Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20090187758A1/en
Timestamp: 2018-10-20 07:29:14
Document Index: 97529853

Matched Legal Cases: ['§119', 'Application No. 2008', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26']

US20090187758A1 - Data communication system and data transmitting apparatus - Google Patents
Data communication system and data transmitting apparatus Download PDF
US20090187758A1
US20090187758A1 US12321053 US32105309A US2009187758A1 US 20090187758 A1 US20090187758 A1 US 20090187758A1 US 12321053 US12321053 US 12321053 US 32105309 A US32105309 A US 32105309A US 2009187758 A1 US2009187758 A1 US 2009187758A1
US12321053
US8181263B2 (en )
Shuhji Fujii
This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 2008-9660 filed in Japan on Jan. 18, 2008, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIG. 12 is an explanation diagram showing a one-touch key screen in which a “one-touch key” region is displayed in a reduced density;
FIG. 3 is an explanation diagram of a screen displayed when user authentication is to be performed. When the FAX/image transmission key 133 b of FIG. 2 is pressed, a user authentication screen 20 of FIG. 3 is displayed on the touch panel 134. On the user authentication screen 20, the user inputs one's own login name and password into a “login name” input field 21 and a “password” input field 22, and then presses an “OK” region 23. As a result, login into the LDAP server 5 and authentication by the LDAP server 5 are performed. In the present embodiment, the LDAP server 5 (NARA-LDAP server) connected to the communication network N1 performs authentication whether the user is one registered in advance, on the basis of the login name and the password having been inputted.
FIG. 4 is an explanation diagram showing an example of a screen displayed when authentication by the LDAP server 5 is successful. When a user having a name of “user 1” has logged in through the user authentication screen 20 of FIG. 3, an image sending screen 25 of FIG. 4 is displayed on the touch panel 134. In this case, the e-mail address of the user “user 1” authenticated by the LDAP server 5 is displayed in the header part 26 of the image sending screen 25. Further, as for the “density”, the “resolution”, the “format”, and the “document” (size), standard setting values registered by the user in advance are set up automatically.
FIG. 5 is an explanation diagram showing an example of a screen displayed when an address book is selected. When the “address book” region 27 is pressed on the image sending screen 25 of FIG. 4, a one-touch key screen 30 of FIG. 5 is displayed on the touch panel 134. When pressing the “one-touch key” region 31 on the one-touch key screen 30, the user is allowed to select a destination registered in the multi-functional machine 1. When search of an address is to be requested to the LDAP server 5, the “global address search” region 32 is used for requesting that the screen should be changed into that used for setting up an addressee serving as the object of search.
FIG. 6 is an explanation diagram showing an example of a screen displayed when address input is selected. When the “address input” region 28 is pressed on the image sending screen 25 of FIG. 4, an address input screen 35 of FIG. 6 is displayed on the touch panel 134. By using the softkeys 36 whose display is switched when the “alphabetic characters” region 37 a/“numeric characters” region 37 b is pressed on the address input screen 35, the user can set up an arbitrary mail address as a destination into the “e-mail address” input field 38.
FIG. 7 is an explanation diagram showing an example of a screen used when a destination type is to be selected. When the “one-touch key” region 31 is pressed on the one-touch key screen 30 of FIG. 5, a distribution destination type selection screen 40 of FIG. 7 is displayed in a state overlapping on the image sending screen 25. Similar, on the address input screen 35 of FIG. 6, when the user sets up a mail address as a destination into the “e-mail address” input field 38 and then presses the “OK” region 39 a, the distribution destination type selection screen 40 of FIG. 7 is displayed in a state overlapping on the address input screen 35. On the distribution destination type selection screen 40, the user presses any one of the “destination transmission” region 41, the “CC distribution” region 42, and the “BCC distribution” region 42, so as to select whether the set-up destination should be assigned to any one of “TO”, “CC”, and “BCC”.
FIG. 8 is an explanation diagram showing an example of a screen used when a job history is to be referred to after a job such as printing and transmission is executed. When the job status key 133 d is pressed on the operation section 13 of FIG. 2, a job history screen 45 of FIG. 8 is displayed on the touch panel 134. When pressing the “print” region 46, the “e-mail/FTP” region 47, the “fax” region 48, or the “Internet FAX” region 49 displayed in the lower part of the job history screen 45, the user can browse the processing status or the processing result of each job. The present embodiment shows an example of a case that the “fax” region 48 is pressed. Further, when pressing the “reserved/execution” region 50 a and the “completion” region 50 b in the upper right part of the job history screen 45, the user can separately browse process-waiting jobs and already processed jobs.
