Image processor, an image processing system, and a method of executing jobs

Abstract

An image processor comprising: a user information storage unit for storing information of a plurality of users; a plurality of different user information input units for inputting user information; a user information matching unit for determining whether or not user information inputted by said respective user information input units matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit; a job processing unit for executing jobs instructed by a user, whose user information is determined to match any of the registered user information by said user information matching unit; and a job processing control unit for restricting jobs that are processed by said job processing unit, depending on which user information input unit is used.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of example, and not limitation, in the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing configuration of an image processing system in which an image processor (MFP) is used according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing configuration of an image processing unit of MFP.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of processes executed at in image processing control unit of MFP.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart continued from FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processes executed in a user information matching unit of MFP.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of panel login process of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of wireless login process of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of fingerprint login process of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of USB login process of FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of wireless logout process of FIG. 5.

Claims

1. An image processor comprising: a user information storage unit for storing information of a plurality of users;a plurality of different user information input units for inputting user information;a user information matching unit for determining whether or not user information inputted by said respective user information input units matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit;a job processing unit for executing jobs instructed by a user, whose user information is determined to match any of the registered user information by said user information matching unit; anda job processing control unit for restricting jobs that are processed by said job processing unit, depending on which user information input unit is used.

2. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein the restriction by said job processing control unit is to prohibit execution of a particular job.

3. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein the restriction by said job processing control unit is to limit the number of job execution.

4. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein said job processing control unit restricts jobs instructed from the respective user information input units and the user information input unit comprises a receiving unit for receiving user information transmitted from wireless terminals that are provided for each user and perform wireless communication when enter the wireless communication coverage.

5. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein said job processing control unit restricts jobs instructed from the respective user information input units and each of the user information input units comprises an operation unit for inputting user information by a user.

6. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein said job processing control unit controls so as not to restrict jobs, if the user information input unit comprises a detection unit for detecting user specific biological information.

7. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein said job processing control unit controls so as not to restrict jobs, if the user information input unit comprises a receiving unit for receiving user information recorded in respective user information recording devices that are provided for each user, by connecting thereto.

8. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein the restriction by said job processing control unit involves image printing on a sheet.

9. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein the restriction by said job processing control unit involves transmission to an external machine.

10. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein the restriction by said job processing control unit is fax transmission.

11. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein the restriction by said job processing control unit is color image outputting.

12. The image processor according to claim 4, comprising a login control unit for permitting the login to allow said job processing unit to execute jobs if said user information matching unit determines that the user information received by said wireless communication unit from a wireless terminal matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit, and after login, terminating the login if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed, and prohibiting the login of other users until a predetermined time has elapsed after the login termination.

13. The image processor according to claim 4, comprising a login control unit for permitting the login to allow said job processing unit to execute jobs if said user information matching unit determines that the user information received by said wireless communication unit from the wireless terminal matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit, and after login, continuing the login under a predetermined login continuation condition if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed.

14. The image processor according to claim 13, wherein said login continuation condition is that the user operates using the operation unit after login.

15. The image processor according to claim 14, wherein said operation by the user is mode setting on a job that is to be executed by the job processing unit.

16. The image processor according to claim 13, wherein said login continuation condition is that said job processing unit starts job execution before regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed.

17. The image processor according to claim 16, wherein said login control unit immediately terminates the login even after said job processing unit starts job execution, under conditions where a predetermined time has elapsed after the job execution start, if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed.

18. The image processor according to claim 16, wherein said login control unit immediately terminates the login even after said job processing unit starts job execution, under conditions where the job execution is terminated, if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed.

19. The image processor according to claim 16, wherein said login control unit immediately terminates the login even after said job processing unit starts job execution, under conditions where a predetermined time has elapsed after the job execution is terminated, if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed.

20. The image processor according to claim 13, wherein said login control unit forcibly terminates the login even in a case where the login is continued under a predetermined login continuation condition.

21. An image processing system, comprising an image processor and wireless terminals that are provided for each user and wirelessly transmit user information to said image processor when enter the wireless communication coverage with respect to the image processor, said image processor comprising:a user information storage unit for storing information of a plurality of users;a user information input unit comprising a wireless communication unit that not only receives said user information transmitted from said wireless terminals, but also wirelessly communicates with said wireless terminals on a regular basis;a user information matching unit for determining whether or not user information inputted by said respective user information input units matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit;a job processing unit for executing jobs instructed by a user whose user information is determined to match the registered user information by said user information matching unit; anda login control unit for permitting the login to allow said job processing unit to execute jobs if said user information matching unit determines that the user information received by said wireless communication unit from the wireless terminal matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit, and after login, terminating the login if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed, and prohibiting the login of other users until a predetermined time has elapsed after the login termination.

