JP5186521B2 - Image forming system and user manager server device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system and a user manager server device.

  In recent years, directory services such as an active directory and an e directory have been introduced to manage users and devices in a network system. Some image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers, and multifunction machines have a network function, and currently users and groups (departments) can be managed using such a directory service. When performing user management with a directory service, user authentication of a user who has performed a login operation on an image forming apparatus is usually performed by a server apparatus of the directory service.

  On the other hand, in the image forming apparatus, an authorization process may be performed in which only a function permitted to the login user among various functions can be used. Normally, in the authorization process, for each user, authorization information that designates a function that is permitted to be used (or a function that is prohibited to be used) is preset in the image forming apparatus, and is used by the login user in accordance with the authorization information. Function to be limited. In addition, there is also a system that provides the login user authorization information to the image forming apparatus using an intermediate server device having authorization information for each user (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  An image forming apparatus having a facsimile transmission function, an e-mail transmission function (for example, ScanToEmail or BoxToEmail) stores address book data, and registers an address in the address book data by a user operation. Display the address book data, and select a destination of facsimile or electronic mail.

JP 2008-140067 A

  It is considered that the address book can be centrally managed by registering address book data in the above-described intermediate server device and transmitting the address book data of the login user from the intermediate server device to the image forming apparatus. In this case, the user can use his / her single address book in any image forming apparatus.

  However, because the number of addresses that can be registered in the address book differs depending on the model of the image forming apparatus, if you send an address book that contains more addresses to a model with a small number of addresses that can be registered, some address data will be It is discarded without being applied to the image forming apparatus. For this reason, although a part of addresses are registered in the address book on the intermediate server device, a situation occurs in which the user cannot select them.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and an image that makes it difficult for an image forming apparatus to select an address that the user wants to select despite being registered in the address book on the server. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a forming system and a user manager server device usable in the image forming system.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows.

  An image forming system according to the present invention provides an image forming apparatus connected to a network and authorization information for specifying the function that is connected to the network and is permitted to be used by a login user of the image forming apparatus. A user manager server device. The user manager server device stores, for each of a plurality of users, user address book data with priorities assigned to addresses. From the user address book data for the logged-in user, the number of addresses corresponding to the image forming device is stored. The transmission address book data is generated based on the priority, and the transmission address book data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus. When the image forming apparatus receives the transmission address book data from the user manager server apparatus and executes the transmission function, the image forming apparatus selects an address from the transmission address book data as a transmission destination.

  As a result, an address having a high priority can be used even in an image forming apparatus with a small number of addresses that can be registered in the address book. Therefore, image formation is performed even though the address that the user wants to select is registered in the address book on the server. It is difficult for a situation that the device cannot be selected.

  A user manager server apparatus according to the present invention includes a network interface connected to a network, a user authentication processing unit that authenticates a login user of an image forming apparatus connected to the network using the network interface, and user authentication. An authorization processing unit that transmits authorization information about a successful login user to the image forming apparatus using a network interface, and user address book data in which priority is given to an address for each of a plurality of users is stored. From the storage device and user address book data for the logged-in user, transmission address book data including the number of addresses corresponding to the image forming device is generated based on the priority, and the transmission address book data is transmitted to the image forming device. An address book transmitter.

  As a result, an address having a high priority can be used even in an image forming apparatus with a small number of addresses that can be registered in the address book. Therefore, image formation is performed even though the address that the user wants to select is registered in the address book on the server. It is difficult for a situation that the device cannot be selected.

  In addition to the above user manager server device, the user manager server device according to the present invention may be as follows. In this case, the address book transmission unit identifies the number of addresses in the address book data for transmission from the model information of the image forming apparatus, extracts the addresses with the number of addresses with high priority from the user address book data for the logged-in user, and sends them. Generate credit address book data.

  The user manager server device according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the user manager server devices described above. In this case, the address book transmission unit uses the number of registerable addresses in the image forming apparatus notified from the image forming apparatus as the number of addresses in the address book data for transmission, and sets the addresses with the highest priority for the login user. The address book data for transmission is generated by extracting from the user address book data.

