JP2014093581A - Operator identification apparatus and image formation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To further improve reliability of operator identification when identifying an operator without requiring the operator to input identification information.SOLUTION: An image formation apparatus 1 comprises: an operator detection sensor 50; an imaging apparatus 80; an operation detector 101 for detecting respective pieces of information including positional information, width information, and height information of an operator in a taken image every fixed time; a difference calculator 102 for calculating, as operation data, a difference between pieces of information detected every fixed time with respect to the respective pieces of detected information; an HDD 92 for accumulating the operation data with the operator information; and a determination unit 103 which if the operation data acquired by the imaging apparatus 80, the operation detector 101, and the difference calculator 102 when the operator is detected by the operator detection sensor 50 has identity with one piece of the operation data accumulated in the HDD 92, determines the detected operator as an operator represented by the operator information of the piece of operation data having the identity.

Description

  The present invention relates to an operator identification device and an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a technique for identifying an operator.

  In an electronic device such as an image forming apparatus, there is a technique for identifying an operator and performing different display and operation for each identified operator without the operator performing an operation of inputting his / her identification information. It has been adopted. As a device that employs a technique for identifying an operator as described above, for example, a control device disclosed in Patent Document 1 below is known. The control device compares the face position detection unit that detects the position of the user's face from the captured image of the imaging device, and the partial image of the captured image at the detected position and the registered face image, thereby matching A face recognition processing unit that extracts a registered face image and a user authentication unit that specifies a user name corresponding to the extracted registered face image, and the data confirmation unit has the specified user name added thereto It is confirmed whether or not the multi-function peripheral has received the print data. If it is confirmed that the print data has been received, the image forming section of the multi-function peripheral is caused to form an image based on the print data.

JP 2009-147452 A

  In the control device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the user is identified by the processing by the face position detection unit, the face recognition processing unit, and the user authentication unit based on the image showing the user's face imaged by the imaging device. The area that can be imaged by the apparatus is limited, and the user's face cannot always be imaged. For this reason, when the image which shows a user's face cannot be imaged with an imaging device, there exists a problem that the precision which identifies a user falls.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and further improves the certainty of operator identification when the operator is identified without requiring the operator to input identification information. For the purpose.

An operator identification device according to one aspect of the present invention includes an operator detection unit that detects an operator at a predetermined position;
An operation data acquisition unit that detects a change in the movement of the operator over time and acquires operation data indicating the change;
An operation data storage unit that stores the operation data already acquired by the operation data acquisition unit together with operator information indicating an operator who has performed the movement;
The operation data for the operator acquired by the operation data acquisition unit when the operator is detected by the operator detection unit, and the operation already stored for each operator in the operation data storage unit It is determined whether any of the data has the same, and when it is determined that the data has the same, the operator detected by the operator detecting unit is the same stored in the motion data storing unit. A determination unit that determines that the operator is indicated by the operator information of the operation data.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to identify an operator if it can detect a change with time in at least a part of the movement of the operator's body, and it can be limited to a specific part of the operator's body, for example, the face. Since the face image is not required, it is easy to acquire data necessary for operator identification, and the accuracy of operator identification is improved.

1 is a front sectional view showing a structure of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. (A) is a front view showing the arrangement of an operator detection sensor and an imaging device in the image forming apparatus, and (B) is a side view showing operator detection by the operator detection sensor. (A) is a side view showing the imaging of the operator by the imaging device, (B) is a diagram showing an image obtained by imaging the operator at each position shown in (A) by the imaging device. 6 is a flowchart illustrating operator identification processing by an operator identification device of the image forming apparatus. 6 is a flowchart illustrating operator identification processing by an operator identification device of the image forming apparatus. 6 is a flowchart illustrating operator identification processing by an operator identification device of the image forming apparatus. (A) is a diagram showing a change in the position P based on the operation of the operator in a graph, (B) is a diagram showing each difference of the position P calculated every predetermined time, (C) is a plurality of differences The figure which shows the example which carried out the group extraction, (D) is a figure which shows the average of several extracted difference.

  Hereinafter, an operator identification device and an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing the structure of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is an MFP that includes an operator identification device and has a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. The image forming apparatus 1 includes an operation unit 47, an image forming unit 12, a fixing unit 13, a paper feeding unit 14, a feeding device 3, a document feeding unit 6, a document reading unit 5, and the like in the apparatus main body 11. Has been.

