JP2018130928A - Image forming apparatus and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set an operation right to a job according to the state of the job to a user who is going to operate the job.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus includes: an operation right determination information storage section 22 which stores operation right setting information in which an operation right set to a login user is set from a relationship between the state of a job and a user type; an operation right setting processing section 17 which acquires the state of the job to be a processing object and specifies a relationship (user type) between the job and the login user when the user logs in and refers to the operation right determination information so as to set the operation right to the job to the login user according to the state of the job; and a display control section 14 which generates a job operation screen including an operation button corresponding to the operation right set to the login user and displays the job operation screen.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a program.

  In an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral, a paper manuscript, a document file, and an image file are input, and the input data is subjected to image processing, and a series of processes including incidental processing such as file generation and print output is called a job. There is something that executes processing in units. In addition, for jobs executed on the image forming apparatus, it is possible to perform operations such as canceling, suspending, and resuming a series of processes, and to give an operation right to the user for permission / rejection. It can be set for a job.

  Operation rights can be set for a job by assigning operation rights to a specific user such as the job executor (job owner) or administrator, or manually for each job. It is possible to set the Further, conventionally, it has been proposed to automatically set an operation right for a job based on an access right set for a shared folder for saving a file used by the job (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2010-181972 A

  By the way, since it is not preferable that a job being executed in the image forming apparatus is canceled by a third party without permission, it is desirable to give an operation right to the job only to a user having some authority. However, as an error event that requires user intervention during job execution, for example, if the job is paused due to out-of-paper, anyone can deal with replenishing paper for out-of-paper Nevertheless, if only a specific user has the right to operate the job, a third party cannot deal with the out of paper. Therefore, it is convenient if a desired operation right can be set for the user depending on the status of the job such as processing or suspension, the reason for suspension, and the like.

  It is an object of the present invention to set an operation right for a job according to a job state for a user who intends to operate the job.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the monitoring unit that monitors the status of the job to be processed and the user according to the job status based on the relationship between the job and the user who wants to operate the job. And setting means for setting an operation right for the job.

  In addition, the setting unit sets the right to cancel the job as an operation right to the job only for a user having a specific right.

  In addition, the user having a specific authority is a job owner, a device manager, or a network manager.

  In addition, when the job is in a paused state, the setting means determines whether to resume the job as an operation right for the job based on a relationship between the reason for the pause and a user who intends to operate the job. It is characterized by determining the right or wrong of setting.

  In addition, the setting unit is configured to suspend the job due to an error event that requires manual operation to resume the job and that can be resolved even by a user without specific authority. When in a state, the resuming right is set for a user who does not have the specific right.

  The error event is a failure related to a consumable item.

  In addition, the image processing apparatus includes job type acquisition means for acquiring the job type, and the setting means sets an operation right for the job corresponding to the job status and type for the user. .

  The setting means further sets the operation right for the job for the user by further referring to the access right of the user for at least one of a file used by the job or a file generated by execution of the job. It is characterized by doing.

  The setting means sets an operation right for the job to be given to a user who intends to operate the job according to a job state with reference to preset operation right determination information. To do.

  In the operation right determination information, an operation right is set for each type of job.

  The program according to the present invention includes a monitoring unit that monitors the status of a job to be processed, a computer that responds to the user based on the job status based on the relationship between the job and the user who wants to operate the job. And function as setting means for setting the operation right for the job.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to set an operation right for a job according to the job status for a user who wants to operate the job.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the job execution from being stopped by a user who does not have a specific authority.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the job execution can be stopped by any job owner, device manager, or network manager.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to determine whether or not to set the resumption right for the user who intends to operate the job for the reason of the suspension.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the job can be restarted after the error event is resolved by a user having no specific authority.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to restart a job after a user who does not have a specific authority resolves a failure related to a consumable item.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, different operation rights can be set depending on the type of job even in the same job state.

  According to the invention described in claim 8, it is possible to set the operation right for the job to the user in consideration of the access right to the file handled by the job.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the operation right for the job can be set for the user by referring to the operation right information.

  According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, different operation rights can be set depending on the type of job even in the same job state.

  According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to set an operation right for a job according to the job status for a user who wants to operate the job.

