JP5048570B2 - Printing system and printer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system and a printer, and more particularly to a printer capable of printing image data for printing transmitted from a computer having a display and a printing system including such a printer.

  Generally, a printer installed in an office is connected to a plurality of personal computers (personal computers) via a network and is shared by a plurality of users. The printer generates image data for output based on image data input from a connected personal computer, visualizes it with an image forming unit including a photoconductor, a fixing roller, and the like, and then prints it on a sheet. In recent printers, in addition to the normal mode, there is provided a power saving mode with low power consumption during standby, such as when the temperature of the fixing roller is lowered when there is no print request for a long time.

Here, a technique relating to an image forming apparatus corresponding to low power consumption is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-34284 (Patent Document 1). According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228620, power saving is effectively performed by setting a reference time for auto shut-off and standby power according to a user's usage pattern.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-34284

  According to the printer as shown in Patent Document 1, it is possible to save power of the printer itself. On the other hand, when a user prints from a personal computer using a printer, generally, the image data to be printed is displayed on a personal computer display, the image data is confirmed, and then the image data is transmitted to the printer for output. To do. Then, after making a print request from the personal computer, the user goes to pick up the printed output paper up to a printer installed at a location remote from the personal computer.

  Here, for example, if the image data to be printed is still displayed on the display of the personal computer, a third party can easily look into the image data on the display while the user is taking the output paper. it can. Such a state is not preferable from the viewpoint of security.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system capable of improving security during printing.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a printer capable of improving security during printing.

A printing system according to the present invention includes a computer having a display and a printer that performs printing in response to a printing request from the computer. Here, the computer includes a transmission unit that transmits image data for printing to the printer, and the printer receives a reception unit that receives the image data for printing transmitted by the transmission unit, and a printing unit received by the reception unit . If the password is authenticated by the printing means for printing the image data, the input means for inputting a password for operating the printing means, the authentication means for authenticating the password input by the input means, and the authentication means, and control means for controlling so as to operate the printing means, if the printing unit operates in response to the password is authenticated, the image for printing an output to control not to display the image data for printing on the display And output means for the computer that has transmitted the data .

  More preferably, the output means outputs to the computer an output for controlling the display to turn off.

More preferably, the output means outputs to the computer an output for controlling the display to display a login screen for displaying the image data for printing by inputting the personal identification number.
In this case, it is desirable that the computer displays the image data for printing again on the display by inputting the personal identification number from the user on the login screen.

  More preferably, the computer includes a first mode that operates at a predetermined power and a second mode that operates at a power smaller than the predetermined power, and the output means operates the computer in the second mode. An output for controlling the operation is sent to the computer.

In another aspect of the present invention, the printer performs printing in response to a printing request from a computer having a display. Here, the printer has a receiving means for receiving printing image data transmitted from the computer, a printing means for printing the printing image data received by the receiving means, and a password for operating the printing means. An input means for inputting, an authentication means for authenticating a password input by the input means, a control means for controlling the printing means to operate if the password is authenticated by the authentication means, and that the password has been authenticated. When the printing unit is activated in response, the printing unit includes an output unit that performs an output for controlling the printing image data not to be displayed on the display to the computer that has transmitted the printing image data .

  According to such a printing system and printer, when printing image data transmitted from a computer is received and printing is performed, output from the printer to display no printing image data on the display is output to the computer. The computer does not display the image data for printing on the display. In this case, for example, even if the user leaves the computer with the print image data displayed on the display after the print request, the print image data is not displayed on the display. It is possible to reduce the risk of a person looking into the image data on the display. Therefore, security at the time of printing can be improved.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a printing system 21 includes a printer 10 and a plurality of personal computers 18 that are arranged outside the printer 10 via a network 17 and transmit image data for printing to the printer 10 to perform printing. Including.