  The operation unit 47 receives instructions such as an image forming operation execution instruction and a document reading operation execution instruction from the operator regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 1. The operator 47 has a display unit 473 formed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 performs a document reading operation, the document reading unit 5 optically reads a document fed by the document feeding unit 6 or a document placed on the document placing glass 161, Generate image data. Image data generated by the document reading unit 5 is stored in a built-in HDD or a network-connected computer.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 performs an image forming operation, it is based on image data generated by the document reading operation, image data received from a computer connected to a network, image data stored in a built-in HDD, or the like. Then, the image forming unit 12 forms a toner image on the recording paper S as a recording medium fed from the paper feeding unit 14. When performing color printing, the magenta image forming unit 12M, the cyan image forming unit 12C, the yellow image forming unit 12Y, and the black image forming unit 12Bk of the image forming unit 12 respectively A toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 121 by charging, exposure, and development processes based on an image composed of each color component constituting data, and the toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 125 by the primary transfer roller 126. Let them transcribe.

  The toner images of the respective colors transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 125 are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 125 with the transfer timing adjusted to form a color toner image. The secondary transfer roller 210 passes the toner image of the color formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 125 from the paper supply unit 14 through the conveyance path 190 at a nip N between the intermediate transfer belt 125 and the driving roller 125a. It is transferred to the recording paper S that has been conveyed. Thereafter, the fixing unit 13 fixes the toner image on the recording paper S to the recording paper S by thermocompression bonding. The recording paper S on which the color image has been formed after the fixing process is completed is discharged to a discharge tray 151.

  The feeding device 3 is a paper feeding mechanism that is optionally attached to the image forming apparatus 1. The feeding device 3 is attached to a side portion of the apparatus main body 2, for example, the right side portion in FIG. 1, picks up recording sheets one by one, and feeds the recording paper toward the image forming unit 12 of the apparatus main body 11.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, when performing double-sided printing, the recording paper S on which one image is formed by the image forming unit 12 is nipped by the discharge roller pair 159, and then the recording paper S is switched back by the discharge roller pair 159 and sent to the reverse conveyance path 195, and the conveyance roller pair 19 conveys the recording sheet S to the upstream area in the conveyance direction with respect to the nip portion N and the fixing unit 13. As a result, an image is formed on the other surface of the recording paper by the image forming unit 12.

  An operator detection sensor (operator detection unit) is located at an appropriate position on the front surface of the image forming apparatus 1, for example, in the vicinity of the left and right center position of the front surface of the image forming apparatus 1 which is 50 to 70 cm high from the installation floor of the image forming apparatus 1. ) 50 and an imaging device (operation data acquisition unit, imaging unit) 80 are installed.

  In this embodiment, the operator detection sensor 50 includes an optical sensor, detects an operator located in front of the image forming apparatus 1, and detects the operator from the attachment position of the operator detection sensor 50 in the image forming apparatus 1. Measure the distance to.

  In this embodiment, the imaging device 80 includes a CCD camera, and images an operator located in front of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The image forming apparatus 1 further includes a post-processing device 60. The post-processing device 60 performs, as post-processing, a punch unit that performs a punching process, a stapling unit that performs a stapling process on the paper, and a recording sheet. A book binding unit for folding the book in the center and binding the book, and the recording paper that has been transported from the apparatus body 11 by being moved up and down by a lifting mechanism (not shown) and the post-processing of the punching process or the stapling process are finished. A mail box 62 including a plurality of bins 622 from which the recording paper is discharged, and a main discharge tray 623 are provided.

  The elevating mechanism 605 is configured such that the mail box 62 and the main discharge tray 623 are positioned at a reference position suitable for discharging the sheet bundle from the discharge roller pair 607 in accordance with a control signal from the control unit 100 (FIG. 2). Next, the mail box 62 and the main discharge tray 623 are moved up and down.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 16. The image forming apparatus 16 includes a control unit 10, an operation unit 47, a document feeding unit 6, a document reading unit 5, an image processing unit 31, an image memory 32, an image forming unit 12, a fixing unit 13, a drive motor 70, and a facsimile communication unit. 71, a network interface unit 91, an HDD 92, an imaging device 80, an operator detection sensor 50, and the like.

  The control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM, a ROM, a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like, and controls overall operation of the image forming apparatus 16. The control unit 10 includes a control unit 100, an operation detection unit 101, a difference calculation unit 102, a determination unit 103, a data rewrite unit 105, a data management unit 106, and a job reception unit 107.

