JP2008145487A - Copying apparatus, user authentication method for copying apparatus, and control method for copying device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a copying apparatus capable of copying a document by a simple operation, and to provide a user authentication method for the copying apparatus, and a control method for the copying apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The scanner 10 of the copying apparatus 1 has: a document reading window 11 on which a document to be copied is placed, and a card reading window 12 on which an authentication card 100 with a recorded bar code indicating user identification information is placed. A controller 30 causes the scanner 10 to read the authentication card 100 placed on the card reading window 12, and controls the copying apparatus 1 so that the copying apparatus 1 is capable of copying according to the user identification information of the read bar code. Thus, the controller 30 manages the users for the copying apparatus 1. With the authentication card 100 kept placed and received on the card reading window 12, the document placed on the document reading window 11, provided separately from the card reading window 12, is copied and, accordingly, the user can copy the document by the simple operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a reading unit that reads a document, and a copying apparatus including an image forming unit that forms an image of the read document, a user authentication method for the copying apparatus, and a control method for the copying apparatus.

  Conventionally, in order to manage the use of a copying machine, a copying apparatus that manages the user who uses the copying machine, the number of copies, and the like based on information read from an authentication card is known.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, user identification information obtained by reading a card with a scanner is compared with user identification information registered in advance, and printing by a digital printing apparatus is permitted when the user identification information matches. A technique for managing a user who uses a digital printing apparatus is disclosed.

JP-A-6-85978

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since the authentication card is set on the document surface of the scanner, the user removes the authentication card from the document surface after setting the authentication card on the scanner and receiving permission for printing. It is necessary to replace it with a document to be copied. As described above, since it takes time to replace the authentication card and the manuscript, there is a problem that an operation required for copying becomes troublesome for the user.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a copying apparatus capable of copying an original with a simple operation, a user authentication method for the copying apparatus, and a control method for the copying apparatus.

  The copying apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above object is provided with an original placing portion on which an original to be copied is placed, and an authentication image for authenticating a user provided at a position different from the original placing portion. A card placement unit on which the formed authentication card is placed, a reading unit capable of reading the document placed on the document placement unit and the authentication card placed on the card placement unit, and a reading unit An image forming unit that forms an image of the read document on a print medium, and an authentication card placed on the card placing unit is read by the reading unit, and copying by the reading unit and the image forming unit is performed based on the read authentication image. And a copy permission control unit to permit.

  According to this configuration, since the card placement unit is provided at a position different from the document placement unit, unlike the technique described in Patent Document 1, the user needs to perform an operation of replacing the authentication card and the document during copying. There is no. Therefore, it is possible for the user to copy the original document with permission to copy with a simple operation. In addition, since the reading unit for reading the original reads the authentication card placed on the card placing unit provided at a position different from the original placing unit, the configuration for reading the authentication card Need not be provided in addition to the reading unit, and an increase in cost for managing users can be suppressed.

  In the copying apparatus of the present invention, the authentication image is an image corresponding to user identification information indicating a user who possesses the authentication card, and registered user information indicating a user permitted to copy using the copying apparatus is registered in advance. The copy permission control unit collates the user identification information indicated by the image obtained by reading the authentication image with the registered user information registered in the registration unit, and the user of the user identification information is stored in the registration unit. If registered, it is preferable to permit copying of the document.

  According to this configuration, since copying of a document is permitted for a user registered in the registration database, user management in which use of the copying apparatus is limited to registered users can be performed.

  The present invention may also be a method invention. That is, the present invention relates to a document placement unit on which a document to be copied is placed, a reading unit that reads a document placed on the document placement unit, and an image of the document read by the reading unit as a print medium A copying apparatus user authentication method including an image forming unit to be formed on an image forming apparatus, wherein the copying apparatus is provided at a position different from the document placing unit, and an authentication card on which an authentication image for authenticating a user is formed is mounted. A card placing unit for placing the card, and a reading step for causing the reading unit to read the authentication card placed on the card placing unit; and a user who uses the copying apparatus is authenticated based on the read authentication image. And an authentication process.