  The printer 10 includes a control unit 11 that controls the entire printer 10, a DRAM 12 that writes and reads image data and the like, and a display screen 20 that displays information held by the printer 10. An operation unit 13, a receiving unit that receives image data for printing transmitted from the personal computer 18, an image forming unit 14 as a printing unit that prints the image data for printing received by the receiving unit, and an image A hard disk 15 for storing data and the like, and a network IF (interface) unit 16 for connecting to the network 17 are included. The display screen 20 is a touch panel format. That is, the user can set image forming conditions and the like by pressing a touch key displayed on the display screen 20.

  The printer 10 uses the image data input from the personal computer 18 connected to the network 17 through the network IF unit 16 to form an image in the image forming unit 14 via the DRAM 12 and perform printing. Specifically, the image is formed from the received image data for printing with toner, fixed on paper, and output.

  The personal computer 18 includes transmission means for transmitting image data for printing to the printer 10. The personal computer 18 has a display 19 for displaying various data such as image data for printing. The personal computer 18 and the display 19 are composed of different power sources. That is, the personal computer 18 and the display 19 can be separately turned on or off. Note that data and the like are input to the personal computer 18 by a keyboard and a mouse (both not shown) connected to the personal computer 18.

  The personal computer 18 has a first mode that operates with a predetermined power, that is, a normal mode, and a second mode that operates with a power lower than the predetermined power, that is, a power saving mode such as a so-called sleep mode. Have

  In FIG. 1, thick arrows indicate the flow of image data, and thin arrows indicate the flow of control signals or control data.

  Here, the printer 10 includes an output unit that outputs to the personal computer 18 an output for controlling the image data for printing not to be displayed on the display 19 when the image forming unit 14 operates. Further, the printer 10 includes an input unit that inputs a password for operating the image forming unit 14, an authentication unit that authenticates the password input by the input unit, and an output unit if the password is authenticated by the authentication unit. The control means which controls to actuate is provided.

  Next, a case where printing is performed in the printing system 21 will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for printing using the printing system 21 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 and 2, the printer 10 receives a print request from the personal computer 18 (in FIG. 2, step S11, hereinafter, steps are omitted), and print image data transmitted from the personal computer 18 is received. Receive (S12). In this case, the user displays the image data for printing on the display 19, confirms the image data for printing on the display 19, makes a print request, and transmits the image data for printing to the printer 10. . Note that the personal computer 18 operates in a normal mode that operates with a predetermined power.

  The printer 10 that has received the image data for printing displays a screen for inputting a password on the display screen 20 of the operation unit 13. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the display screen 20 in this case. Referring to FIG. 3, characters “Please enter a password for printing” and a password input area 22 are displayed on the display screen 20. When printing, the user leaves the personal computer 18 to the printer 10 and inputs a password. The password may be input using, for example, a numeric keypad 23 provided for the operation unit 13. Moreover, you may make it input characters, such as an alphabet, using the display screen 20 of a touchscreen format.

  Next, the password input by the user is authenticated (S13). Password authentication is performed, for example, by checking whether or not a password stored in advance in the hard disk 15 of the printer 10 and a password input in the input area 22 are collated. If the password is authenticated (YES in S13), printing by the image forming unit 14 is started (S14). Here, together with printing, output for controlling the display of the personal computer 18 that has transmitted the image data to be turned off is performed on the personal computer 18 (S15). Specifically, for example, an output for controlling the display 19 of the personal computer 18 to be turned off via the network 17 at the start of printing is output to the personal computer 18. Thereby, the personal computer 18 turns off the power of the display 19 (S16). Note that the personal computer 18 that has transmitted the image data is specified by the IP address or the like of the personal computer 18 that is the transmission source of the image data for printing. Then, the printing is finished (S17).

  With this configuration, even when the user leaves the personal computer 18 while displaying the print image data on the display 19 after the print request, the print image data is displayed on the display 19. Therefore, the possibility that a third party looks into the image data on the display 19 can be reduced. Therefore, security at the time of printing can be improved.

