JP4314022B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a confidential printer that allows each user to perform printing without being seen by others when a plurality of users share one printer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Patent Document 1 (printing apparatus) includes means for detecting the end of printing and means for notifying the user of the printing status in a confidential document printing system in which a recipient performs printing after user authentication at the printing apparatus. It is ensured that the user receives the printed document while maintaining confidentiality. Accordingly, a printing apparatus has been proposed that can maintain security even if the printing apparatus is used by an unspecified number of users.
[0003]
Patent Document 2 (printing control apparatus) is characterized in that a communication function between the printing apparatus and the PHS telephone is provided when confidential documents are printed. Then, a confidential print job given a telephone number of a specific PHS telephone is transmitted to the printing apparatus, and when the printing apparatus receives the telephone number of the PHS telephone that is close to itself, the job that matches the telephone number is printed. There has been proposed a printing apparatus that enables highly confidential printing without performing a password input operation during printing.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-28850 [Patent Document 2]
JP 2001-219627 A
[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]
However, the method described in Patent Document 1 (printing apparatus) has a problem that when a confidential job print is instructed, there are many operations for switching from a normally displayed screen to a user name / job name confirmation screen. For this reason, for beginner users and users who do not use confidential printing much, the operation procedure on the printing apparatus side is difficult to understand, and it often takes time to instruct printing of confidential jobs.
[0006]
In addition, in the method described in Patent Document 2 (printing control apparatus), it is conceivable that a user who happens to have a PHS telephone is erroneously authenticated because the user approaches the printing apparatus. There is a possibility that the confidential print document may be viewed by other users due to the execution of printing that is not performed.
[0007]
If there is a confidential print job, it may be possible to display the authentication screen in advance, but this is convenient for the user who outputs the confidential job, but it adversely affects the operability of other users. Since it is known that a print job exists, there is a problem in terms of security.
[0008]
In the present invention, when a confidential document is output, by providing a shortcut icon for directly switching to an authentication screen, anyone can easily instruct printing of a confidential job without fear of being erroneously authenticated. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus having a confidential printing function that has little influence on the user's operation.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention is provided with an operation display unit printing unit that prints the print data transmitted from a plurality of host devices via the network line, in an image forming apparatus having a confidential print function, the operation display unit, the initial screen, respectively displaying one or more shortcut icon for switching to the authentication screen for confidential printing, the shortcut icon, respectively, when corresponding to the confidential print job or user, receiving the confidential print job from the host device, stored The image forming apparatus notifies the host apparatus of a shortcut icon to which a unique shortcut icon is assigned between confidential print jobs .
[0010]
Thereby, it is possible to easily instruct confidential job printing. Even those who do not use confidential printing on a daily basis or who are not familiar with the device can operate it without taking time. Further, since only a part of the display screen is used, there is little influence on other users.
[0012]
In addition , since a shortcut icon is assigned every time a print request is made, a desired printout can be immediately performed simply by opening an authentication screen and inputting a password or the like. Further, the possibility that the confidential print job is identified by the shortcut icon is reduced.
[0013]
The present invention provides an image forming apparatus having a function of assigning a shortcut icon to a user registered in advance and associating the requested user's shortcut icon with the confidential print job when a confidential print job is received from the host device. is there.
[0014]
This makes it easy for the user to identify his / her shortcut icon.
[0015]
Furthermore, the present invention, the operation display unit is a table Shimesuru image forming apparatus dummy icons used without the shortcut icon and distinguish the non authorized user.
[0016]
Thereby, it can be made difficult to distinguish whether or not there is a confidential print job.
[0017]
Further, the present invention, the operation display unit is an image forming apparatus that a constant number of combined shortcut icon dummy icon.
[0018]
As a result, it can be made more difficult to distinguish whether or not a confidential print job exists.
[0019]
According to the present invention, the operation display unit is an image forming apparatus that changes a dummy icon at a predetermined frequency.
