JP5495197B2 - Data relay apparatus, image forming method, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to image formation, and more particularly, to a data relay device, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium that can output output from a mainframe computer or the like from an image processing device with high security.

  In the case of producing a large amount of printed matter such as a form or a mainframe computer), it is simply referred to as a mainframe. ) Etc., and executing the business application and outputting the result, conventionally, the terminal computer executes the printing sequence or data transmission to the mainframe to execute the business, and the result is output to the line printer or laser printer. Output to an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) or the like is widely performed.

  In many cases, the mainframe executes its processing using a unique operating system, and the output is usually a line output suitable for a line printer. Further, the terminal computer accesses the main frame using the user ID and password, transmits data, and requests the main frame for processing.

  Conventionally, the output of the main frame has been premised on being performed by a line printer or the like. However, with the recent improvement in processing performance of image forming apparatuses and personal computers, the output of the main frame is an image using electrophotography. It can also be output by a forming apparatus.

  For this reason, the output environment of the mainframe has become more diversified and higher quality. However, because the mainframe output results are created by business applications, they are often highly confidential. From the viewpoint of information leakage, a third party who has no relation to the output can freely output the output. The environment that can be acquired is not preferable.

  Given the high performance of image forming apparatuses and personal computers, and the spread of network infrastructure, printers that have been installed in print rooms can be placed in open spaces. The need to protect the output from third party access is also increasing.

  When an output product having confidentiality is produced by a command from a personal computer, the security of the output product can be handled relatively easily. For example, a personal computer is usually identified by a user name, a user ID, or the like. For this reason, an identification value that uniquely identifies the creator is added to the output data on the personal computer side and transmitted to the image forming apparatus. Then, on the image forming apparatus side, information associated with the identification value is acquired using an IC card or the like, and print control of output data is performed in accordance with the collation result between the identification value and information on the image forming apparatus side. By performing the above, it is possible to minimize the inconvenience that the output product is acquired by a third party.

  Also for the mainframe, it is possible to modify the business application for security management of the output. However, modifying the business application only for the purpose of improving the security of the output product increases the cost of the modification, and also prevents the suspension and delay of the core business such as the suspension of the business application and the restriction of data access over the maintenance period. Therefore, it was impossible to be realistic in terms of cost performance.

  Conventionally, an image forming apparatus that outputs line output data such as a main frame is known. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-29654 (Patent Document 1), a print control unit that transmits to a printer device to perform printing and notifies a print manager of the end of printing is provided. Print server format when there is an abnormal end of form printing within the preset form output waiting time after notification of completion of data reception, or when there is no notification of completion of printing or abnormal end of printing after the elapse of the form output waiting time A print server that retransmits form data from a form data file through a data transmitting / receiving means is disclosed.

  Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-141450 (Patent Document 2) discloses a form sorting server that sorts form outputs from a main frame.

  Further, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-44513 (Patent Document 3) discloses a form / overlay function execution system that does not incur a development cost and does not cause a decrease in print quality. The system described in Patent Document 1 can provide a print output of a form or the like at a low cost without executing an overlay of the form or the like and degrading the print quality.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-60003 (Patent Document 4) discloses a case where the user ID read from the IC card by the image forming apparatus is checked against the user ID stored in the storage unit, and the check result is authenticated. A technique for improving the security of an output product by generating a notification signal that warns of forgetting to take a printed output is disclosed.

  The print server disclosed in Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for outputting output from a mainframe with a low-cost printer. However, the print server disclosed in Patent Document 1 backs up form printing with another low-cost printer device even when a failure occurs in the low-cost printer device, and is intended for security management of the output from the low-cost printer. It is not something to do.

  Moreover, although the treasure sorting server described in Patent Document 2 can process the output data from the mainframe, it does not solve the high security of the output data of the mainframe.