  The user manager server device according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the user manager server devices described above. In this case, the user manager server device includes a priority setting unit that sets priorities in the user address book data so that the priority of addresses with a large number of transmissions becomes high based on the user transmission history.

  Thereby, the priority is automatically set to the address in the user address book data of each user.

  According to the present invention, it is difficult for the user to select an address that the user wants to select in the image forming apparatus even though the address is registered in the address book on the server.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the multifunction machine in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the user manager server apparatus in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the authorization policy data in FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the directory server device in FIG. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of each device when a user logs in to the multifunction machine in the system shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the system shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of multifunction peripherals 1 </ b> A and 1 </ b> B and a printer 1 </ b> C are connected to a network 2, and a user manager server device 3 and a directory server device 4 are connected to the network 2.

  The multifunction machine 1A has a printer function, a scanner function, a copy function, a facsimile function, a scan-to-email function, a box-to-email function, etc., and is connected to the operation panel on the multifunction machine 1A and the network 2. The image forming apparatus executes various jobs with the above-described functions in accordance with commands from a host device or the like. The multifunction device 1A also has an address book function that can register an address and select a registered address as a transmission destination. The multifunction machine 1B is a similar device. However, the number of addresses that can be registered in the address book differs between the multifunction device 1A and the multifunction device 1B. The printer 1C is also an image forming apparatus like the multifunction machines 1A and 1B, but does not have a scanner function, a copy function, and a facsimile function. In the following, the case where the multifunction peripherals 1A and 1B function as image forming apparatuses will be mainly described. However, the printer 1C can also function as an image forming apparatus.

  The user manager server device 3 is a server device that accepts user authentication requests from the multifunction peripherals 1A and 1B and provides authorization information for users logged in to the multifunction peripherals 1A and 1B. The directory server device 4 is a server device that provides directory services such as an active directory and an e directory.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the multifunction machine 1A in FIG. The multifunction machine 1B has a similar configuration. The multi-function device 1A includes an operation panel 21, a modem 22, a network interface 23, a printer 24, a scanner 25, and a control device 26.

  The operation panel 21 is installed in the housing of the multifunction machine 1A, and includes a display device 21a that displays various types of information to the user and an input device 21b that receives user operations. The display device 21a is, for example, a liquid crystal display or various indicators. The input device 21b is, for example, a touch panel or a key switch.

  The modem 22 can be connected to a subscriber telephone network such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and is a communication device that transmits and receives facsimile data.

  The network interface 23 can be connected to a wired or wireless computer network 2 and performs data communication with other devices (server device 3, host device not shown) connected to the network 2. Device.

  The printer 24 is an internal device that prints on a sheet according to a print request and discharges the printed matter. In the case of the electrophotographic method, after charging the photosensitive drum, the printer 24 emits a light source based on the print data to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum, and this electrostatic latent image is Development is performed with toner, the toner image is transferred and fixed on a sheet, and the sheet is discharged as a printed matter.

  The scanner 25 irradiates light on one or both sides of a document fed by an automatic document feeder or a document placed by a user and receives reflected light or the like to read an image of the document. It is an internal device that outputs as image data.

  The control device 26 is a device that controls each unit in the multifunction peripheral 1A and performs data processing. The control device 26 is configured as a computer having, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. In the control device 26, the CPU implements various processing units by loading a program stored in the ROM or other storage device (flash memory or the like) into the RAM and executing it. In the control device 26, a FAX communication unit 31, a network communication unit 32, a control unit 33, and a determination unit 34 are realized.

  The FAX communication unit 31 is a processing unit that controls the modem 22 and transmits / receives facsimile data. When receiving the facsimile data, the FAX communication unit 31 supplies a print request to the determination unit 34.

