JP2008254450A - Image formation device, utilization control method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image formation device which can use a plurality of certificating/accounting system for a plurality of applications. <P>SOLUTION: The image formation device is constituted so as to carry a plurality of the applications. The device includes a setting information storing means for storing the discriminating information of a certificating means and the discriminating information of an application to become an object for conducting a certificating process or an accounting process by corresponding them as setting information at each certificating means in a plurality of certificating means, and a utilization control means for controlling the utilization limit of the application based on the received certification result by referring to the setting information stored in the setting information storing means when the application is executed, executing the certificating process by one or a plurality of the certification means corresponding to the application concerned, and receiving the certificating result from one or a plurality of the certificating means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that provides user services for image forming processing such as copying, printers, scanners, and facsimiles, and can collectively manage a plurality of authentication / billing apparatuses, authentication / billing applications, and the like. It is.

  In recent years, there has been known an image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “multifunction machine”) in which functions of apparatuses such as a printer, a copy, a facsimile, and a scanner are housed in one casing. This multifunction device is provided with a display unit, a printing unit, an imaging unit, and the like in one casing, and is provided with three types of software respectively corresponding to a printer, a copy machine, and a facsimile machine, and by switching these software, Are operated as a printer, a copy, a scanner, or a facsimile machine.

  By the way, in such a conventional multi-function machine, software corresponding to a printer, a copy, a scanner, and a facsimile apparatus is provided separately, so that development of each software requires a lot of time. For this reason, the applicant has an application that has hardware resources used in image forming processing such as a display unit, a printing unit, and an imaging unit, and performs processing specific to each user service such as a printer, copy, or facsimile. When a user service is provided by interposing between these applications and hardware resources, hardware resource management, execution control, and image formation processing that are commonly required by at least two of the applications are provided. Invented an image forming apparatus (multifunction machine) including a platform composed of various control services.

In such a multi-function device, when the user uses the multi-function device, user authentication using a user ID and a password is performed to restrict use by an unauthorized user of the multi-function device, or based on user billing information. There are some that restrict security and enhance security. In a multifunction peripheral having such an authentication function and a billing function, generally, a user ID and a password are managed by an authentication database in its own storage device, and the user ID and billing information are stored in a billing database in its own storage device. It is common to manage with. In particular, in recent years, as a usage form of a multi-function peripheral, a plurality of multi-function peripherals or printer devices are connected to a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet and used from a computer such as a PC (Personal Computer) or workstation on the network. To do is common. For this reason, it is necessary to provide an authentication database and a billing database for each multi-function peripheral connected to the network, and manage user IDs and passwords of users who can use each multi-function peripheral.
JP 2002-149362 A

  However, when such authentication information and billing information such as user IDs and passwords are managed by the authentication database or billing database in its own multifunction device, an authentication database and billing database are provided for each multifunction device connected to the network. However, the management of authentication information and billing information is complicated because it must be managed separately.

  In other words, for each multifunction device on the network, the number of users that can be used differs from the number that cannot be used for each multifunction device, so the user's unique information, authentication information, or billing information is updated. In this case, it is necessary to determine which MFP can be used by which MFP. When a large number of MFPs are connected to the network, the management effort of authentication information and billing information increases. In addition, even if authentication information is added, changed, or deleted other than the system administrator of the multifunction device, or even if the updating of the accounting database is restricted, it is changed to the authentication information or accounting information of one user. If there is a system administrator, it is necessary to update the authentication database and billing database of all multifunction devices on the network. Therefore, if the system administrator is different for each multifunction device, the maintenance work for authentication information and billing information is enormous. It becomes.

  Also, when managing the authentication database and accounting database for each MFP on the network, even if the update of the authentication database is restricted to only the MFP system administrator, the system management of the user By impersonating a person, it becomes possible to easily tamper with the authentication database or the accounting database such as changing a password, and security vulnerabilities become a problem.

  Further, there are a plurality of authentication and billing methods, and there is a possibility that a plurality of authentication / billing systems may be used in the multi-function peripheral. There was no technology used to limit the use of these applications.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and includes a plurality of authentication / billing systems including an authentication / billing system using an external server on the network that manages user information such as user authentication information and billing information. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can be used for the above-mentioned application.

The above problem is an image forming apparatus configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of applications,
Setting information storage means for storing, as setting information, identification information of an authentication means and identification information of an application for which the authentication means performs authentication processing or billing processing in association with each authentication means in a plurality of authentication means When the image forming apparatus executes an application, the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit is referred to, and based on the setting information, one or more authentication units corresponding to the application are authenticated. The image forming apparatus is provided with usage control means for receiving the authentication result from the one or more authentication means and controlling the use restriction of the application based on the received authentication result. Is done.

  The present invention also relates to an application use control method executed by an image forming apparatus configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of applications, wherein the image forming apparatus includes an authentication unit for each authentication unit in the plurality of authentication units. And setting information storage means for associating and storing the identification information of the application for which the authentication means performs authentication processing or billing processing as setting information. A step of causing a forming apparatus to execute an application by referring to setting information stored in the setting information storage unit and causing one or a plurality of authentication units corresponding to the application to perform authentication processing based on the setting information And receiving an authentication result from the one or more authentication means, based on the received authentication result, It can be configured as a usage control method characterized by comprising the step of controlling the use restriction of the application.

  According to the present invention, a plurality of authentication / billing systems including an authentication / billing system using an external server on a network that manages user information such as user authentication information and billing information is used for a plurality of applications. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can do this.

