JP2010003215A - Image processing system, image processor, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To control a license to use a function of an image processor when trying the function of a server device. <P>SOLUTION: An image processor for performing processing about an information processing function whose usage is allowed among a plurality of information processing functions whose usage can be selectively allowed receives notification of a trial start, specifies an information processing function whose usage license is required in accordance with trial processing among the information processing functions and whose usage is not allowed, and temporarily licenses the usage of the specified information processing function. It also determines whether the trial is ended, and cancels the usage license of the specified information processing function when it determines that the trial has been ended. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing system, an image processing apparatus, and a program.

  Create a notification message based on the usage status of the trial function in the image processing device, send it to the monitoring site via the network line, and analyze the display screen generated by using the notification message on the monitoring site. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for recognizing that a trial period of a trial function has ended and recognizing which trial function a user should continue to use as a regular optional function.

Also, the management server and the image forming apparatus are connected via a network, the image forming apparatus transmits individual identification information to the management server, the management server receives the individual identification information of the image forming apparatus, and this individual identification information Is registered in the DB as the one to restrict the trial use, and if it should be restricted, the image formation restriction information is transmitted, and the image forming apparatus restricts the image formation upon receiving the image formation restriction information. The technique is disclosed in Patent Document 2.
JP 2006-344214 A JP 2002-259107 A

  When the function of the server device is tried, the use permission of the function in the image processing device is controlled.

  The invention described in claim 1 is an image processing system including an image processing device and a server device, wherein the server device issues an instruction to try a process performed in response to a request from the image processing device. And a notification means for notifying the image processing device of the start of trial use, wherein the image processing device is licensed among a plurality of information processing functions that can be selectively licensed. A means for performing processing related to the information processing function, and an information processing function that receives a notification of trial start from the server device and requires a license corresponding to the trial processing of the information processing function. When an information processing function that is not licensed is identified, permission means for temporarily permitting the use of the identified information processing function, and whether or not the trial is finished, and when the trial is judged to be finished The special And cancellation means for canceling the license information processing functions, in which it was decided to have a.

  The invention described in claim 2 is an image processing apparatus, and a unit that performs processing related to a licensed information processing function among a plurality of information processing functions that can be selectively licensed; An information processing function that requires a use permission corresponding to a trial process among the information processing functions that has been notified of the start of trial use is identified, and the information processing function that is not licensed is identified, and the identified information processing A permission means for temporarily permitting the use of the function, and a cancellation means for determining whether or not the trial has ended and canceling the use of the specified information processing function when it is determined that the trial has ended. It is supposed to have.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the notification of the trial start includes information relating to a trial period, and the cancellation means receives the notification of the trial start. Whether or not the trial period has ended is determined based on whether or not the trial period has elapsed.

  Invention of Claim 4 is a program, Comprising: The means which performs the process which concerns on the information processing function to which use is permitted among the plurality of information processing functions which can selectively use a computer, An information processing function that requires a use permission corresponding to a trial process among the information processing functions that has been notified of the start of trial use is identified, and the information processing function that is not licensed is identified, and the identified information processing A permission means for temporarily permitting the use of the function, and a cancellation means for determining whether or not the trial has ended and canceling the use of the specified information processing function when it is determined that the trial has ended. It is intended to function.

  According to the first, second, and fourth aspects of the present invention, when the function of the server device is tried, the use permission of the function in the image processing apparatus can be controlled.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the trial period can be set by the trial start notification.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. An image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an image processing device 1 and a server device 2 as illustrated in FIG. Here, the image processing apparatus 1 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an image processing unit 13, a function unit 14, an operation unit 15, a display unit 16, and a communication unit 17.

  The server device 2 also provides services such as authentication management, tabulation management, and web conversion to the image processing device 1. In the present embodiment, when one of these services is tried, whether the use of an information processing function requiring permission for use on the image processing apparatus 1 side is controlled.

  The control unit 11 of the image processing apparatus 1 includes a program control device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 11 operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 12 and performs processing as a plurality of information processing functions. In the present embodiment, use permission is set for each information processing function, and the control unit 11 executes processing related to the information processing function for which use is permitted among the information processing functions.

  In addition, the control unit 11 identifies an information processing function that requires use permission and is not permitted to use in response to processing of the service in the server device 2 to be tested. Temporarily license the use of information processing functions. In addition, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the trial of the service in the server device 2 has been completed, and when it is determined that the trial has been completed, the control unit 11 performs a process of canceling the license for temporarily using the information processing function. Do. The processing of these control units 11 will be described later.