FIG. 9 is an explanation diagram showing an example of a screen used when details of a job history are to be referred to. When the “details” region 51 is pressed on the job history screen 45 of FIG. 8, a detailed job history screen 55 of FIG. 9 is displayed on the touch panel 134. This screen allows the user to check the details of processing status or processing result of a particular job.
FIG. 10 is an explanation diagram showing an image sending screen 25 displayed to a user having an assigned security level of L4 which is the highest among L4 to L1. When a user having a name of “user 1” is authenticated successfully, similarly to the case of FIG. 4 described above, the e-mail address of “user 1” is displayed in the header part 26 of the image sending screen 25. In contrast, the “address book” region 27 and the “address input” region 28 are displayed in a reduced density, and hence the operation of changing the display contents to the one-touch key screen 30 of FIG. 5 or the address input screen 35 of FIG. 6 is restricted. This inhibits: selecting of a destination registered in each one-touch key of the address book on the one-touch key screen 30; and setting up of an arbitrary mail addresses as a destination on the address input screen 35. Also inhibited is performing global address search on the one-touch key screen 30 and thereby searching for an addressee registered in the LDAP server 5. In this case, the user cannot set up an extra destination, and hence can perform transmission only to the own destination displayed in the header part 26.
FIG. 11 is an explanation diagram showing an image sending screen 25 displayed to a user having an assigned security level of L3 which is lower than L4 by one step (or of L2 which is lower than L4 by two steps). Further, FIGS. 12 and 13 are explanation diagrams respectively showing: a one-touch key screen 30 in which the “one-touch key” region 31 is displayed in a reduced density; and a global address search screen 60 used for searching for an addressee. When a user having a security level of L3 and a name of “user 2” is authenticated successfully, the e-mail address of “user 2” is not displayed in the header part 26 of the image sending screen 25. However, the “address book” region 27 is displayed in a standard density. Thus, the user's operation of changing the display contents to the one-touch key screen 30 of FIG. 12 is acceptable. Further, the “address input” region 28 is displayed in a reduced density. Thus, the operation of changing the display contents to the address input screen 35 of FIG. 6 is restricted.
Further, although operation to the “one-touch key” region 31 displayed in a reduced density is restricted on the one-touch key screen 30 of FIG. 12, when the user presses the “global address search” region 32 displayed in a standard density, the operation of changing the display contents to the global address search screen 60 of FIG. 13 is acceptable. In this case, on the global address search screen 60, the user sets up into global address search input field 61 a character string of an addressee to be searched for, and then presses the “search” region 62 a. As a result, an addressee registered in the LDAP server 5 is searched for. After that, on the distribution destination type selection screen 40 of FIG. 7, the user can assign the global address of the addressee obtained as the search result, to any one of “TO”, “CC”, and “BCC”.
When a user having a security level of L2 and a name of “user 3” is authenticated successfully, the e-mail address of “user 3” is not displayed in the header part 26 of the image sending screen 25 of FIG. 11. However, the “address book” region 27 is displayed in a standard density. Thus, the user's operation of changing the display contents to the one-touch key screen 30 of FIG. 12 is acceptable. Further, the “address input” region 28 is displayed in a reduced density. Thus, the operation of changing the display contents to the address input screen 35 of FIG. 6 is restricted.
Further, on the one-touch key screen 30 of FIG. 12, the “one-touch key” region 31 and the “global address search” region 32 are displayed in a standard density. Thus, the user can select a destination registered in each one-touch key of the address book. Further, after the display contents are changed to the global address search screen 60 of FIG. 13, a set-up addressee can be searched for. After that, on the screen 40, the user can assign the global address of the selected destination or the addressee obtained as the search result, to any one of “TO”, “CC”, and “BCC”.
An image sending screen 25 of FIG. 4 is displayed to a user having an assigned security level of L1 which is lower than L2 by one step. When a user having a name of “user 4” is authenticated successfully, the e-mail address of “user 4” is not displayed in the header part 26 of the image sending screen 25. In contrast, the “address book” region 27 and the “address input” region 28 are displayed in a standard density. Thus, the user's operation of changing the display contents to the one-touch key screen 30 of FIG. 5 and the address input screen 35 of FIG. 6 is acceptable. The display contents and the operation of the one-touch key screen 30 and the address input screen 35 are similar to those described above in association with FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively. Thus, their description is omitted here.