  According to this configuration, the user can receive authentication for copying with a simple operation without requiring an operation of replacing the authentication card and the document at the time of copying.

  Another aspect of the present invention includes a document placement unit on which a document to be copied is placed, a reading unit that reads a document placed on the document placement unit, and an image of the document read by the reading unit A copy apparatus control method including an image forming unit that forms an image on a print medium, wherein the copy device is provided at a position different from the document placement unit and forms an authentication image for authenticating a user Is further provided with a card placement unit for reading the authentication card placed on the card placement unit, and a reading step and an image forming unit based on the read authentication image. And a copy permission process for permitting copying according to the above.

  According to this configuration, the user can copy the manuscript with a simple operation without requiring an operation for replacing the authentication card and the manuscript at the time of copying.

(Embodiment)
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a copying apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, a copying apparatus 1 includes a scanner (reading unit) 10 that reads a document, a printer (image forming unit) 20 that forms an image on the surface of a printing medium such as paper, and the entire copying apparatus. And a controller (copying permission control unit) 30 for controlling the operation.

  The scanner 10 is a carriage scanning type scanner that reads an image of an entire original by scanning a carriage containing a linear sensor such as a CCD or CMOS along the original to be read. The carriage scanning direction is the “sub-scanning direction”, and the linear sensor reading direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction is the “main scanning direction”.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an external configuration of the scanner 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the scanner 10 has a document reading window (document placement unit) 11 that is a placement surface of a document to be read, and user identification information for identifying a user holding the card. And a card reading window (card placement unit) 12 which is a placement surface of the authentication card 100. Here, on the authentication card 100, a barcode image (authentication image) representing the user identification information is formed at a predetermined position on the surface of the card. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the document reading window 11 and the card reading window 12 are provided at different positions so that they do not overlap each other.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the scanner 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the carriage 13 can scan from the home position located immediately below the white reference 14 to the other end side of the document reading window 11 along the sub-scanning direction. Here, a card reading window 12 is provided at a position between the white reference 14 and the document reading window 11. Therefore, the scanner 10 can read the document placed on the document reading window 11 and scan the card by scanning the carriage 13 with a scanning mechanism (not shown) under the control of the controller 30. The card placed on the window 12 can be read.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 1, the printer 20 is a part that forms an image on the surface of a print medium such as paper by an electrophotographic printing method in accordance with image data instructed by the controller 30 and executes printing. .

  The controller 30 includes a CPU 31 as a main control device, a RAM 32 used as a working memory, a ROM 33 which is a nonvolatile memory storing a control program and the like, and an EEPROM 34 which is a readable / writable nonvolatile memory. . When the CPU 31 executes the control program stored in the ROM 33, the controller 30 performs a process of controlling the scanner 10 to read a document, a control of outputting image data to be printed to the printer 20, and printing. At the time of copying, the controller 30 causes the scanner 10 to read the original, and outputs the read image data to the printer 20 to form the original image, thereby copying the original.

  The EEPROM 34 stores user identification information indicating users who are permitted to use the copying apparatus 1 in advance and is managed as a registered user database (registration unit) 35. An administrator of the copying apparatus 1 can enter a password in the operation panel (not shown) of the copying apparatus 1 and operate the operation panel to newly register a user or delete a registered user in the registered user database 35. It is.

  Here, the controller 30 performs processing for controlling permission of copying by the copying apparatus 1 only for registered users. Specifically, the process of causing the scanner 10 to read the authentication card 100 placed on the card reading window 12 and interpreting the barcode of the authentication card 100 to acquire user identification information, and the acquired user identification information indicate A process of checking the user and the user registered in the registered user database 35, and controlling the scanner 10 and the printer 20 to a copyable state if the user of the authentication card 100 is registered in the registered user database 35, etc. Do. As a result, the controller 30 permits the registered user to copy the document using the copying apparatus 1.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing performed at the time of copying, and will be described below with reference to the flowchart.