  The control unit 100 includes an operation unit 47, a document feeding unit 6, a document reading unit 5, an image processing unit 31, an image memory 32, an image forming unit 12, a fixing unit 13, a drive motor 70, a facsimile communication unit 71, and a network interface unit. 91, HDD 92, operator detection sensor 50, imaging device 80, post-processing device 60, and the like, and drive control of these units is performed.

  The motion detection unit 101 detects a change in the movement of the operator over time. In the present embodiment, the motion detection unit 101 acquires each piece of position information, width information, and height information about an image indicating an operator in an image captured by the imaging device 80 at predetermined time intervals. An example of detecting the movement of the operator will be shown. The predetermined time is a time at which a change appears in the location of the operator who proceeds toward the operation unit 47 of the image forming apparatus 1, and for example, 0.2 seconds is adopted.

  The difference calculation unit 102 determines the position information, the width information, and the height information of the operator detected at the predetermined time by the motion detection unit 101 for each predetermined time. Calculate the difference. Details of the difference calculation will be described later. The calculated difference is used for determination (described later) by the determination unit 103. After the determination, the difference calculation unit 102 stores the calculated difference as operation data in the HDD 92 that functions as the operation data storage unit, together with operator information indicating an operator who has performed the movement that is the basis of the difference calculation. Let

  The motion detection unit 101, the difference calculation unit 102, and the imaging device 80 are examples of the motion data acquisition unit in the claims.

  The determination unit 103 determines whether the difference calculated by the difference calculation unit 102 when the operator is detected by the operator detection sensor 50 and one of the differences already stored in the HDD 92 for each operator are the same. If the difference having the sameness is accumulated, the operator detected by the operator detection sensor 50 is stored together with the difference having the sameness accumulated in the HDD 92. It is determined that the operator is indicated by the operated operator information. That is, the determination unit 103 identifies the operator detected by the operator detection sensor 50 based on whether or not the two differences are identical. Details of the identity determination will be described later.

  In the data rewriting unit 105, the value indicated by the difference calculated by the difference calculating unit 102 for the operator detected by the operator detection sensor 50 is the same as the value indicated by the difference already stored in the HDD 92 for each operator. In the case where the determination unit 103 determines that the job does not exist and the job reception unit 107 receives a job, the HDD 92 stores operator information indicating the operator who has instructed the received job. When the difference is accumulated, at least a part of the accumulated difference is calculated by the difference calculation unit 102 when the operator is detected by the operator detection sensor 50. Rewrite to

  When the operator is detected by the operator detection sensor 50, the data management unit 106 selects either the difference calculated by the difference calculation unit 102 for the detected operator or the difference already stored in the HDD 92 for each operator. If it is determined that there is no identity, new operator information indicating the detected operator is newly created, and the newly calculated difference is stored in the HDD 92 together with the operator information. .

  The job reception unit 107 receives an operation based on an operation of the operation unit 47 by the operator or a job transmitted from the operator via a network-connected computer, in this embodiment, a print job. Accept from.

  The network interface unit 91 receives and processes information necessary for communication with the personal computer 20 connected via a LAN or the Internet.

  The operator identification device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an operator detection sensor 50, an imaging device 80, an operation detection unit 101, a difference calculation unit 102, a determination unit 103, and a data rewriting unit 105. A data management unit 106, a job reception unit 107, and an HDD 92.

  Next, operator detection by the operator detection sensor 50 and imaging of the operator by the imaging device 80 will be described. 3A is a front view showing the arrangement of the operator detection sensor 50 and the imaging device 80 in the image forming apparatus 1, and FIG. 3B is a side view showing operator detection by the operator detection sensor 50. FIG. 4A is a side view showing imaging of an operator by the imaging device 80, and FIG. 4B is a diagram showing an image obtained by imaging the operator 200 at each position shown in FIG.

  The operation will be described from the operator detection by the operator detection sensor 50. As shown in FIG. 3A, the operator detection sensor 50 and the imaging device 80 are arranged near the center position in the left-right direction on the front surface portion of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The operator detection sensor 50 includes a light emitting unit 501 and a light receiving unit 502. The light emitting unit 501 includes an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or the like, and irradiates light to the front front of the image forming apparatus 1. The light receiving unit 502 includes a photodiode or the like. The light receiving unit 502 receives the reflected light reflected by the operator 200 from the light emitted from the light emitting unit 501 with respect to the operator 200 positioned in front of the image forming apparatus 1. When receiving the reflected light, the light receiving unit 502 outputs an operator detection signal indicating the presence of the operator to the control unit 100.

