JP2013186849A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To guarantee security and reduce setting work for authentication information by performing authentication of print data using the same authentication information when using a print preview.SOLUTION: In a printing system, a host apparatus, an authentication server and a printing device are connected through a network. The host apparatus comprises: a registration unit which generates print data, transmits user authentication information to an authentication server, and receives document authentication information from the authentication server to register the print data in the authentication server; first authentication unit which transmits the document authentication information etc. to the authentication server and reads the print data from the authentication server after authentication permission; a second authentication unit which transmits the document authentication information etc. to the authentication server and performs preview display of the print data after the authentication permission; and a transmission unit which transmits the print data to which the document authentication information etc. is added to the printing device. The printing device transmits the document authentication information etc. to the authentication server and performs print output to a storage medium on the basis of the print data after the authentication permission.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system in which a host device such as a personal computer (PC) and a printing apparatus are connected via a network.

  Today, computer networks are widely used. For example, a printing system is used in which a printing apparatus is connected to a network such as a LAN (local area network) and print data is transmitted from a host device such as a personal computer (PC). Has been. In such a system, the host device and the printing apparatus are often installed at a remote location, and when printing a confidential document, there is a concern that the printed material may be read by another person.

  Therefore, in order to increase the security of the conventional document, authentication information such as a password is added to the document file of the created document and sent to the printing apparatus. For example, the password is input from the operation panel of the printing apparatus or the IC card is tricked. A method is used in which a password is input to a printing apparatus, authentication processing is performed, and printing is performed.

  Further, Patent Document 1 stores print data including a plurality of passwords such as an authority password and a password for opening a document in an image forming apparatus, enables processing of the print data corresponding to the authority, and secures a security level while performing authentication. An invention of an image forming apparatus that performs printing and a user authentication method is disclosed.

JP 2009-266022 A

  However, during the document printing process, print data settings are confirmed using a preview application, and settings such as multi-page printing and monochrome printing are eliminated so that such a preview function is used. In this case, it is necessary to set authentication information different from the conventional one.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a printing system that authenticates print data using the same authentication information even when a preview application is used, thereby ensuring security and reducing authentication information setting work.

  According to the present invention, in the printing system in which a host device, an authentication server, and a printing apparatus are connected, the host device transmits user authentication information that permits the use of the authentication server to the authentication server. And an authentication acquisition unit that acquires document authentication information permitted for the document file by making a document file registration request, and assigns the document authentication information to the document file and sends the document file to the authentication server. A registration unit for transmitting and registering the document file, and when the document file is read from the authentication server, the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server and authentication is permitted. A first authentication unit that reads the document file and the authentication server when previewing the document file stored in the authentication server. When the document authentication information is transmitted and the authentication is permitted, a second authentication unit that displays a preview of the document file, a print data generation unit that generates print data based on the document file, and the document A transmission unit that adds the authentication information and transmits the print data to the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus transmits the document authentication information received from the host device to the previous authentication server to be authenticated. And a printing system that includes a print control unit that performs print output on a recording medium based on the print data.

  According to the present invention, the print data is read based on the authentication information, and when the print data is previewed, the authentication process is performed based on the same authentication information, and also when the print output is performed by the printing apparatus. It is possible to perform authentication processing based on the same authentication information to ensure sufficient security, and to reduce authentication information setting work by using different authentication information in each process.

1 is a system configuration diagram of a printing system according to an embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the processing operation of this embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a printing system according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, the printing system according to the present embodiment includes a printing apparatus 1, a client PC that is a host device of the printing apparatus 1, and an authentication server 2. The printing apparatus 1, the client PC, and the authentication server 2 are connected via a network such as a LAN (local area network).

  The client PC includes a main storage device 3 and an auxiliary storage device 4, and the main storage device 3 includes an application 5, a preview application 6, and a print spooler 7. The auxiliary storage device 4 includes a document file storage unit 9 and an intermediate image storage unit 10 to be described later. In addition to the above configuration, the client PC includes, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, and a display (not shown).

