JP2011180642A - Image forming device and printer driver download method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a user in a different network environment to easily install a printer driver. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming device 20 generates a temporary guest password based on the operation of a manager 51, and generates a two-dimensional code of a URL including the password, a guest ID, and a path to a Web page. The manager 51 images the two-dimensional code 272 by a camera-equipped cellphone 40, and transmits the content thereof to the user 18 by electronic mail. The user 18 clicks a link on the mail by a pointing device to receive a printer driver stored in a hard disk drive 25 of the image forming device 20 to be installed on a PC 10, and performs printing within a predetermined time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a printer driver download method using the same, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus storing a printer driver and a driver installer in a storage unit and a printer driver download method using the same.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a configuration in which a printer driver is stored in a multifunction machine coupled to a network.

  According to this configuration, when an insider uses an MFP from a personal computer coupled to the same network, the printer driver can be easily installed.

JP 2003-67168 A

  However, outsiders with different network environments cannot easily install this printer driver in their personal computers.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of such problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of easily installing a printer driver even for outsiders with different network environments, and a printer driver download method using the image forming apparatus. There is to do.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in an image forming apparatus including a storage unit storing a printer driver, a driver installer, and a control program, a processor, an operation panel, and a network interface,
The control program gives the processor
(A) In response to an instruction input via the operation panel, a two-dimensional code including printer driver download URL information is displayed on the operation panel;
In response to a request for the Web page of the URL indicated by the URL information via the network interface, the printer driver and the driver installer are returned to the request source.

In a second aspect of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in the first aspect,
In the process (a), the instruction input includes an ID and a password, and the control program causes the processor to determine whether or not the ID and the password are predetermined. The two-dimensional code is displayed on the operation panel.

  In the third aspect of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in the second aspect, the URL information includes a guest ID and a temporarily valid password.

  According to the configuration of the first aspect, the two-dimensional code including the URL information for downloading the printer driver displayed on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus is picked up by the camera-equipped mobile phone, and the image or the image is converted into a character string. By sending this information to outsiders by e-mail, the outsiders can easily download the printer driver and its driver installer from the image forming apparatus.

  According to the configuration of the second aspect, since the two-dimensional code is displayed on the operation panel only when the input ID and password are appropriate, there is an effect that security can be ensured.

  According to the configuration of the third aspect, since the URL information includes the guest ID and a temporarily valid password, an outsider can easily download the printer driver and its driver installer while ensuring security. There is an effect that can be done.

  Other objects, configurations and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.

1 is a schematic diagram of a system in which an image forming apparatus, a personal computer (PC), a mail server, and a camera-equipped mobile phone are coupled to a network according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows operation | movement of the system of FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus and a PC coupled to a network. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for displaying a two-dimensional code for printer driver installation by the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an operation panel display screen of the image forming apparatus. FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system in which a PC 10, an image forming apparatus 20, a mail server 30, and a camera-equipped mobile phone 40 are coupled to a network 50.

  This system is for temporarily connecting the PC 10 to a network 50 different from its network environment so that the file can be printed by the image forming apparatus 20.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the PC 10 and the image forming apparatus 20.

  In the PC 10, the CPU 11 is coupled to the PROM 13, DRAM 14, hard disk drive 15, network interface 16, and conversational input / output device 17 via the interface 12. In FIG. 3, a plurality of types of interfaces are represented by one block 12 for the sake of simplicity.

  The PROM 13 is a flash memory, for example, and stores a BIOS. The DRAM 14 is used as a main storage device. The hard disk drive 15 stores an application including an operating system (OS), various drivers, and a browser. Network interface 16 is coupled to network 50. The interactive input / output device 17 includes, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device, and a display device.

  In the image forming apparatus 20, a CPU 21 is coupled to a PROM 23, a DRAM 24, a hard disk drive 25, a network interface 26, an operation panel 27, a scanner 28, a printer 29, and a fax modem 2A via an interface 22.

