JP2011150634A - Document management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To systematically distribute a series of series documents, e.g. series documents desired to be read in order, to each user. <P>SOLUTION: A document management system includes a document management part which determines another document to be printed and availability of the printing from a document ID and a user ID. An optical code obtained by encoding the document ID and the user ID is attached to a document, the code is extracted from the document scanned by the scanner of a multifunction peripheral, the document ID and the user ID are found by a decoding part, a new code including the document ID and the user ID is added to the other document determined by the document management part, and the other document is printed by a printer. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a document management system using an optical code.

The applicant has proposed a document management system in which an optically readable code (optical code) such as a QR code is added to a document (Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-263469, Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-2009). 188595). In the optical code, a path to the storage destination of the document is encoded, and the optical code is added to a hard copy (hereinafter simply “print”) of the document. When the code is scanned and decoded by a scanner such as a multifunction machine, the path to the document storage destination (storage destination information) is known, so that the user who received the document distribution from the original document data can print. For this reason, it is possible to copy a document without image deterioration due to repeated copying. The inventor has improved this system and considered distributing a series of series documents to users while managing the document distribution status from the document distributor to each user according to a predetermined schedule. Arrived.
JP2008-263469 JP2009-188595A

An object of the present invention is that a document distributor systematically distributes a series of series documents for each user to whom a document is distributed. Here, distribution means that the user prints the document within the number of copies and the period permitted by the user.
An additional problem of the present invention is to prevent document distribution management from being disabled when some users print a large number of copies.
An additional problem with the present invention is to ensure that documents are distributed according to a predetermined schedule.
An additional object of the present invention is to make it easy to determine a document to be distributed next.

A document management system according to the present invention includes a scanner, a printer, an optical code decoding unit, a coding unit, and a storage device for storing a document.
In addition to providing a document management unit for determining whether other documents to be printed and whether or not to print from the document ID and the user ID,
The optical code is at least the document ID and the user ID encoded, and is added to the document;
The scanner extracts the code from the scanned document;
The decoding unit decodes the extracted code to obtain a document ID and a user ID,
A new optical code including a document ID and a user ID is generated by the encoding unit, added to another document determined by the document management unit, and printed by the printer. And
The optical code (hereinafter simply “code”) may be a two-dimensional code or a one-dimensional code, and the decoding unit and the coding unit may be separate or integrated.

  In the present invention, the document distribution (print) status can be managed for each user and for each document from the document ID and user ID in the code. By scanning the code in the previous document (own document) with a scanner, the next document (other document) is specified and printed, so that a series of series documents can be systematically distributed. Therefore, in this system, the distributor only needs to distribute the first document, for example, and the subsequent document is expected to be printed spontaneously when the user needs it.

  If printing a large number of copies is permitted, it becomes difficult for some users to systematically distribute the document, for example, by printing a large amount and distributing it to other users. In the case of confidential materials, there is a problem in maintaining confidentiality. Therefore, preferably, the document management unit counts the number of times of printing for each user for each document, and permits printing only when the number of times of printing is equal to or less than a predetermined number. This number of times is, for example, 2 or 3. However, in the case of a confidential material, the number of copies can be limited, for example, once in principle. In the present invention, since the user ID can be acquired at the time of printing, it is easy to count the number of times the user prints for each document.

  Preferably, the document management unit stores a printable period for each document or encodes the printable period in the code to permit printing only within the printable period. In the present invention, since the document ID can be acquired at the time of printing, the printable period can be easily limited for each document by associating the document ID and the printable period with the document management unit or code.

  If the ID of another document is coded as a document ID in the code, another document (document to be printed) can be easily specified.

  In the code, an ID of the own document is encoded as a document ID, and when the document management unit obtains an ID of the other document from the ID of the own document, the document management unit sets the ID of the own document to the ID of the other document. Can be converted to

The document is a series of documents from the first document to the last document, the code is given to each document except the last document, and the code is printed for each document and the user who prints the document Different for each. That is, since no other document corresponds to the final document, it is not necessary to add a code. A code may be added to the final document. Since the code is generated for each document and for each user, the code is different if the user is different or the number of times the document is different.

Block diagram of the document management system in the embodiment The figure which shows the outline | summary of the document management in an Example typically The figure which shows the flow of the document in the example The figure which shows the document management file in an Example The figure which shows the user management file in execution example The flowchart which shows the work flow of the document creator in an Example The flowchart which shows the user's work flow in an Example

  In the following, an optimum embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be shown. The scope of the present invention should be determined in accordance with the understanding of those skilled in the art based on the description of the scope of claims, taking into consideration the specification and well-known techniques in this field.

