JP2008269528A - Image forming device, image forming system, print instruction device, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure security without requiring a user to memorize a password and preset a query content. <P>SOLUTION: A query for a received print data and a reply to the query are generated in an image forming device when the print data is transmitted from a terminal device to the image forming device. The generated query content is displayed on a display part 33 of the image forming device, and an input reply is determined whether to correspond with the generated correct reply, when a user inputs the reply to the query by selecting a selection button 50. The user is authenticated as an authentic user, when the input reply corresponds with the correct reply, and an image is formed based on the print data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image based on an input print instruction, a print instruction apparatus that issues a print instruction to the image forming apparatus, and an image forming system that includes the image forming apparatus and the print instruction apparatus.

  When a terminal device issues a print instruction to an image forming apparatus used by an unspecified number of people, the contents of the print result can be seen by others or the print result can be leaked, resulting in leakage of the print content There is sex. In order to prevent such leakage of print contents, a security measure using a password has been performed in a conventional image forming apparatus. In this method, when print data is transmitted from the terminal device to the image forming apparatus, printing is not performed unless the user (user) inputs a specific password in the image forming apparatus and is authenticated. ing.

  When such an authentication method is used, the user is required to store a password. However, if complexity such as increasing the number of characters of the password is performed in order to improve confidentiality, The required burden is significant.

  Various authentication methods that reduce the burden on the user in authentication have been proposed for the purpose of eliminating such adverse effects (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the authentication method disclosed in Patent Document 1, a question about a person's name such as a legitimate user's family and relatives is registered in advance, and a plurality of options including pseudo answers are displayed to the user. When the correct answer is selected, the user is authenticated as a valid user.

  According to such an authentication method, it is possible to reduce the burden of the user remembering the password as compared with the case of performing authentication using a password. However, in order to perform such authentication, the user is required to register an answer corresponding to a preset question content in the image forming apparatus. Also in the image forming apparatus, it is necessary to provide a storage unit for storing the response contents for each user and a storage unit for storing the correct pseudo-answer.

JP 2003-216578 A

  In the conventional image forming apparatus described above, in order to prevent leakage of print contents and improve security, it is necessary to request the user to store a password or set a question content in advance. There was a problem that there was.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of ensuring security without requiring a user to store a password or setting a question content in advance. .

[Image forming apparatus]
An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a question regarding a print instruction input from the outside, and a generation unit that generates an answer to the question,
Receiving means for receiving a user's answer to the question generated by the generating means;
An authentication unit that authenticates the user as a valid user when the response of the user received by the reception unit matches an answer to the question generated by the generation unit;
And an image output unit that outputs an image based on a print instruction input from the outside when the user who has made a reply by the authentication unit is authenticated as a valid user.

  According to the present invention, on the basis of a print instruction input from the outside, a question about the print instruction and an answer are generated, and an image is output when the answer by the user matches the answer to the generated question. Is done. For this reason, the user can output an image simply by answering a question about a print instruction, and security is not required without having to set a password or question content in the image forming apparatus in advance. Can be secured.

Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives a print instruction input from the outside, a question about the print instruction, and an answer to the question,
Accepting means for accepting a user's answer to the question received by the receiving means;
An authentication means for authenticating the user as a valid user when the answer of the user received by the receiving means matches the answer to the question received by the receiving means;
And an image output unit that outputs an image based on a print instruction input from the outside when the user who has made a reply by the authentication unit is authenticated as a valid user.

  Preferably, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention further includes a presentation unit that presents the question content generated by the generation unit to the user.

[Image forming system]
An image forming system according to the present invention includes an image forming apparatus that forms an image based on an input print instruction, and a print instruction apparatus that issues a print instruction to the image forming apparatus.
The print instruction apparatus includes a question about a print instruction to be transmitted to the image forming apparatus and a generation unit that generates an answer to the question.
The image forming apparatus includes: a receiving unit that receives a user's answer to the question generated by the generating unit; and the user's answer received by the receiving unit matches the answer to the question generated by the generating unit. The authenticating means for authenticating the user as a valid user, and the print instruction input from the print instructing device when the user who has made a reply by the authenticating means is authenticated as a valid user. And an image output means for outputting an image based on the above.

[Printing instruction device]
A print instruction apparatus according to the present invention is a print instruction apparatus that issues a print instruction to an image forming apparatus that forms an image based on an input print instruction.
A question regarding a print instruction to be transmitted to the image forming apparatus, and a generation unit that generates an answer to the question;
And a transmission unit configured to transmit the contents of the question and the answer generated by the generation unit to the image forming apparatus together with a print instruction.

