Image forming system, setting value change program and setting value change method

The present invention is an image forming system including an image forming apparatus and a terminal device such as a computer connected to the image forming apparatus. More specifically, the authentication information input from the terminal is collated, and the image forming apparatus is set only for an authorized user. It relates to an image forming system having a function of permitting a value change.

When the same printing device is used by an unspecified number of users, if the default setting (initial setting) of the printing device is changed for each user, the correct print result may not be obtained when printing the document. For example, if one user enables the double-sided printing feature of a printer and then another user prints a document without knowing that the setting has been changed, he or she wants to print on one side but actually prints on both sides. It happens that it is output. In addition, when a plurality of users use the same printing device, if anyone can change the settings, there is a concern that data or the like stored in the printing device may be leaked.

Therefore, the image forming apparatus is often provided with a user authentication mode in which only users who have the authority to change the default settings among the users registered in the printing apparatus can change the settings. ..

However, when the user authentication mode is enabled, when changing each setting value, the user information such as the user ID and user password is sent to the printing device from the terminal device connected to the printing device each time, and the authority to change the setting is set. The changed setting value was transmitted from the terminal device to the printing device only when it was recognized that the terminal device had. Therefore, when the same user wants to change some settings of the printing apparatus, it is necessary to repeat the same authentication process before transmitting each setting value. Therefore, when communication takes a long time like a local connection, it takes a considerable amount of time to complete the setting change.

For example, the following Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-133906) is a case where password authentication is required to use a service provided by an image forming apparatus (multifunction device) having a printer function, a facsimile function, a copying function, and the like. Discloses an image forming device that reduces unnecessary authentication processing, a usage authentication information issuing method, and a usage authentication information issuing system when the same service is used repeatedly.

When the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 receives a session establishment request including authentication information from an external network device, it performs an authentication process based on the session establishment request and generates session information and session identification information. When a predetermined processing request using the session identification information is received from the network device, the session information corresponding to the session identification information is determined and received from the network device according to the content of the session information. It is characterized in that a predetermined processing request is executed.

By using the session identification information as described above, it is not necessary to repeat unnecessary authentication processing when it is regarded as processing in the same session, and the authentication processing is not duplicated.

<patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-133906 (Fig. 3)</text></patcit>

<p> However, in Patent Document 1, since the session identification information includes the IP address of the network device that makes the processing request, the IP address of the image forming apparatus that established the session, and the expiration date, the session identification information is provided by a third party. Can be abused. Further, Patent Document 1 does not disclose that the session identification information uses an authentication key for identifying that a specific process can be performed only by a limited number of users.</p><p> Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to shorten the time until the processing is completed when the processing request is made from the terminal device to the image forming device when the user authentication mode that allows the processing only to a limited number of users is enabled. ..</p><p> A further object of the present invention is to reduce the number of user authentication processes when requesting a process to the image forming apparatus and changing the set value of the image forming apparatus, thereby increasing the number of communications between the terminal device and the image forming apparatus. It is to reduce the amount of data.</p><p> A further object of the present invention is to reduce the time required to change the set value when changing the set value of the image forming apparatus from the terminal device.</p><p> A further object of the present invention is to realize the above object in a safer way, including preventing misuse of user information.</p>

<p> In order to solve the above problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application includes a terminal device that inputs and requests processing of user information, and an image forming device that authenticates the user information received from the terminal device. In the image forming system, the terminal device has a function of transmitting an authentication key to the image forming device when making a processing request to the image forming device, and the image forming device receives the receiving. A user authentication means that collates the user information and issues the authentication key including the expiration date, which is a fixed value predetermined by the administrator of the image forming apparatus, to the authorized one and returns it to the terminal device. And each time the storage means for storing the authentication key issued by the user authentication means and the authentication key transmitted at the time of the processing request from the terminal device are received, the expiration date of the authentication key is newly fixed. The control means includes a control means for updating to a value and deleting the authentication key from the storage means when the expiration date has passed, and the control means performs the processing when the authentication key received from the terminal device exists in the storage means. It is characterized by allowing the request.</p><p> The invention according to claim 2 of the present application is the image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device includes a setting value changing means for changing a setting value of the image forming device, and the setting value is provided. The changing means is characterized in that the set value change information set by the set value changing means as the processing request is transmitted together with the authentication key.</p><p> The invention according to claim 3 of the present application is the image forming system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the terminal device is a user who stores an authentication key received from a user authentication means of the image forming device. The information management means is provided, and the set value changing means acquires the authentication key stored in the user information management unit when the processing request is transmitted to the image forming apparatus.</p><p></p><p> Further, the invention according to claim 4 of the present application is the image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the authentication key is in response to a request by the set value changing means or said. It is characterized in that it is destroyed when a new authentication key is issued in the user authentication means.</p><p></p><p> Further, the invention according to claim 5 of the present application authenticates the user information received from the terminal device to the computer of the image forming device connected to the terminal device, and manages the image forming device when it is considered to be authorized. A function of issuing an authentication key including an expiration date, which is a fixed value predetermined by a person, a function of storing the issued authentication key in a storage means, and a function of transmitting the authentication key to the terminal device. When the set value change information and the authentication key are received from the terminal device, the function of changing the setting of the image forming device based on the set value change information when the authentication key and the issued authentication key match. Each time the authentication key transmitted at the time of the processing request from the terminal device is received, the expiration date of the authentication key is updated to a new fixed value, and when the expiration date elapses, the authentication key is deleted from the storage means. It is a setting value changing program that realizes the function of performing the function and the function of permitting the processing request when the authentication key received from the terminal device exists in the storage means.</p><p></p>

