JP6501124B2 - Image forming system and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system and an image forming apparatus.

  In one system, a remote control device functions as an operation unit of a digital copying machine, and a user can use the digital copying machine by using the remote control device (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-363969

  When the user uses the portable terminal device as a user interface of an image forming apparatus such as a multi-functional peripheral, the user directly contacts the image forming apparatus for printing (that is, printing of a character image, a photo image, etc. based on document data). Since execution is possible without any operation, even if a plurality of users operate the mobile terminal device to send a print command to the image forming apparatus in parallel, printing is performed in order, in particular. There is no problem.

  On the other hand, for copying and image scanning, it is difficult for a plurality of users to simultaneously use the image forming apparatus because the user needs to directly operate the image reading apparatus. Therefore, when a plurality of users operate the mobile terminal device and transmit copy or image scan commands to the image forming apparatus, one user executes the copy or image scan using the image forming apparatus. Although it is possible, other users can not execute copying or image scanning using the image forming apparatus despite the fact that they are operating the portable terminal device.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in the case where a portable terminal device is used as a user interface of each user, an image can be displayed on only one portable terminal device (that is, one user). It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming system and an image forming apparatus that appropriately authorizes use of a reading device.

An image forming system according to the present invention includes a portable terminal device, and an image forming device that communicates with the portable terminal device and uses the portable terminal device as a user interface. The image forming apparatus includes an image reading apparatus for reading an image of a placed document, a network communication apparatus, a short distance communication apparatus, and (a) the network communication apparatus, the image forming apparatus and the portable terminal apparatus When connected, the first level authority that can not use the image reading device is given to the portable terminal device, and (b) when the portable terminal device is detected by the short distance communication device, (b1) If there is no portable terminal device to which the image reading apparatus can be used and to which the second level authority is granted, the second level authority is granted to the portable terminal device to which the first level authority is granted , b2) If there is a portable terminal device to which the second level authority is given, the first level authority is not given to the portable terminal device to which the first level authority is granted. The mobile terminal apparatus to which the second level authority has been granted is notified to the mobile terminal apparatus to which the second level authority has already been given, and to the mobile terminal apparatus to which the first level authority is granted, the second An authority management unit for displaying that a mobile terminal device to which level authority has been granted already exists , and (a) the first level authority is granted when the first level authority is granted by the authority management unit Sending an authorization notification indicating that the image reading has been performed to the portable terminal device to display an operation screen on which the image reading device can not be used on the portable terminal device, and (b) the second level authority by the authority management unit When the user is granted, an authorization notification indicating that the second level authorization has been granted is transmitted to the portable terminal device, and an operation screen capable of using the image reading device is displayed on the portable terminal device. (C) When a command based on an operation on the first operation screen or the second operation screen is received, a process corresponding to the received command is the authority given to the portable terminal device that has transmitted the command. And a controller that executes processing corresponding to the command if it is permitted based on the command.

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus that communicates with a portable terminal device and uses the portable terminal device as a user interface, and an image reading device that reads an image of a placed document, a network communication device, When the image forming apparatus and the portable terminal device are connected by the short distance communication device and the network communication device, the portable terminal device is provided with the first level authority which can not use the image reading device. (B) when the portable terminal device is detected by the short distance communication device, (b1) there must be a portable terminal device to which the second level authority capable of using the image reading device is given. For example, there is a mobile terminal device to which the second level right is granted to the mobile terminal device to which the first level right is granted, and (b2) the second level right is granted In this case, the second level right is granted to the mobile terminal apparatus to which the first level right is granted without giving the second level right to the mobile terminal device to which the first level right is granted. To notify that a mobile terminal device already exists, and to indicate that a mobile terminal device given the second level authority already exists on the mobile terminal device given the first level authority a rights management unit which causes, by sending (a) when the first level authorization is granted by the authority managing unit, the authorization notification indicating that the first level privilege was granted to the mobile terminal device And displaying the first operation screen on which the image reading apparatus can not be used on the portable terminal device, and (b) the second level authority is given when the second level authority is granted by the authority management unit. Was it Transmitting a notification of authorization to the portable terminal device to cause the portable terminal device to display a second operation screen capable of using the image reading device, and (c) for the first operation screen or the second operation screen When a command based on an operation is received, if the process corresponding to the received command is permitted based on the authority given to the portable terminal device that has transmitted the command, the process corresponding to the command is executed And a controller.

