JP2008235956A - Digital composite machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital composite machine having improved security in rewriting user-designated information. <P>SOLUTION: The digital composite machine 1 can rewrite user-designated information by a series of inputted operations using two or more key operations. The composite machine 1 includes: a key operation input section 6 having two or more input keys 12 and used to perform a predetermined operation input by a key operation to each of the input keys 12; a user-designated information storage section 8 for storing the user-designated information; a fingerprint reading section 14 for repeatedly reading the fingerprints of an operator as read information; a registered data storage section 5 for storing previously registered fingerprints as registered data; a user authenticating section 4 for comparing the read information with the registered data and authenticating the user on the basis of a result of comparison; and a user-designated information updating section 7 for rewriting the user-designated information into information designated by a series of operations on the basis of a result of authentication by the user authenticating section 4 per key operation in a series of operation inputs. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital multi-function peripheral, and more particularly to an improvement of a digital multi-function peripheral capable of rewriting user designation information designated by a user by a series of operation inputs by a plurality of key operations.

  2. Description of the Related Art A digital multi-function peripheral that performs authentication of an operator by reading a biometric pattern such as a fingerprint when changing information having a high security level among information specified by a user, for example, a password, is known. In a digital multifunction peripheral having a conventional authentication function, if an operator passes authentication, then other operators can change information with a high security level without requiring authentication. There are many. For this reason, there is a problem that information such as a password may be rewritten by another operator while the operator who passes the authentication is away from the apparatus.

Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for improving security in an image forming apparatus that authenticates an operator by reading a fingerprint. In the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of fingerprints of a user and a plurality of functions of the image forming apparatus are registered in advance so as to correspond to the functions when using any of the above functions. The operator is authenticated using the fingerprint. Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for detecting that an operator has changed from an operator who has passed authentication to another operator based on fingerprint data read by the operator. In the image processing apparatus described in Patent Document 2, fingerprint data read from an operator who has passed authentication by inputting an identification code is stored as collation data. Thereafter, when the fingerprint data is read, The verification data is verified.
JP 2003-163762 A JP 2005-115633 A

  As described above, when a certain operator passes authentication in a conventional digital multifunction peripheral, information with a high security level can be changed without requiring authentication, even if another operator thereafter. There is a problem that user specified information such as a password may be rewritten by another operator while the operator who passes the authentication is away.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a digital multi-function peripheral having improved security when rewriting user designation information designated by a user. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a digital multi-function peripheral that can improve security when rewriting user-specified information by a series of operation inputs by two or more key operations.

  A digital multi-function peripheral according to a first aspect of the present invention is a digital multi-function peripheral capable of rewriting user designation information designated by a user by a series of operation inputs by two or more key operations, and has two or more input keys. A key operation input means for performing a predetermined operation input by a key operation on a key, a user designation information storage means for storing the user designation information, a biological pattern reading means for repeatedly reading an operator's biological pattern as read information, Registration data storage means for storing the biometric pattern registered in advance as registration data, user authentication means for comparing the read information and the registration data, and authenticating an operator based on the comparison result, and the series of operations Based on the authentication result by the user authentication means for each key operation in the input, the user-specified information is Configured with a user-specified information changing means for rewriting the designation information specified by the work.

  In this digital multi-function peripheral, the read information read from the operator is compared with registered data registered in advance, and the operator is authenticated based on the comparison result. At the time of a series of operation inputs for changing the user designation information, such an authentication result is referred to for each key operation, and the user designation information is rewritten based on the authentication result for each key operation in the series of operation inputs. With such a configuration, since the user-specified information is rewritten based on the authentication result for each key operation, it is possible to improve security when rewriting the user-specified information by a series of operation inputs by two or more key operations. it can.

  In addition to the above-described configuration, the digital multi-function peripheral according to the second aspect of the present invention is configured so that when the key operation input unit is authenticated as an authorized user during a certain key operation in a series of operation inputs, Configured to allow input.

  In addition to the above-described configuration, the digital multi-function peripheral according to a third aspect of the present invention includes the biometric pattern reading unit including a fingerprint sensor that reads a fingerprint as the biometric pattern from an operator's hand, and the registration data storage unit includes the series In this operation input, a fingerprint different from the hand used for each key operation is stored as registered data.

  According to the digital multi-function peripheral according to the present invention, the user designation information is rewritten based on the authentication result for each key operation. Therefore, security when rewriting the user designation information by a series of operation inputs by two or more key operations is improved. Can be improved.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a schematic configuration of a digital multi-function peripheral 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The digital multifunction machine 1 is a facsimile machine having a scanner function and a printer function, and a plurality of input keys 12, a display 13, and a fingerprint reading unit 14 are arranged on an operation panel 11 provided in the machine casing. .

  Each input key 12 is an operation input means for inputting a telephone number or the like, and includes, for example, a numeric keypad and a start key. The display 13 is a display device that displays operation information and the like on a screen. The fingerprint reading unit 14 is a reading unit that reads a fingerprint as a biological pattern from an operator's hand, and the read fingerprint is processed as read information.

