JPH11327391A - Image forming device, user control method, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize unified control of users of an image forming device having plural functions as one device between different functions by correlating printing data transmitter information with the identification information of the user of a copying function. SOLUTION: In the case of printing and outputting, printing data received from a network is analyzed by a specifying means 101 and a printing data transmitter is specified. Then, the printing data transmitter information specified by the means 101 and printing output information are stored in a printing information storage means 102. When the user inputs the identification information previously alotted to the user of a copying means 108 from an identification information input means 105 before executing copying, the identification information inputted from the means 105 and copying information are stored in a copying information storage means 103 after finishing the copying. A control means 109 correlates the transmitter information with the identification information so as to perform unified control of users of a printing function and a copying function.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a user management method, and a storage medium. More specifically, a single apparatus has a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a printer function, and a facsimile (FAX) function. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a user management method, and a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, copy functions, printer functions, FA
Multifunction devices that realize a plurality of functions such as the X function by one unit have been developed and widely used. In such a multifunction device, the user of the device is managed by a unique method for each function. For example, in the case of the copy function, the ID is set for each user or department.
There is a method in which only the user who knows the assigned ID can use the copy function, and manages how much copy each user has made. Further, in the case of the printer function, it is possible to manage users by a server on a network to which the multifunction device is connected, and to manage who and how many prints.

[0003]

The above-mentioned prior art has the following problems. That is, in the above-described multi-function device, it is needless to say that the same person can use a plurality of functions of one multi-function device, for example, both the copy function and the printer function. However, since the user management method differs depending on each function as described above, even if both functions are used by the same person, each function is separately recorded. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to understand how many sheets of paper have actually been ejected from a device by a certain user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances. It is an object to provide a method and a storage medium.

[0005]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus having a print function and a copy function, wherein a print data sender is specified based on received print data. Identification means, print information storage means for storing sender information and print output information, copy information storage means for storing identification information of a copy function user and copy information, and association of the sender information with the identification information And control means for performing the following.

In order to achieve the above object, a second aspect of the present invention provides a printing means for outputting the print data, a copying means for reading an image on a sheet and copying the image on another sheet, and a printing function which is previously assigned to a user of a copying function. Identification information input means for inputting the identification information given by the user, and the control means associates the sender information with the identification information and performs unified management of users of a printing function and a copying function. Features.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the association indicates that the user of the printing function and the user of the copying function are the same.

In order to achieve the above object, a fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the print output information includes information on the number of copies, and the copy information includes information on the number of copies.

In order to achieve the above object, a fifth aspect of the present invention includes an operation unit capable of displaying information stored in the print information storage unit and the copy information storage unit, and the control unit includes the operation unit. The sender information and the identification information are associated with each other based on an operation performed by the user.

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 6 has an association information storage means for storing association information relating to the associated sender information and identification information, and wherein the control means performs printing after association. Alternatively, for copying, when print output information is stored in the print information storage unit or when copy information is stored in the copy information storage unit, processing is performed based on the association information in the association information storage unit.

[0011] To achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that it has another function such as a facsimile function in addition to the printing function and the copying function.

[0012] In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 8 is characterized in that data can be received from a higher-level device via a network.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for managing a user in an image forming apparatus having a printing function and a copying function, the method comprising specifying a print data sender based on received print data. A print information storing step of storing sender information and print output information; a copy information storing step of storing identification information of a copy function user and copy information; and associating the sender information with the identification information. And a control step to be performed.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 10 is a printing step of outputting the print data, a copying step of reading an image on a sheet and copying the image on another sheet, and assigning a copy function to a user in advance. An identification information inputting step of inputting the identification information obtained, wherein the control step associates the sender information with the identification information and performs unified management of users of a printing function and a copying function. Features.

[0015] In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 11 is characterized in that the association indicates that the user of the printing function and the user of the copying function are the same.

In order to achieve the above object, a twelfth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the print output information includes information on the number of copies, and the copy information includes information on the number of copies.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 13 has an operation step capable of displaying information stored in the print information storage step and the copy information storage step, and in the control step, The sender information and the identification information are associated with each other based on an operation performed by the user.