1 is a block configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the operation right determination table among the operation right determination information preset in the operation right determination information storage part in this Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of a job classification table among the operation right determination information preset in the operation right determination information storage part in this Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of a determination table among the operation right determination information preset in the operation right determination information storage part in this Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the other example of a structure of a determination table among the operation right determination information preset in the operation right determination information storage part in this Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of a completion determination table among the operation right determination information preset in the operation right determination information storage part in this Embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating job operation processing according to the present embodiment.

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

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is assumed to be a multifunction machine having at least a scan function and a print function.

  FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 10 is a multifunction machine having various functions such as a scan function and a print function as described above, and is an apparatus having a built-in computer. In FIG. 2, the CPU 31 controls the operation of various mechanisms installed in the apparatus such as the scanner 34 and the printer engine 36 in accordance with a program stored in the ROM 39. The address data bus 32 is connected to various mechanisms to be controlled by the CPU 31 to perform data communication. The operation panel 33 receives instructions from the user and displays information. The scanner 34 reads a document set by a user and stores it as electronic data in an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 35 or the like. The HDD 35 stores an electronic document read using the scanner 34. The printer engine 36 prints an image on output paper in accordance with an instruction from a control program executed by the CPU 31. A network interface (I / F) 37 connects to a network (not shown), transmits electronic data generated by the apparatus, receives an electronic mail transmitted to the apparatus, and transmits to the apparatus via a browser. Used for access. The RAM 38 is used as a work memory during program execution and a communication buffer during electronic data transmission / reception. The ROM 39 stores various programs relating to control of the apparatus, encryption of electronic data, and transmission / reception of electronic data. By executing various programs, each component described later exhibits a predetermined processing function. An external media interface (I / F) 40 is an interface with an external memory device such as a USB memory or a flash memory.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a login processing unit 11, a communication processing unit 12, a user interface unit 13, a display control unit 14, a job execution control unit 15, a job management unit 16, and operation right setting. A processing unit 17, a device control management unit 18, a user information storage unit 21, an operation right determination information storage unit 22, and a job management information storage unit 23 are included. Note that components not used in the description of the present embodiment are omitted from the drawings.

  The login processing unit 11 performs login processing in the image forming apparatus 10. The communication processing unit 12 performs data communication with other devices such as a user terminal via the network interface 37. The user interface unit 13 corresponds to the operation panel 33, displays various types of information, and receives operations and data input from the user through the displayed various screens. The display control unit 14 performs display control of the operation panel 33. The job execution control unit 15 performs job execution control in the image forming apparatus 10. The job management unit 16 manages information related to jobs executed in the image forming apparatus 10. Further, the job management unit 16 in this embodiment functions as a monitoring unit that monitors the status of a job to be processed and a job type acquisition unit that acquires a job type.

  The job status includes not only a normally executed status (hereinafter “processing”) but also a paused status due to the occurrence of a failure. In this embodiment, since it is assumed that jobs are selected and executed one by one in order, the “job to be processed” is an execution target regardless of the state of such a job. Means the selected job.

  The operation right setting processing unit 17 is provided as a setting unit, and based on the relationship between the job to be processed and the user who wants to operate the job, the operation right setting processing unit 17 gives the user the operation right to the job according to the job status. Set. The device control management unit 18 operates in cooperation with each of the components 11 to 17, controls the operations of various applications, controls the operations of devices such as the scanner 34 mounted on the image forming device 10, and controls the entire image forming device 10. I do.

  The user information storage unit 21 stores information about a user who uses the image forming apparatus 10 such as authentication information including a user ID and a password. The job management information storage unit 23 stores job management information related to jobs executed in the image forming apparatus 10. The job management information includes the job reception date and time, the job registrant (job owner), the job type (job type), schedule information, etc., corresponding to the job ID for identifying the job.

  By the way, a job is typically configured to include scan data and data received via a network, perform image processing, and further print a processing result or output a file. . As image processing, for example, there is difference extraction processing. A job including a difference extraction process includes: an image generation process for generating a plurality of image information from a document scanning process or an electronic file input process; a difference extraction process for extracting a difference between a plurality of image information inputs; and a difference extraction process Information generation processing for generating result information including the result of the above, and output processing such as printing of the result information, saving of the file, or mail notification processing of job completion. The job type included in the job management information is information for specifying the content of the target processing of the job. The job type in the case of a job including the difference extraction process is a difference extraction job.

  3 to 7 are diagrams illustrating an example of the data configuration of the operation right determination information preset in the operation right determination information storage unit 22 according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the operation right determination information is set in a table format. Among these, the operation right determination table shown in FIG. 3 is set with main operation right determination information. FIG. 3 shows a two-dimensional table in which operation rights based on the relationship between the job status and the user type (user type) are set.

