JP2016091145A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to use a plurality of languages for a message in a help menu, and efficiently display a message in necessary languages.SOLUTION: After a user 6 logs in to a compound machine 2, the compound machine 2 can read ID information on the IC card 8 with an IC reading part 2e to specify a language used by the user 6 who owns the IC card 8 from information stored in an authentication server 3, and display a message 27b in a help menu in the language on a display 2d. In this case, the IC card 8 from which the IC information is read may be the IC card 8 of the user 6 who has logged in to the compound machine or an IC card 8 of another user 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that performs image forming processing based on a print job.

  For example, in a network printing system in which an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, or a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions is connected to a computer network, the image forming apparatus is generally shared by users of a plurality of computers. It is.

  When the image forming apparatus is shared by a plurality of users as described above, if the user's language is not a single language, a message on the help menu that explains how to use the apparatus is displayed in the language used by the user who uses the help menu. It is required to be able to display.

  Thus, it has been proposed to display a help menu message in another language in addition to the default language that is regularly used at the installation site of the network printing system. This suggestion allows you to change the default language settings so that messages in the default language are always displayed at the top, or messages in each language depending on how often messages in each language are actually referenced. The display order is determined (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-216038 A

  However, in the proposal of Patent Document 1 described above, when a user who uses a language other than the default or a user who uses a language with a low reference frequency refers to the message in the help menu, the message in his language is not seen. It takes time and effort to keep scrolling the message screen on the display.

  That is, in the image forming apparatus shared by a plurality of users, when the help menu message is displayed in a plurality of languages used by each user, the help menu indicates which language message is to be displayed preferentially. It is important to make it available efficiently.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to enable an efficient display of a message in a required language in order to make it possible to use a plurality of languages for a help menu message. It is to provide a forming apparatus.

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention provides:
In an image forming apparatus that performs image forming processing based on a print job,
A display for displaying a help menu message of the image forming apparatus;
When a language designation menu used for displaying the message is selected on the display, an authentication unit that accepts a user login to the image forming apparatus;
When the authentication unit accepts a user login, a use language identification unit that identifies a language used by the user who accepted the login;
Display control means for displaying the message on the display using at least the language used when the language used to display the message is different from the language used until the authentication means accepts a user login;
It is characterized by providing.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the authentication unit accepts a login of a user different from a user who has already logged into the image forming apparatus. It is characterized by.

As another example of an image forming apparatus for achieving the above object,
In an image forming apparatus that performs image forming processing based on a print job,
A display for displaying a help menu message of the image forming apparatus;
Use language specifying means for specifying the user's use language from ID information stored in the user's authentication medium, which is used for specifying the user who logs in to the image forming apparatus. When,
A message switching means for switching the message displayed on the display from a message in a predetermined default language to a message in the specified user language when the user language is specified;
It is good also as a structure characterized by providing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently display a message in a necessary language when a plurality of languages can be used for a message in the help menu.

  That is, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention described in claim 1, when the language designation menu used for displaying the message of the help menu is selected on the display and the authentication unit accepts the user login, the subsequent display The message of the help menu is displayed using at least the language used by the user who has accepted the login by the authentication means.

  For this reason, when viewing messages in the help menu in a language different from the current language, there is no need to perform operations such as switching the display screen of the display or scrolling the display in order to display messages in that language on the display. It will come to an end.

  Thus, if there is a user who needs to see the help menu message display on the display and that user is using a different language than the language used to display the help menu message, Help menu messages can be efficiently displayed on the display in the language used.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention described in claim 2, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention described in claim 1, the language designation menu used for displaying the message of the help menu is selected on the display. The user login accepted by the authentication unit is accepted in a state where another user has already logged in to the image forming apparatus.

  For this reason, when it is necessary for another user who is different from the user who has logged in to the image forming apparatus to view the message on the help menu, the user who logs in the image forming apparatus newly logs in the user to view the message. Messages can be displayed using the language used.

  Accordingly, in the image forming apparatus in which a certain user is logged in, the help menu message is displayed on the display by using the login process of the user who needs to view the help menu message according to the language used by the user viewing the message. It can be displayed efficiently.

  According to another example of the image forming apparatus described above, the help menu message is displayed in the default language on the display of the image forming apparatus to which the user who has been authenticated by the authentication process using the ID information of the authentication medium is logged. Is displayed. When the user language is specified from the ID information of the authentication medium, a help menu message is displayed on the display according to the user language.