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 14 has an association information storing step of storing association information relating to the associated sender information and identification information, and in the control step, printing after association is performed. Alternatively, for copying, when printing output information is stored in the print information storing step or copy information is stored in the copy information storing step, processing is performed based on the association information in the association information storing step.

To achieve the above object, the invention of claim 15 is characterized in that it can be applied to an image forming apparatus having another function such as a facsimile function in addition to the printing function and the copying function.

To achieve the above object, the invention of claim 16 is characterized in that it can be applied to an image forming apparatus capable of receiving data from a host device via a network.

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 17 is a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a user management method applied to an image forming apparatus having a printing function and a copying function. The user management method may further comprise a specifying step of specifying a print data sender based on the received print data, a print information storing step of storing sender information and print output information, and identification information of a copy function user. And a copy information storing step of storing copy information, and a control step of associating the sender information with the identification information.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention. The image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a nonvolatile memory 203,
An image forming apparatus 201 including an operation unit 204, a scanner unit 205, and a control unit 206, and a workstation (WS)
202 is connected to a network 207. Note that FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram schematically illustrating the image forming apparatus 201, and illustration of an image forming mechanism and the like is omitted. The configuration illustrated in FIG. 2 is an example, and the configuration is not limited to the illustrated configuration.

Explaining the above configuration together with the operation, the image forming apparatus 201 is connected to the network 203 as described above, and is configured to be able to receive print data from the workstation 202.
After receiving the print data from the workstation 202, the control unit 206 of the image forming apparatus 201 performs control of rasterizing the print data, printing the data on paper, and discharging the data. Control unit 20 of image forming apparatus 201
6 controls printing of print information in the non-volatile memory 203 after printing out the data.

The nonvolatile memory 20 of the image forming apparatus 201
3 can be displayed on the display screen of the operation unit 204 based on the control of the control unit 206, so that the user can check the print information up to the present. When a document is copied by the image forming apparatus 201, the document to be copied is placed on the scanner unit 205, the number of copies is input by the operation unit 204, and the copy operation is started.
The first control unit 206 performs control of scanning a document placed on the scanner unit 205, copying the scan data to another sheet, and discharging the same. The control unit 206 executes a process shown in a flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and corresponding to the claims. An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a specifying unit 101, a print information storage unit 1
02, a copy information storage unit 103, an association information storage unit 104, an identification information input unit 105, an operation unit 106, a printing unit 107, a copy unit 108, and a control unit 109.

The structure of each part will be described in detail.
Reference numeral 01 designates a print data sender by analyzing print data received from the network at the time of print output. The print information storage unit 102 stores the print data sender and print output information specified by the specifying unit 101. The copy information storage means 103 stores the identification information (ID) input from the copy information and identification information input means 105 after the copy processing is completed.
Is stored. The association information storage unit 104 stores association information relating to the print data sender and the identification information associated by the control unit 109. The identification information input means 105 is for inputting identification information assigned to the user of the copying means 108 in advance. The operation unit 106 has a function of displaying information stored in the print information storage unit 102 and the copy information storage unit 103, and can perform association described below.

The printing unit 107 receives print data via a network and performs print output. Copying means 108
Performs a copying process of optically reading an image on a sheet and copying the read image on another sheet. Control means 109
Associates the print data sender stored in the print information storage unit 102 with the identification information stored in the copy information storage unit 103, inputs the print data sender information from the identification unit 101, and stores the print information Means 102, copy information storage means 103, write / read information to / from association information storage means 104, identification information input means 10
5 to input the identification information, display the information on the operation means 106, and control the operations of the printing means 107 and the copying means 108.

The specifying unit 101 and the control unit 109 correspond to the control unit 206 shown in FIG.
2. Copy information storage means 103, association information storage means 1
Reference numeral 04 corresponds to the non-volatile memory 203 in FIG. 2, the copying unit 108 corresponds to the scanner unit 205 in FIG. 2, and the identification information input unit 105 and the operation unit 106 correspond to the operation unit 204 in FIG.