[0020]
As a result, it can be made more difficult to distinguish whether or not a confidential print job exists.
[0021]
Furthermore, the present invention is an image forming apparatus in which the operation display unit displays a shortcut icon for a predetermined time from reception of a confidential print request.
[0022]
As a result, even if there is a confidential print job that is left with a confidential print request, the limited shortcut icon display space can be used effectively. It is possible to prevent the presence of a confidential print job from being recognized by a shortcut icon whose display is not changed.
[0023]
Further, according to the present invention, when the operation display unit receives designation of the print time for the confidential job from the host device , the shortcut icon is assigned to the confidential job and the shortcut icon is displayed for a predetermined time. An image forming apparatus.
[0024]
The present invention comprises means for identifying a user, a shortcut icon that is assigned to the user, when said other user who has operated improperly, notifies the administrator or recording An image forming apparatus having a function to be left in the apparatus.
[0025]
This makes it possible to check the operation of an illegal shortcut icon. In addition, it is possible to suppress an operation of an illegal shortcut icon.
[0026]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described.
An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a network system having a printing apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a data structure when confidential printing is performed. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the job management data table. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an icon diagram used as a shortcut icon or a dummy icon. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the display unit when a shortcut (and dummy) icon is displayed. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the user management data table. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of another example of the job management data table. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the icon display data table. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of icon update processing when icons are displayed. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a password input screen. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a job confirmation screen. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of processing after shortcut icon selection. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of another example of the icon display data table.
[0027]
Embodiment 1 will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network system having a printing apparatus which is an image forming apparatus of the present embodiment. The printing apparatus 1 and the personal computers 2, 3, 4 are connected to each other through a network line 5. This network is used by multiple users.
[0028]
The printing apparatus 1 supervises a network I / F 11 connected to a network line 5, a touch panel type operation display unit 12, a printing unit 13 that prints recording data on recording paper, a timer unit 14 that indicates the current time, and the printing apparatus 1. A control unit 15 for controlling the print data, a data management unit 16 for managing print data, a data storage unit 17 for storing print data, a shortcut icon data unit 18 for storing icon data, and a user recognition unit 19. Each personal computer 2, 3 and 4 is used by a user.
[0029]
In the printing apparatus 1, print data transmitted through the network line 5 is received by the network I / F 11 and stored in the data management unit 16 and the data storage unit 17 through the control unit 15.
[0030]
In this way, various print data stored in the data storage unit 17 are appropriately read out by the control unit 15 and given to the printing unit 13. The printing unit 13 is, for example, an ink jet printer or a laser beam printer, and records images, characters, symbols, and the like indicated by the print data on a recording sheet.
[0031]
FIG. 2 shows an example of the data structure of print information that the user transmits to the printing apparatus 1 from any one of the personal computers 2, 3, and 4 in FIG. 1. The print information includes header information 61 and print data information 62. The header information 61 includes a user ID 63, a password 64, a job name 65, a print time 66, and print setting information 67. Here, the printing time 66 is time information displayed as a shortcut icon on the operation display unit 12 of FIG. 1 of the printing apparatus. The time for which the shortcut icon is displayed can be set by the administrator, for example, 10 minutes before and after the printing time 66. The print setting information 67 includes information such as the number of sheets, color / monochrome designation, and size designation.
[0032]
FIG. 3 shows an example of job management data. The control unit 15 forms job management data 71 as shown in FIG. 3 in the data management unit 16 after the print information of FIG. 2 is received. The job management data 71 includes a user name, password, job name, icon No. The printing time, the reception time when the print data is received from each personal computer 2, 3, 4 are registered. When the user sets the printing time of the job management data 71 in FIG. 3, if the user inputs a time such as the user name “SHIRAI”, it means confidential printing. When the specified time is reached, a shortcut icon is displayed. Is displayed. If the printing time is not specified like the user name “SAWA”, it means that printing is performed immediately by normal printing processing. There is no shortcut icon.