  Here, from the viewpoint of improving the operability when the fingerprint reading unit 14 is operated with the left hand while operating the input key 12 with the right hand, the fingerprint reading unit 14 is on the opposite side of the input key 12 with respect to the display 13. It is assumed that it is arranged.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a main part of the digital multi-function peripheral 1 of FIG. 1, in which an example of a functional configuration within the digital multi-function peripheral 1 is illustrated. In addition to the fingerprint reading unit 14 and the input key 12, the digital multifunction device 1 includes a user authentication unit 4, a registration data storage unit 5, a key operation input unit 6, a user designation information change unit 7, and a user designation information storage unit 8. Composed.

  The fingerprint reading unit 14 includes a fingerprint sensor 2 and an operation detection unit 3, and detects that a finger has been placed on the fingerprint reading unit 14 and performs an operation of reading the fingerprint. The operation detection unit 3 is a sensor that detects that a finger is placed on the fingerprint reading unit 14. For example, an electrostatic pad that detects a finger using a phenomenon in which the capacitance changes as the finger approaches is used.

  The fingerprint sensor 2 is a reading unit that reads an operator's fingerprint as read information. Here, when a finger is detected by the operation detection unit 3, an operation of reading the fingerprint is performed. The fingerprint is read, for example, by irradiating the finger with light and scanning the irradiation light. For example, such a fingerprint reading operation is repeatedly performed at a time interval shorter than a key operation interval when a user performs a key operation continuously while a finger is detected.

  The registration data storage unit 5 is a memory that stores a previously registered fingerprint as registration data. The user authentication unit 4 compares the read information from the fingerprint sensor 2 with the registration data in the registration data storage unit 5 and authenticates the operator based on the comparison result.

  The key operation input unit 6 is a user interface for performing a predetermined operation input based on a key operation on the input key 12. The user designation information storage unit 8 is a non-volatile memory that stores user designation information designated by the user.

  The user designation information may be an IP address, key assignment, registration number information, confidential communication password, encryption communication key information, and the like. The IP address is terminal identification information required when connecting to the Internet. Key assignment is number assignment information for each input key 12 when a specific input key 12 is registered in association with a telephone number.

  The registration number information is address information such as a telephone number held in association with the user name. Confidential communication is a communication function that prevents a received document from being printed unless an operator is authenticated at the receiving terminal by transmitting the document together with a predetermined identification code. The password for confidential communication is operator identification information necessary for authentication when the operator takes out a received document from the receiving terminal at the receiving terminal that has received communication data by confidential communication. The key information for encrypted communication is decryption key information necessary for decrypting encrypted received data.

  When changing such user designation information, a series of operation inputs by two or more key operations is required, and at that time, authentication of the operator for each key operation is required.

  Here, as described above, in addition to the user designation information that requires authentication of the operator for each key operation, information that is allowed to be changed by one authentication is also stored in the user designation information storage unit 8. Shall. Information that is permitted to be changed by one authentication includes, for example, operation mode designation information for designating an operation mode (printer mode, copy mode, or facsimile mode) after power-on, and density designation information for designating density at the time of printing. There is.

  The user designation information changing unit 7 stores the user designation information in the user designation information storage unit 8 based on the authentication result by the user authentication unit 4 when a series of operation inputs by two or more key operations for changing the user designation information is performed. An operation to rewrite user-specified information is performed. That is, the authentication result by the user authentication unit 4 is referred to for each key operation in a series of operation inputs, and the user designation information in the user designation information storage unit 8 is designated by the series of operations based on the authentication result for each key operation. Rewriting to the specified information is performed.

  Specifically, the authentication result based on the read information read at the timing when the key operation is performed is referred to. For example, the authentication result based on the read information read immediately before or after the key operation is referred to.

  Here, the key operation input unit 6 enables the next operation input when the operator is authenticated as an authorized user during a key operation in a series of operation inputs for changing the user designation information. Processing shall be performed. For example, if the operator is authenticated as a legitimate user during key operation, a process for displaying a message indicating the next operation procedure on the display 13 is performed. Therefore, the user-specified information is not rewritten unless the operator is authenticated as an authorized user during all key operations in a series of operation inputs.

  Here, the rewriting process of the user designation information based on a series of operation inputs is started, for example, with a key operation for selecting and designating a specific item in the menu as a trigger.

  Also, it is assumed that a fingerprint of a hand different from the hand used for each key operation in a series of operation inputs is stored in the registration data storage unit 5 as registration data. By causing the operator to be authenticated using a fingerprint of a hand different from the hand used for a series of key operations, the operability when changing the user-specified information can be improved.

  In general, when an operation for reading a fingerprint and authenticating an operator is performed continuously for the same operator a plurality of times, it is considered that even a legitimate operator often fails in authentication. Therefore, when the operator is authenticated based on the matching rate when the fingerprint reading information is compared with the registered data, it is conceivable that the threshold for the matching rate is set lower as the authentication is performed later.

