JP6315890B2 - Information processing system and information processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing system and an information processing apparatus .

  In the information processing apparatus, the apparatus can be customized for each user. For example, changing the display order of the operation screen, registering shortcuts for frequently used functions, registering destination information such as phonebook and email addresses, etc. It is possible to change.

  In an environment where multiple information processing devices are installed, the same setting must be performed on all information processing devices used by the user, which makes management complicated. A technique is disclosed in which a server to be managed for each user is prepared, and setting information of the user is downloaded from the server after the user performs an authentication operation on the information processing apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-17862

  However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses a method in which the user goes to the front of the information processing apparatus and performs the authentication operation to download the setting information from the server.

  Therefore, there is a waiting time corresponding to the data download time between the user's operation and the customization of the information processing apparatus.

  In the future, with the development of cloud computing, a method of managing setting information with a server on the cloud and downloading data via a network such as the Internet when necessary is conceivable.

  In this case, depending on the state of the network line, it may take time to download the setting information, and there is a concern that the user may be stressed due to an increase in the waiting time.

An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing system and an information processing apparatus that do not give stress to the user by downloading in an information processing apparatus that downloads user setting information.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing system of the present invention is a detection device and an information processing system including the information processing device, and the detection device is connected to the information processing device associated with the detection device in advance. The information processing apparatus that has a detection unit that detects that the user has approached, and that is associated in advance with the detection apparatus that has detected that the user has approached, is configured to control execution of a function of the information processing apparatus Downloading means for downloading the setting information corresponding to the user detected by the detection device from a setting information server in which setting information is stored for each user, and a storage unit for storing the setting information downloaded by the downloading means storage means for storing in said When a user logs into said information processing apparatus, is stored in the storage unit It characterized by having a setting means for setting the setting information to the information processing apparatus.

According to the present invention, since the setting information is automatically downloaded when it is detected that the user has approached the information processing apparatus, an information processing system and an information processing apparatus that do not give stress to the user by downloading are provided. can do.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware constitutions of each apparatus in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of data managed by the position information server in FIG. 1, or a setting information server. It is a figure which shows the example of the operation part customized for every user. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of download processing in the image forming system in FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating how setting information of each user stored in the HDD of the image forming apparatus in the present embodiment changes due to the approach of the user. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of customization processing executed by a CPU of the image forming apparatus in FIG. 2.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the following embodiments, the information processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied to an image forming apparatus.

  In FIG. 1, an information processing system 100 shows a system in which an image forming apparatus 103 and the like are arranged on three floors 107, 108, and 109 as an example.

  On the floor 107, one approach detection device 102 and one image forming device 103 are installed. On the floor 108, one approach detection device 102 and three image forming devices 103 are installed. On the floor 109, two approach detection devices 102 and two image forming devices 103 are installed. Devices installed on each floor are connected by a network 106.

  In addition to the devices installed on each floor, the information processing system 100 includes a user identification device 101, a location information server 104, and a setting information server 105, which are also connected by a network.

  Among these, the user identification apparatus 101 is not connected to the network 106, and the user identification apparatus 101 and the proximity detection apparatus 102 communicate directly.

  The user identification device 101 is a device for uniquely identifying a user, and the approach detection device 102 is a device for detecting that the user has approached by the user identification device 101.

  In this embodiment, a local PHS terminal is used as the user identification device 101 and a local PHS radio base station is used as the proximity detection device 102. However, other devices may be used. As another device, for example, a configuration in which the approach detection device 102 is replaced with a surveillance camera in a living room and a user's approach is detected by face authentication is also conceivable. In this case, the user's face plays the role of the user identification device 101.

  At least one approach detection device 102 is installed on each floor, and the image forming apparatus 103 installed on the floor is associated with the approach detection device 102. By doing so, it is possible to manage which user is near which image forming apparatus.

