JP2009177408A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus for preventing a third person from illegally using an authentication card when the user leaves the authentication card behind. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes an authentication means of authenticating the user by inserting the authentication card, and an extraction means of extracting a password stored in the authentication card and storing it in a memory when the authentication card is kept inserted after a specified job is completed and a specified function is not operated for a predetermined time. It is determined that the authentication card is not removed and left behind, and the password recorded in the authentication is acquired. Further, the image forming apparatus includes a request means of requesting the password to be input, a determination means of determining matching between an input password and the password, and a prohibiting means of prohibiting the operation when the matching is unsuccessful. When the passwords do not match each other, the image forming apparatus is not enabled. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a scanner, a facsimile machine, a copying machine, or a multifunction machine.

  In recent years, image forming apparatuses such as scanners, facsimile machines, copiers, and multifunction machines having these functions have become widespread. In a company or the like, for example, one such image forming apparatus is installed in one department, and all of the departments often use it together.

  For such shared use, an authentication card such as an IC card with a user ID recorded for each user is issued, and this authentication card is attached to a card reader to perform user authentication. In some cases, the image forming apparatus can be used only in the case of being performed.

  That is, the authentication card remains attached to the card reader while the image forming apparatus is in use, and the user pulls out the authentication card himself / herself from the card reader after using the image forming apparatus. In this way, unauthorized use by outsiders is eliminated, and overuse is suppressed by managing, for example, the number of copies per month for each user.

  However, in such a usage pattern, it often happens that the user misplaces the authentication card while it is mounted on the card reader. If this misplacement is left unattended, there is a risk that a third party will use the authentication card for mass copying.

Therefore, as a countermeasure against this misplacement, for example, when an authentication card is mounted even after a predetermined time has elapsed after the end of a specific job, an image forming apparatus that transmits an e-mail to the user of the authentication card is described below. Patent Document 1 discloses this.
JP 2006-215770 A

  However, the conventional technique of Patent Document 1 has the following problems.

  First, the user may not be aware of the email. In particular, when sending e-mail to a personal computer (PC), there are many users who check e-mail on a PC only once every few hours, so it may be difficult to notice misplacement in the conventional method. In particular, when the user goes out with the authentication card attached, it is possible that the user will not notice it for more than half a day.

  Second, apart from whether or not the user notices the mail, this prior art method does not prevent the third party from using the authentication card itself. Therefore, it is assumed that the user who has received the e-mail as described above immediately returns to the image forming apparatus and removes the authentication card from the card reader.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and provides an image forming apparatus capable of preventing a third party from exploiting the authentication card when the user forgets to place the authentication card. With the goal.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following means.

  First, the present invention is premised on an image forming apparatus including an authentication unit that performs user authentication by mounting an authentication card.

  In such an image forming apparatus, the password recorded on the authentication card is stored when a predetermined time elapses without a specific function being operated after the specific job is completed. Extraction means for extracting and storing in a memory is provided. That is, in such a case, it is determined that misplacement has occurred, and a password recorded in advance on the authentication card is obtained.

  Furthermore, it comprises request means for requesting input of the password, determination means for determining whether the input password matches the password, and prohibition means for prohibiting the operation when the match is not determined. That is, when the passwords do not match, the operation of the image forming apparatus is not permitted, thereby preventing the third party from using the authentication card.

  If it is determined that the passwords match, the determination means deletes the password from the memory. As a result, when the identity of the user is confirmed, the user can use the image forming apparatus as usual thereafter.

  The specific function mainly assumes a copying function, a facsimile function, a scanner function, and the like.

  As described above, according to the present invention, even if the user misplaces the authentication card while it is mounted on the card reader, it is possible to prevent a third party from using the authentication card for mass copying or the like. .

