JP6007825B2 - Image forming apparatus, control method thereof, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus including a Web page providing unit.

  In recent years, image forming apparatuses called “multifunction peripherals” or “MFPs (Multi-Functional Peripheral)” having various functions such as copying, network printing (PC printing), scanners, faxes, and document servers have become widespread. Yes. Among such image forming apparatuses, those equipped with a web server and a web browser have recently appeared.

  Many Web browsers use a mechanism called Cookie that allows a provider of a Web site to temporarily write and store data on a visitor's computer through the Web browser. Information stored by the Web browser is referred to as “HTTP Cookie (hereinafter referred to as Cookie information)”. Cookie information is relatively small text data used by a Web server to identify a client during Web access. The cookie information is transmitted from the Web server to the user's Web browser when the user accesses a Web site on the Web server, and is stored on the hard disk. If the user makes any setting or input while browsing the Web site, cookie information indicating the contents is stored. When the user accesses the website again from the same web browser, the cookie information is automatically transmitted from the web browser to the web server.

  As described above, since the Web server can identify the accessing client (Web browser), it has become possible to provide a function of “automatic login from the next time”. Cookie is known as an important function that provides comfortable web access to users.

  By the way, when multiple users jointly use a multifunction device that does not have an authentication function to perform user authentication when used, a security risk such as leakage of personal information stored as cookie information by a web browser provided in the multifunction device Is assumed. In such a case, a measure such as invalidating the cookie information in the Web browser on the multifunction peripheral has been considered. On the other hand, the user can use the web browser in a highly convenient manner using the cookie information in the information processing apparatus dedicated to the user. For this reason, the above measures may cause the user to feel inconvenience in the shared image forming apparatus.

  In order to avoid such an inconvenience, various conventional techniques have been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2011-206962 (Patent Document 1) discloses a multifunction machine. As described in claim 1 of Patent Document 1, the multi-function device accepts an input of identification information, and then accepts a user authentication valid mode that permits the use of the user and without inputting the identification information. A mode setting unit that selects any one of the user authentication invalid modes that permit the use of the server and executes the selected mode, and a cookie information received from the Web server unit that operates according to the Web browser software. And a cookie information management unit that manages the cookie information according to the mode set by the mode setting unit. When the mode set by the mode setting unit is a user authentication invalid mode, the cookie information management unit discards the cookie information from the storage unit after the operation of the Web browser unit is completed.

  Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-103022 (Patent Document 2) discloses a data processing method for managing cookies between a plurality of devices used by a user. As described in claim 1 of patent document 2, the data processing method uses an acquisition step of acquiring client status information from a storage device corresponding to the client device, and the client status information in the client device. Then, an access step for accessing a device connected to the network, and a storage step for storing the updated client status information in the storage device when access to the device is terminated.

JP 2011-206962 A JP 2004-103022 A

  However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to register user information in the multifunction peripheral in advance. For this reason, without such pre-registration, public users may not be able to use cookie information.

  On the other hand, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, a service for managing cookies including a storage device corresponding to the client device is required. For this reason, complicated work is required, such as the need to create a user account for the service.

  The present disclosure has been devised in view of such circumstances, and the purpose of the present disclosure is to determine a user in a shared image forming apparatus without requiring complicated work, and to obtain cookie information corresponding to the determined user. To make it available.

  An image forming apparatus according to an aspect is grouped according to a period from a start to an end of provision of a web page of a web browser unit configured to provide a web page on demand. However, when a new transmission of authentication information is sent from the web browser means to the server, the storage device that stores the cookie generated for the access from the web browser means to the server is generated for the new transmission. And a specifying unit configured to specify a group corresponding to the user who causes the web browser unit to perform the new transmission among the groups in which the cookie is stored in the storage device based on the cookie. The web browser means is configured to use the cookie of the group specified by the specifying means in providing the web page.

  Preferably, the storage device stores authentication information transmitted to the server at the time of access in association with the cookie. The identification means, when there is a new transmission of authentication information from the web browser means to the server, based on the cookie generated for the new transmission, about the new transmission from the cookie stored in the storage device By extracting the cookie corresponding to the same server as the generated cookie, and specifying the group to which the cookie associated with the same authentication information sent in the new transmission belongs from the extracted cookie Then, the group corresponding to the user who has made a new transmission to the web browser means is specified.

Preferably, the storage device stores authentication information encrypted.
Preferably, the storage device stores authentication information in an area where access is restricted.

Preferably, the cookie is created using a secure communication protocol.
Preferably, an image forming unit for executing the image forming operation is provided, and the storage device stores information related to the operation of the image forming unit during the period corresponding to the group in association with the cookie for each group, and the specifying unit includes And a management unit configured to manage an input mode of an instruction for an image forming operation based on information relating to the operation of the image forming unit associated with the identified group of cookies.

