Patent Publication Number: US-2021195062-A1

Title: Image forming apparatus, method for controlling image forming apparatus, and storage medium

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/385,972 filed on Apr. 16, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/702,908 filed on May 4, 2015 and issued on Apr. 30, 2019 as U.S. Pat. No. 10,277,777 which claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-095676, filed May 7, 2014, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a method for controlling the image forming apparatus, and a storage medium. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     A multi function peripheral (MFP) which includes an image reading device, a printing device, and a communication device, and has image processing applications for copying, printing, and transmission of a scanned image has been known. As security awareness has improved recently, many MFPs include a function for performing user authentication. There is an image forming apparatus that allows a user to use an MFP when the user inputs a username and a password as authentication information. However, in terms of operability, to manually input a username and password information from a touch panel on the MFP is troublesome for a user who wants to immediately use the MFP. 
     For reducing the trouble of such a user operation, there is an image forming apparatus that displays icon images linked with users on a screen of an MFP. The MFP becomes usable by a user simply selecting the user&#39;s own icon image displayed on the screen, as discussed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-254618. 
     There is also an image forming apparatus that can use cards distributed to employees as employee identification (ID) cards for authentication by an MFP. A user can perform an authentication operation by simply holding the user&#39;s card over a card reader connected to the image forming apparatus, and having the card reader read a card ID stored in the card as discussed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-187559. 
     According to the foregoing Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-254618, the number of displayed icon images increases as the number of users of the MFP increases. This lowers the searchability of the icon images and thus limits the number of users. 
     The MFP discussed in the foregoing Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-187559 can be used even in an environment with a large number of users. However, users who do not have a card (such as part-time workers, temporary staff, and short-term users) are not able to use the MFP. Users having no card need to input a username and a password as an alternative means for login. This causes operability troubles to some users. 
     As described above, there are constraints on the scale of users (the number of users) to use the MFP, and there are operability troubles to some users, so that they cannot enjoy the convenience. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an image forming apparatus capable of dynamically switching login processing suitably for both of a user who selects an icon and a user who is identified by reading of a card. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes a management unit configured to manage user information associated with card identification information and an icon, a display unit configured to display a predetermined number of icons corresponding to the user information managed by the managing unit, a selection unit configured to select one of the icons displayed by the display unit, a reading unit configured to read card identification information from a card, and a login processing unit configured to, in either of cases where an icon is selected by the selection unit and where the card identification information is read by the reading unit, perform control to identify a corresponding user from the user information managed by the management unit and perform login processing on the identified user. 
     Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system to which an image forming apparatus is applied. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a software configuration of the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a user interface (UI) screen displayed on an operation unit. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a UI screen displayed on the operation unit. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating a UI screen displayed on the operation unit. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating a UI screen displayed on the operation unit. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating a UI screen displayed on the operation unit. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram illustrating a UI screen displayed on the operation unit. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating a UI screen displayed on the operation unit. 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram illustrating a UI screen displayed on the operation unit. 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram illustrating a UI screen displayed on the operation unit. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a user table managed by the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 14  is a diagram illustrating a UI screen displayed on the operation unit. 
         FIG. 15  is a diagram illustrating a UI screen displayed on the operation unit. 
         FIG. 16  ( 16 A and  16 B) is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 17  is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 18  is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 19  illustrates a priority display attribute specification table managed by the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 20  is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 21  illustrates an installation location management table managed by the image forming apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following exemplary embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention set forth in the claims, and all combinations of features described in the exemplary embodiments are not necessarily indispensable to the solving means of the present invention. 
     &lt;Description of System Configuration&gt; 
     &lt;&lt;System Configuration&gt;&gt; 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system to which an image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment is applied. 
     The system illustrated in  FIG. 1  includes a personal computer (PC)  102  and an MFP  101  which are connected to a local area network (LAN)  100 . The system is configured so that a user of the PC  102  can activate a browser and perform user registration and user editing by using a user interface (UI) screen provided by the MFP  101 . 
     &lt;Hardware Configuration&gt; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus (i.e., MFP  101 ) illustrated in  FIG. 1 . A hardware configuration of the MFP  101  illustrated in  FIG. 1  will be described below. 
     In  FIG. 2 , a controller unit  216  is connected to a scanner  214 , which functions as an image input device and a printer  212 , which functions as an image output device. The controller unit  216  is also connected to the LAN  100  and a public telephone line (wide area network (WAN)) (for example, the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or an Integrated Services for Digital Network (ISDN)) to input and output image data and device information. 
     The controller unit  216  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  201 . The CPU  201  is a processor that controls the entire system. A random access memory (RAM)  202  is a system network memory for the CPU  201  to operate. The RAM  202  also serves as a program memory for recording a program and an image memory for temporarily recording image data. 