  The client PC uses the application 5 to create print data, and the print setting is confirmed by the preview application 6. For example, while referring to the print preview, the print paper size is selected and set, the print image layout is set for the print paper, and printing is performed. The multi-page aggregate print setting, double-sided print setting, print number setting, and the like are set for the paper, and the print data is sent to the print spooler 7. In the print spooler, the print data is converted into intermediate data (PDL data) corresponding to the printing apparatus 1 by the printer driver 8 which is a component of the print spooler 7 and transmitted to the printing apparatus 1.

  The printing apparatus 1 includes a receiving unit 12, a control unit 13, a printing mechanism unit 14, a storage unit 15, an input operation / authentication operation unit 16, and a display unit 17. The receiving unit 12 receives the print data (PDL data) transmitted from the client PC, performs command analysis by the control unit 3, converts it into image data, and stores it as a saved document in the storage unit 15.

  The image data stored in the storage unit 15 is subjected to an authentication process to be described later. When authentication is obtained, the image data is read from the storage unit 15 and the print mechanism unit 14 is driven to perform print output on paper. The input operation / authentication operation unit 16 and the display unit 17 are provided on the front surface of the printing apparatus 1 as an operation panel, for example.

  On the other hand, the authentication server 2 includes a main storage device 18 and an auxiliary storage device 19. The main storage device 18 includes a document management unit 20, and a document management database 21 is constructed in the auxiliary storage device 19. The document management unit 20 registers and publishes the document file transmitted from the client PC, performs an authentication operation when a request for reading the document file is received from the client PC, and manages unauthorized access to print data. On the other hand, the document management database 21 stores a document file and information of the document file, for example, a user name and a document name that created the document file, and a document ID and authentication information described later. The document file is managed for each user name, for example.

In the above configuration, the processing operation of this example will be described below.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the processing operation of this example. First, the client PC creates document data using the application 5 and registers the document in the authentication server 2 (a shown in FIG. 2).

  Specifically, first, authentication information (user authentication information) of a user who uses the document database of the authentication server 2 is transmitted from the client PC to the authentication server 2 (step (hereinafter referred to as S) 1). Receive authentication (login process). This authentication process is performed by the document management unit 20 of the authentication server 2, and authentication information of a user who has received permission to use the system is registered in the authentication server 2. The document management unit 20 refers to this information. Perform authentication processing.

  Here, when the use of the user is permitted by the authentication processing by the document management unit 20, the user registers the document file created using application software or the like in the document management database 21 of the authentication server 2. Then, a document registration request is transmitted to the authentication server 2. In response to this request, the document ID is transmitted from the authentication server 2 to the client PC (S2). This document ID includes the address information of the authentication server 2 that performs authentication in addition to the identifier unique to the document file that has received the registration request. When this document ID is received on the client PC side, the received document ID is added to the document file and then uploaded to the document management database 21 of the authentication server 2 (S3).

  For example, the created document file is transmitted to the authentication server 2 and registered in the document management database 21 of the authentication server 2. At this time, the document management database 21 registers the document ID of the document file and user authentication information in addition to the user name and document name that created the document file, as well as the document file as described above.

  Registration of document files in the authentication server 2 is also performed by other users (client PCs), and a large number of document files are registered in the document management database 21 of the authentication server 2 from a plurality of client PCs. Document file information is managed for each user.

  Next, a document open process is performed in a state where a large number of document files are registered in the document management database 21 of the authentication server 2 (b1 shown in FIG. 2). In this process, for example, a document file that has been uploaded to the authentication server 2 and registered first from the client PC is accessed, and authentication is performed in units of documents (b2 shown in FIG. 2).

  First, the client PC that accesses the document file transmits the document ID and user authentication information assigned to each registered document file to the authentication server 2 (S4). On the authentication server 2 side, authentication processing is performed based on the received document ID and user authentication information, and an authentication approval / disapproval notification is transmitted to the corresponding client PC (S5). The authentication processing of the authentication server 2 is performed by the document management unit 20, and it is determined whether the document ID and user authentication information registered in the document management database 21 matches the document ID and user authentication information input from the client PC.

