JP5745987B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus capable of performing wireless communication with a peripheral device based on a wireless USB standard.

  In recent years, wireless communication based on the wireless USB (wireless USB) standard has been used for connection between an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and peripheral devices. Usually, when using a wireless USB, it is necessary to perform an association process in which devices recognize each other at the time of initial connection and hold each other's connection information (Connection Context). In this way, once the association process is completed and the mutual connection information is held, a wireless USB connection can be established without requiring any special process for the second and subsequent connections.

  On the other hand, once the association process is completed, there is a problem that even a user who is not permitted to use the peripheral device can easily access the peripheral device. In view of this, a technique has been proposed that restricts the editing and addition of connection information with administrator authority, thereby preventing unauthorized use of the peripheral device only by a wireless USB compatible peripheral device (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2010-201861 A

  However, in the prior art, the use of a wireless USB compatible peripheral device can be restricted by an administrator. However, every time a new peripheral device is used, setting by the administrator is required, which increases the burden on the administrator. There was a problem.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of solving the problems of the prior art and reducing the burden on the administrator when registering a wireless USB compatible peripheral device.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention executes connection processing with a peripheral device connected for the first time based on the wireless USB standard, stores connection information, and wirelessly communicates with the peripheral device using the connection information from the next connection. An image forming apparatus that performs communication, and includes user information in which an administrator and a user are registered, an administrator device management list in which the peripheral devices that can be used by all the users are registered, and each user. Storage means for storing a user device management list in which the peripheral device that can be used by the user is registered; and when receiving a connection request from the peripheral device while the user is logged in based on the user information, Control means for determining whether or not registered in the administrator device management list and the user device management list, by the control means, Not the peripheral device that has connection request is registered in the manager device management list, further wherein the user if the device has been registered in the management list is determined not to the connection request to the peripheral device has the association processing Wireless communication means for executing the registration, and the control means causes the peripheral device that has executed the association processing by the wireless communication means to be registered in the user device management list of the logged-in user. And
Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the control unit receives a selection input for selecting the user who is permitted to use the peripheral device that has performed the association processing by the wireless communication unit, and the wireless communication unit The peripheral device that has executed the association process may be registered in the user device management list of the logged-in user and the user device management list of the selected user.
Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, when the control unit receives a connection request from the peripheral device while the user is logged in based on the user information, the administrator device management list and the user device management list If the device is registered in the administrator device management list or the user device management list of the logged-in user, the use of the peripheral device requested for connection is being logged in. And is not registered in the administrator device management list and the user device management list of the logged-in user, and is registered in the user device management list of the user other than being logged in. Use of the peripheral device that requested the connection to the logged-in user. Te may be made to non-permission.

  According to the present invention, an administrator device management list in which peripheral devices that can be used by all users are registered, and a user device management list in which the peripheral devices that are provided for each user and that can be used by a user are registered. If a connection request is received from a peripheral device while the user is logged in, it is determined whether or not it is registered in the administrator device management list and the user device management list, and the peripheral device that requested the connection is the administrator When not registered in the device management list and the user device management list, it performs association processing with the peripheral device that has requested connection, and the peripheral device that has performed the association processing is added to the logged-in user's user device management list. By configuring to register, peripheral devices can be registered with user authority, and wireless An effect that the burden on the administrator at the time of registration of the SB response of the peripheral device can be reduced.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an internal configuration of an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. It is explanatory drawing which shows the user information example memorize | stored in the memory | storage part shown in FIG. 2, an administrator apparatus management list row | line | column, and a user apparatus management list example. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a peripheral device connection operation in the embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
An image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is a copying machine. Referring to FIG. 1, a document reading unit 2, a document feeding unit 3, a body unit 4, a stack tray 5, and an operation unit 6 are provided. I have. The document reading unit 2 is disposed on the top of the main body unit 4, and the document feeding unit 3 is disposed on the top of the document reading unit 2. The stack tray 5 is disposed on the recording paper discharge port 41 side of the main body unit 4, and the operation unit 6 is disposed on the front side of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The operation unit 6 is provided with a liquid crystal display unit 61 and a numeric keypad 62. The user operates the operation unit 6 to input an instruction, thereby performing various settings of the image forming apparatus 1 and executing various functions such as image formation. The liquid crystal display unit 61 displays the state of the image forming apparatus 1, displays the image forming status and the number of copies, and can be used as a touch panel to perform various settings such as functions such as double-sided printing and black-and-white reversal, magnification setting, and density setting. It has become. In addition, the operation unit 6 includes a start button for instructing the user to start image formation, a stop / clear button used when the image formation is stopped, and various settings of the image forming apparatus 1 are set to the default state. A reset button or the like is provided for use.