  The network communication unit 32 is a processing unit that controls the network interface 23 and performs data communication with devices on the network 2 using various communication protocols. For example, the network communication unit 32 transmits the user name (user ID) and password input to the operation panel 21 at the time of user login to the user manager server device 3 and receives the login user authorization information from the user manager server device 3. . For example, the network communication unit 32 receives a print request (such as PDL (Page Description Language) data) from the host computer, and supplies the print request to the control unit 33. In addition, the network communication unit 32 executes an e-mail transmission function such as a scan-to-email function, a box-to-email function, and the like, such as an image obtained by the scan function and an image in a document box. An electronic mail including an image data file is transmitted by a protocol such as SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).

  The control unit 33 receives a job request by a user operation on the operation panel 21 or a job request received from the host device by the network interface 23 and the network communication unit 32, and controls each unit in the multifunction peripheral 1A to control the job. A processing unit that executes a job corresponding to a request. The job request includes a print request, a scan request, a facsimile transmission request, a scan-to-email request, a box-to-email request, and the like. In addition, when there is a login operation, the control unit 33 uses the network communication unit 32 to request user authentication, authorization information, and the like from the user manager server device 3. In addition, the control unit 33 displays the address book on the operation panel 21 based on a predetermined number of address book data that can be registered, and selects an address in the address book as a facsimile or e-mail transmission destination according to a user operation. As the address book data, the local address book data built in the multifunction peripheral 1A or the user address book data of the logged-in user supplied from the user manager server device 3 is used. When the user address book data of the login user does not exist, the local address book data is used. The control unit 33 displays the address book with the same GUI (Graphical User Interface) regardless of which address book data is displayed. This GUI is designed according to the local address book data, and the upper limit value of the number of addresses displayed in the address book (that is, usable by the user) is different for each model. Usually, the upper limit of the number of addresses of the upper model is equal to or greater than the upper limit of the number of addresses of the lower model.

  Based on the authorization information about the login user received from the user manager server device 3 by the network interface 23 and the network communication unit 32, the determination unit 34 uses the login user among the functions of the MFP 1A. It is a processing unit that specifies a function to be prohibited (or a function to be permitted) and stores data indicating whether or not to permit use of each function on, for example, a RAM. The control unit 33 refers to the data and restricts the use of the MFP 1A by the login user. For example, when the use of the color copy function is restricted for the logged-in user, a copy function menu is displayed on the operation panel 21 so that the color copy cannot be selected (for example, selecting a color from monochrome / color). Button is grayed out).

  In this way, the multifunction peripherals 1A and 1B are configured.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the user manager server device 3 in FIG. The user manager server device 3 includes a storage device 41, a network interface 42, and an arithmetic processing device 43.

  The storage device 41 is a device that stores programs and data. As the storage device 41, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive, or the like is used. The storage device 41 stores authorization policy data 51, local user data 52, local group data 53, user address book data 54, and a user address book table 55.

  The authorization policy data 51 is data including authorization information used for specifying a function that is permitted to be used by the login user of the multifunction peripheral 1A, 1B. The authorization policy data 51 can include authorization information for users and authorization information for groups. Authorization information for a user is authorization information applied to the user, and authorization information for a group is authorization information applied to users belonging to the group. The authorization policy data 51 includes authorization information for a domain user registered in the directory server device 4 and authorization information for a local user registered in the user manager server device 3 as authorization information for the user. And can be included. The authorization policy data 51 includes authorization information for a domain group registered in the directory server device 4 and authorization information for a local group registered in the user manager server device 3 as authorization information for the group. And can be included. The authorization information for a user includes a user ID and information on a function that is permitted (or prohibited) for the user (for example, a function ID). The authorization information for a group includes a group ID and information on a function that is permitted (or prohibited) for a user belonging to the group (for example, a function ID). For example, functions permitted (or prohibited) to be used include large items such as printing, scanning, copying, and facsimile transmission, and small items (for example, a color / monochrome selection function) associated with each large item.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the authorization policy data 51 in FIG.

  In the authorization policy data 51 shown in FIG. 4, the domain group A includes domain users A, B, C, and D, and the local group A includes local users A and B and domain users B and D. An authorization policy # 1 (policy data including authorization information) is set for the domain group A, an authorization policy # 2 is set for the domain user A belonging to the domain group A, and an authorization policy # for the local group A 3 is set, the authorization policy # 4 is set for the local user A belonging to the local group A, the authorization policy # 5 is set for the domain user B belonging to the domain group A, and the authorization for the domain user E is set. Policy # 6 is set, and authorization policy # 7 is set for local user C.

