Abstract:
A device and a method using an RFID on a stapler needle or a holder provide mechanisms of: relating RFID information and printed information automatically, when a paper document is printed or copied; prohibiting to copy a secret or an expired document; and detecting a paper document bound by a stapler needle with an RFID. Control information is created and identifier  101  of an RFID is changed, and a stapler needle is attached to a printed paper document. To copy a paper document, an identifier of the RFID is obtained to control printing by determining whether or not the document is a secret document or an expired document. An information terminal receives an identifier of an RFID to compare with control information and notifies a detection of a target document.

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. JP2005-166326, filed on Jun. 7, 2005, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into the application.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a system for achieving document control or management, and in particular, to a copying machine communicating with a Radio-Frequency Identifier (RFID), a server device keeping image information, a shredding apparatus, an information terminal, and a copy control method for a copying machine.  
         [0003]     Recent information-based business in offices has been advanced due to development of technologies and techniques associated with Office Automation (OA), networks, and internet. This results in a steady increase in the amount of information items handled by such advanced business. The office automation in the information-based society makes it possible to control such a large amount of information items using a server device. Each user can obtain desired and required information according to necessity by using a terminal such as a personal computer to process and to use the information at a high speed.  
         [0004]     However, the information items are more often used in the form of printed or copied matter than in the form of electronic documents. Specifically, an electronic document stored in a server is printed on a sheet of paper by a printer or is copied onto a sheet of paper by a copying machine. That is, the information is moved onto a sheet of paper as a recording medium. Particularly, when information printed in the form of, for example, documents for a conference is quite valuable as assets and is simultaneously also secret information, there arises a considerable problem of protection of the information.  
         [0005]     JP-A-2005-71294 describes a technique for a method of managing such information on the paper. That is, by reading information of an RFID mounted on a sheet of paper on which the information is placed, it is possible to identify each sheet of paper. For a document printed on sheets of paper, the technique makes it possible to obtain the contents of the document for each sheet of paper.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     In the conventional techniques, it is troublesome to collate the information of the RFID with the printed document. There does not exists any mechanism to discard information of which a period of validity has passed. Moreover, the techniques of the prior art does not include any mechanism to restrict copying of secret information. To find out a required document of paper from a large amount of documents of paper, there exists only a method to visually check the contents of paper documents by turning over each sheet of paper. That is, even if secret information not to be read or accessed by a third party exists in a large amount of sheets of paper, it is not possible to detect the secret information.  
         [0007]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide, for a stapler needle or a holder on which an RFID is mounted, a mechanism to automatically relate, when a document of paper is printed or copied by a copying machine, information of an RFID to information thus printed; a mechanism to inhibit, when a document to be copied is a secret document or is a document of which a period of validity is overdue, the copy of the document; a mechanism to implement a shredding function of making a check, for a document to be shredded, to determine that a period of validity of the has passed; a mechanism to easily find out a document of sheets of paper bound by stapler needles with an RFID installed therein; and a mechanism to change, when a secret document is detected, notifying representation thereof.  
         [0008]     The present invention achieves the object as described below.  
         [0009]     That is, the stapler needle of the present invention includes a communication unit to communicate with a copying machine, which is described later, or with a server device and a shredder apparatus connected to or incorporated in a copying machine and an identifier to identify an RFID.  
         [0010]     The copying machine, the server device, or the shredder apparatus of the present invention includes part of or all of an image obtaining unit to obtain an image of a paper document, an image information creating unit to create image information from the image, a printing unit to print the image information, a control unit to control the printing unit, an encrypting unit to encrypt the image information, a file creating and deleting unit to create and to delete an image file of the image information, an input and output unit to receive an input from the user and to display information, a control information creating and deleting unit to create and to delete control information corresponding to the image file thus created to thereby control a control information table, an RFID communicating unit to communicate with a communicating unit of the RFID of the stapler needle to receive or to transmit an identifier, an identifier writing unit to rewrite an identifier of the stapler needle using an identifier in the control information by the RFID tag communicating unit, a stapler attaching unit to attach the stapler needle to paper, an identifier obtaining unit to obtain an identifier of the stapler needle using the RFID communicating unit, a secret presence or absence determining unit to check the identifier and the control information to determine whether or not target information is secret information, a validation period determining unit to check the identifier and the control information to determine whether or not a validation period of the target information has passed, a deletion determining unit to check the identifier and the control information to determine whether or not the target information is deletable, a stapler needle position acquiring unit to measure a position of the stapler needle using the RFID communicating unit, a paper document discarding unit to discard the paper document by a shredding apparatus, and a stamp detecting unit to check presence or absence of an icon or an image indicating that target information is secret information.  