  A control method according to another aspect is a control method of an image forming apparatus including a storage device and a web browser unit configured to provide a web page when requested. The method is generated for the access from the web browser means to the server in the storage device, while the computer of the image forming apparatus performs grouping for each period from the start to the end of provision of the web page of the web browser means. The step of storing the cookie, and when the computer sends a new transmission of authentication information from the web browser means to the server, the cookie is stored in the storage device based on the cookie generated for the new transmission. Identifying the group corresponding to the user who made the new transmission to the web browser means, and causing the computer to use the cookies of the identified group in providing the web page by the computer Steps.

  Furthermore, a program according to another aspect causes a computer of the image forming apparatus to execute the control method as described above.

It is a figure which shows the example of a structure of a network system. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a job list used in the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the aspect of handling of the cookie by a web browser and a cookie information management part in an image forming apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating grouping of cookie information. It is a figure which shows typically the specific example of the cookie stored by grouping. It is a figure which shows roughly the processing content in an image forming apparatus. 10 is a flowchart of processing for handling information when a Web browser transmits user authentication information to a Web server. It is a figure which shows an example of the information registered into the cookie information database from new starting of a web browser to completion | finish. It is a figure for demonstrating the processing content of step S110 of FIG. It is a figure which shows the specific example of the information regarding an image formation part.

  Hereinafter, a network system including an embodiment of an image forming apparatus will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, parts having the same function and action are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings, and redundant description will not be repeated.

[Schematic configuration of network system]
The outline of the configuration of the network system will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the network system SY. As shown in FIG. 1, the network system SY is configured by connecting an image forming apparatus 1, a Web server apparatus 2, a user apparatus 3, and other information processing apparatuses (not shown) to a network 4.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is an information processing apparatus in which various functions such as copying, network printing (PC printing), document scanning, fax, and document server are integrated. The image forming apparatus 1 may be referred to as “multifunction machine” or “MFP”. Note that the image forming apparatus 1 only needs to have at least one of the above-described functions such as copying and network printing, and it is not necessary to provide a plurality of these functions.

  The web server device 2 provides a web page to the web browser in response to a request from the web browser. The request is sent to the Web server device 2 via the network 4 or a public communication line such as the Internet.

  The user device 3 is an information processing device that a user uses for daily work. For example, a personal computer is used as the user device 3. A user can use the user device 3 to give a print job to the image forming apparatus 1 or operate the image forming apparatus 1 via the network 4.

  The network 4 is a communication line for enabling communication between information processing apparatuses connected to the network 4. The network 4 is a so-called LAN (Local Area Network), and may be connected to the Internet via a gateway or the like.

[Hardware configuration of image forming apparatus]
Next, the hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10a, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 10b, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 10c, a display device 10d, an input device 10e, an HDD (Hard Disk). Drive) 10f, document reading device 10g, printing device 10h, FAX modem 10i, and network I / F (Interface) 10j. In addition to these, the image forming apparatus 1 may include a control circuit for controlling the operation timing of each apparatus in the image forming apparatus 1.

  The CPU 10a executes arithmetic processing of programs and data stored in the ROM 10c or the HDD 10f using the RAM 10b as a work area. In addition to the program or data, the CPU 10a executes arithmetic processing based on various data input from the outside as necessary.

  The display device 10d is configured by a display according to a known method such as a liquid crystal method or a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) method, and displays various screens to the user. On the display, a screen for guiding the operation, a screen for notifying the execution status of the job, a screen for confirming data stored in the HDD 10f, and the like are displayed in accordance with a command from the CPU 10a.

  The input device 10e includes a numeric keypad and various operation buttons, and is a device that receives various operations from the user. The input device 10e issues a command corresponding to the content of the operation to the CPU 10a according to the content of the operation on the numeric keypad or the operation button from the user. The issued instruction includes an instruction to start a job to be executed. Note that the display device 10d and the input device 10e may be integrally configured as a touch panel.

  The HDD 10f is a nonvolatile magnetic storage device that retains stored data even when power is not supplied. The image forming apparatus 1 may include a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory or an NVRAM (Non Volatile Random Access Memory) instead of the HDD 10f.

  The document reading device 10g is configured by, for example, a light source and an image sensor, and is a device that generates image data by optically reading images such as characters and figures drawn on a document.

  The printing apparatus 10h is configured by, for example, a printing mechanism such as an electrophotographic system, an inkjet system, or a thermal transfer system, and is connected to the data stored in the HDD 10f, the data generated by the document reading apparatus 10g, and the network 4. An apparatus that prints an image indicated by data received from an information processing apparatus on a sheet.

  The FAX modem 10i is a device for transmitting and receiving data to and from other fax machines via a public line using a FAX protocol such as G3.

  The network I / F 10j is a device for transmitting and receiving data to and from other information processing devices via the network 4. The transmission / reception of the data follows a communication protocol such as TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol). The network I / F 10j is configured by a NIC (Network Interface Card), for example.