  The local user data 52 is data including registration information (user ID and password) of the local user. The local user is a user registered in the user manager device 3 separately from the domain user registered in the directory server device 4.

  The local group data 53 is data including registration information (group ID and user ID of a user belonging to the group) of the local group. The local group is a group registered in the user manager device 3 separately from the domain user registered in the directory server device 4. Local groups can include local users and domain users. That is, a local group consisting only of local users, a local group consisting only of domain users, and a local group consisting of local users and domain users can be set.

  The user address book data 54 is data that is provided for each of domain users and local users and includes one or more addresses. One address indicates a destination name, a destination (facsimile number) of a facsimile transmission function, and / or a destination (e-mail address) such as a scan-to-email function or a box-to-email function. Further, the user address book data 54 has priority information for each address. The priority information is set by the user or automatically set based on the transmission history of the user. The priority information has, for example, any value from 1 to 100, and the higher the value, the higher the priority. For example, a higher priority is set for an address having a higher selection frequency by the user.

  The user address book table 55 is a table that associates a user ID of a certain user with the user address book data 54 of the user.

  The network interface 42 can be connected to a wired or wireless computer network 2 and performs data communication with other devices (such as the multifunction devices 1A and 1B and the server device 4) connected to the network 2. Device.

  The arithmetic processing unit 43 is configured as a computer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and loads various programs stored in the ROM or the storage device 41 into the RAM and executes them by the CPU, thereby realizing various processing units. . In the arithmetic processing device 43, a network communication unit 61, a user authentication processing unit 62, an authorization processing unit 63, an address book transmission unit 64, and an address registration unit 65 are realized.

  The network communication unit 61 is a processing unit that controls the network interface 42 and performs data communication with devices on the network 2 using various communication protocols. For example, the network communication unit 61 receives a user name (user ID) and a password from the multifunction device 1A, and transmits authorization information about the user to the multifunction device 1A. For example, the network communication unit 61 transmits a user authentication request to the directory server device 4 and receives the authentication result and user information from the directory server device 4.

  The user authentication processing unit 62 is a processing unit that performs authentication of the login user of the multifunction peripheral 1 </ b> A or 1 </ b> B with the directory server device 4 using the local user data 52 or the network interface 42.

  The authorization processing unit 63 is a processing unit that transmits authorization information about the login user of the multifunction device 1A (or multifunction device 1B) that has been successfully authenticated to the multifunction device 1A (or multifunction device 1B). In this embodiment, when the login user of the multifunction device 1A (or multifunction device 1B) who has succeeded in user authentication belongs to the local group, the authorization processing unit 63 obtains authorization information for the local group from the authorization policy data 51. If the logged-in user that has been extracted and transmitted to the MFP 1A (or MFP 1B) using the network interface 42 as authorization information for the logged-in user and succeeded in user authentication does not belong to the local group, the logged-in user The authorization information for the domain group to which the user belongs or the user (domain user or local user) is extracted from the authorization policy data 51, and the network interface 42 is used as the authorization information for the login user. 1B To send to.

  For example, in the case of the authorization policy data 51 shown in FIG. 4, when the domain user A logs in to the multifunction device 1A, the authorization policy # 2 and the authorization policy # 1 are transmitted to the multifunction device 1A. When there are conflicting authorization settings in the user and group authorization policies (here, authorization policy # 2 and authorization policy # 1), the setting of a predetermined authorization policy of the group or user is applied. In this case, when the domain user B logs in to the multifunction device 1A, the authorization policy # 5, the authorization policy # 3, and the authorization policy # 1 are transmitted to the multifunction device 1A. If there are conflicting authorization settings in the domain group and local group authorization policies (here, authorization policy # 1 and authorization policy # 3), the setting of the predetermined authorization policy of the domain group or local user is applied. Is done. In this case, when the domain user C logs in to the multifunction device 1A, the authorization policy # 1 is transmitted to the multifunction device 1A. In this case, when the domain user D logs in to the multifunction device 1A, the authorization policy # 1 and the authorization policy # 3 are transmitted to the multifunction device 1A. In this case, when the domain user E logs in to the multifunction device 1A, the authorization policy # 6 is transmitted to the multifunction device 1A. In this case, when the local user A logs in to the multifunction device 1A, the authorization policy # 4 and the authorization policy # 3 are transmitted to the multifunction device 1A. In this case, when the local user B logs in to the multifunction device 1A, the authorization policy # 3 is transmitted to the multifunction device 1A. In this case, when the local user C logs in to the multifunction device 1A, the authorization policy # 7 is transmitted to the multifunction device 1A.

