JP2012076256A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To execute confidential printing without requiring a user to carry out an additional operation of setting for confidential document in transmitting print data to an image forming device from a personal computer or the like by the user, though it is conventionally necessary to perform the setting.SOLUTION: In a first method, the image forming device includes a controller wherein when a printing execution request is received from an external and meets a confidential printing switching condition, printing upon the printing execution request is switched to the confidential printing. In a second method, the image forming device includes an instrument which determines whether the other user except for a user of a transmission source of the printing execution request operates an operation part or not, whether a printing job of the other user is executed or not, and whether the other user logs in or not, and determines that the image forming device meets the confidential printing switching condition when either of these conditions is satisfied.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  For image forming devices such as copiers and multifunction devices, when specific print data designated as confidential by a user is received from a personal computer, printing is not performed immediately, and if a password is not input by an operation unit such as a touch panel, printing is performed. Some of them are equipped with a function that does not. In addition, in such an image forming apparatus, when an error that interrupts image formation such as a paper jam or out of toner occurs during printing of a confidential document, the confidential document is kept confidential. In some cases, even if the error is canceled, image formation is not resumed until a password is input. As a result, even if the user leaves the image forming apparatus during confidential printing, the content of the confidential document is prevented from leaking to others. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a printing apparatus in which image formation is not resumed until an input of a password or the like is performed when such an error occurs.

JP 2004-98413 A

  However, in the above prior art, when the user sends print data from the personal computer or the like (external) to the image forming apparatus, an extra operation of setting that the document is a confidential document is required. Further, when printing is started or an error occurs, it takes time and effort to input a password using an operation unit such as a touch panel in order to start image formation of a confidential document.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to allow a user to execute confidential printing without performing extra operations.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, as a first solving means related to the image forming apparatus, when a print execution request is received from the outside, printing for the print execution request is performed confidentially when the confidential print switching condition is met. The control means for switching to printing is employed.

  In the present invention, as a second solving means relating to the image forming apparatus, in the first solving means, the control means is configured such that a user other than the user who has transmitted the print execution request operates the operation unit. Whether or not the other user's print job is being executed, and whether or not the other user is logged in, and if any of these conditions is satisfied, the confidential print switching condition is applied. Is adopted.

  In the present invention, as a third solving means relating to the image forming apparatus, in the first or second solving means, when the control means receives the switching condition change instruction, the confidentiality is determined based on the switching condition change instruction. A means of changing the print switching condition is adopted.

  In the present invention, as a fourth solving means relating to the image forming apparatus, in any one of the first to third solving means, the control means sets the confidential printing execution condition after switching the printing to the confidential printing. If this is the case, a means of executing printing is employed.

  In the present invention, as a fifth solving means relating to the image forming apparatus, in the fourth solving means, an operation unit is provided, and the control means includes a user other than the user who transmitted the print execution request. Whether or not a print job has been completed, whether or not a certain time has elapsed since the other user completed the operation of the operation unit, whether or not a certain time had elapsed since the other user logged out, A means is adopted in which it is determined whether or not the user who has transmitted the print execution request is in a close position, and a case in which all the conditions are satisfied is determined to be in the confidential print execution conditions.

  In the present invention, as a sixth solving means relating to the image forming apparatus, in the fourth or fifth solving means, when the control means receives an execution condition change instruction, the confidential printing is performed based on the execution condition change instruction. A method of changing execution conditions is adopted.

  According to the present invention, when a print execution request is received from the outside, printing corresponding to the print execution request is switched to confidential printing when the confidential print switching condition is satisfied. As described above, when the confidential printing switching condition is satisfied, the security printing is automatically switched to the confidential printing. Therefore, the user can execute the confidential printing without performing an extra operation.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a multifunction peripheral A according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of the multifunction peripheral A according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The multifunction peripheral (image forming apparatus) A according to the present embodiment has a copy function, a print function, a scan function, a facsimile transmission / reception function, and an e-mail transmission function. As shown in FIG. 1, the multi-function device A includes an operation display unit 1, an image reading unit 2, an image data storage unit 3, an image processing unit 4, a paper transport / image forming unit 5, a communication unit 6, and a main control unit (control unit). Means) 7 is provided.

  The operation display unit 1 includes operation keys 11 and a touch panel 12, and functions as a man-machine interface that associates the user with the multifunction device A. The operation display unit 1 outputs an operation instruction of an operation button displayed on the pressed operation key 11 or the touch panel 12 to the main control unit 7 and displays various screens on the touch panel based on a control signal from the main control unit 7. indicate.