[Functional configuration of image processing apparatus]
Next, the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the job list JL used in the image forming apparatus 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a system control unit 11, a UI (User Interface) management unit 12, a Web browser 13, a Web server 14, a CGI management unit 15, a job queue management unit 16, and a job processing unit. 17, a set value management unit 18, and a cookie information management unit 20. These are realized, for example, by the CPU 10a executing a program stored in the ROM 10c or the HDD 10f. The job processing unit 17 includes a scan job processing unit 17a, a print job processing unit 17b, and a FAX reception job processing unit 17c.

  The Web server 14 is configured when the image forming apparatus 1 itself functions as a server apparatus. The Web browser 13 can display a Web page provided from the Web server device 2 or can display a Web page provided from the Web server 14.

  The image forming apparatus 1 further includes a cookie information database 19. The cookie information database 19 is configured by, for example, the HDD 10f.

  The system control unit 11 includes a UI management unit 12, a web browser 13, a web server 14, a CGI management unit 15, a job queue management unit 16, a job processing unit 17, a setting value management unit 18, a cookie information database 19, and cookie information management. The operation of the unit 20 and the operations of the display device 10d, the input device 10e, the HDD 10f, the document reading device 10g, the printing device 10h, the FAX modem 10i, and the network I / F 10j are comprehensively controlled. In particular, in the present embodiment, the system control unit 11 performs processing by the UI management unit 12, the web browser 13, the web server 14, the CGI management unit 15, the job queue management unit 16, the job processing unit 17, and the setting value management unit 18. Are collected as a “task” to be executed by the image forming apparatus 1. For each task, a task priority indicating the priority of execution is set. For example, the task priorities are set so that the task corresponding to the job processing unit 17, the task corresponding to the Web browser 13, and the task corresponding to the Web server 14 in order from the highest side.

  Further, the system control unit 11 can execute the plurality of generated tasks in parallel while following the task priority. That is, the system control unit 11 can execute a plurality of tasks by multitasking. However, a task with a low task priority waits until execution of a task with a high task priority is completed, or less time is allocated to execution than a task with a high task priority. For example, while a task corresponding to the job processing unit 17 having a high task priority is being executed, a task corresponding to the Web server 14 having a low task priority is in a state where the operation is difficult to proceed or cannot be performed at all. . That is, when a job is given to the image forming apparatus 1, processing for realizing the job is prioritized, so that the processing capability of the Web server 14 is substantially reduced. That is, the processing capability of the Web server 14 depends not only on the load status of the Web server 14 itself but also on the load status of the entire image forming apparatus 1, particularly the status of the job being executed in the image forming apparatus 1.

  The system control unit 11 accepts input of various job instructions via the input device 10e. Jobs to which an instruction can be input include a job for reading an image of a document (scan job), a job for printing an image on a sheet (print job), a job for reading an image of a document and printing (copy job), and the like. Further, the system control unit 11 receives FAX data based on a job for receiving FAX data (FAX reception job) via the FAX modem 10i. Further, the system control unit 11 receives a print job via the network I / F 10j.

  The job queue management unit 16 registers (adds) job records to the job list JL in the order in which the jobs received by the system control unit 11 are received. The contents of the job list JL will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 4, an example of the job list JL is shown in each of (A) to (C). As shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C, the job list JL includes information of a registration number JL1, a job type JL2, detailed job information JL3, and an execution state JL4 for each registered job. .

  Returning to FIG. 3, when the system control unit 11 receives a new job, the job queue management unit 16 adds a new record for the job to the job list JL. By adding a new record, appropriate values are set in the registration number JL1, job type JL2, detailed job information JL3, and execution state JL4. In the registration number JL1, a value indicating the order in which the job is registered is set. A value indicating the job type is set in the job type JL2. In the job detailed information JL3, a value indicating the detailed information of the job such as the execution mode of the job or the size of data related to the job is set. First, a value (“READY” in the examples of FIGS. 4B and 4C) indicating that the job is waiting to be executed (executable state) is set in the execution state JL4.

  The job processing unit 17 executes jobs registered in the job list JL in the order in which values indicating the old order are set by the registration number JL1, that is, the order in which the values are registered. At that time, a plurality of jobs may be executed in parallel. The job processing unit 17 includes a scan job processing unit 17a, a print job processing unit 17b, and a FAX reception job processing unit 17c.

  The scan job processing unit 17a executes a job in which a value indicating a scan job is set in the job type JL2 in the job list JL. The print job processing unit 17b executes a job in which a value indicating a print job is set in the job type JL2 in the job list JL. The FAX reception job processing unit 17c executes a job in which a value indicating the FAX reception job is set in the job type JL2 in the job list JL.

  When the job processing unit 17 starts executing a job, the job queue management unit 16 sets the value of the record execution state JL4 for the job to a value indicating that the job is being executed (FIG. 4). In this example, the program is updated to “RUN”). Further, when the job processing unit 17 finishes executing the job, the job queue management unit 16 deletes the record for the job from the job list JL, and sets one value set in the registration number JL1 of the subsequent records. Move up one by one.