  When there are a plurality of authorization policies to be applied to a certain login user, the authorization processing unit 63 generates a single authorization policy by combining the authorization policies in the server device 3 and transmits the generated authorization policy. You may make it do. In that case, any setting policy selected according to a predetermined rule is applied to setting items that compete with each other in a plurality of approval policies.

  The address book transmission unit 64 identifies user address book data 54 for the logged-in user, and from the user address book data 54, an image forming apparatus (here, the multifunction machine 1A or the multifunction machine 1B) to which the logged-in user has logged in. Is a processing unit that generates address book data for transmission including the number of addresses corresponding to, based on the priority, and transmits it to the image forming apparatus using the network communication unit 61.

  The address book transmission unit 64 specifies, for example, the number of addresses in the address book data for transmission from the model information of the image forming apparatus. The model information is received from the image forming apparatus together with the user ID and password at the time of user authentication request, for example. Alternatively, for example, the address book transmission unit 64 is notified of the number of registerable items in the address book of the image forming apparatus from the image forming apparatus, and sets the number of registerable items as the number of addresses in the address book data for transmission. Information on the number of cases that can be registered is received from the image forming apparatus together with the user ID and password at the time of user authentication request, for example.

  The priority setting unit 65 is a processing unit that sets a priority in the user address book data of the user in accordance with a user operation in the multifunction device 1A or the multifunction device 1B or based on a user's transmission history. In addition, when setting a priority based on a user's transmission history, the priority setting part 65 sets a priority so that the priority of an address with many frequency | counts of transmission may become high. In this case, an initial priority value is set in advance, and the priority value is updated according to the number of transmissions in the transmission history. In the transmission history, job logs (logs including user IDs, transmission destination information, etc.) transmitted from the multifunction devices 1A and 1B each time a transmission job such as facsimile transmission or e-mail transmission is executed are stored in the storage device 41. Is generated.

  Thus, the user manager server device 3 is configured.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the directory server device 4 in FIG. The directory server device 4 includes a storage device 71, a network interface 72, and an arithmetic processing device 73.

  The storage device 71 is a device that stores programs and data. As the storage device 71, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive, or the like is used. A directory service database 91 is constructed in the storage device 71, and the database 91 includes user data 91a and group data 91b. The user data 91a includes a user ID, a password, and user information (a telephone number, a facsimile number, an e-mail address, and other attribute information to be contacted). The group data 91b includes a group ID, a user ID list of users belonging to the group, and group information (contact information, responsible person, and other attribute information).

  The network interface 72 is a device that can be connected to a wired or wireless computer network 2 and performs data communication with other devices (such as the server device 3) connected to the network 2.

  The arithmetic processing unit 73 is configured as a computer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and implements various processing units by loading a program stored in the ROM or the storage device 71 into the RAM and executing the program by the CPU. In this arithmetic processing unit 73, a network communication unit 81 and a directory service processing unit 82 are realized.

  The network communication unit 81 is a processing unit that controls the network interface 72 and performs data communication with devices on the network 2 using various communication protocols. For example, the network communication unit 81 receives a user authentication request and transmits the authentication result and user information.