  For example, in the authentication process at the time of the second key operation in a series of operation inputs, the operator is authenticated by lowering the threshold of the matching rate than the threshold value in the authentication process at the time of the first key operation. Further, in the authentication process at the time of the third key operation, the operator is authenticated by lowering the threshold value of the matching rate below the threshold value in the authentication process at the time of the second key operation. By configuring in this way, it is possible to prevent a user from authenticating in the middle of a series of operation inputs and having to re-execute a series of operation inputs from the beginning even though the operator is an authorized operator. it can.

  Here, the fingerprint comparison / collation processing is performed by analyzing the fingerprint reading information read from the operator and extracting the feature points of the fingerprint pattern, for example, the position of the branch point in the fingerprint pattern and the way of branching. The matching rate is a matching ratio between such feature points extracted from the read information and feature points obtained from registered data. Note that, instead of the fingerprint pattern read by the operator, the feature points as described above may be extracted from the fingerprint pattern and stored as registration data.

  Steps S101 to S110 in FIG. 3 are flowcharts showing an example of an operation at the time of data rewriting in the digital multi-function peripheral 1 in FIG. First, when an operation input is performed, the user designation information changing unit 7 determines whether the operation input is an operation input that requires continuous authentication for each key operation (step S101). If the operation input requires continuous authentication, the authentication result by the user authentication unit 4 at the time of key operation is referred to for the operation input (step S102).

  At this time, if the operator is not authenticated as an authorized user, this process ends. If the operator is authenticated as an authorized user, an input process based on the operation input is performed (step S103). The processes in steps S102 and S103 are repeated until a series of operation inputs are completed (steps S104 and S106). When the series of operation inputs is completed, the user designation information is rewritten based on the series of operation inputs (step S104, S106). S105).

  On the other hand, if the operation input does not require continuous authentication, the authentication result by the user authentication unit 4 at the time of key operation is referred to for the operation input (step S107).

  At this time, if the operator is not authenticated as an authorized user, this process ends. If the operator is authenticated as an authorized user, an input process based on the operation input is performed (step S108). The process of step S108 is repeated until the operation input is completed (step S109). When the operation input is completed, data rewriting is performed based on the operation input (step S110).

  According to the present embodiment, since the user designation information is rewritten based on the authentication result for each key operation, the security when the user designation information is rewritten by a series of operation inputs by two or more key operations is improved. be able to.

  In this embodiment, the example in which the fingerprint is read from the operator and the operator is authenticated has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any other biological pattern of the operator may be used. It is also possible to perform authentication by reading the object. For example, authentication may be performed by reading the operator's iris or voiceprint. When the voiceprint is read from the operator and authentication is performed, for example, the voice announcement “~ san?” Is reproduced during a series of operation inputs for changing the user designation information. Then, the voice print of the operator is analyzed based on the voice input when the operator makes a response “Yes” to the announcement, and authentication is performed.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which the fingerprint reading unit 14 repeatedly reads a fingerprint at short time intervals has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the user designation information changing unit 7 instructs the fingerprint reading unit 14 to read a fingerprint at the timing when the key operation is performed, and the fingerprint reading unit 14 determines the fingerprint based on the instruction from the user designation information changing unit 7. It may be something that reads.

1 is a perspective view showing an example of a schematic configuration of a digital multi-function peripheral 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a main part of the digital multifunction peripheral 1 in FIG. 1, illustrating an example of a functional configuration within the digital multifunction peripheral 1. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation at the time of data rewriting in the digital multifunction peripheral 1 of FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Digital multifunction device 2 Fingerprint sensor 3 Operation detection part 4 User authentication part 5 Registration data storage part 6 Key operation input part 7 User designation information change part 8 User designation information storage part 11 Operation panel 12 Input key 13 Display 14 Fingerprint reading part

Claims (3)

In a digital multi-function peripheral that can rewrite user-specified information specified by the user by a series of operation inputs by two or more key operations
A key operation input means having two or more input keys and performing a predetermined operation input by key operation on the input keys;
User-specified information storage means for storing the user-specified information;
Biological pattern reading means for repeatedly reading the biological pattern of the operator as read information;
Registration data storage means for storing the biometric pattern registered in advance as registration data;
User authentication means for comparing the read information and the registration data and authenticating the operator based on the comparison result;
User designation information changing means for rewriting the user designation information with designation information designated by the series of operations based on an authentication result by the user authentication means for each key operation in the series of operation inputs. A digital multifunction device.   2. The key operation input unit according to claim 1, wherein, in a series of operation inputs, when the operator is authenticated as a regular user during a certain key operation, the next operation input is possible. Digital multifunction machine. The biological pattern reading means comprises a fingerprint sensor that reads a fingerprint as the biological pattern from an operator's hand,
3. The digital composite according to claim 1, wherein the registration data storage unit stores, as registration data, a fingerprint of a hand different from a hand used for each key operation in the series of operation inputs. Machine.

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