  The image reading unit 2 is a document automatically fed by a DP (Document Processor: automatic document feeder) based on a control signal input from the main control unit 7 or an image of a document placed on a platen glass (document The image) is read by the line sensor and converted into document image data, and the document image data is output to the image data storage unit 3.

  The image data storage unit 3 is a semiconductor memory or a hard disk device or the like, and receives document image data, print image data, and facsimile image data (received by the communication unit 6 from the outside) based on a control signal input from the main control unit 7. The image data is stored and read out and output to the image processing unit 4.

  The image processing unit 4 performs various types of image processing (for example, image processing corresponding to enlargement / reduction copying) on the image data input from the image data storage unit 3 based on a control signal input from the main control unit 7. At the same time, the image data is converted into image data in an image forming format and output to the paper transport / image forming unit 5. When the image reading unit 2 reads a color original, the image data input from the image data storage unit 3 to the image processing unit 4 is RGB image data (color image data) corresponding to the three primary colors of light. Reference numeral 4 denotes image data corresponding to the image forming format using such RGB image data, for example, YMCK image data, that is, an image using Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black) as reference colors. The data is converted and output to the paper transport / image forming unit 5.

 The paper transport / image forming unit 5 includes a print engine (photosensitive drum, charger, developing device, fixing roller, and the like), a paper feed roller, a paper discharge roller, and the like. The paper transport / image forming unit 5 transports recording paper from a paper feed cassette (not shown) by a paper feed roller based on a control signal of the main control unit 7, and an image based on image data input from the image processing unit 4. Is transferred to a recording sheet and fixed, and the recording sheet is discharged onto a discharge tray (not shown) by a discharge roller.

  The communication unit 6 communicates with an external multifunction peripheral or facsimile apparatus via a telephone line based on a control signal from the main control unit 7, and with a client computer C via a local area network B. That is, the communication unit 6 has both a communication function conforming to a LAN standard such as Ethernet (registered trademark) and a communication function conforming to a facsimile standard such as G3. The communication unit 6 can perform e-mail transmission or facsimile transmission / reception, for example.

  The client computer C is a desktop or notebook personal computer, and transmits a print execution request to the multifunction device A based on a user operation instruction received by an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse. In addition to the client computer C, a plurality of client computers (not shown) are connected to the multi-function device A via the local area network B.

  The main control unit 7 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), the operation display unit 1, an image reading unit 2, an image data storage unit 3, an image processing unit 4, and a sheet. An interface circuit for inputting / outputting signals to / from the transport / image forming unit 5 and the communication unit 6, and the like. Based on a control program stored in the ROM and an operation instruction input from the operation display unit 1, Controls the overall operation of the multifunction machine A. The control program stored in the ROM includes a confidential printing control program, and the main control unit 7 executes confidential printing based on the confidential printing control program. The details of the processing executed by the main control unit 7 will be described below as the operation of the multifunction device A.

Next, the operation of the multifunction peripheral A according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
First, a user who wants to print with the multifunction device A operates the client computer C to transmit a print execution request including print image data from the client computer C to the multifunction device A.

 In the MFP A, when the communication unit 6 receives the print execution request (step S1), the main control unit 7 stores the print image data received together with the print execution request in the image data storage unit 3, and responds to the print execution request. It is determined whether or not printing satisfies the confidential printing switching condition (step S2). That is, the main control unit 7 executes whether or not another user other than the user of the client computer C (the transmission source of the print execution request) is operating the operation display unit 1 and a print job of another user. And whether or not another user is logged in. If any of these conditions is met, it is determined that the classified print switching condition is met. Judge that it does not apply. Whether or not another user is operating the operation display unit 1 is determined by the user of the client computer C operating when the user of the client computer C logs in and operating the operation display unit 1. It is determined that the other operation display unit 1 is operated, and it is determined that another user is operating the operation display unit 1.

Returning to FIG. 2, if the main control unit 7 determines “NO” in step S <b> 2, that is, if the confidential print switching condition is not satisfied, the print image data stored in the image data storage unit 3 is converted into an image. The processing unit 4 converts the image data into print image data in an image forming format, and causes the paper transport / image forming unit 5 to perform printing based on the print image data (step S3).
If the main control unit 7 determines “YES” in step S2, that is, if the confidential print switching condition is satisfied, the main control unit 7 switches the print in response to the print execution request received from the client computer C to the confidential print, and performs the print. The paper conveyance / image forming unit 5 is put on standby (step S4).