  1 to 7 show a document management system 2 according to an embodiment. In the figure, reference numerals 4 and 5 denote multifunction peripherals, which are connected via a LAN 6 to personal computers 7 and 8, a document management server 10, a router 12, a scanner 16, and the like. The router 12 is connected to the document management server 13, the multifunction device 14, the personal computer 15, and the like via the Internet. Here, it is assumed that the multifunction peripherals 4, 5, and 14 have the same configuration, and the document management servers 10 and 13 also have the same configuration. The location of the document management servers 10 and 13 is arbitrary. For example, the document management server 10 on the LAN 6 or the document management server 13 on the network may be used. Further, in the case of a simple system composed of only one personal computer 7 and the multifunction machine 4, the document management server 10 or the like is not necessary. In this case, the multifunction device 4 serves as the document management server 10.

  The multifunction machine 4 includes a network interface 20, and 21 is a network application processing unit for processing network applications such as e-mail. Reference numeral 22 denotes a color or monochrome printer, 23 denotes a color or monochrome scanner, and 24 denotes a G3 facsimile apparatus. Reference numeral 25 denotes a CPU for managing the entire multifunction peripheral 4, and reference numeral 26 denotes a document memory for storing documents handled in the present invention. The document may be stored as an image or character data, and the file format is arbitrary. A document ID is added to each document, and the document ID and document storage location information (path) are stored in the document management unit 28 described later. If the storage destination information is regarded as a document ID, it is not necessary to store an ID other than the storage destination information.

  A code processing unit 27 encodes and decodes a one-dimensional or two-dimensional optical code. The one-dimensional code includes, for example, a barcode, and the two-dimensional code includes a QR code (QR code is a registered trademark). Or there are Data Matrix code and DF417 code. The scanner extracts a code part from the image data of the read document, and the code processing unit 27 decodes it. The code processing unit 27 further generates a code to be added to the margin of the document. The document management unit 28 manages the distribution status for each document and each user for the document in the document memory 26. For this purpose, the document management file 40 of FIG. 4 and the user management file 42 of FIG. 5 are used, and distribution is managed using a flow of codes 37 to 39 such as a two-dimensional code as shown in FIG. These will be described later. The location of the document management unit 28 is arbitrary, and may be provided in the multifunction peripherals 4, 5, the document management servers 10, 13, or the personal computers 7, 8. Each of these apparatuses may be provided with a document management unit 28. Reference numeral 29 denotes a general-purpose memory for storing data such as original image processing in the multifunction device 4, and reference numeral 30 denotes an operation panel for accepting user input and controlling the multifunction device 4. The operation panel 30 may be provided with a user authentication sensor such as a fingerprint sensor. It is also possible to authenticate the user by reading the code written on the user ID or the like with the scanner 23.

  Of the personal computers 7 and 8, the personal computer 7 belongs to the professor, and the professor creates a series of series documents as lecture materials, accumulates them in the document memory 26, etc., via the multifunction devices 4, 5, etc. Distribute to students who are users. The personal computer 8 is assumed to be an assistant. The personal computer 7 can perform arbitrary processing on the document in the document memory 26, and the personal computer 8 can perform arbitrary processing other than document change such as editing and deletion. On the other hand, a student who is a general user can print the full text of the document in the document memory 26 from the multifunction peripherals 4 and 5 within a specified number of copies within a specified period.

  As document storage destinations, there are MFPs 4, 5, personal computers 7, document management servers 10, 13, etc., and the device in which the document is stored is arbitrary. In the embodiment, the optical code needs to be decoded in order to permit the printing of the document, and the optical code is generated and added to the document to be printed. For this reason, the code processing unit 27 is necessary. The document management unit 28 is necessary for managing the distribution status of each document. Preferably, the document memory 26, the code processing unit 27, and the document management unit 28 are set as a set, and the multifunction peripherals 4, 5, the personal computer 7, and the document management server 10. It is provided in either.

