JP2010224848A - Security printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely complete printing at a time when a print job is necessary and to improve the security of print data.
A receiving unit that receives a print job, a print completion time, and a user authentication time, a time from the start of processing of the print job to completion of print preparation, and the number of prints based on attribute information included in the print job And the time from the start of printing to the completion calculated based on the processing capability of the printing apparatus, and based on the print completion time, set the print start time, user authentication reception start time, and user authentication reception end time, respectively. Calculating a required time zone from a print job processing start time to a print completion time, determining a required print time zone suitable for the user authentication time in comparison with the user authentication time, and for each print job A table for registering and managing the time required for printing, and means for notifying the time required for printing to the host machine.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a security printing system having a user authentication function in which a plurality of users share a printer connected to a network.

  Conventionally, in printing with a specified print completion time, it is determined whether the print can be completed by the completion time specified by the user from the status of waiting for printing at that time, and if it cannot be completed, the print completion time is calculated. There is known a technique in which a user can select whether to cancel printing or print at that time (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  It is also known that if the predicted print time overlaps with a reserved time, the print job is invalidated without being accepted (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  There is also known a configuration in which the output completion time of the image processing apparatus can be arbitrarily specified, and when the output cannot be performed by the output completion time after the output is started, the user is notified of a method to deal with (for example, , See Patent Document 3).

  Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not consider the case where security printing is performed by a printing apparatus having a user authentication function. Therefore, after a print start time is specified and printing is started, the printed material is picked up at that time. If you forget to do this, the printed matter may remain in the printing device and be viewed by others.

  Further, in the technique of Patent Document 1, it is determined whether or not printing can be performed by the completion time designated by the user from the status of waiting for printing at that time, which is considerably earlier than the designated completion time. There may be a case where printing is completed.

  Furthermore, in Patent Document 2, when the predicted print time overlaps with the reserved time, the print job is not accepted and invalidated. In this case, the print completion time is set again. Then you have to start printing. In this case, during the time when printing is concentrated, the same work must be repeated many times until printing is accepted, which is very troublesome.

  Also, the technique of Patent Document 3 describes that processing is performed based on a response after notifying the user when printing cannot be performed after specifying a printing time zone. In this case, for example, when the user is not in the seat, the notification is not transmitted, and as a result, there may be a case where there is no response to the change reception. At this time, there is no description as to how the print data is made.

  An object of the present invention is to reliably complete printing at a time when a print job is necessary, and to improve the security of print data.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a printing system including a host machine that generates a print job and a printing apparatus that has a user authentication function and prints the print job from the host machine. A reception unit that receives a print completion time and a user authentication time together with the print job from the host machine, and a time from the start of processing of the print job to completion of print preparation based on attribute information included in the print job, Total the time from the start of printing to the completion calculated based on the number of prints and the processing capability of the printing apparatus, and based on the print completion time, the print start time, the user authentication reception start time, and the user authentication reception end time, respectively. The time required for printing from the print job processing start time to the print completion time is calculated, and the user authentication time is compared with the user authentication time. Calculated by a required print time calculation unit that determines a required print time zone that matches the authentication time, a print time zone management table that registers and manages the required print time zone for each print job, and the required print time calculation unit. And status notification means for notifying the host machine of a print required time zone that is a user authentication reception start time and a user authentication reception end time.

  In addition, when the required print time zone set by the required print time calculating unit overlaps the time zone already registered in the print time zone management table, the required print time zone is recalculated in the required print time calculating unit. A print completion time zone resetting unit that resets a print completion time from the recalculated print time zone and instructs the status notification unit to notify the host machine. To do.

  If the user authentication is not completed between the user authentication reception start time and the user authentication reception end time, the print job data is deleted and the reserved time registered in the print time zone management table It has the means to delete.

  Also, when the printing apparatus is in a print-disabled state, the status notification means notifies the host machine, and if printing is in progress, interrupts it and registers it in the print job and the print time zone management table. And a means for notifying the host machine by the status notification means.

  In addition, when the printing apparatus becomes in a printable state before the print start time after the print disabled state, execution of the printing process is started.

  According to the present invention, by reserving the printing time zone before printing, printing can be surely executed in the designated time zone without competing with other print jobs. As a result, it is possible to prevent waiting for the previous print job to be completed or the printed matter remaining in the printer. In addition, it is possible to prevent unauthorized use of print data in the printer by deleting a job that is not printed even after the reserved time has elapsed.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a time designation security printing system in the present embodiment. 6 is a flowchart showing a process of time-designated security printing. An example of a printing time management zone table. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a data configuration of a security print job according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relationship between a time required for printing a print job and each time and each time in the time required for printing.

  Embodiments of a time designation security printing system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a time designation security printing system according to the present embodiment.

  The printing system according to this embodiment includes a host machine 100 and a printing apparatus 200.

