JP2006339928A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mechanism for protecting the security of scanned information for preservation as personal information in an image processing apparatus for preserving scanned information (scanned input image and attached information thereto), so as to be reusable for image output. <P>SOLUTION: A control unit makes a user ID requesting processing input from an ID reader (S101), and a scanner reads a manuscript according to the processing request from the user. Then after relation is made to the obtained scanned image, the scanned information is preserved and managed in an HDD area for preserving the scanned information having a particular user ID (S104, 105). At the time of a readout request to the scanned information preserved in the HDD under the condition that a user ID matching the user ID has been input in relation to the scanned information, control is performed for enabling access to the requested scanned information. Readout by a person other than the person having input with the mechanism is prevented, and the security of the scanned information preserved as personal information is protected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention performs image output such as print output or external distribution based on scan information input through a scanner and stored for reuse after input. For example, MFP (copy, facsimile, printer, scanner distribution) More specifically, an image processing apparatus such as an image processing apparatus that combines multiple functions such as a multifunction peripheral, and more specifically, the above-described function includes a function of managing scan information with a user ID input by a user accompanying a processing request. The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art Today, as an image processing apparatus that outputs an image input through a scanner, for example, an MFP (multifunction machine) that is provided with a combination of functions such as copying, facsimile, and scanner distribution is widely used. In recent years, an MFP has a function of storing scan information (scanned image and its associated information) input through a scanner in a storage unit (for example, an HDD) and managing the stored scan information for reuse. What you have is also provided.
An MFP is commonly used by many users in a company or the like, and the above-described model having a function of reusing stored scan information obtains the same image output as before. For this reason, an image to be reused is selected from a large number of stored images, and the user operation performed when the same setting as before is made difficult.
As a conventional technique proposed for solving such a situation, for example, the following Patent Document 1 can be cited.
The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 manages each document file (including scanner original read image data) accumulated by a management table of accumulated document bibliographic information. This management table includes the file ID of each document, the name of the user who created the document, the name of the document attached to the document, the date and time when the document was stored, the paper size, the number of pages of the entire document, the password that each user has ( Code)). By referring to the management table and sorting the stored documents according to the search conditions designated by the user and displaying them on the selection screen, the user can easily perform document selection and print condition setting operations.
JP 2003-127473 A

By the way, in recent years, the introduction of IT in society and companies is going to greatly change the environment surrounding information that supports each activity, and against such a change in environment, interest in information security has become very high, In the MFP having the function of reusing the scan information described above, there is a growing momentum that the stored scan information should be protected as personal information.
However, conventionally, there is no concept of using for the purpose of security protection even when a user ID is added as attached information to the stored scan information. In other words, as shown in Patent Document 1, the user ID added to the stored (stored) document file (including scan information) can easily select the document and set the print condition from the past history. It is used for the purpose of realizing the function that enables the user to select and set the product and improving the operability of the user. The above approach to the management purpose of security protection is an unresolved issue. is there.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is an unsolved problem so far in an image processing apparatus that processes image output data based on scan information that is input through a scanner and stored for reuse after input. Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for enabling the security of scan information to be stored as personal information.

  The invention of claim 1 includes a scanner unit, a storage unit that stores scan information input through the scanner unit, a scan information management unit that manages scan information stored in the storage unit, and access control to the storage unit And an image processing unit that processes scan information read from the storage unit as image output data, and a user ID input unit that inputs an ID for identifying a user individually, the scan information management The access control means includes a function of associating and managing a user ID input from the user ID input unit in association with a processing request and scan information input through the scanner unit in response to the processing request. When the read request for the scan information stored in the storage unit is requested, the user ID input is accompanied with the read request. Control to enable access to the requested scan information on condition that the user ID input from the user ID matches with the user ID managed in association with the corresponding scan information in the scan information management unit. An image processing apparatus characterized by the above.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the scan information stored in the storage unit includes a scan image and attribute information thereof. The read request is a scan image included in the scan information. It is characterized in that a means for performing control for reusing the obtained scan information in the processing process as a request for at least one of the attached information is provided.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the scan information management unit has a function of managing time information and the number of times of use for each user. To do.

According to the present invention, at the time of a read request for scan information stored in the storage unit, to the requested scan information on condition that the user ID input by the user matches the user ID managed in association with the scan information. Thus, it is possible to prevent access by others and to control the security of the scan information as personal information.
In addition, it is possible to easily search for a desired scan image by using the setting information at the time of the previous scan described as information attached to the stored scan image as a search key, or to create a new scan request. By reusing the previous setting information for time setting, the setting can be easily performed.
Further, by managing the time information and the number of times of use for each user, it becomes possible to optimize the use state that tends to be disordered (claim 3).

