JP2013225223A - Information processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing device capable of reading/writing data from/to a portable-type recording medium without the necessity of complicated operation.SOLUTION: Image formation devices 100A to 100D are connected through a network 200 and each of the devices comprises a storage unit 15 and a CPU 16. The CPU 16 reads image data from a memory card 2 attached to a reader/writer 11A, provides a medium ID to the memory card 2, transmits the image data to which the medium ID is attached to the image formation device 100B selected by a user, and writes the medium ID and a device ID of the image formation device 100B to the memory card 2. The CPU 16 of the image formation device 100B stores the received image data in the storage unit 15. Also, when the memory card 2 is attached to the reader/writer 11A, the CPU 16 of the image formation device 100B acquires the image data to which the medium ID is attached from the storage unit 15 and writes the data to the memory card 2.

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus capable of reading and writing data from and to a portable recording medium, and relates to an information processing apparatus that transmits and receives data to and from other information processing apparatuses via a network.

  A portable recording medium is convenient for storing and carrying various data. When taking various data such as document data, image data, and music data created at a business trip destination, or with various data created in advance at a business trip destination. Used when taking.

  Since the portable recording medium has a limited storage capacity, if the amount of data to be stored exceeds the storable remaining capacity and the storage capacity is insufficient, the stored data must be stored in the information processing apparatus. .

  However, a business trip destination may not have an information processing device for storing data even if the storage capacity of the portable recording medium is insufficient. In such a case, data can be stored in an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer or an image forming apparatus that can be used by an unspecified number of users and installed in a convenience store, a mass retailer, or the like. Conceivable. Furthermore, since there is a high possibility that data stored at a business trip destination will be acquired at a location other than the business trip destination, the information processing devices are connected via a network, and each of them performs data transmission / reception with another information processing device. Data needs to be stored on the device.

  For example, data is stored in an image forming device installed in a convenience store near a business trip destination, and after returning from the business trip destination, an image forming device installed in a convenience store near the company is used to store a convenience store near the business trip destination. The stored data can be acquired by accessing the image forming apparatus installed in the store via the network. In addition, from the image forming device installed in the convenience store near the business trip destination, the image forming device installed in the convenience store near the company is accessed via the network to store the data, so that the data from the business trip destination can be stored. After returning to the office, data can be acquired from an image forming apparatus installed in a convenience store near the company.

  However, an information processing apparatus such as an image forming apparatus installed in a convenience store can be used by an unspecified number of users, and stored data is disclosed to an unspecified number of users. For this reason, it is necessary to ensure confidentiality for data that is not desired to be disclosed to an unspecified number of users.

  Therefore, in order to ensure confidentiality, a network document storage system that stores document data from a personal computer on a server performs user authentication using an account and a password, and is based on restrictions on access to document data. There is one that restricts reading and deletion of document data by the user (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-281482 A

  However, when conventional user authentication and access restriction using an account and a password are applied to an information processing apparatus that can be used by an unspecified number of users, it is necessary to perform user authentication at the time of data storage and acquisition for the information processing apparatus. Accounts and passwords must be input, and these input operations are complicated operations.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus that can read and write data from and to a portable recording medium by simply mounting the portable recording medium on the information processing apparatus without requiring a complicated operation. It is.

  The information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a storage unit and a control unit, and performs reading and writing of data with respect to a portable recording medium and transmission and reception of data with respect to another information processing apparatus via a network. The storage unit stores data. When reading data from the portable recording medium, the control unit erases the data in the portable recording medium after reading the data from the portable recording medium, and provides medium identification information for identifying the portable recording medium. And writing to the portable recording medium, adding the given medium identification information to the data read from the portable recording medium, and transmitting the data with the medium identification information added to the information processing apparatus selected by the user. Data stored in the storage unit when the data with the medium identification information added from the information processing apparatus is received, and stored in the storage unit when the data is written to the portable recording medium Then, the data with the medium identification information read from the portable recording medium is written into the portable recording medium selected by the user.

  When the data read from the portable recording medium is stored in the information processing apparatus, medium identification information for identifying the portable recording medium is written in the portable recording medium. Data read from the portable recording medium is added with medium identification information and stored in the information processing apparatus selected by the user. Further, when writing data acquired from the information processing apparatus to a portable recording medium, the medium identification information is read from the portable recording medium, and the data with the read medium identification information added is acquired from the storage unit of the own apparatus. To the portable recording medium selected by the user.