  For example, the approach detection device 102 and the image forming device 103 may be associated one-on-one like the floor 107, or one approach detection device 102 and a plurality of image forming devices 103 may be associated like the floor 108. Good. Further, on the floor 109, there are two approach detection devices 102 and two image forming devices 103, so that the approach detection device 102 and the image forming device 103 are associated one-on-one.

  When the approach detection device 102 detects the approach of the user, the setting information is downloaded to the image forming device 103 on the floor where the approach detection device 102 is installed.

  For example, in the case of the floor 108, when the approach detection device 102 detects approach, the setting information is downloaded to all three image forming apparatuses 103.

  Further, in the case of the floor 109, when any one of the approach detection devices 102 in the floor detects the approach of the user, the setting information is downloaded to all the image forming apparatuses 103 on the floor 109.

  For example, when the user approaches the approach detection device 102 on the floor 107, the user moves away from the image forming device 103 installed on another floor and approaches the image forming device 103 installed on the floor 107. .

  Therefore, for example, the approach of the user to the approach detection device 102 on the floor 107 is synonymous with the approach of the user to the image forming apparatus 103 installed on the floor 107.

  The position information server 104 is a server for managing information indicating which user is near which image forming apparatus. An example of data used for management will be described later.

  The setting information server 105 is a server that manages setting information for each user. An example of the setting information will be described later.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of each device in FIG.

  FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the user identification device 101.

  2A, the user identification device 101 includes a CPU 201, a RAM 202, a ROM 203, an operation unit 204, and a wireless unit 205.

  The CPU 201 controls the entire user identification device 101 by executing a program. The ROM 203 stores various parameters necessary for control of the user identification device 101, a storage program for executing processing shown in a flowchart described later, and the like.

  The RAM 202 functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 201. The operation unit 204 displays the status of the user identification device 101 and the like. The operation unit 204 receives an operation of the user identification device 101. The wireless unit 205 communicates with the approach detection device 102.

  FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the approach detection device 102.

  In FIG. 2B, the approach detection device 102 includes a CPU 206, a RAM 207, a ROM 208, a network interface 209, and a wireless unit 210.

  The CPU 206 controls the entire approach detection apparatus 102 by executing a program. The ROM 208 stores various parameters necessary for controlling the approach detection device 102, a storage program for executing processing shown in a flowchart described later, and the like. A RAM 207 functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 206. The network interface 209 communicates with other devices. The wireless unit 210 communicates with the user identification device 101.

  FIG. 2C is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 103.

  2C, the image forming apparatus 103 includes an image controller unit 211, an operation unit 219, a scanner unit 221, and a printing unit 223.

  The CPU 212 in the image controller unit 211 controls the entire image forming apparatus 103 and controls each device in an integrated manner to control copying and printing from the host computer.

  The ROM 214 stores various parameters necessary for execution of the image forming apparatus, a storage program for executing processing shown in a flowchart described later, and the like. The RAM 213 functions as a main memory and work area for the CPU 212, and is also used as a buffer area for image data for scanning and printing.

  The HDD 215 is used for temporary storage of print data received by the network interface 217, and is accessed from each module as a swap area for the RIP 216 that is a raster image processor and the image processing unit 224.

  The RIP 216 expands a page description language (PDL) into raster image data. The operation unit interface 218 is a communication interface for controlling key input from the connected operation unit 219 and display output to the operation unit 219.

  The operation unit 219 includes a hard key and a touch panel, and can display the state of the image forming apparatus 103 and accept an operation. The scanner interface 220 is an interface for controlling the scanner unit 221 to be connected. The scanner interface 220 transmits and receives control commands of the scanner unit 221 and receives an image optically scanned by the scanner unit 221. The scanner unit 221 scans an original optically.

  The printing unit interface 222 is an interface for controlling the connected printing unit 223, and transmits / receives a control command of the printing unit 223 and transmits an image to be printed by the printing unit 223.

  The image processing unit 224 performs image processing such as scaling, rotation, color conversion, and smoothing on the image scanned by the scanner unit 221 and the image generated by the RIP 216.