  The directory service processing unit 82 is a processing unit that manages domain users and domain groups. The directory service processing unit 82 performs registration and deletion of domain users and domain groups, user authentication, provision of user information of domain users and group information of domain groups, and the like. For user authentication, LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) authentication, Kerberos authentication, or the like is used. When the directory service is an active directory, the directory service processing unit 82 operates as a domain controller.

  Thus, the directory server device 4 is configured.

  Next, the operation of each device when the user logs in to the multifunction device 1A in the above system will be described. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of each device when a user logs in to the multifunction peripheral 1A in the system shown in FIG. Each device operates in the same manner when a user logs in to the multifunction machine 1B.

  When the operation panel 21 of the multifunction device 1A detects a user name (user ID) and password input operation by the user (step S1), the control unit 33 displays the user name and password together with the model information of the multifunction device 1A on the network. It transmits to the user manager server apparatus 3 using the communication part 32 and the network interface 23 (step S2).

  In the user manager server device 3, the user authentication processing unit 62 receives the user name, password, and model information using the network communication unit 61 and the network interface 42, and sends the user name, password, and authentication request to a predetermined number. Is transmitted to the directory server device 4 using a protocol (such as LDAP) (step S3).

  In the directory server device 4, the directory service processing unit 82 uses the network communication unit 81 and the network interface 72 to receive the user name, password, and authentication request using a predetermined protocol, and refers to the directory database 91. It is determined whether or not the user name and password are those of a valid user (step S4).

  Then, the directory service processing unit 82 uses the network communication unit 81 and the network interface 72 to display the determination result (that is, the authentication result) and the user information of the user when the authentication is successful. As a response, it transmits to the user manager server apparatus 3 (step S5).

  In the user manager server device 3, the user authentication processing unit 62 receives the authentication result as a response to the authentication request using the network communication unit 61 and the network interface 42. If the user authentication is successful, the authorization processing unit 63 refers to the authorization policy data 51, identifies the authorization information of the user (that is, the authorization policy applied to the user) (step S6), Using the network communication unit 61 and the network interface 42, a response indicating successful authentication is transmitted to the multi function device 1A together with the authorization information (step S7).

  If the user authentication is successful, the address book transmission unit 64 refers to the user address book table 55 and specifies the user address book data 54 associated with the user ID of the user (step S7). Further, the number of registerable items in the address book of the MFP 1A is specified from the received model information (step S8). If the number of addresses in the user address book data 54 is larger than the number of registerable items, the user Out of the addresses in the address book data 54, the same number of addresses as those that can be registered are extracted from the higher priority to generate transmission address book data (step S9). Otherwise, the user address book data 54 is used as transmission address book data as it is. Then, the address book transmission unit 64 transmits the address book data for transmission to the multi function device 1A using the network communication unit 61 and the network interface 42 (step S11).

  In the MFP 1A, the control unit 33 receives the authorization information and the transmission address book data using the network communication unit 32 and the network interface 23, and provides the authorization information to the determination unit 34 (step S11). . Based on the authorization information, the determination unit 34 sets, on the RAM, data indicating whether or not the use of the user is permitted for each of the predetermined functions of the multifunction peripheral 1A. The control unit 33 holds the transmission address book data on the RAM, and sets the transmission address book data in the login user's address book until the logged-in user logs out (step S12). That is, the transmission address book data of the login user is used instead of the local address book data of the multifunction peripheral 1A. The control unit 33 displays the address book using the GUI of the local address book data based on the transmission address book data.

  Thereafter, the user is permitted to use the multifunction device 1A in a state where the function is restricted according to the authorization information (step S13). In the MFP 1A, the control unit 33 refers to the above-described data set by the determination unit 34 and accepts and executes only jobs that use functions permitted for the user.

  When a predetermined user operation is performed on the operation panel 21, the control unit 33 reads the transmission address book data held in the RAM and causes the operation panel 21 to display an address book based on the transmission address book data. . In the case of a transmission job such as facsimile transmission or e-mail transmission, a transmission destination is selected from the address book by a user operation on the operation panel 21. When the transmission job is executed, the control unit 33 generates a job log indicating the transmission destination of the transmission job and transmits the job log to the user manager server device 3. In the user manager server device 3, when the job log is received, it is added to a transmission history (not shown) in the storage device 41. The priority setting unit 65 periodically updates the priority in each user address book data 54 based on this transmission history.