  If the document management unit 20 determines that the authentication is possible, the authentication server 2 reads the document file corresponding to the document ID from the document management database 21 and accesses the client PC for opening the document. The document file is downloaded to (S6). This document file is stored in the storage unit 9 of the auxiliary storage device 4 of the client PC, for example, and can be referred to or further processed.

Next, the client PC performs print settings (c shown in FIG. 2). In this process, the print spooler 8 reads a document file stored in the storage unit 9, adds the document ID again to the document file, and performs a drawing process (S7). Then, the intermediate image information including the document ID generated as a result of the drawing process is transmitted to the preview application 6 (S8).
The preview application 6 opens the intermediate image (d1 shown in FIG. 2) and performs an authentication process in units of documents (d2 shown in FIG. 2).

  This authentication process is also performed using the document ID added to the intermediate image together with the user authentication information, and the document ID and the user authentication information are transmitted to the authentication server 2 (S9), and the authentication approval / disapproval notification (S10) is received. Displays the preview screen. Note that the authentication processing in the authentication server 2 is performed by the document management unit 20 as described above, and is performed by determining whether the document ID and user authentication information registered in the document management database 21 match. Therefore, even when previewing based on the document file obtained by processing the document file downloaded in the document open process (b1), authentication is performed based on the document ID already registered in the authentication server 2. Therefore, there is no need to request the authentication server 2 to register the processed document file again.

  Here, if authentication is possible, display based on driving of the preview application 6 is performed on the display of the client PC. In this display, for example, information such as the document name of the document file, the user name, the total number of pages of the document, and the like are displayed, and the user confirms the displayed information. In the preview display, settings such as duplex printing, multi-page printing, and toner save printing can be set.

  Thereafter, the client PC uses the printer driver 8 which is a component of the print spooler 7 to convert the document file into PDL format print data. At this time, the document ID information is also added to the print data. As a result of this processing, the document data acquired by the previous registration request is also included in the print data in the PDL format, and is transmitted from the print spooler 7 to the printing apparatus 1 (S11).

  The printing apparatus 1 executes print processing of PDL data (print data) (e1 shown in FIG. 2), and performs authentication processing in units of documents (e2 shown in FIG. 2). In this authentication process as well, the document ID and the user authentication information are transmitted to the authentication server 2 (S12), and a print process is executed upon receiving a notification of whether authentication is possible (S13). That is, after receiving a notification that authentication is possible from the authentication server 2, the control unit 13 analyzes the command of the print data to create image data, and sends the image data to the print mechanism unit 14 to the recording medium (paper). Print out.

  When the image data is temporarily saved as a saved document in the storage unit 15, when the saved document is printed out (f1 shown in FIG. 2), authentication processing in units of documents is performed as described above (FIG. 2). F2) shown in FIG. That is, the document ID and user authentication information are transmitted to the authentication server 2 as described above (S14), and a print process is executed upon receiving a notification that authentication is possible. In this case, the authentication server 2 receives a notification that authentication is possible (S15), reads the image data from the storage unit 15, sends the image data to the printing mechanism unit 14, and prints out the recording medium (paper).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, a document file is read from the authentication server 2 based on the document ID acquired when the client PC first performs a document file registration process with respect to the authentication server 2 (document The authentication process is also performed when the document file is opened, the authentication process is also performed when the document file is previewed, and the authentication process is also performed when performing printing output by the printing apparatus 1, thereby ensuring sufficient security. Authentication printing can be performed. Further, the authentication process is performed using the same document ID and user authentication information, and authentication printing can be performed without using a complicated operation without using different user authentication information in each process.

Further, it is possible to perform authentication processing of print data in which various print settings such as eliminating waste of paper by driving the preview application 6 are performed using the same document ID and user authentication information.
Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is included in the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents. Hereinafter, the invention described in the scope of claims at the beginning of the filing of the present patent application will be added.

