JP4306466B2 - Information processing device - Google Patents

Description

 The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus such as a multifunction machine having one or a plurality of functions among a printer function, a copy function, a scanner function, a fax function, and the like.

  With the expansion of the use of digital data such as personal computers (PCs) and digital cameras, the demand for printers for printing documents created on PCs and images taken with digital cameras has increased. Proposed. In particular, in recent years, a multi-function printer (multi-function machine: MF machine) that has many functions such as a copy function, a scanner function, and a fax function in addition to a printer function has been proposed.

  The MF machine is generally shared by a plurality of users, that is, a usage form in which a plurality of PCs are connected to the MF machine via a network and a plurality of users share one MF machine. It is. As described above, in a use environment connected to a network, information management such as document data used by the MF machine is important.

  In the United States, the “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act” HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) was enacted, and a law incorporating the protection of personal information was enacted. Strict management is required. Therefore, when an MF machine is used in a medical institution, if a scan document of a medical record is erroneously transmitted or illegally transmitted outside the organization due to a user's intention or mistake, it becomes a big problem from the viewpoint of privacy protection. For this reason, there is a request for managing whether or not a document or an image output as a result of processing such as copying, printing, and FAX transmission executed by the MF machine is not illegally output.

  In this way, the request for managing the processing result of the MF machine is the same in the enterprise. That is, when a confidential document or important information scan document in a company is mistransmitted or illegally transmitted outside the company due to intentional or mistake of employees in the company, it becomes a big problem from the viewpoint of in-house security protection.

  Examples of managing the processing results include devices described in Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2. The devices described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 add digital watermark to the scanned image or print image output from the device, and add information that makes it possible to identify the user who performed the output operation or the output device is doing. However, although the devices described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are effective in suppressing criminal acts such as counterfeit bills, users and devices that have performed unauthorized output and scanned images and printed images that have been output. The content cannot be specified.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-285381 JP 2001-328324 A

  As an example of managing processing results in a conventional MF machine, for example, when executing mail transmission processing such as scan mail transmission from an MF machine, the device administrator's mail address is automatically set to BCC (Blind Carbon Copy). Devices that do this are known. Thereby, the device manager can manage what kind of document the user has sent.

  However, the management of the processing result by the conventional MF machine is intended for mail transmission processing such as scan mail transmission, and is not intended for processing that does not involve mail transmission processing such as copying, printing, and FAX transmission. Absent. Also, in the conventional MF machine, the same document as the document sent by the user is transferred to the device administrator, so the data size stored and managed by the device administrator becomes enormous, and it is difficult to check these. There was also a problem of being. Furthermore, there has been a vulnerability that it becomes impossible to manage the processing result if an unauthorized user interrupts the BCC transfer to the device administrator by unplugging the network cable immediately after executing the job.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an information processing apparatus that can more reliably manage processing results.

  In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to a preferred aspect of the present invention includes: an interface unit that accepts job designation in an information processing apparatus that executes a job designated for target data; A tracking information generation unit that generates tracking information indicating a mode of the job; and a job processing unit that performs the designated job after the tracking information recording process is performed.

  In this configuration, the tracking information includes information such as the date and time corresponding to the job execution start time, the user name of the user who specified the job, the job name of the specified job, thumbnails related to job target data, etc. Information that allows the processing contents of the job executed by the processing apparatus to be grasped later is included. According to this configuration, since the designated job is performed after the tracking information recording process is performed, the tracking information can be recorded more reliably.

  Preferably, a tracking target setting unit that sets a job type to be tracked is provided, and the tracking information generation unit generates tracking information when the specified job is a tracking target. Preferably, the apparatus further includes a tracking information recording unit in which the tracking information is recorded. Preferably, the tracking information is recorded in a tracking server connected to the information processing apparatus via a network. Preferably, the information processing apparatus further includes a security processing unit that performs at least one of electronic signature processing and encryption processing on the tracking information.

  In order to achieve the above object, an operation processing method according to a preferred aspect of the present invention is an operation processing method executed by an information processing apparatus, the job receiving step receiving a job specification, and the specified A tracking information generating step for generating tracking information indicating a mode of the job; a recording processing step for performing a recording process of the tracking information; and a job process for performing the specified job after the recording process of the tracking information is performed. And a step.

  It is possible to provide an information processing apparatus capable of managing the processing result more reliably.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network system including a multi-function device which is an information processing apparatus.