  Before starting the processing of FIG. 4, the controller 30 prohibits the use of the scanner 10 and the printer 20, and controls so that copying using the copying apparatus 1 is not possible. For example, when the user places an authentication card 100 on the card reading window 12 and places a document on the document reading window 11 and operates the operation panel to instruct copying, the process of FIG. 4 is started. When the processing is started, first, the scanner 10 scans the carriage 13, scans the card reading window 12, reads an image, and outputs the read scanned image to the controller 30 (step S100).

  Next, the CPU 31 decodes the bar code included in the scanned image, and acquires user identification information embedded in the authentication card 100 (step S110). Specifically, user identification information is acquired by decoding an image corresponding to the barcode portion of the scanned image according to a predetermined barcode decoding method.

  Next, the CPU 31 refers to the registered user database 35 to determine whether or not the user of the acquired user identification information is a registered user permitted to use the copying apparatus 1. If the user is a registered user (step S120: Yes), the process proceeds to step S130, where the scanner 10 and the printer 20 are controlled to be capable of copying, and the user is permitted to copy. When copying is permitted, the original placed on the original reading window 11 is read by the scanner 10 and then the image of the original read by the printer 20 is formed on the paper, thereby copying the original and FIG. Terminate the process.

  If the user of the acquired user identification information is not registered in the registered user database 35 in step S120 (step S120: No), the process of FIG. 4 is performed while the copying by the scanner 10 and the printer 20 is prohibited. finish.

  The process of step S100 corresponds to the reading process described in the claims, the processes of steps S110 and S120 correspond to the authentication process described in the claims, and the processes of steps S110 to S130 correspond to the copy permission process described in the claims. .

  As described above, in the copying apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the scanner 10 for reading a document is allowed to read an image on the authentication card 100, thereby allowing a user registered in the registered user database 35 to copy. In this way, the user is managed.

  Hereinafter, effects in the present embodiment will be described.

  (1) Since the document reading window 11 and the card reading window 12 are provided separately, the document set in the document reading window 11 can be copied while the authentication card 100 is placed on the card reading window 12. Is possible. Since there is no need to replace the authentication card 100 and the original when copying, the user can copy the original upon receiving authentication that the user is registered with a simple operation.

  (2) The authentication card 100 is read by the configuration of the scanner 10 for reading a document without separately providing a dedicated card reader. For this reason, the copying apparatus 1 capable of performing user management can be provided at a low product cost.

  (3) Since the copying apparatus 1 is controlled so that a document can be copied only when the registered user authentication card 100 is set in the card reading window 12, the registered user can move from the card reading window 12. When the authentication card 100 is removed, the next user of the copying apparatus 1 cannot copy unless the registered user authentication card 100 is set in the card reading window 12. Therefore, copying by a user who is not registered can be prevented.

  As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, this invention can also be set as a various form, without being restricted to this. Hereinafter, modifications of the present invention will be described.

  (Modification 1) A card reader having a card insertion slot 201 into which an authentication card 100 is inserted as shown in FIG. The unit 200 may be provided. The authentication card 100 inserted into the card insertion slot 201 is in a positional relationship facing the card reading window 12 as shown in FIG. In this case, the controller 30 may cause the scanner 10 to read the authentication card 100 inserted into the card insertion slot 201 from the card reading window 12 and manage the user of the copying apparatus 1 as in the above embodiment.

  (Modification 2) In the above embodiment, when copying is instructed, the processing of FIG. 4 is started and the authentication card 100 is read to authenticate the user. The card reading window 12 may be read, and the copying apparatus 1 may be controlled to be capable of copying according to the result of user authentication.