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings for understanding of the present invention. In this embodiment, the present invention is embodied as a digital multi-function peripheral which is a form of an image forming apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of the multifunction peripheral 100 according to the present embodiment. When a user uses an MFP to copy a document, the user places the document on, for example, the document table 103 and issues a copy instruction to an operation button on the touch panel 300 provided near the document table 103. When the instruction is given, the following units (drive units) are operated to perform copying.

  In the image reading unit 101, the light emitted from the light source 104 is reflected by the document placed on the document table 103, and is guided to the image sensor 108 such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) by mirrors 105, 106, and 107. The image sensor 108 photoelectrically converts the received light to generate image data of the document. In this manner, the image data of the document is read by the image reading unit 101.

  The photosensitive drum 109 provided in the image forming unit 102 rotates in a predetermined direction at a constant speed, and around the charger 110, the exposure unit 111, the developing unit 112, and the transfer around the periphery in order from the upstream side in the rotation direction. A device 113 and the like are arranged. The charger 111 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 109. The exposure device 111 irradiates light according to the image data read by the image reading unit 101, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 109. The developing unit 112 attaches toner to the electrostatic latent image formed by the exposure unit 111 to form a toner image on the photosensitive drum 109. The transfer unit 113 transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 109 to a sheet. In this way, the series of processes is performed in the image forming unit 102 as the photosensitive drum 109 rotates.

  Further, when copying, the image forming unit 102 draws one sheet from any one of the sheet feeding cassettes 114 to the conveyance path L using the pickup roller 115. Each sheet cassette 114 stores sheets of different sizes, and sheets of a size selected by the user according to the application are fed. The sheet pulled out on the conveyance path L is sent between the photosensitive drum 109 and the transfer unit 113 by the conveyance roller 116 and the registration roller 117.

  When the sheet passes between the heating roller 119 and the pressure roller 120 in the fixing device 118, the visible image is fixed on the sheet by heat and the pressing force on the sheet. In order to perform the fixing appropriately, the heat amount of the heating roller is optimally set according to the paper size. The image forming unit 102 discharges the paper that has passed through the fixing device 118 to the paper discharge tray 121.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram related to control of the multifunction peripheral 100 according to the present embodiment.

  The MFP 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 202, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 203, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 204, and a driver 205 corresponding to each drive unit in the above copying. They are connected via a bus 206.

  The CPU 201 uses, for example, the RAM 202 as a work area, executes a program stored in the ROM 203, the HDD 204, etc., and transmits and receives data and commands to and from the driver 205 based on the execution result, as shown in FIG. The operation of each driving unit is controlled. Further, each means (shown in FIG. 3) to be described later other than the above-described drive unit operates as each means when the CPU 201 executes the program.

  FIG. 3 is a software configuration diagram of the multifunction peripheral 100 according to the present embodiment.

  Although copying is performed as described above, in order for a user to execute such copying, first, an authentication card 2 such as an IC card is attached to the card reader 1 to perform user authentication. In other words, when an authentication card 2 such as an IC card in which a user ID is recorded for each user is issued in advance, the authentication card is attached to the card reader 1 for user authentication, and authentication is performed. This multifunction device 100 can be used only for a limited time.

  Note that the authentication card 2 remains attached to the card reader 1 while the multifunction device 100 is in use, and the user pulls out the authentication card 2 from the card reader 1 after the multifunction device 100 is used. In this way, unauthorized use by outsiders is eliminated, and overuse is suppressed by managing, for example, the number of copies per month for each user.

  Thus, when the authentication card 2 is inserted, the authentication unit 301 reads the user ID recorded on the authentication card 2 and performs user authentication. This authentication is performed, for example, by registering the user ID of a user who is permitted to use the MFP 100 in the ROM 203 and comparing the read user ID with the user ID. If authenticated, the copying means 311 executes the above copying.

  Here, the copying unit 311 is software for executing a copying function, and the MFP 100 according to the present invention also includes a FAX unit 312 for executing a facsimile function and a scanner unit 313 for executing a scanner function. (Both are software for executing each function. When any function is executed, authentication by the authentication means 301 as described above is required.