<p> In the invention according to claim 1, the authentication key issued only to the authorized user is transmitted from the terminal device to the image forming device together with the processing request, so that the user information does not need to be authenticated twice. In addition to shortening the time required to respond to processing requests, the number of communications and the amount of data between the terminal device and the image forming device can be reduced. In addition, by setting an expiration date for the authentication key, it is possible to prevent the authentication key that is no longer used from being continuously saved even if a communication error occurs between the terminal device and the image forming device or the program terminates abnormally. In addition to being able to prevent the authentication key from being misused, the expiration date will expire during a series of setting value change processing, and it will not be possible to change the setting value using the same authentication key. Can be prevented.</p><p> Further, in the invention according to claim 2, the authentication key issued only to the authorized user is transmitted to the image forming apparatus together with the set value whose setting has been changed in the terminal device, thereby causing the user as in claim 1. It is not necessary to authenticate the information twice, the time required for changing the set value can be shortened, and the number of communications and the amount of data between the terminal device and the image forming device can be reduced.</p><p> Further, in the invention according to claim 3, in the terminal device, the authentication key received from the image forming apparatus can be saved, and the authentication key can be easily called when the processing request to the image forming apparatus and the setting value are changed. It becomes possible to transmit to an image forming apparatus.</p><p></p><p> Further, in the invention according to claim 4, by destroying the authentication key, it is possible to prevent the authentication key that is no longer used from being continuously stored, and to prevent the authentication key from being misused.</p><p></p><p> Further, in the invention according to claim 5, when the image forming apparatus issues an authentication key only to an authorized user and transmits it to the terminal apparatus and receives both the authentication key and the changed set value, the authentication key is obtained. When is valid, the set value of the image forming apparatus can be changed, the number of communications between the terminal device and the image forming layer can be reduced, and the time required for changing the set value can be shortened. Then, it is possible to prevent the expiration date from elapsed during the series of setting value change processing and the setting value cannot be changed by using the same authentication key.</p><p></p>

Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Examples and drawings. However, the examples shown below exemplify a system for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and are not intended to specify the present invention to this system, but are within the scope of claims. It can be equally adapted to the systems of the other embodiments included.

The set value changing system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG. 1 shows an internal block diagram of the host computer 100 and the image forming apparatus 200 constituting the setting value changing system. In the host computer 100, the program stored in the external storage device 12 is read into RAM2 and executed by CPU1. In the case of this embodiment, the program executed by the host computer 100 includes a setting value changing program for changing various setting values of the image forming apparatus.

The CPU 1 executes a setting value change program and comprehensively controls each device connected to the system bus 4. RAM2 functions as the main memory, work area, etc. of CPU1 for operating the setting value change program of this embodiment. The keyboard controller 5 controls input from the keyboard 10 and a pointing device (not shown). The graphic controller 6 controls the display of the display unit 11. The disk controller 7 controls access to an external storage device 12 such as a hard disk or a CD-ROM that stores an application program or the like. The USB interface controller 9 controls and processes bidirectional communication with the image forming apparatus 200 via the USB interface.

The image forming apparatus 200 includes a printer control unit 20 and a printing engine 28. The printer control unit 20 has a function of converting image data received from the host device 100 into video data, changing various settings, and controlling the print engine 28 in response to a processing request received from the host device 100. Then, the printing engine 28 is controlled by the printer control unit 20, and actually prints video data or the like on paper or the like.