  FIG. 3 shows job statuses such as processing, device failure, network failure, consumable failure, job processing failure, and completion as job states. Of course, the job type need not be limited to this. During processing, the job to be processed is being executed normally. In this embodiment, an error event, particularly an error event that requires human (user) intervention, includes a device failure, a network failure, a consumable failure, and a job processing failure. When these error events occur, the job must be terminated abnormally or suspended. Among these, the job processing failure is an error that occurs due to a direct error cause during execution of processing included in the job. For example, in the difference extraction process, the number of manuscript pages to be compared does not match, excessive extraction has too many differences, and the like. Further, in the translation process, it is impossible to distinguish the read character. Failures other than job processing failures are errors that occur due to causes other than the processing included in the job. Among these, the device failure is an error that occurs due to a malfunction of a device mounted on the image forming apparatus 10, such as an error occurring in the printer engine 36 such as a paper jam. A network failure is an error that occurs during network communication due to a poor response of a mail server, a file server, etc., or a malfunction of the network itself. The consumables failure is an error that occurs when there are no consumables such as out of paper or toner.

  In this embodiment, the operation right is set by classifying users into the types of job owner, device manager, network manager, general user, and guest user. Of course, the user type (user type) and the way of classification need not be limited to this. The job owner is a job registrant (creator). The device manager is a manager of the image forming apparatus 10 and is a person who deals with a device failure. The network administrator is a manager of a network to which the image forming apparatus 10 is connected, and is a person who deals with a network failure. Job owners, device managers, and network managers are users who have specific authority over jobs, and are given cancellation rights according to the job status. On the other hand, the general user and the guest user are merely users of the image forming apparatus 10 regardless of the job to be processed, and have a third party relationship with the job. Among these, a general user is a user whose authentication information is registered in the user information storage unit 21, and a guest user is a user who is not registered.

  According to the setting example of the operation right determination table shown in FIG. 3, for example, when a job is being processed and the user who has logged in to the image forming apparatus 10 is the job owner of the job, the job owner The operation right is given as a right to pause the job being processed and a right to cancel the job being stopped. For example, when a job to be processed is being processed and a user who has logged in to the image forming apparatus 10 is in a general user relationship with the job, the general user is given “none”, that is, an operation right is granted. Not. Further, for example, when a consumable failure has occurred in a job to be processed and the user who has logged in to the image forming apparatus 10 is in a general user relationship with the job, the general user has a consumable failure. As a result, a resume right for resuming a job that has been paused is given as an operation right.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, even when the job status is the same, the job owner is not set the right to pause and cancel, and the general user does not set the operation right. Different operation rights can be set for the logged-in user based on the relationship between the job status and the user (user type) for the job. For general users, the operation right is not set when the processing target job is being processed, but the resume right is set when there is a consumable failure. It is possible to set different operation rights according to the state.

  Note that “setting different operation rights” means setting the operation rights to the user with a right configuration of operation rights that are not exactly the same. The case where no setting is made is also included in “setting different operation rights”. The operation right setting with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7 will be described together with the description of the operation.

  Each component 11 to 18 in the image forming apparatus 10 is realized by a cooperative operation of a computer mounted on the image forming apparatus 10 and a program operating on the CPU 31 mounted on the computer. In addition, each of the storage units 21 to 23 is realized by the HDD 35 mounted on the image forming apparatus 10. Alternatively, the RAM 38 or an external storage means may be used via a network.

  Further, the program used in the present embodiment can be provided not only by communication means but also by storing it in a computer-readable recording medium such as a USB memory that can be attached to the external media interface 40. The program provided from the communication means or the recording medium is installed in the computer, and various processes are realized by the CPU 31 of the computer sequentially executing the program.

  Next, processing for setting an operation right for the user in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  In the image forming apparatus 10, some job is processed according to the setting contents of the job management information. At this time, when the user performs a predetermined operation on the operation panel 33, the login processing unit 11 is activated, and the login processing unit 11 displays a login screen on the operation panel 33. When the user inputs the user ID and password from the login screen, the login processing unit 11 receives the information and performs user authentication by collating with the authentication information registered in the user information storage unit 21. Here, the description is continued assuming that the user has successfully logged in (step 101). A user who cannot log in to the image forming apparatus 10 can use the image forming apparatus 10 as a guest user. However, in the following description, for convenience, a user who starts using the image forming apparatus 10 is referred to as a “login user” including a guest user. Here, it is assumed that the user starts using the image forming apparatus 10 in an attempt to operate a job.