  As described above, the job queue management unit 16 manages jobs to be executed by the image forming apparatus 1 in the queue of the job list JL. FIG. 4A shows an example of the job list JL in which one job is registered and the job is being executed. FIG. 4B shows an example of a job list JL in which two jobs are registered, the first registered job is being executed, and the second registered job is waiting to be executed. . 4C, five jobs are registered, the first to second registered jobs are being executed in parallel, and the third to fifth registered jobs are waiting to be executed. An example of a job list JL is shown.

  The system control unit 11 determines an appropriate screen to be displayed on the display device 10d in accordance with a user instruction input via the input device 10e and the like, an operation status in the image forming apparatus 1, and the like. Is displayed on the display device 10d.

  The UI management unit 12 manages the content of the screen to be displayed on the display device 10d, acquires a Web page corresponding to the screen instructed by the system control unit 11, and stores the acquired Web page content on the display device 10d. The web browser 13 is instructed to display.

  The system control unit 11 determines the timeout time ET based on the job list JL (FIG. 4) managed by the job queue management unit 16 and the timeout time determination table DT managed by the setting value management unit 18. To do.

  The set value management unit 18 manages a timeout time determination table DT that specifies the timeout time ET using the HDD 10f or the like. The timeout time ET of each job is based on, for example, the type of job (for example, scan, print, FAX), the content of the job (for example, “image quality” in the print job), and the size of data handled in the job. Identified.

  The timeout time ET of each job is specified as, for example, the sum of the reference timeout time and the additional time determined based on the type of print job and the data size. For example, when the job is “print”, the additional time is divided according to the size and image quality of the print data accompanying the print job, and a value for each is set. An example of a job timeout time ET in which the print data size is 10 MB (Mega Bytes) or more in total and the image quality is set to “image data” will be described. When “20 seconds” is set as the additional time when the size of the print data is a total of 10 MB or more, and “20 seconds” is set as the additional time when the image quality of the print data is image data, The timeout time ET for the job exemplified above is obtained by adding the additional time “20 seconds” based on the print data size and the additional time “20 seconds” based on the image quality to the reference timeout time.

[Handling cookies in image forming devices]
With reference to FIG. 5, handling of cookies provided from a Web server (Web server 14 or Web server device 2) by the Web browser 13 and the cookie information management unit 20 in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining how cookies are handled by the Web browser 13 in the image forming apparatus 1. In FIG. 5, the handling of cookies is shown step by step in FIGS. 5A to 5C.

  When user authentication information is input, the Web browser 13 transmits the information to the Web server. In FIG. 5A, an example of a screen that displays the input authentication information is shown as a screen 91. Information for authentication includes information (user ID “aaa”) allocated for each user indicated by “User ID”, information (password) for specifying the user indicated by “Pass”, and including. In FIG. 5A, the password is not shown directly, and the actually entered character string is replaced with “*”.

  When the user is successfully authenticated based on the authentication information transmitted from the Web browser 13, the Web server transmits a cookie for transmitting the authentication information to the Web browser 13. In FIG. 5A, a cookie “1@siteA.com” is shown as an example of a cookie transmitted to the Web browser 13. Among the cookies, the character string “siteA” sandwiched between “@” and “.com” is information for identifying the Web server.

  When receiving a cookie from the Web server, the cookie information management unit 20 stores the received cookie and authentication information corresponding to the generation of the cookie in the cookie information database 19 in association with each other. In FIG. 5B, an example of stored information is shown as information 92. The cookie information management unit 20 extracts authentication information from information input to the screen 91.

  The cookie information management unit 20 stores information such as information 92 while grouping for each period from the start to the end of Web page provision by the Web browser 13. As an example of the period, there is a period from when the user performs an operation for starting the browser application in the image forming apparatus 1 to when the user performs an operation for ending the application. If a timeout period is set for browser application execution, the above period may be the period from when the operation for starting the browser application is performed until the timeout period expires. possible.

  With reference to FIG. 6, grouping of the above information (information in which authentication information and a cookie are associated) will be described more specifically. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining grouping of the information.

  FIG. 6 shows the content of the operation on the panel, the subject (the user who is a public user of the image forming apparatus 1) who executes the operation on the panel, and the content of the cookie to be created. “Panel” means an operation panel and is a specific example of the input device 10e.

  Referring to FIG. 6, user A performs an operation of accessing site A after performing an operation of starting a browser application (Web browser 13). Thereby, a cookie ("cookie A" in FIG. 6) is provided from the site A to the browser application. In response to this, the cookie information management unit 20 stores the cookie A in the cookie information database 19. In this specification, the notation such as “site A” is an example of a service provided by a server. In the present specification, the notation “access server” and the term “access site” may be used interchangeably.