  In addition, the technique described in Patent Document 3 needs to change the configuration of the printer driver of the host computer, and when applied to the mainframe, the main business is suspended, the arrangement of an alternative machine for that purpose, and the business It does not solve problems such as the cost of correcting applications.

  Furthermore, the technique described in Patent Document 4 can improve the security of an output product using an identification value acquired from an IC card. However, if the output data from the main frame is not tagged with the information acquired from the IC card, the output control of the corresponding output data cannot be performed with the information from the IC card. It does not make it possible to control the security of the output from the frame.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and the output from the mainframe is not modified at all by the maintenance of the mainframe without correcting the business application of the mainframe. There has been a need for a data relay device, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium that can increase the security of an output product using the image forming device.

  Further, a data relay device and an image forming method that use the software configuration of the existing mainframe as it is, and enable security management of the output from the mainframe with only a minimum additional device such as an image forming device and an interface device. There was a need for programs and recording media.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention efficiently uses the identification information of the creator user included in the output data output from the mainframe, and print data converted from the output data by the image forming apparatus. Used as a control code for output. The main frame transmits output data including the identification information to the data relay apparatus. The data relay device is implemented as a personal computer or a server, acquires identification information that uniquely identifies a user from output data transmitted from the mainframe, and is a format that can be processed by the image forming device, It is converted into a control code in a format that is not an output image, and is described in the print control code of the print data generated from the output data.

  During the conversion process from the output data to the stamp string data, the above-described identification information is deleted from the print target area and transferred to the data area describing the print control code. The image forming apparatus acquires identification information via an external storage medium such as an IC card, an SD card, or a USB memory, and collates the acquired identification information with another information described in the print control code. As a result, if the two match, the image forming engine is started and the output is printed. As a result, the image forming apparatus enables output control of the image forming apparatus using an IC card or the like while hiding the identification information for uniquely identifying the creator user on the output.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the security of the image output apparatus from the mainframe without modifying the mainframe business application and without stopping the mainframe maintenance. A data relay device, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium can be provided.

  Further, according to the present invention, data that enables the security management of the output from the mainframe using the software configuration of the existing mainframe as it is and using only the smallest additional device such as an image forming device and an interface device. A relay device, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium can be provided.

The functional block diagram of the business system of this embodiment. The functional block diagram of the data relay apparatus of this embodiment. 6 is a flowchart of an image forming method according to the present embodiment. Detailed flowchart of step S306 of FIG. 6 is a flowchart of processing when the image forming apparatus executes output control of printed matter in the present embodiment. The figure which showed embodiment of the output data and identification information of this embodiment The flowchart of the process of 1st Embodiment which acquires identification information in this embodiment. 8 shows a second embodiment of identification information acquisition processing with improved accuracy. FIG. 9 is an exemplary pseudo code of an identification information acquisition process shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a dialog 1000 for identification information acquisition setting displayed on the display device of the data relay device 112 by the printer driver 250 of the present embodiment. FIG. The figure which showed other embodiment of the dialog 1100 for the identification information acquisition setting which the printer driver 250 displays on the display apparatus of the data relay apparatus 112 in this embodiment.

  Hereinafter, although this invention is demonstrated with embodiment, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned later. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a business system 100 of the present invention. The business system 100 is constructed for a basic business such as a company, and a plurality of terminal computers 116, 118, and 120 are connected to the mainframe 110 via a router 114 and a LAN 124, and can be processed by a business application. It is said that. Further, the LAN 124 is connected to the data relay device 112 of the present embodiment, receives output data from the mainframe 110, converts it into print data, and an image connected via the network 124 such as a LAN. Print data is sent to the forming apparatus 122.

  Although the mainframe 110 is not particularly limited, a general-purpose computer for business use can be cited. Database management, form management, form creation, etc. can be performed by executing business applications under a unique operating system. Is being processed. The terminal computers 116 to 120 are used by an input operator to input various data, and access the mainframe 110 by inputting a unique user ID, password, and the like.