  The storage unit 12 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory), a memory device such as a hard disk, and a storage device. The storage unit 12 holds a program executed by the control unit 11. This program may be provided by being stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory) and copied to the storage unit 12.

  In addition, the storage unit 12 holds use permission information for the information processing function executed by the control unit 11. As an example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the storage unit 12 holds information on permission / inhibition of use for each information processing function. Further, the storage unit 12 also operates as a work memory for the control unit 11.

  The image processing unit 13 processes image information used in the function unit 14 in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 11. The functional unit 14 includes a device that provides various functions such as a scanner, a printer, and a facsimile. Each device of the functional unit 14 processes image information in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 11.

  The operation unit 15 is a keyboard, a touch panel, or the like, accepts a user's instruction operation, and outputs the contents to the control unit 11. The display unit 16 is a liquid crystal display or the like that displays information in accordance with instructions input from the control unit 11. The communication unit 17 is, for example, a network interface or the like, and transmits and receives information to and from the server device 2 and the like via communication means such as a network in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 11.

[Basic processing]
Next, the content of the process of the control part 11 is demonstrated. In the following example, in order for the operator to try the service provided by the server device 2, the service software is set on the server device 2 side and the image processing device 1 to try the service is specified. It is assumed that information (such as the network address of the image processing apparatus 1) has been set. When this setting is made, the server apparatus 2 notifies the image processing apparatus 1 that is the trial destination of the trial start. In this trial start notification (hereinafter referred to as trial start notification), as illustrated in FIG. 3, service software authentication information (P) and information (Q) for identifying the server device 2 that is the issue source , Information (R) for specifying the trial period is included.

  Upon receiving the trial start notification, the control unit 11 of the image processing apparatus 1 starts the process shown in FIG. 4, and first verifies the content of the trial start notification (S1). In this verification, the authentication information of the service software is confirmed, and it is checked whether or not the service software is valid. Further, information for specifying the server device 2 that is the issuer and information for specifying the trial period are read out. When the trial start notification includes invalid authentication information based on the service software authentication information, the control unit 11 interrupts the processing.

  The control unit 11 checks whether there is a required setting or information processing function in order to try the service software specified by the authentication information. Specifically, a table in which setting contents and information processing functions required in association with service software are associated is stored in the storage unit 12 in advance. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, this table includes a list of setting change designations that associate setting items with setting contents for each service software (for each service software name and type information), and as necessary. Is associated with a list of information processing functions.

  The control unit 11 reads this table from the storage unit 12 and refers to the table, and reads a list of setting change designations necessary for the service software specified by the authentication information. Then, for each setting item included in the read list, the current setting content is compared with the read setting content to check whether there is a setting item whose setting content should be changed (S2). If it is determined that there is a setting item to be changed (Yes), the control unit 11 changes the setting item to be changed according to the setting content shown in the table (S3).

  Further, the control unit 11 compares the list of information processing functions that are currently licensed with the list of required information processing functions, and among the information processing functions included in the list read from the table, It is checked whether there is an information processing function (licensed function) that has not been licensed (S4).

  If the required function exists (Yes), the usage permission of the required function is set to “usable” (S5), and the process ends.

  If there is no setting item to be changed in the process S2 (No), the control unit 11 proceeds to the process S4 and continues the process. Also, in process S4, if there is no permission function among the information processing functions included in the list read from the table (if No), the process is terminated.

  Note that the control unit 11 accumulates and records, in the storage unit 12, information that identifies the service software that has started trial by this processing as trial information.

[Record history]
Further, when the setting is changed in the process S3, the control unit 11 associates the information for specifying the changed setting item with the information of the setting content before the change, and records it in the storage unit 12 as a setting change history. The control unit 11 checks whether or not the setting item to be changed is included in the setting change history before executing the process S3. Here, if the setting change history contains setting items to be changed, the contents to be set and the current setting contents are different, and the setting is made by other trial service software. Since this means that the contents have been changed, if this setting is changed, there is a possibility that the trial of the service software currently being used may be hindered. Therefore, in such a case, the control unit 11 notifies the user to that effect, returns the setting content that has been changed so far (to the setting content before the change), and the setting related to the returned setting item. The change history may be deleted from the storage unit 12 and the processing may be interrupted.

[Usage Unit]
In the present embodiment, the use permission of the information processing function is normally set by the operator of the manufacturer. At this time, the operator does not grant a license for each information processing function, but sets a plurality of predetermined information processing functions as a package, and sets a license for a plurality of information processing functions at the same time for each package. I do.