[program]
The program of the present invention includes a step regarding a print instruction inputted from the outside, and a step of generating an answer to the question.
Accepting user responses to the generated questions;
Authenticating the user as a legitimate user if the accepted user answer matches the answer to the generated question;
When the user who made the answer is authenticated as a valid user, the computer is caused to execute a step of outputting an image based on an externally input print instruction.

The program of the present invention receives a print instruction inputted from the outside, a question about the print instruction and an answer to the question;
Receiving a user's answer to the received question;
Authenticating the user as a legitimate user if the accepted user answer matches the answer to the received question;
When the user who made the answer is authenticated as a valid user, the computer is caused to execute a step of outputting an image based on an externally input print instruction.

A program according to the present invention includes a question regarding a print instruction to be transmitted to an image forming apparatus that forms an image based on an input print instruction, and a step of generating an answer to the question;
Causing the computer to execute a step of transmitting the generated question content and answer to the image forming apparatus together with a print instruction.

  As described above, according to the present invention, there is an effect that security can be ensured without requiring a user to bear a burden of storing a password or setting question contents in advance. be able to.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system of the present embodiment includes an image forming apparatus 10 and a terminal device 20 connected via a network 14. The terminal device 20 generates print data such as a print job and transmits it to the image forming apparatus 10. The image forming apparatus 10 receives the print data transmitted from the terminal device 20 and outputs an image corresponding to the print data on the printing paper. For example, as an example of the image forming apparatus 10, an apparatus such as a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a printer, a scanner, and a facsimile can be considered. Since the terminal device 20 is a device that issues a print instruction to the image forming apparatus 10, it corresponds to a print instruction device.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a CPU 18, a memory 19, a storage device 22 such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a communication interface (data transmission and reception) with an external computer via a network 14. IF) 24, a user interface (UI) device 26 including a touch panel or a liquid crystal display and a keyboard, and a print engine 28. These components are connected to each other via a control bus 16.

  The CPU 18 executes predetermined processing based on the image processing program stored in the memory 19 or the storage device 22 and controls the operation of the image forming apparatus 10.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 realized by executing the image processing program.
As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes a print data receiving unit 31, a question generating unit 32, a display unit 33, an answer receiving unit 34, an authentication unit 35, and an image output unit. 36.

  The print data receiving unit 31 receives print data input from the terminal device 20. Actually, from the terminal device 20 to the image forming apparatus 10, not only print data for forming an image, but also print data, a printing method such as the number of copies of the print data, a print format, and the like are shown. A print instruction including information is transmitted, but in the following description, it will be described simply as print data.

  The question generation unit 32 generates a question regarding the print data and an answer to the question based on the print data received by the print data reception unit 31.

  Examples of questions include the name of the application software used to generate the print data, the file name, the number of copies, the number of copies, the title, a certain number of characters from the beginning of the print data, A part of the sentence, date and time of data creation, etc. can be considered. In addition, it is possible to use image information such as a logo mark or part of an image included in the print data as the question content.

  As a questioning method, for example, a method in which the user (user) directly inputs an answer that seems to be correct may be used, or a questioning method in which the user is asked whether the displayed answer is correct. Moreover, it is good also as a multiple choice type | formula which produces | generates automatically the dummy (pseudo) answer of the content close | similar to a correct answer, and makes a user select the correct answer from the several choices including a correct answer and a dummy answer. .

  As a specific example in which an answer is directly input, there is a method in which an answer is input using a numeric keypad with the question content “how many copies are instructed?”. In addition, as a specific example of a question method for asking the user whether the displayed answer is correct, the question content is “Is the number of printed copies instructed 5?” And whether the user is correct is selected. The method of making it be mentioned.

  In addition, as a multiple choice question method, the question content is “any of the following application software used to generate the specified print data? 1: AAA, 2: BBB, 3: CCC” One way is to let the user select the correct answer.

  The display unit 33 displays the question content generated by the question generation unit 32 to the user.

  In the present embodiment, the contents of the question are presented to the user using the display unit 33. However, not only the method of displaying with characters, but also the display with braille, pictograms, pictures, etc. Also good. Further, the question content may be presented to the user by voice instead of presenting the question content to the user by displaying the question content on the display unit 33.