         [0011]     According to the present invention, the information terminal includes part or all of an RFID communicating unit to communicate with the RFID of the stapler needle, a distance measuring unit to measure distance to the stapler needle, an input unit to receive an input from a user, a measurement distance changing unit to change sensitivity of the RFID communicating unit according to distance designation of the user input to change the measurement distance, an identifier acquiring unit to acquire the identifier from the stapler needle using the RFID communicating unit, a control information retrieval unit to obtain the control information through communication with the copying machine-server device-shredder apparatus to retrieve control information corresponding to an input from the user, an identifier matching determining unit to check the control information to determine whether or not the control information matches the identifier obtained by the identifier acquiring unit, a notifying unit to notify, if the control information matches the identifier, the matching event, a light emission unit to send notification to the user by light from a light emitting device, a sounding unit to send notification to the user by voice, sound, or vibration using a sounding device, a secret presence or absence determining unit to check the identifier obtained by the identifier obtaining unit and the control information to determine whether or not target information is secret information, a notification suppression emphasizing unit having a function which changes, if the information is secret information, a notifying method of the notifying unit, an image file acquiring unit to acquire, according to the control information retrieved by the control information retrieval unit, an image file from the file creating and deleting unit of the copying machine-server device-shredder apparatus, a decrypting unit to decrypt, if the image file has been encrypted, the image file, and a display unit to display an image file using a display of the information terminal.  
         [0012]     The objects of the present invention including a mechanism to automatically relate, when a document of paper is printed or copied by a copying machine, information of an RFID to information thus printed; a mechanism to inhibit, when a document to be copied is a secret document or is a document of which a period of validity is overdue, the copy of the document; and a mechanism to implement a shredding function of making a check, for a document to be shredded, to determine that a period of validity of the document has passed are achieved by operations of the units as below.  
         [0013]     An image obtaining unit obtains an image of a paper document and an image information creating unit creates image information from the image. A printing unit prints the image information onto paper to produce a copy of a paper document. A control unit controls operation of the printing unit. An encrypting unit encrypts the image information, a file creating and deleting unit creates and saves an image file of the image information. A control information creating and deleting unit creates or deletes control information corresponding to the image file. An RFID communicating unit communicates with the RFID of the stapler needle attached to the paper document and an identifier obtaining unit obtains an identifier of the RFID. A control information creating and deleting unit registers the identifier to the control information. If it is not possible for the RFID communicating unit to communicate with the RFID, the control information creating and deleting unit assumes new registration and then creates a new identifier to register the identifier to the control information. An identifier writing unit writes the identifier as an identifier of the stapler needle using the RFID communicating unit. A stapler attaching unit attaches the stapler needle to the paper document printed by the printing unit. As a result, when a document of paper is printed or copied by the copying machine, information of an RFID can be automatically related to information thus printed.  
         [0014]     Additionally, a secret presence or absence determining unit checks the identifier and the control information to determine whether or not target information is secret information. If it is determined that the target information is secret information, the control unit inhibits a printing operation of the image information by the printing unit. A stapler detecting unit determines whether or not the image file includes an icon or an image indicating that target information is secret information. If it is determined that the target information is secret information, the control unit inhibits a printing operation of the image information by the printing unit. A validation period determining unit checks the identifier and the control information obtained from the stapler needle to determine whether or not a validation period of the target information has passed. If it is determined that the validation period of the target information has passed, the control unit inhibits a printing operation of the image information by the printing unit and simultaneously discards the paper document inserted in a shredder apparatus by shredding the document by a paper document discarding unit.  
         [0015]     The remaining objects of the present invention including a mechanism to easily find out a paper document bound by a stapler needle with an RFID installed therein and a mechanism to change, when a secret document is detected, notifying representation thereof are achieved by operations of the units as below.  