  The PROM 23 is, for example, a flash memory, and stores a basic input / output system (BIOS), an OS, various drivers, and various applications for functioning as an image forming apparatus. The DRAM 24 is used as a main storage device. The hard disk drive 25 stores printing data, image data read by the scanner 28, and facsimile reception data. Network interface 26 is coupled to network 50. The operation panel 27 is provided with keys and a display panel. The scanner 28 is used as an input device for printing and facsimile transmission, and is used for generating an image file. The printer 29 includes a print engine, a paper feeding unit, a conveyance unit, and a paper discharge unit. The bitmap data generated in the DRAM 24 is supplied, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum based on the data. This image is developed with toner, and the toner image is transferred and fixed on a sheet, and discharged.

  FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the system of FIG.

  (S0) The administrator 51 operates the operation panel 27 of the image forming apparatus 20 to select a menu, and displays a screen 271 as shown in FIG.

  (S1) The administrator 51 activates the camera by operating the camera-equipped mobile phone 40, and matches the field of view and focus to a two-dimensional code 272 on the screen 271, for example, a QR code (registered trademark).

  (S2) The manager 51 depresses a button corresponding to the release switch on the camera-equipped mobile phone 40 and images the two-dimensional code 272.

  (S3) The administrator 51 operates the camera-equipped mobile phone 40 to start a program for converting the two-dimensional code of the photographed image into a character string. This character string is a URL including the path of the printer driver download Web page.

  (S4) The administrator 51 operates the camera-equipped mobile phone 40 to transmit an e-mail including this URL to the e-mail address of the outsider 18 inside or outside the company. This electronic mail is transmitted to the mail server 30 and held.

  (S5) The outsider 18 couples the PC 10 to the network 50 and operates the PC 10 to receive mail addressed to him / her from the mail server 30.

  (S6) By clicking the link of the URL included in this mail with the pointing device, the image forming apparatus 20 is requested for a Web page for downloading the printer driver. In response to this, the image forming apparatus 20 transmits this page to the PC 10. On this Web page, a link for downloading the printer driver & driver installer file is pasted.

  (S7) The outsider 18 clicks this link with a pointing device. In response to this, the image forming apparatus 20 transmits to the PC 10 a file in which the printer driver and the driver installer are compressed together.

  (S8) The outsider 18 operates the PC 10 to decompress the compressed file.

  (S9) The outsider 18 activates the driver installer among the decompressed files. As a result, the printer driver is installed in the storage device of the PC 10.

  According to the first embodiment, the administrator 51 images the two-dimensional code 272 with the camera-equipped mobile phone 40 and transmits the contents to the outsider 18 by e-mail. By clicking the link with the pointing device, the printer driver stored in the hard disk drive 25 of the image forming apparatus 20 can be received by the PC 10 and installed.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a program stored in the PROM 23 for the CPU 21 to display the screen 271 of FIG. 1 in consideration of security.

  (S10, S11) The administrator 51 operates the operation panel 27 of the image forming apparatus 20 to display a printer driver download screen 273 as shown in FIG.

  (S12) On this screen, the administrator 51 inputs his / her ID and password and presses an “OK” button.

  (S13) The CPU 21 compares the ID and password with those stored in the PROM 23. If the CPU 21 determines that the ID and password are appropriate, the CPU 21 generates a random number to generate a temporary guest password. Register this in “Temporary” means that when the image forming apparatus 20 is accessed using a guest ID and a password, access to the image forming apparatus 20 is permitted only for a predetermined time, for example, the current day.

  (S14) The CPU 21 creates a URL two-dimensional code 272 including the guest ID and a temporary password. This URL is, for example, “http://abc.com/driver.cgi?id=xxxx&pw=yyyy”, where “xxxx” is the value of the guest ID and “yyyy” is a temporary password. Is the value of

  (S15) The CPU 21 displays the two-dimensional code 272 on the operation panel 27 as shown in FIG.

