JP5261130B2 - Image forming apparatus and image output system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology for ensuring convenience for a service person while ensuring constant security by providing a prescribed access restriction when implementing a prescribed mode for performing maintenance work of an image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A maintenance processing unit 60 of a multi function machine 50 accomplishes a conventional maintenance function and executes access authentication of a service person for maintenance. Therefore, the maintenance processing unit 60 includes an authentication processing section 61, an authentication data acquisition section 62 and a maintenance execution section 63. The authentication processing section 61 decodes a QR code obtained by the authentication data acquisition section 62 and determines whether or not a device ID contained in the decoded authentication information is coincident with its own device ID. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a management server, and an image output system, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction machine, a management server for managing maintenance of these image forming apparatuses, and The present invention relates to an image output system including such an image forming apparatus and a management server.

  Recent image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers, and multifunction machines require appropriate maintenance in order to maintain their functions properly. In particular, in the case of an apparatus that is frequently used for business use, the user performs maintenance. Contracts are made and the image forming apparatus is regularly maintained.

  A service person who performs such maintenance operates the operation panel of the image forming apparatus, displays a maintenance-dedicated menu on the operation panel, confirms the use status, and confirms an error that has occurred.

  By the way, the menu for maintenance described above is hidden in a normal state, and can be entered only when the service person performs “specific key operation”. However, from the viewpoint of security, recent image forming apparatuses have complicated “specific key operations”, and “specific key operations” may differ depending on the model of the image forming apparatus. Depending on the person, it was necessary to learn various “specific key operations”, and there was a demand for improvement. In addition, since it is assumed that a person other than the service person originally uses the mode without permission, a technique for appropriately restricting access for displaying the maintenance menu is required.

  Under such circumstances, several technologies have been proposed that make security work more efficient in consideration of security. For example, there is a conventional technique in which an image forming apparatus is equipped with a network connection function and connected to a predetermined external server, and an authentication operation is performed to switch to a service mode by transmitting / receiving an encryption code to / from the server. (See Patent Document 1).

In addition, there is a conventional technique in which predetermined maintenance is enabled by a maintenance mode, a user is authenticated by a maintenance mode authentication device incorporated in the image forming apparatus, and use of the maintenance mode is permitted according to an authentication result (patent) Reference 2). In this technique, an authentication sheet on which an authentication pattern that cannot be copied exactly as an original image is copied when the user authentication for enabling the maintenance mode is copied is used. Then, the authentication pattern of the authentication sheet is scanned and read by the image forming apparatus, so that the maintenance mode authentication apparatus performs authentication based on the read authentication pattern, and can enter the maintenance mode when the authentication is successful. Allowed.
Japanese Patent No. 3542479 JP 2006-41906 A

  By the way, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the image forming apparatus needs to be connected to an external server via a network. Since recent image forming apparatuses have a network function, the use of such a technique makes it possible to perform authentication work more easily than in the past. However, it is premised on network connection, and connection work with an external server is difficult, and there is a problem that introduction is not easy. Also, from the viewpoint of security, many users have avoided connecting to external networks as much as possible. Accordingly, there is a need for another technique that does not assume network connection.