The printer control unit 20 includes a CPU 21, a ROM 23, a RAM 24, a print engine input / output controller 25, and a USB interface controller 26. The CPU 21 controls each device connected to the system bus 27 in an integrated manner, and also operates the printer control unit 20 based on the program stored in the ROM 23. In this embodiment, the request from the host computer is met. User authentication, generation of authentication key, and change of each setting value of the image forming device are executed. The ROM 23 stores various programs for operating the image forming apparatus, various setting values, product information, and other data.

The RAM 24 is used as a work area when the CPU 21 executes a program, and is also used as a storage area for setting values and user information. The print engine input / output controller 25 outputs video data and various operation commands to the print engine. The USB interface controller 26 enables two-way communication with the host computer 100. Although the communication interface between the host computer 100 and the image forming apparatus 200 is a USB interface here, it may be a bidirectional parallel interface or an IEEE1394 interface.

FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration diagram of the printer control unit 20 of the host computer 100 and the image forming apparatus 200. The host computer 100 includes a UI unit 101, a user information management unit 104, and a communication unit 107. The UI unit 101 displays various windows on the display unit 11 and allows the user to perform various settings and operations while observing the display. The UI unit 101 includes a login unit 102 and a setting value change input unit 103. The login unit 102 displays a login screen on the display unit 11 when starting the setting value change program of the image forming apparatus in this embodiment, and requests the user to input user information such as a user ID and a password. The setting value change input unit 103 is for displaying a change setting screen for changing various setting values of the image forming apparatus on the display unit 11 and accepting a user input operation.

The user information management unit 104 is for storing the user information input by the user, the authentication key received from the image forming apparatus 200, and the like. The communication unit 107 transmits the user information to the image forming apparatus 200 when the user logs in. Further, the setting value changed by the user is transmitted to the image forming apparatus from the change setting screen displayed by the setting value input unit 103.

The printer control unit 20 of the image forming apparatus 200 includes a control unit 201, a user authentication unit 203, a storage unit 204, and a communication unit 205. The control unit 201 includes the setting change unit 202, and sets and changes various setting values of the image forming apparatus 200 in response to an instruction from the host computer 100. The user authentication unit 203 collates the user ID and password sent from the host computer 100 with the user information stored in the storage unit 204, and generates an authentication key if there is an authority.

User information such as the user ID and password of the authorized user and the presence / absence of the authority to change the set value is stored in the storage unit 204 in advance by the administrator. Further, the storage unit 204 stores the authentication key generated by the user authentication unit 203. The communication unit 205 receives the user information, setting values, and the like transmitted from the host computer 100, and also transmits the authentication key generated by the user authentication unit 203 to the host computer 100.

Next, the operation flow of the setting value changing system from the user authentication to the completion of the setting change will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of each part at the time of user authentication and setting value change in the setting value changing system. FIG. 4 is an activity diagram showing the flow of the user authentication process performed before the authentication key is generated.

When the setting value change program is started, the login screen is first displayed on the display unit 11 by the login unit 102 of the UI unit 101. The user makes a login request by entering user information such as a user ID and password on this login screen (step 3.1). Next, the user information acquired by the login unit 102 is notified to the communication unit 107 (step 3.2), and is transmitted from the communication unit 107 to the control unit 201 of the image forming apparatus 200 via the communication unit 205 of the image forming apparatus 200. (Step 3.3).

The control unit 201 sends the received user information to the user authentication unit 203 to perform authentication in order to determine whether or not the user making the login request has the authority to change the set value (step 3.4). The user authentication unit 203 accesses the storage unit 204 to determine whether or not the user ID and password are authorized (step 3.5). If authorized (step 3.6), the user authentication unit 203 generates an authentication key and stores it in the storage unit 204 (step 3.7). At the same time, an expiration date is set for the authentication key, and information about the expiration date is also stored in the storage unit 204 (step 3.8).

The user authentication unit 203 returns the generated authentication key to the control unit 201 (step 3.9), and the control unit 201 returns the authentication key to the communication unit 107 of the host computer 100 via the communication unit 205 of the image forming apparatus 200. (Step 3.10). The authentication key received in the communication unit 107 is notified to the UI unit 101 (step 3.11), so that the login is regarded as successful, and then the authentication key is stored in the user information management unit 104 together with the user ID and password. (Step 3.12). Then, the setting value change input unit 103 of the UI unit 101 displays the setting value change screen on the display unit 11 and accepts the setting value change input by the user.

Here, an example of the user authentication process performed in the user authentication unit 203 and the storage unit 204 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is an activity diagram showing the flow of the user authentication process performed before the authentication key is generated.

