JP2018140543A - Image forming system and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device having an activated specific option function, which when a defect occurs in the device can shorten a period of time during which a user cannot use the specific function, by using another image forming device having an unactivated specific option function.SOLUTION: An image forming device 1, when detecting a defect, generates and outputs a limited license key without deactivating a specific option function activated by a license key. A job execution part 22 stops execution of a job when the defect is detected, and resumes the execution of the job immediately after the defect is resolved. While, an image forming device 1a obtains the limited license key and can temporarily execute a specific option function of the image forming device 1a by the limited license key.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system and an image forming apparatus.

  In an information processing system, if an error occurs in a multifunction device, the multifunction device transfers the license information of the function affected by the error to another multifunction device. License information is returned from the MFP (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-138389 A

  However, when license information is transferred as described above when an error occurs, the original multifunction device (the multifunction device that originally had the license information) needs to return the license information when the error is resolved. Even if the license information is returned, the specific function cannot be used, which is not preferable.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has a specific option function that is not activated when a problem occurs in an image forming apparatus having the specific option function that has already been activated with a license key. An object of the present invention is to obtain an image forming system and an image forming apparatus that use another image forming apparatus to shorten a period during which the user cannot use the specific optional function.

  An image forming system according to the present invention includes a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus. The first image forming apparatus includes an activation management unit that activates the specific option function of the first image forming apparatus with a license key, and a first job that executes a job using the activated specific option function When a failure is detected by the execution unit, a failure detection unit that detects a failure of the first image forming apparatus, and the failure detection unit, a limited license key is generated without deactivating the specific option function A limited license key generation unit; and a limited license key output unit that outputs the limited license key. The limited license key is information for enabling the specific option function to be temporarily executed by another image forming apparatus with respect to the specific option function already activated. The first job execution unit stops the execution of the job when the defect is detected, and resumes the execution of the job immediately when the resolution of the defect is detected. On the other hand, the second image forming apparatus can temporarily execute a specific license function of the second image forming apparatus with the limited license key acquisition unit that acquires the limited license key and the acquired limited license key. A second job execution unit.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an activation management unit that activates a specific option function with a license key, a job execution unit that executes a job using the activated specific option function, and a defect in the image forming apparatus A defect detecting unit that detects a defect, a limited license key generating unit that generates a limited license key without deactivating the specific option function when a defect is detected by the defect detecting unit, and outputting the limited license key A limited license key output unit. The limited license key is information for enabling the specific option function to be temporarily executed in another image forming apparatus with respect to the specific option function that has already been activated. The execution of the job is stopped when an error is detected, and the execution of the job is resumed immediately when the resolution of the defect is detected.

  According to the present invention, when a malfunction occurs in an image forming apparatus having a specific option function that has already been activated with a license key, another image forming apparatus having the specific option function that has not been activated is used. The period during which the user cannot use the specific option function is shortened.

  These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 in FIG. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of the image forming system shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming system shown in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of image forming apparatuses 1 and 1a. The image forming apparatuses 1 and 1a are multi-function machines, but may be copiers or scanners.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 in FIG. The image forming apparatus 1a has a similar configuration.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes a printing device 11, an image reading device 12, a communication device 13, a peripheral device interface 14, a storage device 15, and a controller 16.

  The printing device 11 is an internal device that prints an original image based on image data after various image processing using an electrophotographic process using CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) toner.

  The image reading device 12 is an internal device that optically reads a document image from a document and generates image data of the document image as RGB data.

  The communication device 13 is an internal device that performs data communication with other devices connected to the network via the network. As the communication device 13, for example, a network interface or the like is used.

  The peripheral device interface 14 is an interface circuit to which a flash drive such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or a memory card can be connected. For example, a USB interface is used as the peripheral device interface 14.

  The storage device 15 is a rewritable nonvolatile storage device such as a flash memory, and stores various data and programs.

  The controller 16 performs image processing and executes jobs such as printing and copying using an internal device.

  The controller 16 is realized by an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a computer, and includes an activation management unit 21, a job execution unit 22, a defect detection unit 23, a limited license key generation unit 24, a limited license key output unit 25, and a limited license. It operates as the key acquisition unit 26.

  The activation management unit 21 activates the specific option function of the image forming apparatus 1 with a license key.

  The specific option function is a function (for example, a paid function) that can be used by software activation, such as a security printing function.

  The job execution unit 22 executes the job using the activated specific option function. The defect detection unit 23 detects a defect (temporary failure, out of consumables, etc.) of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The job execution unit 22 stops execution of the job when a defect is detected by the defect detection unit 23, and immediately resumes job execution when the resolution of the defect is detected. That is, in this image forming system, even if the image forming apparatus 1 has a problem, even if the image forming apparatus 1 outputs the limited license key, the specific option function of the image forming apparatus 1 is not deactivated, and the image forming Since the specific option function of the device 1 is activated, the job execution is resumed immediately after the problem is solved.