  Next, the user A performs an operation of accessing the site B on the browser application. As a result, a cookie (“cookie B” in FIG. 6) is provided from the site B to the browser application. In response to this, the cookie information management unit 20 stores the cookie B in the cookie information database 19.

  Next, the user A performs an operation of accessing the site C on the browser application. Thereby, a cookie ("cookie C" in FIG. 6) is provided from the site C to the browser application. When accessing the site C, the browser application transmits authentication information to the site C. In such a case, the cookie information management unit 20 associates the authentication information transmitted to the site C with the cookie C and stores them in the cookie information database 19. The authentication information is information used for user A authentication.

  Next, the user A performs an operation of closing the browser application. Thereby, the cookie information management unit 20 defines one group for the information stored in the cookie information database 19 from when the browser application is activated until it is closed. More specifically, the cookie information management unit 20 applies 1 to the information stored in the cookie information database 19 based on the access to the sites A to C by the user A, as shown as the group 200 in FIG. Define one group. Information stored based on access to each of sites A, B, and C is shown as “A”, “B”, and “C” in group 200. Among these, the information stored based on the access to the site C is associated with the authentication information transmitted to the site C. Information stored based on access to sites A and B is not associated with authentication information.

  Next, the user B performs an operation of accessing the site C after performing an operation of starting a browser application. Thereby, a cookie ("cookie C" in FIG. 6) is provided from the site C to the browser application. When accessing the site C, the browser application transmits authentication information to the site C. In such a case, the cookie information management unit 20 associates the authentication information transmitted to the site C with the cookie C and stores them in the cookie information database 19. The information for authentication is information used for user B authentication.

  Next, the user B performs an operation of accessing the site D on the browser application. Thereby, a cookie ("cookie D" in FIG. 6) is provided from the site D to the browser application. In response to this, the cookie information management unit 20 stores the cookie D transmitted from the site D in the cookie information database 19.

  Next, the user A performs an operation of accessing the site C on the browser application. Thereby, a cookie ("cookie C" in FIG. 6) is provided from the site C to the browser application. In response to this, the cookie information management unit 20 associates the authentication information transmitted to the site B with the cookie C and stores them in the cookie information database 19.

  Next, the user B performs an operation of closing the browser application. Thereby, the cookie information management unit 20 defines one group for the information stored in the cookie information database 19 from when the browser application is activated (by the user B) until it is closed. More specifically, the cookie information management unit 20 applies 1 to the information stored in the cookie information database 19 based on the access to the sites C and D by the user B, as shown as the group 300 in FIG. Define one group. Information stored based on access to each of the sites C and D is shown as “C” and “D” in the group 300. Among these, the information stored based on the access to the site C is associated with the authentication information transmitted to the site C. Information stored based on access to the site D is not associated with authentication information.

  As described above with reference to FIG. 6, the cookie information management unit 20 stores the cookie transmitted from the Web server in the cookie information database 19 with one group from the start to the end of the browser application as one group. . In FIG. 6, a group 200 and a group 300 are shown. The group 200 is a group for the user A. Group 300 is a group for user B.

  With reference to FIG. 7, a more specific example of the cookie stored in a grouped manner will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a specific example of cookies stored after being grouped.

  FIG. 7 shows a group 200 and a group 300. Group 200 includes information 201-203. Information 201 is stored based on access to site A by user A in FIG. Information 202 is information stored based on access to site B by user A in FIG. Information 203 is information stored based on access to site C by user A in FIG.

  Group 300 includes information 301 and 302. Information 301 is information stored based on access to site C by user B in FIG. Information 302 is information stored based on access to site D by user B in FIG.

  As illustrated in FIG. 7, the information 201 to 203, 301, and 302 include information corresponding to the items “Cookie”, “User ID”, and “Pass”, respectively. “Cookie” is a cookie transmitted from a Web server. “User ID” and “Pass” constitute authentication information and correspond to “User ID” and “Pass” on the screen 91 of FIG. The information 203 and 301 includes data corresponding to the items “Cookie”, “User ID”, and “Pass”. The information 201, 202, 302 includes data corresponding to the items “User ID” and “Pass”.

  Returning to FIG. 5, the explanation about handling of cookies will be continued. As shown in FIG. 5A, a cookie is transmitted from the Web server to the Web browser based on access to the Web server. The cookie information management unit 20 stores the received cookie in the cookie information database 19. As shown in FIG. 5B, if the authentication information is transmitted to the Web server when accessing the Web server, the cookie information management unit 20 stores the information in the cookie information database 19. The authentication information is stored in association with the cookie.

  Then, when a new web browser is started, the cookie information management unit 20 transmits a new access destination as shown in FIG. 5C when authentication information is transmitted when accessing the site. The cookie received from the site and the cookie information database 19 are referred to.