     A read-only memory (ROM)  203  stores a boot program of the system and various control programs. A hard disk drive (HDD)  204  stores various programs for controlling the system, and image data. An operation unit interface (operation unit I/F)  207  is an interface unit with an operation unit (UI)  208 . The operation unit I/F  207  outputs image data to be displayed on the operation unit  208 . 
     The operation unit I/F  207  also functions to transmit information (such as user information) input by the user of the system from the operation unit  208  to the CPU  201 . The operation unit  208  includes a display unit including a touch panel. The user can press (touch with a finger or the like) buttons displayed on the display unit to issue various instructions. 
     A network interface (network I/F)  205  connects to the network (LAN)  100  and performs input and output of data. A modulator-demodulator (modem)  206  connects to the public telephone line and performs input and output of data such as facsimile (FAX) transmission and reception. 
     An external interface (external I/F)  218  accepts external inputs such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394, a printer port, and Recommended Standard 232C (RS-232C). In the present exemplary embodiment, a card reader  219  for reading an integrated circuit (IC) card needed for authentication is connected to the external I/F  218 . The CPU  201  can control reading of information from an IC card by the card reader  219  via the external I/F  218 , and obtain card identification information read from the IC card. Such devices are arranged on a system bus  209 . 
     An image bus interface (image bus I/F)  220  is a bus bridge which connects the system bus  209  with an image bus  215  for transferring image data at high speed and converts data structures. The image bus  215  includes a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or IEEE 1394. The following devices are arranged on the image bus  215 . 
     A raster image processor (RIP)  210  rasterizes vector data such as page description language (PDL) code into a bitmap image. A printer interface (printer I/F)  211  connects the printer  212  with the controller unit  216 , and performs synchronous/asynchronous conversion of image data. A scanner interface (scanner I/F)  213  connects the scanner  214  with the controller unit  216 , and performs synchronous/asynchronous conversion of image data. 
     An image processing unit  217  performs correction, processing, and editing of input image data, and performs data correction processing and resolution conversion processing according to a color characteristic of the printer  212  on print output image data. The image processing unit  217  further performs rotation of image data and compression/decompression processing. Examples of the compression/decompression processing include Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compression/decompression processing for multivalued image data, and Joint Bi-level Image Experts Group (JBIG), Modified Modified READ (MMR), and modified Huffman (MH) compression/decompression processing for binary image data. 
     The scanner  214  illuminates an image on a sheet serving as an original document, and scans the image with a charge-coupled device (CCD) line sensor to convert the image into an electrical signal as raster image data. If original document sheets are set on a tray of an original document feeder and the user of the image forming apparatus (i.e., MFP 101 ) gives a read start instruction from the operation unit  208 , the CPU  201  gives an instruction to the scanner  214  so that the original document feeder feeds the original document sheets one by one to perform an operation for reading an original document image. 
     The printer  212  is a unit that converts raster image data into an image on a sheet. The printer  212  may use methods such as an electrophotographic method and an inkjet method. The electrophotographic method uses a photosensitive drum or photosensitive belt. The inkjet method includes discharging ink from a small nozzle array to directly print an image on a sheet. The printer  212  starts a print operation according to an instruction from the CPU  201 . The printer  212  includes a plurality of sheet feed stages and corresponding sheet cassettes so that different sheet sizes or different sheet orientations can be selected. 
     The operation unit  208  includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) display unit. A touch panel sheet is attached onto the LCD display unit. The operation unit  208  displays an operation screen of the system, and if a displayed key is pressed, notifies the CPU  201  of the position information of the pressed key via the operation unit I/F  207 . The operation unit  208  also includes various operation keys such as a start key, a stop key, an ID key, and a reset key. 
     The start key of the operation unit  208  is used when starting the operation for reading an original document image. Two color light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of green and red are arranged in the center of the start key. The LEDs indicate by their colors whether the start key is in a usable state. The stop key of the operation unit  208  functions to stop a running operation. The ID key of the operation unit  208  is used when inputting a user ID of the user. The reset key is used when initializing settings made from the operation unit  208 . 
     The card reader  219  reads information stored in an IC card according to control from the CPU  201 , and notifies the CPU  201  of the read information via the external I/F  218 . Examples of the IC card include Felica (registered trademark) (International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 15408-compatible) manufactured by Sony Corporation and MIFARE (registered trademark) (ISO/IEC 14443-compatible) manufactured by NXP Semiconductors. 
     With such a configuration, the MFP  101  can transmit image data read from the scanner  214  to the LAN  100 , and print and output print data received from the LAN  100  by using the printer  212 . 
     Image data read from the scanner  214  can also be transmitted to the public telephone line by FAX via the modem  206 . Image data received through the public telephone line by FAX can be output by using the printer  212 . 
     &lt;&lt;Software Configuration&gt;× 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a software configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. The software configuration of the MFP  101  according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described below with reference to  FIG. 3 . Software functions of the MFP  101  are overviewed here, and the processing of each function will be described in detail thereafter. 