  In this configuration, it is preferable that the control unit selectively writes data to a portable recording medium that stores medium identification information or another portable recording medium according to a user's selection when writing data.

  When the control unit writes the data acquired from the information processing apparatus to the portable recording medium, the portable recording medium in which the medium identification information is written or the portable recording medium selected by the user from the other portable recording media Write data to. Even when data exceeding the storage capacity of the portable recording medium in which the medium identification information is written is stored in the storage unit, another portable recording having a larger storage capacity than the portable recording medium in which the medium identification information is written. By using the medium, the data stored in the storage unit can be written in the portable recording medium.

  In addition, when reading data, the control unit further writes device identification information for identifying the information processing device selected by the user to the portable recording medium, and reads from the portable recording medium according to the user's selection. It is preferable that the information is selectively transmitted to the information processing apparatus identified by the apparatus identification information or the information processing apparatus selected by the user.

  When data is read from a portable recording medium in which medium identification information and apparatus identification information are not written and stored in the information processing apparatus, medium identification information for identifying the portable recording medium on the portable recording medium And device identification information for identifying the information processing device selected by the user. Data read from the portable recording medium is added with medium identification information and stored in the information processing apparatus selected by the user. When reading data from a portable recording medium in which medium identification information and device identification information are written and storing the data in the information processing device, the information processing device identified by the device identification information read from the portable recording medium, or The data read from the portable recording medium is stored in the information processing apparatus selected by the user among the information processing apparatuses newly selected by the user. Device identification information for identifying the information processing device selected by the user is overwritten or added to the portable recording medium.

  Since the medium identification information and the device identification information are written to the portable recording medium when the data is read from the portable recording medium in which the medium identification information and the device identification information are not written and stored in the information processing apparatus, the portable type Using the medium identification information and the apparatus identification information written on the recording medium, the data read from the portable recording medium can be stored in the information processing apparatus without requiring a complicated operation. Further, by selecting an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus that stores data can be changed.

  Further, in the configuration further including a reading unit that reads and writes data from and to the medium, the control unit issues a medium in which the medium identification information and the device identification information are written by the reading unit when reading the data, and the data from the medium When the device identification information read by the reading unit coincides with the device identification information of its own device, the data with the medium identification information read by the reading unit is written on the portable recording medium and the reading unit reads If the received device identification information does not match the device identification information of its own device, a request for transmission of the data with the medium identification information read by the reading unit is added, and when the transmission request is received, the requested data is transmitted. It is preferable to write the received data to the portable recording medium when receiving the data transmitted to the original information processing apparatus and requested to be transmitted.

  In the medium issued when the data of the portable recording medium is stored in the information processing apparatus, the medium identification information added to the data and the apparatus identification information of the information processing apparatus in which the data is stored are written. ing. The control unit reads the medium identification information and the device identification information from the medium, acquires the data with the medium identification information added from the storage unit of the information processing apparatus identified by the read device identification information, and transfers the data to the portable recording medium. Write. Even if a portable recording medium in which the medium identification information and the apparatus identification information are written is lost, data can be acquired from the information processing apparatus by using the medium in which the medium identification information and the apparatus identification information are written. It can be written on a portable recording medium.

  In this configuration, the control unit issues the number of issued media specified by the user at the time of reading data, adds the number of issued to the data read from the portable recording medium, and transmits the data. It is preferable to delete the data from the storage unit when the number of transmissions of the requested data matches the number of issues. When data writing to other portable recording media is completed using all the media, the data is automatically erased from the storage unit of the information processing apparatus that stores the data. There is no need to perform any operation.

  According to the present invention, data can be read from and written to a portable recording medium without requiring a complicated operation.

1 is a schematic diagram of a system including an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. 2 is a block diagram illustrating functions and configurations of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing control contents when data is transmitted from a memory card to another image forming apparatus in the control unit of the image forming apparatus. 10 is a continuation of the flowchart showing the control content at the time of data reception in the control unit of the other image forming apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the control content at the time of the data writing to the memory card in the control part. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating functions and configurations of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment. 4 is a flowchart illustrating control contents when a ticket is issued by a control unit of the image forming apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the control content at the time of ticket use of the control part. It is a flowchart which shows the control content at the time of the data acquisition request reception of the control part.

