JP2010140222A - Operation control device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operation control device for, when there exist users who are able to perform the operation of setting update to a certain system, restricting the operation of the setting update in response to the users. <P>SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 32 functions as an operation control device for restricting the updating operation of the setting of a system by a service man in response to the situations of setting by a user side manager, and includes a control part 80 for identifying to which of a user side manager, a service man and a general user is the user belonging. The control part 80 updates the setting of a target system in response to the instruction of a user side manager or service man. From among the setting of the system, the control part 80 prevents the setting updated in response to the instruction of the user side manager from being updated in response to the instruction of the service man. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation control apparatus, and more particularly to an operation control apparatus that is connected to a network system and controls permission or disapproval of an operation of updating the setting of the network system according to a user.

  In recent years, an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a multifunction peripheral, or an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) has become widespread.

  When the image forming apparatus is installed in a company or the like, usually, in addition to a general user who uses the image forming apparatus, it manages whether the image forming apparatus is operating normally, or the image forming apparatus There is an administrator to manage whether or not it is used safely. In general, an administrator of an image forming apparatus can change any setting of the image forming apparatus in order to make it easy for general users to use or to ensure security.

  Hereinafter, an example of setting of the image forming apparatus will be described.

  In recent years, many image forming apparatuses in which a display-integrated touch panel is installed are widely used. For example, the setting of the image forming apparatus is to specify a language displayed on such a touch panel. .

  Further, for example, the setting of the image forming apparatus includes a billing amount for designating a billing amount required for printing per page and a billing amount corresponding to either monochrome printing or color printing. Image forming apparatuses capable of such billing settings are installed and used in public institutions such as libraries and universities.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-151561 discloses a technique that enables an administrator to change settings of an image forming apparatus in order to ensure the security of the image forming apparatus.

  The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a storage device for storing the operation content of the user with respect to the image forming apparatus as a log, and the administrator can set how to store the log.

  For example, when an operation stored as a log is newly performed, the administrator can store the operation content log in the storage device or not to store the log.

  When the storage device is set to store the log, the administrator can set the storage device to overwrite the log when the storage device is in a memory full state. When an operation stored as a log is performed, the image forming apparatus can be set not to execute a process corresponding to the operation.

With the configuration as described above, the administrator of the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 can set the log storage method so that the administrator can easily manage the log.
JP 2008-65490 A

  There are cases where the administrator of the image forming apparatus includes a manager on the user side for managing settings of the image forming apparatus so as to be easily used by general users, and an administrator referred to as a service person. . The service person is a person for repairing and maintaining the image forming apparatus when the image forming apparatus fails.

  The service person is usually a company of the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus, and is not necessarily a person who belongs to a company or a public institution where the image forming apparatus is installed and used. The administrator on the user side is usually a person belonging to a company or the like where the image forming apparatus is used. Generally, when an image forming apparatus breaks down, a service person makes a business trip to a company where the image forming apparatus is set to repair the image forming apparatus. Since a lot of information is required for recovery from a failure, the service person is given the authority to freely operate the image forming apparatus.

  As a result, the service manager may change what the administrator on the user side has once set for the image forming apparatus for a general user. However, this causes the following problems.

  If the contents of the setting determined by the administrator on the user side include confidential matters of the company to which the administrator belongs, the service person can freely view the contents of the setting. If the service person has malicious intent, the confidential matter may be abused. Such a state must be avoided for the administrator on the user side.

  Also, if the setting operation is quite complicated and it takes a long time to complete the setting, once the service person resets the setting, the administrator on the user side will need to reset it. The operation must be performed for a long time.

  The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 allows an administrator to set a log storage method, but does not describe how to deal with the above problem.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an operation control apparatus for restricting the setting update operation according to the users who can perform the setting update operation for a certain system. is there.

  An operation control apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes an identification unit for identifying which of a plurality of groups including a first and a second administrator group a user belongs to, and a first management Update means for updating the setting of the target system in response to an instruction of a user belonging to the administrator group or the second administrator group, and use belonging to the first administrator group among the system settings Update setting means for prohibiting the update means from updating the setting updated by the updating means in response to an instruction from the user according to an instruction from a user belonging to the second administrator group.