  In order to control access to the mainframe 110, the mainframe 110 implements a user management database by installing a user management database in the management module, registering a user ID, password, access right source, etc. for each user name. . The mainframe 110 provides services with the terminal computers 116, 118, 120, for example, in a client-server format. In another embodiment, the mainframe 110 receives processing requests from the terminal computers 116, 118, and 120 as a web server and provides services.

  For this purpose, the mainframe 110 is a programming language such as FORTRAN, LISP, COBOL, PL-I, C, C ++, Java (registered trademark) under the control of an appropriate operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS). Is implemented to enable execution of business applications. When the main frame 110 functions as a web server, it is possible to support script languages such as JAVA (registered trademark) SCRIPT, PERL, RUBY, and PYTHON.

  The terminal computer 116 is implemented using a personal computer or a workstation, and includes a single-core and multi-core CPU, and includes a RAM, a ROM, a hard disk device, a network interface card (NIC), Windows (registered trademark), UNIX. Processing with the mainframe 110 is enabled under an appropriate OS such as (registered trademark) or LINUX (registered trademark).

  In this embodiment, the data relay apparatus 112 can be implemented as a personal computer or a server, and is a UNIX (registered trademark), LINUX (registered trademark), Windows (registered trademark) XP, Vista, Windows (registered trademark) 200x server. The output data output from the main frame 110 is received under an OS such as SOLARIS (registered trademark) or AIX, print data in a format that can be processed by the image forming apparatus 122 is generated, and the print data is sent to the image forming apparatus 122. Is passing.

  The mounting format of the data relay device 112 is not particularly limited, but it may be configured as a personal computer, server, or appliance server that implements Windows (registered trademark) in terms of cost, maintainability, and software versatility. preferable. If the image forming apparatus 122 has sufficient capability, the data relay apparatus 112 can be configured as a functional module of the image forming apparatus, or can be peer-connected as a dedicated control apparatus for the image forming apparatus 122. You can also

  The image forming apparatus 122 receives print data created by the data relay apparatus 112 via a network 124 such as a LAN, and can be a so-called MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) configured as a so-called network printer. . The image forming apparatus 122 also has a user identification function by allowing the user of the image forming apparatus 122 to input identification information or a password from an IC card. Hereinafter, information that uniquely identifies the user of the business system 100 such as a user ID and a password is referred to as identification information.

  As the identification information, any data such as a user ID, a password, a user name, an employee number, and a group identification value indicating a specific group can be used. As for the input method, it is also possible to input identification information using a numeric keypad, short-range communication with a storage medium such as an IC card or IC tag, reading from a storage medium such as an SD card or USB memory, QR code or barcode. Any method known so far can be used, such as reading.

  The network 124 can be configured to include an Ethernet (registered trademark) such as 1000Base-TX, an optical network, and a wireless network of a standard such as IEEE 802.11, and can communicate with each other by frame communication or packet communication based on the TPC / IP protocol. Has been done. The network 124 may include a wide area network such as the Internet in a secure environment such as a VPN (Virtual Private Network) in addition to a LAN.

  Hereinafter, processing when the main frame 110 transmits output data to the data relay apparatus 112 or the image forming apparatus 122 will be described. The main frame 110 accesses the data relay apparatus 112 and the image forming apparatus 122 with an administrator status, and requests various processes. Therefore, the data relay apparatus 112 or the image forming apparatus 122 associates the output data with the creator user even if referring to the transmission source address or the authority of the transmission source for the output data transmitted from the mainframe. I can't.

  Therefore, if the image forming apparatus 122 or the like is not installed in a dedicated room where entry / exit can be restricted, such as a printer room, the output from the main frame 110 is output to the image forming apparatus 122 without any restriction. If the output of the main frame 110 can be acquired from the image forming apparatus 122 installed in a general-purpose environment without providing a printer room, a more general-purpose can be obtained without preparing a printer room or preparing a dedicated printer. Printing in a printing environment is possible, and the cost can be reduced.

