JP4802119B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a printer apparatus, a scanner apparatus, a copying machine, a digital multi-function peripheral (MFP), and more particularly to an image processing apparatus that interacts with a wireless USB host as a wireless USB device and provides its own functions. .

  PCs (personal computers) that are widely used in homes and offices are equipped with USB, IEEE 1394, and various interfaces in order to connect to external peripheral devices.

  Recently, due to the rapid spread of wireless LAN, most notebook PCs are equipped with a wireless communication interface. Among wireless communication interfaces, there is an active movement to make the USB interface wireless, and a standard called wireless USB (WireleesUSB) that makes USB wires wireless has recently been established.

  Wireless USB is positioned as USB wireless and is basically standardized with one-to-one connection and one-to-one data exchange in mind.

  In the case of a wired USB, when a one-to-one connection is made, the device and the host can be easily connected and disconnected by physically removing or attaching the USB connector. Nowadays, the technology called plug and play makes it easy to use without having to install drivers. Further, USB 2.0 can perform data communication at an extremely high speed of 480 Mbps.

  For this reason, the USB interface has exploded and has become the most popular interface in the world among all external interfaces.

  Here, when this USB is wireless, it is required that the advantages of the above-mentioned wired can be ensured and that additional value is obtained by making it wireless.

  For example, in a device such as an MFP (Multi Function Printer) that is shared not by one person but by multiple people, the wired USB can be shared by physically adding equipment using a hub or the like. However, by using wireless communication, it is possible to provide an added value unique to wireless communication such that a plurality of hosts can share without adding a physical device.

  A peer-to-peer wireless communication system such as a wireless USB is usually a star configuration in which a host is the center and a plurality of devices are connected to the periphery. It is necessary to assume a star configuration in which multiple hosts are used, that is, a device is the center and a plurality of hosts are connected to the periphery.

  In the connection between the device and the host, the function that the host follows a plurality of devices and arbitrates exchanges with the device is extremely standard, and various functions are considered for wired USB and wireless USB.

Patent document 1 can be mentioned as a well-known technique relevant to this invention.
JP 2005-44094 A

  The technology described in Patent Document 1 provides a data relay system that can easily connect a USB host and a USB device wirelessly. However, a device such as an MFP used by a plurality of hosts plays a central role, and a plurality of hosts are provided in the periphery. It is not intended for a star-shaped configuration.

  In the wired USB, the host holds information on a plurality of devices connected thereto, but the device does not hold information on the host. However, in the case of wired USB, there was no problem because it was sufficient if a plurality of devices could be connected to the host by physical insertion and removal.

  However, in a configuration in which a plurality of host PCs are connected to a device such as an MFP in a wireless USB, it is possible to add value by the device (MFP) holding host information. In addition, it is extremely important to have information on what to connect to, as there is no physical user insertion / extraction due to the wire becoming wireless.

  An image processing apparatus such as an MFP as a wireless USB device is assumed to have a configuration in which a plurality of hosts are connected to one device, and is often shared by a plurality of hosts and moved in a stationary manner. There is also a feature that various log information (print data, FAX information, copy information, etc.) is collected, and it has not been considered at all by paying attention to the aspect of such an image processing apparatus as a wireless USB device. Can provide additional value that is useful and highly convenient

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and in wireless USB, when the device itself as a device has host information, it is possible to limit the hosts that can be connected (usable) to the device as the device. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus that can perform such processing.

The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 has a function as a wireless USB device, and communicates with a connected host among a plurality of hosts via the wireless USB, and the function of the own apparatus is connected to the connected host. A host management information storage unit that stores host management information that is management information for each of the plurality of hosts, and the plurality of the plurality of host processing information storage units based on the storage contents of the host management information storage unit. Control means for restricting the connection of the host to the host device, and the host management information stored in the host management information storage means includes information on the device class of each host, and the control means stores the host management information storage Self-installation by wireless USB only for device class hosts for which connection permission is set in advance among the registered hosts Characterized in that it is intended to allow a connection with.

The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 has a function as a wireless USB device, and communicates with a connected host among a plurality of hosts via the wireless USB, and the function of the own apparatus is connected to the connected host. A host management information storage unit that stores host management information that is management information for each of the plurality of hosts, and the plurality of the plurality of host processing information storage units based on the storage contents of the host management information storage unit. Control means for restricting the connection of the host to the host device, and the host management information stored in the host management information storage unit includes location information of each host based on the host device, and the control unit includes: Only hosts belonging to a predetermined range centered on the own device based on the position information among the hosts are allowed to connect to the own device via wireless USB Characterized in that the at it.

