JP2013219492A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that a security hole is generated when scanning a manuscript with a password by application software which is installed externally.SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus has: operation selection means for selecting whether scanning operation is continued or operation is stopped in the middle of scanning when a manuscript in which password information is embedded is detected at the time of scanning operation by application software installed externally; control means for allowing the application software to continue the scanning operation or stop the operation in the middle of scanning in accordance with a preset value set by the operation selection means at the time of the scanning operation by the application software; and interactive means for displaying a user interface for performing password authentication when the manuscript in which the password information is embedded is detected.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that takes measures against information leakage.

  Conventionally, there has been a problem of information leakage due to taking out a document on which confidential information of an organization is printed, and as a countermeasure, information embedding technology that embeds a barcode that can be mechanically read by a printing device and converted into electronic information A large number of printing apparatuses having the above are realized.

  As a function realized by this information embedding technology, firstly, a function of embedding tracking information that can specify an output person and secondly, embedding scan guard information that permits / prohibits scanning in the information to be embedded is used to control output. A scan guard function to be realized is considered.

  In addition to simple permission / prohibition, each vendor also has a scan guard function with more advanced access control.

  According to Patent Document 1, not only simply embedding prohibition / permission information but also password information is added as scan guard information to be embedded.

  When scanning a document in which the information is embedded, advanced output control such as allowing the user to input password authentication information and allowing printing after scanning only when the authentication is successful based on the password information. An realized printing apparatus has also been proposed.

Japanese Patent No. 3952041

  In the password authentication as described above, the password authentication screen is displayed on the user interface as necessary on the operation screen of each function such as the copy function and the scan transmission function, and the user is prompted to enter the password to authenticate. If it succeeds, it works to continue processing.

  On the other hand, recent multifunction peripherals have their own application platform, and in addition to functions introduced in advance, there are those that take in application software from outside and operate as functions in the device.

  Such application software does not necessarily correspond to the operation corresponding to the scan guard function. As an example, there is a possibility that the above password authentication screen will continue without being displayed by the application.

  When such an application is introduced, it is possible to bypass password authentication, which may be a security hole.

In order to solve the above problems, the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is as follows.
An operation selection means for selecting whether to continue the scanning operation or stop the operation in the middle when a document with embedded password information is detected during a scanning operation by externally installed application software;
At the time of the scan operation by the application software, according to the setting value set in the operation selection means, the control means for operating either the scan operation is continued or the operation is stopped in the middle,
A dialogue means for displaying a user interface for password authentication when detecting a document in which the password information is embedded;
It is characterized by having.

  According to the present invention, in the case of an externally installed application, it is possible to change the operation of the password-added document according to the setting value. Enables password authentication. On the other hand, if the external application cannot handle a document with a password, it is possible to achieve both security and advanced access control by prohibiting only the external application uniformly according to the setting value.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus (an MFP 3001 as an example) in an embodiment. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control unit 1. It is a supplementary figure for demonstrating a unit barcode. It is a supplementary figure for demonstrating rotation of a unit barcode. It is a supplementary figure for demonstrating a unit barcode. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the first application 1; 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the second application unit 12. It is an interface figure of a password input screen. FIG. 6 is a user interface diagram for setting a setting value of the setting unit 13 using an operation unit 5. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the information processing unit 3.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus (an example of which is an MFP 3001) in the present embodiment.

  The control unit 1 controls each component of the MFP 3001.

  The operation unit 5 receives an operation / input from the user.

  The reading unit 2 scans a printed material and generates document information.

  The information conversion unit 3 obtains the embedded information by converting the embedded information included in the document information into information.

  The memory 7 stores document information obtained by scanning.

  The output unit 8 reads the image information from the memory 7 and then outputs the image information printing and the transmission of the image information to an external device.

  Here, the external device refers to a PC or the like connected to the MFP 3001 via a network.

  The display unit 9 displays a display screen under the control of the control unit 1.

The database 10 records settings and logs of the MFP 3001.

The flow from generation of embedded information to printing will be described below.

  The encoding unit 11 encodes the output control information and the tracking information (at this time, it is encoded after adding an error correction code as will be described later), thereby generating embedded information and imaging the embedded information. To generate a barcode.

  The processing flow of each block in FIG. 1 will be described.