  The identifying means identifies which of the plurality of groups including the first and second administrator groups the user belongs to. The update unit updates the setting of the target system in response to an instruction from a user belonging to the first administrator group or the second administrator group. The update prohibiting unit updates the setting updated by the updating unit according to the instruction of the user belonging to the first administrator group among the system settings, according to the instruction of the user belonging to the second administrator group. Prohibit that.

  When a user belonging to the first administrator group updates the contents of a certain setting in the system, a user belonging to the second administrator group cannot update the setting. Therefore, it is possible to prevent users belonging to the second administrator group from changing the settings without permission from the user of the first administrator group. Use of the first administrator group when the contents of the system settings are confidential matters for users belonging to the first administrator group, or when it takes a considerable amount of time to update the user. If the user updates the setting, the setting update by the users belonging to the second administrator group can be prevented. Therefore, leakage of confidential information can be prevented. As a result, when there is a user who can perform a setting update operation for a certain system, an operation control device for restricting the setting update operation can be provided according to those users.

  Preferably, the system settings are classified into a plurality of items. The updating unit includes an item updating unit for updating each of the plurality of items in response to an instruction from a user belonging to the first manager group or the second manager group. The update prohibiting means includes a storage means for storing information for specifying an item updated by the first administrator group among the plurality of items, and an item updated by the first administrator group as a second item. And means for prohibiting the item updating means from updating based on information stored in the storage means in accordance with an instruction from a user belonging to the administrator group.

  The item updating means updates each of the plurality of items in response to an instruction from a user belonging to the first manager group or the second manager group. A memory | storage means memorize | stores the information which specifies the item updated by the 1st manager group among several items. The means for prohibiting the information stored in the storage means that the item updated by the user belonging to the second administrator group is updated by an item updated by the user who belongs to the second administrator group. Prohibit based on. Since users belonging to the first and second administrator groups can update the settings for each item, it becomes easier to manage the setting updates. In addition, the user belonging to the first administrator group can prevent the setting update for each item with respect to the user belonging to the second administrator group.

  More preferably, the item updating means includes a presentation means for presenting a plurality of items on the display device in response to a request from a user belonging to the first administrator group or the second administrator group, Presentation updating means for updating the setting items presented by the means in accordance with a user instruction. The prohibiting means includes a means for prohibiting the presenting means from presenting an item updated by the updating means in accordance with an instruction from the first administrator group among the plurality of items.

  The presenting means presents a plurality of items on the display device in response to a request from a user belonging to the first manager group or the second manager group. The presentation update unit updates the setting item presented by the presentation unit in accordance with a user instruction. The prohibiting means is that the presenting means presents an item updated by the updating means in accordance with an instruction from the first administrator group among a plurality of items to a user belonging to the second administrator group. Ban. By the means for prohibiting, the setting item updated by the user belonging to the first administrator group is not presented on the display device to the second administrator group. Therefore, it is possible to prevent users belonging to the second administrator group from updating the setting item without permission.

  More preferably, the item updating means responds to a request from a user belonging to the first administrator group in order to present a system setting item on the display device in a predetermined first mode. In response to a request from a presentation means and a user belonging to the second administrator group, an item updated in response to a request from a user belonging to the first administrator group among items of the system setting is displayed on the display device. In the second aspect different from the first aspect, the second presentation means for presenting other items in the first aspect, respectively, and the first administrator group or the second administrator group Means for selecting a setting item presented by the first or second presentation means and updating it in accordance with the user's instruction in response to the instruction of the user to which it belongs. The means for prohibiting includes means for prohibiting selection by the means for updating the item displayed in the second mode by the second presenting means.

  The first presenting means presents system setting items on the display device in a predetermined first manner in response to a request from a user belonging to the first administrator group. In response to a request from a user belonging to the second administrator group, the second presenting means displays an item updated in response to a request from a user belonging to the first administrator group, out of the system setting items. In the second mode different from the first mode, other items are presented on the display device in the first mode. The updating means selects the setting item presented by the first or second presentation means in response to an instruction from a user belonging to the first administrator group or the second administrator group. Update according to user instructions. The means for prohibiting prohibits the means for updating the item displayed in the second mode by the second presenting means from being selected. As a result, users belonging to the second administrator group cannot update the setting items updated by the users of the first administrator group. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user of the second administrator group from updating the setting without permission without the knowledge of the user of the first administrator group.

