JP4655825B2 - Image processing apparatus and image processing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method having a security function in job flow execution.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, multi-function machines that integrate a plurality of functions such as a facsimile function, a scanner function, and a printer function have been provided. By using such a multi-function peripheral, paper-based office work such as facsimile and scanner and electronic document processing by a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as PC) are performed.

  Specifically, a paper document can be scanned and transferred to a PC, or a document received by a facsimile function can be transmitted to a PC as image data without printing. As another demand, after paper documents and facsimile received documents are digitized, it is desired to automate many procedures and processes in cooperation.

In order to solve this problem, Patent Document 1 prepares and stores a large number of output setting data that stores desired settings for items to be set in the multifunction device in advance according to the processing contents. A technique is shown in which a setting data corresponding to a desired processing content is designated and processing is performed after changing a setting value as necessary.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-83263

  Conventionally, however, no description of security information is described in the instruction sheet, and the security related to the execution of the instruction sheet is only access right information for each instruction sheet set in the image processing apparatus or the like. For this reason, there is an advantage that the user can easily change the output condition by selecting from a plurality of output setting data at the time of output, but there is a problem that an operation mistake or an output setting data that should not be executed is selected. .

  This is mainly because the information stored in the output setting data is a service (job flow service) that makes processing easy, and includes the following three processes ((1) processing related to job execution contents, (2) user interface ( This is because of (UI) control-related processing and (3) device system setting processing) only. For this reason, information on security processing has not been considered.

In order to solve the above-described problems, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a fixed form processing unit that executes a fixed form process according to an instruction describing a series of fixed form processes, a fixed form process, and is described as a job. An operator is identified in an image processing apparatus having an image forming unit that forms an image from each document data to form image data, and a process execution unit that is described in the standard processing and that transmits or outputs image data as a job An authentication means for performing authentication, an execution instruction receiving means for receiving an instruction to execute the instruction by the operator authenticated by the authentication means, execution authority information described in the instruction, and the instruction The execution confirmation means for collating the information of the operator authenticated by the authentication means that issued the execution instruction and confirming that the operator has the execution authority, and the execution confirmation means When it is confirmed that the operator has the execution authority, the fixed form processing means executes a predetermined process according to the instruction, and determines whether or not there is a flow restriction that is a restriction on a series of operation instructions during execution of the fixed form process. If there is a flow restriction, a determination process that reads the restriction condition relating to the operation at the time of image data formation and the restriction condition relating to the operation at the time of image data transmission included in the instruction document, and a standard process described in the instruction document When the control instruction regarding the operation of the job in the routine processing is given by the job information management means managed in association with each job executed by the operator and the operator authenticated by the authentication means, it is possible to control the execution of the operation Is determined based on the restriction condition managed by the job information management means, and if control is possible, Run the work, an execution restricting unit to continue the routine processing, ignoring the control instruction if possible, characterized in that Ru comprising a.

Furthermore, in the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the job requested by the operator includes at least a job cancel operation .

An image processing method according to the present invention includes a fixed form processing step for executing a fixed form process according to an instruction in which a series of fixed form processes are described, and an image data that is described in the fixed form process and forms an image from each document data as a job. An authentication process for performing authentication for identifying an operator in an image processing method including an image forming process to be formed, and a process execution process described in a standard process and transmitting or outputting image data as a job, and the authentication Authenticated in the execution instruction receiving step for receiving an instruction to execute the instruction in the operator authenticated in the process, the execution authority information described in the instruction, and the authentication process instructing the execution of the instruction Checking the operator information, confirming that the operator has the execution authority, and confirming that the operator has the execution authority by the execution confirmation process. In the case where there is the flow restriction, the routine processing step executes a predetermined process according to the instruction, and determines whether or not there is a flow restriction that is a restriction on a series of operation instructions during the routine processing execution. Reads out the restriction condition regarding the operation at the time of image data formation and the restriction condition regarding the operation at the time of image data transmission included in the instruction sheet, and manages them in association with each job executed by the standard processing described in the instruction sheet. In the job information management process, when a control instruction related to a job operation in the routine processing is given by an operator who has been authenticated in the job information management process and the authentication process, the job information management process manages whether or not control to execute the operation is possible If the control is possible, the operation in the job is executed; otherwise, the control is executed. Ignoring indicates characterized in that it comprises a, an execution restriction process to continue the routine processing.