  On the other hand, if a printed matter that outputs highly confidential information is output as it is from the image forming device, the output matter is acquired by an unrelated third party, or third party access to the output information Will be possible. In addition, it is assumed that there is a problem such as loss of the output material, and it is also assumed that a problem that high reliability cannot be provided also occurs.

  As described above, since the mainframe 110 accesses an externally connected device with the administrator authority, it is considered from the side that created the output data only by using the transmission source address and the authority under transmission. In this case, the print output control by the image forming apparatus 122 cannot be performed. Also, the process of associating the creator user with the output data created by the creator user is processed on the main computer 112 side in consideration of the fact that the mainframe 110 performs access control using the user management data. be able to. However, in order to do this, it is necessary to modify the business application, which requires a maintenance period, correction costs, etc., and the business application needs to be revised by the mainframe manufacturer, etc. It is not practical to modify a business application just for the purpose of doing so.

  For this reason, in this embodiment, the data relay apparatus 112 examines the output data output from the main frame 110, and whether or not the output data includes identification information such as the user ID of the worker user who created the output data. Implement functional means to determine Then, the determination result as to whether or not the identification information is included in the output data is fed back to the print data output control in the image forming apparatus.

  FIG. 2 shows a functional block 200 of the data relay apparatus 112 of the present embodiment. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the data relay apparatus 112 will be described as implementing a Windows (registered trademark) architecture as an OS. However, other OS architectures are not limited to the OS as long as the same function can be provided by mounting an appropriate emulation program.

  The data relay device 112 acquires output data from the mainframe 110 via the network 124i. The output data is acquired by the network interface 210 and temporarily stored in a memory such as an appropriate FIFO buffer included in the printer driver 250. The output data from the main frame 110 is then processed by each unit of this embodiment added to the printer driver 250 as a plug-in module, and then sent to the image forming apparatus 122 via the network 124o.

  The output data acquired by the printer driver 250 is sent to the data parser 220. The data parser 220 reads the output data transmitted from the main frame 110, analyzes the syntax, and passes the syntax analysis result to the character string extraction unit 230. The character string extraction unit 230 uses the syntax analysis result analyzed by the data parser 220, determines the data contents output by the main frame 110, and determines the presence of a string string that identifies the creator user.

  When the character string extraction unit 230 determines that the identification information of the creator user exists, the determination result is sent to the text editor 240. The text editor 240 acquires the data excluding the form data from the output data, and converts the format of the data into the number of lines, the character width, the vertical and horizontal margins, etc. that can be output by the image forming apparatus 122. Further, the text editor 240 refers to the identification information extracted by the character string extraction unit 230 and buffered in an appropriate memory area, and the character string identified by the character string extraction unit 230 during the format conversion described above. The character string associated with the identification information is deleted from the data to be searched and output.

  When the text editor 240 identifies the form data in the output data, the text editor 240 calls a PDF converter, a PostScript (registered trademark) converter, or an EMF (Enhanced MetaFile) converter to display the form data in a superimposed manner. , GDI (Graphics Device Interface) or the like is used to perform form data format conversion.

  After the format conversion of the data area is completed, the text editor 240 calls the printer driver 250 and adds a printer control command such as paper size, print direction, font size, and image forming apparatus specific information to the format converted data. Print data. Note that the data parser 220, the character string extraction unit 230, and the text editor 240 constitute a functional module constituting the data selector unit 270, which is implemented as plug-in software for the printer driver 250 in this embodiment.

  Further, the printer driver 250 reads the buffered identification information during the print data creation process, and describes the read identification information as a print control code in a print control command description area that is a non-print area of the print data. To do. Further, the printer driver 250 combines the form data with the print data, and passes the combined print data to the spooler 260. The produced print data is sent to the spooler 260 and temporarily buffered. The print data is transferred to the image forming apparatus 122 via the network 124o in a first-in first-out manner corresponding to the processing capability of the image forming apparatus 122. Transferred.