The image processing apparatus according to claim 3 has a function as a wireless USB device, and communicates with a connected host among a plurality of hosts via the wireless USB, and the connected host has a function included in the own apparatus. A host management information storage unit that stores host management information that is management information for each of the plurality of hosts, and the plurality of the plurality of host processing information storage units based on the storage contents of the host management information storage unit. Control means for restricting the connection of the host to the own device, and the control means allows each of the hosts registered in the host management information storage means to permit connection to the own device by wireless USB. The connection is restricted according to the function of the host device used by the host.

The image processing device according to claim 4 is the image processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the host management information for each of the hosts includes a host user name, a host name, and a host address. , Including part or all of the location information of the host and the usage history of each host function of its own device .

  According to the present invention, an MFP device (MFP) has a host name, a user name, location information, a usage history, and the like as host management information, and controls permission / denial of connection with the host based on the host management information. As a result, it is possible to obtain an effect of enabling a plurality of restrictions such as access restriction, charge restriction, and function restriction. Further, since the image processing apparatus as a wireless USB device has host information, there is an advantage that the hosts that can be connected (used) can be limited.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows the relationship between an MFP 1 that is an image processing apparatus and a wireless USB device according to the best mode for carrying out the present invention, and each of the hosts 200 a to 200 h that exchanges the device (MFP) 1 with the wireless USB. Show.

  Similar to the wired USB, the wireless USB does not connect the device and the host and the host, and performs various data exchanges between the device and the host. Connecting a plurality of devices to one host is a basic configuration for both wired USB and wireless USB.

  The important point here is that a host can be connected to and communicate with multiple devices at the same time, but a device cannot be connected to multiple hosts at the same time. This is because the device does not have a function for managing a plurality of devices that the host has.

  A PC (personal computer), a mobile phone, a digital camera, or the like is a host. On the other hand, printers and MFPs are devices.

  FIG. 2 shows a block configuration of an MFP (device) 1 as an image processing apparatus according to the best mode for carrying out the present invention.

  In the figure, a CPU 2 is a central processing unit that controls each part of the apparatus, performs various data processing, and performs protocol control based on a control program written in the ROM 3 while using a RAM 4 as a work area. .

  The ROM 3 is a read-only memory that stores various data necessary for control such as a control program for the CPU 2 to control each part of the apparatus and font data corresponding to each character code.

  The RAM 4 is a random access memory used as a work area for the CPU 2 as described above.

  An EEPROM (electrically rewritable read-only memory) 5 is a memory for storing various information necessary for the operation of the apparatus and holding the stored contents even when the apparatus is turned off. Replacement with a backed up SRAM (static RAM) or a magnetic disk device is also possible.

  The clock circuit 6 always keeps track of the current date and time, and the CPU 2 can read the clock circuit 6 via the system bus 14 to know the current date and time (date and time).

  The operation display unit 7 is provided with various keys for accepting operation inputs from the user, and includes a display such as a liquid crystal display device, and displays an operation state of the device to be notified to the user and various messages. It is.

  The reading unit 8 reads image data and obtains image data.

  The image forming unit 9 is for printing out image data on a recording sheet.

  The image processing unit 10 encodes and compresses raw image data and decodes / decodes the encoded compressed data, binarization process, scaling process, reduction / enlargement process, and image correction process. Various processing related to image data handled in the communication device 1 is performed, such as processing for adding additional information such as character string information of transmission date / time and reception date / time.

  The LAN communication control unit 10 is a so-called NIC (Network Interface Card), is connected to the LAN 100, and exchanges various types of information using a higher-level protocol (such as HTTP) by the exchange of the TCP / IP protocol by the CPU 2 over the LAN protocol. It is intended to be able to do.

  The communication control unit 12 is connected to the PSTN 200 via the NCU unit 13 and controls communication with the counterpart communication terminal. The communication control unit 12 controls the NCU unit 13 to detect a ringing voltage pulse detected by the NCU unit 13, a DTMF signal, a tone signal, and a call at the time of transmission. Further, the communication control unit 12 has a modem, and demodulates reception data (modulated) received from the counterpart communication terminal, or conversely modulates and transmits transmission data at the time of transmission. . Specifically, ITU-T recommendation T.I. A low-speed modem function (V.21 modem) for exchanging G3 facsimile control signals based on G.30 and a high-speed modem function mainly for exchanging document image data. 17, V.R. 33, V.R. 34, V.R. 29, V.R. It has 27ter modem functions.

  The NCU unit 13 is connected to the PSTN 200, and closes the line and detects a call signal (ringing).

  The wireless communication function unit 14 has a wireless communication function as a wireless USB device (details will be described later).