         [0016]     An RFID communicating unit communicates with the RFID of the stapler needle and an identifier obtaining unit obtains an identifier of the RFID. In this situation, a distance measuring unit measures distance between the stapler needle and an information terminal, an input unit receives detection sensitivity or measurement distance from a user, and a measurement distance changing unit changes sensitivity or measurement distance of the RFID communicating unit according to the detection sensitivity or the measurement distance from a user. A control information retrieval unit makes a retrieval to obtain the control information from a control information creating and deleting unit of the copying machine-server device-shredder apparatus on the basis of a condition inputted from the input unit by the user. An identifier matching determining unit compares the control information with the identifier to determine whether or not the control information matches the identifier. A notifying unit notifies, if it is determined that the control information matches the identifier, the matching event to the user. A light emission unit sends notification to the user by light from a light emitting device and a sounding unit sends notification to the user by voice, sound, or vibration using a sounding device. An image file acquiring unit acquires, according to the control information, an image file from the file creating and deleting unit of the copying machine-server device-shredder apparatus. A decrypting unit decrypts, if the image file has been encrypted, the image file to convert the file into a displayable image format. A display unit displays an image file, namely, displays on a display of the information terminal an image of a file corresponding to information indicated by the user. A secret presence or absence determining unit checks the identifier and the control information to determine whether or not target information is secret information, and a notification suppression emphasizing unit changes, if the information is secret information, notifying representation of the notifying unit.  
         [0017]     According to the present invention, it is possible in a system including a copying machine-server device-shredder apparatus and a stapler needle with an RFID to implement a mechanism to automatically relate, when a document of paper is printed or copied by a copying machine, information of an RFID to information thus printed and a mechanism to inhibit, when a document to be copied is a secret document or is a document of which a period of validity is overdue, the copy of the document. Also, it is possible to implement a mechanism to implement a shredding function of making a check, for a document to be shredded, to determine that a period of validity of the has passed. The present invention further makes it possible to implement a mechanism to easily find out a document of sheets of paper bound by stapler needles with an RFID installed therein and a mechanism to change, when a secret document is detected, notifying representation thereof.  
         [0018]     According to the present invention, it is possible in operation to print and to copy a paper document by a copying machine to implement a mechanism to inhibit, when a document to be copied is a secret document or is a document of which a period of validity is overdue, the copy of the document and a mechanism to easily find out a paper document bound by a stapler needle with an RFID installed therein.  
         [0019]     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a copying machine-server device-shredder apparatus.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a block module of an information terminal.  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram of a control information table and control information.  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is an explanatory diagram of document property.  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart of system operation.  
         [0025]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart of processing to create control information.  
         [0026]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart of operation of a shredder function to shred a document.  
         [0027]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart of operation of an information terminal to make a search for a document. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]     Referring now to the drawings, description will be given of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0029]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an example of a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a document management system according to the present invention. The document management system includes a wireless RFID paper document  2 , a copying machine-server device-shredder apparatus  1 , and an information terminal  5 . The document  2  includes sheets of paper of a document bound by a stapler needle  3  with RFID. The needle  3  keeps an RFID  4 . The RFID  4  includes a communication unit  100  and an identifier  101  to identify the stapler needle  3 . Although the needle  3  is an almost U-shaped needle employed in a stapler, there may also be used, as the needle  3 , any item of stationery which binds sheets of paper and which are freely attachable and detachable by a user. For example, there may be used a document holder, a clip, a binding string, a binding item called “Gachadama” in Japanese, or a tape. In short, there may be used a binding item with RFID which binds sheets of paper such that the binding item can be integrally controlled or managed together with the sheet of paper.  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , description will be given of an embodiment of a copying machine-server device-shredder apparatus  1 . The constituent components of the system  1  may be separately arranged or constructed as one unit. That is, the server device may be separated from the copying machine to be connected via a network thereto. Or, the copying machine may include a server function. Also, the shredder apparatus unit may be separated from the copying machine or may be configured in a unit together with the copying machine. Additionally, the copying machine may include a stapler attaching unit or may be separated therefrom.  