  Here, the ID information used to specify the language used by the user may be ID information read from the authentication medium of the user who logs in when logging in to the image forming apparatus, and a certain user logs into the image forming apparatus. After that, the ID information read from the authentication medium of the same user or another user may be used separately for the login authentication processing.

  If the user language specified from the ID information read from the authentication medium is not the default language, the help menu message displayed on the display is identified from the message in the default language. The message is switched to the message in the language used by the user who is the owner of the authentication medium read out from the ID information used in the above.

  For this reason, when viewing messages in the help menu in a language other than the default, there is no need to perform operations such as switching the display screen of the display or scrolling the display in order to display messages in that language on the display. become.

  Therefore, if there is a user who needs to see the help menu message display on the display and that user is using a language other than the default language, the help menu message will be displayed more efficiently on the display in that user's language. Can be displayed automatically.

1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system including a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the multifunction peripheral of FIG. 1. It is explanatory drawing which shows the user interface screen displayed on the display of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which operated the help icon on the user interface screen of FIG. 3, and displayed the message of the help menu. It is explanatory drawing which shows the language selection screen displayed on a display by button operation of the message screen of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the card reading guidance screen displayed on a display by button operation of the language selection screen of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which displayed the message of the help menu by writing together the language selected by button operation of the language selection screen of FIG. 5, and the reading operation of IC card, and a default language. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing using a user's language for displaying a message of a help menu performed by the controller of the multifunction device of FIG. 1 based on ID information of an IC card. 6 is a flowchart showing another procedure of processing using a user's language for displaying a message of a help menu performed by the controller of the multifunction peripheral of FIG. 1 based on the ID information of the IC card.

(Overall configuration of printing system)
Exemplary embodiments of a printing system including a printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an outline of a printing system according to the present embodiment. Note that the type and number of devices connected to the communication network 4 are not limited to the example shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of user terminals 1 (1 a and 1 b), an authentication server 3, and a multifunction device 2 (an image forming apparatus in claims) with respect to a communication network 4. Is equivalent).

  The user terminal 1 (1a and 1b) is an arithmetic processing device including a CPU, and has a function of creating printing data by various application software and instructing execution of printing processing of the data. The user terminal 1 can be realized by, for example, a general-purpose computer such as a personal computer or a dedicated device specialized in function, and may be a mobile computer, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance), or a mobile phone.

  The multifunction device 2 functions as a network printer that executes a print job received from the user terminal 1 through the communication network 4 in accordance with a print instruction based on a user operation. The multifunction machine 2 also functions as a copier that copies a document by executing a print job generated by reading an image from the document with the scanner unit 2a.

  In addition to this, the MFP 2 functions as a scanner that scans an image of a document with the scanner unit 2a and converts it to data, and prints an image of a document that is transmitted from a telephone line or received from a telephone line. It may have a facsimile function.

  By the way, in a printing system on a network shared by users of a plurality of user terminals 1 (1a and 1b), a printed matter as a result of executing various print jobs from different users is output from the multifunction device 2. .

  Here, in the printed matter, there are things that you do not want to be seen by others and highly confidential materials. Therefore, in order to protect such printed matter, a multifunction machine 2 having a so-called authentication output function is used in a printing system on a network. In the multifunction device 2 with the authentication output function, the user goes to the multifunction device 2 to perform personal authentication, and printing is executed only when the user is authenticated.

  Also, in the multi-function device 2, even when an image read from a document by the scanner unit 2 a is copied and printed, printing is executed for the first time when the personal authentication is performed and authentication is performed.

  Specifically, when the multifunction device 2 is used as a network printer, the job output person 5 (5a and 5b) who operates the user terminal 1 (1a and 1b) sends a print job via the communication network 4. Output to machine 2.

  Thereafter, the job output person 5 (5a and 5b) logs in to the MFP 2 as the user 6 by using his / her identification IC card 8 (corresponding to the authentication medium in the claims), and the user terminal 1 (1a And 1b), the MFP 2 executes printing by the print job output from 1b).

  When the multifunction device 2 is used as a copying machine, the multifunction device 2 is caused to execute printing by a print job generated by reading an image of a document with the scanner unit 2a. Whether the user 6 who uses the multifunction device 2 as a copier is requested to log in in advance is arbitrary. For example, the person in charge of the multifunction device 2 sets whether or not to log in to the multifunction device 2. Also good.