  The system bus 15 is a signal line including a data bus, an address bus, a control bus, an interrupt signal line, and the like for the above-described units to exchange data.

  FIG. 3 shows a detailed configuration of the wireless communication function unit 14.

  The wireless communication function unit 14 is configured to realize wireless USB wireless communication, and the antenna 501 transmits radio waves into and receives radio waves from the space. The RF unit 502 is a high-frequency circuit unit and controls frequency up-conversion and down-conversion. The baseband unit 503 mainly manages modulation / demodulation processing. The MAC unit 504 is responsible for overall control of wireless communication. The CPU 505 manages auxiliary processing of the MAC unit 504 and software processing of the MAC layer and higher in order to reduce the load on the main CPU 2 shown in FIG. Of the ROM / RAM 506, the ROM stores the boot loader, OS, and firmware of the CPU 505, and operates the program on the RAM. Further, the MAC unit 504 exchanges data with the CPU 2 of the apparatus (MFP (device) main body) via the system bus 15. Specifically, information received from the host is the main controller via the system bus 15. The data is transferred to the CPU 2 and stored in the EEPROM 5 or the like as necessary.

  In FIG. 1, the MFP 1 as a wireless USB device can be connected to any one of the hosts 200 a to 200 h by the wireless USB, but wants to use the function of the device (MFP) 1 by connecting to the device (MFP) 1. Unconditionally permitting connection to all desired hosts is not appropriate due to problems such as unauthorized use or overuse of the functions of the device (MFP) 1, and it must be managed and restricted in some way. There is.

  Therefore, the MTF (device) 1 stores the host management information 5 a shown in FIG. 4 in a part of the storage area of the EEPROM 5.

  The host management information 5a includes a host ID (“user name”, “host name”, “host address”) corresponding to each host as shown, and “usage history” of each host as necessary. Information necessary for host management such as “location information” is stored. The “user name” is information about the user of each host, and the “host name” is information that indicates the type of host, such as “PC”, “digital camera (digital camera)”, and “mobile phone”. “Host address” is address information for distinguishing and recognizing each host corresponding to the MAC address in the LAN interface card.

  Here, a method for obtaining each piece of information stored as the host management information 5a will be described.

  The “user name” is input in advance by the user. However, the user name may not be input in advance. This is because, instead of “user name”, numbers can be automatically assigned in the order in which Beacon signals from the host are received, and either of these two selections is possible.

  The “host name” can be obtained from a device class that is recognized when connecting to a host such as the host 200a, and based on the information, what kind of host the connected host is, for example, a PC, a mobile phone, or a digital camera. Can be determined. The “host address (corresponding to the MAC address)” can be acquired by receiving a Beacon signal that is always transmitted by the host at regular intervals.

  When “print format information” is stored as “usage history” information corresponding to each host stored as the host management information 5a, the “print format” transmitted / notified by the driver installed in the host Information "is received and stored.

  When “function information” is stored as “usage history” information, “function information” transmitted and notified by a driver installed in the host is received and stored. Similarly, when “access date / time” is stored as “usage history” information, the “access date / time” transmitted / notified by the driver installed in the host is received / stored. "Billing information" based on these various usage histories can also be stored as "usage history" information corresponding to each host.

  Further, “location information” corresponding to each host, that is, information indicating where each host is located with respect to the MFP (device) 1 includes the distance between each host and the MFP (device) 1, By determining the direction of each host viewed from the MFP (device) 1, it can be recognized as two-dimensional coordinate information, and the recognized coordinate information is stored as “position information” corresponding to each host.

  As a method for recognizing the location information of each host in the MFP (device) 1, for example, the method described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-075027 can be applied. Specifically, the direction of each antenna is specified by switching the antenna directivity, distance is exchanged with the host in each specified direction, distance information is obtained, and coordinates from the direction and distance are obtained. It is a way to get information.

  FIG. 5 illustrates two-dimensional hosts (PC1 (200a), PC2 (200b), PC3 (200c), PC4 (200d), PC5 (200e), and notePC1 (200f) with the MFP (device) 1 as the center (reference). Schematically showing the position on the coordinates,

  A host connection restriction function in the MFP (device) 1 based on the host management information 5a composed of various information about each host obtained in this way will be described below.

  As the host connection restriction function, in the host management information 5a, a connection permission / non-permission flag is set in advance for each host corresponding to a user name that is permitted to be connected. It is conceivable that only the registered user can be connected and the functions of the MFP (device) 1 can be used by setting the setting so that only the registered host can connect. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the functions of the MFP (device) 1 from being used without permission or being used without restriction.

