Patent Abstract:
An image processing apparatus includes: an image processing unit; a processing unit that performs predetermined processing under the control of the information processing unit; a reading unit that performs an operation of reading authentication information at intervals of a predetermined time under the control of the information processing unit; an authentication unit that authenticates a user based on the authentication information read by the reading unit under the control of the information processing unit; a permission unit that permits the predetermined processing to be performed by the processing unit on the condition that the authentication is completed by the authentication unit; and a change unit that changes the time interval for the reading unit to perform the reading operation in accordance with the status of processing to be executed.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-071736 filed on Mar. 24, 2009. 
       BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing control method and a computer readable medium. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    According to an aspect of the invention, an image processing apparatus includes: an image processing unit; a processing unit that performs predetermined processing under the control of the information processing unit; a reading unit that performs an operation of reading authentication information at intervals of a predetermined time under the control of the information processing unit; an authentication unit that authenticates a user based on the authentication information read by the reading unit under the control of the information processing unit; a permission unit that permits the predetermined processing to be performed by the processing unit on the condition that the authentication is completed by the authentication unit; and a change unit that changes the time interval for the reading unit to perform the reading operation in accordance with the status of processing to be executed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram for explaining the overall configuration of a system according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is an electric connection block diagram of a digital copying machine according to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram of the digital copying machine according to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart of the digital copying machine according to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart of a digital copying machine according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a digital copying machine according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below. 
         [0012]    A first exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described first. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram for explaining the overall configuration of a system according to the first exemplary embodiment. 
         [0014]    In this system, a digital copying machine  1  placed in an office or the like for performing an image processing apparatus according to the invention is connected to respective user&#39;s personal computers (PCs)  2  for the digital copying machine  1  via a network  3  such as an LAN. One of the PCs  2  is an administrative PC  4  used by an administrator of the digital copying machine  1 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an electric connection block diagram of the digital copying machine  1 . 
         [0016]    The digital copying machine  1  has a control portion  11  which controls the whole of the digital copying machine  1 . The control portion  11  has a CPU  12  which controls respective parts in a centralized manner, an ROM  14  which is connected to the CPU  12  and in which various types of control programs  13  to be executed by the CPU  12  and stationary data are stored, and an RAM  15  which is connected to the CPU  12  and which serves as a working area of the CPU  12 . 
         [0017]    The control programs  13  may be set up initially in production of the digital copying machine  1 . Alternatively, the control programs  13  may be stored in a recording medium so that the control programs  13  can be read from the recording medium and set up on a nonvolatile memory, a magnetic recording device or the like later. Alternatively, the control programs  13  may be downloaded in the form of carrier waves through a communication unit such as the Internet and set up on nonvolatile memory, a magnetic recording device or the like later. 
         [0018]    A card reader  22 , a scanner  23 , a printer engine  24 , a facsimile controller  26 , a magnetic recording device (HDD)  27 , a communication interface (I/F)  28  and an operation panel  29  are connected to the control portion  11 . The card reader  22  reads a card  21 . The scanner  23  reads an image of an original. The printer engine  24  forms an image on a medium such as a sheet of paper by electrophotography or another method. The facsimile controller  26  is connected to a public phone line  25  or the like and performs facsimile transmission and reception. The magnetic recording device (HDD)  27  stores image data, etc. The communication I/F  28  communicates with the outside via a network  3 . The operation panel  29  accepts various kinds of operations. The communication I/F  28  may be connected to the Internet  30  via the network  3 . 
         [0019]    For example, the card  21  is an IC card on which a password or personal identification number is recorded for authenticating a user who possesses the card  21 . The password or personal identification number is read by the card reader  22  to authenticate the user about a license to use the digital copying machine  1 . The means for authenticating the user is not limited thereto. For example, a password or personal identification number may be input through the operation panel  29  or biometrics authentication such as fingerprint authentication may be used. When biometrics authentication is used, a reader for reading biometric information such as fingerprint information is used in place of the card reader  22  so that the reader is connected to the digital copying machine  1 . 
         [0020]    Processing executed by the control portion  11  based on the control programs  13  will be described next. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram of processing executed by the control portion  11  based on the control programs  13 . 
         [0022]    An information processing unit  41  controls respective units shown in  FIG. 3  in a centralized manner. The information processing unit  41  is implemented by the control portion  11 . A reader  42  is implemented by the card reader  22  or a reader for reading biometric information such as fingerprint information. An authentication information reading unit  43  uses the reader  42  for reading a password or personal identification number or authentication information such as biometric information. 
         [0023]    An access control list  44  is stored in a storage device such as an HDD  27 . Passwords, personal identification numbers, biometric information, etc. are registered in the access control list  44  so that authentication information read by the authentication information reading unit  43  can be collated when user authentication is performed. An authentication unit  45  collates the authentication information read by the authentication information reading unit  43  with information registered in the access control list  44  to thereby authenticate the user about a license to use the digital copying machine  1 . 