         [0031]     The copying machine-server device-shredder module  1 , i.e., the system  1  includes an image acquiring unit  200  to acquire an image of a paper document, an image information creating unit  201  to create image information from an image, a printing unit  202  to print the image information, an encrypting unit  219  to encrypt image information, a file creating and deleting unit  204  to create or to delete an image file  205  of the image information, an input and output unit  206  to receive an input from a user or to display information, a control information creating and deleting unit  208  to create or to delete control information  510  corresponding to the created image file  205  to thereby control the information using a control information table  500 , an RFID communicating unit  212  to receive or to transmit an identifier  101 , an identifier writing unit  217  to write an identifier  530  contained in the control information  510  in an identifier  101  of the stapler needle  3  using the RFID communicating unit  212 , a stapler attaching unit  218  to attach the stapler needle  3  onto the paper document  2 , and an identifier acquiring unit  213  to acquire the identifier  101  of the stapler needle  3  using the RFID communicating unit  212 . The system  1  further includes a secret presence or absence determining unit  214  to check the identifier  101  and the control information  510  to determine whether or not the information under consideration is secret information, a validation period determining unit  215  to check the identifier  101  and the control information  510  to determine whether or not a validation period of the information under consideration has passed, a deletion determining unit  216  to check the identifier  101  and the control information  510  to determine whether or not the information under consideration is deletable, a stapler needle position acquiring unit  219  to measure a position of the stapler needle  3  using the RFID communicating unit  212 , a paper document discarding unit  211  to discard the paper document  2  by the shredder apparatus, and a stamp detecting unit  210  which retrieves image information created by the image information creating unit  201  to make a check to determine presence or absence of an icon or an image indicating that the pertinent document is a secret document.  
         [0032]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , description will be given of the information terminal  5  according to the embodiment.  
         [0033]     The information terminal  5  of the embodiment includes an RFID communicating unit  300  to communicate with the RFID  4  of the stapler needle  3 , a distance measuring unit  301  to measure distance to the stapler needle  3 , an input unit  306  to receive an input from a user, a measurement distance changing unit  302  to change sensitivity of the RFID communicating unit  300  according to distance designation of the user input to change the measurement distance, an identifier acquiring unit  303  to acquire the identifier  101  from the stapler needle  3  using the RFID communicating unit  300 , a control information retrieval unit  305  to obtain the control information  510  through communication with the system  1  to retrieve control information  510  corresponding to an input from the user, an identifier matching determining unit  304  to check the control information  510  to determine whether or not the control information  510  matches the identifier  101  obtained by the identifier acquiring unit  303 , a notifying unit  309  to notify, if the control information  510  matches the identifier  101 , the matching event, a light emission unit  312  to send notification to the user by light from a light emitting device, and a sounding unit  313  to send notification to the user by voice, sound, or vibration using a sounding device. The information terminal  5  further includes a secret presence or absence determining unit  307  to check the identifier  101  from the identifier acquiring unit  303  and the control information  510  to determine whether or not the pertinent information is secret information, a notification suppression emphasizing unit  308  having a function which changes, if the information is secret information, the notifying method of the notifying unit  309 , an image file acquiring unit  314  to acquire, according to the control information  510  retrieved by the control information retrieval unit  305 , an image file from the file creating and deleting unit  204  of the system  1 , a decrypting unit  310  to decrypt, if the image file has been encrypted, the image file, and a display unit  311  to display an image file using a display of the information terminal  5 .  
         [0034]     Referring next to  FIG. 3 , description will be given of the control information table  500  and the control information  510 . The table  500  is a database including one or a plurality of control information entries or items  510 . The control information managing and deleting unit  208  controls the table  500 .  
         [0035]     The control information  510  includes an own identifier  520  to uniquely identify the control information  510 , an identifier  530  to be stored in the identifier  101  of the RFID  4 , and document property  540  to store information of a document to be controlled. The control information  510  is information to relate the identifier  101  of the RFID  4  installed in the stapler needle  3  to the document property  540 , that is, information indicating a document corresponding to the identifier  101 .  
         [0036]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the document property  540  will be described.  
         [0037]     The document property  540  includes a document name  541  indicating a name of a document, importance information  542  indicating whether or not the pertinent information is secret information, validation period information  543  indicating a period of validation, discard information  544  indicating whether or not the pertinent information may be discarded, ownership information  545  indicating ownership of a document, copyright information  546  indicating a copyright, image information  547  which is information obtained by representing a document as an image, and an image file Uniform Resource Locator (URL)  548  indicating a location on a network in which an associated document is stored. The document property  540  further includes document information  549  which is information obtained by representing the contents of the document in the form of texts, a document file URL  550  indicating a location on a network in which the document information  549  is stored, index information  551  indicating an index of the document, outline information  552  indicating an outline of the document, detailed information  553  indicating the document in detail, an encrypting and decrypting key  554  which is key information to decrypt the encrypted image or document information  547  or  549 , a decrypting validity period  555  indicating a period of validity of the encrypting and decrypting key  554 , and a retrieval keyword  556  which is text information to be used to retrieve the document. The document property  540  does not necessarily include all of the items. Specifically, the document property  540  essentially includes either one of the image information  547  and the image file URL  548 ; the importance information  542 , the validity period information  543 , the discard information  544 , and the encrypting and decrypting key  554 .  