  According to the present invention, when the portable terminal device is used as a user interface of each user, the authority to use the image reading device to only one portable terminal device (that is, one user) is appropriately set. An image forming system and an image forming apparatus to be applied are obtained.

  The above or other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the 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 image forming apparatus 1 in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the near field communication device 32 and the processor 33 of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of each device in the system shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a first operation screen displayed on the mobile terminal device 3 in FIG. FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a second operation screen displayed on the mobile terminal device 3 in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the system shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 is connected to the network 2, and the portable terminal device 3 can be connected to the network 2. The portable terminal device 3 is carried by each user, and when there are a plurality of users, there are a plurality of portable terminal devices 3.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus such as a facsimile machine or a multifunction machine, and uses the portable terminal apparatus 3 as a user interface. The image forming apparatus 1 does not include an operation panel as a user interface, and uses the portable terminal device 3 as a user interface.

  The user moves toward the image forming apparatus 1 because it is necessary to set a document in the image forming apparatus 1 when copying or image scanning is to be performed. At this time, since the portable terminal device 3 is carried by the user, the portable terminal device 3 also moves toward the image forming apparatus 1 together with the user.

  The portable terminal device 3 is a device such as a smartphone or a tablet personal computer, and has a network communication function connectable to the network 2, a short distance wireless communication function such as Bluetooth (trademark), a user interface function of the image forming apparatus 1, etc. Equipped with

  The portable terminal device 3 includes a display device, an input device, and a driver for controlling the display device and the input device and performing communication with the image forming device 1. The display device, the input device, and the driver use the image forming device 1. Realize the user interface function of.

  The user interface functions include displaying an operation screen, accepting a user operation, and transmitting a command based on the user operation. As the command, an execution command for executing processing such as printing and scanning, a setting command for setting processing, and the like are used.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 in FIG.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes a network communication device 31, a near field communication device 32, a processor 33, a printing device 34, an image reading device 35, a facsimile device 36, and the like.

  The network communication device 31 is a network interface or the like, and is a device that performs data communication with the portable terminal device 3 via the network 2.

  The short distance communication device 32 is a device that detects the mobile terminal device 3 present in the range of a predetermined distance and wirelessly communicates with the detected mobile terminal device 3. As the short distance communication device 32, for example, a Bluetooth (trademark) communication device is used.

  The processor 33 is, for example, a computer having a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), and a random access memory (RAM), and the program stored in the ROM or a storage device (not shown) is stored in the RAM. By loading and executing on the CPU, it operates as various processing units.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the near field communication device 32 and the processor 33 of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the processor 33 (such as the CPU 33a) is disposed on the main substrate 101, and the short distance communication device 32 is disposed on another NFC substrate 102 as one IC (Integrated Circuit) chip. . Connectors 112 and 121 are provided on the main substrate 101 and the NFC substrate 102, respectively. Then, the CPU 33a and the short distance communication device 32 are connected by an I2C interface using the real time clock circuit 111, and the signal SIG is transmitted and received in synchronization with the clock CLK generated by the real time clock circuit 111.

  The printing device 34 prints an image or the like based on document data received from the mobile terminal device 3 or the like. The image reading device 35 optically reads a document image from a document placed on a platen glass or the like, and generates image data of the document image. The facsimile machine 36 generates and transmits a facsimile signal such as an image based on document data received from the portable terminal 3 or the like, and receives a facsimile signal from the outside and generates an image from the facsimile signal.

  Then, the processor 33 operates as the controller 41 and the authority management unit 42.

  The controller 41 controls internal devices such as the printing device 34, the image reading device 35, and the facsimile device 36 to execute various processes.

  In addition, (a) when the first level authority is granted to the portable terminal device 2 by (a) the authority management unit 42, the controller 41 instructs the portable terminal device 3 to issue an authorization notification indicating that the first level authority is granted. To the portable terminal 3 to display the unusable first operation screen on the portable terminal 3 and (b) the second level authority is given to the portable terminal 3 by the authority management unit 42. (C) transmitting, to the portable terminal device 3, an authorization notification indicating that the second level authority has been granted, and causing the portable terminal device 3 to display a second operation screen in which the image reading device 35 can be used; ) When a command based on an operation on the first operation screen or the second operation screen is received, processing corresponding to the received command is permitted based on the authority given to the portable terminal device 3 that has transmitted the command When, it executes a process corresponding to the command. In addition, when the process corresponding to the received command is not permitted based on the authority given to the portable terminal device 3 that has transmitted the command, the process corresponding to the command is not executed.