  The light receiving unit 502 measures the time from when the light emitting unit 501 emits light to when the reflected light is received by a built-in timer or the like, and information indicating the measured time is detected by the operator of the image forming apparatus 1. It outputs to the control part 100 as information which shows the distance from the sensor 50 to an operator. Note that the light receiving unit 502 does not receive the reflected light when the operator 200 is not positioned in front of the image forming apparatus 1, and therefore does not perform the operator detection and distance measurement.

  The imaging of the operator by the imaging device 80 will be described. The imaging device 80 starts imaging when the control unit 100 receives the operator detection signal from the light receiving unit 502 of the operator detection sensor 50. The imaging device 80 outputs the captured imaging data to the operation detection unit 101 of the control unit 10 every predetermined time from the time of the operator detection.

  For example, the operator 200 moves closer to the operation unit 47 on the front surface of the image forming apparatus 1, and the operator 200 moves to the respective positions p1, p2, and p3 shown in FIG. When doing so, the imaging device 80 images the operator 200 at each position. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4B, the captured images at the positions p1, p2, and p3 are the captured image im1 of the operator 200 at the position p1, and the captured image im2 of the operator 200 at the position p2. The captured image im3 of the operator 200 is obtained. Since the operator image indicating the operator 200 in the image captured by the image capturing device 80 becomes larger as the operator 200 approaches the image forming apparatus 1, the captured image is captured in the order of the captured image im1, the captured image im2, and the captured image im3. The operator image inside is large. That is, as the operator 200 approaches the image forming apparatus 1, the proportion of the operation image in the captured image increases.

  In the present embodiment, the motion detection unit 101 detects an image of the operator 200 included in each captured image obtained in this way. For example, the motion detection unit 101 stores in advance a standard image indicating the shape of a person in a built-in memory or the like. The motion detection unit 101 extracts an image portion showing the operator 200 from each of the captured images by pattern matching using the standard image, for example, and as shown in FIG. H, width W of the extracted image, position of the center of the operator 200 image with respect to the center position of the captured image (distance from the center position of the captured image to the center of the image of the operator 200) P Is detected. The motion detection unit 101 detects the height H, the width W, and the position P based on the coordinates of each pixel constituting the extracted image of the operator 200 in each captured image. The motion detection unit 101 outputs the detected height H, width W, and position P to the difference calculation unit 102.

  As described above, the operator image in the image captured by the imaging device 80 becomes larger as the operator 200 approaches the image forming apparatus 1, and thus the height H of the operator image detected by the motion detection unit 101, The width W of the operator image and the center position P of the operator image vary according to the distance of the operator 200 to the image forming apparatus 1.

  The difference calculation unit 102 calculates the previous time (the predetermined time) for each of the height H, width W, and position P obtained from each captured image captured at the predetermined time by the imaging device 80. The difference between the height H, the width W, and the position P obtained from the captured image is calculated. For example, when the captured image im2 is obtained, the difference calculating unit 102 captures the height H obtained from the operator image of the captured image im2 and the predetermined time before the captured time of the captured image im2. The difference between the captured image im1 and the height H obtained from the operator image is calculated, and the width W and the position P are similarly obtained from the captured image im2 and the value obtained from the captured image im1. The difference from the obtained value is calculated.

  The difference calculated in this way is the movement of the operator from when the operator 200 is calculated by the operator detection sensor 50 until the operator 200 operates the operation unit 47, that is, by the operator. A method of approaching the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. And it is assumed that the difference in the wrinkles and individuality of each operator 200 appears as a difference in the above difference. That is, in the present embodiment, the difference calculation unit 102 numerically indicates how each operator approaches the image forming apparatus 1 by the above difference, and the difference is used as operation data indicating the characteristics of each operator. Every time it is stored in the HDD 92.

  And when the operator 200 is newly detected by the operator detection sensor 50, the determination part 103 is based on each captured image imaged with the imaging device 80 every said predetermined time from this time. Whether or not a difference having the sameness is accumulated in the HDD 92 with respect to each difference regarding the height H, the width W, and the position P newly obtained by the motion detection unit 101 and the difference calculation unit 102. to decide. If the determination unit 103 determines that a difference having the same identity as each difference with respect to the newly obtained height H, width W, and position P is stored in the HDD 92, the determination unit 103 has the identity. Each operator of the image forming apparatus 1 is identified by determining the operator indicated by the operator information stored in the HDD 92 together with the difference as the detected operator.