  An image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatuses 100 </ b> A to 100 </ b> D are installed in public places such as convenience stores and mass sales stores, and can be used by an unspecified number of users. The image forming apparatuses 100 </ b> A to 100 </ b> D are connected via the network 200. Note that the number of image forming apparatuses connected to the network 200 is not limited to four, and a plurality of image forming apparatuses may be used.

  The image forming apparatus 100A reads image data from the mounted memory card 2 and identifies the medium ID for identifying the memory card 2 (corresponding to the medium identification information of the present invention) and the image forming apparatus 100B selected by the user. Is written in the memory card 2 and the medium ID is added to the image data and transmitted to the image forming apparatus 100B. The image forming apparatus 100B receives and stores the image data to which the medium ID is added.

  Further, using the memory card 2 in which the medium ID and the apparatus ID are written, the image data is stored in the image forming apparatus identified by the apparatus ID, and the medium ID is added from the image forming apparatus identified by the apparatus ID. The acquired image data can be acquired.

  For example, when the memory card 2 in which the medium ID, the device ID, and the image data are written is attached, the image forming apparatus 100C adds the medium ID to the image data to the image forming apparatus 100B identified by the apparatus ID. To send. The image forming apparatus 100B receives and stores the image data to which the medium ID is added. Further, when the memory card 2 in which the medium ID and the device ID are written is inserted into the image forming apparatus 100B identified by the device ID, the image data to which the medium ID is added is written in the memory card 2.

  In the memory card 2, since the stored image data is deleted when the medium ID and the device ID are written, the medium ID and the device ID are written at the head portion of the storage area. The image forming apparatus can determine whether the medium ID and the device ID are written in the memory card 2 by referring to the head area of the data read from the memory card 2.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 100A includes a communication unit 10, reader / writers 11A and 11B, a monitor 12, an image forming unit 13, a discharge port 14, a storage unit 15, a CPU 16, a ROM 17, and a RAM 18. The image forming apparatuses 100B to 100D have the same configuration as the image forming apparatus 100A.

  The communication unit 10 is communicably connected to the other image forming apparatuses 100B to 100C via the network 200, and transmits / receives data to / from each other.

  The reader / writers 11 </ b> A and 11 </ b> B read / write data from / to the memory card 2 and the optical disc 3 mounted.

  The monitor 12 has a touch panel and accepts various selection operations such as setting various printing conditions, a print start instruction, selection of a storage destination of image data, and selection of a writing destination of image data. The monitor 12 outputs an operation signal based on the received selection operation to the CPU 16.

  The image forming unit 13 performs image forming processing by a known sublimation thermal transfer method or an ink jet method on the paper using the image data, and discharges the paper after the image forming processing to the discharge port 14.

  The storage unit 15 stores the device ID of the own device and image data with a medium ID added to the head. The apparatus ID of the own apparatus is used to distinguish from other image forming apparatuses. The CPU 16 is identified by the device ID read from the memory card 2 by referring to the storage unit 15 and determining whether or not the device ID read from the memory card 2 matches the device ID of the own device. It is possible to determine whether the image forming apparatus is its own apparatus.

  The medium ID is information for identifying the memory card 2 storing the image data in the image forming apparatus, and is automatically given to the memory card 2 by the image forming apparatus. The image data is data stored from the memory card 2 identified by the medium ID.

  The CPU 16 uses the RAM 18 as a working area and executes a control program stored in the ROM 17 to control each functional unit.

  The CPU 16 uses the image data read by the reader / writer 11 </ b> A and the reader / writer 11 </ b> B from the memory card 2 and the optical disc 3 to perform image forming processing on the sheet by the image forming unit 13.

  The CPU 16 reads the image data from the memory card 2 and transmits it to the image forming apparatuses 100B to 100C. The CPU 16 that has received the image data stores the received image data in the storage unit 15. The CPU 16 requests the image forming apparatuses 100B to 100C to transmit image data, and writes the image data requested to be transmitted to the memory card 2 or the optical disc 3.

