JP6579385B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  An image forming apparatus can perform private printing. In private printing, the image forming apparatus retains the print data without executing printing when the print data is received from the user, and the print data is detected when a specific user operation (such as password input) is detected. Execute printing based on

  In a printing system, when private printing (secure printing) is executed, the progress of private printing (secure printing) is displayed in a pop-up on the host device side (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-344024 A

  However, in the above-described printing system, pop-up display is always executed until private printing (secure printing) is completed, and thus the user's work is disturbed by the pop-up display.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus that notifies the user of the presence of unexecuted private printing without interfering with the user's work.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention receives private print data from a user, and when a predetermined user operation is detected, the image forming apparatus receives a private print based on the private print data and the job management unit. A terminal detection unit that detects the user's portable terminal device that has transmitted the private print data within a predetermined range; and the terminal detection unit detects the user's portable terminal device within the predetermined range; and And a warning unit that outputs a warning notifying the user that there is an unexecuted private print when private printing based on the private print data received by the job management unit is not executed.

  According to the present invention, the presence of unexecuted private printing is notified to the user without disturbing the user's work.

  These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention receives private print data from a user, and when a predetermined user operation is detected, the image forming apparatus receives a private print based on the private print data and the job management unit. A terminal detection unit that detects the user's portable terminal device that has transmitted the private print data within a predetermined range, and a warning unit that outputs a warning notifying that there is unexecuted private printing to the user. Is provided. Furthermore, it has one of the following configurations (A), (B), and (C). (A) The warning unit is outside the proximity range after the mobile terminal device is detected within a predetermined proximity range narrower than the predetermined range by the terminal detection unit, but the mobile terminal device is within the predetermined range. When private printing based on the private print data received by the job management unit has not been executed, a warning is issued to notify the user that there is unexecuted private printing. Output. (B) The information processing apparatus further includes a notification unit that notifies the warning by an acoustic message or a display message, and the warning unit detects the user's portable terminal device within the predetermined range by the terminal detection unit, and the job When private printing based on the private print data received by the management unit has not been executed, a warning notifying the user that there is unexecuted private printing is output to the user. a) A warning instruction for notifying the user of the warning is transmitted to the portable terminal device, and (b) transmitted when the portable terminal device is not in a predetermined operating state and does not output the warning. When the warning impossible notification is received from the portable terminal device, the warning is reported to the user using the notification unit. To. (C) The warning unit is configured to execute private printing based on the private print data received by the job management unit when the mobile terminal device of the user is detected within the predetermined range by the terminal detection unit. If not, a warning notifying that there is an unexecuted private print is output to the user, and the warning unit further receives a predetermined time after the private print data is received by the job management unit. When it has not elapsed, the warning is not output.

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

Embodiment 1 FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the system shown in FIG. 1, each user carries a mobile terminal device 1 such as a smartphone, and an image forming device 2 (multifunction device, copier, etc.) is arranged at the user base (office, etc.). Has been. In the system shown in FIG. 1, a request for private printing can be transmitted from the portable terminal device 1 to the image forming apparatus 2.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing configurations of the mobile terminal device 1 and the image forming apparatus 2 in FIG.

  The portable terminal device 1 is a portable device such as a smartphone, and includes a wireless communication device 11, a position detection device 12, a display device 13, an input device 14, a storage device 15, an arithmetic processing device 16, and the like.

  The wireless communication device 11 is an internal device that performs data communication according to a predetermined wireless communication standard such as a wireless local area network (LAN) or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

  The position detection device 12 is an internal device that detects the current position of the mobile terminal device 1 using, for example, GPS (Global Positioning System).

  The display device 13 is an internal device such as a liquid crystal display that displays an operation screen or the like to the user. The input device 14 is an internal device such as a touch panel that detects a user operation.

  The storage device 15 is a nonvolatile storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk. The storage device 15 stores a program 21 and the like.

  The arithmetic processing unit 16 is a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like, and loads the program 21 into the RAM and executes it by the CPU. The application 22 operates as follows.

  The application 22 (a) automatically starts when a warning instruction to be described later is received, and warns as a display message or an acoustic message using the display device 13 or an acoustic output device (not shown) based on the warning instruction. And (b) an operation of a print command for private printing is detected, and the detection of the operation is notified to the image forming apparatus 2 using the wireless communication device 11 or the like.

  The application 22 notifies the image forming apparatus 2 of the current position of the mobile terminal device 1 obtained from the position detecting device 12 using the wireless communication device 11 or the like in response to a request from the image forming device 2. You may make it do.