  The document reading unit 2 includes a scanner 21, a platen glass 22, and a document reading slit 23. The scanner 21 includes an exposure lamp, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor, and the like, and is configured to be movable in the document transport direction by the document feeder 3. The platen glass 22 is an original table made of a transparent member such as glass. The document reading slit 23 has a slit formed in a direction perpendicular to the document transport direction by the document feeder 3.

  When reading a document placed on the platen glass 22, the scanner 21 is moved to a position facing the platen glass 22 and reads the document while scanning the document placed on the platen glass 22 to obtain image data. The acquired image data is output to the main unit 4. When reading the document conveyed by the document feeding unit 3, the scanner 21 is moved to a position facing the document reading slit 23, and the document is conveyed by the document feeding unit 3 through the document reading slit 23. The document is read in synchronization with the operation to acquire image data, and the acquired image data is output to the main body unit 4.

  The document feeding unit 3 includes a document placement unit 31, a document discharge unit 32, and a document transport mechanism 33. The originals placed on the original placement unit 31 are sequentially fed out one by one by the original conveyance mechanism 33, conveyed to a position facing the original reading slit 23, and then discharged to the original discharge unit 32. The document feeding unit 3 is configured to be retractable, and the upper surface of the platen glass 22 can be opened by lifting the document feeding unit 3 upward.

  The main body unit 4 includes the recording unit 7, and includes a paper feeding unit 42, a paper conveyance path 43, a conveyance roller 44, and a discharge roller 45. The paper feed unit 42 includes a plurality of paper feed cassettes 42a1 to 42an and paper feed rollers 42b1 to 42bn that feed recording sheets from the paper feed cassettes 42a1 to 42an one by one to the paper transport path 43. The paper feed rollers 42b1 to 42bn, the transport roller 44, and the discharge roller 45 function as a transport unit, and the recording paper is transported. The recording paper fed to the paper transport path 43 by the paper feed rollers 42 b 1 to 42 bn is transported to the recording unit 7 by the transport roller 44. Then, the recording paper on which recording is performed by the recording unit 7 is discharged to the stack tray 5 by the discharge roller 45.

  The recording unit 7 includes a photosensitive drum 71, an exposure unit 72, an image forming unit 73, a transfer unit 74, and a fixing unit 75. The exposure unit 72 is an optical unit including a laser device, a mirror, and the like, and outputs a laser beam based on image data to expose the photosensitive drum 71 to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 71. To do. The image forming unit 73 is a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 71 using toner, and forms a toner image based on the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 71. The transfer unit 74 transfers the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 71 by the image forming unit 44 to a recording sheet. The fixing unit 75 heats the recording paper on which the toner image is transferred by the transfer unit 74 to fix the toner image on the recording paper.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus 1. The document reading unit 2, the document feeding unit 3, the transport unit (feed rollers 42 b 1 to 42 bn, the transport roller 44, the discharge roller 45), the operation unit 6, and the recording unit 7 are connected to the control unit 8. The operation is controlled by 8. In addition, an image processing unit 9, a wireless communication unit 10, and a storage unit 11 are connected to the control unit 8.

  The control unit 8 is an information processing unit such as a microcomputer including a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The ROM stores a control program for controlling the operation of the image forming apparatus 1. The control unit 8 reads out a control program stored in the ROM and develops the control program in the RAM, thereby controlling the entire apparatus according to predetermined instruction information input from the operation unit 6.