  First, a case where the image forming apparatus 100A reads image data from the memory card 2 in which the medium ID and the apparatus ID are not written and transmits the image data to the image forming apparatus 100B selected by the user will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the CPU 16 of the image forming apparatus 100A waits until the memory card 2 is attached to the reader / writer 11A (S11). When the memory card 2 is inserted, the CPU 16 reads data from the memory card 2 by the reader / writer 11A (S12) and erases the data in the memory card 2 (S13). The CPU 16 determines whether the medium ID and the device ID are included in the head area of the read data (S14).

  Since the read data does not include the medium ID and the device ID, the CPU 16 displays on the monitor 12 a screen for accepting selection of the image forming device for storing the image data from the plurality of image forming devices. Wait until the selection of the device is accepted (S15). When receiving the selection of the image forming apparatus 100B, the CPU 16 assigns the medium ID of the memory card 2 (S16), and the assigned medium ID and the apparatus ID of the selected image forming apparatus 100B are stored in the storage area of the memory card 2. Is written by the reader / writer 11A in the head portion of (S17). The medium ID and the device ID are set to non-erasable and are written in the memory card 2. The CPU 16 adds the assigned medium ID to the image data and transmits it to the image forming apparatus 100B identified by the apparatus ID (S18).

  As shown in FIG. 4, when receiving the image data to which the medium ID is added (S31), the CPU 16 of the image forming apparatus 100B stores the image data to which the medium ID is added in the storage unit 15 (S32).

  As described above, when the image data read from the memory card 2 in which the medium ID and the apparatus ID are not written is stored in the image forming apparatus 100B, the medium ID of the memory card 2 and the apparatus of the selected image forming apparatus 100B. Write the ID to the memory card 2. For this reason, user authentication can be performed using the medium ID and the device ID written in the memory card 2.

  Next, the image forming apparatus 100C reads the data from the memory card 2 in which the medium ID and the apparatus ID are written, and transmits the image data included in the read data to the image forming apparatus 100B identified by the apparatus ID. The case will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the CPU 16 of the image forming apparatus 100C waits until the memory card 2 is attached to the reader / writer 11A (S11). When the memory card 2 is inserted, the CPU 16 reads data from the memory card 2 by the reader / writer 11A (S12), and erases the data in the memory card 2 except for the medium ID and the device ID set to be erasable. (S13). The CPU 16 determines whether the medium ID and the device ID are included in the head area of the read data (S14).

  Since the read data includes the medium ID and the device ID, the CPU 16 displays on the monitor 12 a screen for accepting selection of whether or not to store the image data in the image forming apparatus 100B identified by the read device ID. Then, selection of whether or not to save is accepted (S19). In order to store the image data in the image forming apparatus 100B, the CPU 16 adds the medium ID included in the read data to the image data included in the read data, and transmits the image data to the image forming apparatus 100B identified by the apparatus ID. (S18).

  In the process of S19, when image data is not stored in the image forming apparatus 100B, the CPU 16 displays on the monitor 12 a screen for accepting selection of an image forming apparatus that stores image data from a plurality of image forming apparatuses. Then, it waits until the selection of the image forming apparatus is accepted (S20). Upon receiving the selection of the image forming apparatus, the CPU 16 adds the apparatus ID of the selected image forming apparatus to the head part of the storage area of the memory card 2 in addition to the apparatus ID already written by the reader / writer 11A (S21). The medium ID included in the read data is added to the image data included in the read data, and transmitted to the image forming apparatus identified by the apparatus ID additionally written to the memory card 2 (S18).

  If a plurality of device IDs are stored at the beginning of the storage area of the memory card 2, the CPU 16 proceeds to the image forming device identified by the device ID recently written in the memory card 2 in the process of S19. The selection of whether to save the image data is accepted.

  In the process of S21, the device ID of the selected image forming apparatus may be overwritten on the already written apparatus ID. When all the image data is acquired from the image forming apparatus identified by the already written apparatus ID, it is preferable to overwrite the existing apparatus ID with the apparatus ID of the selected image forming apparatus.