The following processing is executed by the CPU of the control section 11 in accordance with the control program stored in the ROM 17 of the multi-functional machine 1 in advance. When accepting press-down of the FAX/image transmission key 133 b arranged to the operation section 13, the control section 11 starts the following processing. Here, a “destination presence flag” is stored in the RAM of the control section 11.
The control section 11 determines whether press-down of the FAX/image transmission key 133 b has been accepted (step S11). When it is determined that press-down is not yet accepted (step S11: NO), the control section 11 waits until press-down of the FAX/image transmission key 133 b is accepted. When the user presses the FAX/image transmission key 133 b, the control section 11 determines that press-down of the predetermined key has been accepted (step S11: YES). Thus, the control section 11 performs zero-clearing of the “destination presence flag” indicating that setting of a destination by the user has already been accepted (step S12). Then, the control section 11 displays the user authentication screen 20 on the touch panel 134 (step S13). After that, the control section 11 determines whether the “login name” input field 21 and the “password” input field 22 are filled with any input (step S14).
When it is determined that the “login name” input field 21 or the “password” input field 22 is not filled with any input (step S14: NO), the control section 11 waits until each input field is filled with any input. When the user fills the “login name” input field 21 and the “password” input field 22 with predetermined characters, the control section 11 determines that each input field has been filled with an input (step S14: YES). After that, the control section 11 determines whether press-down of the “OK” region 23 of the user authentication screen 20 has been accepted (step S15). When it is determined that press-down of the “OK” region 23 is not yet accepted (step S15: NO), the control section 11 returns the procedure to step S14 in order to receive an additional input or correction into the “login name” input field 21 and the “password” input field 22. When the user presses the “OK” region 23, the control section 11 determines that press-down of the predetermined region has been accepted (step S15: YES). After that, the control section 11 requests the authentication for the user to the LDAP server 5 (step S16).
After that, the control section 11 determines whether the user's security level is lower than L5 which is a second threshold value (step S26). When it is determined that the user's security level is not lower than L5 (step S26: NO), the control section 11 brings the “address book” region 27 and the “address input” region 28 to be displayed in a reduced density on the image sending screen 25 (step S27). This indicates that the address book and the address input are not acceptable. Then, the control section 11 determines whether the start key 133 a arranged in the operation section 13 has been pressed (step S28).
When it determined that the user's security level is lower than L4 at step S22 (step S22: NO), or alternatively when it is determined that the user's security level is lower than L5 at step S26 (step S26: YES), the control section 11 determines whether the user's security level is lower than L2 which is a third threshold value (step S41). When it is determined that the security level is not lower than L2 (step S41: NO), the control section 11 brings the “address input” region 28 of the image sending screen 25 to be displayed in a reduced density (step S42). This indicates that the address input is not acceptable.
When it is determined that the user's security level is lower than L2 (step S41: YES), or alternatively when the processing of step S42 has been completed, the control section 11 determines whether the “address book” region 27 of the image sending screen 25 has been pressed (step S43). When it is determined that the “address book” region 27 is not yet pressed (step S43: NO), the control section 11 determines whether the user's security level is lower than L2 (step S44).
When it is determined that the user's security level is lower than L2 (step S44: YES), since the “address input” region 28 is not brought into a reduced density at step S42, the control section 11 determines whether the “address input” region 28 has been pressed (step S45). When it is determined that the “address input” region 28 is not yet pressed (step S45: NO), the control section 11 determines whether the “destination presence flag” has been set up (step S46). When it is determined that the “destination presence flag” is not yet set up (step S46: NO), since this indicates that a destination to which data should be transmitted is not received, the control section 11 returns the procedure to step S43.
When it is determined that the “destination presence flag” is has been set up (step S46: YES), the control section 11 determines whether the start key 133 a arranged in the operation section 13 has been pressed (step S47). When it is determined that the start key 133 a is not yet pressed (step S47: NO), the control section 11 returns the procedure to step S43. When the user presses the start key 133 a, the control section 11 determines that the predetermined key has been pressed (step S47: YES). Then, the control section 11 executes transmission processing for transmitting to the accepted destination the specified image data in the storage section 14 (step S48), and then terminates the procedure.
When the user has pressed the “address input” region 28 at step S45, the control section 11 determines that the predetermined region has been pressed (step S45: YES). Then, the control section 11 displays the address input screen 35 on the touch panel 134 (step S49). Then, the control section 11 determines whether the “e-mail address” input field 38 is filled with the input of an address as a destination (step S50). When it is determined that no address input is provided in the “e-mail address” input field 38 (step S50: NO), the control section 11 waits until an address is inputted.