  Exemplary embodiments of an image forming apparatus, a user authentication method, and a charging processing method according to the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a main configuration of an image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “multifunction machine”) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention and a network configuration including the multifunction machine. The MFP 100 according to the first embodiment displays a user name and password input screen on the operation panel, inquires a password to an external server on the Internet using the input user name, and inputs the input password and the external server. User authentication is performed using the password obtained from the above, and the use of the user's application is restricted.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the MFP 100 according to the present embodiment is connected to the Internet 170, and an LDAP server (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) 300 is connected to the Internet 170. Here, the communication protocol between the MFP 100 and the LDAP server 300 uses TCP / IP.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the main configuration for realizing the user authentication method of the present invention in the MFP 100 according to the present embodiment includes an application such as an authentication application 117 and a copy application, an OCS 126, an SCS 122, a CCS 129, and the like. The control service described later, an inetd 141 and httpd 142 that operate as daemons (processes) of a general-purpose OS, a network controller 103, and an operation panel 150 are mainly provided.

  The LDAP server 300 is an X. This is a server that provides a directory service according to a protocol that is a lighter version of a 500-based directory service for the Internet. The LDAP server 300 stores a user name, a password, an e-mail address, and personal information of other users in association with each other.

  The authentication application 117 performs user authentication processing using a user name and password using an LDAP server. The authentication application 117 includes a user information input processing unit 151, an external server communication unit 152, and an authentication unit 153.

  The user information input processing unit 151 operates a user name and password input screen for requesting a user name (user identification information) unique to the user and a password (user authentication information) indicating the validity of the user. It is displayed on the operation display section of the panel 150 and accepts input of a user name and password.

  The external server communication unit 152 transmits the user ID input from the operation display unit of the operation panel 150 to the LDAP server 300 on the Internet 170, and the password of the user of the user name in the MFP 100 And a password as a search result is received.

  The authentication unit 153 determines whether or not the password received from the LDAP server 300 matches the password input from the operation display unit of the operation panel, and the determination result (match or mismatch) is determined by another process. The data is transmitted to a certain CCS 129 by interprocess communication.

  A CCS (Certification Control Service) 129 is a control service that performs user restriction of users and billing processing of users. In the MFP 100 according to the present embodiment, the CCS 129 receives the determination result of the user authentication from the authentication unit 153 of the authentication application 117117, and transmits to the copy application 112 whether or not to restrict the use of the user. It has become. Control services such as OCS 126 and SCS 122 will be described later.

  The inetd 141 is a daemon that constantly monitors data transmission / reception requests and activates a server program that processes each protocol when a connection request for a specific protocol is detected. The inetd 141 is the same as the inetd in normal UNIX (registered trademark). Is performed. In the MFP 100 according to the first embodiment, the port for data transmission / reception according to the http protocol and the https protocol is constantly monitored, and the httpd 142 is activated when a connection request at the port is detected.

  The httpd 142 constantly monitors the port number 80 for receiving messages transmitted by the http protocol and the https protocol, and receives a request message and transmits a response message at the port number 80. The structure of the request message and the response message is the same as the structure of each message in the normal http protocol, and each message includes a message body described in the html format.

  The network controller 103 performs communication of various data by the http protocol and the https protocol.

  Next, the overall functional configuration of the multifunction peripheral 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the overall configuration of the multifunction peripheral 100 according to the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the multi-function device 100 includes a monochrome laser printer (B & W LP) 101, a color laser printer (Color LP) 102, a network controller 103, and hardware resources 104 such as a scanner, a facsimile, and a memory. In addition, a software group 110 including a platform 120 and an application 130 is provided.

  The platform 120 interprets a processing request from an application and generates a hardware resource acquisition request, and a system resource manager that manages one or a plurality of hardware resources and arbitrates the acquisition request from the control service. (SRM) 123 and a general-purpose OS 121.

  The control service is formed of a plurality of service modules, and includes an SCS (system control service) 122, an ECS (engine control service) 124, an MCS (memory control service) 125, an OCS (operation panel control service) 126, and an FCS. (Fax Control Service) 127, NCS (Network Control Service) 128, and CCS (Authentication Control Service) 129. The platform 120 has an application program interface (API) that enables a processing request to be received from the application 130 using a predefined function.

  The general-purpose OS 121 is a general-purpose operating system such as UNIX (registered trademark), and executes the software of the platform 120 and the application 130 in parallel as processes.

  The process of the SRM 123 performs system control and resource management together with the SCS 122. The process of the SRM 123 includes an engine such as a scanner unit and a printer unit, a memory, an HDD file, a host I / O (centro I / F, network I / F (network controller 103), IEEE 1394 I / F, RS232C I / F, etc.). Arbitration is performed according to a request from a higher layer that uses hardware resources, and execution control is performed.

  Specifically, the SRM 123 determines whether the requested hardware resource is available (whether it is not used by another request), and if it is available, the requested hardware resource is used. Tell the upper layer that it is possible. In addition, the SRM 123 performs use scheduling of hardware resources in response to a request from an upper layer, and directly executes request contents (for example, paper conveyance and image forming operation, memory allocation, file generation, etc. by a printer engine). .

  The process of the SCS 122 performs application management, operation unit control, system screen display, LED display, resource management, interrupt application control, and the like.

  The process of the ECS 124 controls the engine of the hardware resource 104 including a black and white laser printer (B & W LP) 101, a color laser printer (Color LP) 102, a scanner, a facsimile, and the like.

  The MCS 125 process acquires and releases an image memory, uses a hard disk device (HDD), compresses and decompresses image data, and the like.

  The FCS 127 process includes facsimile transmission / reception using PSTN / ISDN network from each application layer of the system controller, registration / quotation of various facsimile data managed by BKM (backup SRAM), facsimile reading, facsimile reception printing, and fusion transmission / reception. Provides an API to do.