  (Modification 3) In the above embodiment, the user who uses the copying apparatus 1 is managed by embedding the barcode of the user identification information in the authentication card 100. However, the user authentication method is not limited to this. For example, information indicating the number of copies permitted for the user is embedded in the card, and copying within the range of the number of copies read from the card is permitted to manage the user who uses the copying apparatus 1. May be. In addition, when the information indicating whether or not the user is permitted to use and the period during which the use is permitted is recorded on the card, and the user is authorized to use according to the information obtained by reading the card, the copying apparatus 1 may be permitted.

  (Modification 4) In the above-described embodiment, the user identification information is embedded in the authentication card 100 using a barcode that is a one-dimensional code. However, the information embedding method is not limited to this. For example, user identification information may be embedded with an image of a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark). Further, a mark corresponding to the user name may be recorded on the authentication card 100, and the user may be authenticated by the mark read by the scanner 10.

  (Modification 5) The present invention may be applied to an inkjet printer having a scanner function, a so-called inkjet multifunction device. Further, the present invention may be applied to a copying system in which a scanner and a printer are connected.

1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a copying apparatus according to an embodiment. The figure which showed the external appearance structure of the scanner. Sectional drawing which showed the structure of the scanner. The flowchart which shows the flow of the process performed at the time of copying. It is explanatory drawing explaining a 1st modification, (a) is an external view of a card reader part, (b) is sectional drawing of a card reader part.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Copying apparatus, 10 ... Scanner as reading part, 11 ... Document reading window as document placing part, 12 ... Card reading window as card placing part, 13 ... Carriage, 14 ... White reference, 20 ... Image formation A printer as a copy unit, 30 a controller as a copy permission control unit, 31 a CPU, 32 a RAM, 33 a ROM, 34 an EEPROM, 35 a registered user database as a registration unit, 100 an authentication card, 200 a card reader Part, 201 ... card insertion slot.

Claims (4)

A document placement section on which a document to be copied is placed;
A card placement section on which an authentication card provided with an authentication image for authenticating a user is placed at a position different from the document placement section;
A reading unit capable of reading the document placed on the document placing unit and the authentication card placed on the card placing unit;
An image forming unit that forms an image of a document read by the reading unit on a print medium;
A copy permission control unit that allows the reading unit to read the authentication card placed on the card placing unit, and permits copying by the reading unit and the image forming unit based on the read authentication image. Features a copying machine. The copying apparatus according to claim 1,
The authentication image is an image corresponding to user identification information indicating a user possessing the authentication card,
A registration unit pre-registered with registered user information indicating a user permitted to copy using the copying apparatus;
The copy permission control unit collates user identification information indicated by an image obtained by reading the authentication image with registered user information registered in the registration unit, and the user of the user identification information is registered in the registration unit. A copying apparatus characterized in that copying of a manuscript is permitted in the event of a failure. An original placing portion on which an original to be copied is placed, a reading portion that reads an original placed on the original placing portion, and an image that forms an image of the original read by the reading portion on a print medium A user authentication method for a copying apparatus including a forming unit,
The copying apparatus is further provided with a card placement unit that is provided at a position different from the document placement unit and on which an authentication card on which an authentication image for authenticating a user is formed is placed,
A reading step for causing the reading unit to read the authentication card placed on the card placing unit;
And a user authentication method for authenticating a user who uses the copying apparatus based on the read authentication image. An original placing portion on which an original to be copied is placed, a reading portion that reads an original placed on the original placing portion, and an image that forms an image of the original read by the reading portion on a print medium A control method for a copying apparatus including a forming unit,
The copying apparatus is further provided with a card placement unit that is provided at a position different from the document placement unit and on which an authentication card on which an authentication image for authenticating a user is formed is placed,
A reading step for causing the reading unit to read the authentication card placed on the card placing unit;
A copying apparatus control method comprising: a copying permission step for allowing copying by the reading unit and the image forming unit based on the read authentication image.

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