  In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, when special ink is used, the sheet printed with the authentication key cannot be copied, but the sheet is distributed to the service person or used as a document for the service person to print by himself / herself. You need to distribute an authentication key. When the special ink is not used, a sheet on which the authentication key has been printed can be copied, which causes a problem that an unspecified number can be used.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances as described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a predetermined access restriction when a predetermined mode for performing maintenance work of the image forming apparatus is performed. The purpose is to provide a technology for ensuring the convenience of a service person while ensuring security.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. In this image forming apparatus, a network connection unit connected via a network to a management server that outputs maintenance authentication information, a period during which the maintenance mode can be executed, and accessible maintenance items are recorded and subjected to encryption processing. Authentication information acquisition means for acquiring the authentication information of the maintenance from the management server, and performing a decryption process on the acquired authentication information, and based on the decoded authentication information, the current time is the maintenance mode An authentication processing unit that permits execution of the maintenance mode within a range of the accessible maintenance item, and the authentication information acquisition unit includes image data as the authentication information. get.
Further , when the authentication processing unit acquires the authentication information, the authentication processing unit inquires of the management server about the authentication information, and when the period in which the maintenance mode can be executed is changed, the period after the change is changed. It may be determined whether the current time is included in a period during which the maintenance mode can be executed.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to an image output system. The image output system includes an image forming apparatus and a management server that outputs authentication information for maintenance of the image forming apparatus. The management server performs maintenance on the image forming apparatus. Authentication information including information on a maintenance available period and accessible maintenance items is subjected to encryption processing and output as image data as information used for authentication in the image forming apparatus, and the image forming apparatus Authentication information acquisition means for acquiring authentication information that is encrypted and is composed of the image data output by the management server, and analyzes the acquired image data and performs a predetermined decryption process to obtain the authentication information. And the current time is included in the period during which the maintenance mode can be executed based on the extracted authentication information. An authentication processing unit that permits execution of the maintenance mode, and a network connection unit that connects to the management server that has output the authentication information via a network, and the authentication processing unit stores the authentication information If the period during which the maintenance mode can be executed is changed when the authentication information is inquired to the management server at the time of acquisition, the current time can be executed based on the period after the change. Judge whether it is included in the period.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a technique for ensuring the convenience of a service person while providing a predetermined access restriction to ensure a certain level of security when executing a predetermined mode for performing maintenance work on an image forming apparatus. realizable.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as “embodiment”) will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. The present embodiment assumes an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a multifunction machine having a scanner function. Hereinafter, a multifunction machine will be exemplified.

  First, an outline of the present embodiment will be described. When the service person maintains the multifunction device, an image encrypted with a two-dimensional code such as a QR code and having authentication information described therein is prepared in advance, and the multifunction device reads the image. The image may be used in the state of image data or may be used in a state printed on paper. The above two-dimensional code includes the ID of the target MFP and a maintenance available period. The multi-function peripheral decrypts the read two-dimensional code, performs authentication processing, and displays the maintenance service menu on the operation panel only when it is determined that the ID and the maintenance possible period are appropriate. The two-dimensional code is managed by a predetermined management server, and the service person accesses the management server and prints it before proceeding with maintenance. This will be specifically described below.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image output system 10 according to the present embodiment, and the image output system 10 includes an authentication management server 20 and a multi-function device 50. Then, the authentication management server 20 issues a permit (authentication information) as an image, and the multifunction device 50 reads and authenticates. When the authentication is authenticated, the service person can perform maintenance of the multifunction device 50.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the authentication management server 20 which is an example of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. Each component of the authentication management server 20 is configured by an LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a memory, and each function is realized by executing a program stored in the memory. . The authentication management server 20 includes a main control unit 21, an operation acquisition unit 22, an input / output interface 23, and a communication unit 24. The main control unit 21 comprehensively controls the components of the authentication management server 20. The operation acquisition unit 22 receives operations from a service person, an administrator of the authentication management server 20, and the like. The input / output interface 23 is a USB interface or the like, to which a printing device such as the printer 11 is connected, or a USB memory 14 or the like is connected. The communication unit 24 is a network interface and communicates with the external client terminal 12. The communication unit 24 has a function of transmitting an e-mail to the registered mobile phone 15. The service person operates the operation acquisition unit 22 or the client terminal 12 to access the authentication management server 20.

  The authentication management server 20 further includes an authentication processing unit 30 and a management database 40 as functions characteristic of the present embodiment.

  The authentication processing unit 30 includes a target device registration unit 31, an authentication data request acquisition unit 32, an authentication data output unit 33, and a service person registration unit 34. The management database 40 includes a target device data recording unit 41, an authentication data recording unit 42, and a service person information recording unit 43.

  The target device registration unit 31 registers a device to be maintained. As the registration, for example, when a later-described multi-function device 50 is sold or leased and a maintenance contract is made, an ID of the multi-function device 50 (hereinafter also referred to as “device ID”), a user, or the like. It is registered in the target device data recording unit 41 of the management database 40 and is changed as appropriate.