When the user authentication unit 203 receives the user information such as the user ID and password from the host computer 100, the user authentication unit 203 acquires the user information corresponding to the user ID by accessing the storage unit 204 in step S-4.1. The user information stored in the storage unit 204 is composed of a user ID, a password, and data indicating whether or not the user has the authority to change the settings of the image forming apparatus 200. If the acquisition of user information fails in step S-4.2, error information or the like is sent to the host computer 100, and the process ends.

If the acquisition of the user information is successful in step S-4.2, in the following step S-4.3, it is checked whether the password received from the host computer 100 matches the password read from the storage unit 204. In step S-4.4, if the passwords do not match, the user authentication unit 203 generates an error message and ends the process. If the passwords match in step S-4.4, the process proceeds to step S-4.5 to check whether the user performing the user authentication process has the authority to change the setting value of the image forming apparatus 200.

If you do not have the authority to change the set value in step S-4.6, generate information indicating that fact, notify the host computer 100, and end the process. If you have the authority to change the setting value in step S-4.7, in the following step S-4.7, an authentication key is generated so that it can be sent to the host computer 100.

Referring to FIG. 3 again, in step 3.14, the user changes the set value while operating the keyboard 10 while referring to the set value change screen displayed on the display unit 11 by the set value change input unit 103 of the UI unit 101. Make an input. The UI unit 101 acquires the authentication key stored in the user information management unit 104 (step 3.15). Next, the acquired authentication key is transmitted to the communication unit 107 for transmission to the image forming apparatus 200 together with the changed set value (step 3.16).

After that, the authentication key and the set value are transmitted from the communication unit 107 to the control unit 201 of the image forming apparatus 200 (step 3.17). Upon receiving the authentication key, the control unit 201 queries the user authentication unit 203 for the authentication key (step 3.18). In response to the authentication key inquiry request, the user authentication unit 203 checks whether the authentication key exists in the storage unit 204 (step 3.19), and if the authentication key for the storage unit 204 exists, changes the setting. Notifies the control unit 201 that the above is permitted (step 3.20). Next, the setting changing unit 202 of the control unit 201 changes the setting value of the image forming apparatus 200 according to the setting value received from the host computer 100 together with the authentication key (step 3.21).

The authentication key and the changed setting value are sent from the host computer 100 to the image forming apparatus 200 each time the user changes the setting or the setting value of each setting item while referring to the setting change screen. Each process from step 3.14 to step 3.21 of step 3.14 is repeated until all the settings are completed.

The authentication key stored in the storage unit 204 of the image forming apparatus 200 is destroyed when the expiration date set in the authentication key expires, and thereafter, the setting value change process using the same authentication key from the host computer 100 is performed. Even if there is a request for, the authentication key is considered to have no authority, and the setting value of the image forming apparatus 200 cannot be changed. The expiration date of the authentication key and the processing of each part when the authentication key cannot be used will be described in detail later.

Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the operation on the host computer during the operation of the user authentication and setting value change program will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the setting value change program on the host computer 100. First, in step S-501, the login unit 102 of the UI unit 101 displays the login screen on the display unit 11 and accepts the input of user information. When the user operates the keyboard 10 or the like to input the user information, the login unit 102 acquires the user information.

Next, the UI unit 101 transmits the acquired user information to the image forming apparatus 200 (step S-502). In the following step S-503, the device waits for receiving the authentication key from the image forming apparatus 200. If the authentication key is not received after a lapse of a predetermined time, the user information is incorrect, or other error information is received, the process returns to step S-501 and the login process is repeated.

When the authentication key is received from the image forming apparatus 200 in step S-503, the received authentication key is stored in the user information management unit 104 in step S-504. Next, in step S-505, the set value change input unit 103 of the UI unit 101 receives the change input of various set values of the image forming apparatus 200 by displaying the set value change screen on the display unit 11. When the set value is changed by the set value change input unit 103, the UI unit 101 transfers the changed set value and the authentication key stored in the user information management unit 104 to the image forming device via the communication unit 107. Send to 200 (step S-506).

In step S-507, it is determined whether or not all the setting value changes by the user have been completed, and each process up to step S-505 and step S-506 described above is repeated until all the setting value changes are completed, and the setting is performed. Every time the value is changed, the changed setting value and the authentication key are transmitted to the image forming apparatus 200. When all the setting value changes by the user are completed, the user authentication and setting value changing program on the host computer 100 is terminated.