  The NCS 128 process is a process for providing a service that can be commonly used for applications that require network I / O. Data received from the network side according to each protocol is distributed to each application, and data from the application. Mediation when sending to the network side.

  The process of the OCS 126 controls an operation panel (operation panel) 150 serving as information transmission means between the operator (user) and the main body control. The OCS 126 is an OCS process that acquires a key press (or touch operation) from the operation panel as a key event and transmits a key event function corresponding to the acquired key to the SCS 122. Further, various screens for the operation display unit of the operation panel 150 are output by drawing and other operations panel control is performed by calling various functions such as a drawing function registered in the OCS function library from the application 130 or the control service. This OCS function library is dynamically linked to each module of the application 130 and the control service. Note that all of the OCS 126 may be configured to operate as a process, or all of the OCS 126 may be configured as an OCS function library.

  The application 130 includes a printer application 111 that is a printer application having a page description language (PDL), PCL, and postscript (PS), a copy application 112 that is a copy application, and a fax application 113 that is a facsimile application. A scanner application 114 as a scanner application, a network file application 115 as a network file application, a process inspection application 116 as a process inspection application, and the authentication application 117 described above.

  Each process of the application 130 and each process of the control service realize user services related to image forming processing such as copying, printers, scanners, and facsimiles while performing inter-process communication by calling functions, sending return values thereof, and sending and receiving messages. is doing.

  As described above, the MFP 100 according to the first embodiment includes a plurality of applications 130 and a plurality of control services, all of which operate as processes. In each of these processes, one or a plurality of threads are generated and parallel execution is performed in units of threads. The control service provides a common service to the application 130. For this reason, a large number of these processes perform a parallel operation and a parallel operation of threads to perform inter-process communication with each other. User services related to image forming processing such as copying, printers, scanners, and facsimiles are provided.

Also, in the multifunction device 100, a third party such as a customer of the multifunction device 100 or a third vendor can develop and install an external application on the application layer above the control service layer. The authentication application 117 may be developed as such an external application.

  In the MFP 100 according to the first embodiment, a plurality of application 130 processes and a plurality of control service processes operate. However, the application 130 and the control service process have a single configuration. Is also possible. Each application 130 can be added or deleted for each application.

  FIG. 3 shows a hardware configuration example of the multifunction peripheral 100.

  The multi-function device 100 includes a controller 160, an operation panel 175, a fax control unit (FCU) 176, and an engine unit 177 that is a hardware resource unique to image forming processing such as a printer. The controller 160 includes a CPU 161, a system memory 162, a north bridge (NB) 163, a south bridge (SB) 164, an ASIC 166, a local memory 167, an HDD 168, a network interface card (NIC) 169, and an SD card. Slot 170, USB device 171, IEEE 1394 device 172, and Centronics 173. The memories 162 and 167 include RAM, ROM, and the like. The FCU 176 and the engine unit 177 are connected to the ASIC 166 of the controller 160 via the PCI bus 178.

  The CPU 161 reads programs such as applications and control services installed in the multifunction peripheral 100 from the memory and executes them.

  Next, a user authentication method by the MFP 100 configured as described above according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of data in the user authentication process by the multifunction peripheral 100, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the user authentication process.

  In the MFP 100 according to the present embodiment, after the power is turned on, the copy application 112 is first activated and user authentication is performed at that time. If the authentication result is valid, the copy application 112 displays the initial screen. The data is output to the operation display unit 150a of the operation panel 150 and can be copied.

  First, the user information input processing unit 151 of the authentication application 117 displays the user name / password input screen 501 shown in FIG. 6 on the operation display unit 150a of the operation panel 150 (step S401). Here, display of various screens on the operation display unit 150a is performed by calling a drawing function of the OCS function library. Hereinafter, in the description of the display on the operation display unit 150a, it is assumed that a drawing function is called, and the description to that effect is omitted. Further, when key input is performed from the operation display unit 150 a, the key event of the input key is acquired by the OCS 126 and notified to the user information input processing unit 151 of the authentication application 117 via the SCS 122.

  When the user name and password are input from the user name / password input screen 501, the external server communication unit 152 of the authentication application 117 transmits the input user name and entry search request to the LDAP server 300. Thus, the search for the entry of the user name is executed (step S402). Transmission of the user name and entry search request to the LDAP server 300 by the external server communication unit 152 is performed by the inetd 141 starting the httpd 142 and the httpd 142 via the network controller 103. The search result is notified to the external server communication unit 152 via the network controller 103 and httpd 142.

  Here, processing of an entry search request to the LDAP server 300 by the external server communication unit 152 in step S402 will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the entry search request process.

  The external server communication unit 152 first sets the user ID input to the search filter (step S601). Specifically, for example, the setting “userID = XXXXXXX” is performed.

  Next, an ldap_init () function is issued in order to acquire a session handle to be used in future operations (step S602). When the session handle is acquired, a search function for the LDAP server 300 is executed. Specifically, the IP address of the connection destination LDAP server, the connection destination port, the connection authority password, the search position, the search filter set in step S601, the search attribute (specify the password) are specified as parameters, and the ldapsearch () function Is called (step S603).

  As a result, the password corresponding to the user ID designated by the LDAP server 300 is retrieved, and the retrieved password is received as a search result from the LDAP server (step S604). Finally, the ldap_unbind () function is called to release the session handle (step S605). Thereby, a series of search request processing is completed.

  Returning to FIG. 5, next, the authentication unit 153 of the authentication application 117 compares the password as the search result received from the LDAP server 300 with the password input from the user name / password input screen 501 to match. It is determined whether or not (step S403). If they match, the authentication result “match” is transmitted to the CCS 129 (step S404). On the other hand, if the passwords do not match, the authentication result “mismatch” is transmitted to the CCS 129 (step S405).