     Software of each unit illustrated in  FIG. 3  is stored in the ROM  203  or the HDD  204  of the MFP  101 , and executed by the CPU  201  of the MFP  101 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , an application screen management unit  301  displays an application selection menu screen  1500  illustrated in  FIG. 4  on the operation unit  208 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  are diagrams illustrating examples of a UI screen displayed on the operation unit  208  illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 4  corresponds to the application selection menu screen  1500 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , the application screen management unit  301  displays applications provided by the MFP  101  as buttons  1501 ,  1502 , and  1503  on the application selection menu screen  1500 . If a button  1501 ,  1502 , or  1503  on the application selection menu screen  1500  is selected, the application screen management unit  301  displays a screen of the selected application. 
     Applications  302  provide various functions for the user. In the present exemplary embodiment, a copy application, a transmission application, and a print application will be described as examples of the applications  302 . The copy application performs a copy function. The transmission application is an application that transmits image data scanned by the scanner  214  to a remote system using a mail application. If the scan and transmit button  1502  is selected, the transmission application can transmit image data scanned by the scanner  214  to the PC  102  by using a protocol such as Server Message Block (SMB) and the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). 
     The print application is an application that is intended to, if the button  1503  for performing a print function is selected, manage data of print jobs stored in the HDD  204  for each user and print the print job(s) of the login user. 
     The applications  302  display an operation screen of the selected application on the operation unit  208  to accept the user&#39;s operations.  FIG. 5  illustrates an operation screen  1600  for the scan and transmission function. 
     A login screen management unit  303  provides user authentication screens as illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7  on the operation unit  208 . The login screen management unit  303  also provides user information management screens for performing user registration or user edition as illustrated in  FIGS. 8 to 12 . 
     If the login screen management unit  303  is set to permit the user to use the MFP  101  only after login, the login screen management unit  303  displays a user authentication screen  800  as illustrated in  FIG. 6  on the operation unit  208  as an initial state. 
     The login screen management unit  303  may be set to allow the user to use the function after login when an application that needs user authentication is selected. In such a case, the login screen management unit  303  can display the user authentication screen  800  when using such an application. The login screen management unit  303  may be set to allow the user to use a function of an application after login when selecting the application. In such a case, the login screen management unit  303  can display the application selection menu screen  1500  illustrated in  FIG. 4  on the operation unit  208  as an initial state. 
     Features of the present exemplary embodiment will be described below with reference to UI screens illustrated in  FIGS. 6 to 12  displayed on the operation unit  208 . 
       FIGS. 6 to 12  are diagrams illustrating the UI screens displayed on the operation unit  208  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The screen illustrated in  FIG. 6  corresponds to an example of the user authentication screen  800  intended for user authentication using icon selection and a card. 
     The login screen management unit  303  displays buttons  801 ,  802 , and  803 , and a register/edit user button  804  on the user authentication screen  800 . The buttons  801 ,  802 , and  803  correspond to icon images linked with users who satisfy a display condition among users registered in a user table illustrated in  FIG. 13 . The information about attributes corresponding to functions to be executed by the users is also registered in the user table illustrated in  FIG. 13 . 
     The greater the number of users of the MFP  101 , the greater the number of icon images to be displayed and the lower the searchability of the icon images. In the present exemplary embodiment, the number of icon images displayed on the user authentication screen  800  is thus limited to be smaller than the number of users registered in the user table. 
     More specifically, while the number of users that can be registered in the user table is 5000, the number of icon images displayable on the user authentication screen  800  is limited to 200. Although only three users are displayed on one screen in the example of  FIG. 6 , flick operations can scroll the screen to display up to 200 users. 
     Further, in the present exemplary embodiment, display order can be changed via the UI screen of  FIG. 6  to change the displayed icon images of the users. 
     For example, if “order of user registration” is selected by a sort button  805 , the icon images of up to 200 users can be displayed in a chronological order of the registration date and time of the user information. 
     If “order of use” is selected by the sort button  805 , the icon images of up to 200 users among those who can use the MFP  101  can be displayed in a reverse chronological order of login date and time. 
     Furthermore, in the present exemplary embodiment, a filtering function can be used via the UI screen of  FIG. 6  to filter the icon images of users to be displayed. 
     For example, if a sort button  806  is switched from “all users” to “users having print job(s),” only the icon images of users corresponding to the print jobs managed by the print application are displayed as the icon images of the users to be displayed. 
     In such a manner, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the sort function and the filtering function can be used to appropriately change the icon images of the users to be displayed. 
     If the button  801 ,  802 , or  803  corresponding to a user icon image (icon image) is selected, the login screen management unit  303  obtains the user information linked with the icon image from the user table ( FIG. 13 ), and requests a user authentication to a login processing unit  306 . If the register/edit user button  804  is selected, the login screen management unit  303  displays a user registration and editing screen  1000  illustrated in  FIG. 8  on the operation unit  208 . 
