the determination unit determines that the image data in the predetermined format and the image data stored in the storage device are substantially the same, the storage control unit stores the storage location of the image data stored in the storage device. A log information management device that stores information in the storage device instead of the image data in the predetermined format. A log information management method in a log information management device that acquires image formation data from an image formation data management device that manages image formation data composed of image formation setting data and image data output by the image formation device,
A storage control procedure for controlling storage of the acquired image formation data in a storage device;
Among the acquired image formation data, an image conversion procedure for converting image data into image data of a predetermined format;
A determination procedure for determining whether or not the image data in the predetermined format converted by the image conversion procedure matches the image data stored in the storage device;
When the determination procedure determines that the image data in the predetermined format and the image data stored in the storage device are substantially the same, the storage control procedure determines the storage location of the image data stored in the storage device. A log information management method, wherein information is stored in the storage device instead of the image data of the predetermined format. A log information management program in a log information management device that acquires image formation data from an image formation data management device that manages image formation data including image formation setting data and image data output by the image forming device,
The log information management program
A storage control step for controlling storage of the acquired image formation data in a storage device;
Among the acquired image formation data, an image conversion step of converting the image data into image data of a predetermined format;
A determination step for determining whether or not the image data in the predetermined format converted by the image conversion step matches the image data stored in the storage device;
When the determination step determines that the image data of the predetermined format and the image data stored in the storage device are substantially the same, the storage control step determines the storage location of the image data stored in the storage device. A log information management program for storing information in the storage device instead of the image data in the predetermined format.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the log information management program according to claim 11.

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