  Note that operations of the multifunction device 2 as a network printer, a copying machine, and the like are controlled by a built-in controller 2b.

  The authentication server 3 is a computer that verifies the legitimacy of a user who executes print processing on the communication network 4 or software having the function thereof. In the present embodiment, the authentication server 3 compares the authentication information of the IC card 8 input through the communication network 4 or wireless communication with the authentication information stored in itself, and performs authentication processing based on the match or mismatch. I do.

  The authentication information stored in the authentication server 3 can be, for example, a table format database. In this database, at least ID information unique to each IC card 8 stored as authentication information in the IC card 8 of the person registered as the user 6 (for example, an employee) and the lender of the IC card 8 User identification information for identifying the (owner) user 6, language identification information for identifying the language that the user 6 uses on a daily basis, and authority information indicating authority permitted after login are stored in association with each other.

  Therefore, the authentication process when logging in to the MFP 2 is performed by checking that the user identification information of the user 6 corresponding to the ID information read from the IC card 8 of the logged-in user 6 is registered in the database of the authentication server 3. This can be done by checking.

  Note that the authentication server 3 may be omitted, and the controller 2b of the multifunction device 2 may perform authentication processing using authentication information stored in a built-in or external storage device (not shown) of the multifunction device 2.

  The communication network 4 is a distributed type constructed by mutually connecting various communication lines (optical lines such as FTTH, public lines such as ADSL lines, dedicated lines, and wireless communication networks) using the communication protocol TCP / IP. This IP network includes LANs such as intranets (intra-company networks) and home networks such as 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX.

  The IC card 8 is a card-type recording medium such as an employee ID card, and has, for example, a magnetic band 8a and an IC chip 8b as shown in FIG. The ID information is stored and held in the magnetic band 8a and the IC chip 8b.

  In the present embodiment, the IC card 8 is a card-type recording medium. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any IC card 8 may be used as long as unique ID information is recorded and can be carried by the user 6. Alternatively, the IC card 8 may be substituted by a mobile phone or the like with a built-in IC chip.

(Configuration of MFP)
As shown in FIG. 2, the multifunction device 2 described above includes a controller 2b, a printer unit 2c, a display 2d, and an IC reading unit 2e in addition to the scanner unit 2a described above. The controller 2b functions as a language used specifying unit and a display control unit in the claims. Processing performed by the controller 2b will be described later.

  The printer unit 2c prints an image by executing a print job from the user terminal 1 (1a and 1b) or a print job generated by reading a document image by the scanner unit 2a. Any method such as a method, a thermal transfer method, a heat sensitive method, or an electrophotographic method may be used.

  Printing paper (not shown) used for printing a print image in the printer unit 2c is conveyed from a paper supply unit (not shown) to a paper discharge unit (not shown) via the printer unit 2c.

  The display 2 d displays an operation state of the multifunction device 2, a message for use, and the like, and is used as a user interface of the multifunction device 2. Specifically, for example, the display 2d is used as an input operation unit or the like for a user to input copying conditions such as the number of copies and a copy magnification when copying and printing a document image set on the scanner unit 2a.

  The IC reading unit 2 e is a reader device that reads ID information stored in the IC card 8. As the reader device, for example, a non-contact type that transmits a weak radio wave to an antenna mounted on the IC card 8, receives a signal modulated with data of ID information recorded on the IC chip 8 b, and reads the data is used. Can do.

  Note that the IC reading unit 2e is not limited to a non-contact type reader device. For example, a contact type in which a card or a magnetic card on which an IC chip 8b or the like is mounted is inserted into a slot may be used. A reading device corresponding to the medium to be stored is used.

  The controller 2b for overall control to which the above-described scanner unit 2a, printer unit 2c, display 2d, and IC reading unit 2e are connected is constituted by, for example, a microcomputer.

  A plurality of user terminals 1 (1a and 1b) are connected to the external interface unit 21 of the controller 2b via the communication network 4, respectively. The controller 2b receives a print job of a print image from each user terminal 1 (1a and 1b). Further, the controller 2b generates a print job for the original image read by the scanner unit 2a.