  More preferably, the first mode and the second mode differ in the display color of items.

  Therefore, users belonging to the second administrator group can easily understand which items have been updated by the first administrator group.

  More preferably, the first mode is a mode predetermined by the system as a display mode of items that can be selected and updated. The second mode is a mode predetermined by the system as a display mode for items that cannot be selected or updated.

  Since the second mode is predetermined by the system as a display mode for items that cannot be selected or updated, the user belonging to the second administrator group selects the item presented in the second mode. Or it can be easily understood that it cannot be updated.

  More preferably, the second aspect is a gray-out display.

  Therefore, a user belonging to the second administrator group can easily understand that the item cannot be updated by looking at the grayed-out item.

  More preferably, in response to a user belonging to the second administrator group instructing to update the setting item updated by the user belonging to the first administrator group, the item is updated. And means for informing that it is impossible.

  In response to the instruction that the user belonging to the second administrator group updates the setting item updated by the user belonging to the first administrator group, the means for informing the user Notify that it is impossible to update. The user of the second administrator group can confirm that the setting cannot be updated. In addition, it is possible to prevent the user of the second administrator group from updating the setting without permission without the knowledge of the user of the first administrator group.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when a user belonging to the first administrator group updates the contents of a certain setting in the system, the user belonging to the second administrator group updates the setting. I can't do that. Therefore, it is possible to prevent users belonging to the second administrator group from changing the settings without permission from the user of the first administrator group. Use of the first administrator group when the contents of the system settings are confidential matters for users belonging to the first administrator group, or when it takes a considerable amount of time to update the user. If the user updates the setting, the setting update by the users belonging to the second administrator group can be prevented. Therefore, leakage of confidential information can be prevented. As a result, when there is a user who can perform a setting update operation for a certain system, an operation control device for restricting the setting update operation can be provided according to those users.

  In the following embodiments, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their functions and names are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

[Network environment]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of a network system 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a network system 30 is connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) 36, and includes an image forming apparatus 32 that is an electrophotographic MFP functioning as a facsimile, a copying machine, and a printer, and a LAN 36. Terminal devices 34 </ b> A to 34 </ b> D such as PCs (Personal Computers) connected to the image forming apparatus 32.

  The image forming apparatus 32 is used by general users and managers. In the present embodiment, the manager is classified into a manager on the user side and a service person. The administrator can update the settings of the network system 30 including the image forming apparatus 32 by operating the image forming apparatus 32.

  The image forming apparatus 32 functions as an operation control apparatus for restricting an update operation of the setting of the network system 30 by the service person according to the setting state by the administrator on the user side.

  Hereinafter, the setting of the network system 30 will be described.

  In the present embodiment, the settings of the network system 30 include settings related to the entire network system 30 and settings related to the image forming apparatus 32 included in the network system 30.

  Settings relating to the entire network system 30 include network settings, access settings, and the like. Since network settings and access settings in a network system are well-known techniques, the details thereof will not be described here.

  Settings relating to the image forming apparatus 32 included in the network system 30 include language settings for designating a language displayed on an operation display unit which is a touch panel with an integrated display, which will be described later, included in the image forming apparatus 32, and copy a document. In this case, a billing setting for designating a billing amount per page and a security setting for ensuring the security of the image forming apparatus 32 are included.

  The image forming apparatus 32 can operate in a facsimile mode in which an image is received from one apparatus and transmitted to another apparatus, and an image of a document is received and printed on a recording sheet. The security setting is, for example, designating a FAX number for prohibiting FAX transmission when the image forming apparatus 32 is operating in the facsimile mode. When a general user tries to perform FAX transmission to the FAX number, the image forming apparatus 32 does not execute FAX transmission.

  The security setting is not limited to setting a FAX number for prohibiting FAX transmission, and any setting may be used as long as it is a setting for ensuring the security of the image forming apparatus 32.

  The setting of the network system 30 is not limited to the setting described above, and any setting may be used as long as the setting is related to the network system.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an external configuration of the image forming apparatus 32. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus 32.

  2 and 3, the image forming apparatus 32 reads a document image, outputs a RGB (R: Red, G: Green, B: Blue) analog image signal, and a document. An image forming unit 62 installed on the lower side of the reading unit 52 for forming an image on a recording sheet, and used when a user operates the image forming apparatus 32, and includes a display unit 56 and an operation unit 58. And an operation display unit 54 installed in front of the document reading unit 52.