  Further, the character string to be extracted by the character string extraction unit 230 is externally input from a print dialog displayed by a graphical user interface (hereinafter referred to as GUI) GUI generation unit 280, and a specific format of the mainframe or the company concerned. It is possible to set a value suitable for a specific format.

  The network 124o can use the LAN 124 shown in FIG. 1, but the network 124o can be configured as a bus such as IEEE1294, USB, SCSI, and the image forming apparatus 122 is the data relay apparatus 112. It can also be configured as a local printer. The connection format for connecting the image forming apparatus 122 to the data relay apparatus 112 can be appropriately selected according to the usage mode of the image forming apparatus 122. When the data relay apparatus 112 is mounted as a function processing unit of the image forming apparatus 122, the data relay apparatus 112 may be configured as an internal bus including a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect).

  FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of the image forming method of the present invention. The process of FIG. 3 starts from step S300. In step S301, the creator user accesses the main frame by inputting a user ID, a password, and the like. In step S302, the user inputs data on the terminal computer. When the mainframe provides a web server function, the data input operation is performed via browser software implemented by a terminal computer using an input form transmitted from the mainframe 110. Further, when the mainframe 110 supports dedicated client software, it is executed via an input form provided by the dedicated client software. The data is not particularly limited, and specific examples include form data or document data using a database application such as a relational database or an object-oriented database.

  In step S303, when the data input is completed, the creator user transmits data to the main frame and requests processing by the main frame 110. In step S304, the main frame 110 writes and adds the creator user identification information in the received data. At this time, the main frame 110 adds identification information with reference to a user management database managed by the main frame 110 for access control. The addition of identification information can also be performed by the creator user by keyboard input. In another embodiment, client software such as the terminal computer 116 automatically retrieves identification information of a creator user who has accessed the terminal computer by looking up a user list or the like, and adds it to an appropriate place in the document. You can also

  In step S305, the main frame 110 creates output data based on the transmitted data, accumulates the output data in a print queue or spooler managed by the main frame 110, and performs data relay in a first-in first-out method. Output data is transmitted to the address of the apparatus 112 using frame transfer or packet transmission using TCP / IP.

  In step S306, the output data received by the data relay apparatus 112 is inspected, the printer driver is activated, and if the identification information is detected, the identification information is deleted from the print data area of the output data and buffered. Identification information is added as a printer control command to a non-printing area describing a printer control command such as PJL. Further, when form data is created separately as image data or the like, text data and image data are synthesized, and print data to be output with identification information added as a print control code is created.

  In step S307, the image forming apparatus 122 receives print data in which the identification information is added to the non-printing area from the data relay apparatus 112. In step S308, the identification information added to the non-printing area is printed by the image forming apparatus 122. The image forming apparatus is controlled using the control code, and the process ends in step S309.

  FIG. 4 shows a detailed flowchart of the process of step S306 in FIG. The process starts from step S400, and in step S401, output data is received from the main frame. In step S402, it is determined whether or not there is identification information in the output data. If there is identification information in the output data (yes), the identification information is acquired and buffered in step S403.

  In step S404, the identification information alone or the identification information and the trigger code designating the identification information are deleted from the output data. After that, in step S405, the identification information is read from the buffer memory, the printer driver 250 is called, print data with the identification information added as a print control code is created in the printer control language description area, and a form image is synthesized. The print data is sent to the spooler 260. Thereafter, the spooler 260 sends the image forming apparatus 122 to the image forming apparatus 122 in a first-in first-out manner corresponding to the processing of the image forming apparatus 122, and ends the process in step S406.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S402 that there is no identification information in the output data (no), the process branches to step S407, the output data is directly converted into a format, and the page description language is synthesized with the form image or the like. The image data and the ruled line image are converted, and the print data is generated in a page description language (PDL) and sent to the spooler. The process ends in step S406.