Next, with reference to FIG. 6, the operation of each part when the authentication by the authentication key fails during the setting value change process will be described. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of each part when the authentication key authentication fails during the setting value changing process in the setting value changing system of this embodiment.

First, the user changes the setting value while referring to the setting value change screen displayed on the display unit 11 by the setting value change input unit 103 of the UI unit 101 (step 6.1). Next, the UI unit 101 makes an authentication key acquisition request to the user information management unit 104 (step 6.2), and acquires the corresponding authentication key. After that, the UI unit 101 outputs the changed setting value and the authentication key to the communication unit 107 (step 6.3). The communication unit 107 converts the data so that it can be transmitted to the image forming apparatus 200, and the communication unit 107 transmits the set value and the authentication key to the control unit 201 of the image forming apparatus 200 (step 6.4).

The control unit 201 inquires of the user authentication unit 203 for the authentication key (step 6.5), and determines whether or not the authentication key received from the host computer 100 is authorized. The user authentication unit 203 checks whether the authentication key exists in the storage unit 204 in order to determine whether the authentication key has authority, and in this case, recognizes that the authentication key does not exist (step 6.6). The user authentication unit 203 notifies the control unit 201 of the authentication failure information (step 6.7), and the control unit 201 returns the authentication failure information to the communication unit 107 of the host computer 100 (step 6.8). The communication unit 107 notifies the UI unit 101 of the authentication failure information (step 6.9).

When the UI unit 101 recognizes that the authentication of the authentication key has failed, it calls the user information consisting of the user ID and password stored in the user information management unit 104 (steps 6.10, 6.11), and transmits the user information to the communication unit. Output to 107 (step 6.12). After that, by performing the processing after step 3.3 in Fig. 3, log in again and request the issuance of a new authentication key. After acquiring the new authentication key, the set value and the authentication key are used again to change the set value for the image forming apparatus 200. In this way, even if the authentication using the authentication key fails, the setting value change process can be continued without interrupting the process by logging in again and requesting the generation of the authentication key.

An expiration date is set for the authentication key generated by the user authentication unit 203 of the image forming apparatus 200. The expiration date is stored in the storage unit 204 of the image forming apparatus 200 together with the corresponding authentication key. The control unit 201 deletes the authentication key from the storage unit 204 when a predetermined time elapses according to the expiration date set for the authentication key. As a result, after the expiration date, it becomes impossible to change the set value using the authentication key.

For the expiration date of the authentication key, for example, a fixed value predetermined by the administrator of the image forming apparatus 200 is used. In that case, the user authentication unit 203 generates an authentication key and at the same time stores a predetermined expiration date in the storage unit 204. Then, when the expiration date has passed, the authentication key is deleted from the storage unit 204.

It is also possible to reset the expiration date each time the authentication key is confirmed while using a fixed value predetermined by the administrator of the image forming apparatus 200. When the authentication key and the changed setting value are transmitted from the host computer 100 in the image forming apparatus 200, can the control unit 201 change the setting by collating the authentication key stored in the storage unit 204? At this time, the expiration date of the authentication key is updated to a new fixed value. As a result, it is possible to prevent the expiration date from elapsed during the series of setting value change processing and the setting value cannot be changed by using the same authentication key.

Further, only one authentication key can be stored in the storage unit 204, and when a new authentication key is generated by the user's login, the old authentication key can be deleted. With this method, after one user changes the settings using the authentication key, the first user has the authority to change the settings until another user logs in.

By setting the expiration date for the authentication key in this way, unnecessary authentication keys are saved even if the authentication key is not destroyed normally due to communication trouble, authentication, abnormal termination of the setting value change program, etc. It is possible to prevent the setting value change process from being hindered.

<figref num="1">It is an internal block diagram of the setting value changing system in the Example of this invention.</figref><figref num="2">It is a functional block diagram of the setting value changing system in the Example of this invention.</figref><figref num="3">It is a sequence diagram which shows the operation of each part at the time of the user authentication and the setting value change in the setting value change system of the Example of this invention.</figref><figref num="4">It is an activity diagram which shows the flow of the user authentication process performed before the authentication key is generated in the Example of this invention.</figref><figref num="5">It is a flowchart which shows the operation of the setting value change program in the host computer in the Example of this invention.</figref><figref num="6">It is a sequence diagram which shows the operation of each part at the time of authentication key authentication failure at the time of setting value changing processing in the setting value changing system of the Example of this invention.</figref>

100 Host computer 101 UI part 104 User Information Management Department 200 Image forming device 201 Control unit 202 Setting change part 203 User authentication department 204 Memory