  Next, an operator identification process by the operator identification device of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. 5 to 7 are flowcharts showing operator identification processing by the operator identification device of the image forming apparatus 1.

  For example, the operator 200 operates a personal computer 20 connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via a network, and prints a print job including data to be printed and an execution instruction for box storage printing from the personal computer 20. 1 to send. In this box storage printing, the print target data transmitted by the operator from the personal computer 20 is temporarily stored in the HDD 92 or the image memory 32 in the image forming apparatus 1, and then a print instruction for the print target data is issued from the operation unit 47. This is a printing method in which printing of the print target data is executed when input is made by an operator.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 receives a print job including the print target data and the box storage print execution instruction from the personal computer 20 via the network interface unit 91 (S1), the print target data is stored in the HDD 92 or the HDD 92. It is stored in the image memory 32 (S2).

  When the print target data is stored in the HD 92, the control unit 100 also stores the operator information indicating the name of the operator who has transmitted the print job together with the print target data (S3). The operator information indicating the name of the operator is included in the print job.

  When receiving the print job, the control unit 100 starts detection of the operator by the operator detection sensor 50 (S4).

  Here, the control unit 100 waits until the operator 200 is detected by the operator detection sensor 50 (NO in S4), and when the operator 200 is detected (YES in S4), the operation is performed on the imaging device 80. The person's imaging is started (S5).

  After the start of imaging, the motion detection unit 101 extracts an operator image indicating the operator 200 from the first captured image obtained at the time of the first imaging (t1) by the imaging device 80, and the position regarding the operator image P, height H, and width W are detected, and a distance D from the image forming apparatus 1 to the operator 200 is detected based on an output from the operator detection sensor 50, and these are stored in, for example, a built-in memory ( S6).

Thereafter, the control unit 100 determines that the distance D measured by the operator detection sensor 50 is such that the operator 200 is at the reference operation position D _{0 of} the image forming apparatus 1 (for example, the distance from the image forming apparatus 1 is 30 cm). It is determined whether or not the value indicates that (S7).

Control unit 100, in a case where the distance D to be measured by the operator detection sensor 50 has not reached the shows the reference operating position D ₀ (NO in S7), the time was predetermined from the previous image pickup t When the time tn has elapsed (YES in S8), the imaging device 80 causes the motion detection unit 101 to output a captured image at the time tn (S9).

  The motion detection unit 101 extracts an operator image indicating the operator 200 from the captured image obtained from the imaging device 80 at this time tn, and determines the position P, height H, and width W of the operator image. It is detected and stored in, for example, a built-in memory (S10).

Subsequently, the difference calculation unit 102 calculates the position P detected at the time tn and the position P detected at the time tn−1 when the captured image was obtained from the imaging device 80 one time before this. calculates the difference _{P d,} similarly, the difference _{H d} of the height H, and stores the calculated difference _{W d} of the width W (S11).

  For example, when the difference calculation unit 102 calculates the difference in the position P of the operator 200 detected by the operator detection sensor 50, assuming that the position P has changed as shown in FIG. The amount of change is calculated every elapse of a predetermined time t, and each difference shown in FIG. 8B is obtained.

Thereafter, the processing returns to S7, a distance D measured by the operator detection sensor 50 becomes the reference operating position _{D 0,} (NO in S7) where the process is repeated in S8 to S11. Thereby, every time a predetermined time t elapses, the motion detection unit 101 extracts an operator image from the captured image obtained from the imaging device 80 at the time tn (tn = tn + t), and calculates a difference. The unit 102 calculates a new difference P _d , difference H _d , and difference W _d at the time point tn. For this reason, the difference calculation unit 102 obtains the difference P _d , the difference H _d , and the difference H _d obtained every elapse of a predetermined time t until the distance D measured by the operator detection sensor 50 reaches the reference operation position D ₀ . accumulating a set of difference W _d.

Note that the difference calculation unit 102 determines that the set of the difference P _d , the difference H _d , and the difference W _d obtained every elapse of a predetermined time t is less than a predetermined number (for example, 5 sets). Copies the set of the difference P _d , the difference H _d , and the difference W _d calculated last, and accumulates the data as the number of sets that are less than the set.

Then, in S7, the control unit 100, the distance D to be measured by the operator detection sensor 50 is determined to become the reference operating position _{D 0} (YES in S7), the determination unit 103, already at this point HDD92 Then, an average value _Ad is calculated for the past difference P _d , difference H _d , and difference W _d accumulated for each operator (S12).