  Referring to FIG. 3, image forming apparatus 32 further includes an image processing unit 88 for converting the image signal read by document reading unit 52 into a digital signal and outputting the digital signal, and an external device connected to LAN 36. A communication unit 82 for transmitting and receiving data, a storage unit 84 for storing various information such as image data output from the image processing unit 88, image data received from an external device, and various programs And an authentication unit 104 for performing password authentication processing when the user starts to use the image forming apparatus 32.

  The image forming apparatus 32 further includes a bus 98 connected to the document reading unit 52, the image forming unit 62, the operation display unit 54, the image processing unit 88, the communication unit 82, the storage unit 84, and the authentication unit 104. And a control unit 80 for realizing a general function as an image forming apparatus.

  The control unit 80 controls the entire image forming apparatus 32. Note that the control of the document reading unit 52, the image forming unit 62, the operation display unit 54, the image processing unit 88, the communication unit 82, the storage unit 84, and the authentication unit 104 is performed by the control unit 80.

  The storage unit 84 stores a setting change enable / disable table 100 for determining whether or not only the administrator on the user side is permitted to change the setting of the network system 30 and information on each user of the image forming apparatus 32. And a user information table 102 for the purpose.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the setting change enable / disable table 100. Referring to FIG. 4, setting change permission / inhibition table 100 includes, for each setting item of network system 30, an item name and a change flag indicating whether or not a setting update operation can be performed only by an administrator. Including.

  The change flag takes a value of “ON” or “OFF”. When the change flag is “ON”, it indicates that both the administrator on the user side and the service person can change the setting of the item. When the change flag is “OFF”, it indicates that the setting of the item can be changed only by the administrator on the user side.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the user information table 102. Referring to FIG. 5, the user information table 102 stores, for each user, the user ID of the user, a password predetermined by the user, and the type of the user.

  As the type of user, one of “user-side administrator”, “serviceman”, and “general” is stored. When the types of users are “user-side administrator”, “serviceman”, and “general”, it indicates that the user is a user-side administrator, serviceman, and general user, respectively. .

Software configuration
6 and 7 are flowcharts showing a control structure of a program executed by the image forming apparatus 32. FIG.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a program executed by the control unit 80 when the image forming apparatus 32 is activated. Referring to FIG. 6, this program includes a step 120 of waiting until the operation display unit 54 is operated by the user.

  The user's operation in step 120 is “when instructing the image forming apparatus 32 to display a setting item screen listing setting item names when the user sets the network system 30. “Setting item screen display operation”, “Setting change operation” for instructing the image forming apparatus 32 to change the setting when the setting item screen is displayed, “Login” for logging in to the image forming apparatus 32 Operations "and" other operations ".

  Generally, in an image forming apparatus or the like, authentication is performed as a valid user and the operation of the apparatus is made possible to log in, and login means that the operation of the apparatus cannot be performed after logging in. Say that.

  After the image forming apparatus 32 is logged out by the user, the image forming apparatus 32 displays a login screen for allowing the user to input a user ID and a password on the operation display unit 54. The login operation in step 120 is an operation in which when the login screen is displayed on the operation display unit 54, the user inputs the user ID and password, and instructs the login with the input contents.

  Other operations in step 120 include an operation for instructing logout, an operation for instructing to copy an image of the original set on the original reading unit 52 to a recording sheet, and FAX transmission of the image of the original to another apparatus. This includes operations for instructing and all operations related to the image forming apparatus 32 other than those described above.

  Further, this program is executed when a login operation is performed by the user in step 120. With reference to the user information table 102, whether there is a record that matches the user ID and password entered on the login screen. Step 134 includes performing user authentication by determining whether or not and returning control to step 120.

  If the user authentication is successful in step 134, the user can execute a setting item screen display operation, a setting change operation, and other operations. If user authentication fails in step 134, a login screen is displayed on the operation display unit 54.

  This program further executes a process according to the operation when another operation is performed at step 120 and returns control to step 120, and when a setting item screen display operation is performed at step 120. And a step 124 for displaying a setting item screen on the operation display unit 54 and executing a setting item screen display process, which will be described later, and returning the control to step 120.

