JPH05221089A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep secret information which is output from a printing device by providing a means to set a desired code number, a means to enter the number, a means to compare the code number with the entered number and a means to instruct the start of printing the received data in accordance with the comparison results. CONSTITUTION:A host computer 1 sends a code number to the code number setting part 2 of a printer with the concurrent action to enter print data into input buffer memory 3 of the printer. After that, an operator enters any appropriate number from a panel part 11 and a code number interpretation part 13 compares the number with the code number loaded from the setting part 2. If both numbers coincide with each other, a printer I/F part 8 is instructed to start a printing operation so that dot image data received and developed in image buffer memory 7 is output. Consequently, it is possible to maintain information which is output from a printing device in a confidential state.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for printing information input from the outside, for example.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional printing apparatus, for example, when data is sent from a host computer to the printing apparatus, the printing apparatus analyzes the sent data and detects an error state due to a printer failure or a data format error. Unless it happened, the printer engine was unconditionally started and output was performed.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the output result of the data sent by a certain user can be picked up by the printing apparatus and viewed by anyone, not only that user, and information can be obtained. is there. Therefore, it is difficult to protect confidential documents and information that should not be known to others, and it is especially difficult when the terminal device operated by the operator and the printing device are installed separately.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus which realizes confidentiality of information as an output result.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] and

To achieve the above object, the printing apparatus of the present invention has the following construction. A printing device for printing data received from an external device, comprising means for setting a desired personal identification number, means for inputting a number, means for comparing the personal identification number with the input number, and the comparison And means for instructing the start of printing of the received data according to the result of 1.

A printing device for printing data received from an external device, comprising means for judging that the data is being received, and a personal identification number received from the external device and stored according to the judgment result. Means, a display for prompting the input of a new number, a means for inputting the number, a means for comparing the personal identification number with the number, and a start of printing the received data according to the comparison result. And a means for performing printing in the electrophotographic system according to the instruction.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As an embodiment of the present invention, an electrophotographic page printer which realizes confidentiality by a personal identification number will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Structure> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is an external host computer for inputting print data including character codes and control codes to the printer.

A personal identification number setting unit 2 receives a personal identification number input from a keyboard or the like connected to the host computer 1 and transmitted from the host 1, and stores it. An input buffer memory 3 temporarily stores print data sent from the host 1. 4 is a data analysis function unit for analyzing print data stored in the buffer memory 3,
Reference numeral 5 is a page buffer memory that stores the print data after analysis in page units, and 6 is an output processing function unit, which converts the data stored in the page buffer memory 5 into a dot pattern to be a print image and stores it in the image buffer memory 7. expand. Reference numeral 8 denotes a printer I / F unit, which prints dot pattern information expanded in the image buffer memory 7 into a printer engine unit 9
Transfer to. The printer engine unit 9 records the transferred data on a sheet. A ROM 10 stores fixed data such as font data. In addition,
Since the output processing function unit 6 and the data analysis function unit 4 are inseparable, these two will be collectively referred to as an image processing unit 14.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a panel portion, which is a keyboard and LCD / L required for command input and password input to the printer.
It has a display unit such as an ED. 12 is panel I /
In F, when some data is input from the panel unit 11, it is judged whether or not it is a personal identification number, and if it is a personal identification number, the input information is sent to the personal identification number determination unit 13, and if not, it is sent to the image processing unit 14. .. The security code determination unit 13 is a panel I / F.
The information sent from 12 and the personal identification number stored in the personal identification number setting unit 2 are compared, and if they match, an operation start instruction is given to the printer I / F unit 8 to drive the printer engine unit 9.

<Explanation of PIN Number Setting / Judgment> Further, the PIN number setting and judgment of the present invention will be described in detail.

When the user sends the print data to the printer,
If the data is confidential, the user inputs the personal identification number from the keyboard connected to the host 1. The personal identification number is sent from the host 1 to the printer, and the personal identification number setting unit 2 that has received the personal identification number notifies the personal identification number determination unit 13 of the input personal identification number. The personal identification number setting unit 2 can set the personal identification number only while the print data is being transferred to the input buffer memory 3.

When the data is analyzed and developed as dot image information in the image buffer memory 7, the personal identification number determination section 13 is driven to determine the personal identification number. Here, the personal identification number input by the user from the panel unit 11 is compared with the personal identification number sent from the personal identification number setting unit 2, and if they match, the printer I / F unit 8 is instructed to start the recording operation. If they do not match, the information stored in the image buffer memory is reset.

The above functions can also be realized by the apparatus shown in FIG. In the figure, a CPU 36 is a processing unit that controls a printer, and executes a program stored in a ROM 39. The ROM 39 has a program for performing the functions of the personal identification number setting unit 2, the personal identification number determination unit 13, and the image processing unit 14 in FIG.
Alternatively, data such as fonts is stored. RAM
Reference numeral 31 is provided with an input buffer for fetching print data, a personal identification number transmitted from the host, a work area of the CPU 36, and the like. Figure 1 for other parts
The block has the same function as the block having the same name, and the description thereof will be omitted.

Here, the ROM 3 is used in order for the CPU 36 to realize the procedure of maintaining confidentiality using the personal identification number at the time of printout.
The procedure of the program stored in 9 will be described.

<Explanation of Flowchart> FIGS. 3 and 4 show C.
The procedure of the program executed by the PU 36 is described with a flowchart.