  A multifunction machine (MF machine) 100 is connected to a plurality of computers (PC) 200a, 200b. That is, a local area network in which a plurality of users can use the MF device 100 via the PCs 200a and 200b is configured. For example, the MF device 100 is shared by a plurality of users in a company. Further, the MF machine 100 is connected to the tracking server 300. The tracking server 300 records tracking information of jobs executed by the MF machine 100. The tracking information is information that enables the device administrator to later grasp the processing content of the job executed by the MF device 100. The tracking information will be described in detail later using FIG.

  Further, the MF device 100 is connected to the external PC 400 or the external MF device 500 via the Internet 600, and document data and image data used in the MF device 100 can be transferred to the external PC 400 or the external MF device 500. .

  The internal configuration of the MF machine 100 is as follows. The printing unit 102 is controlled by the control unit 106 and performs printing based on print target data input from the outside of the MF machine 100. For example, when forming a color image, the printing unit 102 includes a plurality of color material image forming units that form color material images corresponding to each color and an intermediate transfer body. A color image can be formed by superimposing and transferring the color material images respectively formed by the color material image forming unit on the intermediate transfer body based on the input print target document. The present invention is not limited to this configuration.

  The scanner unit 104 has a conventionally well-known configuration and will not be described in detail. However, the scanner unit 104 includes an image reading unit such as a CCD line sensor, and reads an original image recorded on a recording medium such as paper or film into digital data. The digital data is converted and output from the printing unit 102, transmitted from the communication interface unit 140, or recorded in the target data recording unit 132. The digital data may be output to the PCs 200a and 200b via the communication interface 140.

  The control unit 106 controls the operation of the MF machine 100 according to a program stored in advance. In this program, information for controlling the overall operation of the MF machine 100 is described, and the control unit 106 controls each part of the MF machine 100 according to the information. The operation panel 142 displays an operation status of the MF machine 100, a mode selection screen, and the like, and accepts an operation from the user. The user can make various settings of the MF machine 100 such as setting various processing conditions such as the number of printers, insertion page conditions, and printing conditions via the operation panel 142. The operation performed by the user is transmitted from the operation panel 142 to the control unit 106.

  The communication interface 140 is connected to the PCs 200a and 200b and the tracking server 300 via the local area network, and is connected to the external PC 400 and the external MF machine 500 via the Internet 600, and passes print target data and various types of information. The user can also give an operation instruction to the MF machine 100 via the PCs 200a and 200b.

  The job processing unit 108 is controlled by the control unit 106 and executes an instructed job based on an instruction from the user input via the operation panel 142 or the communication interface 140. The job is, for example, a copy for copying the target data (document data, image data, etc.) read by the scanner unit 104 on paper, and a print for printing the target data input from the PCs 200a and 200b by the printing unit 102. Etc. There is also a job for transmitting target data used by the MF machine 100 to the outside of the MF machine 100. For example, scan mail transmission in which target data read by the scanner unit 104 is attached to a mail and transmitted, remote copy in which target data is transmitted to an external printer, and the like. The target data is read by the scanner unit 104 and transmitted directly, or is recorded once in the target data recording unit 132 and then transmitted. The transmission destinations are the PCs 200a and 200b and the external PC 400 for scan mail transmission, and the external MF machine 500 having a printer function or a printer (not shown) for remote copy.

  The tracking information generation unit 122 generates tracking information for a job executed by the job processing unit 108.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the tracking information. Hereinafter, tracking information will be described with reference to FIG. 1 will be described with the reference numerals in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the tracking information 120 records the execution date and time of job execution, the name of the user who executed the job, and further records the job name, job related information, and output data. Tracking information is generated for each job for jobs that require it.

  In the job name, the job name designated by the user and executed by the job processing unit 108 is recorded. As described above, the job executed by the job processing unit 108 includes copy, print, scan mail transmission, remote copy, and the like. Of course, other jobs may exist.

  In the job related information, various information related to job execution is recorded. For example, if the job involves mail transmission, the destination mail address is described. If the job involves paper output such as copying or printing, the number of output sheets is described. Information other than these may be recorded according to the job to be executed.

