Patent Description:
Therefore, a technology for protecting personal information is applied to apparatuses and systems in which the management of personal information may be improved. Document <CIT> is a relevant prior-art document related to restricting the printing of documents on a printing device according to the location of the printing device.

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain examples of the disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:.

Throughout the drawings, it should be noted that like reference numbers are used to depict the same or similar elements, features, parts, components, and structures and thus, a repeated description thereof may be omitted.

An image forming apparatus described herein may be any type of apparatus capable of performing an image forming operation, such as a printer, a copier, a scanner, a fax machine, a multi-function printer (MFP), or a display apparatus. Print data, as disclosed herein, may refer to data transformed into a format capable of being printed by a printer. A scan file, as disclosed herein, may refer to a file obtained by scanning an image in a scanner.

Examples are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the disclosure may be easily performed by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertain. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the examples set forth herein.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining a method of controlling an operation of an image forming apparatus to prevent personal information from leaking to a non-allowed transfer destination due to a job to be performed by the image forming apparatus, according to an example.

Referring to <FIG>, it is assumed that there is a personal information protection policy between a first country and a second country restricting the transfer of files including personal information from the first country to the second country. It is also assumed that an image forming apparatus <NUM> located in the first country has received a command to scan a predetermined document and transfer the scanned scan file to a server <NUM> located in the second country.

A scan file in which the predetermined document is scanned may be obtained in the image forming apparatus <NUM> located in the first country. When personal information of a predetermined user is not included in the scan file, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may transfer the scan file to the server <NUM> located in the second country.

When the personal information of the predetermined user is included in the scan file, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine that transfer of the scan file is restricted to the personal information protection policy. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may control the operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> to prevent the scan file from being transferred from the first country to the second country.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating an image forming apparatus, according to an example.

Referring to <FIG>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may activate a personal information protection policy corresponding to a country of use set in the image forming apparatus <NUM> in operation <NUM>.

For example, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of restricting transfer of a predetermined scan file including predetermined personal information to a predetermined transfer destination based on at least one of a country, a region, an Internet Protocol address (IP Address), or the like. Also, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of restricting storage of the predetermined scan file on a predetermined server or a predetermined external device. Also, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of restricting leakage of predetermined personal information included in the predetermined scan file.

For example, personal information may include names of users, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, specific information generated by activities of users, and the like.

The image forming apparatus <NUM> may request an execution file of the personal information protection policy to be set in the image forming apparatus <NUM> from a server managing the personal information protection policy. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may receive the execution file corresponding to a country of use set in the image forming apparatus <NUM> from the server. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may activate the personal information protection policy in the image forming apparatus <NUM> based on the execution file.

The image forming apparatus <NUM> may set at least one of the country, the region, the IP address, or the like to which the personal information protection policy is applied, based on the execution file.

Further, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may set at least one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied among applications installed in the image forming apparatus <NUM>, based on the execution file. As a specific example, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may set a function of blocking execution of one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied. Also, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may set a function of blocking transfer or storage of a predetermined file including predetermined personal information to an unauthorized transfer destination, based on the at least one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied.

The image forming apparatus <NUM> may set the personal information protection policy set in the image forming apparatus <NUM> to be activated or deactivated wholly or according to specific items. For example, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may set the personal information protection policy not to be applied to a predetermined application.

In operation <NUM>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may receive an execution request of a first application installed in the image forming apparatus <NUM>. For example, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may receive an input to execute the first application through a user interface apparatus of the image forming apparatus <NUM>. For example, the first application may correspond to any one of a scan to file transfer protocol (FTP) application, a scan to cloud application, a scan to optical character recognition (OCR) application, a scan to server message block (SMB), or the like.

In operation <NUM>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine whether a first operation to be performed by the execution of the first application is restricted to the personal information protection policy.

The image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine whether the first operation to be performed is restricted to the personal information protection policy based on a first operation of confirming whether the first application is included in the at least one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied, a second operation of confirming whether a job of transferring or storing the predetermined file to or in the unauthorized transfer destination is included in the first job, or a third operation of confirming whether the personal information of a predetermined user is included in a first document related to the first job.

For example, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of blocking execution of an application including a scan function. When the first application is any one of the scan to FTP application, the scan to cloud application, the scan to OCR application, the scan to SMB application, or the like, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine that the first job is restricted to the personal information protection policy.

As another example, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of blocking a function of transferring or storing the predetermined file including the personal information to or in the unauthorized transfer destination. When the first application is the scan to FTP application, a first IP address based on FTP is the unauthorized transfer destination, and the first job is to transfer a file including predetermined personal information to the first IP address, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine that the first job is restricted to the personal information protection policy.