  The host machine 100 is a general-purpose personal computer having a network communication function, and includes a printer driver 101 that generates print data in order to print documents and image data. When a print completion time, a user authentication password, and an authentication time are specified from an input device (not shown) or the like, the printer driver 101 generates a security print job together with other print attributes based on these input information, and executes the security print job. The data is transmitted to the printing apparatus 200 via the network. Simultaneously with transmission to the printing apparatus 200, the generated security print job is stored in the storage device 102 installed in the host machine 100.

  Next, the printing apparatus 200 will be described.

  The printing apparatus 200 includes a print job receiving unit 201 that receives a print job from the host machine 100, a storage device 202 that stores print job data and the like, and a printing time zone control that performs integrated management by controlling the printing time zone. Unit 203, print time zone management table 204 for storing print job header information, print data storage address and data size, in addition to a table for print time zone management such as print start processing start time, and host machine 100, a status transmission unit 205 that transmits the time required for printing the corresponding print job to 100, a real-time clock 206, a print data processing unit 207 that processes print data, and a print mechanism unit (engine) (not shown). And a print control unit 208 that performs print control, an authentication control unit 209 that performs user authentication processing, and a user It has an operating unit 210 for displaying information for the accepted user input, the.

  Specifically, the printing apparatus 200 receives a security print job from the host machine 100 by the print job reception unit 201. The print job receiving unit 201 stores print data among the received print jobs in the storage device 202, and transmits print job header information to the print time zone control unit 203.

  The print time zone control unit 203 calculates a required print time zone from the print completion time in the header information of the print job, and the time zone overlaps with a time zone already reserved in the print time zone management table 204. If there is no overlap, register the time zone, and if it overlaps, search the available time zone and recalculate the print time zone, and print completion time based on the print time zone Is sent from the status transmission unit 205 to the host machine 100, and if the user approves, the registration is performed in that time zone.

  Furthermore, if there is a print job that has reached the print processing start time, the print time zone control unit 203 instructs the print data processing unit 207 to start the print processing of the job. Thereafter, the printing time zone control unit 203 instructs the authentication control unit 209 to start authentication reception when the user authentication reception start time is reached.

  Upon receiving the authentication reception start instruction from the printing time zone control unit 203, the authentication control unit 209 performs user authentication through the operation unit 210, and instructs the print control unit 208 to start printing when the authentication is successful. The print control unit 208 reads out print data from the storage device 202 based on a print instruction from the authentication control unit 209 and executes printing.

  Here, if the authentication control unit 209 does not notify the authentication success before the user authentication acceptance end time, the printing time zone control unit 203 recognizes that the authentication has failed, and prints the printing time zone management table 204 from the printing time zone management table 204. The job header information is deleted, and the print data processing unit 207 is instructed to delete the print data of the print job in the storage device 202.

  Also, even when printing becomes impossible due to running out of paper during printing and printing cannot be completed by the printing completion time, the header information of the print job is deleted from the printing time zone management table 204 as in the case of authentication failure. The print data processing unit 207 is instructed to delete the print data in the storage device 202.

  Here, the configuration of the print job will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows the data structure of the secure print job of this embodiment. Security print jobs are roughly classified into header information and print data. As shown in FIG. 4, the header information includes a job ID, print completion information, an authentication password, an authentication time, and print attribute information. The print attribute information is information for printing a print job, and is information including, for example, the paper size, the number of prints, the resolution, and the like.

  Next, a method for controlling time designated security printing of the printing apparatus 200 will be described.

  FIG. 2 shows a flowchart relating to control of time-designated security printing.

  The printing apparatus 200 receives the print job transmitted from the host machine 100 by the print job reception unit 201. The print job receiving unit 201 stores the print data in the print job in the storage device 202, and passes the head address and job size to the print time zone control unit 203 together with the header information in the print job (Step 10, hereinafter, S10).

  The print time zone control unit 203 extracts the print completion time, user authentication time, and print attribute information from the header information of the print job, calculates the print time from the print performance of the printing apparatus and the number of prints in the print attribute information, The time that is traced back by the printing time with respect to the printing completion time is set as the user authentication reception end time. Next, the user authentication reception start time is defined as a time that is traced back by the user authentication time from the user authentication reception end time.

  Here, the time required for printing a job will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the time required for printing a print job and the times and times in the time required for printing.

  The time required for completing a series of processes for one job is defined as a print required time zone (reserved time zone) for the print job. For one job, there are four times: “print processing start time (print preparation complete)”, “authentication reception start time (print start)”, “authentication reception end time”, and “print completion time”. As shown in FIG. 5, the time intervals are respectively defined as (1) printing preparation time, (2) authentication time, and (3) printing time. The same applies to the following print jobs.

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG.