  In step 124, the setting change screen displayed on the operation display unit 54 displays the setting item names that can be changed by the current user among the setting item names stored in the setting change enable / disable table 100. The

  FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a setting item screen displayed on the operation display unit 54 when the current user is a manager on the user side in step 124. Referring to FIG. 8A, setting item screen 200 displays all setting item names stored in setting change enable / disable table 100. The administrator on the user side can change the setting for the setting item displayed on the setting item screen 200. The setting item screen 200 displays item names in the order of language setting, billing setting, and security setting.

  FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a setting item screen displayed on the operation display unit 54 when the current user is a service person in step 124. When the current user is a serviceman, the setting item screen 202 displays only the setting item names for which the change flag of the setting change enable / disable table 100 is “ON”. Referring to FIG. 8B, when the charge setting change flag is “OFF”, the setting item screen 202 has an item name whose language setting, security setting, and other change flags are “ON”. Is displayed. The service person can change the setting for the setting item displayed on the setting item screen 202.

  When the current user is a general user, no setting item name is displayed on the setting item screen, and the general user cannot change the setting.

  When the setting item screen is displayed, a setting change screen for changing the setting of the item is displayed on the operation display unit 54 when the administrator touches the item name. The administrator can change the setting item by inputting necessary information on the setting change screen.

  In the present embodiment, what kind of information the administrator inputs on the setting change screen has nothing to do with the essential part of the present invention, and will not be described here.

  When the setting change screen is displayed, the administrator can perform a setting change operation on the image forming apparatus 32.

  This program is further executed when a setting change operation is performed in step 120. Step 128 executes a process for changing the setting in accordance with the operation, and after step 128, the user information table 102 is referred to. In step 130, it is determined whether or not the current user is an administrator on the user side, and the control flow is branched according to the determination result. In step 130, the current user is an administrator on the user side. In the case where it is determined that there is, the setting change enable / disable table 100 includes turning off the change flag for the setting item changed in step 128 and returning the control to step 120. If it is determined in step 130 that the current user is not an administrator on the user side, the control returns to step 120.

  FIG. 7 is a detailed flow of the setting item screen display process executed in step 124 shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 7, this routine includes a step 150 for executing the following processing for each item in setting change permission / inhibition table 100 and ending this routine.

  The process of step 150 refers to the user information table 102 to determine whether or not the current user is an administrator (whether or not to have setting change authority), and the flow of control according to the determination result. If the current user is determined to be an administrator in step 152 and branching in step 152, the current user is a serviceman, and the change flag for the item is OFF (user-side management In step 154 for branching the flow of control according to the determination result, and in step 152, if it is determined that the current user is not an administrator, or in step 154 This is executed when it is determined that the current user is a serviceman and the change flag of the item is OFF, and the item name of the item is displayed on the operation display unit 54. If the current user is not a service person or the change flag of the item is determined to be ON in step 158 and step 154 where the process proceeds to the next setting item without displaying, the operation display unit 54, displaying the name of the item and advancing the process to the next setting item.

  The other operation in step 120 shown in FIG. 6 includes an operation in which the administrator on the user side turns on the change flag for the setting item whose change flag is OFF in the setting change enable / disable table 100. It is. When such an operation is performed in step 120, in step 136, a process of updating the change flag of the item with ON is executed. The service person cannot execute the process.

[Operation]
1 to 8, image forming apparatus 32 having the above-described configuration operates as follows. Prior to this, the information shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is stored in advance in the setting change permission / inhibition table 100 and the user information table 102, respectively.

  After being activated, the image forming apparatus 32 displays a login screen on the operation display unit 54. The user operates the operation display unit 54 to enter the user ID and password on the login screen and perform a login operation (step 120 shown in FIG. 6).

  In response to the login operation, the image forming apparatus 32 performs user authentication (step 134 shown in FIG. 6). When the user authentication fails, the image forming apparatus 32 redisplays the login screen on the operation display unit 54. When the user authentication is successful, the image forming apparatus 32 shifts to a state in which the user can execute the setting item screen display operation, the setting change operation, and other operations.

  It is assumed that the user operates the operation display unit 54 to perform a setting item screen display operation. In response to the operation, the image forming apparatus 32 executes a process of displaying the setting item screen on the operation display unit 54 (step 124 shown in FIG. 6).