  More specifically, the cookie information management unit 20 extracts cookies from the same site as the current access destination site from information registered in the cookie information database 19. The cookie information management unit 20 specifies the site of the access from the cookie transmitted from the current access destination. The identification of the site includes, for example, extracting a specific part from the cookie. For example, the cookie information management unit 20 extracts a character string below “@” and removes a character string normally added to a domain name such as “.com” or “.jp” from the extracted character string. Get information that identifies your site. For example, from the cookie “1@siteA.com”, “siteA” is acquired as information for specifying the site.

  Then, when a cookie of the same site as the current access destination is extracted from the cookie stored in the cookie information database 19, the cookie information management unit 20 is transmitted to the current access destination among the extracted cookies (or The cookie associated with the same authentication information as the transmitted authentication information). Then, all cookies included in the group to which the specified cookie belongs are used for communication with the server until the next Web browser is terminated. A specific example of using the already stored cookie for communication by the current Web browser will be described.

  In this example, the group 200 and the group 300 of FIG. 7 are stored in the cookie information database 19. The authentication information transmitted to the current access destination server includes “bbb” as “User ID” and “bb” as “Pass”. The cookie sent from the current server is “1@siteC.jp”.

  The cookie information management unit 20 specifies the current access destination site (server) based on the cookie transmitted from the current access destination server. The specified site (server) is “siteC”. Next, the cookie information management unit 20 extracts cookies from the same site as “siteC” from the cookies registered in the cookie information database 19. Referring to FIG. 7, the cookie information management unit 20 extracts information 203 and information 301. Next, the cookie information management unit 20 specifies a cookie associated with information including “bbb” as “User ID” and “bb” as “Pass” from the extracted cookies. Referring to FIG. 7, information 301 is specified. Next, the cookie information management unit 20 causes the web browser 13 to use all cookies of the group to which the specified cookie belongs for the current communication. Referring to FIG. 7, the cookie information management unit 20 causes the Web browser 13 to use all the cookies in the group 300 (cookies included in the information 301 and 302) for the current communication.

  In the above example, the extracted cookie identifies a cookie whose user ID and password in the authentication information match those of the cookie obtained by a new access. In some cases, it is sufficient that at least one of the authentication information matches the cookie obtained by the new access.

  FIG. 8 schematically shows the processing contents of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, a cookie (information 201 to 201) is grouped for each period from the start to the end of Web page provision by the Web browser (for example, the period from the start to the end of the browser application). 203, information 301, 302) is stored. Then, when it is determined that the newly acquired cookie (site “siteC” indicated in the information 400) corresponds to the same user as the already stored cookie, the same as the already stored cookie Cookies belonging to these groups are used for providing Web pages by browser applications.

  Next, a flow of processing for handling information when the web browser 13 transmits user authentication information to the web server will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the process.

  With reference to FIG. 9, first, in step S10, the cookie information management unit 20 determines whether or not a condition for terminating the Web browser is satisfied. For example, when an operation for ending an application is performed on the input device 10e, a condition for ending the Web browser is satisfied. When the cookie information management unit 20 determines that the condition is satisfied, the control proceeds to step S100. When the cookie information management unit 20 determines that the condition is not satisfied, the control proceeds to step S20.

  In step S20, the web browser 13 requests user authentication from the web server, for example, by transmitting authentication information based on input of information to the input device 10e, and advances control to step S30. In response to this, the Web server executes user authentication, and if successful, transmits a cookie to the Web browser 13.

  In step S30, the web browser 13 acquires the cookie transmitted from the web server, temporarily stores the cookie together with the authentication information in the user authentication in the RAM 10b or the like, and advances the control in step S40.

  Next, in step S40, as described with reference to FIG. 7, the cookie information management unit 20 searches the cookies stored in the cookie information database 19 for cookies at the same site as the current access destination.

  In step S50, the cookie information management unit 20 matches the user ID of the authentication information transmitted in step S20 among the user IDs (authentication information) associated with the search result cookie in step S40. Determine if there is something to do. If the cookie information management unit 20 determines that there is no such cookie stored in the cookie information database 19, the control proceeds to step S70. On the other hand, when the cookie information management unit 20 determines that such a cookie exists in the cookie information database 19, the control proceeds to step S60.

  In step S60, the cookie information management unit 20 reads (withdraws) the cookie information of the same group as the group to which the cookie with the matching user ID belongs (for example, information 301 and 302 of the group 300 in FIG. 7) from the cookie information database 19. ). Then, the cookie information management unit 20 stores the cookie read out as described above together with the cookie acquired after the activation of the current browser application until the browser application is next closed (or until the timeout is reached). The browser 13 is used. Control is then returned to step S10.

  On the other hand, in step S <b> 70, the web browser 13 confirms with the user whether or not the cookie acquired in step S <b> 30 may be registered in the image forming apparatus 1. More specifically, for example, the Web browser 13 displays a message asking whether or not registration is possible on the display device 10d, and waits for input of information from the user. Then, control proceeds to step S80.