Furthermore, in the image processing method according to the present invention, the job requested by the operator includes at least a job cancel operation .

  By using the present invention, it is possible to execute instructions and restrict some processes, and finer control is possible than the access restriction incorporated in the entire image processing apparatus. Furthermore, a plurality of execution patterns based on execution authority can be defined for one instruction.

  By having such a configuration, there is a need for both sides that when canceling a job, if cancellation by a third party should be prohibited for security reasons, there is no need for anyone to cancel when trouble occurs. It becomes possible to cope with.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an entire system including an image processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image processing apparatus 1 is connected to a multi-function peripheral having a scanner 11 and a printer 15 via a public line 24, and further, an instruction document database (database is hereinafter referred to as DB) server 22, printer 15, scanner 11 via a network 25. And PC 21 and the like.

  The image processing apparatus 1 includes a scanner 11, a printer 15, a terminal 12, an instruction sheet DB 13, and a job information management DB 14. The image processing apparatus 1 is connected to a public line 24 and a network 25 according to a routine process recorded in the instruction sheet and restriction information described later. Through the image processing.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the instruction sheet creation means according to the embodiment of the present invention. The instruction sheet creating means provided in the PC 21 or the image processing apparatus 1 creates the instruction sheet 35 and records it in the instruction sheet DB 13. The interpreter 31 of the instruction form creation unit acquires the fixed processing information 32 in which the image processing procedure is described and the limiting information 33 that is limiting information for execution of arbitrary image processing, and the fixed processing information 32 and the limiting information 33 are obtained. An instruction sheet 35 having a combined standard process 34 is created.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The image processing apparatus 1 is connected to a UI (user interface) receiving unit 43 for inputting an instruction from a user, an instruction sheet interpreting unit 44 connected to the instruction sheet DB 13 and the job information management DB 14, and an instruction sheet interpreting unit 44. The processing execution unit 45 and the hardware unit 51 connected to the processing execution unit 45 are included. The hardware unit 51 includes a printing unit 52 that forms an image on a printing medium such as paper, a copying unit 53 that forms and prints an image from the acquired image data, and a scan that reads an image printed on paper. Unit 54, a FAX unit 55 that transmits an image using a public line, and a communication unit 56 connected to a network.

  The image processing apparatus 1 acquires the execution instruction 41 or the control instruction 42 from the user by the UI reception unit 43, and outputs the acquired instruction to the instruction sheet interpretation unit 44. The instruction interpretation unit 44 executes processing based on the instruction 35 recorded in the instruction DB 13 and records job information to be executed in the job information management DB 14. The instruction interpretation unit 44 instructs the processing execution unit 45 to perform sequential processing, updates job information recorded in the job information management DB 14 to manage jobs, and executes image processing using the hardware unit 51. To do.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a data configuration of a plurality of routine processes 34 included in the instruction sheet DB 13 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The standard processing 34 includes a service type, a service name, location information, an input device, an output device, a data acquisition restriction, a data transmission restriction, and a logic. The service types are classified into sequential processing, regular processing, weekly processing, and monthly processing according to the execution frequency of the standard processing.

  The service name indicates the name of a specific service. For example, “news distribution” is a service name of processing for collecting news from the previous day to 9:00 am on the current day and transmitting it to the related department. The location information is location information of each device, information on a transmission destination, and the like. The input device may be a directory of a PC or server, a scanner, a FAX, or a confidential BOX of a multi-function peripheral. Similarly, the output device is a FAX, a multifunction peripheral, a mail BOX, or the like.

  The data acquisition restriction is a restriction condition regarding the execution and operation of the process at the time of data acquisition, and the data transmission restriction is a restriction condition regarding the execution and operation of the process at the time of data transmission. The logic is an area for recording a logical operation, a control structure, a calculation operation, a script, and the like that determine the composite condition of the service.

  FIG. 5 is an image diagram showing an overview of the instruction sheet 35 configured in the XML format according to the embodiment of the present invention. The fixed form process # 1 is an example of the process of the service name “news distribution” described above, and here, data acquisition restriction and data transmission restriction will be described.