  As described above, when the image data is read from the memory card 2 in which the medium ID and the device ID are written and stored in the image forming apparatus 100B, a complicated operation such as an account or password input operation in user authentication is performed. Without being necessary, the image data to which the medium ID is added can be stored in the storage unit 15 of the image forming apparatus 100B identified by the apparatus ID. When it is desired to store image data in another image forming apparatus, the image data can be stored in another image forming apparatus by newly selecting the image forming apparatus.

  Next, a case where image data is acquired from the image forming apparatus 100B using the memory card 2 in which the medium ID and the apparatus ID are written, and written to the memory card 2 or the optical disc 3 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the CPU 16 of the image forming apparatus 100B waits until the memory card 2 is inserted into the reader / writer 11A (S41). When the memory card 2 is inserted, the CPU 16 reads data from the memory card 2 by the reader / writer 11A (S42), and determines whether the medium ID and the device ID are included in the head area of the read data (S43). . If not included, the CPU 16 displays an error on the monitor 12 (S51) and ends the process.

  When the read data includes the medium ID and the device ID, the CPU 16 checks whether the device ID included in the read data matches the device ID of the own device (S44). If they do not match, the CPU 16 displays an error on the monitor 12 (S51) and ends the process.

  Since the device ID included in the read data matches the device ID of the own device, the CPU 16 acquires the image data with the medium ID added from the storage unit 15 (S45). The CPU 16 displays on the monitor 12 a screen for accepting selection of image data to be written to the memory card 2 or the optical disc 3 from the acquired image data, and waits until accepting the selection of image data (S46). When receiving the selection of the image data, the CPU 16 determines whether or not the optical disk 3 is mounted on the reader / writer 11B (S47).

  When the optical disc 3 is loaded, the CPU 16 displays a screen for accepting selection of whether to write image data on the optical disc 3 on the monitor 12 and waits until accepting the selection of whether to write (S48). When a selection input for writing image data on the optical disk 3 is received, the selected image data is written on the optical disk 3 (S49), and the process is terminated.

  When the optical disk 3 is not loaded and when the selection input indicating that the image data is not written to the optical disk 3 is received, the CPU 16 writes the selected image data to the memory card 2 (S50), and performs processing. finish.

  In the processes of S47 to S50, the acquired image data is written in the memory card 2 or the optical disc 3, but the image forming process may be performed on the paper using the acquired image data.

  As described above, when acquiring image data from the image forming apparatus 100B identified by the apparatus ID written in the memory card 2, an account for user authentication can be obtained simply by attaching the memory card 2 to the image forming apparatus 100B. The image data to which the medium ID written to the memory card 2 is added can be written to the memory card 2 or the optical disc 3 selected by the user without requiring a complicated operation such as a password input operation.

  Image forming apparatuses 101A to 101D according to the second embodiment of the present invention are different from image forming apparatuses 100A to 100D according to the first embodiment in that a ticket 4 is issued when data is stored. Only the differences will be described below.

  The ticket 4 is issued when the image data of the memory card 2 is stored in the image forming apparatus. The ticket 4 is printed with a two-dimensional code obtained by converting the medium ID of the memory card 2, the device ID of the image forming apparatus storing the image data, and the file name of the image data. The information is not limited to the two-dimensional code but may be any information for identifying the medium ID, the device ID, and the file name of the image data. For example, a bar code may be used.

  The image forming apparatus 101 </ b> A further includes a reading unit 19. The reading unit 19 has a scanner function and reads a two-dimensional code from the ticket 4 placed on the placement table. The CPU 16 can discriminate between the image forming apparatus that stores the image data and the stored image data by converting the two-dimensional code into the medium ID, the file name, and the apparatus ID and analyzing it.

  The storage unit 15 stores the device ID of the device itself, and the image data to which the medium ID, the number of issues, and the number of transmissions are added in order from the top. The number of issues indicates the number of tickets 4 issued when the image data is stored. The number of transmissions indicates the number of times image data is acquired using the ticket 4.