  The answer receiving unit 34 receives a user's answer to the question generated by the question generating unit 32. As a specific example of a method for receiving an answer from a user, for example, a method of detecting that one of a plurality of selection buttons provided on the panel of the image forming apparatus 10 is pressed can be cited. .

  When the user's answer received by the answer receiving unit 34 matches the answer to the question generated by the question generating unit 32, the authentication unit 35 authenticates the user who has input the answer as a valid user.

  The image output unit 36 outputs an image based on the print data received by the print data receiving unit 31 when the user who has made a reply by the authentication unit 35 is authenticated as an authorized user.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of the operation when authentication is performed by the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment.

  When print data is transmitted from the terminal device 20 to the image forming apparatus 10, the print data is received by the print data receiving unit 31. Then, the question generation unit 32 generates a question regarding the print data and an answer to the question based on the print data received by the print data reception unit 31 (step S101).

  Next, the display unit 33 displays the question content generated by the question generation unit 32 to the user (step S102).

  Examples of the question contents displayed by the display unit 33 in this way are shown in FIGS.

  In the example shown in FIG. 5, the question content “Which of the following is the title of the print data?” Is displayed on the display unit 33, and further, “1: FAX transmission form, 2: Development progress management table, “3: Customer list, 4: Planning proposal” is displayed. In the vicinity of the display unit 33, four selection buttons 50 are arranged.

  The user presented with such a question can make an answer by selecting and pressing one of the four selection buttons 50 corresponding to the correct answer.

  In the example shown in FIG. 6, the question content “What is the number of print copies instructed?” Is displayed on the display unit 33, and “1: 1 copy, 2: 5 copy, 3:10 copy, The answer option “4:15” is displayed. In this case as well, the user can make an answer by pressing one of the four selection buttons 50 corresponding to the correct answer.

  When the user inputs an answer to the question displayed on the display unit 33, the answer is accepted by the answer accepting unit 34 (step S103).

  Then, the authentication unit 35 performs authentication by determining whether or not the user's answer received by the answer receiving unit 34 matches the answer to the question generated by the question generating unit 32 (step S104).

  In step S104, when the answer from the user matches the answer to the question generated by the question generating unit 32, that is, when the user is authenticated as a user having a valid authority, the image output unit 36 prints the print data. An image based on the print data received by the receiving unit 31 is output (step S105).

  In step S104, when the answer from the user does not match the answer to the question generated by the question generating unit 32, that is, when the user is not authenticated as a user having a valid authority, the image output unit 36 prints An image based on the print data received by the data receiving unit 31 is not output, and the user is notified that the authentication has failed (step S105).

  By performing the processing as described above, according to the image forming system of the present embodiment, based on the print data transmitted from the terminal device 20 to the image forming apparatus 10, a question and an answer regarding the print data are answered. When the generated answer and the answer to the generated question match, an image is output. Therefore, in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, since a question about the print data is generated for each print data, there is no need to set a password in advance or register the question contents for each user. Further, since a numerical dummy answer can be automatically generated, a question can be generated without setting a dummy answer in advance.

  Since the question content in the present embodiment relates to print data, even if the content is difficult for a third party to answer, the user who sent the print data from the terminal device 20 to the image forming apparatus 10 may have a problem. Is a content that can be easily answered. For this reason, it is possible for some authorized users to prevent leakage of the contents of print data with a much lighter burden than storing a password.

  Further, according to the image forming system of the present embodiment, it is not necessary to register and store information such as question contents and pseudo answers in the image forming apparatus 10 in advance, which reduces the system management load. The

[Second Embodiment]
Next, an image forming system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In the image forming system of the first embodiment described above, the question and answer are generated in the image forming apparatus 10, but in the image forming system of the second embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device side Is used to generate questions and answers.

  The image forming system according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a terminal device 20a and an image forming device 10a.

  FIG. 7 shows a functional configuration of the terminal device 20a in the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the terminal device 20a in the present embodiment includes a print data generation unit 71, a question generation unit 72, and a print data transmission unit 73.

  The print data generation unit 71 generates print data to be transmitted to the image forming apparatus 20a.

  The question generation unit 72 generates a question regarding the print data generated by the print data generation unit 71 and an answer to the question.

  The print data transmission unit 73 transmits the question content and the answer generated by the question generation unit 72 to the image forming apparatus 10 a together with the print data generated by the print data generation unit 71.