  Then, the controller 2b generates raster data of the print image by the print job received from the user terminal 1 or the print job generated by itself. In addition, the MFP 2 prints the print image or the original image on the print sheet in the printer unit 2c under the conditions (paper size, paper orientation, number of copies, copy magnification, etc.) specified in the print setting information of the print job. Run.

  The controller 2b of the multifunction device 2 that causes the printer unit 2c to perform a printing operation includes a CPU 22. The CPU 22 controls the operation of the scanner unit 2a and the printer unit 2c according to the contents input and set from the display 2d based on the program and setting information stored in the ROM 23.

  The controller 2b is provided with a RAM 24. The RAM 24 is generated by the controller 2b from a print job input to the controller 2b from the user terminal 1 (1a and 1b) or an image of a document read by the scanner unit 2a. The printed print job, the number of printed copies input from the display 2d, various setting contents, and the like are stored as needed.

  The RAM 24 is provided with a frame memory area. In this frame memory area, print data and raster data of the original image generated by the CPU 22 from the print job from the user terminal 1 (1a and 1b) and the print job for copying the original image read by the scanner unit 2a are stored. Until it is output to the printer unit 2c.

  Further, the controller 2 b is provided with an external storage device 25, and this external storage device 25 is connected to the CPU 22. The external storage device 25 is provided with a plurality of areas for storing print jobs transferred from the RAM 24 described above. The external storage device 25 stores various tables and counters.

  In the multifunction device 2 described above, the operation mode of the multifunction device 2 can be selected and various settings can be performed by a touch operation on a UI (user interface) screen displayed on the display 2d. Further, by touching a “? (Help)” icon on the UI screen, a help menu message related to mode selection or setting can be referred to.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a mode selection screen as an example of a UI screen displayed on the display 2d. In the mode selection screen of FIG. 3, each of the “printer”, “copy”, and “scanner” icons 26 to 28 is touch-operated, so that the operation mode of the multifunction device 2 is the network printer, copying machine, or scanner mode. Can be selected.

  Each icon 26-28 includes help icons 26a-28a for displaying a message of each help menu. For example, when the help icon 27a of the “copy” icon 27 is touch-operated, as shown in FIG. 4, a help menu message 27b related to the touch operation of the “copy” icon 27 may be displayed on the display 2d. it can.

  Here, the message 27b is displayed on the display 2d in the default language set in the RAM 24 of the controller 2b. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the message 27b is displayed in the default language (Japanese in this embodiment). Further, the buttons 27c to 27e of “LANG”, “Update”, and “CLOSE” are displayed together with the message 27b on the display portion of the message 27b.

  The “LANG” button 27c is operated when the language of the message 27b is switched. The “update” button 27d is used to perform a touch operation when updating the display content of the message 27b. The “CLOSE” button 27e is used to perform a touch operation when closing (ending) the display of the message 27b.

  When the “LANG” button 27c is touched, the language selection screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the display 2d. On the language selection screen of FIG. 5, buttons 27f for selecting languages when the help menu message 27b is displayed on the display 2d are displayed for the selectable languages.

  When the user 27 touches the user language button 27f and confirms the language selection by touching the “OK” button 27g, the language of the help menu message 27b displayed on the display 2d is The language is switched to the language used by the user 6.

  If the “CANCEL” button 27h is touched before the selection of the desired language is confirmed, the display 2d returns to the display screen of the help menu message 27b shown in FIG.

  In addition, an “AUTO” button 27 i for automatically determining the language used for displaying the message 27 b by the user 6 reading operation of the IC card 8 is also displayed on the language selection screen of FIG. 5.

  When the “AUTO” button 27 i is touch-operated, the IC reading unit 2 e is activated so that it can read the ID information from the IC card 8. Further, a card reading guidance screen that prompts the user to hold the IC card 8 over the IC reading unit 2e is displayed on the display 2d as shown in FIG.

  When the IC card 8 of the user 6 is held over the IC reading unit 2e and the ID information is read from the IC card 8 by the IC reading unit 2e, the language used by the user 6 is specified from the accumulated information of the authentication server 3. Then, the specified language of the user 6 is used to display the help menu message 27b on the display 2d.

  For example, if the default language used for displaying the help menu message 27b is Japanese as shown in FIG. 4 and the language used by the user 6 who views the message 27b is English, the help menu message 27b is thereafter used. English is used to display If English is used to display the message 27b, the default Japanese display may be stopped, or the message 27b may be displayed in both English and Japanese as shown in FIG. May be. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the display of English, which is the language used by the user 6, may be prioritized over the display of Japanese.