  Next, (1) the print preparation time is calculated from the print attribute information and the warming-up time of the printing apparatus, and the time that has passed this print preparation time from the user authentication acceptance start time is set as the print processing start time (S11). ).

  Next, the print time zone control unit 203 uses the print time zone management table 204 as a required print time zone from the calculated print processing start time to the first designated print completion time, and has already been reserved. It is searched whether the print job overlaps with this time zone (S12).

  If the print required time zone does not overlap with the reserved time zone of a print job that has already been reserved, the print time zone control unit 203 determines “job ID, authentication password, print completion time” from the header information of the print job. And the “print processing start time, user authentication reception start time, user authentication reception end time” calculated in the above process, and the “print data start address and data size” received from the print job reception unit 201. And registered in the printing time zone management table 204. Further, the host machine 100 is notified of the print completion time, the user authentication reception start time, and the user authentication reception end time through the status transmission unit 205 (S15).

  On the other hand, if the time required for printing of the print job overlaps with the reserved time of an already reserved print job, the print completion time of the reserved print job is taken out and reserved after that time. In this case, the printing time zone management table 204 is searched to see if it overlaps with the reserved time zone of other print jobs. If the time slot can be reserved, the print completion time when printing is performed in the time slot is calculated, and the print processing start time, user authentication reception start time, The user authentication acceptance end time and the time required for printing are recalculated (S13).

  Thereafter, the recalculated print completion time, user authentication reception start time, and user authentication reception end time are notified to the host machine 100 through the status transmission unit 205, and the host machine 100 side determines whether to make a reservation in this time zone. To decide. As an example, these time zones are displayed on a display device (not shown) on the host machine side, and the user's intention is acquired with respect to this time zone by an input device (not shown).

  When the print time zone control unit 203 receives the reply to make a reservation from the host machine 100, the “job ID, authentication password, print completion time” is obtained from the header information of the print job in the recalculated print time zone. , “Print processing start time, user authentication reception start time, user authentication reception end time” calculated in the above process, and “start address and data size of print data” received from the print job reception unit 201, It is registered in the printing time zone management table 204 (S15). On the other hand, if a response not to make a reservation is received from the host machine 100, the print data of the print job is deleted from the storage device 202 without making a reservation, and the printing process is terminated (S14).

  Here, an example of the table information of the printing time management zone table 204 is shown.

  FIG. 3 is an example of table information of the print time management zone table 204. The print time management zone table 204 uses “job ID” as a key, and “print processing start time”, “authentication start time”, “authentication end time”, “password”, “print completion time” for each job ID. "," Print data start address ", and" print data size "are stored.

  After the processing of S15, the printing time zone control unit 203 periodically monitors the real time clock 206 to check whether there is a job that has reached the printing start processing start time registered in the printing time zone management table 204, If there is a print job that has reached the print start process start time, the “print data start address and data size” of the print job is passed from the print time management table 204 to the print data control unit 207 to start the print process of the job. A request is made (S17).

  Upon receiving the print processing start request, the print data control unit 207 extracts the print data in the storage device 202 from the print data head address and the data size, starts the data processing, and when the data processing is completed, the processed data Are stored in the storage device 202, and the storage area (start address) and data size are passed to the print control unit 208.

  The print control unit 208 performs print start preparation processing such as warming up of the printing apparatus based on the received data from the print data control unit 207 (S18).

  Furthermore, the printing time zone control unit 203 confirms the state of the printing apparatus through the printing control unit 208 when the user authentication acceptance start time is reached (S20). Here, if the print is not possible, the user is notified through the operation unit 210 that the print is not possible, and waits until the print is ready (S21). When the user authentication acceptance end time is reached in the print disabled state, the print job is deleted from the print time zone management table 204, and the print data control unit 207 is instructed to delete the print data of the print job. The print data control unit 207 deletes the print data and print processed data of the job in the storage device 202 (S22).

  When the printing time zone control unit 203 confirms that printing is possible in S20, it passes the job ID and password to the authentication control unit 209 and instructs to start accepting user authentication. The authentication control unit 209 The process shifts to the user authentication acceptance state, and whether or not the user authentication is successful is confirmed (S23).

  The authentication control unit 209 periodically monitors the real-time clock 206 from the time of transition to the user authentication acceptance state to check whether the user authentication acceptance end time has been reached, and before the user authentication acceptance end time is reached, user authentication is performed. Is not completed, an authentication failure is notified to the printing time zone control unit 203 (S24).

  Receiving this, the print time zone control unit 203 deletes the print job from the print time zone management table 204 and instructs the print data control unit 207 to delete the print data of the print job. The print data control unit 207 deletes the print data and print processed data of the job in the storage device 202 (S25). Thereafter, the status transmission unit 205 notifies the host machine 100 of that fact.