  Here, the personal computer 18 is not used by the user while the user goes to the printer 10 to input the password, that is, while away from the personal computer 18. In such a situation, the power of the display 19 can be turned off to save power as the printing system 21 as a whole.

  In this case, the personal computer 18 may be controlled to be in a power saving mode in which the personal computer 18 operates with less power than predetermined power. Specifically, an output for controlling the personal computer 18 to operate in the power saving mode from the printer 10 is given to the personal computer 18. This also makes it possible to further reduce the power consumption of the printing system 21 as a whole.

  Here, after the printing is finished, the display 19 may be turned on again after a predetermined time has elapsed, or the display 19 is turned on using an input from a keyboard or mouse connected to the personal computer 18 as a key. It may be. Furthermore, the personal computer 18 may be shifted from the power saving mode to the normal mode as the display 19 is turned on.

  In the above embodiment, if the password is authenticated, the display is turned off so that the image data for printing is not displayed on the display. The printing image data transmitted from 18 may be received and printing may be started, and at the same time, an output for controlling the printing image data not to be displayed on the display 19 may be output to the personal computer 18. By doing so, security can be further improved. Further, after receiving the image data for printing and starting the printing, an output for controlling the image data for printing not to be displayed on the display 19 may be output to the personal computer 18 after a predetermined time has elapsed. .

  In the above embodiment, the printing is started and the display is turned off so that the image data for printing is not displayed on the display 19. However, the present invention is not limited to this. May be output to the personal computer 18 so that the log-in screen for displaying the image data on the display 19 is displayed, so that the image data for printing is not displayed. This also improves security during printing. In this case, the image data for printing may be displayed again by inputting the personal identification number from the user.

  Further, when printing is started, an output for controlling so-called a screen saver may be output to the personal computer 18 so that the image data for printing is not displayed on the display 19. This also improves security during printing.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described with reference to drawings, this invention is not limited to the thing of embodiment shown in figure. Various modifications and variations can be made to the illustrated embodiment within the same range or equivalent range as the present invention.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart in the case of printing using the printing system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen which inputs a password.

Explanation of symbols

  10 printer, 11 control unit, 12 DRAM, 13 operation unit, 14 image forming unit, 15 hard disk, 16 network IF unit, 17 network, 18 PC, 19 display, 20 display screen, 21 printing system, 22 input area, 23 numeric keypad .

Claims (6)

A printing system comprising a computer having a display and a printer that performs printing in response to a printing request from the computer,
The computer
Including transmission means for transmitting image data for printing to the printer,
The printer is
Receiving means for receiving image data for the printing, which is transmitted by said transmitting means,
Printing means for printing the image data for printing received by the receiving means;
Input means for inputting a password for operating the printing means;
Authentication means for authenticating the password input by the input means;
Control means for controlling the printing means to operate if the password is authenticated by the authentication means;
If operating said printing means in response to the password is authenticated, the computer outputs to control not to display the image data for the printing on the display has transmitted the image data for the printing And a printing system. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs to the computer an output for controlling the display to be turned off. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the output unit performs an output for controlling the computer to display a login screen for displaying the image data for printing on the display by inputting a personal identification number. The printing system according to claim 3, wherein the computer displays the image data for printing again on the display by inputting the personal identification number from the user on the login screen . The computer includes a first mode that operates with a predetermined power and a second mode that operates with a power smaller than the predetermined power,
It said output means performs an output to control so as to operate the computer in the second mode to the computer, printing system according to 請 Motomeko 1. A printer that performs printing in response to a printing request from a computer having a display,
Receiving means for receiving image data for printing transmitted from the computer;
A printing unit for printing the image data of the print received by the receiving means,
Input means for inputting a password for operating the printing means;
Authentication means for authenticating the password input by the input means;
Control means for controlling the printing means to operate if the password is authenticated by the authentication means;
If the printing unit is activated in response to the authentication of the password, an output for controlling the printing image data not to be displayed on the display is output to the computer that has transmitted the printing image data. A printer comprising output means for performing.

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