  The CCS 129 that has received the authentication result determines whether the authentication result is “match” (step S406). If it is “match”, it is determined that the user is a valid user, and the use of the copy application 112 is not restricted. In this case, the CCS 129 makes an initial screen display request to the copy application 112 (step S407). Upon receiving the initial screen display request, the copy application 112 displays the initial screen on the operation display unit 150a of the operation panel 150 (step S408).

  On the other hand, in the case of “mismatch”, the CCS 129 displays an error message indicating that the use of the copy application is restricted on the operation display unit 150a of the operation panel 150 (step S409). This completes the user authentication and usage restriction process.

  In the above embodiment, the process of determining whether the input password matches the registered password may be performed by the LDAP server. Further, the password and the user ID may be input from a PC connected to the network instead of being input from the operation panel.

  As described above, in the MFP 100 according to the first embodiment, the user information input processing unit 151 of the authentication application 117 causes the user to input a unique user ID and password, and the external server communication unit 152 enters the Internet 170. The user ID input to the connected LDAP server 300 is transmitted, the password retrieved by the LDAP server 300 is received, and the password received by the external server communication unit 152 and the user information input process by the authentication unit 153 Since it is determined whether or not the password input by the unit 151 matches, and the determination result is notified to the CCS 129, there is no need to maintain the authentication database in its own multifunction device, and the maintenance work of the authentication database is eliminated. Labor can be reduced. Further, since it is not necessary to hold an authentication database in each multi-function device 100, it is possible to prevent tampering of information such as a password, and to enhance the security of the multi-function device 100.

(Embodiment 2)
The MFP 100 according to the first embodiment displays a user name and password input screen on the operation panel and inquires of the password to an external server on the Internet using the input user name. The MFP 700 according to the second embodiment receives a user name and billing data from the PC 200 on the Internet and inquires billing data from an external server.

  FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a main configuration of the MFP 700 according to the second embodiment and a network configuration including the MFP. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an overall functional configuration of the MFP 700 according to the second embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the MFP 700 according to the present embodiment is also connected to the Internet 170. The Internet 170 has an LDAP server (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) 300 and a PC (Personal Computer) as a client terminal. It is connected. Here, TCP / IP is used as a communication protocol among the multifunction peripheral 100, the LDAP server 300, and the PC 200.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the main configuration for realizing the accounting processing method of the present invention in the MFP 700 according to the present embodiment includes an application such as an accounting application 717 and a copy application, an OCS 126, an SCS 122, a CCS 129, and an NCS 126. And the like, a network service 103, and an operation panel 150 are mainly provided. The control service will be described later, inetd 141 and httpd 142 that operate as daemons (processes) of a general-purpose OS.

  In the LDAP server 300 according to the present embodiment, billing data is stored in association with a user name in addition to a password and an email address. The billing data includes a budget (usable amount), A4 usable number, B5 usable number, and the like.

  An IC card reader 201 that performs IC card read control is connected to the PC 200 of the present embodiment. The IC card reader 201 reads an IC card in which a user name and billing data are recorded, and the user name and billing data are transmitted from the PC 200 to the multi-function device 700. The billing data recorded on the IC card includes the amount of money used, the number of A4 used sheets, the number of B5 used sheets, and the like.

  A billing application 717 in the multi-function device 700 uses the LDAP server 300 to perform billing processing using a user name and billing data. The billing application 717 includes a user information receiving unit 751, an external server communication unit 752, and a billing processing unit 753.

  The user information receiving unit 751 receives a user name (user identification information) and a password from the PC 200 read from the IC card.

  The external server communication unit 752 sends the user ID input from the operation display unit of the operation panel 150 to the LDAP server 300 on the Internet 170, and charges the user of the user name in the MFP 100. Data is searched, and billing data as a search result is received.

  The billing processing unit 753 compares the billing data received from the LDAP server 300 with the billing data received from the PC 200, determines whether the billing data of the user is within the usable range, and the judgment result (within the range). , Or out of range) is transmitted to the other process CCS 129 by inter-process communication.

  A CCS (Certification Control Service) 129 is a control service that performs user restriction of users and billing processing of users. In the MFP 700 according to the present embodiment, the CCS 129 receives the determination result of the charging process from the charging processing unit 753 of the charging application 717 and transmits to the copy application 112 whether or not to restrict the use of the user. It has become. Other configurations of the multi-function device 700 are the same as those of the multi-function device 100 of the first embodiment.

  Next, charging processing and usage restriction processing based on charging by the MFP 700 according to the second embodiment configured as described above will be described. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of data in the charging process and the usage restriction process based on charging by the multi-function device 700, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the charging process and the usage restriction process based on charging.

  In the MFP 700 of this embodiment, when a user name and billing data are received from the PC 200 on the Internet 170, the billing application 717 is executed in an event-driven manner. If the accounting process is performed and the processing result is valid, the copy application 112 outputs an initial screen to the operation display unit 150a of the operation panel 150 so that a copy operation can be performed.

  The billing application 717 receives the user name and billing data from the PC 200 by the user information receiving unit 751. More specifically, the user name and billing data transmitted by the PC 200 are received by the network controller 104 of the multi-function device 700 and received by the user information receiving unit 751 via the NCS 126. Then, the external server communication unit 752 transmits the received user name and entry search request to the LDAP server 300, thereby causing the LDAP server 300 to search for an entry for the user name (step S1001). The processing of the entry search request to the LDAP server 300 by the external server communication unit 752 is the same as that of the MFP 100 of the first embodiment. However, “billing data” is set as the search attribute and the ldapsearch function is called.