  In the data acquisition restriction, processing such as data acquisition by scanning a newspaper or the like is described from <Scan> to </ Scan>. In this section, execution according to the specified parameters <ExecUser> can be executed by a “general person” (All), but conversely, only a specific person can execute by changing parameters. Furthermore, execution is a job flow that is permitted to anyone, but when a “general person” executes it, the result is notified to the administrator (Admin) and executed by a person with specific authority In such a case, there is a restriction that notification is not performed.

  Next, data transmission restrictions will be described. The data transmission restriction is described from <Destroy> to </ Destroy>. In this example, execution of transmission by mail is specified as <ExecUser> as Admin, so execution of transmission by mail is limited to an administrator having the Admin authority.

  FIG. 6 is an image diagram showing an overview of the instruction sheet 35 configured in the XML format according to the embodiment of the present invention. The fixed form processing # 2 is a process of “service name: order sorting”. For example, the order slips ordered in the last month using FAX are read out from the multifunction machine or FAX confidential BOX and sorted, and the related departments This is a process of requesting billing. The restrictions on data acquisition are described in <ConfidentialBox> to </ ConfidentialBox>, and the number of processing is large, and because it is a series of work, it is not desired to be controlled by others. The process is limited to three, and once started, the process cannot be stopped except for <OperateUser>. By this process, during execution of the process requested to the outside, the cancellation for freeing up the image processing apparatus itself is invalidated, and secure control becomes possible.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a process flow of the image processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. When image processing is started, user authentication is first performed in step S10, a user who performs an operation from the terminal 12 is identified, and whether or not the user has a valid authority is confirmed. Next, input of execution and operation of the standard process is performed (step S12), and it is determined whether the instruction is an execution and operation instruction (step S14). If it is an execution instruction, the process proceeds to step S16.

  In step S16, it is determined whether or not there is a flow restriction that is a restriction on execution and operation instructions during execution. If there is a flow restriction, the subroutine of step S18 is executed and the process returns to UI input reception (step S12).

  If it is determined in step S16 that there is no flow restriction, a specific data reading restriction is read from the instruction DB 13 (step S20), and similarly a data transmission restriction is read from the instruction DB 13 (step S22). The processing is interpreted (step S24).

  In step S26, with reference to the execution authority acquired in advance by user authentication, the presence / absence of execution authority is determined. If it is determined that the execution authority exists, the process is executed (step S26) or reserved, and the execution or reservation is confirmed. Notify the user. If it is determined that there is no execution authority, the execution is canceled and the user is similarly notified.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a flow of a flow restriction processing subroutine of the image processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In step S16 in FIG. 7, it is determined whether there is a flow restriction. If there is a flow restriction, a flow restriction process is executed.

  First, specific data reading restrictions are read from the instruction DB 13 (step S30), and similarly, data transmission restrictions are read from the instruction DB 13 (step S32), and routine processing interpretation is executed (step S32). Step S34). The interpreted processing is divided for each job and stored in the job management information DB 14.

  The process execution unit 45 performs execution determination for each job, executes the job operation determined to be executable in step S40, and updates the job information management DB 14. If there is no authority or if the processing has already been completed, the subroutine processing is terminated as impossibility of execution.

  By performing the processing as described above, there is an effect that it is possible to execute the instruction 35 and restrict a part of processing and job flow control. In summary, the execution of the instruction sheet 35 and the limitation of some processes are realized by the following processes (1) to (2). (1) The image processing apparatus 1 interprets the instruction sheet 35 instructed to be executed. (2) The image processing apparatus 1 collates the execution authority information described in the instruction sheet 35 with the information of the user who has issued the execution instruction in the instruction sheet 35, and confirms that the user has the execution authority. Only perform the described process.

  Further, the restriction of job flow control is realized by the following processes (1) to (3). (1) The image processing apparatus 1 interprets the instruction sheet 35 instructed to be executed. (2) The image processing apparatus 1 extracts job control restriction information described in the instruction sheet 35 and stores it in the job information management DB 14 in association with each job executed by the instruction sheet. (3) When a job control (cancellation) is instructed by the user, the image processing apparatus 1 determines whether the processing is possible from the stored information in the job information management DB 14, and if control is possible, If the control is impossible, the instruction is ignored and the process is continued.