  The authentication data request acquisition unit 32 requests and acquires information for authenticating the accessed service person via the operation of the client terminal 12 or the operation acquisition unit 22 from the service person. Specifically, the service person accesses the authentication management server 20 by inputting a predetermined access code such as the service person ID and password. If the input access code is appropriate, the authentication data request acquisition unit 32 of the authentication management server 20 permits access to the service person. The authentication data request acquisition unit 32 acquires, as maintenance requirements, the device ID of the maintenance target device (multifunction device 50) input by the service person, the maintenance period (maintenance period), and the like.

  The authentication data output unit 33 encrypts the maintenance requirement acquired by the authentication data request acquisition unit 32 and outputs it to the printer 11 or the client terminal 12 as a two-dimensional code. When output to the client terminal 12, it is printed out by a printer connected to the client terminal 12. When an e-mail is selected as the output destination, it is transmitted as image data to the e-mail address recorded in the service person information recording unit 43. The contents of the output authentication information are recorded as an output history in the authentication data recording unit 42 together with the information of the service person who requested the output of the authentication information.

  The service person registration unit 34 registers a service person who can access and maintain the authentication management server 20 and request information. More specifically, a predetermined access code such as the ID, password, and e-mail address of the service person is registered in the service person information recording unit 43 of the management database 40, and the service in the authentication data request acquisition unit 32 described above. Used to authenticate access to the person authentication management server 20.

  Next, the multi-function device 50 will be described. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the multi-function device 50 according to the present embodiment. Each component of the multi-function device 50 is configured by an LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a memory, and each function is realized by executing a program stored in the memory.

  The multi-function device 50 is a main control unit 51, an operation acquisition unit 52, an input / output interface 53, a print processing unit 55, and a scanner processing unit 56 as components for executing functions of a general multi-function device. And a timer 57. The main control unit 51 comprehensively controls the components of the multi-function device 50. The operation acquisition unit 52 is an operation panel including display means such as a liquid crystal panel and a touch panel and an operation device, and accepts a user operation. The operation acquisition unit 52 receives an operation of a general multi-function device 50 and displays a service menu by a service person to receive an operation for maintenance. The input / output interface 53 communicates with another device or a recording medium via a USB interface or the like. The print processing unit 55 performs printing as a function of a general multifunction machine. Similarly, the scanner processing unit 56 reads a paper print or image set at a predetermined location as a function of a general multifunction peripheral. The timer unit 57 functions as a so-called clock.

  Further, the multi-function device 50 includes a maintenance processing unit 60. The maintenance processing unit 60 realizes a conventional maintenance function, and executes access authentication of a service person for maintenance, which is a function characteristic of the present embodiment.

  For the access authentication and maintenance execution, the maintenance processing unit 60 includes an authentication processing unit 61, an authentication data acquisition unit 62, and a maintenance execution unit 63.

  When there is a menu display request for maintenance from the service person, the authentication processing unit 61 instructs the authentication data acquisition unit 62 described later to acquire authentication information. Then, it is determined whether or not the authentication information acquired by the authentication data acquisition unit 62 is appropriate. Specifically, a QR code acquired by an authentication data acquisition unit 62 described later is decrypted, and it is determined whether the device ID included in the decrypted authentication information matches its own device ID. This own device ID is stored in the main control unit 51. Further, the main control unit 51 acquires the current time from the time measuring unit 57, and determines whether or not the current time is included in the maintenance period included in the authentication information. If both the device ID and the maintenance period authentication are appropriate, a notification to that effect is sent to the maintenance execution unit 63 described later. Further, the authentication processing unit 61 has a function capable of decrypting information encrypted by the authentication management server 20.

  When there is a request for access to the maintenance mode from the service person, the authentication data acquisition unit 62 displays a two-dimensional code as authentication information on the display means of the operation acquisition unit 52. At this time, first, the authentication data acquisition unit 62 accepts designation of a two-dimensional code input device from a service person. If the authentication information is printed or is displayed on the screen of the mobile phone 15 owned by the service person, the scanner processing unit 56 is selected as an input device, and the image is stored in the USB memory 14 or the like as an image. If the data is stored, the input / output interface 53 is selected. Then, a two-dimensional code is acquired from the selected input device, and the acquired two-dimensional code is notified to the authentication processing unit 61.