Next, a process at the time of print output in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the control unit 206 of the image forming apparatus 201
Receives print data from the workstation 202, analyzes the received print data, and extracts information for specifying the sender of the print data. Subsequently, the control unit 206 of the image forming apparatus 201 rasterizes the print data and prints it out, and then records the number of sheets actually ejected in the nonvolatile memory 203 together with the sender information extracted from the print data. .

At this time, the control unit 20 of the image forming apparatus 201
6. If the same sender information as the sender information to be recorded already exists in the non-volatile memory 203,
The number of ejected papers to be recorded this time is added to the number of ejected papers in the existing sender information. As a result, for the sender of the same print data, the total number of discharged sheets (output sheets) is recorded.

Next, a process at the time of copying in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen of the operation unit 204 in a normal state, and FIG. 4 is an operation unit 204 after a copy ID is input.
It is an explanatory view of a display screen.

The display screen of the operation unit 204 of the image forming apparatus 201 normally has a display as shown in FIG. 3, and an ID must be entered in an input field 301 of the display screen in order to perform copying. When the user inputs an ID from the input field 301 of the display screen and the input ID is correct, the display screen of the operation unit 204 changes as shown in FIG.
Copying can be performed. When copying is completed,
The control unit 206 of the image forming apparatus 201 records information on the number of copies in the nonvolatile memory 203 together with the ID.

Here also, the control unit 2 of the image forming apparatus 201
06 indicates that the ID to be recorded is already in the nonvolatile memory 2
If the ID is present in the ID 03, the number of copies to be recorded this time is added to the information on the number of copies of the ID that already exists. As a result, the total number of copies is recorded for the same ID. The copy information recorded here can be displayed on the display screen of the operation unit 204 in the same manner as the print information.

Next, a process for displaying a record and associating a print data sender with a copy ID in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen of the operation unit 204 of the log of print information / log of copy information, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen of the operation unit 204 when performing the associating process, and FIG. FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen of the operation unit 204 later.

In a normal state, a display as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the display screen of the operation unit 204 of the image forming apparatus 201. The ID that can be input in the input field 301 on the display screen is an ID relating to copying as described above. In the present embodiment, a case where a four-digit integer such as “1234” is used as an ID will be described as an example, but any ID can be used. Printer icon 302 on display screen
Is used to enter a printer setting screen. Here, when the log icon 303 on the display screen is pressed, the log (log) of the print information and the log of the copy information that have been printed out by the image forming apparatus 201 and recorded in the non-volatile memory 203 so far are the same. Displayed on the screen.

The log screen displayed on the operation unit 204 is shown in FIG.
It is as shown in. Log display section 501 of the display screen
Shows the log information up to now. The mark 502 on the left side of the screen can be moved up and down by up and down keys 503 and 504. If the log display cannot be displayed on one screen, the screen is scrolled by pressing the up and down keys 503 and 504. ing. Here, by pressing the association icon 505, the screen display switches as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, the display screen of the operation unit 204 has a SET icon 601 and a CANCEL icon 602 on the right side of the screen, and an O which cannot be pressed by a dotted line initially.
A K icon 605 is displayed. In this state, two items to be associated are selected one by one from each function and associated. For example, in the log display screen in FIG. 6, the copy (total 30 pages) in the row 604 of the user ID 1234 of the copy log indicates that the user USER1 in the printer log is actually the user I.
In the case where the copy is performed using D1234, the two-line items can be associated with each other.

Next, the associating process in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the association processing.

First, the user selects a print log line to be associated from the print log (step S8).
01). Here, the mark 502 is moved by the up / down keys 503 and 504 on the display screen of the operation unit 204 to the line 603 of the user USER1 in the print log, and the SET icon 6 is displayed.
Press 01. Thereafter, a row of the copy log to be associated is selected (step S802). Here, the mark 502 is moved to the line 604 of the copy log, and the SET icon 601 is pressed.

Along with this, O which was previously indicated by a dotted line
Since the K icon 605 is displayed as a solid line and can be pressed, if OK (YES in step S803), OK
The icon 605 is pressed. If it is not OK (NO in step S803) and it is desired to cancel the operation, CA
The user presses the NCEL icon 602 to return to the log display screen of FIG. After the above operation, the log display screen is updated as shown in FIG. At the same time, the association information that the user ID 1234 at the time of copying is the same as the user USER1 at the time of printing is also stored internally in the nonvolatile memory 203 (step S805).