  FIG. 2 shows an outline of document management in the embodiment. The professor's personal computer 7 includes an external memory such as a USB memory 31 and input means such as a monitor 32 and a keyboard 33, and necessary materials (a series of series documents) can be obtained from the document management server 10 or the like. The professor creates lecture materials on the personal computer 7 using the USB memory 31, the document management server 10, the scanner 23, and the like. In addition, the professor enters management data such as a list of students, a period during which students can obtain each material, and the number of copies allowed for each material. In the embodiment, since the first material is distributed by the professor himself, a two-dimensional code obtained by encoding the document ID and the student ID is added to the first material. For the second and subsequent materials, a code obtained by encoding the student ID and the document ID is added at the time of printing. These codes are different for each copy of the document. For example, materials for lectures and management data are transmitted to the multifunction device 4, for example, the materials are stored in the document memory 26, and the management data is stored in the document management unit 28.

  The professor will distribute the first material to students in the first lecture. The student prints the second document, which is the next document, by scanning the two-dimensional code added to the first document, which is the previous document, with the multifunction device 4. That is, the first page of the material with an optical code such as a two-dimensional code is scanned by the scanner 23, and the code processing unit 27 decodes the extracted two-dimensional code to specify the document ID and the student ID. The document management unit 28 obtains the document ID of the next document, and the code processing unit 27 generates a two-dimensional code to be added to the next material from the student ID and the ID of the next document. In addition, the document management unit 28 stores how many copies of which document have been distributed to which student based on the document ID and the student ID. Then, the next material is printed from the printer 22, and for example, a two-dimensional code for printing the material one after another is added to the first page. The second and subsequent materials can also be obtained by repeating the above procedure. For example, the document of the third time is printed by scanning the first page of the material of the second time to identify the document ID and the like.

  FIG. 3 shows the flow of document distribution up to the first material 34-1, the second material 34-2,..., The n-1th material 34-3, and the nth (final) material 34-4. Indicates. Two-dimensional codes 37 to 39 are added to each material except for the nth material 34-4. As described above, a one-dimensional code may be used instead of the two-dimensional code. The two-dimensional code can be added to any space on any page of the distribution material. If there is no space to add the two-dimensional code to the distribution material, for example, a cover page to which the two-dimensional code is added is added. In addition to the two-dimensional code, arbitrary information such as a document name, a distributor, a distribution date and time, and a printable period can be added to the cover page. The two-dimensional codes 37 to 39 are obtained by coding a document ID and a user ID, and may include other data. The document ID is, for example, the ID of the own document, but may be the ID of the next document. When the next document is printed, the first page of the previous document is read by the scanner of the multifunction machine, and the document ID and the user ID are obtained from the two-dimensional code. When the document ID is found, the ID of the next document to be printed is known and printed. In this way, a series of series documents are distributed in order according to a predetermined schedule while managing the distribution status for each student.

  4 and 5 show the document management file 40 and the user management file 42. FIG. The document management file 40 describes the ID of each document, storage destination information (pass), a period during which printing is permitted (print period), and an upper limit (number of copies) that can be printed. The first document is printed by the professor and distributed to students, so there is no data on the printing period or the number of prints. If the ID of the next document, the storage destination information, the print period, and the upper limit of the number of prints are described in the code instead of the ID of the own document, the document management file 40 becomes unnecessary.

  The record of the user management file 42 is provided for each individual user. Since the professor is a document creator (system operator), the authority level in the document management system 2 is unlimited, and document creation, registration, erasure, deletion, and others can be performed arbitrarily. The professor also has an unlimited number of prints. For example, in FIG. 5, 80 copies are printed for the first distribution, one copy of the second document, three copies of the third document, one copy of the fourth document, and two copies of the fifth document. Printed. The assistant can perform any processing other than deleting documents, editing registered documents, and adding documents, and the number of prints is unlimited. There is no restriction on the printing period. Furthermore, the professor and the assistant can arbitrarily use the multifunction machines 4 and 5 in any mode.

  The students S1, S2, etc. are limited to the printing of lecture materials only for the range of access to the multifunction machine 4, and will obtain the materials for the next and subsequent times based on materials with codes. The print period is subject to the restrictions described in the document management file 40, and the number of prints is also subject to the restrictions described in the file 40. FIG. 5 shows the number of times each material is printed for each student ID. The first material was distributed by the professor. Student 1 prints materials from the second to the fourth. On the other hand, it can be seen that Student 2 has never printed the second and subsequent materials. Therefore, it is possible to grasp the material distribution status to each student from the user management file 42. If the scanner 16 shown in FIG. 1 is installed in the classroom and the student's two-dimensional code is read when the student enters the room, data on the combination of the student and the material brought in can be obtained and the attendance status can be managed.