  Further, when an address book based on the address book data for transmission is displayed on the operation panel 21, if there is an operation for setting or changing the priority for a certain address (for example, an operation for inputting a priority value), The control unit 33 transmits a priority setting request indicating the user ID, the address, and the priority value of the user to the user manager server device 3. In the user manager server device 3, the priority setting unit 65 receives the priority setting request, and specifies the priority information value of the specified address in the user address book data 54 of the specified user ID. Update with the specified value. The priority setting unit 65 determines whether or not there is a change in the transmission address book data due to this update, and if there is a change in the transmission address book data, the address book transmission unit 64 sends The trusted address book data may be regenerated and transmitted to the multifunction machine 1A. In this case, the multifunction peripheral 1A receives the regenerated transmission address book data, and updates the transmission address book data on the RAM with the regenerated transmission address book data.

  When user authentication fails, only a response indicating authentication failure is transmitted from the user manager server apparatus 3 to the multifunction device 1A. When the multifunction device 1A receives a response indicating authentication failure, the message indicating authentication failure is transmitted. Is displayed on the operation panel 21 and the use of the multifunction device 1A by the user is prohibited.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the user manager server device 3 stores the user address book data in which the priority is given to the address for each of the plurality of users, and the user for the login user. From the address book data 54, address book data for transmission including the number of addresses corresponding to the image forming apparatus (multifunction machine 1A or multifunction machine 1B) is generated based on the priority, and the address book data for transmission is generated for the image forming apparatus. Send to. The multifunction peripherals 1A and 1B receive the address book data for transmission from the user manager server device 3, and select an address from the address book data for transmission as a destination when executing the transmission function. For example, the number of addresses that can be registered in the local address book data of the multifunction device 1A is 100, the number of addresses that can be registered in the local address book data of the multifunction device 1B is 1000, and the address of the user address book data 54 of a certain user. When the number of records is 1000, when the user logs in to the MFP 1A, the address book data for transmission including the top 100 addresses with high priority among the 1000 records is generated by the server device 3, and the composite Supplied to the machine 1A.

  As a result, an address having a high priority can be used even in an image forming apparatus with a small number of addresses that can be registered in the address book. Therefore, image formation is performed even though the address that the user wants to select is registered in the address book on the server. It is difficult for a situation that the device cannot be selected.

Embodiment 2. FIG.

  In the image forming system according to the second embodiment, an ID card (in this case, an IC card) assigned to the user is used instead of the user inputting the user name into the multifunction peripheral 1A at the time of login.

  In the second embodiment, an IC card reader is connected to the multifunction device 1A, and when an ID card is brought close to the IC card reader, the control unit 33 uses the IC card reader to change the ID card from the ID card to the ID card. The ID is read and transmitted to the user manager server apparatus 3 together with the password entered in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

  In Embodiment 2, the storage device 41 of the user manager server device 3 stores in advance conversion data for associating the card ID of the ID card with the user ID of the user assigned the ID card, and the user authentication processing unit 62 receives the card ID and password, refers to the conversion data, identifies the user ID corresponding to the card ID, and performs user authentication in the directory server device 4 based on the identified user ID and the received password. .

  Note that the other configurations and operations of the devices in the system according to the second embodiment are the same as those in the second embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  Here, an IC card is used as the ID card, but a card (magnetic card or the like) having a recording medium of another method may be used. In that case, a reader capable of reading the card ID from the card of the system is used instead of the IC card reader. Furthermore, instead of the ID card, biometric information such as a fingerprint may be used. In that case, a reader capable of acquiring the biological information from the user is used instead of the IC card reader, and a feature amount obtained from the biological information is used as the ID.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the storage device 41 of the user manager server device 3 includes the conversion data including the correspondence between the card ID of the ID card and the user ID of the user to whom the ID card is assigned. The user authentication processing unit 62 receives the card ID and password of the ID card from the multifunction peripherals 1A and 1B, specifies the user ID of the login user from the received card ID according to the conversion data, and User authentication is performed using the user ID.