[0033]
FIG. 4 shows an example of shortcut icon data. The shortcut icon is stored in the shortcut icon data unit 18.
[0034]
FIG. 5 is an example of the display panel screen and corresponds to the operation display unit 12 of the printing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the display panel screen is divided into a shortcut icon display panel unit 81 that displays shortcut icons and a normal display panel unit 82 that performs a copy operation. When the print time is designated and the time comes, a shortcut icon is displayed on the shortcut icon display panel unit 81. The normal display panel unit 82 displays normal printing, and can be printed as usual without impairing operability for other copy users.
[0035]
Icon display data 74 for displaying the icons shown in FIG. 8 is formed in the data management unit 16. This icon display data 74 is an icon No. for indicating the display position. Then, a corresponding job corresponding to the icon is registered.
[0036]
The icon information displayed on the shortcut icon display panel unit 81 is managed by the icon display data 74 of FIG. The icon display data 74 includes a display position, an icon No. Corresponding job information is stored. The display position indicates the position of the shortcut icon in the shortcut icon display panel unit 81. Indicates an icon to be displayed, and the corresponding job indicates a job registered in each icon. For example, when the user “FUJITA” performs job printing with the job name “chemistry”, job information is registered as shown in the job management data 71. If the designated printing time is within the range, the data is registered in the icon display data 74 in order to display the icon on the shortcut icon display panel unit 81. The icon No. specified at the registered display position. A “bicycle icon” corresponding to “001” is displayed on the shortcut icon display panel 81 with reference to the icon data of FIG.
[0037]
As an embodiment, there is a job management method for displaying one shortcut icon for one job. The shortcut icons to be displayed are randomly assigned by the printing apparatus 1 so as not to overlap with other users when print data is transmitted. The assigned shortcut icon is notified to the personal computer via the network I / F 11.
[0038]
For example, as indicated by the job management data 71 in FIG. 3, the user “FUJITA” has two confidential print jobs “mathematics” and “chemistry”, and each job has “005” and “001”. Different shortcut icons are assigned.
[0039]
On the other hand, the shortcut icon of the operation display unit 12 is updated in parallel with the processing as described above. The update of the contents of the icon display data 74 will be described using the flowchart of FIG.
[0040]
Job confirmation and dummy processing of shortcut icons displayed on the shortcut icon display panel unit 81 are performed. Check the corresponding job of the icon display data and check whether there is a job. If there is no job, that is, if it is a dummy, the process proceeds to the next display data (S1-2, No). If there is a corresponding job (S1-2, Yes), the printing time in FIG. 3 is checked (S1-3), and if it is within the display time range set by the administrator, the next display data (S1-4, If it is out of the range (S1-4, No), the corresponding job of the display icon is invalidated and dummyized (S1-5). When the process is completed for all icon display data, the process proceeds to S1-7.
[0041]
Next, the job management data shown in FIG. 3 is confirmed. The printing time is checked (S1-8), and if it is out of the range (S1-9, No), it moves to the next management data (S1-20). Also, the printing time is checked. If the printing time is within the range (S1-9, Yes), the process proceeds to S1-13, and it is checked whether there is the same icon (S1-14). If there is the same icon (S1-14, Yes), the process moves to S1-18, and the corresponding job for icon display data is set. If there is no same icon (S1-14, No), the display position of the icon is determined at random (S1-16).
[0042]
If there is a corresponding job at the determined display position (S1-17, Yes), the display position is selected again at random (S1-16). The number of times of position selection is recorded, and if the number exceeds a certain number, the process proceeds to S1-20.
[0043]
If there is no corresponding job (S1-17, No), the job name of FIG. 3 being checked in S1-7 to S1-20 is registered in the corresponding job of FIG. 8 (S1-18), and the icon No. . Is also registered (S1-19), and the process proceeds to S1-21. In the process so far, the icon No. If there is a change (S1-21, Yes), the process of the flowchart is finished.