The HDD 92 stores, for each piece of operator information indicating an operator, a set of the difference P _d , the difference H _d , and the difference W _d obtained in the past in the processes of S6 to S11 performed in the past. As shown in FIG. 8 (C), the determination unit 103, for example, 10 sets (the set number is exemplary, those not to be limited to) using the difference P _d, the difference H _d, the difference W _d of Te, the difference _{P d,} the difference _{H d,} for each of the difference _{W d} and calculates the average _{a d} of the past 10 times (Fig. 8 (D)). Incidentally, in FIG. 8 (C) shows the difference P _d, the difference H _d, an example of 10 pairs extracted for one of the difference W _d. Judging unit 103, the calculation of the average _{A d,} performs difference Pd for all operators, difference Hd, the difference Wd.

Subsequently, the determination unit 103, the entire set of the difference P _d, which is obtained in the process at S8~S11 initiated on the basis of the operator detection by the current S1 is the difference calculating unit 102 are _accumulated, the difference H _{d ,} using the difference _{W d,} the difference _{P d,} the difference _{H d,} calculates the average a for each of the difference _{W d} (S13).

Then, the determination unit 103 calculates the difference df of the average A for the average _{A d} of all of the operator stored in the HDD 92 (S14). At this time, the determination unit 103 calculates the difference df for each of the values constituting the average _Ad and the average A for each of the differences P _{d, the} difference H _{d, and the} difference W _d of all operators.

The determination unit 103 has a predetermined threshold th for each of the difference P _{d, the} difference H _{d, and the} difference W _d , and all the values of the difference for the difference P _d calculated in S14, Average A _d that satisfies the condition that all values of the difference with respect to the difference H _d and all values of the difference with respect to the difference W _d do not exceed the threshold th and fall within the threshold th. It is determined whether or not there is (S15). The threshold th is preferably set to a different value for each of the difference Pd, the difference Hd, and the difference Wd.

Here, the determination unit 103, if it is determined that the average _{A d} which satisfies the above condition (YES in S15), the determination unit 103, the operator 200 that has been detected by the operator detection sensor 50 in S4 It is determined that the operator is indicated by the operator information stored together with the average Ad. The control unit 100 displays the job of the determined operator among the jobs received by the job reception unit 107 at this point in a different display form from the jobs of other operators. It is displayed on the part 473 (S16). For example, the control unit 100 displays the determined operator's job on the top of the display area of the display unit 473 so that it is easier to see than the display of the touch panel function job.

On the other hand, the determination unit 103, when it is determined that there is no average A _d which satisfies the above condition (NO in S15), the data management unit 106 creates the operator information indicating a new operator, the operation together with user information, temporarily, the difference _{P d} obtained in S8 to _S11, the difference _{H d,} allowed to store all data in the HDD92 of the difference _{W d} (S17).

In the above, the determination by the determination unit 103, and all values of the difference for the difference P _d calculated in S14, and all values of the difference for the difference H _d, for the difference W _d average all values of the difference is within the threshold th a _d, but made based on the condition that, not limited thereto, (1) a predetermined ratio of the difference for each of these differences mean a _d and, (2) the difference P _d, the difference H _d, the average a of all the values or a predetermined ratio of the difference for either of the difference W _d is within the threshold th but falls within the threshold th _The above determination may be performed using the condition _d .

  After that, the data management unit 106 operates when the operator 200 operates the operation unit 47 and inputs an execution instruction for one of the jobs accepted at this time to the job reception unit 107 (S18). YES), the operator who instructed the job selected by the execution instruction (that is, the operator indicated by the operator information stored together with the print target data of the selected job in S3), and the determination unit in S15 It is determined whether the operator determined by 103 is the same (S19).

If the data management unit 106 determines that the operator who instructed the job for which the execution instruction has been issued is not the same as the operator determined by the determination unit 103 in S15 (NO in S19), the data rewriting unit 105 Is the difference P stored in the HDD 92 together with the operator information indicating the operator who has instructed the job for which the execution instruction has been issued, among the differences P _{d, the} difference H _{d, and the} difference W _d of each operator. _d, the difference _{H d,} the difference _{W d,} remove the 5 sets of 10 pairs of half that stores the difference _{P d} obtained in S8 to _S11, the difference _{H d,} the assembled from the data of the difference _{W d} Several minutes of data are extracted and stored in the HDD 92 in place of the erased operation data (S23). Incidentally, if the difference _{P d} obtained in S8 to _S11, the difference _{H d,} the number of sets of data of the difference _{W d} is less than 10 a set number of erased above, the data rewriting section 105, in 8~S11 the resulting difference _{P d,} the difference _{H d,} the difference _{W d} either data to be copied and stored data, or the erasure, the difference _{P d} obtained in S8 to _S11, the difference _{H d,} bear in the set number of the data of the difference W _d, it rewrites only the set number of minutes.