For the subsequent copy, if the user ID of the copy is 1234, the non-volatile memory 203
User ID 12 based on the association information stored in
The copy log 34 is stored in the nonvolatile memory 203 as a copy of USER1. Thereby, once the operation unit 2
By performing the association operation on the printer 04, the association information is automatically reflected in the log for all subsequent prints and copies.

As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention, the printing means 107 for outputting print data, the copying means 108 for reading an image on a sheet and copying the image on another sheet are provided. Information input means 105 for inputting identification information pre-assigned to a copying function user
Specifying means 101 for specifying a print data sender based on the received print data; print information storage means 102 for storing sender information and print output information; and storing identification information and copy information of a copy function user. Copy information storage means 1
03, an association information storage unit 104 for storing the association information, an operation unit 106 capable of displaying the information stored in the print information storage unit 102 and the copy information storage unit 103,
Since the control unit 109 has the control unit 109 for associating the sender information with the identification information and performing unified management of the users of the printing function and the copying function, the following operations and effects are achieved.

According to the above configuration, at the time of printing, when the print data received from the network is analyzed by the specifying means 101 and the print data sender is specified, the print information storage means 102 stores the print data specified by the specifying means 101 in the print information storage means 102. Sender information and print output information are stored. Prior to the execution of the copying process, when the user inputs identification information pre-assigned to the user of the copying unit 108 from the identification information input unit 105, the copying information storage unit 103 stores the identification information input unit The identification information and copy information input from 105 are stored. The control unit 109 associates the sender information with the identification information, and performs unified management of users of the printing function and the copying function. As a result, in an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions in one unit, there is an effect that unified management of a user who uses the apparatus between different functions is enabled.

In the embodiment of the present invention described above,
Although the case where the image forming apparatus has two functions of a print function and a copy function has been described as an example, the present invention is not limited to this. Even in the case of having three or more functions, expansion can be performed in the same manner as in the above embodiment.

The present invention may be applied to a system constituted by a plurality of devices or to an apparatus constituted by a single device. A storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or an apparatus, and a computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or the apparatus executes the program code stored in the storage medium. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by executing the reading.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS or the like running on the computer is actually executed based on the instructions of the program code. It goes without saying that a part or all of the above-described processing is performed, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instructions of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0052]

As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus having a printing function and a copying function. Identification information for identifying the user, print information storage means for storing sender information and print output information, copy information storage means for storing identification information of the copy function user and copy information, the sender information and the identification information Since there is a control unit for associating with the control unit, the following effects can be obtained. By associating the sender information of the print data with the identification information of the copying function user, in an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions by itself, there is an effect that unified management of the user who uses the apparatus among different functions is possible. .

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, a printing means for outputting the print data, a copying means for reading an image on a sheet and copying the image on another sheet, Identification information input means for inputting the assigned identification information, wherein the control means associates the sender information with the identification information and performs unified management of users of a printing function and a copying function The following effects are obtained. By associating the sender information of the print data with the identification information of the copying function user, in an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions by itself, there is an effect that unified management of the user who uses the apparatus among different functions is possible. .

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, since the association indicates that the user of the printing function and the user of the copying function are the same, the following effects can be obtained. Play. When the print function user and the copy function user are the same, the image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions can be used for different functions by associating the sender information of the print data with the identification information of the copy function user. There is an effect that the unified management of the user of the device in the device can be performed.

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the print output information includes information of the number of copies and the copy information includes the information of the number of copies. Play. By associating the sender information of the print data with the identification information of the copying function user, that is, by associating the number of prints and the number of copies of the same person, in an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions in one unit, it is possible to use There is an effect that the unified management of the user of the device can be performed.

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, there is provided an operation unit capable of displaying information stored in the print information storage unit and the copy information storage unit, and the control unit is configured to control the operation by the operation unit. Since the sender information is associated with the identification information based on the operation by the means, the following effects are obtained. In an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions in one unit, in addition to the effect of enabling unified management of the user of the apparatus between different functions, the user of the image forming apparatus can view the display of the operation means Since the association operation can be performed, there is an effect that the usability of the image forming apparatus is improved.

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, there is provided an association information storage unit for storing the association information relating to the associated sender information and the identification information, and the control unit includes: For printing or copying, when the print output information is stored in the print information storage unit or the copy information is stored in the copy information storage unit, processing is performed based on the association information of the association information storage unit. It works. Since the association information is automatically reflected in the log for all subsequent printing and copying, unified management of the device user among different functions is possible in one image forming apparatus with multiple functions The effect is as follows.

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, since it has another function such as a facsimile function in addition to the printing function and the copying function, the following effects can be obtained. In an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions, such as a printing function, a copying function, and a facsimile function, a single user can unify management of users who use the apparatus among different functions.

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, since data can be received from a host device via a network, the following effects can be obtained. When print data is received from a higher-level device via a network, by associating the sender information of the print data with the identification information of the user of the copying function, the image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions can be used between different functions. This has the effect of enabling unified management of the user of the device.

According to the user management method of the ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a user management method applied to an image forming apparatus having a print function and a copy function, wherein the print data transmission is performed based on the received print data. Identification step for identifying a user, print information storage step for storing sender information and print output information, copy information storage step for storing copy function user identification information and copy information, the sender information and the identification Since there is a control step for associating with information, the following effects are obtained. By associating the sender information of the print data with the identification information of the user of the copying function,
In a single image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions, there is an effect that unified management of a user who uses the apparatus between different functions can be achieved.

According to the user management method of the present invention, a printing step of outputting the print data;
A copying step of reading an image on a sheet and copying the image onto another sheet, and an identification information inputting step of inputting the identification information assigned in advance to a copying function user, and in the control step, the sender information and The association with the identification information and the unified management of the users of the print function and the copy function perform the following effects. By associating the sender information of the print data with the identification information of the copying function user, in an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions by itself, there is an effect that unified management of the user who uses the apparatus among different functions is possible. .

According to the user management method of the present invention, since the association indicates that the print function user and the copy function user are the same, the following effects can be obtained. To play. When the print function user and the copy function user are the same, the image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions can be used for different functions by associating the sender information of the print data with the identification information of the copy function user. There is an effect that the unified management of the user of the device in the device can be performed.

According to the user management method of the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the print output information includes the information on the number of copies and the copy information includes the information on the number of copies. To play. By associating the sender information of the print data with the identification information of the copying function user, that is, by associating the number of prints and the number of copies of the same person, in an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions in one unit, it is possible to use There is an effect that the unified management of the user of the device can be performed.

According to the user management method of the present invention, there is provided an operation step capable of displaying the information stored in the print information storage step and the copy information storage step, and the control step includes: Since the sender information is associated with the identification information based on the operation in the operation step, the following effects are obtained. In an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions in one unit, in addition to the effect of enabling unified management of the user of the apparatus between different functions, the user of the image forming apparatus can view the display of the operation unit while viewing the display of the operation unit. Since the association operation can be performed, there is an effect that the usability of the image forming apparatus is improved.

According to the user management method of the present invention, there is provided an associating information storing step of storing the associating information relating to the associated sender information and identification information. For printing or copying, when printing output information is stored in the print information storing step or copy information is stored in the copy information storing step, processing is performed based on the association information in the association information storing step. It has the following effects. Since the association information is automatically reflected in the log for all subsequent printing and copying, unified management of the device user among different functions is possible in one image forming apparatus with multiple functions The effect is as follows.

According to the user management method of the present invention, the present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus having another function such as a facsimile function in addition to the printing function and the copying function. It has the following effects. In an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions, such as a printing function, a copying function, and a facsimile function, a single user can unify management of users who use the apparatus among different functions.

According to the user management method of the present invention, the present invention is applicable to an image forming apparatus capable of receiving data from a higher-level device via a network, and has the following effects. When print data is received from a higher-level device via a network, by associating the sender information of the print data with the identification information of the user of the copying function, the image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions can be used between different functions. This has the effect of enabling unified management of the user of the device.

According to the storage medium of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a user management method applied to an image forming apparatus having a printing function and a copying function. So,
The user management method includes a specifying step of specifying a print data sender based on the received print data, a print information storing step of storing sender information and print output information,
Since it has a copy information storage step of storing the identification information of the copy function user and the copy information, and a control step of associating the sender information with the identification information, the following effects are obtained. By associating the sender information of the print data with the identification information of the copying function user, in an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions by itself, there is an effect that unified management of the user who uses the apparatus among different functions is possible. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of a main part of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and corresponding to the claims.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen of a normal operation unit in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen of an operation unit after inputting a copy ID in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen of a print information log / copy information log operation unit in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display screen of an operation unit when performing an association process in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen of the operation unit after performing an association process in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an association process in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Identification means 102 Print information storage means 103 Copy information storage means 104 Association information storage means 105 Identification information input means 106 Operation means 107 Printing means 108 Copying means 109 Control means 201 Image forming apparatus 202 Workstation 203 Non-volatile memory 204 Operation section 205 Scanner unit 206 Control unit

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having a printing function and a copying function, comprising: a specifying unit that specifies a print data sender based on received print data; and a print information storage unit that stores sender information and print output information. An image forming apparatus, comprising: copy information storage means for storing identification information of a copy function user and copy information; and control means for associating the sender information with the identification information. 2. A printing means for outputting the print data,
A copying unit for reading an image on a sheet and copying the image on another sheet, and identification information inputting unit for inputting the identification information assigned to a copying function user in advance, wherein the control unit includes: 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a user of a printing function and a copying function is unifiedly managed by associating with the identification information. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the association indicates that a print function user and a copy function user are the same. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print output information includes information on the number of prints, and the copy information includes information on the number of copies. 5. An operation unit capable of displaying information stored in the print information storage unit and the copy information storage unit,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit associates the sender information with the identification information based on an operation by the operation unit. 6. An association information storage unit for storing association information relating to the associated sender information and identification information, wherein the control unit prints out the associated print or copy to the print information storage unit. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when storing information or storing copy information in the copy information storage unit, processing is performed based on the association information of the association information storage unit. . 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising another function such as a facsimile function in addition to the printing function and the copying function. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein data can be received from a host device via a network. 9. A user management method applied to an image forming apparatus having a printing function and a copying function, comprising: a specifying step of specifying a print data sender based on received print data; A print information storage step of storing information, a copy information storage step of storing identification information of a copy function user and copy information, and a control step of associating the sender information with the identification information. And user management method. 10. A printing step of outputting the print data, a copying step of reading an image on a sheet and copying the image on another sheet, and an identification information inputting step of inputting the identification information assigned to a copying function user in advance. 10. The user management method according to claim 9, wherein the control step associates the sender information with the identification information and performs unified management of users of a printing function and a copying function. . 11. The user management method according to claim 9, wherein the association indicates that a print function user and a copy function user are the same. 12. The user management method according to claim 9, wherein the print output information includes information on the number of copies, and the copy information includes information on the number of copies. 13. An operation step capable of displaying information stored in the print information storage step and the copy information storage step, and in the control step, the sender information and the identification information are based on an operation in the operation step. The user management method according to claim 9, wherein the user management method is associated with a user. 14. An association information storage step of storing association information relating to the associated sender information and identification information, wherein in the control step, printing or copying after association is performed by the print information storage step in the print output storage step. 14. The user according to claim 9, wherein when storing information or storing copy information in the copy information storage step, processing is performed based on the association information in the association information storage step. Management method. 15. The user according to claim 9, wherein the user is applicable to an image forming apparatus having another function such as a facsimile function in addition to the printing function and the copying function. Management method. 16. The user management method according to claim 9, wherein the method is applicable to an image forming apparatus capable of receiving data from a higher-level device via a network. 17. A storage medium readable by a computer storing a program for executing a user management method applied to an image forming apparatus having a printing function and a copying function, wherein the user management method includes A specifying step of specifying a print data sender based on print data; a print information storing step of storing sender information and print output information;
A storage medium comprising: a copy information storage step of storing identification information of a copy function user and copy information; and a control step of associating the sender information with the identification information.