  FIG. 2D is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the location information server 104.

  The location information server 104 includes a CPU 225, a RAM 226, a ROM 227, a network interface 228, and an HDD 229.

  The CPU 225 controls the entire position information server 104 by executing a program. The ROM 227 stores various parameters necessary for controlling the position information server 104, a storage program for executing processing shown in a flowchart described later, and the like. The RAM 226 functions as a main memory and work area for the CPU 225. The network interface 228 communicates with other devices. The HDD 229 stores information such as the position of the user and the image forming apparatus.

  The processes shown in the flowcharts described later executed by the user identification device 101, the approach detection device 102, the image forming device 103, and the position information server 104 described above are executed by each CPU.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of data managed by the position information server 104 or the setting information server 105 in FIG.

  FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a table 301 indicating correspondence between extension numbers of the local PHS and user IDs.

  In this embodiment, in order to identify the user using the local PHS system, it is necessary to acquire the user ID from the extension number of the user identification device 101 based on the information in the table 301. USER-A or the like is used as the user ID in the table 301.

  FIG. 3B is a table 302 representing the correspondence between the approach detection device 102 and the floor. This table 302 indicates which approach detection device 102 is present on which floor.

  In the table 302, STATION-1 or the like is used for the approach detection device ID, and FLOOR-1 or the like is used for the floor ID.

  FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating a table 303 representing a floor and a user who is approaching the floor. By using the information in the two tables 303 and 304, it is possible to determine which user's setting information needs to be downloaded to which image forming apparatus.

  FIG. 3D is a diagram showing a table 304 representing the floor and the image forming apparatus 103 installed on the floor. The table 304 is information indicating which image forming apparatus exists on which floor. In the table 304, MFP-1 or the like is used as the image forming apparatus ID.

  FIG. 3E illustrates a table 305 that represents an address of the image forming apparatus 103. The information in the table 305 is used when instructing the image forming apparatus 103 to download the setting information.

  FIG. 3F is a diagram illustrating an example of setting information 401 for each user managed by the setting information server 105.

  In this embodiment, an example of customizing a screen initially displayed on the operation unit 219 when logging in to the image forming apparatus 103 by registering frequently used functions for each user is shown. Information may be customized.

  For example, the setting information may be information indicating a destination of another apparatus for the image forming apparatus 103 to transmit information to the other apparatus. Specifically, destination information such as a telephone book and an address book is set as setting information for each user, and registered, so that when the user logs in to the image forming apparatus 103, the user can use the telephone book of the logged-in user to perform FAX. Can be transmitted.

  In addition, setting values of functions provided by the image forming apparatus 103 may be customized. For example, initial settings (number of copies, document size, output paper size, duplex setting, etc.) when the copy function screen is started, a default transmission destination address displayed when the FAX function screen is started, and the like.

  As described above, each approach detection apparatus 102 is associated with the image forming apparatus 103 in advance by the table 302 and the table 304. The setting information server 105 stores setting information for each user.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation unit 219 customized for each user.

  FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an example in the case where USER-A has performed the login process to the image forming apparatus 103.

  As shown in FIG. 3F, USER-A is set as a function that frequently uses four of COPY, BOX, FAX, and SEND in the setting information 401. For this reason, four items of a COPY icon 802, a BOX icon 803, a FAX icon 804, and a SEND icon 805 are initially displayed on the touch panel 801 of the operation unit 219.

  FIG. 4B shows an example in which the login process to the image forming apparatus 103 is performed by USER-B. As shown in FIG. 3F, USER-B is set as a function that frequently uses COPY and FAX in the setting information 401. Therefore, only the two items of the COPY icon 802 and the FAX icon 804 are initially displayed on the touch panel 801 of the operation unit 219.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the setting information is information for setting display contents to be displayed on the operation unit 219 which is a display unit.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the download process in the information processing system 100 in FIG.