  For example, as an information processing function, a user authentication function, a password protection function, a process recording (job log) function, a recorded image history recording (image log) function, a copy usage amount recording function for each user, a print amount totaling function, a consumption If there is a product usage statistics function, the use permission of the user authentication function, the password protection function, the job log function, and the image log function as a “security package” is set instead of setting the license for each information processing function. Are set all at once. That is, the operator does not license only the user authentication function alone.

  Therefore, in the process S5 shown in FIG. 4 described above, the control unit 11 checks whether any of the predetermined packages includes a required function. That is, it is checked whether or not any package includes only a required function. If there is a package including only the required function, the control unit 11 permits the use of the required function for each package. If there is no package that includes only the required functions, use is permitted in units of required functions.

[Processing at the end of period]
Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit 11 executes a process for stopping the trial after the trial period has elapsed, based on the read information specifying the trial period. Here, the information specifying the trial period may be, for example, information representing the trial time limit or information representing the number of trials. In the process S1 of FIG. 4, the control unit 11 acquires the date and time when the process of FIG. The date and time indicating the end of the time limit is calculated, and the storage unit 12 is associated with the information indicating the service software specified by the read authentication information. To remember.

  Thereafter, the control unit 11 refers to the end of the deadline stored in the storage unit 12 and the current date and time (date and time information obtained from a clock or a calendar chip (not shown)) and has an end of the deadline that has arrived. Check whether or not. If there is an end of the deadline that has arrived here, the service software associated with the end of the deadline that has arrived is targeted for trial termination, and information identifying the service software that is the trial termination target is read, The process shown in FIG.

  The control unit 11 refers to the table stored in the storage unit 12 and reads a setting change designation list and information processing function list related to information for specifying the service software to be trial-terminated (S11). ). Further, the control unit 11 reads out the trial-use information stored in the storage unit 12 and acquires information specifying service software (trial-use continuation software) being used for trial other than the trial-target service software. (S12). Then, for the use continuation software, the setting change designation list and the information processing function list associated in the table stored in the storage unit 12 are read (S13).

  The control unit 11 is left out of the list of setting change designations read out in step S11 and the list of information processing functions, except those that match the setting change designations and information processing functions read out in step S13 (S14). The following processing is performed with the setting change designation and information processing function as the recovery target.

  That is, for the setting change designation that is the recovery target, the control unit 11 reads the setting content information before the change stored in the storage unit 12 in association with the setting item information included in the setting change designation. Then, the setting contents of the setting item are returned to the setting contents before the change (to the state before the trial use) (S15), and the corresponding setting change history (setting item and setting contents information returned to the state before the change) is returned. delete.

  Further, the control unit 11 returns the use permission information of the information processing function to be recovered in the process S14 to the unusable state (cancellation of use permission), and ends the process.

[Operation example]
The present embodiment has the above configuration and operates as follows. In the following example, as service software,
(A) “Authentication Management Service Software”
User authentication information is managed on the server device 2 side, and a service to be sent to the image processing device 1 is provided. Information (authentication information) such as a user name for identifying a user, password information, and information on a user's contact information (e-mail address, etc.) are stored in a database.
(B) "Aggregate management service software"
Manage the amount of image processing used by each user. The amount of copying and the amount of printing are tabulated and managed for each user identification information.
(C) "Web service software"
The image information read by the image processing apparatus 1 is uploaded to a server accessible by a web browser. For example, image information scanned by a scanner or the like is transmitted to a designated web server (not shown), and reference information (URL (Uniform Resource Locator), etc.) for acquiring the image information is displayed or sent by e-mail. To deliver.
There is something like,

As an example of setting items to be performed on the image processing apparatus 1 side, there is a setting item related to the authentication mode, and the setting content is
(X) “Internal authentication mode”
A mode in which user authentication information is associated with password information, and information for performing user password authentication is stored and managed in the image processing apparatus 1.
(Y) "External authentication mode"
Information for performing user password authentication is stored in the server device 2 in association with user authentication information and password information, and an authentication request is sent from the image processing device 1 to the server device 2. A mode in which the authentication result acquired from the server device 2 is used.
(Z) “No authentication mode”
This mode does not perform user authentication.
It is assumed that either.