  The processing shown in FIG. 4 makes it possible to generate print data having different print control codes depending on whether or not the output data identification information is included. It becomes possible to perform security management of the output according to the installation environment.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing when the image forming apparatus executes output control of printed matter in the present embodiment. The processing in FIG. 5 starts from step S500, and the image forming apparatus 122 receives print data in step S501. In step S502, identification information is acquired from the external storage medium. Examples of the external storage medium include an IC card, an SD card, a USB memory, and the like. In step S502, the identification information can be externally input using the numeric keypad of the image forming apparatus 122 instead of the external storage medium.

  In step S503, it is determined whether or not the identification information matches a value described in the print data. If it is determined that they match in the determination in step S503 (yes), in step S504, the image forming engine is activated to output print data, and the print data is output as an output product. Then, the process ends in step S505. . On the other hand, if it is determined in step S503 that the pieces of identification information do not match (no), the process branches to step S506, and the print data is buffered until the identification information is successfully verified, thereby producing an output product. To prevent.

  Then, the process is branched to step S502, requesting another collation, and executing the output process in step S504 when the collation is successful. Note that the print data that failed in the first collation is stored in the image forming apparatus 122, constitutes an appropriate timer or counter, and is sent by e-mail to an administrator or creator user in response to the expiration of the timer or counter. You may be notified.

  Through the above processing, the output product can be output only by the producer user who has instructed the main frame 110 to produce output data or the output product acquisition user who has the authority of the creator user. Problems such as acquisition or information leakage by a third party can be prevented. Further, even if the creator user forgets to take it, it can be prevented that the data is output in a state where it can be accessed by a third party.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an embodiment of output data and identification information of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6A, the output data 600 is in a format for outputting a form. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the creator user identification is shown in the upper right area 610 of the output data. Information is described. The form data 600 is output from the main frame 110 as output data in a format in which various data 620 such as a product code and a product name unit price are described and output in the form format.

  FIG. 6B enlarges the area 610 of FIG. 6A and shows a detailed embodiment of the identification information. In the embodiment of FIG. 6B, the identification information 630 describes a user ID = GT0002 in a set format. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6B, the identification information can be identified by a unique trigger code such as “// User =” and “,”, and the user ID is “// User =”. And “,” can be acquired as codes described between them as delimiters.

  In the present embodiment, the identification information can be identified using a specific position and the number of characters of the output data. However, when the identification information is acquired using the specific position information and the number of characters of the output data, the output position of the output data may be determined in advance and the position information for recognizing the identification information may be set. Necessary.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the process of the first embodiment for acquiring identification information in the present embodiment. The process in FIG. 7 starts from step S700, and in step S701, the start position of the identification information in the output data is acquired. In step S702, the number of characters in the identification information is acquired. In step S703, a code corresponding to the number of characters in the identification information is read from the start position and acquired as a user ID. In step S704, the process ends.

  Note that the processing shown in FIG. 7 requires that the position where the user ID is recorded in advance is recognized, and whether the user ID can be acquired as a code is based on the physicality of the output data or print data. It is related to the position.

  FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of identification information acquisition processing that is further improved in accuracy compared to the user ID acquisition processing shown in FIG. The processing in FIG. 8 starts from step S800, and in step S801, a start trigger code of identification information is searched. In step S802, it is determined whether a start code has been found. When the start trigger code is found (yes), in step S803, the code information that follows as identification information is read character by character in the variable = user ID from the code next to the start trigger code.

  In step S804, it is determined whether or not an end trigger code has been found. If an end trigger code is found (yes), variable = user ID is determined using the code information before the end code as identification information, In step S805, the process ends. On the other hand, if the end trigger code is not found in step S804 (no), the process branches to step S803, and the code reading is continued until the end trigger code is found.