  The output data corresponds to the target data that is the target of the job. That is, the target data is attached to the tracking information. However, it is desirable to perform some data processing on the original target data to reduce the data amount. As an example of the data processing process, there is a process for creating a thumbnail image of target data such as a document or an image. Of course, other data processing may be executed to reduce the data amount. In order to reduce the amount of data, the entire tracking information 120 may be subjected to data compression processing.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the tracking information generated by the tracking information generation unit 122 is recorded in at least one of the tracking information recording unit 130 and the tracking server 300. The tracking information recording unit 130 may be composed of a removable hard disk, for example, and may be configured such that the device manager removes the hard disk from the MF machine and stores it in a safe storage outside the management time of the MF machine. Alternatively, when the hard disk is used in an MF machine, it is good to protect the hard disk from being stolen with a physical cover such as a cover lock. By referring to the tracking information recorded in the tracking information recording unit 130 or the tracking server 300, the device manager can know which user executed what job at what time. Tracking in which the user inputs the type of job that requires tracking (job type) to the control unit 106 via the operation panel 142, for example, and the control unit 106 specifies the input job type to the tracking information generation unit 122. A configuration that functions as a target setting unit and generates tracking information only when the tracking information generation unit 122 generates tracking information only when the job to be executed is a tracking target, that is, a job that matches the job type. Also good.

  The confidentiality processing unit 110 performs digital signature processing and encryption processing on the tracking information transferred to the tracking server 300. A public key encryption method is used for the electronic signature and the encryption process. That is, the confidentiality processing unit 110 performs electronic signature processing on the tracking information using the private key of the MF device 100 as electronic signature processing, and the tracking information subjected to the electronic signature processing is transmitted to the tracking server 300. The tracking server 300 that has acquired the tracking information uses the public key of the MF machine 100 to execute a digital signature verification process. As a result, after confirming that the tracking information is from the MF machine 100, the tracking information can be recorded in the tracking server 300. By applying an electronic signature to the tracking information, it can be confirmed that the tracking information has not been tampered with by an attacker.

  Also, the confidentiality processing unit 110 performs encryption processing on the tracking information using the public key of the device administrator or the tracking server 300 as the encryption processing, and sends the encrypted tracking information to the tracking server 300. Send. The tracking server 300 that has acquired the tracking information executes a tracking information decryption process using a secret key corresponding to the public key used for the encryption process. As a result, encrypted transfer of the tracking information transmitted to the tracking server 300 becomes possible. By encrypting the tracking information, it is possible to prevent an attacker from eavesdropping the tracking information on the network to eavesdrop on the contents of the target data.

  The target data recording unit 132 is a storage area in which document data, image data, and the like that are targets of a job are recorded. That is, data to be printed in the printing unit 102, data read by the scanner unit 104, and the like are recorded. The target data recording unit 132 may be provided with a confidential box as an area that can be used for each user. That is, for example, a confidential box of the user A who uses the PC 200a and a confidential box of the user B who uses the PC 200b are configured. Access to each Mailbox is restricted by a password or the like so that only the corresponding user can access. Of course, the confidential box may be set by a group of a plurality of users so that only users belonging to the group can access.

  The restriction information recording unit 134 is a storage area in which control data used for operation control of the MF machine 100 is recorded. The control data is, for example, network setting data used for network connection operation, image quality setting data for the print function, and the like. The control data is used for operation control by the control unit 106. This control data includes tracking presence / absence data. The tracking presence / absence data is data indicating whether or not each job executed by the job processing unit 108 is a target job for generating and recording tracking information. For example, jobs such as copying, printing, scan mail transmission, FAX transmission, and document retrieval from a confidential box are set as tracking targets, and jobs such as storing scan data and storing data in a confidential box are set as non-tracking targets. . Tracking presence / absence data is registered by the device manager.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining job execution processing by the MF machine 100 of FIG. Hereinafter, the job execution operation performed by the MF machine 100 will be described with reference to FIG.

  When receiving a job execution instruction from the user, the control unit 106 determines whether the received job is a tracking target job (S201). That is, the control unit 106 compares the tracking presence / absence data recorded in the control information recording unit 134 with the job specified by the user, and determines whether the specified job is a job for generating and recording tracking information. Confirm whether or not.

  If it is determined in S201 that the job is not a tracking target job, the control unit 106 controls the job processing unit 108 to execute the job instructed by the user (S207). If it is determined in S201 that the job is a tracking target job, the tracking information generation unit 122 creates a thumbnail of the job target data (S202). That is, the target data of the job is acquired from the target data recording unit 132, and the thumbnail is created from the acquired target data. Further, the tracking information generation unit 122 generates tracking information (see FIG. 2) including a thumbnail of the target data (S203).