Further, the information processing function that can be provided by the image processing apparatus 1 includes a user authentication function, a password protection function, a job log function, an image log function, a copy usage count function for each user, and a print usage count for each user. Function, user-specific storage area management function, contact information retention function for each user, usage fee accumulation function for each module in the function section, consumable usage amount accumulation function, etc. The license of the processing function by the operator is
(Α) “Security Package”
User authentication function, password protection function, job log function, and image log function (β) “Personal Package”
Copy usage count function for each user, print usage count function for each user, storage area management function for each user, and contact information holding function for each user (γ) “maintenance package”
It is assumed that each unit of the usage fee accumulation function and the consumable usage amount accumulation function for each module in the function section are possible.

  In the following description, (A) “Authentication Management Service Software” must be set when (Y) “External Authentication Mode” is set for trial use, and at least a license for use of the user authentication function is granted. Although it is necessary, it is assumed that no license is required for the password protection function (because it is performed on the server device 2 side). It is assumed that this is recorded in the table.

  In the server apparatus 2, when the operator sets the image processing apparatus 1 to try the “authentication management service software”, the server apparatus 2 sends the “authentication management service software” trial start notification to the image processing. Transmit to device 1. In this trial start notification, information indicating the expiration date of “one week” is set as information for specifying the trial period.

  The image processing apparatus 1 receives the trial start notification, refers to the table, and (A) “external authentication mode” must be set when (A) “authentication management service software” is used. Further, it is detected that at least a user authorization for the user authentication function is necessary.

  The image processing apparatus 1 checks whether or not the setting item of the authentication mode is (Y) “external authentication mode”. If it is not “external authentication mode”, the authentication mode is set to “external authentication mode”. Set. At this time, the image processing apparatus 1 confirms that the setting item of the authentication mode has not been changed by other service software that is already being used for trial, and changes the authentication mode if it has not been changed. Also, the original setting contents of the setting items of the authentication mode (for example, “no authentication mode”) are stored.

  The image processing apparatus 1 further checks whether or not the use permission for the user authentication function has been made. If the use permission has not been made, the image processing apparatus 1 performs setting for permitting use of the user authentication function. The image processing apparatus 1 sets only the user authentication function here, even if the user authentication function cannot be set alone as a unit of permission by the operator. Further, the image processing apparatus 1 stores the date and time after “one week” from the date and time of the above processing as the end of the trial period of the “authentication management service / software”.

  Thereby, in the image processing apparatus 1, by the user authentication function, the user name is requested to input the user name, the server apparatus 2 is requested for authentication, and the server apparatus 2 has a function realized by the authentication management service software. The approval / denial of authentication is determined and the result is transmitted to the image processing apparatus 1. The image processing apparatus 1 receives a user instruction operation only when authentication is performed, and executes processing according to the instruction operation.

  Further, the image processing apparatus 1 repeatedly checks whether or not the end of one of the stored trial periods has arrived, and if the end of the period is found, it corresponds to the end of the period that has arrived. The service / software to be used is terminated.

  For example, in the above case, since the end of the trial period of the “authentication management service / software” is set approximately one week after the notice of the trial start is received, if it is determined that the end of the trial period has come, The processing device 1 performs a process of terminating the trial use of “authentication management service software”.

  In other words, the image processing apparatus 1 reads the setting change designation list and the information processing function list held in the table in association with the authentication management service software that is the trial termination target, and stores it in the storage unit 12. Read stored trial information (assuming that only the authentication management service software is recorded here), and other trial service software (trial continuation software) other than the trial termination target service software ) To identify information. Here, there is no use continuation software, but if there is use continuation software, a list of setting change designations recorded in a table stored in the storage unit 12 in association with the use continuation software. Read the information processing function list.

  The image processing apparatus 1 excludes a setting change designation associated with the trial termination target and an information processing function list other than those matching the setting change designation and the information processing function associated with the continuing software. The remaining setting change designations and information processing functions are targeted for recovery. Then, the image processing apparatus 1 reads the setting content information before the change stored in the storage unit 12 in association with the setting item information included in the setting change specification that is the recovery target, and sets the setting content of the setting item. Is returned to the setting content before the change (to the state before the trial use), and the corresponding setting change history (setting item and information on the setting content returned to the state before the change) is deleted. Here, since the setting content of “no authentication mode” is recorded for “authentication mode”, the image processing apparatus 1 sets “authentication mode” to “no authentication mode”.

  Further, the image processing apparatus 1 returns the usage permission information to the unusable state for the information processing function to be recovered. Here, the user authentication function returns to an unusable state (a state where the use permission is not granted).

  In addition, if there is service software that is in trial that requires “external authentication mode” for “authentication mode”, “authentication mode” will be included in the list of setting change designations related to continued use software. Therefore, when it is removed from the list of setting change designations associated with the trial end target, it is removed from the recovery target, and the operation of the continuing use software is maintained.