  (S16) The CPU 21 sets a software timer so that a timer event occurs after the predetermined time has elapsed. This software timer uses a clock function provided in the CPU 21.

  When this timer event occurs, the CPU 21 deletes the temporary password registered in step S13 from the PROM 23.

  In response to the Web page request in step S6 in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 20 compares the ID and password included in the URL with those stored in the PROM 23, and permits login only for those determined to be appropriate. A web page is transmitted to the PC 10. After installing the printer driver on the PC 10 as described above, the outsider 18 can use the image forming apparatus 20 only for the predetermined time (the guest ID is compared before the use). Done.)

  According to the second embodiment, a temporary password for a guest is generated under the management of the administrator 51 and a URL including the temporary password is converted into the two-dimensional code 272. In addition, it is possible to log in to the image forming apparatus 20 without directly inputting a temporary password, install a printer driver within a predetermined time, and perform printing with the image forming apparatus 20, thereby ensuring security and an outsider. This makes it easy to use the image forming apparatus.

  In the above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention includes various modifications, and other combinations of the components described in the above-described embodiments, and functions of the components. Those using other configurations for realizing the above, and other configurations that would be conceived by those skilled in the art from these configurations or functions are also included in the present invention.

  For example, in step S3 of FIG. 2, the image is transmitted to an outsider by e-mail without converting the two-dimensional code into a character string, and the image is converted into a URL character string by the program of the PC 10. Good.

  Of course, the image forming apparatus 20 may be provided with an IC card input unit, and the ID and password may be input using the IC card in S12 of FIG.

10 PC
11, 21 CPU
12, 22 Interface 13, 23 PROM
14, 24 DRAM
15, 25 Hard disk drive 16, 26 Network interface 17 Interactive input / output device 18 Outsider 20 Image forming device 27 Operation panel 271, 271A, 273 Screen 272 Two-dimensional code 28 Scanner 29 Printer 2A Fax modem 30 Mail server 40 With camera Mobile phone 50 Network 51 Administrator

Claims (5)

In an image forming apparatus including a storage unit storing a printer driver, a driver installer, and a control program, a processor, an operation panel, and a network interface.
The control program gives the processor
(A) In response to an instruction input via the operation panel, a two-dimensional code including printer driver download URL information is displayed on the operation panel;
In response to a request for the Web page of the URL indicated by the URL information via the network interface, the printer driver and the driver installer are returned to the request source.
An image forming apparatus. In the process (a), the instruction input includes an ID and a password, and the control program causes the processor to determine whether or not the ID and the password are predetermined, and only when an affirmative determination is made. Displaying the two-dimensional code on the operation panel;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the URL information includes a guest ID and a temporarily valid password. In response to an instruction input to the camera-equipped mobile communication terminal, the camera-equipped mobile communication terminal captures the two-dimensional code according to claim 1 captured by the camera, converts the content into character string information, In response to an instruction input to the camera-equipped mobile communication terminal, an email including the link of the character string information is transmitted,
The information processing apparatus receives the electronic mail in response to an instruction input to the information processing apparatus, and accesses the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 in response to an instruction input to the link of the electronic mail. Download the printer driver and the driver installer;
A printer driver download method characterized by the above. In response to an instruction input to the camera-equipped mobile communication terminal, the camera-equipped mobile communication terminal images the two-dimensional code according to claim 1 captured by the camera, and inputs the instruction to the camera-equipped mobile communication terminal. In response, an email containing the image of the two-dimensional code is sent to the mail server,
In response to an instruction input to the information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus receives the electronic mail from the mail server, and in response to an instruction input to the information processing apparatus, an image included in the electronic mail is displayed. A URL character string link is converted, and in response to an instruction input to the link, the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 is accessed to download the printer driver and the driver installer.
A printer driver download method characterized by the above.

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