As another example, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of performing a function of deleting personal information from the predetermined file including the personal information. When the file read by the first job includes the personal information, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine that the first job is limited to the personal information protection policy.

In an example, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may obtain a first scan file in which a first document related to a first job is scanned. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may confirm whether personal information of a predetermined user is included in the first scan file. When the first scan file includes the personal information of the predetermined user, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine whether the first job is restricted to the personal information protection policy. When the first scan file does not include the personal information of the predetermined user, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may control the operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> such that the first job is performed.

In operation <NUM>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may control the operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM>, depending on whether the first job is restricted to the personal information protection policy.

When the first job is a job restricted to the personal information protection policy, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may control the operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> such that the first job is not performed. When the first operation is a job not restricted to the personal information protection policy, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may control the operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> such that the first job is performed.

For example, when it is determined that the personal information of the predetermined user is included in the first document related to the first job, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may delete the personal information of the predetermined user from the first document and control the operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> such that a subsequent operation of the first job is performed.

Also, when the first job is the job restricted to the personal information protection policy, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may display a message indicating that the first job may not be performed on the user interface apparatus of the image forming apparatus <NUM>.

Further, when the first job is the job restricted to the personal information protection policy, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may restrict display of a user interface related to the first job in the user interface apparatus of the image forming apparatus <NUM>. That is, the user interface apparatus may deactivate the user interface related to the first job.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating configurations included in an image forming apparatus, according to an example.

Referring to <FIG>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may include a communication apparatus <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, a user interface apparatus <NUM>, and a processor <NUM>. Also, the processor <NUM> may include a policy module <NUM> and an application module <NUM>. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may be implemented by using more or fewer components.

In operation <NUM>, the policy module <NUM> may request an execution file of a personal information protection policy to be set in the image forming apparatus <NUM> from a server <NUM> managing the personal information protection policy through the communication apparatus <NUM>.

In operation <NUM>, the policy module <NUM> may receive from the server <NUM> an execution file corresponding to a country of use set in the image forming apparatus <NUM> through the communication apparatus <NUM>.

In operation <NUM>, the user interface apparatus <NUM> may receive an input to set the personal information protection policy.

For example, the user interface apparatus <NUM> may receive an input to set at least one of a country, a region, an IP address, or the like to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied. Also, the user interface apparatus <NUM> may receive an input to set at least one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied among applications installed in the image forming apparatus <NUM>.

In an example, the user interface apparatus <NUM> may receive an input to set a function of blocking execution of the at least one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied. Also, the user interface apparatus <NUM> may receive an input to set a function of blocking transfer or storage of a predetermined file including predetermined personal information to or in an unauthorized transfer destination.

In operation <NUM>, the policy module <NUM> may set the personal information protection policy based on the input received from the user interface apparatus <NUM>. Also, the policy module <NUM> may set the personal information protection policy based on the execution file of the personal information protection policy.

In operation <NUM>, the memory <NUM> may store the set personal information protection policy.

In operation <NUM>, the user interface apparatus <NUM> may receive an execution request of a first application.

In operation <NUM>, the application module <NUM> may prepare a first job to be performed by the image forming apparatus <NUM>, in response to the execution request of the first application.

In operation <NUM>, the application module <NUM> may request the personal information protection policy from the policy module <NUM>. In operation <NUM>, the policy module <NUM> may transfer the personal information protection policy to the application module <NUM>.

In operation <NUM>, the application module <NUM> may determine whether the first job is restricted to the personal information protection policy.

In operation <NUM>, when the first job is a job restricted to the personal information protection policy, the user interface apparatus <NUM> may display a message indicating that the first job may not be performed. Also, the user interface apparatus <NUM> may limit display of a user interface related to the first job.

In operation <NUM>, the application module <NUM> may control an operation of a first application based on a result obtained by determining whether the first job is restricted to the personal information protection policy. For example, when the first job is the job restricted to the personal information protection policy, the application module <NUM> may prevent the first job from being performed.

Hereinafter, various operations and applications performed by the image forming apparatus <NUM> will be described. Although a configuration of the communication apparatus <NUM>, the memory <NUM>, the user interface apparatus <NUM>, and the processor <NUM> of the image forming apparatus <NUM> may not be defined, it will be understood that descriptions that one of ordinary skill in the art of the present disclosure may clearly understand and predict through general implementations and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by a name of a specific configuration or a physical/logical structure.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining an operation, performed by an image forming apparatus, of downloading an execution file of a personal information protection policy from a server, according to an example.