  On the other hand, in FIG. 2, an image forming apparatus 2 is a multifunction machine or the like used by a plurality of registered users, and includes a printing apparatus 31, an image reading apparatus 32, an operation panel 33, a wireless communication apparatus 34, and a wired communication apparatus. 35, a storage device 36, and a controller 37.

  The printing device 31 is an internal device that prints an image page by page on a print sheet in an electrophotographic manner based on print image data.

  The image reading device 32 is an internal device that reads a document image from a document and generates image data (that is, scan data).

  The operation panel 33 is disposed on the surface of the casing of the image forming apparatus 2 and displays a variety of information to the user, a sound output device that outputs sound to the user, and an input device that receives user operations. Have For example, a liquid crystal display is used as the display device. A key switch, a touch panel, or the like is used as the input device.

  The wireless communication device 34 is an internal device that performs data communication according to a predetermined wireless communication standard such as a wireless LAN or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The wired communication device 35 is a circuit that is connected to a network such as a wired LAN and performs data communication with other devices connected to the network. When the image forming apparatus 2 communicates with the mobile terminal apparatus 1, the image forming apparatus 2 may directly communicate with the mobile terminal apparatus 1 and the wireless communication apparatus 34, or via a relay device (not shown). The communication may be performed by the wireless communication device 34 or the wired communication device 35.

  The storage device 36 is a non-volatile storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk. The storage device 36 stores user data 41 and the like.

  The user data 41 includes, for each user, a user ID and a device ID of the user's mobile terminal device 1 in association with each other.

  The controller 37 includes a computer, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and the like, and controls internal devices in the image forming apparatus 2 and executes various data processing. The controller 37 operates as a job management unit 42, a terminal detection unit 43, and a warning unit 44 by executing a program on a computer.

  The job management unit 42 receives a job request from the mobile terminal device 1 or another terminal device or the operation panel 33 using the wireless communication device 34 or the wired communication device 35, and receives the printing device 31, the image reading device 32, and the like. Using the internal device, a job (such as a print job) designated by the received job request is executed.

  In particular, the job management unit 42 accepts private print data as a job request from a user, and then executes a private print based on the private print data using the printing device 31 when a predetermined user operation is detected. To do. When private printing is completed, private print data is discarded.

  The terminal detection unit 43 uses the wireless communication device 34 or the wired communication device 35, and when the user's mobile terminal device 1 that has transmitted the private print data received by the job management unit 42 enters a predetermined range. The mobile terminal device 1 is detected using the wireless communication device 34 or the wired communication device 35.

  The terminal detection unit 43 repeatedly specifies the current position of the mobile terminal device 1. For example, the terminal detection unit 43 continuously specifies the current position of the mobile terminal device 1 based on the radio field intensity of the mobile terminal device 1 detected by the wireless communication device 34. Alternatively, the terminal detection unit 43 communicates with the mobile terminal device 1 using the wired communication device 35, repeatedly receives a notification indicating the current position of the mobile terminal device 1, and continues the current position of the mobile terminal device 1. Specific.

  In the warning unit 44, the user's portable terminal device 1 is detected within a predetermined range by the terminal detection unit 43, and private printing based on private print data received from the user by the job management unit 42 is not executed. In this case, a warning for notifying that there is unexecuted private printing is output to the user. The warning unit 44 outputs the warning using the operation panel 33 or the mobile terminal device 1. The warning is notified to the user from the operation panel 33 or the mobile terminal device 1 as an acoustic message or a display message.

  In this embodiment, the job management unit 42 executes private printing based on the private print data when a predetermined user operation on the mobile terminal device 1 is detected after the warning is output. This predetermined user operation on the mobile terminal device 1 does not include input of a password, and is, for example, pressing of a predetermined soft key. Of course, the user may operate the operation panel 33 to execute private printing.

  The warning unit 44 uses the wireless communication device 34 or the wired communication device 35 to communicate with the mobile terminal device 1 to identify the operating state of the mobile terminal device 1. When it is not an operation state (for example, manner mode), a warning instruction for notifying the user of the above-described warning is transmitted to the mobile terminal device 1, and the mobile terminal device 1 is in the predetermined operation state. May use the operation panel 33 to notify the user of the above warning.

  The warning unit 44 may not output the above warning when a predetermined time (for example, 30 minutes) has not elapsed since the private print data was received from the job management unit 42.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 in the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment.