Appendix 1
In a printing system in which a host device, authentication server, and printing device are connected,
The host device is
An authentication acquisition unit that transmits user authentication information permitting use of the authentication server to the authentication server and obtains document authentication information permitted for the document file by requesting registration of the document file;
A registration unit that assigns the document authentication information to the document file, transmits the document file to the authentication server, and performs registration processing of the document file;
When the document file is read from the authentication server and the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server and authentication is permitted, a first authentication unit that reads the document file from the authentication server;
A second authentication unit for previewing the document file when the document file stored in the authentication server is previewed and the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server and the authentication is permitted;
A print data generation unit that generates print data based on the document file;
A transmission unit that adds the document authentication information and transmits the print data to the printing apparatus,
The printing apparatus includes:
A printing system comprising: a print control unit that transmits document authentication information received from the host device to the authentication server and prints out to a recording medium based on the print data when authentication is permitted from the authentication server. .

Appendix 2
The authentication server is
A storage unit for storing the document file transmitted from the host device;
A first authentication management unit that authenticates the user authentication information and document authentication information transmitted from the host device;
A second authentication management unit for authenticating the user authentication information and document authentication information transmitted from the printing apparatus;
The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

Appendix 3
The print data transmitted from the host device to the printing apparatus further includes print setting information set based on the preview display, and the printing apparatus performs print output on the recording medium according to the print setting information. The printing system according to appendix 1 or 2, wherein the printing system is performed.

Appendix 4
In the host device connected to the authentication server and printing device,
An authentication acquisition unit that transmits user authentication information permitting use of the authentication server to the authentication server and obtains document authentication information permitted for the document file by requesting registration of the document file;
A registration unit that assigns the document authentication information to the document file, transmits the document file to the authentication server, and performs registration processing of the document file;
A first authentication unit that transmits the document authentication information to the authentication server when reading the document file from the authentication server, and reads the document file from the authentication server when authentication is permitted from the authentication server;
When the document file stored in the authentication server is previewed, the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server, and when the authentication is permitted by the authentication server, a second authentication for displaying a preview of the document file is displayed. And
A print data generation unit that generates print data based on the document file;
A transmission unit for adding the document authentication information and transmitting the print data to the printing apparatus;
A host device characterized by comprising:

Appendix 5
The user authentication information and the document authentication information are added to the print data transmitted from the host device to the printing apparatus,
In response to the transmission of the user authentication information and the document authentication information transmitted from the printing apparatus to the authentication server, the printing apparatus prints on the recording medium when the authentication server permits the printing apparatus. Item 5. The host device according to appendix 4, wherein output is performed.

Appendix 6
In a printing method in a printing system in which a host device, an authentication server, and a printing device are connected,
The host device is
Transmitting the user authentication information permitting the use of the authentication server to the authentication server and obtaining the document authentication information permitted for the document file by requesting the registration of the document file;
Adding the document authentication information to the document file and transmitting the document file to the authentication server to perform registration processing of the document file;
A first authentication process for transmitting the document authentication information to the authentication server when reading the document file from the authentication server, and reading the print data from the authentication server when authentication is permitted;
When previewing the document file stored in the authentication server, the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server, and when authentication is permitted from the authentication server, a second authentication for displaying a preview of the print data is displayed. Processing,
A transmission process for transmitting the print data to which the document authentication information is added to the printing apparatus;
The printing apparatus includes:
A printing method, wherein the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server, and when authentication is permitted from the authentication server, print output is performed on a recording medium based on the print data.