  The image processing unit 9 is means for performing predetermined image processing on the image data. For example, image improvement processing such as enlargement / reduction processing, gradation adjustment, and density adjustment is performed.

  The wireless communication unit 10 is a circuit that controls wireless USB standard communication (wireless USB communication), and performs wireless USB communication with the peripheral device 12 that supports wireless USB. Further, when the wireless USB compatible peripheral device 12 is connected for the first time, an association process for recognizing each other and holding each other's connection information (Connection Context) is performed, and the connection information is stored in the storage unit 11.

  The storage unit 11 is a storage unit such as a semiconductor memory or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and is generated by image data acquired by reading a document by the document reading unit 2 or an association process executed by the wireless communication unit 10. As shown in FIG. 3, management information such as a connection information list 111, user information 112, an administrator device management list 113, and a user device management list 114 is stored.

  The connection information list 111 is a list of connection information generated and stored by association processing executed by the wireless communication unit 10, and the device ID of the peripheral device 12 is registered in association with the connection information. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, the device IDs “A”, “B”, and “C” of the peripheral devices A, B, and C are registered in the connection information list 111 in association with the connection information.

  The user information 112 is a list of administrators and users who are permitted to use the image forming apparatus 1 and stores login information such as passwords in association with user names. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, an administrator and users X, Y, and Z are registered in the user information 112.

  The administrator device management list 113 is a list showing the peripheral devices 12 that can be used by all users managed by the administrator, and device IDs of the peripheral devices 12 that can be used by all users are registered. In the example illustrated in FIG. 3A, the device ID “A” of the peripheral device A illustrated in FIG. 2 is registered in the administrator device management list 113.

  The user device management list 114 is provided for each user registered in the user information 112, and is a list indicating the peripheral devices 12 that can be used by each user. The device IDs of the peripheral devices 12 that can be used by each user are respectively shown. It is registered. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, user device management lists 114 for users X, Y, and Z are provided, respectively, and the device ID “B” of the peripheral device B shown in FIG. 2 ”, the device ID“ C ”of the peripheral device C shown in FIG.

  The peripheral device 12 is, for example, a storage device such as a flash memory or an HDD, or an information processing device such as a personal computer, and has a function of performing wireless USB standard communication (wireless USB communication).

  Next, the peripheral device connection operation in the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  First, when using the image forming apparatus 1, the control unit 8 receives a user login (such as a user name and login information) and refers to the user information 112 to execute a login process. Next, the control unit 8 determines whether or not a user authority, that is, a user X, Y, or Z other than the administrator is logging in (step S1). In the following description, it is assumed that the user is logged in with the authority of user X.

  When the power of the peripheral device 12 is turned on during login with user authority (step S2) and the connection request from the peripheral device 12 is received by the wireless communication unit 10 of the image forming apparatus 1, the control unit 8 is included in the connection request. It is determined whether the device ID of the peripheral device 12 is registered in the administrator device management list 113 (step S3). The connection request from the peripheral device 12 is not limited to when the power is turned on, and may be transmitted by an operation from an operation unit (not shown) provided in the peripheral device 12, for example.

  When the device ID of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection in step S3 is registered in the administrator device management list 113, the control unit 8 connects the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection based on the connection information list 111. Information is specified, and the peripheral device 12 is connected by the specified connection information (step S4). Next, the control unit 8 permits the use of the peripheral device 12 connected to the logged-in user (step S5), and ends the peripheral device connection operation. For example, when the peripheral device A is powered on in step S2, the device ID “A” of the peripheral device A is registered in the administrator device management list 113. The use of the peripheral device A is permitted.

  If the device ID of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection in step S3 is not registered in the administrator device management list 113, the control unit 8 determines that the device ID of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection is the logged-in user device. It is determined whether it is registered in the management list 114 (step S6).