  When the job management unit 42 of the image forming apparatus 2 accepts the private print data from the user using the wireless communication device 34 or the wired communication device 35, the job management unit 42 does not immediately perform printing but holds the private print data (step). S1).

  Thereafter, the terminal detection unit 43 specifies the device ID associated with the user ID of the user who has transmitted the private print data with reference to the user data 41. While the unexecuted private print data is held, the terminal detection unit 43 determines that the mobile terminal device 1 having the specified device ID is within a predetermined range (here, within a predetermined distance from the image forming device 1). ) Is monitored (step S2). The user ID is included in, for example, private print data.

  And if the portable terminal device 1 is detected within the predetermined range by the terminal detection part 43, the warning part 44 will perform a warning process with respect to the user (step S3).

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the warning process (step S3) in FIG.

  In the warning process, the warning unit 44 transmits a warning instruction to the mobile terminal device 1 of the user using the wireless communication device 34 or the wired communication device 35 (step S21).

  In the portable terminal device 1, when the warning instruction is received, the application 22 is activated and outputs a warning. When the warning is completed, a warning completion notification is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 2 as a response to the warning instruction. . At this time, when the operation state of the mobile terminal device 1 is a predetermined operation state, the application 22 transmits a warning disapproval notification to the image forming apparatus 2 as a response to the warning instruction without outputting a warning. .

  Thereafter, if the response is not received within a predetermined time after transmitting the warning instruction, the warning unit 44 regards that the warning by the mobile terminal device 1 has failed due to power off, communication failure, etc. A warning is output using the panel 33 (step S23).

  On the other hand, when the response is received within a predetermined time after the transmission of the warning instruction, the warning unit 44 determines whether or not the response is a warning impossible notification (step S24).

  When the response is a warning impossible notification, the warning unit 44 determines that the mobile terminal device 1 is in a predetermined operation state, and outputs a warning using the operation panel 33 (step S23). On the other hand, when the response is not a warning impossible notification (that is, when the response is a warning completion notification), the warning unit 44 determines that the warning is completed and ends the warning processing.

  Returning to FIG. 3, when the warning process is completed, the job management unit 42 detects that the mobile terminal device 1 is continuously detected within a predetermined range by the terminal detection unit 43 and the operation of the print instruction of the user is detected. It is monitored whether or not it has been done (steps S4 and S5).

  When the mobile terminal device 1 is no longer detected within the predetermined range, the terminal detection unit 43 returns to step S2 and monitors again whether or not the mobile terminal device 1 is detected within the predetermined range.

  When the user performs a print instruction operation on the mobile terminal device 1 or the operation panel 33, the job management unit 42 determines that the print instruction operation is detected. When the user performs a print instruction operation on the mobile terminal device 1, the application 22 notifies the image forming apparatus 2 that the operation has been detected by wireless communication.

  Then, when the operation of the print instruction is detected, the job management unit 42 uses the printing device 31 to execute private print that has not been executed by the user (step S6). When the private printing is completed, the job management unit 42 deletes the corresponding private print data.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the job management unit 42 receives private print data from a user, and executes private printing based on the private print data when a predetermined user operation is detected. . The terminal detection unit 43 detects the portable terminal device 1 of the user who has transmitted the private print data received by the job management unit 42 within a predetermined range. If the user's mobile terminal device 1 is detected within a predetermined range by the terminal detection unit 43 and private printing based on the private print data received by the job management unit 42 has not been executed, the warning unit 44 is not executed. A warning is output to the user informing that there is an execution private print.

  Thus, the presence of unexecuted private printing is notified to the user when the user moves without disturbing the user's work. As a result, the user does not forget to execute private printing.

Embodiment 2. FIG.

  The image forming apparatus 2 according to the second embodiment includes the same components as the image forming apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment described above. However, the warning unit 44 sets a predetermined proximity range narrower than the above-described predetermined range by the terminal detection unit 43, and after the mobile terminal device 1 is detected within the proximity range, the warning unit 44 is outside the proximity range but is within the predetermined range. If private printing based on private print data received by the job management unit 42 is not executed when the mobile terminal device 1 is detected, a warning notifying that there is unexecuted private printing is issued. Output to the user.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 in the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 according to the second embodiment.

  When the job management unit 42 of the image forming apparatus 2 accepts the private print data from the user using the wireless communication device 34 or the wired communication device 35, the job management unit 42 does not immediately perform printing but holds the private print data (step). S41).