  Hereinafter, in step 124, the operation of the image forming apparatus 32 is divided into three cases: a case where the current user is an administrator on the user side, a case where the current user is a service person, and a case where the current user is a general user. Will be explained.

(1) When the current user is an administrator on the user side In step 124, when the current user is an administrator on the user side, all setting item names are displayed on the operation display unit 54. The administrator on the user side can change all settings. When the administrator on the user side performs a setting change operation for a certain setting item, the image forming apparatus 32 executes a process for changing the setting in accordance with the operation (step 128 shown in FIG. 6). In the setting change enable / disable table 100, the change flag of the item is turned OFF and updated (step 132 shown in FIG. 6). The image forming apparatus 32 executes the processing of step 128 and step 132 every time the setting is changed by the administrator on the user side.

  When the administrator on the user side performs an operation for turning on the change flag for a setting item whose change flag is OFF, the image forming apparatus 32 updates the setting change enable / disable table 100 according to the operation. Is executed (step 136 shown in FIG. 6).

(2) When the current user is a serviceman When the current user is a serviceman in step 124, the image forming apparatus 32 sets the item name of the setting whose change flag is ON in the setting change enable / disable table 100. Are displayed on the operation display unit 54 (steps 152 to 156 in FIG. 7). When the service person performs a setting change operation on the setting item displayed on the operation display unit 54, the image forming apparatus 32 executes a process of changing the setting in accordance with the operation (FIG. 6). Step 128). The image forming apparatus 32 executes the process of step 128 every time a setting change operation is performed by the service person.

  The service person can change the setting for the item displayed on the setting item screen, but cannot change the setting for the item not displayed on the setting item screen.

(3) When the current user is a general user In step 124, when the current user is a general user, no item name is displayed on the operation display unit 54, and the general user is displayed. The user cannot perform an operation for changing the setting.

[Effects of the present embodiment]
As is apparent from the above description, by using the image forming apparatus 32 according to the present embodiment, when the setting is once changed by the administrator on the user side, the service person changes the setting. Is impossible. If the serviceman is not a member of the company in which the image forming apparatus 32 is set, the serviceman maintains the image forming apparatus 32 so that the setting once changed by the administrator on the user side is arbitrarily handled by the serviceman. Can be prevented. Therefore, setting changes unintended by the administrator on the user side by the service person can be prevented.

  Further, when the setting contents are confidential matters of the administrator of the user side, the possibility that the confidential matters are leaked to the service person is reduced.

[Modification]
In the embodiment described above, the setting item whose change flag is OFF is not displayed in step 158 shown in FIG. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. In step 156, the setting item is displayed in the first color, and in step 158, the setting item is a second color different from the first color. You may make it display with. Assume that the language setting, billing setting, and security setting change flags are ON, OFF, and ON, respectively. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the setting item screen displayed according to the above. Referring to FIG. 9, on setting item screen 210, language setting and security setting are displayed in the first color, and billing setting is displayed in the second color. In step 120 shown in FIG. 6, when the user performs a setting change operation, the image forming apparatus 32 performs the following processing in step 128. In step 128, when the setting item selected by the user is displayed in the first color, the image forming apparatus 32 executes setting change processing according to the operation, and the setting item selected by the user. Is displayed in the second color, no processing is performed.

  Unlike the above example, in step 158 shown in FIG. 7, the image forming apparatus 32 may perform the same processing as in step 156. Then, even if any user is using the image forming apparatus 32, all setting item names are displayed on the setting item screen.

  Assume that the language setting, billing setting, and security setting change flags are ON, OFF, and ON, respectively. FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a setting item screen displayed in accordance with the above processing. Referring to FIG. 10A, all setting items are displayed on the setting item screen 220 in the same manner.

  However, when the user performs a setting change operation in step 120 shown in FIG. 6, the image forming apparatus 32 performs the following processing in step 128. In step 128, if the change flag for the setting item selected by the user is ON, the image forming apparatus 32 executes the setting change process, and the change flag for the setting item selected by the user is OFF. When the user is either a service person or a general user, an error message indicating that the setting cannot be changed is displayed for the item, and the setting changing process is not performed.

  FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating an example of a setting item screen when a setting item whose change flag is OFF is selected by a service person or a general user. Referring to FIG. 10B, when the billing setting is selected by the service person or the general user, an error message 222 is displayed on the billing setting on the setting item screen 220. The user can confirm this by checking the message.