[0044]
Icon No. If no change is seen (S1-21, No), a random number is used to adjust the change frequency of the icon display. Is changed or randomly determined (S1-22). If it has not been changed (S1-23, No), the processing of the flowchart is completed, and if it has been changed (S1-23, Yes), the display position of the icon is randomly determined (S1-24).
[0045]
If a corresponding job exists at the determined display position (S1-25, Yes), the display position is selected again at random (S1-24). Again, the number of times the position is selected is recorded, and when the number exceeds a certain number, the process of the flowchart is finished. If there is no corresponding job (S1-25, No), an icon is randomly selected (S1-26). Check the corresponding job of the icon display data and check that the same icon No. If there is (S1-28, Yes), it is selected again at random (S1-26). If there is no identical icon (S1-28, No), the icon No. Is set (S1-30), and all the icon update processing is completed.
[0046]
When it is desired to open a shortcut icon for confirmation and printing, a shortcut icon registered by itself or a shortcut icon to which a printing device is randomly assigned is selected. For example, when the airplane shortcut icon in FIG. 5 is selected, the password screen in FIG. 10 is opened. In the icon data of FIG. 4, the airplane has an icon number “004”. Is shaken. Looking at the job management data 72, an icon number “004” is displayed. Is set with a user name “SHIRAI” and a password “zyxwv”. When “zyxwv” is entered on the password entry screen of FIG. 10, the job name “physics” is confirmed as shown in the job confirmation screen of FIG. 11 to enable printing.
[0047]
In parallel with such work, processing (flow) after the shortcut confirmation selection in FIG. 12 will be described. The user selects a shortcut icon in FIG. A password input screen is opened and a password is input (S2-1). If the selected shortcut icon is not a dummy icon (S2-2, No) and the password is correct (S2-3, Yes), the job can be confirmed (S2-4) and the job can be printed ( S2-5).
[0048]
If the selected shortcut icon is not a dummy icon (S2-2, No) and the password is incorrect, a confirmation screen such as "Incorrect password or no valid job" is displayed (S2-6). ). If the selected shortcut icon is a dummy icon (S2-2, Yes), a confirmation screen such as “Incorrect password or no valid job” is displayed (S2-6). As described above, when an error display is output, a function of notifying the administrator or recording it can be added (S2-7). Then, the screen is returned to the original screen (S2-8), and the process of the flowchart ends.
[0049]
In the process of S2-7, if it is out of the printing time range due to the convenience of the user and the shortcut icon is assigned to the user, the administrator is not notified. However, when an icon other than that assigned to the user is operated, the administrator is notified or recorded.
[0050]
As a second embodiment, a job management method for managing a plurality of jobs by assigning a determined shortcut icon to one user will be described.
[0051]
User management data 72 shown in FIG. 6 is formed in the data storage unit 17. The user management data 72 includes a user name, password, icon NO. Etc. are registered in advance.
[0052]
FIG. 7 shows job management data. The control unit 15 forms job management data 73 as shown in FIG. 7 in the data management unit 16 after the print request of FIG. 2 is received. The job management data 73 includes an icon No. , Job name, user name, password, printing time information, reception time when print data is received from each of the personal computers 2, 3, 4 are registered.
[0053]
Icon display data for displaying the icon shown in FIG. 13 is formed in the data management unit 16. This icon display data 75 is an icon No. for indicating the display position. Then, the corresponding user corresponding to the icon is registered.
[0054]
The icon information displayed on the shortcut icon display panel is managed by the icon display data 75 of FIG. The icon display data includes the display position, icon No. Corresponding users are stored. The display position is the position of the shortcut icon in the shortcut icon display panel 81, the icon No. Indicates an icon to be displayed, and the corresponding user indicates the user registered in FIG.