  The description of the processing shown in FIG. 5 assumes a case where USER-A having the user identification device 101 with the extension number 0001 enters the floor 107.

  When USER-A enters the floor 107, the user identification device 101 determines which is the closest approach detection device 102, and selects one approach detection device 102 (step S501).

  As a method used in this determination, a method of selecting a radio base station having the largest RSSI value based on an RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) value corresponding to the strength of received signals from a plurality of radio base stations is known. It has been.

  Next, the user identification device 101 registers position information in the selected approach detection device 102 (step S502).

  The approach detection device 102 receives the position information registration request from the user identification device 101 (step S503). This step S503 corresponds to detection means for detecting that the user has approached the information processing apparatus associated in advance with the approach detection apparatus 102.

  Next, the approach detection apparatus 102 notifies the position information server 104 that the user with the extension number 0001 has approached the approach detection apparatus 102 having the ID of SENSER-1 (step S504).

  The location information server 104 receives the notification from the approach detection device 102 (step S505). Thereby, the position information server 104 knows that the user having the user identification device 101 having the extension number 0001 has approached the proximity detection device 102 having the ID of SENSER-1.

  Next, the position information server 104 identifies the image forming apparatus 103 from which the setting information is to be downloaded (step S506). This specifying method will be described later.

  The position information server 104 instructs the image forming apparatus 103 (MFP-1) to download USER-A setting information (step S507).

  The image forming apparatus 103 (MFP-1) receives the download instruction from the position information server 104 (step S508). The image forming apparatus 103 (MFP-1) downloads USER-A setting information from the setting information server 105 (step S509). This step S509 corresponds to download means for downloading setting information corresponding to the user detected by the approach detection device 102.

  Finally, the image forming apparatus 103 (MFP-1) stores the USER-A setting information downloaded from the setting information server 105 in the HDD 215 (step S510), and ends this process. This step S510 corresponds to storage means for storing the downloaded setting information in the HDD 215 as a storage unit.

  The specifying method in step S506 will be described. The information in the table described in FIG. 3 is used for this specifying method.

  First, using the table 301, it is determined that the USER-A is approaching from the extension number 0001. Next, using the table 302, it is determined that USER-A has approached FLOOR-1.

  Then, after updating the table 303, it is specified that the MFP-1 needs to download the USER-A information from the information in the table 303 and the table 304.

  By the download process described above, the image forming apparatus 103 (MFP-1) can store the setting information of USER-A in the HDD 215 before the USER-A operates the image forming apparatus 103. .

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing how the setting information of each user stored in the HDD 215 of the image forming apparatus 103 in the present embodiment changes due to the approach of the user.

  FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating an initial state in which there is no user on the floor 107. No setting information is stored in the HDD 215 of the image forming apparatus 103.

  FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a state in which USER-A 601 has newly entered the floor 107 from the state of FIG. By the download processing described with reference to FIG. 5, the setting information of USER-A 601 is stored in the HDD 215 of the image forming apparatus 103.

  FIG. 6C is a diagram illustrating a state in which two users USER-B 602 and USER-C 603 have newly entered the floor 107 from the state of FIG. 6B.

  When there are three users on the floor 107, the HDD 215 of the image forming apparatus 103 is in a state in which setting information for three users USER-A601, USER-B602, and USER-C603 is stored.

  As described above, in this embodiment, setting information of all users who may use the image forming apparatus 103 is stored in advance in the HDD 215 regardless of whether or not the image forming apparatus 103 is used. The point is a feature.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure of customization processing executed by the CPU 212 of the image forming apparatus 103 in FIG.

  The description of the processing shown in FIG. 7 is that the HDD 215 of the image forming apparatus 103 stores the setting information for USER-A, USER-B, and USER-C and performs a login operation. The case is assumed to be USER-A.

  Since USER-A entering the floor 107 uses the image forming apparatus 103, USER-A goes to the front of the image forming apparatus 103.