  When a defect is detected by the defect detection unit 23, the limited license key generation unit 24 generates a limited license key without deactivating the specific option function.

  The limited license key is information for temporarily enabling a specific option function that has already been activated in another image forming apparatus (here, the image forming apparatus 1a).

  Specifically, the limited license key allows a specific option function to be executed temporarily in another image forming apparatus until a specific condition (a specific period of time, for example, a specific number of executions such as once) is satisfied. It is information to do.

  The limited license key output unit 25 outputs the generated limited license key. For example, when a problem occurs in the image forming apparatus 1, the limited license key output unit 25 of the image forming apparatus 1 communicates with another image forming apparatus 1 a via wired communication (for example, via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable. Communication) or wireless communication, and the limited license key may be output to another image forming apparatus 1a, or the limited license key may be output to a portable device such as a USB memory or a portable terminal device. Also good.

  The limited license key acquisition unit 26 acquires a limited license key issued by another image forming apparatus in which a problem has occurred. For example, when a problem occurs in the image forming apparatus 1a and a limited license key is issued, the limited license key acquisition unit 26 of the image forming apparatus 1 acquires the limited license key. For example, the limited license key acquisition unit 26 may acquire the limited license key from another image forming apparatus via the above-described wired communication or wireless communication, or the above-described portable device. When the limited license key is acquired by the limited license key acquisition unit 26, the job execution unit 22 can temporarily execute the specific option function with the acquired limited license key.

  Next, the operation of the image forming system will be described. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of the image forming system shown in FIG.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, when the license key purchased for activating the paid specific option function is installed, the activation management unit 21 activates the specific option function with the license key (step S1). At this time, the activation management unit 21 prohibits the generation and output of the limited license key by the limited license key generation unit 24 and the limited license key output unit 25 (step S2).

  Thereafter, when a defect is detected by the defect detection unit 23, the activation management unit 21 permits the limited license key generation unit 24 and the limited license key output unit 25 to generate and output the limited license key (step S4).

  For example, after the user connects the image forming apparatus 1 and another image forming apparatus 1a with a communication cable to enable communication, or connects the image forming apparatus 1 and the portable device, a predetermined user operation is performed. When detected by an input device such as an operation panel (not shown), the limited license key generation unit 24 of the image forming apparatus 1 generates a limited license key (step S5), and the limited license key output unit 25 displays the limited license key. Is output (step S6).

  When the limited license key is output to the portable device, the portable device is connected to the image forming apparatus 1a. The portable device and the image forming apparatuses 1 and 1a may be physically connected or may be connected by wireless communication.

  After that, when the defect detection unit 23 detects the resolution of the above-described defect (step S7), the activation management unit 21 generates and outputs a limited license key by the limited license key generation unit 24 and the limited license key output unit 25. Is again prohibited (step S8). In this way, the limited license key can be issued only during the period when the malfunction occurs. Since the original license key is not deactivated, the specific option function can be used in the image forming apparatus 1 at this point.

  On the other hand, in the image forming apparatus 1a, when a predetermined user operation is detected by an input device such as an operation panel (not shown), the limited license key acquisition unit 26 acquires a limited license key from the image forming apparatus 1 or the portable device. (Step S11).

  In the image forming apparatus 1a, when a predetermined user operation is detected by an input device such as an operation panel (not shown), the job execution unit 22 uses the specific option function to perform a job based on the acquired limited license key. Is executed (step S12).

  Thereafter, when the above-described specific condition is satisfied, the limited license key becomes invalid (step S13), and the specific option function cannot be used in the image forming apparatus 1a.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the activation management unit 21 that activates the specific option function of the image forming apparatus 1 with the license key, and the activated specific option function. When a defect is detected by the job execution unit 22 that executes a job, a defect detection unit 23 that detects a defect in the image forming apparatus 1, and the defect detection unit 23 detects a defect, the limited license is not activated. A limited license key generation unit 24 that generates a key and a limited license key output unit 25 that outputs a limited license key are provided. The limited license key is information for temporarily enabling the specific option function on another image forming apparatus regarding the specific option function that has already been activated. The job execution unit 22 stops the job execution when the defect is detected, and immediately resumes the job execution when the resolution of the defect is detected. On the other hand, the image forming apparatus 1a includes a limited license key acquisition unit 26 that acquires a limited license key, and a job execution unit 22 that can temporarily execute a specific option function of the image forming apparatus 1a with the acquired limited license key. Is provided.