  First, the user ID / password is input to the operation unit 5 while viewing the setting screen which is the display unit 9.

Then, the input information is sent from the operation unit 5 to the user authentication unit 6, and the user authentication unit determines whether the input password is an appropriate password.
As a result of the determination, when the password is an appropriate password, the control unit 1 is notified of that fact and the user ID.

  Then, the control unit 1 causes the display unit 9 to display a check box of [■ information embedding].

  After that, the user checks the check box from the operation unit 5 and gives a print instruction (note that the information embedding setting may be made from a driver or utility of a PC connected to the MFP 3001), the operation unit 5 notifies the control unit 1 to that effect.

  Alternatively, when the check box is not checked, the operation unit 5 notifies the control unit 1 to that effect.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control unit 1.

  Then, in S101, the control unit 1 determines whether it is checked or not.

  If yes, the process proceeds to S102, and if not, the process proceeds to S107.

  In step S102, the control unit 1 sets an information embedding operation, and notifies the encoding unit 11 of the fact and the user ID.

  Then, the control unit 1 instructs the reading unit 2 to scan the printed matter.

  In step S <b> 103, the reading unit 2 generates document information by scanning the printed material, and transmits the document information to the memory 7 and the information processing unit 3.

  In S104, the encoding unit 11 obtains an encoding result (embedded information) by encoding the prohibition information and the tracking information (including the user ID), and generates a barcode by imaging the embedded information. .

  Then, the generated barcode is transmitted to the memory 7.

  Thereafter, when the control unit 1 detects that the memory 7 has received the barcode and the document information, the control unit 1 proceeds to S105 and generates the image information by combining the two in the memory 7.

  In step S <b> 106, the generated image information is transmitted from the memory 7 to the output unit 8 and is printed on the output unit 8.

  If the check box 2011 is not checked, in step S107, the control unit 1 instructs the reading unit 2 to scan the printed material without setting the information embedding operation.

  In S <b> 108, the reading unit 2 generates document information by scanning the printed material and transmits the document information to the memory 7.

  Thereafter, when the control unit 1 detects that the memory 7 has received the document information, the control unit 1 proceeds to S109, transmits the generated document information as image information from the memory 7 to the output unit 8, and causes the output unit 8 to print. .

  The tracking information includes information useful for specifying the printer, such as information such as the printing date and time, the user name (that is, user ID) of the user who issued the printing instruction, and the device name.

  The definition of tracking information in this specification is information that can be used to identify a printer.

  Details of information embedding will be described below.

  An example of a method for encoding the prohibition information and the tracking information and imaging the encoding result will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 5.

  FIG. 5 is a supplementary diagram for explaining the unit barcode 1600.

  The unit barcode 1600 is about 1 cm × 1 cm, and is composed of a high density region (1605-8) and a low density region 1609-1612.

  This high-density area includes the encoding result of the prohibition information, and the low-density area includes the encoding result of the tracking information.

  In the high-density area, a larger amount of error correction codes are used than in the low-density area (the idea is that prohibited information is more important information than tracking information).

  The reason why the area containing the prohibition information is smaller despite the large amount of error correction codes used is that the data size of the prohibition information is smaller.

  The unit bar code 1600 is repeatedly combined with the entire document information.

  For example, when the document information is printed on a sheet of A4 size (21 cm × 29.7 cm), only 21 × 29 unit barcodes are combined with the document information.

  As a result, 609 pieces of the same information are combined.

  In this specification, all unit barcodes (609 unit barcodes) combined with document information or a part of unit barcodes are referred to as barcodes.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing what kind of dots are included in each area 1605 shown in FIG.

  This includes information dots 1401 and array dots 1402.

  The array dots 1402 are present at regular intervals on the reference grid 1403 indicated by the dotted line (that is, on the intersection of the reference grids 1403).

  The information dot exists at a position shifted from the intersection of the reference grids 1403.

  The result of encoding the prohibition information is expressed in this shifted direction (the shifted direction of the shifted position with respect to the intersection).

  In other words, when embedding information obtained by encoding the prohibition information (a part of the prohibition information encoding result) is imaged, a unit barcode including information dots 1401 and array dots 1402 in the region 1606 Will be able to.