  When the document has confidentiality, as a printing condition, when the previous document is read by the scanner 23, authentication data such as a user ID and fingerprint is input from the operation panel 30 or the like, and the user in the code You may make it confirm corresponding with ID. In this way, highly confidential materials can be distributed in order.

  FIG. 6 shows the professor's document creation work. The professor opens a document registration screen displayed on the monitor of the personal computer 7 (step 1) and registers lecture materials and the like (step 2). For this registration, a document file created by the professor may be input from a USB memory or the like, read from the document management server 10 or the like, or read by a scanner. In step 3, the number of printable times, the printable period, and the order of material distribution for each material are registered. In step 4, a two-dimensional code such as a QR code is added to the first lecture material, and the multifunction device 4 or the like. Print. In step 5, for example, the first material is distributed to each student in the first lecture.

  FIG. 7 shows a student document printing operation. The first lecture material (34-1) is received from the professor in the first lecture (step 6), and the QR code (code 37 in FIG. 3) added to the first lecture material is scanned by the multifunction machine 4 (step 7). ). Then, the document management unit 28 such as the multifunction machine 4 checks whether or not the number of prints and the print period are equal to or less than the limit described in the document management file 40 of FIG. 4 in step 8, and if OK, the next document (34- Print 2). At this time, a code 38 is generated and added from the next document ID and student ID (step 9). In this way, the student can obtain the next document and prepare for it or take it with him / her during the course (step 10). For example, if printing of lecture materials up to the next time is permitted, that is, if the printable materials in the document management file 40 are described so as to include materials for the next time of lectures, the necessity of printing is checked in step 11. If the print period and the number of prints are OK (step 12), the process returns to step 7 to print the next material. Steps 11 and 12 may not be provided, the next lecture material may not be printed, and only the next material printed after the scanned material may be permitted.

In the embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The distribution status of documents can be managed for each user.
(2) A series of series documents can be distributed in sequence.
(3) The distribution period and number of distributions can be limited.
(4) Along with these, it is no longer necessary for the distributor to print and distribute the materials every time.

In the embodiment, the distribution of lecture materials has been described. However, the embodiment can be applied to materials that are distributed in order. Materials to be distributed are optional, such as minutes, research group materials, design materials, and novels published in newspapers. For example, each time a meeting is held, the person in charge creates a minutes, and the attendee may obtain the current minutes by scanning a two-dimensional code added to the previous minutes. The same applies to the materials of the study group, and the next study group materials can be distributed only to the owners of the present study group materials. In addition, whether or not to charge for printing can be arbitrarily set according to materials to be distributed. For example, when lecture materials are distributed on campus as in the embodiment, it can be set not to charge within the permitted print range.

2 Document management system 4, 5, 14 MFP 6 LAN
7, 8, 15 Personal computer 10, 13 Document management server 16 Scanner 20 Network interface 21 Network application processing unit 22 Printer 23 Scanner 24 G3 facsimile machine 25 CPU
26 Document memory 27 Code processing unit 28 Document management unit 29 General-purpose memory 30 Operation panel 31 USB memory 32 Monitor 33 Keyboard 34-1 to 34-4 Document 37 to 39 Two-dimensional code 40 Document management file 42 User management file

Claims (6)

In a system provided with a scanner, a printer, an optical code decoding unit and an encoding unit, and a storage device for storing a document,
In addition to providing a document management unit for determining whether other documents to be printed and whether or not to print from the document ID and the user ID,
The optical code is at least the document ID and the user ID encoded, and is added to the document;
The scanner extracts the code from the scanned document;
The decoding unit decodes the extracted code to obtain a document ID and a user ID,
A new optical code including a document ID and a user ID is generated by the encoding unit, added to another document determined by the document management unit, and printed by the printer. Document management system.   2. The document management system according to claim 1, wherein the document management unit counts the number of times of printing for each user for each document, and permits printing only when the number of times of printing is a predetermined number or less.   The document management unit stores a printable period for each document or encodes the printable period in the code so that printing is permitted only within the printable period. 1 or 2 document management system.   4. The document management system according to claim 1, wherein an ID of the other document is encoded as a document ID in the code.   4. The document according to claim 1, wherein an ID of the own document is encoded as a document ID in the code, and the document management unit obtains an ID of the other document from the ID of the own document. Management system.   There are a plurality of documents from the first document to the last document, the code is assigned to each document except the last document, and the code is different for each document and for each user who prints the document. The document management system according to claim 1, wherein:

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