  As a result, when a problem occurs in the image forming apparatus 1 having the specific option function that has already been activated with the regular license key, another image forming apparatus 1a having the specific option function that has not been activated is used. This shortens the period during which the user cannot use the specific option function. When a problem occurs in the image forming apparatus 1a, the specific option function can be used in the image forming apparatus 1 based on the limited license key issued by the image forming apparatus 1a.

Embodiment 2. FIG.

  In the image forming system according to the second embodiment, the limited license key output unit 25 of the image forming apparatus 1 in which a problem has occurred outputs the limited license key to a portable device such as a smartphone having a wireless communication function.

  In the image forming system according to the second embodiment, the limited license key acquisition unit 26 of the image forming apparatus 1a acquires the limited license key from the portable device by short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), and the image forming apparatus The job execution unit 22 of 1a can temporarily execute the specific option function of the image forming apparatus 1a with the acquired limited license key during the period when the portable device is detected by the short-range wireless communication. In a period in which the portable device is not detected by wireless communication, the specific option function of the image forming apparatus 1a is not temporarily executable with the acquired limited license key.

  Note that the activation management unit 21 or the job execution unit 22 of the image forming apparatus 1a may delete the limited license key from the portable device when the above-described specific condition is satisfied. That is, when the limited license key in the image forming apparatus 1a becomes invalid, the limited license key in the portable device is also deleted.

  Since other configurations and operations in the image forming system according to the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the specific option function can be executed only while the portable device exists in the vicinity of the image forming apparatus 1a that has acquired the limited license key. Based on the limited license key output to the portable device, it is possible to prevent the specific option function from being used in a plurality of different image forming apparatuses at the same time.

  Various changes and modifications to the above-described embodiment will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. That is, such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the limited license key includes execution job information indicating a series of jobs, and the job execution unit 22 of the image forming apparatus 1a executes a series of jobs indicated by the execution job information. It may be temporarily executable. For example, printing of a plurality of copies with a specific option function (a plurality of jobs because one job is executed per copy) is indicated by the execution job information.

  The present invention is applicable to, for example, a plurality of image forming apparatuses.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 1a Image forming apparatus 21 Activation management part 22 Job execution part 23 Defect detection part 24 Limited license key generation part 25 Limited license key output part 26 Limited license key acquisition part

Claims (6)

A first image forming apparatus;
A second image forming apparatus,
The first image forming apparatus includes:
An activation management unit for activating the specific optional function of the first image forming apparatus with a license key;
A first job execution unit for executing a job using the activated specific option function;
A defect detection unit for detecting a defect in the first image forming apparatus;
When a defect is detected by the defect detection unit, a limited license key generation unit that generates a limited license key without deactivating the specific option function;
A limited license key output unit for outputting the limited license key,
The limited license key is information for enabling the specific option function to be temporarily executed by another image forming apparatus with respect to the specific option function already activated,
The first job execution unit stops execution of the job when the defect is detected, and immediately resumes execution of the job when resolution of the defect is detected,
The second image forming apparatus includes:
A limited license key acquisition unit for acquiring the limited license key;
A second job execution unit that temporarily executes a specific option function of the second image forming apparatus with the acquired limited license key;
An image forming system.   The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the limited license key is information for enabling the specific option function to be executed by another image forming apparatus for a specific period or a specific number of times. The limited license key output unit of the first image forming apparatus outputs the limited license key to a portable device;
The limited license key acquisition unit of the second image forming apparatus acquires the limited license key from the portable device by short-range wireless communication;
The second job execution unit of the second image forming apparatus uses the acquired limited license key for the second image forming apparatus during the period in which the portable device is detected by the short-range wireless communication. The specific option function can be temporarily executed, and the specific option function of the second image forming apparatus is temporarily used with the acquired limited license key during a period in which the portable device is not detected by the short-range wireless communication. Not make it feasible
The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein: The limited license key is information for enabling the specific option function to be executed temporarily in another image forming apparatus until a specific condition is satisfied,
The second image forming apparatus deletes the limited license key from the portable device when the specific condition is satisfied;
The image forming system according to claim 3. The limited license key includes execution job information indicating a series of a plurality of jobs,
The second job execution unit is capable of temporarily executing a series of a plurality of jobs indicated by the execution job information;
The image forming system according to claim 1. In the image forming apparatus,
An activation manager that activates specific optional features with a license key;
A job execution unit that executes a job using the activated specific option function;
A defect detection unit for detecting a defect of the image forming apparatus;
When a defect is detected by the defect detection unit, a limited license key generation unit that generates a limited license key without deactivating the specific option function;
A limited license key output unit for outputting the limited license key,
The limited license key is information for enabling the specific option function to be temporarily executed by another image forming apparatus with respect to the specific option function already activated,
The job execution unit stops execution of the job when the defect is detected, and immediately resumes execution of the job when resolution of the defect is detected;
An image forming apparatus.

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