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that performs image output processing such as print output and distribution to the outside based on scan information stored (accumulated) for reuse after being input through a scanner. The personal information is provided with means for protecting its security.
Means for protecting security includes a scan information management unit that manages scan information stored in the storage unit, an access control unit for the storage unit that stores the scan information, and a user ID input unit. The scan information management unit associates and manages the user ID input from the user ID input unit accompanying the processing request and the scan information input through the scanner unit in response to the processing request. The access control means manages the scan information stored in the storage unit in association with the scan information corresponding to the user ID input from the user ID input unit and the scan information management unit in association with the read request. On the condition that the user ID matches the requested user ID, control is performed to enable access to the requested scan information.
By providing these means, it is possible to prevent access by a person other than the person who made the processing request for the stored scan information, so that it is possible to protect the security of the scan information as personal information. .

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described taking an MFP as an example of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention having a function of protecting the security of scan information stored as personal information.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a control system related to the MFP of this embodiment.
In the control system of the MFP shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 1 has a function as a system controller, and controls the entire apparatus by operating a system program by a CPU (Central Processing Unit).
A ROM (Read Only Memory) 2 is a memory that stores a system program used for control by the control unit 1 and various data necessary for executing a control operation according to the system program. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 3 is used as a work area for performing a control operation according to a system program under the control of the control unit 1.
An HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 4 is a large-capacity storage device that stores (accumulates) image information that has been input and generated in the machine and its associated information for reuse, and in this embodiment, scan information is stored. A storage location.
The operation unit 5 includes an operation panel including operation keys and a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) touch panel. The operation unit 5 selects each function such as a copy, a printer, a scanner, and a facsimile to be operated, and performs operation / processing conditions. It is possible to perform an input operation of an operator (user) for issuing a setting and an operation command by a dialog method (guidance of the operation or notification of the state on the device side by an LCD display screen).

The scanner 6 optically scans a manuscript with an image converter such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) line sensor, A / D-converts the obtained analog image signal, and processes it into data used for image output.
The plotter 7 uses a method such as electrophotography on recording paper based on image data from the scanner 6 and FAX data and print data transmitted from the outside via the communication control unit 9 and the LAN control unit 10 described below. Create an image and output it.
The ID reading unit 8 is a means for inputting a user ID for identifying a user, and is constituted by a device that reads an ID card or biometric information (for example, fingerprint) owned by the individual. The ID input through the ID reading unit 8 is used for the process of authenticating the identity verification by collating with the ID information stored in the ROM 2 or the like.
The communication control unit 9 performs communication control and network control to perform facsimile communication.
A LAN (Local Area Network) control unit 10 performs data link layer control and physical layer control, and provides functions such as print output to the outside via a network in accordance with commands transmitted from the host side, It is possible to send a command to use an external function.
Each of the above units performs data transfer through the system bus 11 under the control of the control unit 1.

When the original is set on the scanner, the control system (FIG. 1) starts reading the original, and functions and settings selected from the copy, scanner, and facsimile functions by the user's input operation on the operation unit 5 are set. The control program is operated according to the processing conditions, and each output process of copy output, scanner distribution, and facsimile transmission is executed.
That is, based on the scanned image, in the case of copy output, data for print output is generated, and image forming processing is performed by the plotter 7 using this data. In the case of scanner distribution, processing is performed at the distribution destination. After conversion to a possible data format, the data is transmitted via the LAN control unit 10. In the case of facsimile transmission, the data is converted into a FAX signal and then transmitted via the communication control unit 9. Note that scanner reading control and copy output, scanner distribution, and facsimile transmission output processes themselves can be performed by using existing techniques, and thus description thereof is omitted here.
However, in this embodiment, in order to be able to reuse the image input through the scanner, the image is stored (accumulated) in the HDD 4 and an ID for identifying the individual user (hereinafter referred to as “user ID”) is attached. The scanned image stored in the HDD 4 is managed as personal information as a security protection target. The information stored (accumulated) in the HDD 4 for reuse is a scanned image and its attached information (hereinafter referred to as “scan information”). The attached information includes processing condition setting information, user ID, and the like. Includes bibliographic information.