  When the tracking information is generated, the confidentiality processing unit 110 executes electronic signature processing and encryption processing based on the public key encryption method on the tracking information (S204), and the control unit 106 is subjected to confidentiality processing. The tracking information is recorded in the tracking information recording unit 130 or the tracking server 300 (S205). In the case of a configuration for recording in the tracking information recording unit 130, the tracking server 300 may not exist. On the contrary, in the case of a configuration for recording in the tracking server 300, the tracking information recording unit 130 may not exist. Since the tracking information recording unit 130 exists inside the MF machine 100, the confidentialization process may be omitted for the tracking information recorded in the tracking information recording unit 130.

  And the control part 106 confirms whether the recording of tracking information was complete | finished normally (S206). In the case of a configuration in which recording is performed on the tracking information recording unit 130, the recording process is not normally performed when the tracking information recording unit 130 is removed or when there is no remaining capacity for storing tracking information. On the other hand, in the case of recording to the tracking server 300, it is possible to receive the tracking information recording completion notification from the tracking server 300 and determine whether or not the recording of the tracking information is completed depending on the presence or absence of the recording completion notification. Good.

  If it is determined in S206 that the recording of the tracking information has been completed normally, the control unit 106 controls the job processing unit 108 to execute the job instructed by the user (S207). On the other hand, if it is determined in S206 that the recording of the tracking information has not ended normally, the execution of the job instructed by the user is stopped (S208), and an error warning is given to the effect that the execution of the job is prohibited (S208). S209). The error warning is displayed, for example, on the operation panel 142 or the screen of the PC on which the user has instructed the job.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, since the designated job is executed after the tracking information recording process is performed, the tracking information can be recorded more reliably. For example, it is possible to prevent unauthorized use in which tracking information transfer is interrupted immediately after job execution. Further, even for jobs that do not involve mail transmission such as copying and printing, tracking information is recorded, so that management of the jobs becomes possible. Furthermore, the size of tracking information is reduced to the minimum necessary by data compression and thumbnailing of target data.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described, embodiment mentioned above is only a mere illustration in all the points, and does not limit the scope of the present invention. For example, as jobs executed by the MF machine, there are jobs such as confidential printing and confidential FAX reception. The confidential print is a job in which print target data is recorded from the PC in the confidential box of the MF machine, and the print target data recorded after the user arrives at the installation location of the MF machine is printed. The confidential FAX reception is a job for recording the received FAX target data in the confidential box, and outputting the recorded FAX target data after the user arrives at the installation location of the MF machine. In the case of confidential printing or confidential FAX reception, a configuration may be adopted in which tracking information is generated when target data is recorded in the confidential box and the tracking information is recorded when the target data is output. .

It is a figure which shows the structure of the network system containing the multifunction machine which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating tracking information. 5 is a flowchart for explaining job execution processing by the multifunction machine according to the present invention;

Explanation of symbols

  100 multifunction device, 106 control unit, 110 security processing unit, 122 tracking information generation unit, 130 tracking information recording unit, 300 tracking server.

Claims (8)

In an information processing apparatus that executes a specified job for target data,
An interface that accepts job specifications;
A tracking information generating unit that generates tracking information indicating the processing content of the specified job;
A control unit for performing the recording process of the tracking information and confirming whether the recording of the tracking information has been normally completed;
A job processing unit that performs the specified job after the tracking information is recorded;
I have a,
The job processing unit performs the specified job when it is determined that the recording of the tracking information has been normally completed, and when the recording of the tracking information is not normally ended, Prohibit execution of specified jobs,
An information processing apparatus characterized by that. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
When it is determined that the recording of the tracking information has not ended normally, the execution of the specified job is prohibited, and an error warning indicating that the execution of the job is prohibited is performed.
An information processing apparatus characterized by that. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
It has a tracking target setting section that sets the job type to be tracked,
The tracking information generating unit generates tracking information when the designated job is a tracking target;
An information processing apparatus characterized by that. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The tracking information includes at least one of the date and time corresponding to the job execution start time, the user name of the user who specified the job, and the job name of the specified job.
An information processing apparatus characterized by that. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The tracking information includes a thumbnail related to job target data.
An information processing apparatus characterized by that. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A tracking information recording unit for recording the tracking information;
An information processing apparatus further comprising: The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The tracking information is recorded in a tracking server connected to the information processing apparatus via a network.
An information processing apparatus characterized by that. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A confidentiality processing unit that applies at least one of an electronic signature process and an encryption process to the tracking information;
An information processing apparatus further comprising:

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