  In the present embodiment, the multifunction peripheral, the PC, the FAX, and the like have been described with the image processing apparatus 1 as the center. However, in the present embodiment, the processing is performed in cooperation with the instruction DB server 22 and the PC 21 via the network. There is no limit to doing this. Needless to say, when the instruction DB server 22 having the instruction DB 13 is used via the network 25, new restriction information for restricting the instruction on the network 25 is added, so that the process becomes more secure. Further, in the present embodiment, the restriction information is embedded in the standard processing of the instruction sheet, but the restriction information may be embedded in the instruction sheet itself.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an entire system including an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the instruction creation means based on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the data structure of the some fixed form process contained in the instruction document database which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is an image figure which shows the outline | summary of the instruction document comprised by the XML format which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is an image figure which shows the outline | summary of the instruction document comprised by the XML format which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the flow of a process of the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the flow of the flow restriction | limiting process subroutine of the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus, 11 Scanner, 12 Terminal, 13 Instruction document DB, 14 Job information management DB, 15 Printer, 21 PC, 22 Instruction document DB server, 24 Public line, 25 Network, 31 Interpretation part, 32 Standard processing information, 33 Restriction information, 34 Standard processing, 35 Instruction, 41 Execution instruction, 42 Control instruction, 43 UI reception part, 44 Instruction interpretation part, 45 Process execution part, 51 Hardware part, 52 Printing part, 53 Copying part, 54 Scan unit, 55 FAX unit, 56 communication unit.

Claims (4)

In accordance with an instruction describing a series of routine processing, a routine processing unit that executes the routine processing, an image forming unit that is described in the routine processing, forms an image from each document data as a job, and forms image data. In an image processing apparatus described in the process, and having a process execution unit that transmits or outputs image data as a job ,
An authentication means for performing authentication for identifying the operator;
Execution instruction accepting means for accepting an instruction to execute the instructions in the operator authenticated by the authentication means;
Execution confirmation that verifies that the execution authority information described in the instruction and the information of the operator authenticated by the authentication means that has issued the instruction to execute the instruction are confirmed. Means,
A flow that is a restriction on a series of operation instructions during execution of the routine process, when the execution confirmation unit confirms that the operator has execution authority, the routine processing unit executes a predetermined process according to the instruction. Determining means for determining whether there is a restriction;
When there is a flow restriction, the restriction condition relating to the operation at the time of image data formation and the restriction condition relating to the operation at the time of image data transmission included in the instruction are read out, and executed by the standard processing described in the instruction A job information management means for managing in association with a job;
When a control instruction related to a job operation in the routine processing is given by an operator authenticated by the authentication unit, whether or not control to execute the operation is possible is set as a restriction condition managed by the job information management unit. An execution restriction unit that performs an operation in the job if it is controllable, and ignores the control instruction and continues the routine process if it is not possible ;
The image processing apparatus Ru comprising a. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The job requested by the operator is an image processing apparatus including at least a job cancel operation . A standard processing process for executing standard processing according to an instruction describing a series of standard processing, an image forming process for forming image data by forming an image from each document data as a job, and standard processing And a process execution step of transmitting or outputting image data as a job,
An authentication process for performing authentication to identify the operator;
An execution instruction receiving step of receiving an instruction to execute the instruction in the operator authenticated by the authentication step;
Execution confirmation that checks the execution authority information described in the instruction and the information of the operator authenticated in the authentication process that issued the instruction to execute the instruction, and confirms that the operator has the execution authority Process,
A flow that is a restriction on a series of operation instructions during execution of the routine processing, in which the routine processing step executes a predetermined process according to the instruction when the operator can confirm that the operator has the execution authority in the execution confirmation step. A determination step of determining whether there is a restriction;
When there is the flow restriction, the restriction condition relating to the operation at the time of image data formation and the restriction condition relating to the operation at the time of image data transmission included in the instruction are read and executed by the standard processing described in the instruction. A job information management process to manage in association with each job;
When a control instruction related to a job operation in the routine processing is given by an operator who has been authenticated in the authentication step, whether or not control to execute the operation is possible is a restriction condition managed in the job information management step. If the control is possible, the operation in the job is executed, and if it is not possible, the control instruction is ignored and the routine processing is continued.
An image processing method including: The image processing method according to claim 3 .
The job requested by the operator is an image processing method including at least a job cancel operation .

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