In order to realize a management function related to security protection, the control unit 1 causes the ID reading unit 8 to read the ID of a user who requests processing, thereby inputting the user ID, and the input user ID Is stored in the RAM 3. This user ID is information used for managing a scanned image as information accompanying the processing request. Therefore, after the user ID is input, when the original is read by the scanner 6 according to the user's processing request and the obtained scan image is stored (accumulated) in the HDD 4, the control unit 1 attaches the input user ID to the scan image. The information to be stored is associated with the scanned image by, for example, a method of attaching an ID tag, and is stored in an area for storing scan information having a specific user ID.
Furthermore, when a read request for scan information stored in the HDD 4 is requested, the control unit 1 applies the requested scan information to the requested scan information on condition that a user ID that matches the user ID managed in association with the scan information is input. Control to enable access.
By providing such a mechanism, it is possible to prevent a person other than the person who has previously input the scan information stored in the HDD 4 from reading, and to protect the security of the scan information as personal information. It becomes possible.

Further, since the user ID is input along with the processing request, it becomes possible to manage the history information of the processing request for each user, and this history information management function is provided as an additional function.
Here, information acquired for management as history information includes time information (use date and time, use time, etc.) and the number of times of use, and the history information is associated with the user ID and stored in the ROM 2, to manage. By managing the time information and the number of times of use for each user, it is possible to prevent overuse of the MFP, which tends to be disordered, and to provide basic data for realizing an appropriate use state. .
Note that when processing such as copying is requested without inputting a user ID at the time of processing request, the processing itself can perform an operation according to the request, and the scan information is also temporarily stored in the HDD 4. However, in this case, the control unit 1 unconditionally prohibits read access to the stored scan information, and handles it differently from when a user ID is input. That is, when responding to a processing request in which a user ID is not input, the control unit 1 stores the obtained scan information in an area for storing scan information of an unspecified number of users provided in the HDD 4 (that is, the user ID is For example, a format operation for the HDD 4 by the control unit 1 is entered, and the unspecified number of users are stored in a different area from the area where the scan information having a specific user ID is stored. Access control is performed so that reading cannot be performed until the data stored in the area for storing the scan information is deleted.
Further, the scan information with the user ID added can be removed from the work mode with the user ID added. As a method for this, a method in which the user performs an operation from the operation panel of the operation unit 5 or automatically when a certain time has elapsed without performing an operation on the scan information managed by adding the user ID is automatically performed. It is possible to take a way out.

Next, an embodiment of processing related to the storage processing of scan information performed in order to realize the function of protecting the security of scan information as personal information by the above-described control system (FIG. 1) will be described.
FIG. 2 shows a processing flow related to the scan information storage processing of this embodiment.
In the case of an MFP, the scan information storage processing flow of this embodiment is performed when a document is read by the scanner 6 as part of output processing of copy output, scanner distribution, and facsimile transmission.
According to the processing flow shown in FIG. 2, when the scanner 6 reads a document, the ID reading unit 8 first reads a user ID (step S101). At this time, a guidance message that prompts the user to input a user ID through the ID reading unit 8 is displayed on the LCD screen of the operation unit 5. Since the user ID is input along with the processing request, the user ID is actually requested for output processing such as copy output, scanner distribution, and facsimile transmission, and the ID is read together with an input operation for setting processing conditions. Is performed. In the present embodiment, even if there is no user ID input, the processing request is accepted, so the operation unit 5 may confirm execution from the user and proceed with the next processing.
After the user ID and the processing request are input by the user's operation, the scanner 6 starts reading the document (step S102).
Next, since the control unit 1 branches to each process depending on whether or not the user ID has been acquired by reading the user ID in step S101, this check is performed (step S103).

Here, when the user ID can be acquired, it is possible to manage the image read by the scanner 6 and the scan information including the attached information and the acquired user ID in association with each other, for example, by attaching an ID tag. In this manner (step S104), this scan information is stored in an area secured as a user area having a specific ID in the HDD 4 (step S105). In a system that does not have the HDD 4, a RAM may be used as a storage location for scan information.
Simultaneously with storing the scan information in the HDD 4, time information (use date / time, use time, etc.) associated with use and information indicating the number of uses are associated with the user ID and temporarily stored in the ROM 2 (step S106). .
Thereafter, it is confirmed that the document reading by the scanner 6 is completed (YES in step S107), and the time information (usage date and time, etc.) and the number of times of use temporarily stored in the ROM 2 in step S106 are shown. The information is moved to a location where management information relating to the user secured in the HDD 4 is stored, where it is stored and managed so that history information can be provided for each user (step S108), and this processing flow ends.
On the other hand, if the user ID cannot be acquired in step S103, the scan information obtained through the operation of the scanner 6 is stored in an area secured as an unspecified user area in the HDD 4 (step S111).
Thereafter, it is confirmed that the document reading by the scanner 6 is completed (step S112-YES), and this processing flow is ended.