  When the maintenance execution unit 63 receives a notification that the authentication processing unit 61 has authenticated, the maintenance execution unit 63 enables maintenance by the service person, and allows the display unit of the operation acquisition unit 52 to display and operate the menu for maintenance.

  The operations of the authentication management server 20 and the multi-function device 50 configured as described above will be described below with reference to flowcharts.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an authentication information output process in the authentication management server 20.

  First, when a service person accesses the authentication management server 20 via the operation acquisition unit 22 or the client terminal 12, the authentication data request acquisition unit 32 authenticates the accessed service person (S10). Specifically, the authentication data request acquisition unit 32 requests the service person to input the service person ID and password. When the service person ID and password are input, the authentication data request acquisition unit 32 refers to the service person information recording unit 43 and matches the ID and password recorded in the service person information recording unit 43. It is judged whether or not, and when it is authenticated that it matches, the subsequent processing is permitted.

  Next, when authentication is performed in step S10, the authentication data request acquisition unit 32 acquires maintenance requirements (S12). Specifically, the service person designates the device ID, maintenance period, and type of authentication information of the multi-function device 50 to be maintained, and the authentication data request acquisition unit 32 acquires the specified maintenance requirement. The maintenance period is, for example, “October 1, 2008 12:00:00 to 15:00”. Maintenance can be performed in the target multi-function device 50 only during the designated maintenance period, and the service person cannot perform maintenance outside this maintenance period. At this time, the service person can specify the printer 11 (printed paper), the USB memory 14 (image data), and the mobile phone 15 (image data) as the output destination of the authentication information.

  Next, when the maintenance requirement is acquired in step S12, the authentication data output unit 33 encrypts the maintenance requirement acquired by the authentication data request acquisition unit 32 and creates a two-dimensional code (S14).

  Further, the authentication data output unit 33 outputs the two-dimensional code created at the output destination designated in step S12 (S16). The authentication data output unit 33 records the contents of the output authentication information in the authentication data recording unit 42 as an output history.

  Next, authentication processing of the multi-function device 50 will be described based on a flowchart. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the authentication process of the multi-function device 50.

  First, when the authentication processing unit 61 of the MFP 50 to be maintained acquires an operation requesting the maintenance mode from the service person (S20), the authentication acquiring unit 52 selects the operation acquisition unit 52 to specify the authentication data format. Display is possible, and designation is received from the service person (S22). That is, whether to scan an image printed on paper, acquire image data recorded in the USB memory 14 via the input / output interface 53, or display an image displayed on the display means of the mobile phone 15. The service person specifies whether to scan.

  Then, the authentication data acquisition unit 62 reads the authentication information in the designated authentication data format (S24). For example, when scanning of an image printed on paper is selected, the authentication data acquisition unit 62 drives the scanner processing unit 56 to acquire a two-dimensional code.

  Next, the authentication processing unit 61 decodes the acquired two-dimensional code, and performs verification of device ID and maintenance period as verification processing of authentication information (S26).

  If the authentication information is verified as appropriate (Y in S28), the authentication processing unit 61 notifies the maintenance execution unit 63 to that effect, and the maintenance execution unit 63 starts the maintenance mode upon receiving the notification (S30).

  If the authentication information is inappropriate (N in S28), the authentication processing unit 61 displays a warning to that effect on the display means of the operation acquisition unit 52 and ends without starting the maintenance mode (S32).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to perform appropriate access restriction regarding the service person displaying the maintenance menu of the multi-function device 50. More specifically, for example, access from a person who should not have access to the MFP 50 that is actually in operation, such as a retired service person, a service person outside the area in charge, or a developer, can be suppressed. Further, even when the multi-function device 50 is isolated from a network line such as the Internet or a telephone line, it can be operated. Further, since the multi-function device 50 does not authenticate the permit (authentication information) that has passed the scheduled date and time (maintenance possible period), the permit is used up only once and cannot be reused. This makes it possible to restrict access more effectively. In addition, the service person does not need to memorize “specific key operation” in order to enter the maintenance mode, and can perform maintenance with a simple operation of simply scanning the image data as a permit.