Referring to <FIG>, the server <NUM> may set and manage the personal information protection policy for each country as shown in table <NUM>. The server <NUM> may set the personal information protection policy of a country code, a country number, a country name, a country region, or the like for each country and store the personal information protection policy in a storage of the server <NUM>. Here, the personal information protection policy of a predetermined country may be a personal information protection policy that must be complied with on the basis of the predetermined country.

The personal information protection policy may include a policy of restricting transfer of a document, a file, etc. including personal information to a predetermined transfer destination. The predetermined transfer destination may be determined based on at least one of a country, a region, an IP address, or the like. Also, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of restricting storage of the document, the file, or the like including the personal information in the predetermined server <NUM> or a predetermined external apparatus. Also, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of deleting and storing the personal information when storing the document, the file, or the like including the personal information.

When there is a first country in which the personal information protection policy is changed, the server <NUM> may update and store a change in the personal information protection policy of the first country stored in the storage. The server <NUM> may periodically confirm whether there is a change in the personal information protection policy by using a management apparatus managing the personal information protection policy for each country.

The image forming apparatus <NUM> may request an execution file of the personal information protection policy to be set in the image forming apparatus <NUM> from the server <NUM> managing the personal information protection policy. The server <NUM> may transfer an execution file corresponding to a country of use set in the image forming apparatus <NUM> to the image forming apparatus <NUM>.

For example, when the country of use set in the image forming apparatus <NUM> is Korea, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may set a personal information protection policy to be complied with on the basis of Korea. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may request the personal information protection policy of Korea from the server <NUM>. The server <NUM> may transfer data <NUM> including an execution file that may execute the personal information protection policy of Korea to the image forming apparatus <NUM>. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may set and activate the personal information protection policy of Korea in the image forming apparatus <NUM> based on the data <NUM> received from the server <NUM>.

In an example, the server <NUM> may transfer data including an execution file capable of executing a personal information protection policy for each country to the image forming apparatus <NUM>. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may extract the execution file corresponding to the personal information protection policy of Korea from the data. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may set and activate the personal information protection policy of Korea in the image forming apparatus <NUM> based on the extracted execution file.

Referring to the table <NUM> in <FIG>, the personal information protection policy of Korea may include a policy of restricting the transfer of a document, a file, etc. including personal information to another region, and a policy of restricting reading of characters, numbers or other forms of symbols in the document, the file, etc. including the personal information. Also, the personal information protection policy of Korea may include policies in addition to the above-mentioned policies, and may include policies other than the above-mentioned policies.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining an operation, performed by an image forming apparatus, of setting a personal information protection policy, according to an example.

Referring to <FIG>, a user interface apparatus of the image forming apparatus <NUM> may display a screen <NUM> for setting the personal information protection policy. For example, the user interface apparatus may display a screen for setting a country, a region, an IP address, or the like to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied.

The user interface apparatus may display each of the country, the region, the IP address, or the like that are set by reflecting the personal information protection policy based on the personal information protection policy obtained from a server. For example, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of restricting transfer of a file including personal information to the European region. On a setting screen for setting a region with respect to the personal information protection policy, the user interface apparatus may display a setting screen for restricting transfer of the file including the personal information to "Europe" only. Here, the user interface apparatus may receive a setting input restricting the transfer of the file including personal information to "America" and "Asia".

As shown in the screen <NUM>, when the user interface apparatus receives an input selecting "OK" on the setting screen for setting the region with respect to the personal information protection policy, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may set the personal information protection policy such that the transfer of the file including the personal information is restricted to "America, Europe, Asia" <NUM>.

The user interface apparatus of the image forming apparatus <NUM> may display a screen <NUM> for setting at least one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied among applications installed in the image forming apparatus <NUM>.

That is, the user interface apparatus may display the at least one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied, based on the personal information protection policy obtained from the server. For example, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of restricting a function of transferring or storing the file including the personal information to a predetermined transfer destination. On the screen for setting an application with respect to the personal information protection policy, the user interface apparatus may display an icon <NUM> of a scan to FTP application performing a FTP function after scanning a file, among the applications installed in the image forming apparatus <NUM>, an icon <NUM> of a scan to cloud application performing a function of storing the file in the cloud after scanning the file, and an icon <NUM> of a scan to OCR application performing an OCR function after scanning the file. Here, the user interface apparatus <NUM> may receive an input to select each of the scan to FTP application, the scan to cloud application, and the scan to OCR application.