  It should be noted that the “CANCEL” button 27j is touched on the card reading guide screen of FIG. 6, or the ID information is not read from the IC card 8 by the IC reading unit 2e, and the display of the card reading guide screen of FIG. 6 is constant. When time elapses, the display 2d returns to the language selection screen of FIG.

  A procedure of processing in which the controller 2b uses the language used by the user 6 for displaying the help menu message 27b while switching the display on the display 2d as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the controller 2b confirms whether or not a login request by a touch operation on a login screen (not shown) of the display 2d has occurred (step S1). If no login request has occurred (NO in step S1). ), Repeat step S1 until it occurs. On the other hand, when a login request is generated (YES in step S1), the controller 2b performs a login authentication process (step S3).

  Specifically, in the login authentication process, the controller 2b activates the IC reading unit 2e so that the ID information can be read from the IC card 8, and displays the card reading guide screen of FIG. 6 on the display 2d. Then, when the IC reading unit 2e can read the ID information from the IC card 8, the controller 2b searches the stored information in the authentication server 3 for ID information that matches the ID information.

  Next, the controller 2b checks whether or not authentication has been acquired (step S5). Whether or not the authentication has been acquired depends on whether or not ID information that matches the ID information read from the IC card 8 exists in the stored information of the authentication server 3 as a result of the search in the login authentication process in step S3. Can be confirmed.

  If the authentication is not acquired (NO in step S5), the process returns to step S1, and if the authentication is acquired (YES in step S5), the controller 2b displays the language button on the language selection screen in FIG. It is confirmed whether or not the language used for displaying the message 27b of the help menu has been selected by the touch operation of 27f and the “OK” button 27g (step S7).

  If the language used is selected (YES in step S7), the process proceeds to step S17 described later. If not selected (NO in step S7), the controller 2b reads the ID information from the IC card 8. Then, it is confirmed whether or not there is a request for selecting a language used for displaying the message 27b of the help menu (step S9). Whether or not this request has been made can be confirmed by whether or not the touch operation of the “AUTO” button 27i on the language selection screen in FIG.

  If there is no request for language selection by reading the ID information of the IC card 8 (NO in step S9), the process proceeds to step S21 described later. If there is a request (YES in step S9), the controller 2b confirms whether or not the ID information of the IC card 8 has been read (step S11) before the fixed time has elapsed (NO in step S13).

  At this time, the controller 2b activates the IC reading unit 2e so that the ID information can be read from the IC card 8, and displays the card reading guide screen of FIG. 6 on the display 2d.

  If the ID information of the IC card 8 has not been read until the predetermined time has elapsed (NO in step S11, YES in step S13), the process returns to step S7, and the ID information of the IC card 8 before the predetermined time has elapsed. Is read (NO in step S13, YES in step S11), the controller 2b acquires the language identification information stored in association with the ID information from the authentication server 3 (step S15).

  In the login authentication process in step S3, the ID information must be read from the IC card 8 of the user 6 who logs in to the multifunction device 2. On the other hand, the ID information is read in step S11 only for the IC card 8 of the user 6 who wants to display the help menu message 27b of the display 2d in his language, and the user 6 who logs in to the multifunction device 2 is not necessarily required. The IC card 8 is not limited.

  Next, the controller 2b determines whether the language selected in step S7 or the language corresponding to the language identification information acquired from the authentication server 3 in step S15 is the language currently used for displaying the message 27b (for example, the default). (Language) is checked (step S17).

  If the language selected in step S7 or the language corresponding to the language identification information acquired from the authentication server 3 in step S15 is the same as the default language (YES in step S17), the process proceeds to step S21 described later. . On the other hand, if they are not the same (NO in step S17), the controller 2b obtains the language used for displaying the help menu message 27b from the authentication server 3 from the currently used language (for example, the default language). The language is changed to a language corresponding to the language identification information (step S19), and the process proceeds to step S21.

  In step S21, it is confirmed whether or not the user 6 has logged out from the multifunction device 2 by operating a logout button on each UI screen of the display 2d. If not logged out (NO in step S21), the process returns to step S7. If logged out (YES in step S21), the language used for displaying the message 27b in the help menu on the display 2d is returned to the default language. From (step S23), a series of processing is terminated.