When the user inputs an address into the “e-mail address” input field 38, the control section 11 determines that the input field has been filled with the input of an address (step S50: YES). After that, the control section 11 determines whether the “OK” region 39 a of the address input screen has been pressed (step S51). When it is determined that the “OK” region 39 a is not yet pressed (step S51: NO), the control section 11 determines whether the “cancel” region 39 b of the address input screen 35 has been pressed (step S52).
When it is determined that the “cancel” region 39 b is not yet pressed (step S52: NO), the control section 11 returns the procedure to step S50. When the user presses the “cancel” region 39 b, the control section 11 determines that the predetermined region has been pressed (step S52: YES). Then, the control section 11 returns the procedure to step S21 in order that the image sending screen 25 should be displayed on the touch panel 134.
When the user has pressed the “OK” region 39 a at step S51, the control section 11 determines that the predetermined region has been pressed (step S51: YES). Then, the control section 11 displays the distribution destination type selection screen 40 on the touch panel 134 (step S53). As described above, the input of an address, that is, the setting of a destination, is executed in a case that the user's security level is lower than L2 which is the third threshold value. After that, the control section 11 determines whether assignment of the distribution destination type to any one of “TO”, “CC”, and “BCC” has been selected (step S54). When it is determined that none of “TO”, “CC”, and “BCC” is yet selected (step S54: NO), the control section 11 waits until any one of “TO”, “CC”, and “BCC” is selected.
When the user selects assignment of the distribution destination type to any one of “TO”, “CC”, and “BCC”, the control section 11 determines that assignment of a distribution destination type has been selected (step S54: YES). Thus, the control section 11 sets up the inputted destination to be the selected one of “TO”, “CC”, and “BCC” (step S55). After that, in order to store the situation that one or more destinations have been set up, the control section 11 sets up the “destination presence flag” (step S56). After that, the control section 11 returns the procedure to step S21 in order that the image sending screen 25 should be displayed on the touch panel 134.
When the user has pressed the “address book” region 27 at step S43, the control section 11 determines that the predetermined region has been pressed (step S43: YES). Then, the control section 11 displays the one-touch key screen 30 (step S61). After that, the control section 11 determines whether the user's security level is lower than L3 which is a fourth threshold value (step S62). When it is determined that the user's security level is not lower than L3 (step S62: NO), the control section 11 brings the “one-touch key” region 31 to be displayed in a reduced density (step S63). This indicates that the one-touch key is not acceptable.
After that, the control section 11 determines whether the “global address search” region 32 has been pressed (step S64). When it is determined that the “global address search” region 32 is not yet pressed (step S64: NO), the control section 11 waits until the “global address search” region 32 is pressed.
When it is determined that the security level is lower than L3 at step S62 (step S62: YES), the control section 11 determines whether the “one-touch key” region 31 has been pressed (step S65). When the user presses the “one-touch key” region 31, the control section 11 determines that the predetermined region has been pressed (step S65: YES). Then, the control section 11 returns the procedure to step S53 in order that the user should select assignment of a distribution destination type to the destination selected by pressing the “one-touch key” region 31.
When it is determined that the “one-touch key” region 31 is not yet pressed (step S65: NO), the control section 11 determines whether the “global address search” region 32 has been pressed (step S66). When it is determined that the “global address search” region 32 is not yet pressed (step S66: NO), the control section 11 returns the procedure to step S65 in order to receive a user operation again.
When the user presses the “global address search” region 32 at step S64 or step S66, the control section 11 determines that the predetermined region has been pressed (step S64: YES or step S66: YES). Then, the control section 11 displays the global address search screen 60 (step S67). This display is performed only for users having a security level lower than L5 determined at step S26. After that, the control section 11 determines whether the “search characters” input field 61 is filled with the input of search characters for an addressee (step S68). When the user inputs search characters, the control section 11 determines that search characters have been inputted (step S68: YES). After that, the control section 11 determines whether the “search” region 62 a in the global address search screen 60 has been pressed (step S69).
When it is determined that no search character is yet inputted (step S68: NO), or alternatively when it is determined that the “search” region 62 a is not yet pressed (step S69: NO), the control section 11 determines whether the “cancel” region 62 b in the global address search screen 60 has been pressed (step S70). When it is determined that the “cancel” region 62 b is not yet pressed (step S70: NO), the control section 11 returns the procedure to step S68. When the user presses the “cancel” region 62 b, the control section 11 determines that the predetermined region has been pressed (step S70: YES). Then, the control section 11 returns the procedure to step S21 in order that the image sending screen 25 should be displayed on the touch panel 134.