[0055]
Since one shortcut icon to be displayed is assigned to each user, the user only has to remember one shortcut icon even if there are many jobs. For example, the user “SHIRAI” of the job management data 73 is trying to print two jobs “sekiwake” and “ozeki”, but there is only one shortcut icon “004”.
[0056]
On the other hand, the shortcut icon of the operation display unit 12 is updated in parallel with the processing as described above. The processing at the time of updating the contents of the icon display data 75 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0057]
In the second embodiment, when the shortcut icon is updated, the corresponding user setting is performed instead of the corresponding job setting in S1-18 processing in the flowchart of FIG.
[0058]
When it is desired to open a shortcut icon for confirmation and printing, a shortcut icon registered by itself or a shortcut icon to which a printing device is randomly assigned is selected. For example, when the airplane shortcut icon in FIG. 5 is selected, the password screen in FIG. 10 is opened.
[0059]
In the icon data of FIG. 4, the airplane has an icon number “004”. Is shaken. Looking at the job management data 72, an icon number “004” is displayed. Is set with a user name “SHIRAI” and a password “zyxwv”. When “zyxwv” is input on the password input screen of FIG. 10, the job names “sekiwake” and “ozeki” are confirmed on the job confirmation screen. A job can be selected and printed.
[0060]
In parallel with such work, processing (flow) after the shortcut confirmation selection in FIG. 12 will be described. In the second embodiment, job selection is performed instead of job confirmation in step S2-5 in the flowchart of FIG.
[0061]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, when a confidential document is output, by providing a shortcut icon for directly switching to an authentication screen, anyone can easily instruct printing of a confidential job without fear of being erroneously authenticated. It is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus having a confidential printing function that has little influence on the operation of the user.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network system having a printing apparatus according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a data structure when confidential printing is performed.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a job management data table.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a shortcut icon diagram.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a display unit when a shortcut icon is displayed.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a user management data table.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of another example of a job management data table.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an icon display data table.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of icon update processing when displaying icons.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a password input screen.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a job confirmation screen.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of processing after shortcut icon selection.
FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of another example of an icon display data table.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Printer 11 Network I / F
12 operation display unit 13 printing unit 14 timer unit 15 control unit 16 data management unit 17 data storage unit 18 shortcut icon data unit 19 user recognition unit 2 to 4 personal computer 5 network line 61 header information 62 print data 63 user ID
64 Password 65 Job name 66 Printing time 67 Print setting information 71, 73 Job management data 72 User management data 74, 75 Icon display data 81, 82 Display panel screen 83 Password input screen 84 Job confirmation screen

Claims (8)

In an image forming apparatus having a confidential printing function, which includes a printing unit that prints print data transmitted from a plurality of host devices through a network line, and an operation display unit.
The operation display unit, the initial screen, displays one or more shortcut icon for switching respectively to the authentication screen for confidential printing,
Each of the shortcut icons corresponds to a confidential print job or a user,
An image forming apparatus that, when receiving a confidential print job from the host device, notifies the host device of a shortcut icon to which a unique shortcut icon is assigned among stored confidential print jobs . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a shortcut icon is assigned to a user who has been registered in advance , and when the confidential print job is received from the host device, the requested user's shortcut icon is associated with the confidential print job . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operation display unit displays a dummy icon that is indistinguishable from a shortcut icon except for an authorized user . The operation display section, an image forming apparatus according to claim 3 wherein a constant number of combined tio over preparative cut icon and the dummy icons. The operation display section, an image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein changing the dummy icon at a predetermined frequency. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation display unit displays the shortcut icon for a predetermined time from the reception of the confidential print request . The image according to claim 1 , wherein the operation display unit assigns a shortcut icon to the confidential job and displays the shortcut icon for a predetermined time when receiving the designation of the print time for the confidential job from the host device. Forming equipment. A means comprising a means for identifying a user, and a function of notifying the administrator or recording the shortcut icon assigned to the user when the person other than the user illegally operates the shortcut icon. Item 2. The image forming apparatus according to Item 1.

Images