JP2018182681A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a specific user to change a user authority level at need.SOLUTION: In a storage device 17, security key data 17c indicating a security key based on a specific image can be stored. A user authority level setting part 21 sets the user authority level of a user on the basis of user data 17b and when an image read by an image reading part 11 matches with the security key, changes the user authority level of the user to a user authority level corresponding to the security key.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus.

  When the copy setting is permitted based on the permission condition embedded in the read document image, a certain multifunction peripheral executes copying according to the copy setting (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-288691

  However, in the above-described technology, the permission information is applied only to the document image in which the permission condition is embedded, so it is difficult to control the availability of the document image according to the user. .

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to obtain an image reading apparatus in which a specific user can change the user authority level as needed.

  An image reading apparatus according to the present invention sets an image reading unit, a storage device capable of storing security key data indicating a security key based on a specific image, and a user authority level of a user based on user data, and the image reading And a user authority level setting unit for changing the user authority level of the user to a user authority level corresponding to the security key when the image read by a copy unit matches the security key.

  According to the present invention, a specific user can change the user authority level as needed.

  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 reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the image reading apparatus shown 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 reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image reading apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is a multifunction peripheral having an image reading function, a copier, and the like. The image reading apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes an image reading unit 11, a printing apparatus 12, a facsimile apparatus 13, a communication apparatus 14, an operation panel 15, a controller 16, a storage apparatus 17, and the like.

  The image reading unit 11 is an internal device that optically reads a document image from a document placed on a platen glass or a document fed by an automatic document feeder and generates image data of the document image.

  The printing device 12 is an internal device that prints an image based on the document data 17 a and the like.

  The facsimile machine 13 is an internal device that transmits image data obtained by scanning as a facsimile signal, receives a facsimile signal, and generates image data.

  The communication device 14 is a network interface, a short distance communication interface, or the like, and is an internal device that performs data communication with the terminal device 2.

  The operation panel 15 is an internal device which is disposed on the upper surface side of the housing of the image reading apparatus, and includes a display device 15a for displaying a screen to a user and an input device 15b for receiving an operation by the user. The display device 15a is a liquid crystal display or the like. The input device 15b is a hard key, a touch panel that realizes a soft key together with the display device 15a, and the like.

The controller 16 includes a computer having a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM) and the like, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and the like, and operates as various processing units. That is, the controller 16 loads a program stored in the ROM or the storage device 17 into the RAM and executes it by the CPU, and operates as various processing units by software, or as various processing units by hardware by ASIC or the like. To work. The controller 16 also controls the internal device to execute various processes.

  The storage device 17 is a non-volatile storage device such as a flash memory, and stores data and programs. The storage unit 17 stores document data 17a, user data 17b, and the like. The user data 17 b includes user authentication information (user ID, password, etc.) required at login, default user authority level information, etc. Furthermore, the storage device 17 can store security key data 17 c indicating a security key based on the specific image. The document data 17a is, for example, image data generated as described above.

  The security key may be the specific image itself or a predetermined feature amount of the specific image (including text, layout of text, graphic, etc., etc.). The size of the specific image is not particularly limited, and the specific image is an image other than a single color. For example, the specific image is an image of a photo original, an image of a text original, or the like.

  The controller 16 operates as a user authority level setting unit 21 and a security key registration unit 22.

  The user authority level setting unit 21 sets the user authority level of the user based on the user data 17b, for example, when the user logs in, and the security key data 17c indicates the image read by the image reading unit 11 If it matches with, change the user privilege level of the user to the user privilege level corresponding to the security key, otherwise do not change the user privilege level of the user.

  Note that a plurality of specific images ordered in a specific order may be used as one security key. In that case, the user authority level setting unit 21 corresponds to the security key when the plurality of images read by the image reading unit 11 respectively match the plurality of specific images in the specific order in the read order. Change the user privilege level of the user to the user privilege level, otherwise do not change the user privilege level of the user.

  Furthermore, in that case, the plurality of specific images described above are the same image, and the orientation of at least one specific image of the plurality of specific images is the orientation of another specific image (for example, 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 And 270 degrees)). For example, when the security key is composed of four specific images, the first specific image is taken as an image, and the second specific image is taken as an image obtained by rotating an image 90 degrees to the right, 3 The second specific image is an image obtained by rotating an image 90 degrees to the left, and the fourth specific image is an image obtained by rotating an image 180 degrees.

  Also, the security key data 17 c may indicate a plurality of security keys based on a plurality of different specific images. In this case, when the plurality of images read by the image reading unit 11 respectively match the plurality of security keys, the user authority level setting unit 21 selects one of the plurality of user authority levels corresponding to the plurality of security keys. The user privilege level of the user may be changed to the highest user privilege level of.