In addition, when the data management unit 106 determines that the operator who has instructed the job for which execution has been instructed is the same as the operator determined by the determination unit 103 in S15 (YES in S19), S8 to difference _{P d} obtained in _S11, the difference _{H d,} all data of the difference _{W d} determines whether or has to have been temporarily stored in the above S17 (S20).

Here, the data management unit 106, the difference _{P d} obtained in S8 to _S11, when the difference _{H d,} data of the difference _{W d} is determined to become what is temporarily stored in the above S17, (YES in S20), the operator information of the operator's job which the execution instruction is input newly created, together with the created operator information, the difference P _d, which is temporarily stored in _S17, the difference H _{d ,} and stores the data of the difference _{W d} to HDD92 (S22).

Further, when the data management unit 106, the difference _{P d} obtained in S8 to _S11, the difference _{H d,} all data of the difference _{W d} is determined not to become what is temporarily stored in the above S17 ( NO) at S20, i.e., if the determination unit 103 is determined step S15 if there is an average a _d which satisfies the above conditions, the data management unit 106, as the operation data of the the determined operator, S8 The data of the difference Pd, the difference Hd, and the difference Wd obtained in S11 are stored in the HDD 92 (S21).

As described above, in this embodiment, when the operator 200 is detected by the operator detection sensor 50, the imaging device 80, the motion detection unit 101, and the difference calculation unit 102 as the motion data acquisition unit are A change with time in the movement of the body is detected, and motion data (difference _Pd, difference _Hd, difference _Wd ) indicating the change is acquired. In the HDD 92 as the operation data storage unit, the operation data already acquired by the operation data acquisition unit is stored together with operator information indicating the operator who has performed the movement that is the basis of the operation data. When the operator 200 is detected by the operator detection sensor 50 and the operation data about the operator 200 is acquired by the operation data acquisition unit, the determination unit 103 accumulates the acquired operation data and the operation data storage unit. It is determined whether or not the motion data is identical, and if it is identical, the operator 200 detected by the operator detection sensor 50 is stored in the motion data storage unit. It is determined that the operator is indicated by the operator information of the operation data having the same identity.

  For this reason, the operator 200 can be identified by the determination unit 103 if there is motion data indicating a change in the body movement of the operator 200 over time. For example, a part specified in the body of the operator 200, for example, An image of a face is not necessarily required, data acquisition required for the determination is facilitated, and the reliability of operator identification can be improved.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the motion detection unit 101 detects each information of the position information, the width information, and the height information of the operator 200 from the captured image captured by the imaging device 80 at predetermined time t. Then, since the difference calculation unit 102 calculates the difference for each piece of information detected at the predetermined time t as the operation data, the data used for the determination by the determination unit 103 is captured by the imaging device 80. It is assumed that the image obtained from the image is sufficient, and the change over time of the movement is assumed to indicate a specific action based on the habit and personality of each operator. It is possible to accurately collect data indicating the appearing traps and individuality.

  In these cases, the operator identification device as an embodiment of the present invention includes an operator detection sensor 50, an imaging device 80, an operation detection unit 101, a difference calculation unit 102, a determination unit 103, and an HDD 92. The data rewriting unit 105, the data management unit 106, and the job receiving unit 107 are not essential components.

  Further, according to the embodiment, the operation data of the operator of the job for which the execution instruction has been issued in the image forming apparatus 1 is stored in the operation data storage unit. When the operation data of the operator newly acquired in S11 does not match, the data rewriting unit 105 uses the operation data of the operator stored in the operation data storage unit as the operator. Since it is rewritten to the newly acquired motion data, it is possible to identify the operator by using the motion data obtained most recently that is assumed to be highly credible for the determination by the determination unit 103 thereafter. The certainty of operator identification based on the operator determination of the unit 103 can be further improved.

  In this case, in addition to the basic configuration described above, the operator identification device as an embodiment of the present invention further includes a data rewriting unit 105 and a job receiving unit 107.