  FIG. 8 shows a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 10a in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, the image forming apparatus 10 a according to the present embodiment includes a print data receiving unit 31, a display unit 33, an answer receiving unit 34, an authentication unit 35, and an image output unit 36. Yes. In FIG. 8, the same components as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The print data receiving unit 31 in the present embodiment receives print data transmitted from the terminal device 20a, a question regarding the print data, and an answer to the question.

  The operation in which the content of the question received by the print data receiving unit 31 is displayed on the display unit 33 and the authentication unit 35 performs authentication based on the answer received by the answer receiving unit 34 is described above. Since this is the same as the operation in the image forming system of the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

[Modification]
In the above embodiment, the terminal apparatus and the image forming apparatus are described using an image forming system connected via a network. However, an image in which a print server is provided between the terminal apparatus and the image forming apparatus. The present invention can be similarly applied to a forming system. In the case of an image forming system provided with such a print server, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the question generation unit is provided in the print server. This print server is also a device that issues a print instruction to the image forming apparatus in the same manner as the terminal device, and therefore corresponds to a print instruction device.

1 is a system diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of authentication processing in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the question content displayed by the display part. It is a figure which shows the other example of the question content displayed by the display part. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the terminal device 20a in the image forming system of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the image forming apparatus 10a in the image forming system of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10a Image forming device 12 Terminal device 14 Network 16 Control bus 18 CPU
19 Memory 20, 20a Terminal device 22 Storage device 24 Communication interface (IF)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 26 User interface (UI) apparatus 28 Print engine 31 Print data receiving part 32 Question generation part 33 Display part 34 Answer input part 35 Authentication part 36 Image output part 50 Selection button 71 Print data generation part 72 Question generation part 73 Print data transmission part Steps S101 to S106

Claims (8)

A question about a print instruction input from the outside, and a generating means for generating an answer to the question,
Receiving means for receiving a user's answer to the question generated by the generating means;
An authentication unit that authenticates the user as a valid user when the response of the user received by the reception unit matches an answer to the question generated by the generation unit;
An image output means for outputting an image based on a print instruction inputted from the outside when the user who made a reply by the authentication means is authenticated as a valid user;
An image forming apparatus. A receiving means for receiving a print instruction inputted from the outside, a question about the print instruction, and an answer to the question;
Accepting means for accepting a user's answer to the question received by the receiving means;
An authentication means for authenticating the user as a valid user when the answer of the user received by the receiving means matches the answer to the question received by the receiving means;
An image output means for outputting an image based on a print instruction inputted from the outside when the user who made a reply by the authentication means is authenticated as a valid user;
An image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a presentation unit that presents to the user the question content generated by the generation unit. In an image forming system having an image forming apparatus that forms an image based on an input print instruction, and a print instruction apparatus that issues a print instruction to the image forming apparatus,
The print instruction apparatus includes a question about a print instruction to be transmitted to the image forming apparatus and a generation unit that generates an answer to the question.
The image forming apparatus includes: a receiving unit that receives a user's answer to the question generated by the generating unit; and the user's answer received by the receiving unit matches the answer to the question generated by the generating unit. The authenticating means for authenticating the user as a valid user, and the print instruction input from the print instructing device when the user who has made a reply by the authenticating means is authenticated as a valid user. And an image output means for outputting an image based on the image forming system. In a print instruction apparatus that issues a print instruction to an image forming apparatus that forms an image based on an input print instruction.
A question regarding a print instruction to be transmitted to the image forming apparatus, and a generation unit that generates an answer to the question;
A printing instruction apparatus comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit a question content and an answer generated by the generation unit to the image forming apparatus together with a printing instruction. Generating a question about an externally entered print instruction and an answer to the question;
Accepting user responses to the generated questions;
Authenticating the user as a legitimate user if the accepted user answer matches the answer to the generated question;
A program for causing a computer to execute a step of outputting an image based on a print instruction input from the outside when a user who has made an answer is authenticated as a valid user. Receiving an externally input print instruction, a question about the print instruction and an answer to the question;
Receiving a user's answer to the received question;
Authenticating the user as a legitimate user if the accepted user answer matches the answer to the received question;
A program for causing a computer to execute a step of outputting an image based on a print instruction input from the outside when a user who has made an answer is authenticated as a valid user. Generating a question regarding a print instruction to be transmitted to an image forming apparatus that forms an image based on the input print instruction, and an answer to the question;
A program for causing a computer to execute the generated question content and answer together with a print instruction to the image forming apparatus.

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