Next, an embodiment of a processing flow related to a reading process performed by the control unit 1 when the scan information stored in the HDD 4 through the above-described scan information storing process flow is reused will be described.
FIG. 3 shows a processing flow relating to scan information reading processing of the present embodiment.
The processing flow related to the scan information reading process is a part of the process when the scan information stored in the HDD 4 is reused for copy output, scanner distribution, facsimile transmission, and browsing. This is performed when the control unit 1 accesses the HDD 4 and reads scan information. The reuse of the scan information may be performed when the setting information of the processing conditions included in the attached information is used in addition to the scanned image.
According to the processing flow shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 1 first reads the scan information from the HDD 4 in response to an output request such as a copy for reusing the scan information stored in the HDD 4. The user ID is read (step S201). At this time, a guidance message that prompts the user to input the user ID through the ID reading unit 8 is displayed on the LCD screen of the operation panel (operation unit 5). Since the user ID is input along with the processing request, actually, an output process such as a copy output is requested, and an operation for reading the ID is performed together with an input operation for setting processing conditions.
After the user ID is input and the processing request is input by the user's operation, the control unit 1 branches the process depending on whether or not the user ID has been acquired by reading the user ID in step S201. This check is performed (step S202).

If the user ID can be acquired, the acquired user ID is the user ID associated with the scan information stored in the HDD 4 (attached to manage the scan information in step S104 in the storage process of FIG. 2). It is checked whether or not they match (step S203). This check is performed to limit access so that only the person who previously performed the storage processing of the scan information stored in the HDD 4 can read it.
Therefore, if the user IDs do not match (step S203-NO), a message stating that “the user IDs do not match and the scan information stored in the HDD 4 cannot be used” is displayed on the operation panel (operation unit 5). The user is notified through the LCD screen (step S207), and this processing flow is terminated.
On the other hand, if the user IDs match (step S203—YES), the scan information stored in association with the matched user ID is read from the HDD 4 (step S204), and the read scan information is copied by a user such as a user. The process is transferred to the requesting application (step S205), and the process flow ends.
In step S202, if the user ID is not read by the ID reading unit 8 and the user ID cannot be acquired, access to the scan information is prohibited. Therefore, as a process in this case, “if the user ID is not entered, the scan information stored in the HDD 4 cannot be used (access other than the person who entered the scan information is prohibited)”. A message is notified to the user through the LCD screen of the operation panel (operation unit 5) (step S211), and this processing flow is ended.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a control system related to an MFP (multifunction peripheral) as an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a processing flow relating to scan information storage processing in the MFP shown in FIG. 3 shows a processing flow related to reading processing of scan information stored by the processing flow of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1. Control unit,
2. ROM (Read Only Memory),
3. RAM (Random Access Memory),
4. HDD (Hard Disk Drive),
5. Operation part,
6. Scanner
7. Plotter,
8. ID reading part,
9. Communication control unit,
10 .. LAN (Local Area Network) control unit.

Claims (3)

  A scanner unit, a storage unit that stores scan information input through the scanner unit, a scan information management unit that manages scan information stored in the storage unit, an access control unit for the storage unit, and a storage unit An image processing apparatus having an image processing unit that processes the read scan information as image output data and a user ID input unit that inputs an ID for identifying a user, wherein the scan information management unit is attached to the processing request. The user ID input from the user ID input unit and the scan information input through the scanner unit in response to the processing request are managed in association with each other, and the access control means stores the storage unit in the storage unit At the time of a read request for the scanned information, the user input from the user ID input unit accompanying the read request The control that enables access to the requested scan information is performed on condition that the ID and the user ID managed in association with the corresponding scan information in the scan information management unit match. An image processing apparatus.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scan information stored in the storage unit includes a scan image and its attribute information. The read request is sent to at least one of the scan image included in the scan information and its associated information. An image processing apparatus comprising means for performing a control for reusing the obtained scan information in a processing process as a request.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scan information management unit has a function of managing time information and the number of times of use for each user.

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