  In the case where the user 6 who uses the multifunction device 2 is not required to log in, the procedure of the process performed by the controller 2b when the user language is used for displaying the help menu message is the procedure of the flowchart of FIG. Steps S1 to S5 are omitted, and the procedure starts from Step S7.

  As is clear from the above description, in this embodiment, steps S9 and S11 in the flowchart of FIG. 8 are processing corresponding to the authentication means in the claims. Moreover, in this embodiment, step S15 in FIG. 8 is a process corresponding to the language used specifying means in the claims. Furthermore, in this embodiment, step S17 and step S19 in FIG. 8 are processing corresponding to the display control means in the claims.

  As described above, in the printing system of the present embodiment, the ID information of the IC card 8 is read by the IC reading unit 2e after logging in to the multifunction device 2, so that the language used by the user 6 who owns the IC card 8 is used. Can be identified from the stored information of the authentication server 3, and the help menu message 27b can be displayed on the display 2d using the language. At this time, the IC card 8 for reading the ID information may be the IC card 8 of the logged-in user 6 or the IC card 8 of another user 6.

  The configuration for returning the language used for displaying the message 27b of the help menu to the default language when the user 6 logs out from the multifunction device 2 may be omitted. However, when this configuration is provided, when the language used for displaying the message 27b in the help menu is switched from the default language to another language, the help menu message 27b is the default after logout after there is no opportunity to refer to the message 27b. This is advantageous because it can be prevented from being left switched to a language other than.

  In the present embodiment, the language used for displaying the help menu message 27b is determined from the ID information read from the IC card 8 after logging in to the MFP 2. However, the language used to display the message 27b of the help menu may be determined from the ID information read from the IC card 8 when logging into the multifunction device 2.

  In this case, the procedure of the process performed by the controller 2b to switch the language used for displaying the help menu message 27b is as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9 until it is confirmed in step S5 whether or not authentication has been acquired. Is the same as the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  If authentication is acquired (YES in step S5), the controller 2b acquires from the authentication server 3 language identification information stored in association with the ID information read from the IC card 8 in step S3 (step S15). ). Thereafter, the controller 2b sequentially performs the processing of step S17 and step S19 in FIG. 8 until the user 6 logs out from the multifunction device 2 (NO in step S21).

  If the user 6 logs out from the multifunction device 2 (YES in step S21), the language used for displaying the message 27b of the help menu on the display 2d is returned to the default language (step S23), and then a series of processing is performed. finish.

  Even in such a configuration, the language used by the user 6 who owns the IC card 8 by reading the ID information read from the IC card 8 by the IC reading unit 2e when logging in to the multifunction device 2 Can be identified from the stored information of the authentication server 3, and the help menu message 27b can be displayed on the display 2d using the language.

  In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the display of the message 27 b in the default language is displayed together with the display of the message 27 b in the language used by the user 6. However, it is also possible to display only the message 27b in the language used by the user 6 without displaying the message 27b in the default language.

  When the image forming apparatus according to another example described above is configured, the processing corresponding to the language used specifying means is step S11 and step S15 in FIG. 8, and the processing corresponding to the message switching means is shown in FIG. Step S19.

1 (1a, 1b) User terminal 2a Scanner unit 2b Controller 2c Printer unit 2d Display 2e IC reading unit 3 Authentication server 4 Communication network 5 (5a, 5b) Job output person 6 User 8 IC card 8a Magnetic band 8b IC chip 21 External Interface unit 22 CPU
23 ROM
24 RAM
25 External Storage Device 26 “Printer” Icon 26a to 28a Help Icon 27 “Copy” Icon 27b Message 27c “LANG” Button 27d “Update” Button 27e “CLOSE” Button 27f Language Button 27g “OK” Button 27h “CANCEL” Button 27i “AUTO” button 27j “CANCEL” button 28 “scanner” icon 204 Job data receiver

Claims (2)

In an image forming apparatus that performs image forming processing based on a print job,
A display for displaying a help menu message of the image forming apparatus;
When a language designation menu used for displaying the message is selected on the display, an authentication unit that accepts a user login to the image forming apparatus;
When the authentication unit accepts a user login, a use language identification unit that identifies a language used by the user who accepted the login;
Display control means for displaying the message on the display using at least the language used when the language used to display the message is different from the language used until the authentication means accepts a user login;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication unit receives a login of a user different from a user who has already logged in to the image forming apparatus.

Images