  In the embodiment described above, the user information table 102 shown in FIG. 5 is displayed such that there are a plurality of records for the service person. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. In many cases, only one user ID and password for a service person are determined when the image forming apparatus 32 is manufactured. Normally, when a repair request is made, the service person logs in the image forming apparatus 32 by inputting a predetermined user ID and password. Therefore, when the user ID and password are input, the user may be identified as a service person.

  In the above-described embodiment, whether the user is an administrator on the user side, a service person, or a general user is identified by the user ID and password input on the login screen. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and what kind of user is used by executing biometric authentication such as fingerprint authentication and face image authentication at the start of use of the image forming apparatus 32. May be identified.

  In the embodiment described above, the image forming apparatus 32 functions as an operation control apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. The apparatus that functions as the operation control apparatus may be any apparatus other than the image forming apparatus, such as a PC (Personal Computer). When the PC or the like functions as an operation control device, the administrator may be able to update the settings of the network system to which the PC or the like is connected.

  The embodiment disclosed herein is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The scope of the present invention is indicated by each claim in the claims after taking into account the description of the detailed description of the invention, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the wording described therein are included. Including.

1 is a diagram showing an overall structure of a network system 30 including an image forming apparatus 32 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an image forming apparatus 32 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus 32 according to the present embodiment. FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the setting change possibility table 100 shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the user information table 102 shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the control structure of the program performed by the control part 80 shown in FIG. It is a detailed flow of step 124 shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of a setting item display screen. It is a figure which shows the structure of a setting item screen. It is a figure which shows the structure of a setting item screen.

Explanation of symbols

32 image forming apparatus 54 operation display unit 56 display unit 58 operation unit 80 control unit 84 storage unit 100 setting change enable / disable table 102 user information table 104 authentication unit

Claims (8)

An identification means for identifying which of the plurality of groups including the first and second administrator groups the user belongs to;
In response to an instruction from a user belonging to the first administrator group or the second administrator group, an update unit for updating the setting of a target system;
Of the system settings, the updating unit updates the setting updated by the updating unit according to an instruction from a user belonging to the first administrator group according to an instruction from a user belonging to the second administrator group. And an update prohibiting means for prohibiting the operation. The system settings are classified into a plurality of items,
The update means includes item update means for updating each of the plurality of items in response to an instruction of a user belonging to the first administrator group or the second administrator group,
The update prohibition means is
Storage means for storing information identifying an item updated by the first administrator group among the plurality of items;
Based on the information stored in the storage unit, the item updating unit prohibits the item updated by the user belonging to the second manager group from updating the item updated by the first manager group. The operation control device according to claim 1, further comprising: The item update means includes
In response to a request from a user belonging to the first administrator group or the second administrator group, a presentation unit for presenting the plurality of items on a display device;
A presentation update unit for updating the setting item presented by the presentation unit according to a user instruction;
The prohibiting means uses the item updated by the updating means in accordance with an instruction from the first administrator group among the plurality of items, and the presenting means belongs to the second administrator group. The operation control device according to claim 2, comprising means for prohibiting presentation to a person. The item update means includes
In response to a request from a user belonging to the first administrator group, a first presentation means for presenting the setting items of the system on a display device in a predetermined first mode;
In response to a request from a user belonging to the second administrator group, items updated in response to a request from a user belonging to the first administrator group among the setting items of the system are displayed on the display device. A second presenting means for presenting other items in the second aspect different from the first aspect in the first aspect;
In response to an instruction from a user belonging to the first administrator group or the second administrator group, the user's instruction is selected by selecting the setting item presented by the first or second presentation means. Means for updating according to
The means for prohibiting includes means for prohibiting the updating means from selecting an item displayed in the second mode by the second presentation means. Operation control device.   The operation control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first aspect and the second aspect are different in terms of display colors of items. The first mode is a mode predetermined in the system as a display mode of items that can be selected and updated,
The operation control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second mode is a mode predetermined by the system as a display mode of items that cannot be selected or updated.   The operation control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second aspect is grayout display. In response to an instruction to update a setting item updated by a user belonging to the first administrator group by a user belonging to the second administrator group, it is not possible to update the item. The operation control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for notifying that it is possible.

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