         [0038]     Next, referring to the flowchart shown in  FIG. 5 , description will be given of operation of the system  1 , specifically operation to automatically relate, if a paper document is printed or copied, information of an RFID to information thus printed and operation to inhibit, if a document to be copied is a secret document or the validation date thereof has passed, copying of the document.  
         [0039]     The user first activates the system  1  ( 1000 ). When a document copy indication is received from the user ( 1001 ), the system  1  acquires an image, i.e., a read image of a paper document by, for example, a scanner ( 1002 ). Simultaneously, to determine whether or not the stapler needle  3  with RFID has been attached to the paper document, the system  1  communicates with the RFID  4  ( 1003 ). If the RFID  4  is present, control goes to step  1008 , which will be described later. Otherwise, the system  1  starts processing to attach a stapler needle with RFID. The system  1  first prints the image information obtained in step  1002  on a sheet of paper, i.e., an image is printed on the sheet of paper ( 1004 ).  
         [0040]     Next, the system  1  executes control information creation processing to create control information  510  corresponding to the paper document ( 2000 ). The processing  2000  will be described later in conjunction with  FIG. 6 . In the processing  2000 , a stapler needle  3  with RFID is created. The needle  3  is attached to the printed sheet of paper ( 1600 ), and the sheet is ejected from the copying machine  1  ( 1007 ) to thereby terminate the processing ( 1014 ). If an RFID  4  is present in step  1003 , the system  1  communicates with the RFID  4  to obtain an identifier  101  ( 1008 ). The system  1  then checks the image information obtained in step  1002  to execute image comparison processing ( 1009 ) to determine presence or absence of an icon or an image indicating that the pertinent information is secret information. If it is determined that such an icon or image is present, the system  1  inhibits the processing of printing the image information by a printer ( 1013 ) to thereby terminate the processing ( 1014 ).  
         [0041]     If it is determined that such an icon or image is absent, the system  1  makes a search for the identifier  101  and the control information  510  stored in the control information table  500  to obtain the control information  510  matching the identifier  530  ( 1010 ). The system  1  next compares the validity period information  543  contained in the document property  410  of the control information  510  with the current day and time. If the validation period of the document has passed ( 1011 ), the system  1  terminates processing to copy the document ( 1013 ) to thereby terminate the processing ( 1014 ). Otherwise, the system  1  refers to the importance information  542  contained in the document property  410  of the control information  510  to determine whether or not the pertinent information is secret information ( 1012 ).  
         [0042]     If the information is secret information, the system  1  stops processing of copying the document ( 1013 ) to thereby terminate the processing ( 1014 ). Otherwise, the system  1  prints the image information obtained in step  1002  on a sheet of paper to produce a printed image ( 1004 ). Next, the system  1  executes control information creation processing to create control information  510  corresponding to the paper document ( 2000 ). The processing  2000  will be described later in conjunction with  FIG. 6 . In the processing  2000 , a stapler needle  3  with RFID is created. The needle  3  is attached to the printed sheet of paper ( 1006 ), and the sheet is ejected from the copying machine  1  ( 1007 ) to thereby terminate the processing ( 1014 ).  
         [0043]     Through the operations of the functions, it is possible in the copying machine-server device-shredder apparatus  1  to implement an operation to automatically relate, when a paper document is printed or copied, information of an RFID to information thus printed and an operation to inhibit, when a document to be copied is a secret document or is a document of which the validity period is overdue, the copy of the document.  
         [0044]     Next, referring to the flowchart shown in  FIG. 6 , description will be given of the control information creating processing  2000  to create the control information  530  and to create the stapler needle  3  with RFID.  
         [0045]     First, the system  1  creates a file using the image information obtained in step  1002  to store the file in a storage device such as a hard disk or an optical disk of the server device  1  and then converts a file name thereof into an image file URL or a document file URL ( 2001 ). The system  1  then generates an encryption key pair to encrypt the image ( 2002 ). This is a known technique to conduct encryption and decryption by use of public key information and a secret or private key simultaneously generated in advance. The encryption key pair information is used to encrypt image information using a public key and to decrypt the encrypted image information using a private key.  