     After the display of the user authentication screen  800 , the login screen management unit  303  requests a card reader control unit  305  to start detection and acceptance of a card. This enables login by using an IC card (card) carried by the user. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an example of a UI screen corresponding to a password input screen  900  at a time of registering a password. If password information about the user of the icon image selected on the user authentication screen  800  is registered in the HDD  204 , the login screen management unit  303  displays the password input screen  900  to request an input of a password. The login screen management unit  303  requests the login processing unit  306  to perform collation to check whether a password input by the user from the operation unit  208  coincides with a password obtained from the user table ( FIG. 13 ). 
       FIG. 8  is an example of a UI screen corresponding to the user registration and editing screen  1000 . 
     The login screen management unit  303  displays buttons  1001  to  1003  corresponding to the icon images and a new registration button  1004  for registering a new user on the user registration and editing screen  1000 . 
     If any one of the buttons  1001  to  1003  corresponding to the icon images is selected by the user&#39;s operation, the login screen management unit  303  displays a user attribute information editing screen  1100  illustrated in  FIG. 9 , intended to edit the user information linked with the icon image, on the operation unit  208 . If the new registration button  1004  is selected, the login screen management unit  303  displays a new user registration screen  1200  illustrated in  FIG. 10 , intended to register a new user, on the operation unit  208 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an example of a UI screen corresponding to the user attribute information editing screen  1100 . 
     The login screen management unit  303  obtains the user information linked with the button  1001 ,  1002 , or  1003  corresponding to the icon image selected on the user registration and editing screen  1000  from a user information management unit  304 . The login screen management unit  303  then displays the obtained user information on the user attribute information editing screen  1100  on the operation unit  208 . A username  1101  displays information about a username  1901  in the user table ( FIG. 13 ). 
     A password  1102  displays information about a password  1902  in the user table ( FIG. 13 ). If the user requests a change of the password  1102 , the login screen management unit  303  accepts a password change request. A card ID  1103  displays information about a card ID  1903  in the user table ( FIG. 13 ). If the user selects the card ID  1103 , the login screen management unit  303  displays a card registration screen  1400  illustrated in  FIG. 12  to accept a card registration request. 
     Information about a mail address  1904  in the user table ( FIG. 13 ) is registered in a mail address  1104 . As employed herein, the mail address corresponds to an attribute for identifying a function for the user to execute. If the user requests a change of the mail address  1104 , the login screen management unit  303  accepts a mail address change request. 
     Information about a “my folder”  1905  in the user table ( FIG. 13 ) is registered in a “my folder”  1105 . If the user requests a change of the “my folder”  1905 , the login screen management unit  303  accepts a “my folder” change request. An attribute for identifying an area where the registered user works is registered in a department  1906 . An icon  1907  in the user table ( FIG. 13 ) is registered in an icon  1106 . If the user selects the icon  1106 , the login screen management unit  303  displays a use icon image change screen  1300  illustrated in  FIG. 11  to accept an icon change request. 
     If a cancel button  1107  is selected, the login screen management unit  303  displays the user registration and editing screen  1000  illustrated in  FIG. 8 . If an OK button  1108  is selected, the login screen management unit  303  requests the user information management unit  304  to update the user table ( FIG. 13 ) with the accepted change information, and displays the user registration and editing screen  1000 . 
       FIG. 10  is an example of a UI screen corresponding to the new user registration screen  1200 . 
     The login screen management unit  303  displays the new user registration screen  1200  including attribute information  1201  to  1206  about a user. If a card ID  1203  is selected, the login screen management unit  303  displays the card registration screen  1400  illustrated in  FIG. 12  to accept a registration request. If an icon  1206  is selected, the login screen management unit  303  displays the use icon image change screen  1300  illustrated in  FIG. 11  to accept a registration request. The login screen management unit  303  also accepts a registration request about other attributes  1201 ,  1202 ,  1204 , and  1205  in a manner similar to on the user attribute information editing screen  1100 . 
     If a cancel button  1207  is selected on the UI screen illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the login screen management unit  303  displays the user registration and editing screen  1000  illustrated in  FIG. 8 . If an OK button  1208  is selected, the login screen management unit  303  requests the user information management unit  304  to update the user table ( FIG. 13 ) with the accepted registration information, and displays the user registration and editing screen  1000 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an example of a UI screen corresponding to the use icon image change screen  1300 . 
     The login screen management unit  303  displays a list of icon images (buttons  1301  to  1303 ) registered in advance and information indicating the currently-selected icon image (⋅ in the diagram) on the use icon image change screen  1300 . 
     If an OK button  1305  is selected on the UI screen illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the login screen management unit  303  accepts an icon image change request from the user. The login screen management unit  303  then displays the user attribute information editing screen  1100  or the new user registration screen  1200 . 
     If a cancel button  1304  is selected on the UI screen illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the login screen management unit  303  displays the user attribute information editing screen  1100  or the new user registration screen  1200  without accepting a change request. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates an example of a UI screen corresponding to the card registration screen  1400 . 