  If the device ID of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection in step S 6 is registered in the logged-in user device management list 114, the control unit 8 makes a connection request based on the connection information list 111. And the peripheral device 12 is connected based on the identified connection information (step S4). Next, the control unit 8 permits the use of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection to the logged-in user (step S5), and ends the peripheral device connection operation. For example, when the power supply of the peripheral device B is turned on in step S2, the device ID “B” of the peripheral device B is registered in the user device management list 114 of the user X. Thus, the use of the peripheral device B is permitted.

  If the device ID of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection in step S6 is not registered in the logged-in user device management list 114, the control unit 8 determines that the device ID of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection is not currently logged in. It is determined whether it is registered in the user device management list 114 of another user (step S7).

When the device ID of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection in step S7 is registered in the other user device management list 114, the control unit 8 informs the logged-in user of the use of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection. On the other hand, it is not permitted (step S8), and the peripheral device connection operation is terminated. For example, when the peripheral device C is turned on in step S2, the device ID “C” of the peripheral device C is not registered in the administrator device management list 113 and the user device management list 114 of the user X. In addition, since it is registered in the user device management list 114 of the users Y and Z other than the user X, the use of the peripheral device C is not permitted for the logged-in user X.

  If the device ID of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection in step S7 is not registered in the other user device management list 114, the control unit 8 instructs the wireless communication unit 10 to perform association processing. The wireless communication unit 10 performs an association process with the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection (step S9), stores the connection information of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection in the storage unit 11, and the control unit 8 The device ID of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection in the connection information list 111 is registered in association with the connection information. Further, the control unit 8 accepts a selection input of a user who is permitted to use the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection (step S10), and requests connection to the user device management list 114 between the logged-in user and the selected user. The device ID of the peripheral device 12 is registered (step S11). Next, the control unit 8 connects the peripheral device 12 based on the connection information of the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection (step S4), and permits the use of the peripheral device 12 connected to the logged-in user (step S5). The peripheral device connection operation is terminated.

  For example, when the power supply of the peripheral device D is turned on in step S2, as shown in FIG. 3A, the device ID “D” of the peripheral device D is managed by the administrator device management list 113 and all user device management. Since it is not registered in the list 114, the wireless communication unit 10 performs an association process with the peripheral device D, and the device ID “D” of the peripheral device D is displayed in the connection information list 111 as shown in FIG. "Is registered in association with the connection information. If the user Y is selected in step S10, the device ID of the peripheral device D is added to the user device management list 114 of the logged-in user X and the selected user Y, as shown in FIG. “D” will be registered.

  As described above, the case of logging in with the user authority has been described. However, during the login with the administrator authority, the connection information stored in the storage unit, the connection information list 111, the user information 112, The administrator device management list 113 and the user device management list 114 can be modified or deleted. In addition, when a new user is registered in the user information 112 while logging in with administrator authority, it is preferable that the user device management list 114 of the newly registered user is automatically created. Further, when the first peripheral device 12 is connected during login with administrator authority, that is, when a connection request is received from the first peripheral device 12, the peripheral device that has made a connection request to the administrator device management list 113 Twelve device IDs are registered and can be used by all users.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, user information 112 in which administrators and users are registered, an administrator device management list 113 in which peripheral devices 12 that can be used by all users are registered, and for each user When a user receives a connection request from the peripheral device 12 during login based on the user information 112, and a storage unit 11 that stores a user device management list 114 in which the peripheral device 12 that is provided and can be used by the user is registered. The control unit 8 that determines whether or not it is registered in the administrator device management list 113 and the user device management list 114, and the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection by the control unit 8 is connected to the administrator device management list 113 and the user device. If it is determined that it is not registered in the management list 114, it is associated with the peripheral device 12 that has requested connection. To a radio communication unit 10 for executing Shon process. The control unit 8 causes the peripheral device 12 that has performed the association process by the wireless communication unit 10 to be registered in the user device management list 114 of the logged-in user. As a result, the peripheral device 12 can be registered with user authority, and the burden on the administrator when registering the wireless USB compatible peripheral device 12 can be reduced.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit 8 receives a selection input of a user who permits the use of the peripheral device 12 that has performed the association process by the wireless communication unit 10, and the peripheral device that has performed the association process by the wireless communication unit 10 12 is registered in the user device management list 114 of the logged-in user and the selected user. As a result, the user who can use the peripheral device 12 can be set with user authority, and the burden on the administrator when registering the wireless USB compatible peripheral device 12 can be reduced.