When the user presses the “search” region 62 a at step S69, the control section 11 determines that the predetermined region has been pressed (step S69: YES). After that, the control section 11 requests to the LDAP server 5 the search of the addressee (step S71).
As described above, according to the present embodiment, an LDAP server stores in advance: a plurality of destinations including the user oneself, and security levels assigned to a plurality of users. Further, a control section of a multi-functional machine connected in a manner permitting communication with the LDAP server via a communication network provides, onto a touch panel, display contents used for receiving setting of an addressee, setting of a destination as a mail address, and selection of a destination registered in each one-touch key. When a user having logged in to the LDAP server is authenticated successfully, the control section of the multi-functional machine obtains the security level of the authenticated user from the LDAP server via a communication section. Then, in accordance with increasing obtained security level from L1 to L2, L3, and L5, the “address input” region, the “one-touch key” region, and the “address book” region are progressively displayed in a reduced density. After that, when a part of the display contents is not in a reduced density, the control section of the multi-functional machine accepts setting of a destination, selection of a destination, and setting of an addressee, respectively. When the obtained security level is not lower than L4, the control section of the multi-functional machine obtains the user's own destination from the LDAP server.
Here, in the present embodiment, the “address book” region 27, the “address input” region 28, and the “one-touch key” region 31 which are display contents used for receiving setting of an addressee, setting of a destination, and selection of a destination are displayed in a reduced density. However, the present invention is not limit to this configuration. That is, each region may be brought into a non-displayed state so that operation concerning the display contents of each region should not be accepted.
Further, the threshold conditions for the security level assigned to a user in which the “address input” region 28, the “one-touch key” region 31, and the “address book” region 27 are brought into a reduced density are not limited to being not lower than L2, L3, and L5, respectively.
Further, these threshold levels need not necessarily be different from each other. For example, the second threshold value may be adopted to be L4. In this case, at step S26, it is determined whether the level is lower than L4. Thus, the determination result is always “NO”. Accordingly, as described above in association with FIG. 10, users having a security level not lower than L4 are allowed to perform transmission only to the own destination displayed in the header part 26.
a data transmitting apparatus that is connected in a manner permitting communication with said authentication device and that includes a first obtaining section for obtaining from said authentication device a destination of an addressee corresponding to a user when the user is authenticated successfully by said authentication device, a second obtaining section for obtaining from said authentication device a security level of the authenticated user when the user is authenticated successfully by said authentication device, and a transmitting section for transmitting data to an obtained destination; wherein
when the security level obtained by said second obtaining section is not lower than a first threshold value, said first obtaining section obtains a destination in which the authenticated user oneself is adopted as an addressee.
said data transmitting apparatus includes a display section for performing display concerning data transmission and a restriction section for restricting/relaxing the display contents of said display section in accordance with high/low of the security level obtained by said second obtaining section.
3. The data communication system according to claim 2, wherein
4. The data communication system according to claim 2, wherein:
5. The data communication system according to claim 4, wherein:
6. The data communication system according to claim 4, wherein:
a transmitting section for transmitting data to the obtained destination; and
a second obtaining section for obtaining a security level of the user; wherein
when the security level obtained by said second obtaining section is not lower than a first threshold value, said first obtaining section obtains a destination in which the user oneself is adopted as an addressee.
8. The data transmitting apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:
a display section for performing display concerning data transmission; and
a restriction section for restricting/relaxing the display contents of said display section in accordance with high/low of the security level obtained by said second obtaining section.
9. The data transmitting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein
10. The data transmitting apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:
11. The data transmitting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:
12. The data transmitting apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:
US12321053 2008-01-18 2009-01-15 Data communication system controlling available addressees for data based on preselected security level of user and addressee location Active 2031-01-17 US8181263B2 (en)
JP2008-009660 2008-01-18
JP2008009660A JP4547430B2 (en) 2008-01-18 2008-01-18 Data communication system and data transmission device
US20090187758A1 true true US20090187758A1 (en) 2009-07-23
US8181263B2 US8181263B2 (en) 2012-05-15
ID=40877374
US12321053 Active 2031-01-17 US8181263B2 (en) 2008-01-18 2009-01-15 Data communication system controlling available addressees for data based on preselected security level of user and addressee location
US (1) US8181263B2 (en)
JP (1) JP4547430B2 (en)
CN (1) CN101489012B (en)
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