  On the other hand, after shifting to the user authentication acceptance state, the authentication control unit 209 performs user authentication by inputting a password from the operation unit 210 by the user, and determines that the user authentication is successful if the passwords match (S23). Y). Thereafter, the printing control unit 208 is instructed to start printing.

  Upon receiving the print start instruction, the print control unit 208 reads the corresponding data from the storage device 202 based on the start address and data size of the print processed data received from the print data control unit 207 and executes printing ( S26).

  Thereafter, when printing is completed, the print control unit 208 notifies the print time zone control unit 203 of the completion of printing, and the print time zone control unit 203 deletes the print job from the print time zone management table 204, and print data control is performed. The unit 207 is instructed to delete the print data of the print job.

  The print data control unit 207 deletes the print data and print processed data of the job in the storage device 202. Further, the printing time zone control unit 203 notifies the host machine 100 of the completion of printing through the status transmission unit 205. The host machine 100 deletes the print data in the storage device 102.

  A case will be described where, in S23, after successful user authentication, printing is disabled due to an error in the printing apparatus such as out of paper or paper jam during printing.

  The print control unit 208 notifies the print time zone control unit 203 that an error has occurred. The print time zone control unit 203 deletes the print job from the print time zone management table 204 and instructs the print data control unit 207 to delete the print data of the print job. The print data control unit 207 deletes the print data and print processed data of the job in the storage device 202 (S28). Thereafter, the status transmission unit 205 notifies the host machine 100 of that fact.

  When notifying the host machine 100 of the deletion of the print job, at the same time, it may be instructed to select whether to print the job again. The host machine 100 asks the user whether or not to print the job again. As a result, when reprinting is selected, the printer driver 101 sets the print completion time again, and the storage device 102. The print completion time of the print job stored in is updated and transmitted to the printing apparatus 200. On the other hand, if it is selected not to print, the print job stored in the storage device 102 is deleted and the process ends.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the printing time zone is reserved before printing, so that printing can be surely executed in the designated time zone without competing with other print jobs.

  In addition, since other users cannot print during the reserved time zone, it is possible to enhance security without seeing the printed matter.

  In addition, when the designated time before printing is already reserved, the time that can be printed at the time closest to that time is presented, so that it is possible to save the trouble of restarting printing many times.

  In addition, if printing cannot be performed at the reserved time for some reason, the job is automatically deleted and data does not remain in the printing apparatus, so that security can be enhanced.

  Furthermore, if printing cannot be performed at the specified time due to a printing device error or other reason during printing, the printing is interrupted, the job is deleted, and the user is notified of this, so that it is reserved later. Print job processing can be executed on time.

  Note that the present invention can be applied to a conference room reservation system with a high security level that requires authentication to enter a room.

  100: Host machine 101: Printer driver 102: Storage device 200: Printing device 201: Print job reception unit 202: Storage device 203: Print time zone control unit 204: Time zone management table 205: Status Transmission unit 206: Real time clock 207: Print data processing unit 208: Print control unit 209: Authentication control unit 210: Operation unit

JP 2005-190017 A JP 2005-14535 A JP 2003-118207 A

Claims (5)

In a security printing system comprising a host machine that generates a print job and a printing apparatus that has a user authentication function and prints the print job from the host machine,
The printing apparatus receives a print completion time and a user authentication time together with the print job from the host machine,
Based on the attribute information included in the print job, add the time from the start of print job processing to the completion of print preparation and the time from print start to completion calculated based on the number of prints and the processing capability of the printing device. And setting a print start time, a user authentication reception start time, and a user authentication reception end time based on the print completion time, and calculating a required print time zone from the print job processing start time to the print completion time, A required print time calculating means for determining a required print time zone suitable for the user authentication time compared to the user authentication time;
A print time zone management table for registering and managing the required print time zone for each print job;
Status notification means for notifying the host machine of a required print time zone that is a user authentication reception start time and a user authentication reception end time calculated by the required print time calculation means;
A security printing system comprising:   When the required print time zone set by the required print time calculation unit overlaps with the time zone already registered in the print time zone management table, the print required time zone is instructed to recalculate the required print time zone. And a printing time zone resetting unit that resets a printing completion time from the recalculated printing time zone and instructs the status notification unit to notify the host machine. Item 2. The security printing system according to item 1.   If user authentication is not completed between the user authentication reception start time and the user authentication reception end time, the print job data is deleted and the reserved time registered in the print time zone management table is deleted. The security printing system according to claim 1, further comprising:   When the printing apparatus is in a print-disabled state, the status notification means notifies the host machine, and if printing is in progress, the print job is interrupted and the print job and the print time zone management table are registered. 2. The security printing system according to claim 1, further comprising means for deleting a reserved time and notifying the host machine to that effect by the status notification means.   2. The security printing system according to claim 1, wherein when the printing apparatus becomes in a printable state before the print start time after the print disabled state, execution of the printing process is started.

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