  The image forming apparatus 103 displays a login screen on the operation unit 219 and prompts the user to input a user ID and a password. The login process is performed when USER-A inputs the user ID and password (step S701).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the login is successful (step S702). If the result of determination in step S702 is that login has failed (NO in step S702), this process ends.

  On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S702 is that the login is successful (YES in step S702), it is determined whether or not the setting information of USER-A that is the user ID of the logged-in user has been stored in the HDD 215 (step S703). ).

  If it is determined in step S703 that the USER-A setting information has already been stored in the HDD 215 (YES in step S703), the USER-A601 setting information stored in the HDD 215 is reflected in the image forming apparatus, and the user Thus, customization of the image forming apparatus 103 is performed (step S704), and this process is terminated. As described above, when the user logs in to the image forming apparatus 103 in which the setting information is stored in the HDD 215, the setting information is reflected in the image forming apparatus 103.

  On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S703, if the USER-A setting information is not already stored in the HDD 215 (NO in step S703), the USER-A setting information is downloaded from the setting information server 105 (step S705).

  When the USER-A setting information download process is completed, the image forming apparatus 103 stores the downloaded setting information in the HDD 215 (step S706), and the process proceeds to step S704.

  The case where the setting information of USER-A is not stored in the HDD 215 is taken into account because the approach detection device 102 may fail to detect the approach of the user. Examples of the failure include, for example, the case where USER-A has not turned on the local PHS terminal that is the user identification device 101 in this embodiment, or the case where the local PHS terminal was not carried.

  Through the customization process described above, USER-A can use the image forming apparatus 103 with settings customized for itself. In addition, since the data is not downloaded from the setting information server 105 after the authentication processing in step 702, the image forming apparatus 103 can be customized without giving a waiting time to the user.

  An example of the screen displayed when customized in this way is as described with reference to FIG.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the setting information is automatically downloaded when it is detected that the user has approached the image forming apparatus 103. Therefore, compared with the case where the user downloads after logging in. Thus, it is possible to provide the information processing system 100 that does not give stress to the user by downloading.

  In this embodiment, the information processing apparatus of the present invention is applied to an image forming apparatus. However, as shown in this embodiment, a general information processing apparatus including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like may be used. This embodiment can be applied.

  In the present embodiment, the position information server and the setting information server are described as separate devices. However, one device may be used, and the proximity detection device may have these functions.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is also realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads the program code. It is a process to be executed. In this case, the program and the storage medium storing the program constitute the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Information processing system 101 User identification apparatus 102 Proximity detection apparatus 103 Image forming apparatus 104 Position information server 105 Setting information server 201,206,212,225 CPU
202, 207, 213, 226 RAM
203, 208, 214, 227 ROM

Claims (5)

An information processing system having a detection device and an information processing device,
The detection device includes detection means for detecting that a user has approached the information processing device associated in advance with the detection device;
The information processing apparatus associated in advance with the detection apparatus that has detected that the user has approached is configured to receive setting information for controlling execution of functions of the information processing apparatus from a setting information server for each user. Download means for downloading the setting information corresponding to the user detected by the detection device;
Storage means for storing the setting information downloaded by the download means in a storage unit ;
When the user logs in to the information processing apparatus, setting means for setting the setting information stored in the storage unit in the information processing apparatus;
An information processing system comprising: The information processing apparatus has a display unit that displays information to the user,
The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the setting information is information for setting display contents to be displayed on the display unit.   The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the setting information is information indicating a destination of the other apparatus for the information processing apparatus to transmit information to the other apparatus. 3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the setting information is at least copy function setting information . The setting corresponding to the user detected by the detection device from the setting information server in which setting information for controlling execution of the function is stored for each user based on the fact that the user has approached Download means for downloading information;
Storage means for storing the setting information downloaded by the download means in a storage unit ;
When the user logs in, setting means for setting the setting information stored in the storage unit;
An information processing apparatus comprising:

Images