  In step S80, the web browser 13 determines whether or not the user has selected to register a cookie. For example, the Web browser 13 determines whether the information input from the user in response to the inquiry as to whether registration is possible is information that permits registration or information that rejects registration. When the Web browser 13 determines that the user has selected to register cookies (the user permits registration of cookies), the control proceeds to step S90. On the other hand, if the Web browser 13 determines that the user has not selected cookie registration (the user refuses cookie registration), the control proceeds to step S100.

  In step S90, the cookie information management unit 20 recognizes that the current user of the web browser 13 is a new user. More specifically, the cookie information management unit 20 temporarily stores, in the RAM 10b or the like, the cookie received from the server until the running web application is terminated. And the cookie information management part 20 advances control to step S100.

  In step S100, the web browser 13 determines whether or not step S60 has been executed since the current browser application was started. Then, the web browser 13 advances the control to the destination corresponding to the determination result in step S100. More specifically, when the Web browser 13 determines that the cookie has been read from the cookie information database 19 because Step S60 has already been executed, the control proceeds to Step S110. On the other hand, if the Web browser 13 determines that no cookie has been read from the cookie information database 19 at the current activation, the control proceeds to step S120.

  In step S110, the cookie information management unit 20 stores the cookie temporarily stored in the RAM 10b or the like from the start of the current web browser (browser application) in the cookie information database 19, and terminates the web browser. . In step S110, the cookie that is temporarily stored as described above is added to the group of cookies read in step S60.

  In step S120, the cookie information management unit 20 uses the cookie that has been temporarily stored in the RAM 10b or the like since the start of the current Web browser (browser application) as the key information for authentication (cookie indicating user authentication). Whether or not is included. When the cookie information management unit 20 determines that a cookie serving as authentication key information is included, the cookie information management unit 20 advances the control to step S130.

  In step S130, the cookie information management unit 20 assigns new identification information to the cookie that has been temporarily stored in the RAM 10b or the like since the start of the current web browser (browser application), as one group. Save in the cookie information database 19. Thereafter, the web browser is terminated.

  10 and 11 are diagrams for explaining the processing content of step S110. FIG. 10 shows an example of information registered in the cookie information database 19 from the new start to the end of the Web browser 13. FIG. 10 shows information newly registered in the cookie information database 19 as components of the group 310. Group 310 includes information 311 to 313. In the information 311, the information 301 (see FIG. 7) matches the site corresponding to the cookie and the user ID. In step S110, the cookie information management unit 20 adds the information 311 to 313 included in the group 310 to the group 300 and deletes the group 310. Thereby, the configuration of the group 300 is changed as shown in FIG. The group 300 of FIG. 11 includes information 311 to 313 in addition to the information 301 and 302 shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment described above, authentication information is stored in the cookie information database 19. In step S50, the cookie information management unit 20 compares the latest user ID (authentication information) with the user ID (authentication information) stored in the cookie information database 19.

  In addition, when the information which identifies a user can be acquired from a cookie, the cookie information management part 20 may store only a cookie in the cookie information database 19, and may not store the information for authentication. In such a case, in step S50, the cookie information management unit 20 determines whether the user specified by the cookie acquired in step S20 matches the user specified from the cookie stored in the cookie information database 19 or not. Determine whether. If the cookie information management unit 20 determines that the users match, the control proceeds to step S60. If it is determined that the users do not match, the process proceeds to step S70. For example, when the cookie is created so that information specifying the user is embedded, the cookie information management unit 20 can acquire information specifying the user from the cookie.

  It is preferable that the cookie information management unit 20 encrypts and stores the authentication information. In addition, when storing authentication information in the cookie information database 19, the cookie information management unit 20 preferably stores the authentication information in an area in the cookie information database 19 where access is restricted. The area where access is restricted is an area where reading and writing are restricted only to a system administrator by a password or the like, for example. Moreover, it is preferable that the cookie used in this embodiment is created using a secure communication protocol using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) or the like.

  In the present embodiment described above, the period from the start to the end of the Web browser 13 is an example of the period from the start to the end of Web page provision by the Web page providing unit. The cookies that are grouped for each period and transmitted from the web server during the period are stored in the cookie information database 19. In each period, in addition to cookies, information related to an image forming unit (at least one of the document reading device 10g, the printing device 10h, and the FAX modem 10i) may be associated. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of information related to the image forming unit.

  In the example shown in FIG. 12, the group 200 includes print setting information 220 and scanned file information 230 in addition to the information 201 to 203 described with reference to FIG. 7, and is associated with the counter information 290. It has been. The print setting information 220 is a print setting condition (for example, the number of prints, print density, etc.) made during the period corresponding to the group 200. The scanned file information 230 is a file generated by scanning by the image reading apparatus 10 g during a period corresponding to the group 200. The counter information 290 is an operation amount of the image forming unit during a period corresponding to the group 200, and includes, for example, the number of printed sheets. Similarly, the group 300 includes print setting information 320 and scanned file information 330 in addition to the information 301 and 302 described with reference to FIG. 7, and is associated with the counter information 390.