  (A) When the image forming apparatus 1 and the portable terminal device 3 are connected by the network communication device 31, the portable terminal device 3 is provided with the first level authority in which the image reading device 35 can not be used. (B) When the portable terminal device 3 is detected by the short distance communication device 32, if there is no portable terminal device to which the second level authority capable of using the image reading device 35 is given, The second level authority is granted to the portable terminal device 3 to which the first level authority is granted. That is, the second level authority is exclusively given to one mobile terminal device 3.

  Note that both the first level authority and the second level authority can use the printing apparatus 34. At the first level of authority, execution of print jobs is possible but execution of copy jobs and scan jobs is not possible. On the other hand, the second level authority allows execution of print jobs, copy jobs and scan jobs.

  In addition, when the non-use period for the image reader 35 for a predetermined time or more is detected after the authority management unit 42 grants the second level authority to the portable terminal device 3, the second level of the portable terminal device 3 is detected. The authority is destroyed, and the first level authority is given to the portable terminal device 3. As a result, when the user of the portable terminal device 3 to which the second level authority is given has left the image forming apparatus 1, it is possible to separately grant the second level authority to the user after the lapse of the nonuse period. Become.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the authority management unit 42 (a) newly generates a password (here, a password different from the password issued in the past) when granting the second level authority, and uses that password. And (b) invalidate the password when destroying its second level authority. Then, the controller 41 transmits (a) the generated password to the portable terminal device 3 to which the second level authority is given, and (b1) when the valid password is received together with the command, the image reading device 35 is used. (B2) If the valid password is not received with the command, the process of using the image reading device 35 is rejected. As a result, processing using the image reading device 35 can not be executed using the mobile terminal device 3 to which the second level authority has been previously given, and an operation based on the second level authority by a plurality of users at the same time Can be avoided.

  Next, the operation of each device in the system shown in FIG. 1 will be described. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of each device in the system shown in FIG.

  When the user wants to use the image forming apparatus 1, the user operates the mobile terminal 3 to connect the mobile terminal 3 to the image forming apparatus 1 via the network 2. At this time, in the image forming apparatus 1, the network communication apparatus 31 establishes a connection with the portable terminal apparatus 3 (step S1).

  The controller 41 identifies the portable terminal device 3 for which the connection has been established by the network communication device 31, for example, based on the network identifier (IP address etc.) received from the portable terminal device 3, and the authority management unit 42 identifies The first level authority is given to the portable terminal device 3 (step S2).

  Then, the controller 41 transmits an authorization notification indicating that the first level authorization has been granted, to the portable terminal 3 using the network communication device 31 (step S3), and the first operation screen is displayed. It is displayed on the portable terminal device 3 (step S4). At this time, when receiving the authorization notification of the first level authority, the portable terminal device 3 displays the first operation screen.

  The first operation screen is an operation screen in which the image reading device 35 can not be used. That is, on the first operation screen, the user can not output setting commands or execution commands for copying or image scanning.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a first operation screen displayed on the mobile terminal device 3 in FIG. The mobile terminal device 3 shown in FIG. 5 includes a display device and an input device. As a display device, a liquid crystal display 301 is provided, and as an input device, a touch panel 302 and a hard key 303 are provided. For example, the first operation screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the liquid crystal display 301. In the first operation screen, only the print tab 311 capable of print setting and print execution is displayed, and the tab capable of copy and image scan setting and execution is not displayed. Therefore, the user can not configure and execute copying and image scanning.

  When the user wants to print a document in the image forming apparatus 1, the user performs a user operation on the print tab 311 of the first operation screen. The portable terminal device 3 transmits a command for print setting and print execution to the image forming apparatus 1 in accordance with a user operation on the first operation screen. In the image forming apparatus 1, the controller 41 receives the command using the network communication apparatus 31 (step S5), and executes processing (print setting, print execution, etc.) corresponding to the received command (step S6). ).

  When the user wants to execute copying or image scanning in the image forming apparatus 1, the user moves toward the image forming apparatus 1 and holds the portable terminal 3 over the image forming apparatus 1. Thereby, the portable terminal device 3 is detected by the short distance communication device 32 (step S7).

  The controller 41 identifies the portable terminal device 3 detected by the short distance communication device 32, and the authority management unit 42 identifies if the second level authority is not given to any portable terminal device 3 at the present time. The second level authority is granted to the portable terminal device 3 (step S8). The authority management unit 42 does not grant the second level authority to the identified mobile terminal device 3 when the second level authority is currently given to any mobile terminal device 3. Also, after the second level authority is granted, the authority management unit 42 does not immediately discard the second level authority even if the short distance communication device 32 no longer detects the portable terminal device 3.