  In the above embodiment, when the operation data having the same identity as the operation data newly acquired in S6 to S11 is not stored in the operation data storage unit, the data management unit 106 stores new operator information. Since the newly acquired motion data is stored in the motion data storage unit together with the operator information, for example, the motion data acquired later and the stored motion data are identical. When the determination unit 103 determines that the operator of the acquired operation data is determined from the operator of the job for which the execution instruction has been input, the operation data is obtained from the determined operator. It can be accumulated as operation data and used for subsequent operator identification.

  In this case, the operator identification device as one embodiment of the present invention further includes a data management unit 106 in addition to the above basic configuration.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the control unit 100 displays the operator's job determined by the determination unit 103 at the top of the display screen of the display unit 473, so that the operator's job is displayed on another display target. Therefore, it is possible to display information useful for the operator who wants to operate the image forming apparatus 1 in an easy-to-view manner.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, in the above embodiment, in S19, the data management unit 106 determines whether the operator who has instructed the job selected by the operator 200 is the same as the operator determined by the determination unit 103 in S15. However, instead of this, the operation immediately before the image forming apparatus 1 is operated and the operation unit 47 is operated to input the identification information (operator ID, password, etc.) unique to the operator and log in. The operator (that is, the operator specified by the identification information) may determine whether the operator determined by the determination unit 103 in S15 is the same. If the result of this determination is that the operator has failed to be identified (NO in S19), the operation data rewriting process is performed (S23), and the information is stored in the HDD 92 as another pattern information of the operator.

  In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is described using a multifunction peripheral. However, this is merely an example, and other image forming apparatuses such as a printer, a copier, A facsimile machine or the like may be used.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the structure and process which were shown by the said embodiment using FIG. 1 thru | or FIG. 8 are only one Embodiment of this invention, and are not the meaning which limits this invention to the said structure and process.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 10 Control unit 100 Control part 101 Operation | movement detection part 102 Difference calculation part 103 Determination part 105 Data rewriting part 106 Data management part 107 Job reception part 47 Operation part 50 Operator detection sensor 501 Light emission part 502 Light reception part 80 Imaging device 200 operator 473 display unit

Claims (5)

An operator detection unit for detecting an operator at a predetermined position;
An operation data acquisition unit that detects a change in the movement of the operator over time and acquires operation data indicating the change;
An operation data storage unit that stores the operation data already acquired by the operation data acquisition unit together with operator information indicating an operator who has performed the movement;
The operation data for the operator acquired by the operation data acquisition unit when the operator is detected by the operator detection unit, and the operation already stored for each operator in the operation data storage unit It is determined whether any of the data has the same, and when it is determined that the data has the same, the operator detected by the operator detecting unit is the same stored in the motion data storing unit. An operator identification device comprising: a determination unit that determines that the operator is indicated by the operator information of the operation data. The motion data acquisition unit detects each information of an imaging unit that images the operator and position information, width information, and height information of the operator in an image captured by the imaging unit at predetermined time intervals. And a difference calculating unit that calculates a difference for each predetermined time as the operation data for each piece of information detected by the operation detecting unit,
The operation data storage unit stores, as the operation data, a difference for each piece of information about each operator calculated by the difference calculation unit in the past,
The determination unit includes a difference for each piece of information calculated by the difference calculation unit when an operator is detected by the operator detection unit, and each of the information already stored in the storage unit for each operator. When any one of the differences regarding the information is identical, the operation detected by the operator detection unit is performed by the operator on the difference for each piece of information having the same identity stored in the storage unit. The operator identification device according to claim 1, wherein the operator identification device determines that the operator is indicated by the operator information.   The operation data for the operator acquired by the operation data acquisition unit when the operator is detected by the operator detection unit, and the operation data already stored for each operator in the storage unit, If it is determined that they do not have the same, the operator information indicating the detected operator is newly created, and together with the operator information, the acquired operation data is stored in the operation data storage unit. The operator identification device according to claim 1, further comprising a data management unit that stores data in the operator identification device. A job reception unit that receives a job instructed by an operator;
When the operator is detected by the operator detection unit by the determination unit, the operation data about the operator acquired by the operation data acquisition unit and already stored in the storage unit for each operator. When the job data is determined not to be identical to the operation data and the job reception unit has received a job, the operation data storage unit is indicated with an operator who has instructed the received job. A data rewriting unit that rewrites at least a part of the accumulated operation data to the operation data acquired by the operation data acquisition unit when the operation data having operator information is stored; The operator identification device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. An operator identification device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A display for displaying operator guidance for the operator;
An image forming unit for forming an image on the recording medium;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit configured to display a job instructed by an operator determined by the determination unit on the display unit in a display manner different from other display targets.