  In step S60 (see FIG. 9), the cookie information management unit 20 may use a cookie stored in the past in the provision of the web page in the web browser 13. In addition, the cookie information management unit 20 causes the Web browser 13 to execute control corresponding to at least one of the print setting information 220, the scanned file information 230, and the counter information 290.

  For example, the cookie information management unit 20 determines a default screen to be displayed on the display device 10d on the Web browser 13 based on the information set in the print setting information 220. For example, if the number of printed sheets is registered as “2” in the print setting information 220, the Web browser 13 sets the number of printed sheets as a default setting in the image forming unit, and displays an operation screen displayed on the display device 10d. To reflect the default settings.

  In addition, for example, the cookie information management unit 20 allows the Web browser 13 to allow access to the files specified by the scanned file information 230 (files 231 and 232 in FIG. 12), or displays a shortcut icon for the file. It is displayed on the display device 10d.

  Further, for example, the cookie information management unit 20 causes the Web browser 13 to display information (message or the like) corresponding to the contents registered in the counter information 290 on the display device 10d. The cookie information management unit 20 includes, for example, the number of sheets for color printing and monochrome printing. The cookie information management unit 20 urges the Web browser 13 to “output a document that does not require color printing as much as possible in monochrome printing” when the number of color printings is larger than the number of monochrome printings. Display a message.

  As described above, the cookie information management unit 20 controls the operation of the Web browser 13, whereby in the image forming apparatus 1, the cookie information management unit 20 manages the input mode of the image forming operation instruction.

  According to the present embodiment described above, cookies are stored in the cookie information database 19, and various information can be stored in association with each cookie. If an expiration date is set for a cookie, the information related to the cookie is deleted from the cookie information database 19 at the same time that the cookie is deleted when the expiration date expires. Is preferred.

  The processing executed by the cookie information management unit 20 of the present embodiment described above may be executed by the web browser 13. That is, the cookie processing described in this embodiment may be realized as an extended function of the Web browser 13.

  Each embodiment disclosed this time must be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims. In addition, the invention described in the embodiment and each modification is intended to be carried out independently or in combination as much as possible.

  1 image forming apparatus, 2 server apparatus, 3 user apparatus, 10d display apparatus, 10e input apparatus, 10g document reading apparatus, 10h printing apparatus, 10i FAX modem, 11 system control unit, 13 Web browser, 14 Web server, 16 job queue Management unit, 17 job processing unit, 17a scan job processing unit, 17b print job processing unit, 17c reception job processing unit, 18 setting value management unit, 19 cookie information database, 20 cookie information management unit.

Claims (8)

Web browser means configured to serve web pages upon request;
A storage device for storing a cookie generated for access to the server from the web browser means while grouping for each period from the start to the end of provision of the web page of the web browser means;
Among the groups in which cookies are stored in the storage device based on the cookie generated for the new transmission when there is a new transmission of authentication information from the web browser means to the server, the web browser An identifying means configured to identify a group corresponding to the user who has made the new transmission to the means,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the web browser unit is configured to use a group of cookies specified by the specifying unit in providing a web page. The storage device stores authentication information transmitted to a server at the time of access in association with the cookie,
When the authentication means sends a new transmission of authentication information from the web browser means to the server, the specifying means uses the cookie stored in the storage device based on the cookie generated for the new transmission. The cookie corresponding to the same server as the cookie generated for the new transmission is extracted, and the group to which the cookie associated with the same authentication information as the authentication information transmitted in the new transmission belongs is extracted from the extracted cookie. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a group corresponding to a user who has caused the web browser unit to perform the new transmission is specified.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the storage device encrypts and stores the authentication information.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the storage device stores the authentication information in an area where access is restricted.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cookie is created using a secure communication protocol. An image forming unit for performing an image forming operation;
The storage device stores information related to the operation of the image forming unit during a period corresponding to the group in association with the cookie for each group.
And a management unit configured to manage an input mode of an instruction of the image forming operation based on information on the operation of the image forming unit associated with the cookie of the group specified by the specifying unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus comprising a storage device and web browser means configured to provide a web page upon request,
The computer of the image forming apparatus was generated for access from the web browser means to the server in the storage device, grouped for each period from the start to the end of provision of the web page of the web browser means. Storing a cookie; and
Among the groups in which the cookie is stored in the storage device based on the cookie generated for the new transmission when the computer has a new transmission of authentication information from the web browser means to the server Identifying a group corresponding to a user who has made the new transmission to the web browser means;
A method for controlling the image forming apparatus, wherein the computer causes the web browser means to use the specified group of cookies in providing a web page.   A computer-readable program for causing a computer of an image forming apparatus to execute the control method according to claim 7.

Images