  First, the process when the ticket 4 is issued will be described. The ticket 4 is issued when image data is stored in the image forming apparatus. Therefore, the CPU 16 performs the processes of S61 to 67 shown in FIG. 7 instead of the process of S18 of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the CPU 16 displays on the monitor 12 a screen for accepting selection of whether or not to issue the ticket 4, and waits until accepting selection of whether or not to issue the ticket 4 (S61). When issuing the ticket 4, the CPU 16 waits until accepting the setting of the number of tickets 4 to be issued (S62). When the issuance number is set, the CPU 16 adds the medium ID and the issuance number to the image data that is the data read from the memory card 2, and the image data with the medium ID and the issuance number is added to the device ID. Is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 100B identified by (S63). When the CPU 16 of the image forming apparatus 100B receives the image data to which the medium ID and the number of issues are added, the CPU 16 adds the number of transmissions (0 times) to the received image data and stores it in the storage unit 15.

  Further, the CPU 16 of the image forming apparatus 100A converts the medium ID, the apparatus ID, and the file name of the image data into a two-dimensional code (S64), and the image forming unit 13 converts the two-dimensional code into the number of tickets 4 issued. Printing is performed (S65). The CPU 16 discharges the ticket 4 printed with the two-dimensional code from the discharge port 14 (S66), and ends the process.

  If the ticket 4 is not issued in the process of S61, the CPU 16 adds only the medium ID to the image data read from the memory card 2, and the image data with the medium ID added is identified by the device ID. The image is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 100B (S67), and the process is terminated.

  Next, a case where the image forming apparatus 100A reads a two-dimensional code from the ticket 4 will be described. It is assumed that a two-dimensional code including a medium ID of the memory card 2, an apparatus ID of the image forming apparatus 100B, and a file name of image data is printed on the ticket 4.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the CPU 16 of the image forming apparatus 100A waits until the reading unit 19 reads the two-dimensional code from the ticket 4 placed on the placing table (S71). When the two-dimensional code is read, the CPU 16 waits until the memory card or the optical disk 3 is mounted on the reader / writer 11A or the reader / writer 11B (S72). When the memory card or the optical disk 3 is loaded, the CPU 16 converts the two-dimensional code into a medium ID, a device ID, and a file name of image data (S73). The CPU 16 determines whether or not the converted device ID matches the device ID of the own device (S74). Since they do not match, the CPU 16 requests the image forming apparatus 100B identified by the converted apparatus ID to transmit the image data identified by the converted medium ID and the file name of the image data (S75).

  As shown in FIG. 9, the CPU 16 of the image forming apparatus 100B waits until a transmission request is received (S91). The CPU 16 acquires the image data requested to be transmitted from the storage unit 15 (S92), and transmits it to the image forming apparatus 100A that is the transmission source (S93). The CPU 16 updates the storage unit 15 by incrementing the number of times of transmission added to the image data requested to be transmitted (S94). The CPU 16 refers to the storage unit 15 to determine whether or not the number of transmissions is equal to or greater than the number of issues (S95). If the number of transmissions is equal to or greater than the number of issues, the CPU 16 deletes the image data from the storage unit 15 (S96) and ends the process. If the number of transmissions is less than the number of issues, the process ends.

  The CPU 16 of the image forming apparatus 100A waits until image data is received from the destination image forming apparatus 100B (S76). When receiving the image data, the CPU 16 writes the image data on the memory card or the optical disc 3 by the reader / writer 11A or the reader / writer 11B (S77), and ends the process.

  When the image forming apparatus 100B reads the two-dimensional code from the ticket 4, the converted apparatus ID matches the apparatus ID of the own apparatus in the process of S74. Image data identified by the file name is acquired from the storage unit 15 (S78). The CPU 16 increments the number of transmissions added to the acquired image data by 1, and updates the storage unit 15 (S79). The CPU 16 refers to the storage unit 15 to determine whether or not the number of transmissions is equal to or greater than the number of issues (S80). If the number of transmissions is equal to or greater than the number of issues, the CPU 16 deletes the image data from the storage unit 15 (S81), and performs the process of S77. If the number of transmissions is less than the number of issues, the process of S77 is performed.

  In the process of S77, the acquired image data is written on the memory card or the optical disk, but the image forming process may be performed on the paper using the acquired image data.