  The other areas 1606 to 1608 also include the same dots obtained by imaging the same information using the same method (for redundancy).

  The regions 1609 to 1612 include dots obtained by imaging the embedded information (part of the tracking information encoding result), but the imaging method is 1605. Same as ˜1608.

  In addition, (i) prohibition information and / or tracking information is encoded into embedding information, (ii) a unit barcode is created by imaging this embedding information, and (iii) the unit barcode is vertically and horizontally (For example, 609) All of the arrangement processes are referred to as encoding in this specification.

  The encoding unit 11 performs the encoding.

  The reference grid is a line that is drawn in dotted lines in FIG. 3 but is not actually printed.

  How to find this virtual line will be described with reference to FIG.

  This is a process performed by the information processing unit.

  First, the information processing unit 3 selects an arbitrary dot 1501.

  Then, the information processing unit 3 selects an arbitrary dot 1502 existing around the selected dot.

  Then, the information processing unit 3 rotates the positions of these selected dots by 90 ° around the center point of both dots.

  When there is a dot at a position obtained by rotation, the information processing unit 3 determines that the selected dots are array dots that should exist at equal intervals both vertically and horizontally.

  On the other hand, if it does not exist, the information processing unit 3 determines that each selected dot is an information dot that should be present at a random position.

  In this way, the information processing unit 3 finds two array dots, and then finds all other array dots using the constraint that array dots exist at equal intervals both vertically and horizontally. is there.

  After finding all the array dots, the information processing unit 3 virtually draws a reference grid on these array dots, and finally, the direction of deviation of the remaining dots (ie, information dots) from the intersection of the reference grids To obtain embedded information.

  In the present specification, information is obtained such that 0 is shifted in the upward direction, 1 is shifted in the upper right direction, 2 is shifted in the right direction, and so on.

  Next, password information will be described.

  The password information is not only simple permission / prohibition but also identification information for permitting a specific user to print a document. For example, identification information such as a password for authenticating a document or a user name permitted to print corresponds to the document.

  The password information using the second information embedding 903 will be described below.

  The high-density area (1605-8) includes encoded information of prohibition information, but it is possible to include a part of password information in addition to the prohibition information. However, due to the property that the data size is reduced and a large amount of error correction codes are used, the high-density region cannot be included in the identification information, and can be realized by including it in the low-density region (1609 to 1612).

  The actual detection means will be described.

  First, when the application unit (the part that actually scans or copies) of the multifunction device scans a document, the image data is transmitted to the analysis unit, and analysis of the low-density area (1609 to 1612) is started. If the analysis result is permission, printing is continued, and if it is prohibited, printing is stopped. However, if conditional prohibition is detected, analysis of the high-density area (1605 to 8) is continued. Password information is extracted from the analysis result, and in response to this, the application unit displays a password input screen on the user interface of the multifunction device. If the input passwords match, the printing is continued, and if they do not match, the printing is stopped. Using such a method, not only simple permission / prohibition but also a print restriction function based on complicated conditions such as a password can be realized.

  However, when the password is used as a condition, the application unit needs to instruct the display unit 9 to display the password input screen as described above, and to input the password using the operation unit 5.

  FIG. 8 is an interface diagram of the password input screen. In FIG. 8, 801 indicates the entire display screen, 802 indicates the input password, and 803 indicates an OK button indicating confirmation of the input password. Note that 802 is not an actually entered password but a hidden character such as “*” character is displayed.

Conventionally, depending on the multifunction device, an application unit can be introduced from the outside, and an application unit other than its own can be imported. Some of these application units do not instruct the display unit 9 to display the password input screen.
An example is shown below.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the first application 1.

  The first application unit 1 is an application corresponding to the display of the password authentication screen. It is assumed that the application unit 1 operates with the start of the operation of the multifunction peripheral 3001, and thereafter continues to operate until the device is shut down. In FIG. 6, when the operation is started, it is confirmed in step S601 whether or not the printing process is started by pressing the print processing button from the operation unit 5.

  If the start of the printing process is detected, the process branches to step S602; otherwise, the process branches to step S601. In step S602, the reading unit 2 is instructed to start scanning.

  Further, in step S603, the control unit 1 inquires whether or not the cancel of the job is detected, and in the case of cancel, the process branches to step S608 to stop printing.