  Next, the billing processing unit 753 of the billing application 717 compares the billing data as the search result received from the LDAP server 300 with the billing data received from the PC 200, and the billing data received from the PC 200 uses the MFP 700. It is determined whether it is within a possible range (step S1002). If it is within the range, the processing result “within range” is transmitted to the CCS 129 (step S1003). On the other hand, if it is out of the range, the processing result “out of range” is transmitted to the CCS 129 (step S1004).

  The CCS 129 that has received the processing result determines whether the processing result is “within range” (step S1005). For example, it is determined whether or not the used amount is less than the budget, and whether or not the used number of sheets is less than the used number. If it is “within range”, the user determines that the MFP 700 can still be used and does not restrict the use of the copy application 112. In this case, the CCS 129 issues an initial screen display request to the copy application 112 (step S1006). Upon receiving the initial screen display request, the copy application 112 displays the initial screen on the operation display unit 150a of the operation panel 150 (step S1007).

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1005 that it is “out of range”, the CCS 129 displays an error message indicating that the use of the copy application 112 is restricted on the operation display unit 150a of the operation panel 150 (step S1008). . This completes the usage restriction process. Note that the application itself may display an error message in response to the authentication result.

  As described above, in the MFP 700 according to the second embodiment, the user information receiving unit 751 of the authentication application 717 receives the user ID and billing data from the PC 200 on the Internet 170, and the external server communication unit 752 receives the Internet 170. The user ID input is transmitted to the LDAP server 300 connected to the server, the accounting data retrieved by the LDAP server 300 is received, and the accounting data received by the external server communication unit 152 by the accounting processing unit 753 is used. The charge data received by the person information receiving unit 751 is compared, and the comparison result is notified to the CCS 129. Therefore, there is no need to hold the charge database in its own multifunction peripheral, and the maintenance work of the charge database is reduced. Can be reduced. In addition, since it is not necessary to store a charging database in each multifunction device 700, it is possible to prevent falsification of information such as charging data, and to enhance the security of the multifunction device 700.

  The billing process when copying is performed, for example, as follows. In the following example, it is assumed that the charging information received from the LDAP server is the number of copies that can be used by the user, and the charging information read from the IC card is the number of copies that have already been used by the user.

  As described above, if the number of used sheets is less than the usable number, the user can make a copy. In this case, the billing application holds the usable number and the used number. Each time the user copies a document, the copy application issues a print job to the ECS via the SCS, and the ECS notifies the billing application of a discharge completion notification. When the paper discharge completion notification is received, the billing application adds 1 to the used number of sheets, and compares the added number with the usable number of sheets. Also, the number of used cards in the IC card is updated. If the number of used sheets is less than the usable number, copying can be continued. However, when the number of used sheets reaches the usable number, the billing application notifies the CCS to that effect, and the CCS notifies the copy application to cancel printing. I do. Note that the above-mentioned billing application determines permission / non-permission of the use of the application by the user based on a predetermined condition, and can also be called an authentication application.

(Embodiment 3)
Next, Embodiment 3 will be described. In the first and second embodiments, the user restriction is performed using either the authentication application or the billing application. However, the MFP according to the third embodiment includes a plurality of authentication / billing applications or devices. It is possible to use.

  Although the overall configuration of the multifunction machine in the third embodiment is almost the same as that shown in FIG. 2, the multifunction machine of the third embodiment can be equipped with a plurality of authentication / billing applications. Further, a conventional external authentication / billing device such as a key counter, a coin rack, or a key card can be connected to the multifunction machine of the third embodiment.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an overview of the functions of the CCS 129 in the third embodiment. In the following description, an external connection authentication / billing device such as a key counter, a key card, and a coin rack, and a system that performs authentication / billing using the authentication / billing application as described in the first and second embodiments. The term “authentication / billing system” is used to include both.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the CCS 129 connects a plurality of authentication / billing systems and a plurality of applications to be authenticated / billed, and shows information indicating which authentication / billing system is to be operated for which application. to manage. The plurality of authentication / billing systems includes an authentication / billing application using the LDAP server as described in the first and second embodiments, together with an external authentication device such as an existing coin rack. For example, the authentication / billing system 1 is a new authentication / billing application equipped with a multifunction peripheral, and the authentication / billing system 2 can be configured as a conventional key counter or key card.

  FIG. 13 shows a software configuration example of the CCS 129. The CCS 129 in the third embodiment includes a main control unit 1291, a user code unit 1292, a key counter unit 1293, an external authentication / billing system unit 1294, an extended authentication / billing system unit 1295, and a device interface unit 1296.

  The main control unit 1291 executes the entire processing of the CCS 129. The user code unit 1292 is for authenticating a user with a user ID using an authentication application or SCS, and manages setting information such as which application performs user authentication with a user ID. Acquisition, notification of the authentication result to the main control unit 1291, and the like are performed. The key counter unit 1293 is used for authentication / billing by the key counter. The external authentication / billing system unit 1294 is for performing authentication / billing with an external authentication / billing device such as a key card or a coin rack. The extended authentication / billing system unit 1295 is for performing authentication / billing by the authentication / billing system using the LDAP server as described in the first and second embodiments. Also for these, as in the case of the user code unit 1292, setting information such as for which application authentication / billing is performed is managed, acquisition of the authentication result, notification of the authentication result to the main control unit 1291, etc. I do. Note that the main control unit 1291 may refer to information on which authentication / billing is performed for which application.

  The CCS 129 illustrated in FIG. 13 is an example, and more authentication / billing system units can be provided according to the authentication / billing apparatus to be connected and the authentication / billing application to be used.

  The device interface unit 1296 is for connecting the CCS 129 with an external authentication / billing device such as a key card or coin rack. For example, the code shown in FIG. 14 detects that a card has been inserted into an external connection device such as a key card device, reads authentication result information, and instructs the main control unit 1291 to perform predetermined processing. To do. As the predetermined process, for example, there is a process for instructing all applications to permit the operation because the authentication is OK.

  Next, settings for associating the authentication / billing system with the application to be authenticated / billed will be described. With this setting, it is possible to set which application uses which authentication / billing system.

  15 to 18 are diagrams illustrating examples of setting screens displayed on the operation panel of the multifunction machine. These screens may be displayed by the CCS 129 or may be displayed by exchanging information for display between the SCS 122 and the CCS 129. Hereinafter, description will be made assuming that the CCS 129 performs display.

  First, as shown in FIG. 15, a list of usable authentication / billing systems is displayed. Here, “external billing device management” is a button for performing settings for devices such as coin racks and key cards, and “extended authentication / billing system 1 management” is for a new authentication / billing application. It is a button for setting. By pressing the “next” button, other “extended authentication / billing system 2 management” or the like can be displayed.

  When “Extended Authentication / Billing System 1 Management” is selected on the screen of FIG. 15, the screen shown in FIG. 16 is displayed. Further, by pressing the next item, another new application is also displayed as shown in FIG. On the screens shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, an application to be authenticated / billed using the selected extended authentication / billing system 1 is selected. In the example of the screen shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, it is possible to select which function in the application is targeted. For example, when “full color” is selected in the copy application column, the authentication / billing operation by the extended authentication / billing system 1 is performed only when a full-color copy is used.

  The setting information set in this way is stored in the storage device as information as shown in FIG. 18, for example. In the setting of FIG. 18, use restriction processing by the extended authentication / billing system 1 is performed only when the color function is used for the application 1, and use restriction processing is performed for all functions for the application 2. It shows that you can be.

  When the application 1 is used, for example, information indicating that the application 1 is going to use color is notified from the application 1 to the CCS 129, and the CCS 129 performs any authentication / Whether or not authentication / billing is set in the billing system is grasped with reference to the information shown in FIG. Then, it instructs the corresponding extended authentication / billing system to operate.

  When setting is performed on the screens shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 for a plurality of authentication / billing systems, for example, the setting for operating the authentication / billing system 1 for the function 1 of the application 1 has already been made. In addition, when the setting for operating the authentication / billing system 2 for the function 1 of the application 1 is performed, a screen for inputting the relationship with the former is displayed during the latter setting. You may make it input. For example, a setting that allows the use of the function 1 of the application 1 when any one of the authentication / billing system 1 and the authentication / billing system 2 succeeds, or the authentication / billing system 1 and the authentication / billing system 2 Only when both authentications are successful, the setting of permitting the use of the function 1 of the application 1 can be made.

  In addition to the screens shown in FIGS. 16 to 18, the screens shown in FIGS. 19 to 20 can be displayed. In this case, for example, when the extended authentication / billing system 1 is selected on the screen of FIG. 15, the screen shown in FIG. 19 is displayed. On this screen, it is selected whether to select and set the function of the application, or to select and set the application.

  When selecting the function of the application and selecting the setting, the same screens as in FIGS. 16 and 17 are displayed, and the same setting as in FIGS. 16 and 17 can be performed.

  When selecting an application and setting it, the screen of FIG. 20 is displayed. Here, when a certain application is selected, the corresponding authentication / billing application operates for any function of the application. In the case of the setting shown in FIG. 20, for example, the information shown in FIG. 21 is recorded, and the CCS 129 refers to this table to operate a predetermined authentication / billing application for the application to be used. . For example, when any one of the copy and application 1 is used, the authentication / billing system 1 operates, authentication is performed, and an authentication result is notified to the application to be used via the CCS.

  The above example is an example in which one or a plurality of applications are selected for a certain authentication / billing system. However, for a certain application, one or a plurality of authentication / billing systems to be applied to the application is selected. Settings can also be made. Examples of screens for making such settings are shown in FIGS.

  First, the screen of FIG. 22 is displayed first. If, for example, application 1 is selected on this screen, the screen shown in FIG. 23 is displayed. The authentication / billing system selected on this screen is applied to the application 1. Furthermore, if a plurality of authentication / billing systems are selected and all of the results are OK, an AND setting can be made to notify the app that the authentication is OK, and if any result is OK. For example, it is possible to perform OR setting for notifying the application that the authentication is OK. In this case, for example, after selecting a certain authentication / billing system, pressing the AND or OR button, and then selecting the authentication / billing system further, the authentication system selected earlier and the later selected An AND or OR relationship can be set with the authentication system. In this case, for example, information “authentication system 1 AND authentication system 2” is recorded in association with the corresponding application. Then, the CCS 129 refers to this information to operate both authentication / billing systems for the corresponding application, and only when the authentication result from both authentication / billing systems is OK, the authentication is OK. Notify the app that there is. Then, the app is ready for operation.

  Depending on the specification of the application, there may be an authentication / billing system that can be used and an authentication / billing system that cannot be used. Therefore, before displaying the screen of FIG. 23, the application authenticates the CCS 129 with the authentication corresponding to the application. / Billing system is notified, and based on the information, CCS 129 may display only the authentication / billing system applicable to the application on the screen of FIG.

  The operation of the CCS 129 when each authentication / billing system operates is the same as in the first and second embodiments. However, in the third embodiment, the results of a plurality of authentication / billing systems are received, When all the authentication results are OK, or when any one of the authentication results is OK, it is notified to one or a plurality of applications by referring to the setting information that the authentication is OK. it can. As for the trigger for the authentication / billing application to operate, an authentication screen may be displayed for the application that is activated when the power is turned on as in the first embodiment, or the CCS 129 detects application switching, The CCS 129 may request the authentication / billing application corresponding to the switched application to display the authentication screen. When a plurality of authentication / billing apps are in an AND relationship, for example, authentication by these authentication / billing apps is performed in order.