         [0046]     Using the public key, the system  1  encrypts the image information saved in the storage device ( 2003 ) and stores the encrypted image information as an image file ( 2004 ). The system  1  then generates an identifier  101  to uniquely identify the RFID  4  ( 2005 ). The RFID  4  is written as an identifier  101  constituting the RFID  4  installed in the stapler needle  3 . By communicating with the RFID  4 , the system  1  can obtain information of the identifier  101  to resultantly uniquely identify the RFID  4 .  
         [0047]     The system  1  generates the document property  540  in a storage ( 2006 ). In the operation, the image or document file URL saved in step  2001  and the private key paired with the public key used in step  2003  are stored in the image file URL  548  or the document file URL  550  and the encrypting and decrypting key  554  of the document property  540  ( 2006 ).  
         [0048]     The system  1  checks reception of a user input ( 2007 ), and if an input is present ( 2008 ), the system  1  corrects the document property  540  ( 2009 ). The correction is made for the items of the document property  540  excepting the image file URL  548 , the document file URL  550 , and the encrypting and decrypting key  554 , that is, the document name  541 , the importance information  542 , the validation period information  543 , the discard information  544 , the ownership information  545 , the copyright information  546 , the image information  547 , the document information  549 , the index information  551 , the outline information  552 , the detailed information  553 , the decrypting validity period  555 , and the retrieval keyword  556 . By setting these items, it is possible to determine afterward whether or not the document is a secret document, whether or not the validation period is overdue, and whether or not the document may be discarded. If it is determined in step  1009  that the information is secret information, the system  1  sets the importance information  542  as secret information. The system  1  writes the identifier created in step  2005 , in the identifier  101  of the RFID  4  of the stapler needle  3  ( 2010 ). The system  1  then creates the control information  510  described in conjunction with  FIG. 3  and registers an identifier  520  thereto for unique identification thereof ( 2011 ).  
         [0049]     The system  1  registers the identifier  101  written in the RFID item  4  in step  2010  to the identifier  530  of the control information  510  ( 2010 ) and the document property  540  created in step  2006  to the document property  540  of the control information  510  ( 2014 ). The system  1  then registers the control information  510  as a last entry of the control information table  500  ( 2014 ) to thereby terminate a sequence of processing ( 2015 ).  
         [0050]     As a result of the operations of the functions, it is possible to implement an operation in which the control information  530  is created and the stapler needle  3  with RFID is created.  
         [0051]     Referring now to the flowchart shown in  FIG. 7 , description will be given of operation of the embodiment, i.e., the copying machine-server device-shredder apparatus  1  in which a paper document printed or copied using an original document is shredded if the original document is a secrete document or if the validation period of the original document has passed.  
         [0052]     Processing  3000  is activated immediately before the processing of step  1000  and subsequent steps in which the user inserts sheets of paper in the system  1  to conduct a copy operation. Alternatively, the processing is activated when the user instructs the shredder apparatus  1  to discard a document. First, the system  1  determines through communication whether or not an RFID  4  has been attached to the paper document  2  to be copied ( 3002 ). If such an RFID  4  is absent, the processing is terminated ( 3030 ) and control goes to step  1000  to execute the copy processing. If an RFID  4  is present, ( 3002 ), the system  1  obtains an identifier  101  from the RFID  4  ( 3003 ). The system  1  measures a position of the RFID  4  on the paper document ( 3004 ). This is achieved as below. That is provided by determining that the RFID  4  exists at a part corresponding to most sensitive position among a plurality of prepared radio wave sources.  
         [0053]     Next, using the identifier  101  obtained in step  3003 , the system  1  makes a search through the control information table  500  to obtain associated control information  510  and makes a search through the document property  540  ( 3005 ). The system  1  compares the validity period information  543  of the document property  540  with the current day and time ( 3006 ). If the validity period has passed, the system  1  executes step  3009 . Otherwise, the system  1  checks the discard information  544  of the document property  540 . If it is determined that the discard of the document is not allowed ( 3007 ), the system  1  terminates the processing ( 3030 ) without discarding the document ( 3012 ) and then executes the copy processing in step  1000 .  