  Thereby, since the card ID of the ID card is managed in the user manager server device 3, it is not necessary to manage the card ID in the directory service, and the login system using the ID card in the system where the directory service is already operating. Can be easily added.

  Each embodiment described above is a preferred example of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is.

  For example, in each of the above embodiments, local users and domain users are mixed and included in the local group, but there may be a local group including only local users or a local group including only domain users.

  In each of the above embodiments, the user manager server device 3 is connected to another network different from the network 2 without being connected to the network 2, and is connected to the directory server device 4 in the other network and the network 2. The user manager server device 3 and the directory server device 4 may perform data communication via another network.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the multifunction peripherals 1A and 1B are used as the image forming apparatus, but a printer, a copier, or the like may be used instead. Further, in each of the above embodiments, the system has three image forming apparatuses, but it is also possible to use one, two, or four or more image forming apparatuses.

  In each of the above embodiments, the authorization information may include an access authority level to the multifunction device. For example, either an administrator or a general user is set as the access authority level. In the case of an administrator, functions that cannot be used by general users, such as maintenance, can be used.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, registration of addresses from the multifunction peripherals 1A and 1B to the user address book data 54 is possible as follows, for example. The control unit 33 of the MFP 1A or 1B displays an input screen for an address (a destination name, a facsimile number, an e-mail address, etc.) on the operation panel 21, and displays the address input on the input screen as a login user. Are transmitted to the user manager server device 3 together with the user ID and the registration request. When receiving the registration request, the user manager server device 3 adds the address to the user address book data 54 specified by the user ID.

  The present invention can be applied to, for example, a network system having a plurality of image forming apparatuses.

1A, 1B MFP (an example of an image forming apparatus)
1C printer (an example of an image forming apparatus)
2 Network 3 User Manager Server Device 4 Directory Server Device 41 Storage Device 42 Network Interface 54 User Address Book Data 62 User Authentication Processing Unit 63 Authorization Processing Unit 64 Address Book Transmission Unit 65 Priority Setting Unit

Claims (5)

An image forming apparatus connected to the network;
A user manager server device that is connected to the network and provides authorization information for identifying the functions permitted to be used by a login user of the image forming device to the image forming device;
The user manager server device stores user address book data with priorities assigned to addresses for each of a plurality of users, and corresponds to the image forming device from the user address book data for the login user. Generating address book data for transmission including the number of addresses based on the priority, transmitting the address book data for transmission to the image forming apparatus,
The image forming apparatus receives the transmission address book data from the user manager server apparatus and selects an address from the transmission address book data as a transmission destination when executing a transmission function;
An image forming system. In the user manager server device that provides the image forming apparatus with authorization information that identifies the functions permitted to be used by the login user,
A network interface connected to the network;
A user authentication processing unit for authenticating a login user of an image forming apparatus connected to the network using the network interface;
An authorization processing unit that sends authorization information about the logged-in user that has succeeded in user authentication to the image forming apparatus using the network interface;
A storage device for storing user address book data with priorities assigned to addresses for each of a plurality of users;
Based on the priority, transmission address book data including the number of addresses corresponding to the image forming apparatus is generated from the user address book data for the login user, and the transmission address book data is generated as the image forming apparatus. An address book sending unit to send to
A user manager server device comprising:   The address book transmission unit identifies the address number of the address book data for transmission from the model information of the image forming apparatus, and determines the address of the address number having the high priority from the user address book data for the login user. 3. The user manager server apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transmission address book data is generated by extraction.   The address book transmission unit sets the number of registrants in the address book of the image forming apparatus notified from the image forming apparatus as the number of addresses in the transmission address book data, and sets the addresses of the address number having the high priority as the addresses. 3. The user manager server apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transmission address book data is generated by extracting from the user address book data for a login user.   3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a priority setting unit configured to set the priority in the user address book data so that the priority of an address having a large number of transmissions is increased based on a user transmission history. User manager server device.

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