Image Forming Device, Computer Program, and Data File

Abstract

An image forming device prints out a data file including a data body, which is printed out, and additional data, which is not printed out. The additional data includes at least authentication data. The image forming device includes an identification entry unit, an operator authentication unit, and a print execution unit. The identification entry unit accepts an entry of the identification data of an operator. The operator authentication unit authenticates the identification data of the operator by the authentication data of the data file. The print execution unit prints out result data, according to whether the authenticated identification data is appropriate or inappropriate, along with the data body of the data file.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a logical structure of a data processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a physical structure of the data processing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically illustrate a data structure of a data file.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic front views of a print result of the data file.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation carried out by a computer device for printing out a data file by a printer device.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a logical structure of a data processing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a physical structure of the data processing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates text data of an authentication result.

FIG. 9 is a schematic front view illustrating an arrangement of a print region of a data file and a compressed image of an authentication result on a front side of a printing medium.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a main routine of a processing operation carried out by a computer device for printing out a data file by a printer device.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a subroutine of an authentication process.

FIG. 12 is a schematic front view illustrating a print result according to another example of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An image forming device comprising: an identification entry unit that accepts an entry of identification data of an operator;an operator authentication unit that executes an authentication process on the identification data of the operator by authentication data of a data file including a data body, which is printed out, and additional data, which is not printed out and includes the authentication data; anda print execution unit that prints out result data, according to whether the authenticated identification data is appropriate or inappropriate, along with the data body of the data file.

2. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein when the identification data is authenticated to be appropriate as a result of the authentication process, the print execution unit prints out first result data, and when the identification data is authenticated to be inappropriate as a result of the authentication process, the print execution unit prints out second result data.

3. An image forming device comprising: an identification entry unit that accepts an entry of identification data of an operator;an operator authentication unit that executes an authentication process on the identification data of the operator by authentication data of a data file including a data body, which is printed out, and additional data, which is not printed out and includes the authentication data; anda print execution unit that transmits result data, according to whether the authenticated identification data is appropriate or inappropriate, to a remote printer device along with the data body of the data file, and prints out the result data and the data body by the remote printer device.

4. The image forming device according to claim 3, wherein when the authenticated identification data is authenticated to be appropriate as a result of the authentication process, the print execution unit transmits first result data along with the data body, and when the authenticated identification data is authenticated to be inappropriate as a result of the authentication process, the print execution unit transmits second result data along with the data body.

5. An image forming device comprising: a reception unit that receives a data file including a data body, which is printed out, and additional data, which is not printed out and includes authentication data, from a remote computer device;an identification entry unit that accepts an entry of identification data of an operator;an operator authentication unit that executes an authentication process on the identification data of the operator by the authentication data of the data file; anda print execution unit that prints out result data, according to whether the authenticated identification data is appropriate or inappropriate, along with the data body of the data file.

6. The image forming device according to claim 5, wherein when the identification data is authenticated to be appropriate as a result of the authentication process, the print execution unit prints out first result data, and when the identification data is authenticated to be inappropriate as a result of the authentication process, the print execution unit prints out second result data.

7. A computer program for a device embodied in a computer readable medium to perform the steps of: accepting an entry of identification data of an operator;authenticating the identification data of the operator by authentication data of a data file including a data body, which is printed out, and additional data, which is not printed out and includes the authentication data; andtransmitting result data, according to whether the authenticated identification data is appropriate or inappropriate, along with the data body of the data file to a remote printer device, and printing out the result data and the data body by the remote printer device.

8. A computer program for a device embodied in a computer readable medium to perform the steps of: authenticating identification data of an operator by authentication data of a data file including a data body, which is printed out, and additional data, which is not printed out and includes the authentication data; andprinting out result data, according to whether the authenticated identification data is appropriate or inappropriate, along with the data body of the data file.

9. A data file comprising: a data body, which is printed out; andadditional data, which is not printed out and at least includes: authentication data for authenticating identification data of an operator, andresult data indicating an authentication result of the identification data.

10. An image forming device comprising: a file conversion unit that converts a data file with authentication data into print data;an authentication processing unit that authenticates the data file, which is converted into the print data, by the authentication data;a result conversion unit that converts an authentication result into print data of a machine-readable compressed image; anda print execution unit that prints out the print data of the authentication result and the print data of the data file onto a printing medium.

11. The image forming device according to claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the authentication data is included into the authentication result by the result conversion unit.

12. An image forming device comprising: a file conversion unit that converts a data file with authentication data into print data;an authentication processing unit that authenticates the data file, which is converted into the print data, by the authentication data;a result conversion unit that converts an authentication result into print data of a machine-readable compressed image; anda print execution unit that transmits the print data of the authentication result and the print data of the data file to a remote printer device, and prints out the print data onto a printing medium by the printer device.

13. The image forming device according to claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the authentication data is included into the authentication result by the result conversion unit.

14. An image forming device comprising: a file conversion unit that receives a data file with authentication data from a remote computer device, and converts the received data file into print data;an authentication processing unit that authenticates the data file, which is converted into the print data, by the authentication data;a result conversion unit that converts an authentication result into print data of a machine-readable compressed image; anda print execution unit that prints out the print data of the authentication result and the print data of the data file onto a printing medium.

15. The image forming device according to claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the authentication data is included into the authentication result by the result conversion unit.

16. A computer program for a device embodied in a computer readable medium to perform the steps of: converting a data file with authentication data into print data;authenticating the data file, which is converted into the print data, by the authentication data;converting an authentication result into print data of a machine-readable compressed image; andtransmitting the print data of the authentication result and the print data of the data file to a printer device, and printing out the print data onto a printing medium by the printer device.

17. A computer program for a device embodied in a computer readable medium to perform the steps of: receiving a data file with authentication data from a remote computer device, and converting the received data file into print data;authenticating the data file, which is converted into the print data, by the authentication data;converting an authentication result into print data of a machine-readable compressed image; andprinting out the print data of the authentication result and the print data of the data file onto a printing medium.