  Further, in the present embodiment, when the control unit 8 receives a connection request from the peripheral device 12 while the user is logged in based on the user information 112, the control unit 8 is registered in the administrator device management list 113 and the user device management list 114. If the registered device is registered in the administrator device management list 113 or the user device management list 114 of the logged-in user, the use of the peripheral device 12 requested to connect to the logged-in user Connection request when the user is not registered in the administrator device management list 113 and the user device management list 114 of the logged-in user and is registered in the user device management list 114 of a user other than the logged-in user. The logged-in user is not allowed to use the peripheral device 12 that has been used. Thus, conventionally, once a peripheral device 12 compatible with wireless USB is registered in the list with administrator authority (connection information is held), the peripheral device 12 can be used even by a user other than the owner of the peripheral device 12. However, in this embodiment, the use of the registered peripheral device 12 can be restricted and the security can be improved.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is obvious that the embodiments can be appropriately changed within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. In addition, the number, position, shape, and the like of the constituent members are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be set to a suitable number, position, shape, and the like in practicing the present invention. In each figure, the same numerals are given to the same component.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Original reading part 3 Original feeding part 4 Main body part 5 Stack tray 6 Operation part 7 Recording part 8 Control part 9 Image processing part 10 Wireless communication part 11 Storage part 12 Peripheral device 21 Scanner 22 Platen glass 23 Original reading Slit 31 Document placement section 32 Document discharge section 33 Document transport mechanism 41 Discharge port 42 Paper feed section 42a1-42an Paper feed cassette 42b1-42bn Paper feed roller 43 Paper transport path 44 Transport roller 45 Discharge roller 61 Liquid crystal display section 62 Numeric keypad 71 Photosensitive drum 72 Exposure unit 73 Image forming unit 74 Transfer unit 75 Fixing unit 111 Connection information list 112 User information 113 Administrator device management list 114 User device management list

Claims (3)

An image forming apparatus that performs association processing with a peripheral device connected for the first time based on the wireless USB standard, stores connection information, and performs wireless communication with the peripheral device using the connection information from the next connection. And
User information in which an administrator and a user are registered, an administrator device management list in which all the peripheral devices that can be used by the user are registered, and the peripheral device that is provided for each user and can be used by the user Means for storing a user device management list in which is registered,
Control means for determining whether or not the administrator device management list and the user device management list are registered when receiving a connection request from the peripheral device during login of the user based on the user information;
By said control means, said peripheral device that has connection request has not been registered in the administrator device management list, further wherein if it is determined not to be registered in the user device management list, the peripheral that has connection request An apparatus and wireless communication means for executing the association process,
The image forming apparatus characterized in that the control unit causes the peripheral device that has executed the association processing by the wireless communication unit to be registered in the user device management list of the logged-in user. The control means receives a selection input for selecting the user permitted to use the peripheral device that has performed the association process by the wireless communication means, and the peripheral device that has performed the association process by the wireless communication means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein registration is performed in the user device management list of the logged-in user and the user device management list of the selected user.   When the control unit receives a connection request from the peripheral device while the user is logged in based on the user information, the control unit determines whether or not it is registered in the administrator device management list and the user device management list. , When registered in the administrator device management list or the user device management list of the logged-in user, allowing the logged-in user to use the peripheral device that has requested connection, A connection request was made when the device is not registered in the administrator device management list and the user device management list of the logged-in user and is registered in the user device management list of the user other than logged-in. The use of the peripheral device is prohibited for the logged-in user. Or an image forming apparatus according.

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