     The login screen management unit  303  displays the card registration screen  1400  and requests the card reader control unit  305  to start detection and acceptance of a card. If the user holds an IC card over the card reader  219 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains detected card information from the card reader control unit  305  and displays the obtained card information  1401 . 
     If a cancel button  1402  is selected on the UI screen illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the login screen management unit  303  displays the user attribute information editing screen  1100  or the new user registration screen  1200  without accepting a card registration request. If an OK button  1403  is selected, the login screen management unit  303  accepts a registration request for the obtained card information  1401 , and displays the user attribute information editing screen  1100  or the new user registration screen  1200 . 
       FIGS. 14 and 15  are diagrams illustrating examples of UI screens displayed on the operation unit  208  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The UI screen illustrated in  FIG. 14  corresponds to an example of a user registration and editing screen  1700  via the browser. The UI screen illustrated in  FIG. 15  corresponds to an example of a new user information registration screen  1800  via the browser. 
     The login screen management unit  303  can also display the user registration and editing screen  1700  illustrated in  FIG. 14  and the new user information registration screen  1800  illustrated in  FIG. 15  via a web browser on the PC  102  connected by the LAN  100  of the MFP  101 . 
     The user registration and editing screen  1700  and the new user information registration screen  1800  enable the user to edit user information and execute a new user registration function on the user registration and editing screen  1000  via the web browser. Users can be deleted on the user registration and editing screen  1700 . A new icon image can be imported and information about a department which the user belongs to can be registered on the new user information registration screen  1800 . The contents of the user registration and editing via the web browser are similar to those on the user registration and editing screen  1000 . 
     The user information management unit  304  stores information about users who use the MFP  101  in the HDD  304  in the form of the user table as illustrated in  FIG. 13 . The user information management unit  304  updates and manages the user table ( FIG. 13 ) according to user registration/edit requests from the login screen management unit  303 . The user information management unit  304  sends back information about the user table ( FIG. 13 ) according to a user list acquisition request from the login screen management unit  303 . If a user search or card search request is given from the login screen management unit  303 , the user information management unit  304  transmits user information linked with information according to the request based on the user table ( FIG. 13 ). 
     The card reader control unit  305  controls the card reader  219  connected to the MFP  101  and performs polling for card detection. If a user holds a card over the card reader  219 , the card reader control unit  305  transmits the detected card information to the login processing unit  306  and issues a login request. If a card is detected and displayed on the card registration screen  1400 , the card reader control unit  305  determines it to be a card registration request, and transmits the detected card information to the login screen control unit  303 . 
     The login processing unit  306  accepts an icon image selection login request from the login screen management unit  303  and performs icon selection login processing on the MFP  101 . The login processing unit  306  accepts a card login request from the card reader control unit  305  and performs card login processing. 
     The login processing unit  306  can automatically determine which request is accepted, the icon image selection login request or the card login request, and perform the login processing according to the accepted request. 
     More specifically, if the login processing unit  306  accepts an icon selection event from the login screen management unit  303 , the login processing unit  306  performs the icon selection login processing. If the login processing unit  306  accepts a card detection event from the card reader  219 , the login processing unit  306  performs the card login processing. Username information linked with the selected icon image can be obtained from the icon selection event. The card detection event includes identification information of the detected card. 
     The login processing unit  306  issues, to the user information management unit  304 , a search request to search the user table ( FIG. 13 ) based on the obtained information, and obtains user information linked with the information. 
       FIG. 16  ( 16 A and  16 B) is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. This example corresponds to user authentication processing in the image forming apparatus. A program for performing the steps according to the present exemplary embodiment is stored as software in the ROM  203  or the HDD  204  of the MFP  101 . The steps are executed by the CPU  201  of the MFP  101 . In the following description, the modules illustrated in  FIG. 3  are described to be entities. 
     In step S 401 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains a user list from the user information management unit  304  which manages the user table ( FIG. 13 ). In step S 402 , the login screen management unit  303  checks a display condition (display order and the presence or absence of a filter) selected on the UI screen of  FIG. 6 . The login screen management unit  303  then obtains icons  1907  registered as being linked with users satisfying the display condition from the user list obtained in step S 401 . The login screen management unit  303  generates an icon list to display on the operation unit  208 . 
     In step S 403 , the login screen management unit  303  generates a UI screen such as that of  FIG. 6  and displays a predetermined number of user icon images on the operation unit  208  based on the icon list generated in step S 402  so that a user can log in by using either method, icon selection or an IC card detection. 
     In step S 404 , the login screen management unit  303  requests the card reader control unit  305  to start detection and acceptance of a card by using the card reader  219 . The card reader control unit  305  accepts the request to start detection and acceptance of a card, and puts the card reader  219  into a card detectable state. 
     In step S 405 , the login processing unit  306  obtains a login request event caused by the user&#39;s operation. 