  Subsequently, the job management unit 16 acquires job management information of a job that is currently being processed (hereinafter also simply referred to as “job”) from the job management information storage unit 23 (step 102). Here, at least the job registrant (job owner) and job type may be acquired. Further, the job management unit 16 acquires the job status (step 103). The job status can be acquired from the job execution control unit 15 by referring to job execution log information. Note that either step 102 or step 103 may be executed first.

  Subsequently, the operation right setting processing unit 17 specifies the user type for the job based on the acquired job management information, in other words, the position of the login user for the job (step 104). This can be done by comparing the user IDs of the job owner specified from the job management information and the predetermined device manager and network manager with the user ID of the login user. Thereby, it can be specified that the login user is a job owner, a device manager, or a network manager. Further, when the user ID is not a job owner, a device manager, or a network manager, and the user ID of the login user is registered in the user information storage unit 21, the user is a general user. If it does not correspond to any of these, it becomes a guest user.

  When the user type of the login user can be specified, the operation right setting processing unit 17 refers to the operation right determination information and sets the operation right for the job for the login user (step 105). For this purpose, the operation right setting processing unit 17 refers to the operation right determination table shown in FIG. For example, if the logged-in user is a device administrator when the device status is a device failure, the operation right setting processing unit 17 provides the user (device administrator) with a resume right and a cancel right as the operation right. Set. In this example, the device manager is given the same operating rights as the job owner. However, when a device failure is detected, the device administrator recovers the failure and the job owner is absent. Sometimes it is possible to log in to the image forming apparatus 10 as a job owner's agent and resume a job that has been paused. In addition, when the immediate failure of the device failure cannot be expected, it is possible to cancel the suspended job for the subsequent job.

  For example, if the job status is a network failure and the logged-in user is a network administrator, the operation right setting processing unit 17 gives the user (network administrator) the right to resume and Set cancellation rights. As a result, as in the case of the device administrator described above, the network administrator resumes the suspended job by logging in to the image forming apparatus 10 instead of the job owner even after the failure recovery, even when the job owner is absent. Can be made. In addition, when a network failure cannot be resolved immediately, it is possible to cancel a suspended job.

  Further, for example, assume that a job is temporarily stopped while a consumable failure has occurred. Consumables failures are out of paper and toner. In this case, replenishment of paper and replacement of toner cartridges are basically unrelated to job processing contents and can be basically performed by anyone. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, if the resumption right is set as the operation right for all user types, anyone can log in to the image forming apparatus 10 after the paper is replenished and resume the job that has been paused. Is possible. As a result, a job that has been paused due to the occurrence of a consumable failure can be restarted early, so that not only the occupation time of the image forming apparatus 10 by the processing target job is lengthened, but also the subsequent job is executed. It is also possible to avoid a delay in starting.

  As described above, the operation right setting processing unit 17 is an error event that requires manual operation and can be resolved by a general user and a guest user who do not have specific authority, that is, in the case of the present embodiment, it is consumed. When the job is in a suspended state due to the occurrence of a product failure, the job can be resumed by setting a resume right for the general user and the guest user.

  However, the operation right for resuming from the paused state is not given to anyone. As is apparent from the setting example of FIG. 3, the general user and the guest user are not given the right to resume the device failure or the network failure that causes the job suspension. This is because it is considered that general users and guest users do not have special authority and cannot deal with obstacles that require a certain level of expertise and skill. As described above, the operation right setting processing unit 17 determines whether to set the resumption right based on the relationship between the reason for the suspension and the login user. Similarly, it is not preferable to cancel a job being processed by a general user or guest user who is not related to the job, so that the canceling right is not set as in the setting example shown in FIG.

  In addition, according to the setting example shown in FIG. 3, the network administrator sets a canceling right to cancel the job execution when a network failure occurs. Not set. Thus, in the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent damage to the job to be processed by setting so as not to give unnecessary authority.

  Here, the setting of the operation right using FIGS. 4 to 7 will be described.

  As mentioned above, a job processing failure is an error event that occurs due to a cause that causes a temporary stop when the processing included in the job is executed, so the operation right to be granted is set according to the processing content of the job Convenient to do. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the operation right to be given to the login user can be made different by referring not only to the job status but also to the job type (job type).

