JP3213853B2 - Printer device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description of the present invention will be described according to the following items.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a printer device,
The present invention relates to a printer device capable of maintaining confidentiality of a printed matter even when shared by a plurality of host computers via a network.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printer device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-217.
The print server according to 912 allows the workstation user to know when to go to get the printed material by having the waiting time calculating means so that the workstation knows the time until the printing is completed as the waiting time. It is possible to recognize.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional printer device, in order to prevent the output result from being seen by others even if the printing completion time is known, it is necessary to stay at the printer device at the same time as printing completion at the latest. I didn't.
Then, even if you know the waiting time until the end of printing, you have to go to the printer device to get the output result so that others can not see the output result,
If the waiting time is long, there is a drawback in that it is delayed to go to get it, or when another person cannot go to get it in time, he or she sees it.

[0005]

The printer apparatus of the present invention SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION, in the printer device for outputting print data from the device on the network via the network, an interface unit for receiving the print data from the device on the network, the printer Device returns to device on network
And reception number of the print output data, from the printer
A data storage unit for storing a password input by a user on a device on the network in response to the inquiry of the user, print output data expanded in a printable state, and a reception number and a display provided on the printer device. Panel display
And an input unit for inputting a personal identification number in accordance with the above. When the input reception number and the personal identification number match the reception number and the personal identification number stored in the data storage unit, the print output data is printed.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. A workstation 8 outputs print data to a printer via a network 9. At this time, the user of the workstation 8 uses the instruction mechanism to make settings for inquiries about the following three modes from the printer.

[0007] 1. A mode in which print data received by the printer device is immediately output (hereinafter referred to as a normal mode).

[0008] 2. A mode in which the print data received by the printer device is not immediately output, and the output is started only when a person who has output the print data comes to the printer device (hereinafter referred to as a protection mode).

3. The above 2. A mode in which printout is not output from the printer unless the password matches the password (hereinafter referred to as a password protection mode).

When the user of the workstation 8 selects the normal mode, the printer receives command data indicating the normal mode from the workstation 8 (hereinafter referred to as a normal mode command). Upon receiving the normal mode command, the printer outputs a printout.

When the user of the workstation 8 selects the protection mode, the printer receives command data indicating the protection mode from the workstation 8 (hereinafter referred to as a protection mode command). When the printer receives the protection mode command, the user who has output the print data from the workstation 8 comes to get the print data and stores it in the data storage unit 5 without outputting a print until the user operates the confirmation unit of the printer.

When the user of the workstation 8 selects the password protection mode, a command indicating the password protection mode (hereinafter referred to as a password protection mode command) is output to the printer. The printer device that has received the password protection mode command inquires the password requesting user of the workstation 8 about the password. The user who has requested the print output of the workstation 8 in response to the inquiry sends the password to the printer device using the indicator of the workstation 8. Until the user who has output the print data from the workstation 8 comes to pick it up and operates the confirmation unit of the printer device, the print output is not output and stored in the data storage unit 5.

In the protection mode and the password protection mode, the print data processing section 6 develops print data processing and stores it in the data storage section 5 even while making an inquiry to the workstation 8. The printer device receives print data from the network 9 at the interface unit 1 and transfers it to the data management unit 19. For the transferred data, the data control unit 2 first confirms which of the normal mode, the protection mode, and the password protection mode.

Then, the print data is transferred to a print data developing unit 6.
Develops into dot data for printing by and makes the state of print output data. The print output data is stored as data in the data storage unit 5 and stored until output by the recipient of the print output. The reception number of the print data received at this time is returned to the workstation 8. The print data is composed of a password and a reception number, and the print output data in a printable state developed in the data storage unit 5. deep.

When the normal mode is set, while the print data is developed by the print data developing unit 6, the data control unit 2
Pass the expanded print output data to. The data control unit 2 outputs the developed print output data to the printer unit 7, and the printer unit 7 outputs a print output.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the display panel unit and the keyboard unit according to the present invention. When the protection mode and the password protection mode are set, a display panel unit 10, a print start switch 11, a SHIFT switch 12, a numeric / alphabet key input unit 13, a correction switch 14, and a password switch 15 as shown in FIG. An example will be described. First, the reception number is input by the numeral / alphabet key input unit 13. Since the input is displayed on the display panel unit 10 and confirmed, if it is correct, the printing start switch 11 is pressed, and if it is incorrect, the correction switch 14 is pressed to correct it, and the printing start switch 11 is pressed. At this time, if the password protection mode is set, a display prompting the input of a password is displayed on the display panel unit 10. Printing is started by selecting a key from the numeral / alphabet key input unit 13 and inputting a password and pressing the password switch when the input is completed, thereby obtaining a printed output. In the example, SHIFT switch 12 is used for I to Z.
Or by pressing the numeric / alphabet key input unit 13 while pressing the SHIFT switch 12. The key input part may be only numbers.
Further, the key may be used in a combination of a numeral and an alphabet, or a combination of a numeral, an alphabet and a symbol.

When the password input 15 is depressed and the passwords match, the data control unit 2 operates so as to output the print output data of the data storage unit 5 to the printer unit 7, and a print output is obtained. If the passwords are different, printed output cannot be obtained.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which a card reader 17 is added to the data control section 2 as a confirmation mechanism. The operation is substantially the same as that described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, but a card containing a print data reception number and a password is created by a card writer 18 added as an instruction mechanism of the work station 8. This is inserted into the card reader 17 of the printer device, and the reception number and the password are read to obtain a printed output. As a result, it is possible to obtain a printed output without forgetting or making a mistake in the password or key input. Also, the present invention can be realized by attaching a device that can identify an individual by a fingerprint or a retinal pattern instead of the card reader and the card writer.

[0019]

As described above, the printer apparatus of the present invention stores the print output internally in response to the print output from the workstation 8 so that a person other than the person requesting the print output can store the print output. To see the printed output,
A confidentiality function is obtained so that it is not taken away. Further, by attaching a card writer and a card reader as an instruction mechanism and a confirmation mechanism, it is possible to easily add a security maintaining function.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of a display panel unit and a keyboard unit of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Interface part 2 Data control part 3 Display panel part 4 Keyboard part 5 Data storage part 6 Print data development part 7 Printer part 8 Workstation 9 Local area network 10 Display panel part 11 Printing start switch 12 SHIFT switch 13 Number and alphabet key input Unit 14 Correction switch 15 Password switch 17 Card reader 18 Card writer 19 Data management unit

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printer device for outputting print data from a device on a network via a network, comprising: an interface unit for receiving print data from a device on the network;
Reception number of the print data to be
A data storage unit that stores a password input by a user in a device on the network in response to the inquiry from the user, and print output data expanded in a printable state, and the reception number and the printer device. Equipped display
An input unit for inputting the password in accordance with the display on the panel unit, and printing the print output data when the input reception number and password match the reception number and password stored in the data storage unit. Printer device.