  Thereafter, the terminal detection unit 43 specifies the device ID associated with the user ID of the user who has transmitted the private print data with reference to the user data 41. While the unexecuted private print data is held, the terminal detection unit 43 causes the mobile terminal device 1 having the specified device ID to be within the proximity range (here, within a predetermined distance from the image forming device 1). ) Is monitored (step S42).

  When the mobile terminal device 1 is detected within the proximity range by the terminal detection unit 43, the job management unit 42 detects that the mobile terminal device 1 is continuously detected within the proximity range by the terminal detection unit 43, and It is monitored whether or not a user's print instruction operation is detected (steps S43 and S44).

  When the user passes near the image forming apparatus 2, the user once enters the proximity range and then goes out of the proximity range.

  When the mobile terminal device 1 is no longer detected within the proximity range, the warning unit 44 uses the wireless communication device 34 or the wired communication device 35 in the same manner as in the first embodiment to give a warning instruction to the user. It transmits to the portable terminal device 1 (step S46). Thereafter, the terminal detection unit 43 returns to step S42 and monitors again whether or not the mobile terminal device 1 is detected within a predetermined range.

  When the user performs a print instruction operation on the mobile terminal device 1 or the operation panel 33, the job management unit 42 determines that the print instruction operation is detected. When the user performs a print instruction operation on the mobile terminal device 1, the application 22 notifies the image forming apparatus 2 that the operation has been detected by wireless communication.

  Then, when the operation of the print instruction is detected, the job management unit 42 uses the printing device 31 to execute private print that has not been executed by the user (step S45). When the private printing is completed, the job management unit 42 deletes the corresponding private print data.

  Since other operations of the image forming apparatus 2 according to the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, when the user tries to pass through the periphery of the image forming apparatus 2 without hindering the user's work, as in the first embodiment, the unexecuted private The presence of printing is notified to the user.

  Various changes and modifications to the above-described embodiment will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. That is, such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.

  For example, in the first and second embodiments, a user setting indicating whether or not a password input is requested as a print instruction is included in the user data 41 for each user, and the value of the user setting is included in the portable terminal together with a warning instruction. You may make it transmit to the apparatus 1. FIG. When the password input is unnecessary, the application 22 transmits a response as described above. When the password input is necessary, the application 22 transmits the input password to the image forming apparatus 2 together with the above-described response. When the input password is correct, the job management unit 42 performs private printing. If it is executed, but the entered password is incorrect, private printing is not executed.

  The present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus such as a printing apparatus or a multifunction peripheral.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Portable terminal device 2 Image forming apparatus 33 Operation panel (an example of an alerting | reporting part)
42 Job management unit 43 Terminal detection unit 44 Warning unit

Claims (3)

A job management unit that accepts private print data from a user and executes private printing based on the private print data when a predetermined user operation is detected;
A terminal detection unit for detecting within a predetermined range the portable terminal device of the user who transmitted the private print data received by the job management unit;
After the mobile terminal device is detected within a predetermined proximity range narrower than the predetermined range by the terminal detection unit, when the mobile terminal device is detected outside the proximity range but within the predetermined range, A warning unit that outputs a warning notifying the user that there is an unexecuted private print when private printing based on the private print data received by the job management unit is not executed;
An image forming apparatus comprising: A job management unit that accepts private print data from a user and executes private printing based on the private print data when a predetermined user operation is detected;
A terminal detection unit for detecting within a predetermined range the portable terminal device of the user who transmitted the private print data received by the job management unit;
If the user's mobile terminal device is detected within the predetermined range by the terminal detection unit and private printing based on the private print data received by the job management unit is not executed, an unexecuted private A warning unit that outputs a warning to the user that there is printing; and
And a notification unit that notifies the warning sound message or message,
The warning unit, the warning instruction to broadcast a warning is transmitted to the portable terminal apparatus, the warning output rather than (b) the mobile terminal device is in a predetermined operating state with respect to (a) the user When receiving the warning impossible notification transmitted from the portable terminal device when there is no warning, the warning unit is used to notify the warning to the user.
Images forming device you characterized. A job management unit that accepts private print data from a user and executes private printing based on the private print data when a predetermined user operation is detected;
A terminal detection unit for detecting within a predetermined range the portable terminal device of the user who transmitted the private print data received by the job management unit;
If the user's mobile terminal device is detected within the predetermined range by the terminal detection unit and private printing based on the private print data received by the job management unit is not executed, an unexecuted private A warning unit that outputs a warning to notify the user that there is printing,
The warning unit, when the private print data by the job management unit has not passed the predetermined time is received, images forming device you characterized in that it does not output the warning.

Images