  In the setting example of the table shown in FIG. 3, when the job status is a job processing failure, the operation right to be set for the general user and the guest user refers to the job type table (FIG. 4). It is shown. Similarly, when the job status is completed, the operation right set for the general user and the guest user refers to the completion determination table (FIG. 7).

  FIG. 4 is a job type table, and a determination table (reference destination table) to be referred to for each job type is set. 5 and 6 show determination tables 1 and 2 that are candidates for the reference destination table.

  The determination tables 1 and 2 in FIGS. 5 and 6 show the relationship between the operation authority and the user authority. In FIGS. 5 and 6, the canceling right and the resuming right are set as the operating rights, and therefore the canceling right and / or the resuming right are set for the user when a predetermined condition is met. It will be. The predetermined condition is whether or not the user has authority. 5 and 6, “input file viewing right” is whether or not the user has the viewing right for the file (input file) used by the job. “Output file deletion right” is whether or not the user has a deletion right for a file (output file) generated by execution of a job. Similarly, “output file generation right” is whether or not the user has the authority (generation right) to execute a job and generate a file (output file). “Processing execution right” is whether or not the user has the authority (execution right) to execute the difference extraction job.

  In the determination table, it is set whether or not the corresponding authority is necessary for determining whether to set the operation authority. For example, according to the setting example of FIG. 5, since “required” is set, it is necessary for the user to have the output file generation right to set the restart right. In addition, even with the same “necessary”, there is a case where “input file viewing right” setting example “necessary (unnecessary when the input form is scan)” is a condition. This means that if the input form (input path) of the input file is scan, the input file is not acquired from the outside (for example, via a network), so it does not matter whether the user has the right to view the input file. Means. On the other hand, it is not necessary for the user to have the right to delete the output file. That is, whether or not the user has the right to delete the output file is set as “no determination required” in the sense that the determination is not made in the determination of the setting of the restart right.

  The completion determination table shown in FIG. 7 basically shows the relationship between the operation authority and the user authority as in the determination tables 1 and 2 shown in FIGS. In FIG. 7, since the re-execution right is set as the operation right, the re-execution right is set as the operation right for the user when a predetermined condition is met.

  For example, when the job type is a difference extraction job and the job status is job processing failure and the user type is a general user, the operation right setting processing unit 17 sets the job type table according to the setting of “reference job type table”. Refer to According to the setting example of the job type table shown in FIG. 4, since the determination table 1 is associated with the difference extraction job, the determination table 1 is referred to.

  Then, the operation right setting processing unit 17 determines whether to set the cancellation right and the restart right according to the setting contents of the determination table 1 shown in FIG. However, the file access right is basically set not for each user type but for each user or each user group. Therefore, here, it is determined whether to set the operation right for each user by acquiring the user ID of the login user. In addition, the operation right setting processing unit 17 refers to the access right information, user management information, job management information, etc. set in the file or the folder storing the file for the access right of the file or process (job). get.

  For example, in the case of the restart right, the operation right setting processing unit 17 does not refer to the right to delete the output file, but the user has the right to view the input file (when the input form is not scan), the right to generate the output file, and the processing If the user has all of the execution right, the job resumption right is set for the user. Otherwise, no resumption right is set, and in this embodiment, no operation right is set for the user.

  In this embodiment, the right or wrong of the setting of the operation right (canceling right, resuming right) is determined based on the result of the combination of the input file, the output file, and the processing access right. It may not be a combination. For example, in this embodiment, the right or wrong of the setting of the operation right is determined depending on whether or not the user has the right to access both the input file and the output file, but the operation is performed based on the access right to at least one of the files. The right or wrong of the right setting may be determined.

  When the job status is completed and the user type is a general user or a guest user, the operation right setting processing unit 17 refers to the completion determination table to determine whether to set the reexecution right for the user. Determine. For example, even after a job is completed, it is possible to set an operation right (re-execution right) that allows a user who has the right to execute the job and has the right to view the output file of the job to re-execute the job. .

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the operation right for the job is set for the login user according to the job status or according to the job status and the job type (job type).

  By the way, in the present embodiment, a job operation screen is generated to cause the login user to exercise the operation right set for the login user and to operate the job. Specifically, when any operation right is set for the user (Y in step 106), the display control unit 14 generates a job operation screen and displays it on the user interface unit 13 as follows ( Step 107).