The configuration of the image forming apparatus and the like described in this specification can be summarized as follows, for example.
(Configuration 1)
An image forming apparatus configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of applications,
Display means for displaying on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus a screen for allowing one authentication means to select one or a plurality of applications subject to use restriction by the authentication means;
A usage control unit that receives an authentication result from the one authentication unit, and controls usage restrictions of the one or more applications based on the received authentication result;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

According to the configuration 1, one or a plurality of applications to which a certain authentication unit is applied can be selected, and authentication of the authentication unit can be applied to the selected one or a plurality of applications.
(Configuration 2)
The image according to Configuration 1, wherein the information input from the screen displayed by the display unit is stored in the image forming apparatus as information indicating one or a plurality of applications subject to use restriction by the one authentication unit. Forming equipment.

According to Configuration 2, the usage control unit can perform control based on the stored information.
(Configuration 3)
The image forming apparatus according to Configuration 1 or 2, wherein the display unit displays a screen for selecting a function to be restricted.

According to the configuration 3, it is possible to control the use restriction for each function.
(Configuration 4)
An image forming apparatus configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of applications,
Display means for displaying on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus a screen for selecting one or a plurality of authentication means for restricting use for one application;
Usage control means for receiving authentication results from the one or more authentication means, and controlling usage restrictions of the one application based on the received authentication results;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

According to the configuration 4, it is possible to select one or a plurality of authentication means for restricting the use for one application, and it is possible to apply the authentication by the selected one or a plurality of authentication means to one application.
(Configuration 5)
5. The image according to Configuration 4, wherein information input from a screen displayed by the display unit is stored in the image forming apparatus as information indicating one or more authentication units that restrict use of the one application. Forming equipment.

According to Configuration 5, the usage control unit can perform control based on the stored information.
(Configuration 6)
The image forming apparatus according to Configuration 4, wherein the display unit displays a screen for setting a relationship between a plurality of authentication units.
(Configuration 7)
The image forming apparatus according to Configuration 6, wherein the screen is a screen for setting that the authentication for the use of the application is successful when all the authentications of the plurality of authentication units are successful.
(Configuration 8)
The screen is a screen for setting that the authentication for the use of the application is successful when authentication by at least one of the plurality of authentication means is successful. The image forming apparatus described.

According to configurations 6 to 8, appropriate authentication can be performed even when a plurality of authentication units are used for one application.
(Configuration 9)
The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the authentication unit performs authentication based on user authentication information input by a user and user authentication information registered in advance.

With configuration 9, authentication based on user authentication information can be performed. The user authentication information is an ID, a password, or the like.
(Configuration 10)
9. The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the authentication unit performs authentication based on billing information input by a user and available billing information registered in advance. According to the configuration 10, authentication based on billing information can be performed.
(Configuration 11)
The image forming apparatus includes hardware resources used in image forming processing and a control service that performs processing on the system side including control of the hardware resources, and a plurality of applications can be mounted separately from the control service. Composed of
The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 10, wherein the image forming apparatus includes the use restriction unit and the display unit as the control service.
(Configuration 12)
An application use control method in an image forming apparatus configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of applications,
A display step of displaying on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus a screen for selecting one or a plurality of applications that are subject to use restriction by the authentication unit, for one authentication unit;
A usage control step of receiving an authentication result from the one authentication means and controlling usage restrictions of the one or more applications based on the received authentication result;
The usage control method characterized by having.
(Configuration 13)
The use according to the configuration 12, wherein information input from the screen displayed in the display step is stored in the image forming apparatus as information indicating one or a plurality of applications subject to use restriction by the one authentication unit. Control method.
(Configuration 14)
14. The usage control method according to configuration 12 or 13, wherein, in the display step, the image forming apparatus displays a screen for selecting a function to be restricted.
(Configuration 15)
An application use control method in an image forming apparatus configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of applications,
A display step of displaying on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus a screen for selecting one or a plurality of authentication means for restricting use for one application;
A use control step of receiving an authentication result from the one or more authentication means, and controlling a use restriction of the one application based on the received authentication result;
The usage control method characterized by having.
(Configuration 16)
The use according to Configuration 15, wherein information input from the screen displayed in the display step is stored in the image forming apparatus as information indicating one or a plurality of authentication units that restrict use of the one application. Control method.
(Configuration 17)
The usage control method according to Configuration 15, wherein in the display step, the image forming apparatus displays a screen for setting a relationship between a plurality of authentication means.
(Configuration 18)
The usage control method according to Configuration 17, wherein the screen is a screen for setting that the authentication for the use of the application is successful when all the authentications of the plurality of authentication units are successful.
(Configuration 19)
In the configuration 17, the screen is a screen for setting that authentication for use of the application is successful when authentication by at least one of the plurality of authentication means is successful. The usage control method described.
(Configuration 20)
20. The usage control method according to any one of configurations 12 to 19, wherein the authentication unit performs authentication based on user authentication information input by a user and user authentication information registered in advance.
(Configuration 21)
20. The usage control method according to any one of configurations 12 to 19, wherein the authentication unit performs authentication based on billing information input by a user and pre-registered usable billing information.
(Configuration 22)
The image forming apparatus includes hardware resources used in image forming processing and a control service that performs processing on the system side including control of the hardware resources, and a plurality of applications can be mounted separately from the control service. Composed of
The usage control method according to any one of configurations 12 to 21, wherein the display step and the usage control step are executed by the control service.