Appendix 7
The authentication server is
Storing the document file transmitted from the host device in a storage unit;
Authenticate the user authentication information and document authentication information transmitted from the host device,
The printing method according to appendix 6, wherein authentication of the user authentication information and document authentication information transmitted from the printing apparatus is performed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printing device 2 ... Authentication server 3 ... Main storage device 4 ... Auxiliary storage device 5 ... Application 6 ... Preview application 7 ... Print spooler 8 ... Printer driver 9 ... Storage unit 10 ··· Storage unit 12 ··· Reception unit 13 ··· Control unit 14 · · Printing mechanism unit 15 · · Storage unit 16 · · Input / authentication operation unit 17 · · Display unit 18 · · · Main memory Device 19 Auxiliary storage device 20 Document management control unit 21 Document management database PC Client

Claims (7)

In a printing system in which a host device, authentication server, and printing device are connected,
The host device is
An authentication acquisition unit that transmits user authentication information permitting use of the authentication server to the authentication server and obtains document authentication information permitted for the document file by requesting registration of the document file;
A registration unit that assigns the document authentication information to the document file, transmits the document file to the authentication server, and performs registration processing of the document file;
When the document file is read from the authentication server and the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server and authentication is permitted, a first authentication unit that reads the document file from the authentication server;
A second authentication unit for previewing the document file when the document file stored in the authentication server is previewed and the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server and the authentication is permitted;
A print data generation unit that generates print data based on the document file;
A transmission unit that adds the document authentication information and transmits the print data to the printing apparatus,
The printing apparatus includes:
A printing system comprising: a print control unit that transmits document authentication information received from the host device to the authentication server and prints out to a recording medium based on the print data when authentication is permitted from the authentication server. . The authentication server is
A storage unit for storing the document file transmitted from the host device;
A first authentication management unit that authenticates the user authentication information and document authentication information transmitted from the host device;
A second authentication management unit for authenticating the user authentication information and document authentication information transmitted from the printing apparatus;
The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising:   The print data transmitted from the host device to the printing apparatus further includes print setting information set based on the preview display, and the printing apparatus performs print output on the recording medium according to the print setting information. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing system is performed. In the host device connected to the authentication server and printing device,
An authentication acquisition unit that transmits user authentication information permitting use of the authentication server to the authentication server and obtains document authentication information permitted for the document file by requesting registration of the document file;
A registration unit that assigns the document authentication information to the document file, transmits the document file to the authentication server, and performs registration processing of the document file;
A first authentication unit that transmits the document authentication information to the authentication server when reading the document file from the authentication server, and reads the document file from the authentication server when authentication is permitted from the authentication server;
When the document file stored in the authentication server is previewed, the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server, and when the authentication is permitted by the authentication server, a second authentication for displaying a preview of the document file is displayed. And
A print data generation unit that generates print data based on the document file;
A transmission unit for adding the document authentication information and transmitting the print data to the printing apparatus;
A host device characterized by comprising: The user authentication information and the document authentication information are added to the print data transmitted from the host device to the printing apparatus,
In response to the transmission of the user authentication information and the document authentication information transmitted from the printing apparatus to the authentication server, the printing apparatus prints on the recording medium when the authentication server permits the printing apparatus. 5. The host device according to claim 4, wherein output is performed. In a printing method in a printing system in which a host device, an authentication server, and a printing device are connected,
The host device is
Transmitting the user authentication information permitting the use of the authentication server to the authentication server and obtaining the document authentication information permitted for the document file by requesting the registration of the document file;
Adding the document authentication information to the document file and transmitting the document file to the authentication server to perform registration processing of the document file;
When the document file is read from the authentication server and the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server and the authentication is permitted, a first authentication process for reading the print data from the authentication server;
When previewing the document file stored in the authentication server, the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server, and when authentication is permitted from the authentication server, a second authentication for displaying a preview of the print data is displayed. Processing,
A transmission process for transmitting the print data to which the document authentication information is added to the printing apparatus;
The printing apparatus includes:
A printing method, wherein the document authentication information is transmitted to the authentication server, and when authentication is permitted from the authentication server, print output is performed on a recording medium based on the print data. The authentication server is
Storing the document file transmitted from the host device in a storage unit;
Authenticate the user authentication information and document authentication information transmitted from the host device,
The printing method according to claim 6, wherein authentication of the user authentication information and the document authentication information transmitted from the printing apparatus is performed.

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