  The user displays a job operation screen by performing a predetermined operation from the operation panel 33 in order to operate the job. The display control unit 14 generates a job operation screen according to the user operation. At this time, the display control unit 14 generates a job operation screen including an operation component (operation button) for exercising the operation right to the job for the user set by the operation right setting processing unit 17. For example, when a device administrator logs in when a device failure occurs and performs a predetermined operation for displaying a job operation screen from the operation panel 33, the display control unit 14 displays a job resumption button and a revocation right row for use of the resuming right row. Generate the job operation screen including the cancel job button.

  As described above, the user interface unit 13 displays the job operation screen generated by the display control unit 14, but when the device administrator selects the job restart button from the job operation screen, the job execution control unit 15 displays the job operation screen. Is resumed (step 108). On the other hand, when no operation right is set for the user (N in step 106), the job operation screen is not generated.

  By the way, when the job state transitions while the job operation screen is displayed, the login control unit 14 newly sets an operation right corresponding to the transitioned job state to the login user. And the display on the operation panel 33 is switched.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that jobs are executed one by one in order. In this case, if the job being processed is temporarily stopped, the start of execution of the subsequent job is delayed. In order to avoid this, the user may be allowed to cancel the paused job and start the execution of the subsequent job by setting the user with the right to cancel the job to be processed. However, the job may be overtaken by a subsequent job depending on the situation where the job is paused. That is, it is determined whether or not the job to be passed can be overtaken. If the job to be processed can be overtaken without being canceled, the job to be processed may be passed to the subsequent job without being canceled. Therefore, when the succeeding job can be overtaken, the operation right setting processing unit 17 does not set the right to cancel the job for the user.

  On the other hand, if the succeeding job cannot be overtaken, as described above, the right to cancel the processing target job may be set for the user. In this case, the job execution order is confirmed by referring to the job management information, and the operation right setting processing unit 17 performs processing for the job owners of the subsequent jobs up to n (n is an integer of 1 or more). Set the right to cancel the job.

  Note that the operation right setting processing unit 17 in the present embodiment sets the operation right to the job for the login user with reference to the operation right determination information set in the table format. Is an example, and may be realized by a program including conditional branching.

  In this embodiment, the right to resume a job can be set. However, when a keyword necessary for restarting is set in advance and actually restarted, in addition to the operation of the restart button, Additional information such as keywords or user authentication information may be input and designated.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus, 11 Login processing part, 12 Communication processing part, 13 User interface part, 14 Display control part, 15 Job execution control part, 16 Job management part, 17 Operation right setting process part, 18 Equipment control management part, 21 User information storage unit, 22 Operation right determination information storage unit, 23 Job management information storage unit, 31 CPU, 32 Address data bus, 33 Operation panel, 34 Scanner, 35 Hard disk drive (HDD), 36 Printer engine, 37 Network interface ( IF), 38 RAM, 39 ROM, 40 External media interface (IF).

Claims (11)

Monitoring means for monitoring the status of the job to be processed;
Based on the relationship between the job and a user who intends to operate the job, setting means for setting an operation right to the job according to the state of the job for the user;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets a right to cancel the job as an operation right to the job only for a user having a specific right.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the user having a specific authority is a job owner, a device manager, or a network manager.   When the job is in a paused state, the setting means sets the job resumption right as the operation right for the job based on the relationship between the reason for the pause and the user who intends to operate the job. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein right or wrong is determined.   The setting means causes the job to be suspended due to an error event that requires human intervention to resume the job and that can be resolved by a user without specific authority. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the resumption right is set for a user who does not have the specific authority.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the error event is a failure related to a consumable item. Job type acquisition means for acquiring the type of the job,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets an operation right for the job corresponding to a state and a type of the job for the user.   The setting means further sets an operation right to the job for the user by further referring to the user's access right to at least one of a file used by the job or a file generated by execution of the job. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:   The setting means sets an operation right for the job to be given to a user who intends to operate the job according to a job state with reference to preset operation right determination information. Item 2. The image forming apparatus according to Item 1.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an operation right is set for each type of job in the operation right determination information. Computer
Monitoring means for monitoring the status of the job to be processed;
Setting means for setting an operation right to the job according to a state of the job for the user based on a relationship between the job and a user who intends to operate the job;
Program to function as.

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