 After step S4, the main control unit 7 determines whether or not the confidential printing execution condition is satisfied (step S5). That is, the main control unit 7 determines whether or not a print job of another user other than the user of the client computer C has been completed, and whether or not a certain time has elapsed since the other user completed the operation of the operation display unit 1. It is determined whether or not a certain time has elapsed since the other user logged out, and whether or not the user of the client computer C is in a position near the multi-function peripheral A, and the case where all the conditions are satisfied is set as the confidential print execution condition. It is determined that this is the case, and if any of the conditions is not satisfied, it is determined that the confidential printing execution condition is not satisfied.

 Specifically, as a method for determining whether or not the user of the client computer C is near the multifunction device A, for example, when the client computer C transmits the print execution request with the location information of the client computer C added, There is a method in which the main control unit 7 determines whether or not the user of the client computer C is near the multi-function device A based on the position information. At this time, the main control unit 7 performs the determination on the assumption that the user is in the ridge of the client computer C.

 In addition, when entering / exiting a room is managed by a user-owned card (for example, a non-contact IC card or a magnetic card), the main control unit 7 is located near the multi-function peripheral A based on the room entering / exiting information. When the local area network B is wireless communication, the main control unit 7 specifies the position of the client computer C based on the communication state of the wireless communication, and based on the specified result, the multifunction device A There is also a method for determining whether or not the position is near. In this case as well, the main control unit 7 performs the determination on the assumption that the user is in the client computer C.

 If it is determined as “YES” in step S5, that is, if the confidential printing execution condition is satisfied, the main control unit 7 executes printing on the paper transport / image forming unit 5 based on the print image data in step S3. Let When the main control unit 7 determines “NO” in step S5, that is, when the confidential printing execution condition is not satisfied, the main control unit 7 displays a screen prompting the user to input the password by operating the operation display unit 1. It is determined whether or not a correct password has been input (step S6).

 If the main control unit 7 determines “NO” in step S6, that is, if the correct password is not input, the main control unit 7 waits for input of the correct password in step S6, and determines “YES” in step S6. In this case, that is, when a correct password is input, in step S3, the paper conveyance / image forming unit 5 is caused to execute printing based on the print image data.

  As described above, in the MFP A according to the present embodiment, when receiving the print execution request from the client computer C (external), the main control unit 7 prints the print execution request when the confidential print switching condition is met. Switch to confidential printing. As described above, when the confidential printing switching condition is satisfied, the security printing is automatically switched to the confidential printing. Therefore, the user can execute the confidential printing without performing an extra operation.

As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, For example, the following modifications can be considered.
(1) In the above embodiment, the main control unit 7 determines whether or not another user other than the user of the client computer C is operating the operation display unit 1 and whether or not a print job of another user is being executed. It is determined whether or not another user is logged in, and it is determined that any of the conditions is applicable to the confidential print switching condition, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the main control unit 7 receives a switching condition change instruction from the operation display unit 1 by a user operation, the main control unit 7 may change the confidential printing switching condition based on the switching condition change instruction. As for the confidential print execution condition, when the main control unit 7 receives an execution condition change instruction from the operation display unit 1 by a user operation, the main control unit 7 changes the confidential print execution condition based on the execution condition change instruction. Also good.

A ... MFP, 1 ... operation display unit, 2 ... image reading unit, 3 ... image data storage unit, 4 ... image processing unit, 5 ... paper transport / image forming unit, 6 ... communication unit, 7 ... main control unit ( Control means), 11 ... operation keys, 12 ... touch panel

Claims (6)

  An image forming apparatus, comprising: a control unit that switches printing for a print execution request to confidential printing when a print execution request is received from outside when a confidential printing switching condition is satisfied. It has an operation part,
The control means determines whether a user other than the user who has transmitted the print execution request is operating the operation unit, whether the other user is executing a print job, and the other user. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus determines whether or not the user is logged in, and determines that a case where any of these conditions is satisfied is satisfied as a confidential print switching condition.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the confidential printing switching condition based on the switching condition change instruction when receiving the switching condition change instruction.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit executes printing when the confidential printing execution condition is satisfied after the printing is switched to the confidential printing. It has an operation part,
The control means determines whether a print job of a user other than the user who has transmitted the print execution request has been completed, and whether a certain time has elapsed since the other user completed the operation of the operation unit. Whether or not a certain period of time has elapsed since the other user logged out, and whether or not the user who sent the print execution request is in a close position, and if all the conditions are met, the confidential print execution condition The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image forming apparatus is determined to be true. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit changes the confidential printing execution condition based on the execution condition change instruction when receiving the execution condition change instruction.

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