     In step S 406 , the login processing unit  306  determines whether the login request event obtained in step S 405  is a login request event caused by card detection or a login request event caused by icon selection. If the login processing unit  306  determines that the login request event is the one caused by card detection (IC CARD DETECTED in step S 406 ), the processing proceeds to step S 407 . If the login processing unit  306  determines that the login request event is the one caused by icon selection (ICON BUTTON PRESSED in step S 406 ), the processing proceeds to step S 408 . 
     If, in step S 406 , the login request event is determined to be the one caused by card detection (IC CARD DETECTED in step S 406 ), then in step S 407 , the login processing unit  306  requests the user information management unit  304  to search for card information. 
     If, in step S 406 , the login request event is determined to be the one caused by icon selection (ICON BUTTON SELECTED in step S 406 ), then in step S 408 , the login processing unit  306  requests the user information management unit  304  to search for the user of the selected icon image. 
     In step S 409 , the user information management unit  304  determines whether user information is registered according to the search request in step S 407  or S 408 . If the accepted search request is the one made by using the card, the user information management unit  304  searches a card attribute  1903  in the user table ( FIG. 13 ). 
     If the search request is the one made by using the selected icon image of the user, the user information management unit  304  searches the username  1901  included in user attributes of the user table ( FIG. 13 ). As a result of the search according to the search request, if the user information management unit  304  determines that a username (user information) is registered (YES in step S 409 ), the processing proceeds to step S 410 . If the user information management unit  304  determines that the username is not registered (NO in step S 409 ), the processing proceeds to step S 416 . 
     If, in step S 409 , the user information management unit  304  determines that the user information is registered (YES in step S 409 ), then in step S 410 , the login processing unit  306  obtains the username from the user information management unit  304  as the searched user information. 
     Then in step S 411 , the login processing unit  306  determines whether password information in the user information obtained in step S 410  is registered in the password  1902  of the user table ( FIG. 13 ). If the login processing unit  306  determines that the password information is registered (YES in step S 411 ), the processing proceeds to step S 412 . If the login processing unit  306  determines that the password information is not registered (NO in step S 411 ), the processing proceeds to step S 415 . 
     If, in step S 411 , the login processing unit  306  determines that password information is registered (YES in step S 411 ), then in step S 412 , the login screen management unit  303  displays the password input screen  900  at the time of registering a password on the operation unit  208 . 
     Then in step S 413 , the login processing unit  306  obtains password information input by the user on the password input screen  900  displayed by the login screen management unit  303  in step S 412 . The login processing unit  306  collates the password information with the password information obtained in step S 410 . 
     Then in step S 414 , if the login processing unit  306  determines that the password information collated in step S 413  coincides with the password information obtained in step S 410  (YES in step S 414 ), the processing proceeds to step S 415 . If the password information collated is determined not to coincide with the password information obtained in step S 410  (NO in step S 414 ), the processing proceeds to step S 416 . 
     If, in step S 414 , the login processing unit  306  determines that the password information coincides with the password information obtained in step S 410  (YES in step S 414 ), then in step S 415 , the login screen management unit  303  hides the user authentication screen  800  displayed on the operation unit  208 . The login screen management unit  303  switches display to the application selection menu screen  1500  or the operation screen  1600  of an application. 
     If, in step S 409 , the user information management unit  304  determines that the user information is not registered (NO in step S 409 ), then in step S 416 , the login screen management unit  303  displays an authentication error screen indicating a user authentication error on the operation unit  208 . The processing returns to step S 402 . If, in step S 414 , the login processing unit  306  determines that the password information does not coincide with the password information obtained in step S 410  (NO in step S 414 ), then in step S 416 , the login screen management unit  303  displays the authentication error screen indicating the user authentication error on the operation unit  208 . The processing returns to step S 402 . 
     In this way, even in an environment including a large number of users, a user who has a card can use the MFP  10  by simply holding the card over the card reader  219  without the need to search for the user&#39;s own icon image. Some users having no card can also log in by simply selecting their own icon images on the touch panel without the need to input a username or a password. 
       FIG. 17  is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. This example corresponds to user registration processing during user authentication by the image forming apparatus. A program for performing the steps according to the present exemplary embodiment is stored as software in the ROM  203  or the HDD  204  of the MFP  101 . The steps are executed by the CPU  201  of the MFP  101 . In the following description, the modules illustrated in  FIG. 3  are described to be entities. 
     In step S 501 , if the user selects the user registration/edit button  804  of the user authentication screen  800  ( FIG. 6 ) intended for user authentication using icon selection and a card, the login screen management unit  303  accepts a display request for the user registration and editing screen  1000  illustrated in  FIG. 8 . In step S 502 , the login screen management unit  303  displays the user registration and editing screen  1000  on the operation unit  208 . 
     In step S 503 , the login screen management unit  303  determines whether the new registration button  1004  of the user registration and editing screen  1000  is selected by the user. If the login screen management unit  303  determines that the new registration button  1004  is selected (YES in step S 503 ), the processing proceeds to step S 504 . If the login screen management unit  303  determines that the new registration button  1004  is not selected (NO in step S 503 ), the processing proceeds to step S 506 . 