  When the user authority level has been changed a predetermined number of times for one security key, the user authority level setting unit 21 may invalidate the security key.

  The security key registration unit 22 stores the security key data 17c as a specific image in the storage device 17 as an image read by the image reading unit 11, and includes the user authority level corresponding to the security key in the security key data 17c. .

  Next, the operation of the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the image reading apparatus shown in FIG.

  When the login screen is displayed on the operation panel 15, the user logs in by inputting user authentication information into the operation panel 15 (step S1). At this time, the controller 16 executes login processing (user authentication, display start of menu screen, etc.).

  When the login process is executed, the user authority level setting unit 21 specifies the user authority level of the user based on the user data 17b, and sets the user authority level (step S2).

  Thereafter, the controller 16 causes the operation panel 15 to perform an operation for changing the user authority level (step S3), an execution instruction for processing permitted at the current user authority level (step S4), and a logout operation (step S5). Monitor if it is detected.

  When the user wants to change the user authority level, the user performs an operation for changing the user authority level, and then places an original including a specific image of the security key (hereinafter referred to as security key original) in the image reading unit 11 The image reading unit 11 reads the image of the security key original. When an operation for changing the user authority level is detected on the operation panel 15, the user authority level setting unit 21 uses the image reading unit 11 to read and acquire the image of the security key document ((2) Step S6).

  Then, the user authority level setting unit 21 determines whether the image matches the security key indicated by the security key data 17c (step S7). If the image matches the security key indicated by the security key data 17c, the user authority level setting unit 21 sets the user authority of the logged-in user to the user authority level associated with the security key in the security key data 17c. Change the level (step S8).

  When the user wants the image reading apparatus to execute the processing (editing of the document data 17a, printing based on the document data 17a, etc.) permitted at the current user authority level, an instruction to execute the processing is given on the operation panel 15 Enter in When an execution instruction of processing permitted at the current user authority level is detected in the operation panel 15, the controller 16 controls the internal device to execute the processing (step S9).

  When the user wants to log out, the user performs a logout operation on the operation panel 15. When a logout operation is detected on the operation panel 15, the controller 16 executes a logout process. As a result, a login screen is displayed on the operation panel 15. Note that the logout process destroys the user authority level changed for this user. Therefore, at the next login, the user authority level registered in the user data 17b is applied first.

  As described above, according to the above embodiment, the storage device 17 can store the security key data 17 c indicating the security key based on the specific image. The user authority level setting unit 21 sets the user authority level of the user based on the user data 17b, and when the image read by the image reading unit 11 matches the security key, the user authority level corresponding to the security key To change the user privilege level of the user.

  This allows specific users to change the user authority level as needed using the security key script.

  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, the specific image may be an image of a specific page (for example, the final page) in a manual (paper medium) of the image reading apparatus. Furthermore, in this case, the user authority level may be changed, and the setting of the image reading apparatus may be automatically shifted to a changeable setting mode. At this time, for example, editable setting items are displayed according to the changed user authority level.

  In the above embodiment, when security key data storage unit 17 stores security key data 17c in storage device 17 based on the user's operation, the user's default user authority level (registered in user data 17b) is stored. User privilege level) may be prohibited.

  In the above embodiment, when changing the user authority level, the change of the user authority level may be applied only to the specific document data 17a.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the security key document may be created by tint block printing to prevent forgery.

  The present invention is applicable to, for example, an image reading apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral.

11 image reading unit 17 storage device 21 user authority level setting unit 22 security key registration unit

Claims (7)

An image reading unit,
A storage device capable of storing security key data indicating a security key based on a specific image;
The user authority level of the user is set based on the user data, and when the image read by the image reading unit matches the security key, the user authority of the user is set to the user authority level corresponding to the security key User authority level setting section to change the level,
An image reading apparatus comprising: The security key is a plurality of specific images ordered in a specific order,
When the plurality of images read by the image reading unit respectively correspond to the plurality of specific images in the specific order in the read order, the user authority level setting unit corresponds to the user corresponding to the security key Changing the user privilege level of the user to the privilege level,
The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein   The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of specific images are the same image, and an orientation of at least one specific image of the plurality of specific images is different from an orientation of another specific image. The security key data indicates a plurality of security keys based on a plurality of different specific images.
When the plurality of images read by the image reading unit respectively match the plurality of security keys, the user authority level setting unit determines the most among the plurality of user authority levels corresponding to the plurality of security keys. Changing the user privilege level of said user to a higher user privilege level,
The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein   The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user authority level setting unit invalidates the security key when the user authority level is changed a predetermined number of times.   The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific image is an image of a specific page in a manual of the image reading apparatus.   7. The security key registration unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a security key registration unit that stores the security key data in the storage device as the specific image, the image being read by the image reading unit. An image reading apparatus as described in Item.

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