  Then, the controller 41 transmits, to the portable terminal device 3 using the network communication device 31 or the short-distance communication device 32, an authorization notification indicating that the second level authorization has been granted (step S9). The second operation screen is displayed on the mobile terminal device 3 (step S10). At this time, when receiving the authorization notification of the second level authority, the portable terminal device 3 displays the second operation screen.

  The second operation screen is an operation screen on which the image reading device 35 can be used. That is, on the second operation screen, the user can output a print setting command and an execution command, and can also output a copy and image scan setting command and an execution command.

  FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a second operation screen displayed on the mobile terminal device 3 in FIG. For example, the second operation screen shown in FIG. In the second operation screen, in addition to the print tab 311, a copy tab 312 capable of performing copy setting and copying, and a scan tab 313 capable of executing image scan setting and image scanning are displayed. Therefore, the user can set and execute copy and image scan on the copy tab 312 or the scan tab 313.

  Then, the user selects one of the print tab 311, the copy tab 312, and the scan tab 313 on the second operation screen, and performs a user operation on the selected tab. The portable terminal device 3 transmits a command related to any of printing, copying, and image scanning to the image forming apparatus 1 in accordance with the user operation on the second operation screen. In the image forming apparatus 1, the controller 41 receives the command using the network communication apparatus 31 or the near field communication apparatus 32 (step S11), and processes (job setting, job execution, etc.) corresponding to the received command. Is executed (step S12).

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 1, after the controller 41 gives the second level authority, the non-use period of the image reading device 35 (that is, from the timing of giving the second level authority or the image reader 35 is used last). After that, when the image reading device 35 is continuously monitored and the controller 41 detects the non-use period of the image reading device 35 for a predetermined time or more (step S13), the authority management unit 42 The second level authority is discarded from the portable terminal device 3, and the first level authority is given to the portable terminal device 3 (step S14).

  Then, the controller 41 transmits an authority destruction notification indicating that the second level authority has been destroyed to the portable terminal device 3 using the network communication device 31 or the short distance communication device 32 (step S15). The display of the second operation screen is ended on the portable terminal device 3, and the first operation screen is displayed (step S16).

  As described above, even if the second level authority is discarded, when the connection between the image forming apparatus 1 and the portable terminal 3 is established, the first operation screen is displayed.

  Thereafter, when the connection between the image forming apparatus 1 and the portable terminal 3 is disconnected (step S17), in the image forming apparatus 1, the authority management unit 42 gives the authority given to the portable terminal 3 at that time. The (first level authority or second level authority) is discarded (step S18), and the portable terminal device 3 ends the display of the operation screen (first operation screen or second operation screen).

  As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, in the image forming apparatus 1, the authority management unit 42 performs (a) when the image forming apparatus 1 and the portable terminal device 3 are connected by the network communication device 31, The first level authority that can not use the image reading device 35 is given to the mobile terminal device 3 and (b) when the mobile terminal device 3 is detected by the short distance communication device 32, the image reading device 35 can be used If there is no portable terminal device 3 to which the two-level authority is granted, the portable terminal device 3 to which the first level authority is granted is granted the second level authority. (A) When the first level authority is granted by the authority management unit 42, the controller 41 transmits, to the portable terminal device 3, an authorization notice indicating that the first level authority has been granted, and the image reading apparatus 35 is displayed on the portable terminal device 3 with the first operation screen in which 35 can not be used, and (b) authority is granted to indicate that the second level authority has been granted when the second level authority is granted by the authority management unit 42. The notification is transmitted to the portable terminal device 3 to display the second operation screen capable of using the image reading device 35 on the portable terminal device 3, and (c) a command based on the operation on the first operation screen or the second operation screen When it is received, if the process corresponding to the received command is permitted based on the authority given to the portable terminal device 3 that has transmitted the command, the process corresponding to the command is executed.

  Thereby, when the portable terminal device 3 is used as a user interface of each user, the authority to use the image reading device 35 is appropriate for only one portable terminal device 3 (that is, one user). Granted.

  Note that various changes and modifications to the above-described embodiment will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter and without diminishing the intended advantages. That is, such changes and modifications are intended to be included in the scope of the claims.