  In addition, as a host connection restriction function, for example, when it is desired to permit connection & use only to a PC, connection from a host of “host name” such as a mobile phone or a digital camera is restricted. In this case, a “host name” for permitting connection to the EEPROM 5 or the like is set and stored in advance according to a setting input from the user (an administrator of the MFP 1), and the “host name” notified from the host is set to be permitted. It is conceivable that the connection is permitted only when it matches the “host name” so that the function of the MFP (device) 1 can be used. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the functions of the MFP (device) 1 from being used without permission or being used without restriction.

  As the host connection restriction function, the upper limit number of hosts to be connected and used is set and stored in advance in the EEPROM 5 or the like according to the setting input from the user (the administrator of the MFP 1). Connection is not permitted, and when there are a large number of hosts around the MFP (device) 1, if connection is permitted to all of these hosts, processing delay and throughput may be reduced. It is conceivable to avoid the deterioration of communication quality caused by it.

  In addition, the host connection restriction function restricts its own communication range in advance, and based on the “location information” obtained for each host, allows connection only for hosts located within that restriction range, and the restriction range. It is conceivable that the host located outside is prohibited from being connected so that the function of the MFP (device) 1 cannot be used. Here, the communication range is assumed to be an isotropic direction with a distance determined according to the transmission power value. As a result, communication from outside a certain area can be prevented. For example, it is possible to prevent communication from the other side of the wall or from outside the window. Of course, the communication range can be limited not only by the distance from the MFP (device) 1 but also by the distance and direction by the two-dimensional coordinates of “X, Y”.

  In addition, as a host connection restriction function, in view of the fact that each host uses limited functions depending on the type of host (PC, mobile phone, digital camera), for example, in the case of a digital camera, it is not possible to print a document. Since there is no need to print a document and the photo is always printed, the available functions of the multiple functions of the device (MFP) 1 are restricted for the host determined from the host name. However, it is conceivable that management is performed on the device (MFP) 1 side so as not to make an incorrect setting for the user.

  In addition, as the host connection restriction function, when the device (MFP) 1 charges the host, the charge calculation is performed based on the function usage history of the device (MFP) 1 for each host. For each host, the upper limit of charging is set and stored in the EEPROM 5 in response to the user's setting input, and the use of functions of the device (MFP) 1 is prohibited for the host that has reached the upper limit of charging. It is conceivable to do so. Thereby, unlimited use of the function of the device (MFP) 1 by the host can be prevented.

  Although the best mode for carrying out the present invention has been described above, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof. .

It is a figure which shows the relationship between MFP (device) and the host which concern on the best form for implementing this invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a block configuration of an MFP (device) according to the best mode for carrying out the present invention. It is a figure shown about the detailed structure of a radio | wireless communication function part. It is a figure shown about the specific content of host management information. It is a figure showing a position on a two-dimensional coordinate of each host with reference to an MFP (device).

Explanation of symbols

1 MFP (device)
14 Wireless communication function part 200a-h Host

Claims (4)

An image processing apparatus that has a function as a wireless USB device and provides the connected host with the function of the apparatus by interacting with a connected host among a plurality of hosts via the wireless USB,
Host management information storage means for storing host management information that is management information for each of the plurality of hosts;
Control means for restricting the connection of the plurality of hosts with the host device based on the storage contents of the host management information storage means,
Including information on the device class of each host as the host management information stored in the host management information storage means,
The control means permits only a device class host for which connection permission is set in advance among the hosts registered in the host management information storage means to connect to the own apparatus by wireless USB. An image processing apparatus. An image processing apparatus that has a function as a wireless USB device and provides the connected host with the function of the apparatus by interacting with a connected host among a plurality of hosts via the wireless USB,
Host management information storage means for storing host management information that is management information for each of the plurality of hosts;
Control means for restricting the connection of the plurality of hosts with the host device based on the storage contents of the host management information storage means,
The host management information stored in the host management information storage means includes location information of each host based on its own device,
Wherein, said the host belonging to a predetermined range around the own apparatus by the position information of each host only, the image processing apparatus, characterized in that to allow a connection with its own device according to the wireless USB . An image processing apparatus that has a function as a wireless USB device and provides the connected host with the function of the apparatus by interacting with a connected host among a plurality of hosts via the wireless USB,
Host management information storage means for storing host management information that is management information for each of the plurality of hosts;
Control means for restricting the connection of the plurality of hosts with the host device based on the storage contents of the host management information storage means,
The control unit restricts the connection of each host registered in the host management information storage unit according to the function of the own device used by each host when allowing the connection to the own device by wireless USB. An image processing apparatus characterized by the above . The host management information for each host includes a part or all of a host user name, host name, host address, host location information, and usage history of each host function. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processing apparatus is characterized.

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