         [0054]     If it is determined that the discard of the document is allowed, the system  1  checks the importance information  542  of the document property  540  to determine whether or not the information is secret information ( 3008 ). If the information is secret information, the system  1  shreds the paper document by a shredder apparatus to discard the paper document excepting the position of the RFID  3  obtained in step  3004  ( 3010 ) to thereby terminate the processing ( 3030 ). Otherwise, the system  1  shreds the paper document by the shredder apparatus to discard the paper document excepting the position of the RFID  3  obtained in step  3004  ( 3009 ) and then goes to step  3020 . In step  3020 , the system  1  obtains the image or document file URL  548  or  550  of the document property  540  ( 3020 ) to delete an image or document file kept in the file creating and deleting unit  204  of the server device  1  ( 3021 ). The system  1  discards the control information  510  of the document property  540  and deletes the control information  510  from the control information table  500  ( 3022 ) to thereby terminate the processing ( 3030 ).  
         [0055]     As a result of the operations of the functions in the system  1 , it is possible to accomplish an operation in which a paper document printed or copied using an original document is shredded if the original document is a secret document or if the validation period of the document has passed.  
         [0056]     Next, referring to the flowchart shown in  FIG. 8 , description will be given of operation of the embodiment, i.e., the information terminal  5 , specifically, operation to easily find out a paper document  2  bound by the stapler needle  3  and operation to change notifying representation when a secret document is detected.  
         [0057]     The information terminal  5  is first activated ( 4000 ) to wait for an a document retrieval indication from the user ( 4001 ). If such an indication is issued, the terminal  5  receives, from an input device such as a keyboard of the user, information indicating a feature of the paper document  2  to be retrieved ( 4002 ). Simultaneously, also from the user, the terminal  5  obtains information indicating signal receiving sensitivity or distance for the retrieval of the paper document  2 , sets a parameter of a communication unit of the terminal  5  to communicate with the RFID ( 4003 ), and then starts communication with the RFID.  
         [0058]     If the communication with the paper document  2  is possible, the terminal  5  can acquire the identifier  101  of the RFID  4 . Since the communication is not possible and the identifier cannot be obtained if the distance exceeds the predetermined distance for the communication, the terminal  5  continues communication with the RFID  4  ( 4004 ). When the identifier  101  is received, it is indicated that the terminal  5  is in the vicinity of a paper document  2  in which a stapler needle  3  with an RFID  4  is installed. The terminal  5  retrieves control information  510  according to the identifier  101  obtained in step  4004  and the control information table  500  of the system  1  connected thereto via a network ( 4005 ).  
         [0059]     If the identifier  101  matches the identifier  530  of the control information  510 , the process returns to step  4004  ( 4006 ). Since a plurality of identifiers  101  may also be obtained in step  4004 , the retrieval is repeatedly carried out for all identifiers  101  thus obtained. If the control information  510  is detected in step  4006 , the information terminal  5  checks the importance information  542  in the document property  540  of the control information  510  to determine whether or not the information is secret information ( 4007 ).  
         [0060]     If the information is secret information, the terminal  5  changes the method of issuing notification to the user ( 4008 ) and proceeds to step  4010  ( 4009 ). The notification is achieved in step  4010  using light or sound. For secret information, the condition is notified to the user in a method in which, for example, the pattern of light emission is changed, the volume of sound is increased, or vibration or human voice is used ( 4010 ).  
         [0061]     If the information is other than secret information in step  4007 , the information terminal  5  makes a check to determine whether or not any information item of the retrieval condition received in step  4002  matches the associated information item of the document property  540  of the control information  510  ( 4009 ). If none of the items of the retrieval information matches the associated information item, the terminal  5  determines that the target document requested by the user does not exist in the system  1  and then returns to step  4004 . If any one thereof matches the associated information item, the terminal  5  executes the light emission-sounding processing  4010  to notify the condition to the user.  
         [0062]     If it is determined that the encrypting and decrypting key  554  has been set to the document property  540  and the encrypting validity period has not passed ( 4011 ), the terminal  5  decrypts the document or the image using the key  554  ( 4012 ) and displays the document or picture image on a display of the terminal  5  to thereby terminate the processing ( 4014 ).  
         [0063]     Using the operations of the functions in the information terminal  5 , it is possible to carry out an operation to find out the paper document  2  bound by the stapler needle  3  with the RFID  4  and an operation to change the notifying representation when a secret document is detected.  
         [0064]     The present invention is effectively applicable to the document control system in a situation utilizing an electronic document on a network and a paper document.  
         [0065]     It should be further understood by those skilled in the art that although the foregoing description has been made on embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.