22. An image processing system, comprising an image processor, and wireless terminals that are provided for each user and wirelessly transmit user information to said image processor when enter the wireless communication coverage with respect to the image processor, said image processor comprising:a user information storage unit for storing information of a plurality of users;a user information input unit comprising a wireless communication unit that not only receives said user information transmitted from said wireless terminals, but also wirelessly communicates with said wireless terminals on a regular basis;a user information matching unit for determining whether or not user information inputted by said respective user information input units matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit;a job processing unit to execute jobs instructed by a user whose user information is determined to match any of the registered user information by said user information matching unit; anda login control unit for permitting the login to allow said job processing unit to execute jobs if said user information matching unit determines that the user information received by said wireless communication unit from the wireless terminal matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit, and after login, continuing the login under a predetermined login continuation condition if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed.

23. The image processing system according to claim 22, wherein said login continuation condition is that the user operates using the operation unit after login.

24. The image processing system according to claim 23, wherein said operation by the user is mode setting on a job that is to be executed by the job processing unit.

25. The image processing system according to claim 22, wherein said predetermined login continuation condition is, that said job processing unit starts job execution before regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed.

26. The image processing system according to claim 25, wherein said login control unit immediately terminates the login even after said job processing unit starts job execution, under conditions where a predetermined time has elapsed after the job execution start, if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed.

27. The image processing system according to claim 25, wherein said login control unit immediately terminates the login even after said job processing unit starts job execution, under conditions where the job execution is terminated, if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed.

28. The image processing system according to claim 25, wherein said login control unit immediately terminates the login even after said job processing unit starts job execution, under conditions where a predetermined time has elapsed after the job execution is terminated, if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed.

29. The image processing system according to claim 22, wherein said login control unit forcibly terminates the login even in a case where the login is continued under a predetermined login continuation condition, under conditions where a predetermined time has elapsed.

30. An image processor comprising: a user information storage unit for storing information of a plurality of users;a user information input unit comprising a wireless communication unit that not only receives user information transmitted from wireless terminals that perform wireless communication when enter the wireless communication coverage, but also wirelessly communicates with said wireless terminals on a regular basis;a user information matching unit for determining whether or not user information inputted by said respective user information input units matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit;a job processing unit for executing jobs instructed by a user whose user information is determined to match any of the registered user information by said user information matching unit; anda login control unit for permitting the login to allow said job processing unit to execute jobs by if said user information matching unit determines that the user information received by said wireless communication unit from the wireless terminal matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit, and after login, terminating the login if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed, and prohibiting the login of other users until a predetermined time has elapsed after the login termination.

31. An image processor comprising: a user information storage unit for storing information of a plurality of users;a user information input unit comprising a wireless communication unit that not only receives user information transmitted from wireless terminals that perform wireless communication when enter the wireless communication coverage, but also wirelessly communicates with said wireless terminals on a regular basis;a user information matching unit for determining whether or not user information inputted by said respective user information input units matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit;a job processing unit for executing jobs instructed by a user whose user information is determined to match the registered user information by said user information matching unit; anda login control unit for permitting the login to allow said job processing unit to execute jobs if said user information matching unit determines the user information received by said wireless communication unit from the wireless terminal matches any of the user information registered in said user information storage unit, and after login, continuing the login under a predetermined login continuation condition if regular communication between said wireless communication unit and the wireless terminal is failed.

32. A method of executing jobs in an image processor capable of executing multiple types of jobs, comprising the steps of: receiving user information inputted from one of multiple different user information input units;matching said received user information against the user information registered in the user information storage unit;setting permission/prohibition on said respective multiple types of jobs depending on which is used to input user information among said multiple user information input units, if said received user information is determined in the matching step, to match any of the user information registered in the user information storage unit; andexecuting said permitted jobs and/or prohibiting execution of said prohibited jobs.

33. The method of executing jobs according to claim 32, wherein said multiple types of jobs are at least two jobs from a copy job, a scan job, a PC print job, a FAX transmission job, and a FAX reception job.

34. The method of executing jobs according to claim 32, wherein job execution is set prohibited if said user information input unit comprises a receiving unit for receiving user information transmitted from the wireless terminals that are provided for each user and perform wireless communication when enter the wireless communication coverage.

35. The method of executing jobs according to claim 32, wherein job execution is set prohibited if said user information input unit comprises an operation unit for inputting user information by a user.

36. The method of executing jobs according to claim 32, wherein job execution is set permitted if said user information input unit comprises a detection unit for detecting user specific biological information.

37. The method of executing jobs according to claim 32, wherein job execution is set permitted if said user information input unit comprises a receiving unit for receiving user information recorded in respective user information recording devices that are provided for each user, by connecting thereto.