  For example, when copying is performed in this manner, the user himself / herself removes the authentication card 2 from the card reader 1 as described above. This is the normal method of using the multifunction machine 100.

  However, the user often forgets to remove the authentication card 2 here. If this misplacement (forgetting to leave) is left unattended, there is a risk that a third party may use the authentication card for mass copying. Therefore, the MFP 100 according to the present invention employs the following configuration.

  First, after completion of a specific job (copying in the above example), the authentication card 2 is not released (not removed), and a specific function such as a copy function, facsimile function, scanner function, etc. is not operated. If the time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed, the authentication unit 301 determines that the authentication card has been left behind. Then, the authentication unit 301 transmits a misplacement notification to the extraction unit 302.

  Upon receiving this notification, the extraction means 302 extracts the password recorded in the authentication card 2 and stores it in the RAM 202, for example. The password is recorded in advance on the authentication card 2 by the user. Then, the extracted password is passed to the request unit 303.

  The request unit 303 that has received the password requests the user to input the password from the touch panel 300. Even if the authentication card 2 is attached, or when it is removed and then attached again, the request unit 303 requests input of a password. In other words, after the authentication unit 301 determines that it has been left behind, the request unit 303 requests a password as long as the multifunction device 100 is used with the same authentication card 2.

  In response to this, the user inputs a password from the touch panel 300. Then, the determination unit 304 determines whether the extracted password matches the input password. If this match is determined, it is recognized that the same user will continue to use it, and the determination means 304 allows the user to use the multifunction device 100 and erases the password stored in the RAM 202. To do. Thereafter, the user can use the multifunction device 100 as usual using the same authentication card 2.

  On the other hand, if a match is not determined, the determination unit 304 determines that the authentication card 2 is being exploited by a third party rather than a true user. In this case, the prohibiting unit 305 prohibits the operation of the copy function, the facsimile function, and the scanner function. Specifically, the prohibiting unit 305 locks the copying unit 311, the FAX unit 312, and the scanner unit 313 (so as not to be activated). Alternatively, the prohibiting unit 305 may lock the touch panel 300. As long as the correct password is not entered, the use of the multifunction device 100 by the same authentication card 2 is prohibited.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when the authentication card 2 is accidentally left behind, it is possible to prevent a third party from exploiting it.

  In the above description, three functions, ie, a copy function, a facsimile function, and a scanner function, have been described as specific functions of the multifunction peripheral 100. However, this is an example, and the present invention is not limited to these. From the viewpoint of preventing the third-party authentication card 2 from being exploited for all functions of the multifunction peripheral 100, it can be said that the prohibition means 305 locks the touch panel 300 as described above is a simple and effective method.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, even if the user leaves the authentication card in the card reader, the third party can use the authentication card to make a large number of copies by requesting the password. This can be prevented. Therefore, it is useful as a scanner, a facsimile machine, a copying machine, a multifunction machine, or the like.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a multifunction machine of the present invention. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of a multifunction machine according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a software configuration diagram of the multifunction peripheral according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Card reader
2 Authentication card
100 MFP
300 touch panel
301 Authentication means
302 Extraction means
303 Request means
304 Means of judgment
305 Prohibited measures
311 Copying means
312 FAX means
313 Scanner means

Claims (5)

In an image forming apparatus including an authentication unit that performs user authentication by attaching an authentication card,
Extraction means for extracting the password recorded on the authentication card and storing it in a memory when the predetermined time has passed without the specific function being operated and the specific function not being operated after the end of the specific job; ,
Request means for requesting input of the password;
A determination means for determining whether the entered password matches the password,
An image forming apparatus comprising: prohibiting means for prohibiting the operation when the match is not determined.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the match is determined, the determination unit deletes the password from the memory.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the specific function is a copying function.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the specific function is a facsimile function.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the specific function is a scanner function.

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