  As described above, even when the memory card 2 storing the image data in the image forming apparatus 100B is lost, the image data can be acquired from the image forming apparatus 100B by using the ticket 4. Further, by distributing the ticket 4 to a user who does not have the memory card 2 that stores the image data in the image forming apparatus 100B, the image data can be acquired. In addition, when the number of times image data has been written to the memory card 2 or the optical disc 3 is equal to or greater than the number of tickets 4 that can be acquired, the image data is automatically deleted from the storage unit 15. There is no need to perform complicated processing of erasing unnecessary image data by operation.

  In the above-described embodiment, the ticket 4 printed with the two-dimensional code including the medium ID, the device ID, and the file name of the image data is described as an example. However, the medium ID, the device ID, and the image data are identified. Any medium such as a memory card, a USB memory, an SD card, or a recording sheet on which data identification information is written may be used. The two-dimensional code of the ticket 4 only needs to include at least the medium ID and the device ID.

  In the above-described embodiment, the image forming apparatus that reads and writes image data from and to the memory card 2 is described as an example. However, any information processing apparatus that reads and writes data from and to a portable recording medium may be used. For example, a personal computer that reads / writes document data from / to a USB memory or a music terminal that reads / writes music data from / to an SD card may be used.

  Further, when the image data is stored in the storage unit 15, the stored user contact information (e-mail address, etc.) is registered, and the amount of image data stored in the storage unit 15 of the image forming apparatus is determined. When the amount exceeds a certain amount (for example, the storage capacity of the optical disk), this may be notified to the contact person of the user who saved the image data. When image data is written on the optical disc 3, a summary of the image data to be written may be written.

  Each image forming apparatus may be configured to back up data stored in the storage unit 15. Even if one of the image forming apparatuses fails, the data stored in the failed image forming apparatus can be acquired by restoring the data from the other image forming apparatuses.

  In addition, a usage fee may be generated each time image data stored in the memory card 2 is stored in the image forming apparatus and image data acquired from the image forming apparatus is written into the memory card 2 or the optical disc 3.

  The above description of the embodiment is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above embodiments but by the claims. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims.

2 ... Memory card 3 ... Optical disc 15 ... Storage unit 16 ... CPU
100A to 100D, 101A to 101D, image forming apparatus 200, network

Claims (5)

An information processing apparatus that performs reading / writing of data with respect to a portable recording medium and data transmission / reception with respect to another information processing apparatus via a network,
A storage unit for storing data;
At the time of reading data from the portable recording medium, the data of the portable recording medium is erased after reading the data from the portable recording medium, and medium identification information for identifying the portable recording medium is given. And writing to the portable recording medium, adding the added medium identification information to the data read from the portable recording medium, and transmitting the data with the medium identification information added to the information processing apparatus selected by the user. And
Storing the data with the medium identification information added to the storage unit when receiving the data with the medium identification information added from the other information processing apparatus;
When data is written to the portable recording medium, the data stored in the storage unit and added with the medium identification information read from the portable recording medium is written to the portable recording medium selected by the user. An information processing apparatus comprising: a control unit configured as described above.   2. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein, when the data is written, the data is selectively written to a portable recording medium that stores the medium identification information or another portable recording medium according to a user's selection. The information processing apparatus described.   The control unit further writes device identification information for identifying the information processing device selected by the user at the time of reading the data to the portable recording medium, and the portable recording medium according to a user's selection. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is selectively transmitted to the information processing apparatus identified by the apparatus identification information read from the information processing apparatus or the information processing apparatus selected by the user. A reading section for reading and writing data from / to the medium;
The control unit, when reading the data, issues a medium in which the medium identification information and the device identification information are written by the reading unit,
When the device identification information read by the reading unit coincides with the device identification information of the device itself when reading data from the medium, the data to which the medium identification information read by the reading unit is added is stored as a portable recording medium. If the device identification information read by the reading unit does not match the device identification information of its own device, a request for transmission of data with the medium identification information read by the reading unit is made,
Upon receiving the transmission request, the data requested to be transmitted is transmitted to an information processing apparatus that is a transmission source,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the received data is written to a portable recording medium when the data requested to be transmitted is received. The control unit, when reading the data, issues the number of issued media specified by the user, adds the number of issued to the data read from the portable recording medium, and transmits the data,
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, when the transmission request is received, the data is deleted from the storage unit when the number of transmissions of the data requested to be transmitted matches the number of issues.

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