         [0024]    A processing status determination unit  46  determines the processing status operated in the digital copying machine  1 . A reading interval control unit  47  changes a time interval for the reader  42  to read authentication information in accordance with the processing status determined by the processing status determination unit  46 . That is, the reader  42  performs an authentication information reading operation at intervals of a predetermined time. This time interval can be changed. An operation unit  48  accepts various kinds of operations from the user through the operation panel  29 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart of processing executed by the control portion  11  based on the control programs  13 . 
         [0026]    Processing in  FIG. 4  starts when a main power supply of the digital copying machine  1  is turned on. First, the time interval for the reader  42  to read authentication information is set to be short by the authentication information reading unit  43  (step S 1 ). 
         [0027]    That is, the time interval for the reader  42  to read authentication information is set to be a short time interval predetermined as a default value. Accordingly, the reader  42  can read authentication information rapidly compared with the case where setting in step S 6  which will be described later has been performed. 
         [0028]    Then, when the user makes the reader  42  read the card  21  or biometric information such as fingerprint information so that authentication information is read (Y in step S 2 ), the authentication unit  45  refers to the access control list  44  (step S 3 ) and determines whether the user is allowed to use the digital copying machine  1  or not (step S 4 ). When the authentication unit  45  determines that the user is allowed to use the digital copying machine  1  (Y in step S 4 ), the user is permitted to use (log in) the digital copying machine  1  because the user has been authenticated about a license to use the digital copying machine  1 . As a result, the user can operate the operation unit  48  freely to perform various kinds of processing allowed to be executed by the digital copying machine  1 , that is, to perform copying, printing, scanning, facsimile processing, etc. On this occasion, the processing status of the digital copying machine  1  is changed to ‘active’ (step S 5 ). 
         [0029]    In response to the processing status of the digital copying machine  1  changed to ‘active’, a reading interval control unit  47  sets the reading interval for the reader  42  to read authentication information to be longer than that in the step S 1  through the authentication information reading unit  43  (step S 6 ). 
         [0030]    Accordingly, because the information processing unit  41  need not devote a large throughput capacity to controlling the authentication information reading unit  43 , the information processing unit  41  can devote a relatively large throughput capacity to controlling a job of the digital copying machine  1  operated by the user compared with the situation where processing in the step S 6  has not been performed yet. 
         [0031]    When the card  21  for authentication is removed from the reader  42  or a predetermined operation is accepted by the operation unit  48 , the user&#39;s use of the digital copying machine  1  is terminated (logged out) (Y in step S 7 ). Then, the time interval for the reader  42  to read authentication information is set to be shorter again than that in the step S 6  by the authentication information reading unit  43  (step S 8 ) and the situation of processing goes back to the step S 2 . 
         [0032]    Accordingly, after the user&#39;s use of the digital copying machine  1  is terminated, the reader  42  can read authentication information rapidly compared with the case where setting in the step S 6  has been performed. 
         [0033]    A second exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described next. 
         [0034]    The hardware configuration of a digital copying machine  1  according to this exemplary embodiment is the same as that of the digital copying machine  1  according to the first exemplary embodiment as described above with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The functional block diagram of the digital copying machine  1  according to this exemplary embodiment is the same as that of the digital copying machine  1  according to the first exemplary embodiment as described above with reference to  FIG. 3 . The same numerals in  FIGS. 1 to 3  are used in the following description for the sake of omission of detailed description. In this exemplary embodiment, processing in  FIG. 5  is performed in place of processing in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0035]    Processing in  FIG. 5  starts when the main power supply of the digital copying machine  1  is turned on. First, the authentication information reading unit  43  sets the time interval for the reader  42  to read authentication information to be shorter than that in step S 17  which will be described later (step S 11 ). 
         [0036]    That is, the time interval for the reader  42  to read authentication information is set to be a short time interval predetermined as a default value. Accordingly, the reader  42  can read authentication information rapidly compared with the case where setting in step S 17  which will be described later has been performed. 
         [0037]    Then, when the user makes the reader  42  read the card  21  or biometric information such as fingerprint information so that authentication information is read (Y in step S 12 ), the authentication unit  45  refers to the access control list  44  (step S 13 ) and determines whether the user is allowed to use the digital copying machine  1  or not (step S 14 ). When the authentication unit  45  determines that the user is allowed to use the digital copying machine  1  (Y in step S 14 ), the user is permitted to use (log in) the digital copying machine  1  because the user has been authenticated about a license to use the digital copying machine  1 . As a result, the user can operate the operation unit  48  freely to perform various kinds of processing allowed to be executed by the digital copying machine  1 , that is, to perform copying, printing, scanning, facsimile processing, etc. 
         [0038]    When there is any job running in the digital copying machine  1  (Y in step S 15 ), determination is made as to whether the job is a job (such as copying, printing, scanning, facsimile transmission, etc.) executed based on the user&#39;s operation of the operation unit  38  (or PC  2 ) or whether the job is a job (such as facsimile reception, etc.) executed based on the determination of the information processing unit  41  without the user&#39;s operation of the operation unit  48  (step S 16 ). When the job is a job executed based on the user&#39;s operation of the operation unit  48  (Y in step S 16 ), the authentication information reading unit  43  sets the time interval of a reading operation for the reader  42  to read authentication information to be longer than that in the step S 11  (step S 17 ). 