  If the start trigger code cannot be found in step S802 (no), the process branches to step S805 to execute a printing process that does not use identification information.

FIG. 9 is an exemplary pseudo code of the identification information acquisition process shown in FIG. Note that the line numbers added to the pseudo code in FIG. 9 are given for explanation. The pseudo code shown in FIG. 9 is an object constituting the character string extraction unit 230 shown in FIG. 2, and can be implemented as a plug-in program or an add-in program of a printer driver, for example, as the object “Extractor ()”. .
In the pseudo code of FIG. 9, “out_string” is set to the variable “print_data” in the print data, the value “= / User =” is set to the start trigger code “start_string”, and the value “=” is set to the end trigger code “end_string”. Set “,” (comma). Note that the end code may be any character or character such as a space or a line feed in addition to a comma.

  The variable “UserID” is a variable for registering a code existing between the start trigger code and the end trigger code. When the start trigger code “// User =” is found in the seventh line of the pseudo code. Then, the value of the last character is received, and the process of causing the variable User_ID to read the code information after i is executed using the get () function in the tenth line. The reading of the code information is continued until the end code “,” is found in the print data. Then, buffering is performed as a string string read up to the time when the end code “,” is found = User_ID, the string string is deleted from the print target area of the print data, and then the PJL description area of the print data By describing the value of User_ID as a control command, print data that enables output control by the image forming apparatus 122 is generated.

  FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a dialog 1000 for identification information acquisition setting displayed on the display device of the data relay device 112 by the printer driver 250 of this embodiment. A dialog 1000 shown in FIG. 10 displays a setting menu for performing various print settings, and an identification information acquisition setting dialog 1000 according to the present embodiment is displayed on the “HostPrint” tab. A dialog 1000 in FIG. 10 displays a field 1010 for designating an X coordinate and a Y coordinate in which a user ID as identification information is described in output data (print data), and prompts user input.

  In addition, in the input field 1020, a field indicating that the default user ID is the main frame 110 is generated, and it is indicated that the print data corresponding to the output data transmitted from the main frame 110 is targeted. Yes. Further, the field 1030 is a field for designating a character position when the identification information is actually acquired. In the field 1030, the user specifies that the user ID, which is identification information, starts from the ninth character in the area designated by the field 1010, and the identification information is acquired for seven characters.

  FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of a dialog 1100 for setting identification information acquisition displayed on the display device of the data relay device 112 by the printer driver 250 in this embodiment. The embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is a dialog for setting information for acquiring identification information from a code existing between a start code and an end code in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

  The dialog 1100 shown in FIG. 11 includes a field 1110 for setting a start trigger code and a field 1120 for setting an end trigger code. By selecting a radio button 1130 displayed as “trigger detection”, the user inputs end identifiers that function as start triggers and end triggers in the fields 1110 and 1120 from the position detection mode illustrated in FIG. 10.

  The dialogs 1000 and 1100 in FIGS. 10 and 11 are set by modules added as plug-in programs or add-in programs in the printer driver 250 of the data relay apparatus 112, and are accessed with administrator authority. The dialog can be Further, according to the present invention, various displays are customized to the image forming apparatus 122 by adding or replacing the extraction target as, for example, a form name and the form name as a printer session name with respect to the printer session name or the like. Can be displayed or output.

  Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can be applied to a facsimile apparatus that processes a facsimile received by a function such as a mail fax. In this case, the data relay apparatus 112 is registered as a facsimile destination. After receiving the received data as identification information, a facsimile reception notification is made by e-mail, and the output can be controlled so that a person other than the facsimile destination cannot arbitrarily access the facsimile.

  The above functions of the present embodiment are plug-ins that can be executed by an apparatus described in an object-oriented programming language such as C, Visual C, C ++, Java (registered trademark), Java (registered trademark) Script, Perl, Ruby, or PYTHON. The plug-in program can be realized by a program. The plug-in program can be stored and distributed in a device-readable recording medium such as a hard disk device, CD-ROM, MO, flexible disk, EEPROM, EPROM, etc. Can be transmitted over a network.