  In addition, if there is other trial service software that requires a license to use the user authentication function, the "user authentication function" should be included in the list of information processing functions related to the continued use software. When this is removed from the list of information processing functions associated with the trial end target, it is removed from the recovery target, and the operation of the continuing use software is maintained.

[Another example of specifying a period]
In the description so far, as an example of specifying the period, the trial start notification is transmitted including the time limit information. However, the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 11 may set a predetermined time limit when the trial start notification does not include the period designation information.

  Further, the period designation need not be made according to the date and time when the deadline is reached, but may be set according to the number of times the service software is used. For example, when the information “N times” is set as the period designation, the image processing apparatus 1 counts the number of times of use each time communication related to service software is performed with the server apparatus 2. When the counter of the number of times of use exceeds “N times” specified for the period, processing for trial termination is executed for the service software that has been tried exceeding “N times” specified for the period.

  Further, on the server device 2 side, when the service software has information unique to the software (for example, when there is unique information such as unique software identification information issued for each service software) ), The number of uses may be counted in association with the specific information. In this case, when this counter exceeds “N times” specified for the period, the communication with the service software having the same specific information may be disconnected to stop the processing. In this case, it is not always necessary to perform trial termination processing for the service software.

  When such unique information is used, the information processing function of the image processing apparatus 1 responds to a request from the service software that does not include the unique information, or it may be controlled not to perform communication. Good.

  That is, in the “aggregation management service software” that is service software, when it is necessary to obtain information on the copy usage amount for each user from the image processing apparatus 1, the image processing apparatus 1 uses the information for each user. A license is required for an information processing function that provides information on the amount of copying used. However, if the use of this function is permitted, there is a possibility of responding to a request from a program other than the tabulation management service software. Therefore, identification information unique to the tabulation management service software is included in the trial start notification and transmitted, and is also included in a request for providing information on the copy usage amount. The image processing apparatus 1 responds to the request for the copy usage amount only when the unique identification information included in the request for providing information on the copy usage amount matches that received in the trial start notification. Information may be provided.

  Further, the server device 2 may transmit a trial release notification of the service software being trially used to the image processing device 1 at an arbitrary timing. When the image processing apparatus 1 receives the trial release notification for the service software being used for trial, the image processing apparatus 1 executes trial termination processing for the service software related to the trial release notification.

It is a block diagram showing the example of a structure of the image processing system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the use permission example of the information processing function in the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the content of the trial start notification which the server apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention transmits. It is a flowchart figure showing the example of a process of the trial start in the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the content of the table set in the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart figure showing the process example of the trial end in the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus, 2 server apparatus, 11 Control part, 12 Storage part, 13 Image processing part, 14 Function part, 15 Operation part, 16 Display part, 17 Communication part.

Claims (4)

An image processing system including an image processing device and a server device,
The server device is
A notification means for notifying the image processing device of the start of trial in response to an instruction that the processing performed in response to a request from the image processing device is to be used
The image processing apparatus is
Among the plurality of information processing functions that can be selectively licensed, means for performing processing related to the licensed information processing function;
In response to the notification of the trial start from the server device, the information processing function that requires a license in accordance with the trial processing of the information processing function, and identifies the information processing function that is not licensed for use, Permission means for temporarily permitting use of the specified information processing function;
Determining whether or not the trial has ended, and when determining that the trial has ended, canceling means for canceling the use permission of the specified information processing function;
An image processing system comprising: Among the plurality of information processing functions that can be selectively licensed, means for performing processing related to the licensed information processing function;
An information processing function that requires a use permission corresponding to a trial process among the information processing functions that has been notified of the start of trial use is identified, and the information processing function that is not licensed is identified, and the identified information processing A permission means for temporarily permitting the use of the function;
Determining whether or not the trial has ended, and when determining that the trial has ended, canceling means for canceling the use permission of the specified information processing function;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The notification of the trial start includes information on the trial period,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the canceling unit determines whether or not the trial is completed depending on whether or not the trial period has elapsed after receiving the notification of the trial start. Computer
Among the plurality of information processing functions that can be selectively licensed, means for performing processing related to the licensed information processing function;
An information processing function that requires a use permission corresponding to a trial process among the information processing functions that has been notified of the start of trial use is identified, and the information processing function that is not licensed is identified, and the identified information processing A permission means for temporarily permitting the use of the function;
Determining whether or not the trial has ended, and when determining that the trial has ended, canceling means for canceling the use permission of the specified information processing function;
Program to function as.

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