  Alternatively, the control unit 1 is inquired as to whether or not a password-added document is detected in step S604, and if detected, the process branches to step S605, and if not, the process branches to step S607 as a permitted document and printing is performed. . In S605, a screen prompting the user to input a password is displayed, and the user is prompted to input the password using the operation unit 5.

  When the password is input, the process branches to step S606, where the password input using the operation unit 5 is compared with the password stored in the password information stored in the scanned document. In step S608, printing is stopped.

  Since there is a possibility that there is an input error of the password, the password may be input again several times. As described above, in the case of the application unit 1, when the application itself corresponds to a document with a password, the processing is correctly performed.

  Next, an example in which a document with a password cannot be processed successfully is shown. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the second application unit 12. The second application unit 12 is an application that does not support display of the password authentication screen. It is assumed that the application unit 12 operates when the multifunction device 3001 starts operating, and thereafter continues to operate until the device is shut down. In FIG. 7, when the operation is started, it is confirmed in step S701 whether or not the printing process is started by pressing the print processing button from the operation unit 5. If the start of the printing process is detected, the process branches to step S702; otherwise, the process branches to step S701. In step S702, the reading unit 2 is instructed to start scanning. Further, in step S703, the control unit 1 inquires whether or not cancellation of the job has been detected, and in the case of cancellation, the process branches to step S705 to stop printing. Alternatively, printing is performed in step S704. Such a second application unit 12 does not support password-added documents, and if a document with password is scanned, it is not determined to cancel the job in step S703, and printing is performed in S704. It becomes a security hole.

  Therefore, in the present invention, the determination result of the password-added document is changed according to the application.

  FIG. 9 is a user interface diagram for setting the setting value of the setting unit 13 using the operation unit 5. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 901 denotes a setting screen, reference numeral 902 denotes a setting value indicating that a password-added document can be handled in all applications of the multifunction peripheral, and reference numeral 903 denotes a setting value that treats an application installed from the outside as prohibited. 902 and 903 are exclusive settings, and either one can be used. Reference numeral 904 denotes an OK button for confirming the set value.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the information processing unit 3.

  The information processing unit 3 starts its operation when image data is transmitted from the reading unit 2.

  In FIG. 10, in step S1001, the transmitted image data is analyzed and the embedded information is decoded. Subsequently, in step S1002, depending on the decoding result, if it is detected that the document has a password, the process branches to step S1003. Otherwise, the process branches to step S1006.

  In step S1003, it is determined whether the application unit that has performed the operation is an externally installed application.

  The application unit has a unique application ID, and is passed to the information processing unit 3 via the control unit 1 when the application is executed.

  Further, the application ID has a determination as to whether it is an in-device application or an externally installed application. Furthermore, it is assumed that the in-device application is an application introduced in advance in the multifunction machine 3001 and can analyze a document with a password.

  As a result of the determination in S1003, in the case of an in-device application, the password input screen can be correctly displayed even with a password-added document, so the decoding result in step S1001 may be passed.

  However, in the case of an externally installed application, there is a possibility of a security hole. Therefore, if the setting value of the setting unit 13 is “Treat external application as prohibited” in step S1004, the process branches to step S1005. And prohibition is output.

  Otherwise, the process branches to step S1006, and the decoding result is output as it is.

  As described above, in the case of an application installed externally, the operation of the password-added document can be changed according to the setting value of the setting unit 13.

  If the externally installed application can handle password-added documents as in the first application unit 1, authentication can be performed using a password by setting the setting value of the setting unit 13 to “available for all applications”. And

  On the other hand, when the external application cannot handle the password-added document as in the second application unit 12, only the external application is uniformly prohibited by setting the setting value of the setting unit 13 to “treat external application as prohibited”. As a result, it is possible to achieve both security and advanced access control.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control part 2 Reading part 3 Information-ized part

Claims (1)

An operation selection means for selecting whether to continue the scanning operation or stop the operation in the middle when a document with embedded password information is detected during a scanning operation by externally installed application software;
At the time of the scan operation by the application software, according to the setting value set in the operation selection means, the control means for operating either the scan operation is continued or the operation is stopped in the middle,
A dialogue means for displaying a user interface for password authentication when detecting a document in which the password information is embedded;
An image forming apparatus comprising: