KR20060008820A - Image forming apparatus and method for controlling an access to image forming data - Google Patents

Abstract

An image forming system and an image forming method are disclosed. According to the present invention, it is possible to share image data stored in a recording medium in an image forming apparatus that is shared via a network, so that a user other than the image data creator can obtain the print permission of the approver and print the image data. Therefore, since the sharing of the image data stored in the recording medium of the image forming apparatus is made based on the approval of the approver, the security management is possible. In addition, sharing work can be done through the network, thereby reducing the effort and time required for sharing work. Further, by sharing the recording medium of the image forming apparatus by using a network, it is possible to efficiently use the entire system resources.

Image forming apparatus, recording media, hard disk, sharing, security, authentication, ID

Description

Image forming apparatus and method with security authentication function of image data {Image forming apparatus and method for controlling an access to image forming data}

1 is a block diagram of an image forming system having a security authentication function of image data according to the present invention;

2 is a block diagram of an image forming system having a security authentication function of image data according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

3 is a flowchart provided to explain the operation of an image forming system having a security authentication function of image data according to the present invention.

      The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming system and method having a security authentication function of image data capable of authentication for security and sharing of image forming operations stored in a recording medium in the image forming apparatus. It is about.

Recently, printers including computer printers, multifunction printers, and the like have built-in hard disks. If necessary, the image data to be printed or the image data to be printed are stored.                         

In addition, a printer or the like is connected to a network including wired and wireless, thereby allowing a plurality of network users to share hard disk resources such as a printer.

Conventionally, there has been a security function for image data stored in a hard disk such as a printer. When the image forming apparatus stores the image data on the hard disk, the user may input the user's information such as an ID and a password, and if the user wants to output the image data again, the image forming apparatus receives the password and the previously stored password and The image data can be printed only when comparing and matching.

At this time, the printer or the like may manage the image data stored in the hard disk on a job basis and on a user basis.

The problem is that if managed on a job basis, many user IDs and passwords must be created and stored. And management on a user basis makes sharing of stored image data virtually impossible. In addition, in the case where user 2 other than user 1 who stored image data in a printer wants to print the stored image data, it is impossible to do so without asking user 1 for a password.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a security authentication function of image data that can be shared with the security authentication of the image data by requesting the author on the network to print the image data stored on the recording medium of the image forming apparatus. An image forming system and a method thereof are provided.

In order to achieve the above object, an image data security authentication method of an image forming system in which first and second apparatuses and an image forming apparatus are connected to a network includes: image data stored in the image forming apparatus by the first apparatus; Requesting printing of the image forming apparatus; requesting the second apparatus to approve printing; the second apparatus performing printing approval according to the print approval request; and the image forming apparatus is applied to the printing approval. Accordingly, printing an image corresponding to the image data on printing paper.

Preferably, the step of requesting printing comprises: requesting a list of image data stored in the image forming apparatus by the first apparatus, transmitting the list to the first apparatus by the image forming apparatus, and Selecting image data from a list and making a print request to the image forming apparatus.

Preferably, the first apparatus and / or the second apparatus may be provided in any one of a host apparatus, a server, and the image forming apparatus.

Preferably, in the request for printing, the first apparatus may receive an ID (identification) of a requester for printing and transmit the ID to the image forming apparatus together with the image data.

Preferably, the requesting of the approval transfers the name information and the image data information of the same authentication as that of the requestor authentication among the preset name information in the image forming apparatus to the second device.                     

Preferably, the step of requesting approval transmits the corresponding information to the requestor through the first device when the second device is unable to communicate on the network.

Preferably, the second apparatus is a device of an approver holder who has a print approval authority of the print request image data.

Preferably, the printing approval includes the step of the approval holder inputting the approval code to the second device and transferring the approval code to the image forming apparatus.

Preferably, the printing may include: comparing, by the image forming apparatus, the approval code with a preset approval code corresponding to the image data, and if the approval code matches, the image forming apparatus is configured to print the image data. Transforming to form.

Preferably, if a result of the comparison of the transforming step does not match the authorization code, the corresponding information is transmitted to the second device.

Preferably, in the printing step, information corresponding to the case where the image forming apparatus has not received the approval request from the second apparatus for a preset time is transferred to the first apparatus.

An image forming system having a security authentication function of image data stored in an image forming apparatus in a network to which at least one device is connected, according to the present invention, comprises: a first apparatus for making a request of a requestor for the image data; A second device for printing approval of the approver for data, a recording medium storing the image data, and a print request for the image data are received from the first device and transferred to the second device, and the second device is received from the second device. And a control unit which receives the print approval and deforms the image data to print a corresponding image on printing paper.

Preferably, the apparatus further includes a printing unit for printing an image corresponding to the deformed image data received from the control unit on printing paper.

Preferably, the first apparatus requests the controller for a list of image data stored in the recording medium for the print request, and displays the list to the requestor, and the controller displays the list according to a list request of the requester. Transfer to the first device.

Preferably, in the printing request, the first apparatus receives an ID of the requestor and transmits the authentication ID to the controller.

Preferably, the controller transfers the name information and the image data information of the same authentication as the requestor authentication among the preset name information to the second device.

Preferably, in transmitting the print request, the controller transmits information corresponding to the case where the second device cannot communicate on the network to the first device.

Preferably, the second device receives the approval code from the approval authority, and transmits the approval code to the image forming apparatus.

Preferably, the control unit compares the approval code with a predetermined approval code for the image data, and if the approval code matches, transforms the image data into a form for printing the image data.

Preferably, the control unit transmits corresponding information to the second device if the approval code does not match as a result of the comparison.

Preferably, the first apparatus and / or the second apparatus may be provided in any one of a host apparatus, a server, and the image forming apparatus.

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

1 is a block diagram of an image forming system having a security authentication function of image data according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the image forming system 100 of the present invention includes a first device 130, a second device 150, and an image forming device 110 connected through a network 170.

The network 170 includes a wired and wireless network 170, through which a plurality of devices may share one image forming apparatus 110.

The image forming apparatus 110 includes a computer printer, a multifunction printer, a photo printer, and the like, which can be connected to the network 170, and receives a print command from a device on the network 170 to perform a print job.

The image forming apparatus 110 includes a user interface unit 111, a recording medium 117, a memory 119, a control unit 121, and a printing unit 123.

Image data shared through the image forming apparatus 110 is stored in the recording medium 117. In order for the creator of the image data to create the image data and share it through the image forming apparatus 110, the image data is stored in the image forming apparatus 110 with an approval code attached thereto. The image forming apparatus 110 stores the creator information, the approval code, and the corresponding image data information using the pre-stored user information in the memory 119, and stores the image data in the recording medium 117.

The user interface unit 111 includes a display unit 113 and an input unit 115.

The display unit 113 is a display device that displays information received from the control unit 121 in a text or picture so that a user can recognize the information. The display unit 113 corresponds to a display device capable of displaying liquid crystal display (LCD) or other characters or pictures.

The input unit 115 receives an order of a user or system setting items.

The recording medium 117 is a device in which image data is spooled and stored in a unit of a job received through the first device 130, the second device 150, or the like. Hard Disk, Floppy Disk, External Storage, etc. Preferably, a hard disk can be used.

The memory 119 is an inactive memory device, and a list of image data stored in the recording medium 117 and an approval code attached to each image data may be stored. In addition, a list of users on the network 170 and an authentication (ID) of each user may be stored.

The controller 121 controls the entire image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 110. In addition, upon receiving a print request of image data stored in the recording medium 117, the control authority notifies the approver and controls the security management and sharing operation of the print job. Therefore, the controller 121 does not print even the shared image data without the approval of the approval holder, and controls the sharing operation to be performed through the network 170.

For the control of security management and sharing operation, the control unit 121 receives a list of image data stored in the recording medium 117 from the first device 130, the image data except for the approval code stored in the memory 119 The list is transmitted to the first device 130. Then, the first device 130 receives a print request including requestor authentication and selected image data information.

When the controller 121 receives the print request, the controller 121 reads the requestor information from the user information stored in the memory 119 using the requestor authentication. Then, the print request including the requestor information and the image data information is transmitted to the second apparatus 150.

When the control unit 121 receives the approval code from the second device 150, the control unit 121 compares whether the identification code matches the approval code of the image data stored in the memory 119. FIG. If there is a match, the image data is transformed into a form that can be printed by the printing unit 123 and transferred to the printing unit 123.

If the result of the comparison does not match, the control unit 121 transmits information to the second device 150 that the approval code does not match.

When the control unit 121 receives the printing request from the first device 130, if the communication with the second device 150 is not desired, the control unit 121 transmits information about the information to the first device 130.

The printing unit 123 analyzes the data obtained by transforming the image data transmitted from the control unit 121, and prints the corresponding image on the printing paper.

The first device 130 and the second device 150 may be connected to the network 170 to transmit image data to be printed on the printing paper to the image forming apparatus 110 through the image forming apparatus 110. The first device 130 and the second device 150 may correspond to a host device and a server.

The first device 130 is a requestor (hereinafter referred to as a 'requester') that requests printing of specific image data stored in the recording medium 117 of the image forming apparatus 110 may request a print request to the controller 121. An apparatus includes a request unit 131.

The request unit 131 receives the print request of the requester, transmits the request to the control unit 121, and displays a response from the control unit 121 to the requester.

The requesting unit 131 requests the control unit 121 for a list of image data stored in the recording medium 117 for the print request of the requestor, and displays the list to the requester so that the corresponding image data can be selected. In addition, the request unit 131 receives image data that the requester wants to print and identification of the requestor. The requesting unit 131 transmits a print request including the selected image data information and requestor authentication to the control unit 121.

The second device 150 is a device that allows the approver to approve the print request of the first device 130 transmitted through the control unit 121 and includes an approval unit 151. The approval authority means a person who has the authority to approve the image data including the creator of the image data.

The approval unit 151 receives a print request from the first device 130 through the control unit 121, receives a print approval from the approval authority for this, and transfers it to the control unit 121.                     

The approval unit 151 receives the approval code from the approver for approval of the printing and transmits the approval code to the control unit 121. In addition, information including an error message transmitted from the control unit 121 is displayed to the approver.

According to an embodiment, the first device 130 and the second device 150 may be provided in one device.

2 is a block diagram of an image forming system having a security authentication function of image data according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the requesting unit 223 and the approval unit 225 are added to the image forming apparatus 110 of FIG. 1. The same reference numerals as those of each device in FIG. 1 will be omitted as the same device.

Unlike the apparatus of FIG. 1, the controller 221 receives a print request from the requester 223, not the first device 130, and receives a print approval from the approval unit 225, not the second device 150.

The request unit 223 and the approval unit 225 operate in the same manner as the request unit 131 of the first device 130 of FIG. 1 and the approval unit 151 of the second device 150.

The requester may request printing of desired image data directly from the image forming apparatus 210 instead of the separate first apparatus 130. In addition, the approver may approve directly from the image forming apparatus 210 instead of the second apparatus 150 as necessary.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the requesting unit 131 or the first device 130 may be provided in the image forming apparatus 210. In this case, the requestor may request printing of desired image data directly from the image forming apparatus 210 rather than the separate first apparatus 130.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the approval unit 151 or the second device 150 may be provided in the image forming apparatus 210. In this case, the approver may select the image data that can be directly approved by the image forming apparatus 210, request printing, and input the approval code.

3 is a flowchart provided to explain the operation of an image forming system having a security authentication function of image data according to the present invention. Hereinafter, the security authentication function of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

If there is a print request from the requester to print the image data stored in the recording medium 117 of the image forming apparatus 110, the requesting unit 131 receives the image data stored in the recording medium 117 from the image forming apparatus 110. Request a list. Accordingly, the control unit 121 of the image forming apparatus 110 reads the list of the image data from the memory 119 and transfers the list to the requesting unit 131 (S301).

When the requester inputs the requestor's authentication (ID) through the image data list provided by the requester 131 and makes a print request, the requester 131 transmits the requested image data information and the requester's authentication to the controller 121. (S303).

When the control unit 121 receives the print request, first confirms whether communication with the approval unit 151 of the second device 150 is possible (S305), and if communication is possible, the control unit 121 receives requestor information corresponding to the requestor authentication. The data is read from the memory 119 and transferred to the approval unit 151 of the second device 150 together with the requested image data information (S307).

As a result of the determination in step S305, if communication with the second device 150 is not possible, information indicating that communication is impossible is transmitted to the requesting unit 131 of the first device 130 (S309).                     

When the approval unit 151 receives the printing request from the control unit 121, the requestor information and the information of the requested image data are displayed to the approval authority and the approval code is input for printing approval. The approval unit 151 transmits the approval code to the control unit 121 of the image forming apparatus 110 (S311).

When the approval code is transmitted, the control unit 121 determines whether it matches the approval code attached to the requested image data stored in the memory 119 (S313). If the approval codes match, the control unit 121 transforms the requested image data to the printing unit 123, and the printing unit 123 prints the corresponding image on the printing paper (S315).

 If the approval code is not transmitted to the control unit 121 for a predetermined time, the control unit 121 transmits the corresponding error information to the requestor through the request unit 131 of the first device 130 (S317 and S309). If the approval code does not match with the determination result of step S313, the approval authority is requested to re-enter the approval code through the approval unit 151 of the second device 150 (S319).

As described above, the operation of the image forming system having the security authentication function of the image data is performed.

As described above, according to the present invention, without the approval of the approver, it is impossible to print the image data stored in the recording medium in the image forming apparatus, and the user who is required for the sharing work by making the sharing work through the network. Saves effort and time. Further, by sharing the recording medium of the image forming apparatus by using a network, it is possible to efficiently use the entire system resources.

In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

Claims (21)

An image data security authentication method of an image forming system in which a first and a second apparatus and an image forming apparatus are connected to a network, Requesting the first apparatus to print image data stored in the image forming apparatus; The image forming apparatus requesting a print approval from the second apparatus; The second apparatus printing approval according to the print approval request; And And printing, by the image forming apparatus, an image corresponding to the image data on a printing sheet according to the printing approval. The method of claim 1, The request for printing may include: Requesting, by the first apparatus, a list of image data stored in the image forming apparatus; The image forming apparatus transferring the list to the first apparatus; And Selecting the image data from the list and making a print request to the image forming apparatus. The method of claim 1, And said first apparatus and / or second apparatus are provided in any one of a host apparatus, a server, and said image forming apparatus. The method of claim 1, The requesting of the printing may include receiving an ID (identification) of a requestor who makes a printing request from the first apparatus and transferring the ID to the image forming apparatus together with the image data. Security authentication method. The method of claim 4, wherein The requesting of the approval may include transferring the image information and the image data information of the same authentication as that of the requestor authentication among the preset information on the image forming apparatus to the second apparatus. Security authentication method. The method of claim 1, The requesting of the approval may include transmitting information corresponding to the case where the second apparatus cannot communicate on a network to the first apparatus. The method of claim 1, And said second device is a device of an approver having a print approval authority of said print request image data. The method of claim 7, wherein The printing approval step, Inputting, by the approver the approval code, to the second device; And And transmitting the approval code to the image forming apparatus. The method of claim 8, The printing step, Comparing, by the image forming apparatus, the approval code with a preset approval code corresponding to the image data; And And converting the image data into a form for printing if the approval code matches, as a result of the comparison. The method of claim 9, And if the authorization code does not match, transmitting the corresponding information to the second device. The method of claim 1, The printing may include transmitting information corresponding to the case where the image forming apparatus has not received the approval request from the second apparatus to the first apparatus for the predetermined time. Authentication method. An image forming system having a security authentication function of image data stored in an image forming apparatus in a network to which at least one device is connected, A first apparatus for making a print request of the requestor for the image data; A second device for printing approval of the approver for the image data; A recording medium storing the image data; And Receiving the print request of the image data from the first device and transmitting the print request to the second device, receiving the print approval from the second device, and deforming the image data to print a corresponding image on printing paper. And a control unit. The image forming system having a security authentication function of the image data. The method of claim 12, And a printing unit which prints an image corresponding to the modified image data received from the control unit on a printing sheet. The method of claim 12, The first apparatus requests the controller for a list of image data stored in the recording medium for the print request. And the control unit transmits the list to the first apparatus according to a list request of the requesting unit. The method of claim 12, And the first apparatus receives the requestor's authentication (ID) and transmits the request to the controller. The image forming system having the security authentication function of the image data. The method of claim 15, And the control unit transmits the name information and the image data information of the same authentication as the requestor authentication to the second apparatus among preset name information to the second device. The method of claim 12, The control unit, when transmitting the print request, the second device is provided with a security authentication function of the image data, characterized in that for transmitting the information corresponding to the case that the communication is not possible on the network. Image forming system. The method of claim 12, And the second apparatus receives an approval code from the approver and transfers the approval code to the image forming apparatus. The method of claim 18, The control unit compares the approval code with a predetermined approval code for the image data, and if the approval code matches, the controller transforms the image data into a form for printing the image data. Image forming system. The method of claim 19, And the control unit transmits corresponding information to the second device if the approval code does not match, as a result of the comparison. The method of claim 12, And the first apparatus and / or the second apparatus are provided in any one of a host apparatus, a server, and the image forming apparatus.

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