     If, in step S 503 , the new registration button  1004  of the user registration and editing screen is determined to be selected (YES in step S 503 ), then in step S 504 , the login screen management unit  303  displays the new user registration screen  1200  illustrated in  FIG. 10  on the operation unit  208 . 
     Then, in step S 505 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains attribute information input by the user to the new user registration screen  1200  displayed in step S 504 , and issues a user registration request to the user information management unit  304 . The processing proceeds to step S 509 . Accepting the user registration request, the user information management unit  304  registers the obtained attribute information into the user table ( FIG. 13 ). 
     If, in step S 503 , the new registration button  1004  is determined not to be selected (NO in step S 503 ), then in step S 506 , the login screen management unit  303  determines whether any one of the buttons  1001  to  1003  corresponding to the icon images on the user registration and editing screen  1000  is selected. If the login screen management unit  303  determines that one of the buttons  1001  to  1003  corresponding to the icon images is selected (YES in step S 506 ), the processing proceeds to step S 507 . If the login screen management unit  303  determines that none of the buttons  1001  to  1003  corresponding to the icon images are selected (NO in step S 506 ), the processing returns to step S 503 . 
     If, in step S 506 , one of the buttons  1001  to  1003  corresponding to the icon images on the user registration and editing screen  1000  is determined to be selected (YES in step S 506 ), then in step S 507 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains user information linked with the selected icon image from the user table ( FIG. 13 ). The login screen management unit  303  displays the user attribute information editing screen  1100  illustrated in  FIG. 9  on the operation unit  208 . 
     Then, in step S 508 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains attribute information input or changed by the user on the user attribute information editing screen  1100  displayed in step S 507 . The login screen management unit  303  then requests the user information management unit  304  to register the input or changed attribute information into the user table ( FIG. 13 ). The processing proceeds to step S 509 . Accepting the request, the user information management unit  304  registers the obtained attribute information into the user table ( FIG. 13 ). 
     In step S 509 , the login screen management unit  303  determines whether either of the card ID  1203  on the new user registration screen  1200  displayed in step S 504  and the card ID  1103  on the user attribute information editing screen  1100  is selected. If the login screen management unit  303  determines that the card ID  1203  or  1103  which indicates a card registration screen request is selected (YES in step S 509 ), the processing proceeds to step S 510 . On the other hand, if the login screen management unit  303  determines that neither of the card IDs  1203  and  1103  is selected (NO in step S 509 ), the processing proceeds to step S 514 . 
     If, in step S 509 , the card ID  1203  or  1103  is determined to be selected (YES in step S 509 ), then in step S 510 , the login screen management unit  303  displays the card registration screen  1400 . After displaying the card registration screen  1400 , the login screen management unit  303  requests the card reader control unit  305  to start detection and acceptance of a card. The card reader control unit  305  accepts the request to start detection and acceptance of a card, and puts the card reader  219  into a state where the detection and acceptance of a card is started. 
     Then, in step S 511 , if the user holds an IC card over the card reader  219  with the card registration screen  1400  displayed in step S 510 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains a card detection event from the card reader control unit  305 . If a card detection event is obtained in step S 511 , then in step S 512 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains the detected card information from the card reader control unit  305 . 
     Then, in step S 513 , the login screen management unit  303  requests the user information management unit  304  to register the card information obtained in step S 512 . The card information is thereby registered into the card ID  1903  of the user table ( FIG. 13 ) as a card attribute. 
     If, in step S 509 , neither of the card IDs  1203  and  1103  is determined to be selected (NO in step S 509 ), then in step S 514 , the login screen management unit  303  determines whether either of the icons  1206  and  1106  is selected. If the login screen management unit  303  determines that the icon  1206  or  1106  which indicates an icon image selection screen request is selected (YES in step S 514 ), the processing proceeds to step S 515 . On the other hand, if the login screen management unit  303  determines that neither of the icons  1206  and  1106  are selected (NO in step S 514 ), the processing returns to step S 503 . 
     If, in step S 514 , the icon  1206  or  1106  which indicates an icon image selection screen request is determined to be selected (YES in step S 514 ), then in step S 515 , the login screen management unit  303  displays the use icon image change screen  1300  on the operation unit  208 . 
     Then, in step S 516 , the login screen management unit  303  requests the user information management unit  304  to register the icon image selected by the user in step S 515  so that the icon image is linked with the selected user. Accepting the registration request, the user information management unit  304  registers the icon image into the icon  1907  corresponding to an icon attribute of the user table ( FIG. 13 ). 
       FIG. 18  is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. This example corresponds to icon display processing during user authentication when selecting a function of the image forming apparatus. A program for performing the steps according to the present exemplary embodiment is stored as software in the ROM  203  or the HDD  204  of the MFP  101 . The steps are executed by the CPU  201  of the MFP  101 . In the following description, the modules illustrated in  FIG. 3  are described to be entities. 