  For example, in the above embodiment, when the portable terminal device 3 is detected by the short distance communication device 32, if the second level authority has already been granted, the controller 41 notifies that effect. The mobile terminal device 3 may be notified of the fact (that is, that another user is currently using the image reading device 35).

  The present invention is applicable to, for example, an image forming apparatus provided with an image reading apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 image forming apparatus 3 portable terminal apparatus 31 network communication apparatus 32 short distance communication apparatus 34 printing apparatus 35 image reading apparatus 41 controller 42 authority management unit

Claims (5)

A mobile terminal device,
An image forming apparatus that communicates with the mobile terminal device and uses the mobile terminal device as a user interface;
The image forming apparatus is
An image reading apparatus for reading an image of a placed original;
A network communication device,
Short distance communication device,
(A) granting to the portable terminal device a first level authority in which the image reading device can not be used when the image forming device and the portable terminal device are connected by the network communication device; When the portable terminal device is detected by the short distance communication device, (b1) if there is no portable terminal device to which the second level authority capable of using the image reading device is given, the first level authority The mobile terminal device to which the second level authority is granted , and (b2) the portable terminal device to which the first level authority is granted if there is a mobile terminal device to which the second level authority is granted Notifying that the portable terminal device to which the second level authority is granted already exists in the portable terminal device to which the first level authority is granted without giving the second level authority to the terminal device ,Previous An authority management unit configured to display, on the mobile terminal device to which the first level authority has been granted, the fact that the mobile terminal device to which the second level authority is granted already exists ;
(A) When the first level authority is granted by the authority management unit, an authorization notice indicating that the first level authority has been granted is transmitted to the mobile terminal device, and the image reading apparatus is An unauthorized first operation screen is displayed on the mobile terminal device, and (b) an authority is provided that indicates that the second level authority has been granted when the second level authority is granted by the authority management unit. A notification is sent to the portable terminal device to cause the portable terminal device to display a second operation screen capable of using the image reading device, and (c) based on an operation on the first operation screen or the second operation screen Upon receiving a command from the portable terminal apparatus, when the processing corresponding to the command received is permitted based on the privileges granted to sent the command said mobile terminal device, said co Further comprising a controller for executing a process corresponding to the command,
An image forming system characterized by An image forming apparatus communicating with a mobile terminal and using the mobile terminal as a user interface;
An image reading apparatus for reading an image of a placed original;
A network communication device,
Short distance communication device,
(A) granting to the portable terminal device a first level authority in which the image reading device can not be used when the image forming device and the portable terminal device are connected by the network communication device; When the portable terminal device is detected by the short distance communication device, (b1) if there is no portable terminal device to which the second level authority capable of using the image reading device is given, the first level authority The mobile terminal device to which the second level authority is granted , and (b2) the portable terminal device to which the first level authority is granted if there is a mobile terminal device to which the second level authority is granted Notifying that the portable terminal device to which the second level authority is granted already exists in the portable terminal device to which the first level authority is granted without giving the second level authority to the terminal device ,Previous An authority management unit configured to display, on the mobile terminal device to which the first level authority has been granted, the fact that the mobile terminal device to which the second level authority is granted already exists ;
(A) When the first level authority is granted by the authority management unit, an authorization notice indicating that the first level authority has been granted is transmitted to the mobile terminal device, and the image reading apparatus is An unauthorized first operation screen is displayed on the mobile terminal device, and (b) an authority is provided that indicates that the second level authority has been granted when the second level authority is granted by the authority management unit. A notification is sent to the portable terminal device to cause the portable terminal device to display a second operation screen capable of using the image reading device, and (c) based on an operation on the first operation screen or the second operation screen Upon receiving a command from the portable terminal apparatus, when the processing corresponding to the command received is permitted based on the privileges granted to sent the command said mobile terminal device, said co A controller for executing a process corresponding to the command,
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The authority management unit discards the second level authority when a non-use period of a predetermined time or more for the image reading apparatus is detected after the second level authority is granted to the portable terminal device. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that The authority management unit (a) newly generates a password when granting the second level authority and validates the password, and (b) invalidates the password when destroying the second level authority. ,
The controller (a) transmits the password to the mobile terminal device that grants the second level authority, and (b1) the command when the valid password is received from the mobile terminal device along with the command. And (b2) when a valid password is not received from the portable terminal device together with the command, the process corresponding to the command, Refusing the process of using the image reading device;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein Further comprising a printing device,
Both the first level authority and the second level authority are available to the printing device
The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein

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