First, it is tested whether the transferred command is the setting of a personal identification number (step S301). If the security code is set, it is tested whether the print data is being transferred (step S302). If the security code is being transferred, the security code can be set. Therefore, read the security code data attached to the command. Is stored in the personal identification number memory 312 (step S304). If it is not being transferred, 0 is stored in the memory 312 as a personal identification number because it is not permitted (step S303).

On the other hand, if the personal identification number is not set, it is tested whether the command is a command for printing (step S30).
5). If it is not a print command, the process according to the command is performed. If it is a print command, print data is fetched from the input buffer 311 and expanded in the page buffer memory 32 (step S306), and further expanded into a dot image (step S307).

After developing the dot image data, it is determined whether or not a personal identification number is set (step S308).
If the value of the personal identification number memory 312 is 0, the personal identification number is not judged as not set (step S30).
8-NO), if it is a number other than 0, it is determined that the personal identification number has been set, and a panel display is displayed to inform the operator that the user is waiting for the number input from the panel unit 35 (step S309), and the input is awaited (step S309). Step S310).

When the input is made, the input number is compared with the personal identification number of the memory 312 (steps S311 and S3).
312), if they match, the printer I / F unit 37 is instructed to drive and output (steps S313 and S314). If they do not match, a panel display is displayed to that effect (step S31).
5) Increment the content of the memory that stores the number of times of disagreement (step S3)
16). When the contents of this memory are checked and if they do not match five times or more (step S317-YES), the print command is invalid due to the mismatch of the personal identification numbers, the print data currently fetched by the printer is discarded, and the printing operation ends (step S317). S318). If it is less than 5 times, you will be asked to enter the password again.

The printout is made by the above procedure, but the electrophotographic printer (LB) using the laser according to the present embodiment is used.
The configuration of the engine unit 9 of P) will be described. Figure 4
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the printer. This LBP can be printed on recording paper by inputting character pattern data and the like.

In the figure, 740 is an LBP body,
An image is formed on a recording paper, which is a recording medium, based on the supplied character pattern and the like. Reference numeral 700 denotes an operation panel on which a switch for operation and an LED display are arranged, 701
Is a printer control unit for controlling the entire LBP 740 and analyzing character pattern information and the like. Other than the printer engine unit and the panel unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the printer control unit 701 is included.

The laser driver 702 is a semiconductor laser 70.
Laser light 7 emitted from the semiconductor laser 703 according to the input video signal.
Switch 04 on / off. The laser light 704 is swung in the left-right direction by the rotating polygon mirror 705 to scan the electrostatic drum 706. As a result, an electrostatic latent image having a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 706. After this latent image is developed by the developing unit 707 around the electrostatic drum 706,
Transferred to recording paper. A cut sheet is used as the recording sheet, and the cut sheet recording sheet is stored in a sheet cassette 708 mounted on the LBP 740, taken into the apparatus by a sheet feeding roller 709 and conveying rollers 710 and 711, and supplied to the electrostatic drum 706. To be done. In this way, the image data is recorded on the paper.

By starting the printing for the first time after inputting the personal identification number in the procedure described above, it is possible to print out from the first page under the supervision of the operator, and the confidentiality at the time of outputting information can be kept. To be kept.

Although the personal identification number is set only during the transfer of the print data, the host does not need to be aware of the fact that the data is being transferred so that the host can enter the first block of the print data and the personal identification number. Can be sent to the printer in the same information block. In this case, the PIN code is not set as a special command, but
It will be identified as one field together with the print data.

Although the electrophotographic page printer has been described in the present embodiment, it can be applied to other types of printers such as an ink jet type instead of the electrophotographic type, and it is not limited to the page printer but also to a line printer or the like. it can.

[0027]

[Other Embodiments] In the above embodiment, the input of the personal identification number is made by the host and the input of the determination is made by the key input of the panel section 11. However, the input of the identification is also made by the host, and the display of the discrepancies in the personal identification number May be displayed on the host side. Also, although the determination of mismatch is limited by the number of times, a timer is provided to start the timer when input is possible at the time of determination, input is possible within a certain fixed time, and the print command is invalidated when the fixed time is exceeded. It is also possible.

Further, the dot pattern information is stored in the image buffer memory 7 when the personal identification number is collated.
If there is a large amount of data, it may be possible to write it on a hard disk instead of the image buffer memory and store it.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0030]

As described above, the printing apparatus according to the present invention has an effect that the confidentiality of the output result information can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing characteristics of a printer according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing characteristics of the printer of the embodiment.

3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing by the printer of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the printer of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 host computer, 2 PIN code setting section, 3 input buffer memory, 4 data analysis function section, 5 page buffer memory, 6 output processing function section, 7 image buffer memory, 8 printer I / F section, 9 printer engine section, 10 ROM, 11 panel section, 12 panel I / F section, 13 secret code judging section, 14 image processing section.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A printing device for printing data received from an external device, comprising: means for setting a desired personal identification number; means for inputting a number; and comparing the personal identification number with the input number. A printing device, comprising: a unit; and a unit for instructing to start printing the received data according to a result of the comparison. 2. The personal identification number is given from an external device which sends data to be printed.
The printing device described. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is an electrophotographic system. 4. A printing device that prints data received from an external device, a unit that determines that the data is being received, and a personal identification number that is received from the external device according to the determination result. Means for storing, a means for performing a display prompting the input of a new number, a means for inputting the number, a means for comparing the personal identification number with the number, and a means for receiving the received data according to the comparison result. A printing apparatus comprising: a unit for instructing to start printing; and a unit for performing printing by an electrophotographic method according to the instruction.