  Although the present embodiment has been described so far, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and other embodiments, additions, changes, deletions, and the like can be conceived by those skilled in the art. It can be changed, and any aspect is within the scope of the present invention as long as the effects and effects of the present invention are exhibited.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Business system, 110 ... Mainframe, 112 ... Data relay apparatus, 114 ... Router, 116-120 ... Terminal computer, 122 ... Image forming apparatus, 124 ... Network (LAN), 200 ... Data relay apparatus (functional block), 210 ... Network interface, 220 ... Data parser, 230 ... Character string extraction unit, 240 ... Text editor, 250 ... Printer driver, 260 ... Spooler, 270 ... Data selector unit, 280 ... GUI generation unit

JP 2000-29654 A JP 2005-141450 A JP-A-8-44513 JP 2007-60003 A

Claims (12)

A data relay apparatus that receives output data from an information processing apparatus and transfers the output data to an image forming apparatus, wherein the data relay apparatus includes:
The identification information included in the output data for identifying the user who has received the output data from the information processing apparatus and instructed the output to the information processing apparatus is added to the position information in the output or the output data. Acquisition means for acquiring based on specific information for specifying a range of the identification information included;
Transfer means for adding the identification information to the non-printing area of the output data as control information in a data format that can be output by an output device and transferring the output data;
Screen generating means for displaying a screen for setting the position information or the specific information;
A data relay device. Storage means for acquiring and storing the identification information using position information of the identification information included in the output data on a printed matter or specific information specifying a range of the identification information included in the output data The data relay device according to claim 1, comprising: A deletion unit configured to delete the identification information, wherein the deletion unit searches the output data for deletion of the identification information held in the storage unit, or deletes the text in the area specified by the specific information; The data relay device according to claim 1 , wherein the data relay device is deleted from the output data by being deleted .   The data relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-printing area is an area for describing a printer control code, and the identification information is described as an output control code for the image forming apparatus. . Further, on the desktop screen of the data relay device, to specify the specific information for specifying the position information on the printed matter of the identification information included in the output data or the range of the identification information included in the output data The data relay device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, further comprising screen generation means for displaying the screen . A method for receiving output data from an information processing apparatus and outputting a printed matter to an image forming apparatus, wherein the data relay apparatus includes:
The identification information included in the output data for identifying the user who has received the output data from the information processing apparatus and instructed the output to the information processing apparatus is added to the position information in the output or the output data. Obtaining based on specific information for specifying a range of the identification information included;
Adding the identification information to the non-printing area of the output data as control information in a data format that can be output by an output device and transferring the output data;
Generating a screen for displaying a screen for setting the position information or the specific information;
An image forming method is executed. The obtaining step extracts the identification information using position information on the printed matter of the identification information included in the output data or specific information specifying a range of the identification information included in the output data; Storing, and further including deleting the identification information,
The step of deleting includes a step of deleting the identification information from the output data by searching the output data and deleting it, or by deleting text in a region specified by the specific information. Item 7. The image forming method according to Item 6.   The image forming method according to claim 6, wherein the non-printing area is an area for describing a printer control code, and the step of describing describes the identification information as an output control code of the image forming apparatus.   Further, a screen for displaying a print dialog for designating the specific information for specifying the position information on the printed matter of the identification information included in the output data or the range of the identification information included in the output data The image forming method according to claim 6, further comprising a step of generating. An information processing device for sending output data to a data relay device via a network;
The data relay device according to claim 1, wherein the output data is received and transferred to an output device.
  Including an image forming system. 6. A program executable by an information processing apparatus for receiving output data from an information processing apparatus and transferring the output data to an image forming apparatus, wherein the program selects the information processing apparatus. A program that functions as the means described in 1. The computer-readable recording medium which recorded the program of Claim 11 .

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