  With each of the above configurations, one or a plurality of applications to which a certain authentication unit is applied can be selected, and authentication of the authentication unit can be applied to the selected one or a plurality of applications. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to select one or a plurality of authentication means for restricting use for one application, and it is possible to apply authentication by the selected one or a plurality of authentication means to one application. Become.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and applications can be made within the scope of the claims.

1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a main configuration of a multifunction peripheral according to a first embodiment and a network configuration including the multifunction peripheral. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a multifunction machine according to a first embodiment. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment. FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the data in the user authentication process by a multifunctional machine. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of a user authentication process. It is explanatory drawing which shows a user name and password input screen. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of an entry search request process. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a main configuration of a multifunction peripheral according to a second embodiment and a network configuration including the multifunction peripheral. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an overall functional configuration of a multifunction machine according to a second embodiment. FIG. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a data flow in a charging process by a multifunction peripheral and a usage restriction process based on charging. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the usage restriction process based on an accounting process and an accounting. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a function of CCS in a third embodiment. It is a figure which shows the functional structural example of CCS. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the process by a device interface part. It is an example of a screen on which a list of authentication / billing systems is displayed on a setting screen by CCS. It is a screen for selecting a function of an application to be authenticated / charged. It is a screen for selecting a function of an application to be authenticated / charged. It is a figure which shows the example of the setting information stored by the setting using the screen of FIG. It is a figure which shows the other example of a setting screen. It is a screen for selecting an application to be authenticated / charged. It is a figure which shows the example of the setting information stored by the setting using the screen of FIG. It is a figure which shows the other example of a setting screen. It is a figure for selecting the authentication / billing system applied with respect to an application.

Explanation of symbols

100, 700 MFP 101 Black and white laser printer 102 Color laser printer 103 Network controller 104 Hardware resource 110 Software group 111 Printer application 112 Copy application 113 Fax application 114 Scanner application 115 Net file application 116 Process inspection application 117 Authentication application 717 Charge application 120 Platform 121 General-purpose OS
122 SCS
123 SRM
124 ECS
125 MCS
126 OCS
127 FCS
128 NCS
129 CCS
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 130 Application 150 Operation panel 150a Operation display part 151 Usage information input process part 152,752 External server communication part 153 Authentication part 170 Internet 200 PC
201 IC Card Reader 300 LDAP Server 501 User ID / Password Input Screen 751 Usage Information Receiving Unit 753 Charge Processing Unit 1291 Main Control Unit 1292 User Code Unit 1293 Key Counter Unit 1294 External Authentication / Billing System Unit 1295 Extended Authentication / Billing System Unit

Claims (17)

An image forming apparatus configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of applications,
Setting information storage means for storing, as setting information, the identification information of the authentication means and the identification information of the application for which the authentication means performs authentication processing or charging processing for each authentication means in the plurality of authentication means When,
When the image forming apparatus executes an application, the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit is referred to, and based on the setting information, authentication processing is performed on one or more authentication units corresponding to the application An image forming apparatus comprising: a usage control unit that receives an authentication result from the one or a plurality of authentication units, and controls usage restriction of the application based on the received authentication result.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the usage control unit includes a unit that controls usage restriction for each function of the application.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when all the authentications by a plurality of authentication units are successful, the usage control unit notifies the application of an authentication result to that effect.   The said usage control means notifies the said authentication result to the said application, when the authentication process by at least 1 authentication means is successful among the authentication processes by several authentication means with respect to a certain application. Image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication unit is an application executed on the image forming apparatus or an apparatus connected to an outside of the image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication unit performs authentication based on user authentication information input by a user and user authentication information registered in advance.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication unit performs authentication based on billing information input by a user and pre-registered usable billing information. The image forming apparatus includes hardware resources used in image forming processing and a control service that performs processing on the system side including control of the hardware resources, and a plurality of applications can be mounted separately from the control service. Composed of
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus includes the usage control unit as the control service.   A program for causing an image forming apparatus configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of applications to function as the use control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 9 is recorded. An application use control method executed by an image forming apparatus configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of applications,
In the image forming apparatus, for each authentication unit in the plurality of authentication units, the identification information of the authentication unit and the identification information of the application for which the authentication unit performs authentication processing or billing processing are associated with each other as setting information. Comprising setting information storage means for storing, the use control method of the application,
When the image forming apparatus executes an application, the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit is referred to, and based on the setting information, authentication processing is performed on one or more authentication units corresponding to the application Step to
Receiving the authentication result from the one or more authentication means, and controlling the use restriction of the application based on the received authentication result.   12. The usage control method according to claim 11, wherein, in the step of controlling the usage restriction, when all the authentications by a plurality of authentication units are successful, the image forming apparatus notifies the application of an authentication result to that effect.   In the step of controlling the use restriction, when the authentication by at least one authentication unit among the authentications by a plurality of authentication units is successful for an application, the image forming apparatus sends an authentication result to that application to that effect. The usage control method according to claim 11, wherein notification is performed.   14. The usage control method according to claim 11, wherein the authentication unit is an application executed on the image forming apparatus or an apparatus connected to the outside of the image forming apparatus.   The usage control method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the authentication unit performs authentication based on user authentication information input by a user and user authentication information registered in advance.   The usage control method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the authentication unit performs authentication based on billing information input by a user and available billing information registered in advance. The image forming apparatus includes hardware resources used in image forming processing and a control service that performs processing on the system side including control of the hardware resources, and a plurality of applications can be mounted separately from the control service. Composed of
The usage control method according to any one of claims 11 to 16, wherein the usage control step is executed by the control service.

Images