  The present invention has been described based on the embodiments. This embodiment is an exemplification, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the combination of each component and each processing process, and such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. .

  In the embodiment, the authentication information converted into the image data includes the device ID of the multi-function device 50 and the maintenance possible period. However, the authentication information is not limited thereto, and may include, for example, a maintenance item accessible at the time of maintenance. . For example, in the case of the multi-function device 50 used in a lease contract, there may be a charge depending on the usage status. The use of restricting maintenance items related to such billing is also possible. Some image forming apparatuses do not have a scanner function. In such cases, a simple dedicated scanner apparatus can be connected internally or externally. In addition, a configuration that only acquires images from a recording medium such as the USB memory 14 can be realized with a simple configuration.

  Further, when the multi-function device 50 and the authentication management server 20 are connected via a network, security can be further improved. For example, when the service person causes the multi-function device 50 to read image data, the multi-function device 50 may inquire of the authentication management server 20 whether or not authentication information has been issued. By making an inquiry, for example, when the authentication information is illegally issued, the authentication management server 20 cancels the illegally issued authentication information and notifies the MFP 50 not to allow authentication. You can also Further, flexible operation such as making it possible to apply a change of the maintenance possible period in the authentication information becomes possible.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image output system according to an embodiment of the invention. It is a functional block diagram which shows schematic structure of the authentication management server based on embodiment of invention. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the authentication management server based on embodiment of invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the multifunction peripheral according to the embodiment of the invention.

Explanation of symbols

11 Printer 12 Client terminal 14 USB memory 15 Mobile phone 20 Authentication management server 21 Main control unit 22 Operation acquisition unit 23 Input / output interface 24 Communication unit 30 Authentication processing unit 31 Target device registration unit 32 Authentication data request acquisition unit 33 Authentication data output Unit 34 Service Person Registration Unit 40 Management Database 41 Target Device Data Recording Unit 42 Authentication Data Recording Unit 43 Service Person Information Recording Unit 50 Multifunction Device 51 Main Control Unit 52 Operation Acquisition Unit 53 Input / Output Interface 55 Print Processing Unit 56 Scanner Processing Unit 57 Timekeeping unit 60 Maintenance processing unit 61 Authentication processing unit 62 Authentication data acquisition unit 63 Maintenance execution unit

Claims (3)

A network connection unit connected via a network to a management server that outputs maintenance authentication information;
A period in which the maintenance mode can be executed and an accessible maintenance item are recorded, and authentication information acquisition means for acquiring the authentication information of the maintenance subjected to encryption processing from the management server ;
When the obtained authentication information is decrypted, and the current time is included in the period in which the maintenance mode can be executed based on the decoded authentication information, the execution of the maintenance mode is performed as the access An authentication processing unit that permits within the scope of possible maintenance items;
With
The image forming apparatus, wherein the authentication information acquisition unit acquires image data as the authentication information. When the authentication processing unit acquires the authentication information, the authentication server inquires of the management server about the authentication information, and if the period during which the maintenance mode can be executed has been changed, 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time is included in a period in which the maintenance mode can be executed. An image output system including an image forming apparatus and a management server that outputs authentication information for maintenance of the image forming apparatus,
The management server
In order to maintain the image forming apparatus, authentication information including information on a maintenance possible period and accessible maintenance items is subjected to encryption processing as information used for authentication in the image forming apparatus. Output as data,
The image forming apparatus includes:
Authentication information acquisition means for acquiring authentication information consisting of the encrypted image data output by the management server;
When the acquired image data is analyzed and a predetermined decryption process is performed to extract the authentication information, and based on the extracted authentication information, the current time is included in a period in which the maintenance mode can be executed An authentication processing unit that permits execution of the maintenance mode;
A network connection unit connected via a network to the management server that has output the authentication information,
When the authentication processing unit acquires the authentication information, the authentication server inquires of the management server about the authentication information, and if the period during which the maintenance mode can be executed has been changed, It is determined whether or not the time is included in a period during which the maintenance mode can be executed.

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