         [0039]    As a result, because the information processing unit  41  need not devote a large throughput capacity to controlling the authentication information reading unit  43  when a job executed based on the user&#39;s operation of the operation unit  48  is performed, the information processing unit  41  can devote a relatively large throughput capacity to controlling the processing of the digital copying machine  1  operated by the user. Accordingly, the job executed based on the user&#39;s operation of the operation unit  48  can be performed rapidly compared with the job executed based on the determination of the information processing unit  41  without the user&#39;s operation of the operation unit  48 . 
         [0040]    On the other hand, when a job executed based on the determination of the information processing unit  41  without the user&#39;s operation of the operation unit  48  is performed (N in step S 16 ), the reader  42  can read authentication information rapidly compared with the case where a job executed based on the user&#39;s operation of the operation unit  48  is performed. 
         [0041]    When the card  21  for authentication is removed from the reader  42  or a predetermined operation is accepted by the operation unit  48 , the user&#39;s use of the digital copying machine  1  is terminated (logged out) (Y in step S 18 ). Then, the time interval for the reader  42  to read authentication information is set to be shorter again than that in the step S 17  by the authentication information reading unit  43  (step S 19 ). In this case, the situation of processing goes back to the step S 12 . 
         [0042]    Accordingly, after the user&#39;s use of the digital copying machine  1  is terminated, the reader  42  can read authentication information rapidly compared with the case where a job executed based on the user&#39;s operation of the operation unit  48  is performed. 
         [0043]    When the user&#39;s use of the digital copying machine  1  is not terminated (logged out) (N in step S 18 ), the situation of processing goes back to the step S 15 . 
         [0044]    A third exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described next. 
         [0045]    The hardware configuration of a digital copying machine  1  according to this exemplary embodiment is the same as that of the digital copying machine  1  according to the first exemplary embodiment as described above with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The functional block diagram of the digital copying machine  1  according to this exemplary embodiment is the same as that of the digital copying machine  1  according to the first exemplary embodiment as described above with reference to  FIG. 3 . The same numerals in  FIGS. 1 to 3  are used in the following description for the sake of omission of detailed description. In this exemplary embodiment, processing in  FIG. 6  is performed in place of processing in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0046]    Processing in  FIG. 6  starts when the main power supply of the digital copying machine  1  is turned on. First, the authentication information reading unit  43  sets the time interval for the reader  42  to read authentication information to be shorter than that in step S 23  which will be described later (step S 21 ). 
         [0047]    That is, the time interval for the reader  42  to read authentication information is set to be a short time interval predetermined as a default value. Accordingly, the reader  42  can read authentication information rapidly compared with the case where setting in step S 23  which will be described later has been performed. 
         [0048]    Then, when the user makes the reader  42  read the card  21  or biometric information such as fingerprint information so that authentication information is read (Y in step S 22 ), the authentication information reading unit  43  sets the time interval of a reading operation for the reader  42  to read authentication information to be longer than that in the step S 21  (step S 23 ). Then, the authentication unit  45  refers to the access control list  44  (step S 24 ) and determines whether the user is allowed to use the digital copying machine  1  or not (step S 25 ) When the authentication unit  45  determines that the user is allowed to use the digital copying machine  1  (Y in step S 25 ), the user is permitted to use (log in) the digital copying machine  1  because the user has been authenticated about a license to use the digital copying machine  1 . As a result, the user can operate the operation unit  48  freely to perform various kinds of processing allowed to be executed by the digital copying machine  1 , that is, to perform copying, printing, scanning, facsimile processing, etc. 
         [0049]    As described above, when authentication information is read (Y in step S 22 ), the authentication information reading unit  43  sets the time interval of a reading operation for the reader  42  to read authentication information to be longer than that in the step S 21  (step S 23 ). As a result, because the information processing unit  41  need not devote a large throughput capacity to controlling the authentication information reading unit  43 , the information processing unit  41  can devote a relatively large throughput capacity to controlling processing of jobs such as copying, printing, scanning, facsimile processing, etc. Accordingly, these jobs can be executed rapidly. 
         [0050]    Moreover, because processing in steps S 24  and S 25  is performed after the authentication information reading unit  43  sets the time interval of a reading operation for the reader  42  to read authentication information to be longer than that in the step S 21 , the user authentication process can be performed rapidly compared with the case according to the first or second exemplary embodiment. 
         [0051]    When the card  21  for authentication is removed from the reader  42  or a predetermined operation is accepted by the operation unit  48  so that the user&#39;s use of the digital copying machine  1  is terminated (logged out) (Y in step S 26 ), the situation of processing goes back to the step S 21  in which the time interval for the reader  42  to read authentication information is set to be shorter again than that in the step S 23  by the authentication information reading unit  43 . 
         [0052]    Accordingly, after the user&#39;s use of the digital copying machine  1  is terminated, the reader  42  can read authentication information rapidly compared with the case where setting in the step S 23  has been performed. 
         [0053]    The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7