     In step S 601 , the login screen management unit  303  detects selection of an application that needs authentication on the application selection menu screen  1500 . In step S 602 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains a specification attribute from a priority display attribute specification table illustrated in  FIG. 19 , and determines whether the application selected in step S 601  is specified to have an icon priority display attribute. If the login screen management unit  303  determines that the selected application is specified to have an icon priority display attribute (YES in step S 602 ), the processing proceeds to step S 603 . On the other hand, if the login screen management unit  303  determines that the selected application is not specified to have an icon priority display attribute (NO in step S 602 ), the processing proceeds to step S 401 . 
     If, in step S 602 , the selected application is determined to be specified to have an icon priority display attribute (YES in step S 602 ), then in step S 603 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains a list of users for whom the priority display attribute is registered from the user table ( FIG. 13 ) via the user information management unit  304 . 
     Then, in step S 604 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains icons  1907  registered as being linked with the users from the list of users obtained in step S 603 , and generates an icon list to display on the operation unit  208 . In step S 605 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains a list of users for whom the priority display attribute is not registered from the user table ( FIG. 13 ) via the user information management unit  304 . 
     Then, in step S 606 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains icons  1907  registered as being linked with the users from the list of users obtained in step S 605 , and adds the icons  1907  to the end of the icon list generated in step S 604 . In step S 607 , the login screen management unit  303  generates the user authentication screen  800  intended for user authentication using icon selection and an IC card based on the icon list generated in step S 606 , and displays the user authentication screen  800  on the operation unit  208 . 
     The priority display attribute mentioned above will be further described below with reference to  FIG. 19 . The present exemplary embodiment deals with an example of controlling a display mode of the operation screen displayed on the operation unit  208  depending on whether the user is determined to be accepted by using a card or by the selection of a user icon image. In the following description, display order of user icon images is controlled based on information about the users registered in the HDD  204 . 
       FIG. 19  illustrates the priority display attribute specification table which manages the priority display attribute. In the priority display attribute specification table, a specification attribute  2002  is managed as being linked with an application  2001  provided by the MFP  101 . In the present exemplary embodiment, no specification attribute  2002  is specified for the application “copy”. In the case of the application “copy”, icon images are therefore displayed on the operation unit  208  in order in which the icon images are obtained from the user table ( FIG. 13 ). 
     The application “scan and transmit” is specified to have a mail address and/or a my folder as the specification attribute  2002 . Users whose mail address and/or my folder are registered in the user table ( FIG. 13 ) are highly likely to use the scan and transmission function. The icon images of such users are therefore displayed by priority. 
       FIG. 20  is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. This example corresponds to icon display processing according to a distance between the MFP  101  illustrated in  FIG. 2  and the user. A program for performing the steps according to the present exemplary embodiment is stored as software in the ROM  203  or the HDD  204  of the MFP  101 . The steps are executed by the CPU  201  of the MFP  101 . In the following description, the modules illustrated in  FIG. 3  are described to be entities. 
     In step S 701 , the login screen management unit  303  accepts a display request for the user authentication screen  800  intended for user authentication using icon selection and a card. In step S 702 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains information (installation information about installation of the image forming apparatus) for identifying an installation office room  2101  and a department  2102  of the installation office room  2101  from an installation location management table (illustrated in  FIG. 21 ) of the MFP  101 . 
     Then, in step S 703 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains a list of users registered as being linked with the attribute of the department  2102  obtained in step S 702  from the user table ( FIG. 13 ) via the user information management unit  304 . 
     Then, in step S 704 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains icons  1907  registered as being linked with the users from the list of users obtained in step S 703 , and generates an icon list to display on the operation unit  208 . 
     Then, in step S 705 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains a list of users not registered as being linked with the attribute of the department  2101  obtained in step S 702  from the user table ( FIG. 13 ) via the user information management unit  304 . 
     Then, in step S 706 , the login screen management unit  303  obtains icons  1907  registered as being linked with the users from the list of users obtained in step S 705 , and adds the icons  1907  to the end of the icon list generated in step S 704 . 
     Then, in step S 707 , the login screen management unit  303  generates the user authentication screen  800  intended for user authentication using the selection of the buttons  801  to  803  corresponding to the icon images illustrated in  FIG. 6  and an IC card based on the icon list generated in step S 706 , and displays the user authentication screen  800  on the operation unit  208 . The processing ends. 
     The steps according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can also be implemented by a processing unit (CPU or processor) of a personal computer (computer) executing software (program) obtained via a network or various storage media. 
     The present invention is not limited to the foregoing exemplary embodiment. Various modifications (including organic combinations of the exemplary embodiments) may be made based on the gist of the present invention, and such modifications are not intended to be excluded from the scope of the present invention. 
     OTHER EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or that includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computer executable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network of separate computers or separate processors to read out and execute the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.