For example, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may set the personal information protection policy such that when receiving a request for execution of any one of the scan to FTP application, the scan to cloud application, and the scan to OCR application, the execution of the requested application is blocked.

As another example, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may set the personal information protection policy such that when any one of the scan to FTP application, the scan to cloud application, and the scan to OCR application is executed, a function of transferring or storing a file including predetermined personal information to or in an unauthorized transfer destination is blocked.

As another example, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may set the personal information protection policy such that when the scan to OCR application is executed, a function of scanning and storing the file including the predetermined personal information is blocked or the predetermined personal information is deleted and stored after the file including the predetermined personal information is scanned.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining a process of determining whether a job to be performed by an image forming apparatus is restricted to a personal information protection policy, according to an example.

Referring to <FIG>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine whether the job to be performed by the image forming apparatus <NUM> is restricted to the personal information protection policy in the order of operations <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. Further, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine whether the job to be performed by the image forming apparatus <NUM> is restricted to the personal information protection policy according to a change in the order of operations <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> shown in <FIG>.

In operation <NUM>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may confirm whether a first application requested to be executed is included in at least one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied.

When the first application is included in the at least one application, according to operation <NUM>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine that a first job to be performed by execution of the first application is restricted to the personal information protection policy.

When the first application is not included in the at least one application, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may confirm whether a job of transferring or storing a predetermined file to an unauthorized transfer destination is included in the first job in operation <NUM>.

When the job of transferring or storing the predetermined file to the unauthorized transfer destination is included in the first job, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine that the first job to be performed by the execution of the first application is restricted to the personal information protection policy in operation <NUM>.

When the job of transferring or storing the predetermined file to the unauthorized transfer destination is not included in the first job, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may confirm whether personal information of a predetermined user is included in a first document related to the first job in operation <NUM>.

When the personal information of the predetermined user is included in the first document, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine that the first job to be performed by the execution of the first application is restricted to the personal information protection policy in operation <NUM>.

When the personal information of the predetermined user is not included in the first document, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine that the first job to be performed by the execution of the first application is not restricted to the personal information protection policy in operation <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining an operation, performed by an image forming apparatus, of restricting use of a scan to FTP function based on a personal information protection policy, according to an example.

Referring to <FIG>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may execute an application of performing the scan to FTP function as shown in screen <NUM>. A user interface apparatus of the image forming apparatus <NUM> may scan <NUM> a predetermined file and display a screen for setting a command to transfer the scanned file to a predetermined transfer destination by using an FTP <NUM>.

For example, when the user interface apparatus <NUM> receives an input to select the FTP <NUM>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine whether execution of the application performing the scan to FTP function is restricted according to the personal information protection policy based on the personal information protection policy set in the image forming apparatus <NUM>. When the execution of the application performing the scan to FTP function is restricted according to the personal information protection policy, as shown in screen <NUM>, the user interface apparatus may display a message <NUM> indicating that "the use of the FTP function is restricted according to the personal information protection policy".

As another example, when the user interface apparatus receives the input to select the FTP <NUM>, the user interface apparatus may display a screen <NUM> including a window inputting information necessary for performing the scan to FTP function. The user interface apparatus may receive IP address information <NUM>. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine whether an IP address included in the IP address information <NUM> is an authorized transfer destination to transfer a file including personal information based on the personal information protection policy set in the image forming apparatus <NUM>. When the IP address is not the authorized transfer destination to transfer the file including the personal information, the user interface apparatus may display a screen <NUM> including a message <NUM> indicating that "the use of the FTP function is restricted since IP (<NUM>. <NUM>) corresponds to a region that does not comply with the personal information protection policy".

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining an operation, performed by an image forming apparatus, of restricting use of a scan to cloud function based on a personal information protection policy, according to an example.

Referring to <FIG>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may execute an application of performing the scan to cloud function as shown in screen <NUM>. The user interface apparatus of the image forming apparatus <NUM> may scan a predetermined file and display a screen for setting a command to transfer the scanned file to the cloud.

For example, when the user interface apparatus receives a command to perform the scan to cloud function, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine whether the application performing the scan to cloud function is an application whose execution is restricted according to the personal information protection policy based on the personal information protection policy set in the image forming apparatus <NUM>. When the application performing the scan to cloud function is the application whose execution is restricted according to the personal information protection policy, the user interface apparatus may display a screen <NUM> including a message <NUM> indicating that "the use of the scan to cloud function is restricted according to the personal information protection policy".

For another example, when the user interface apparatus receives the command to perform the scan to cloud function, the user interface apparatus may display a screen <NUM> including a window <NUM> to select a country of a transfer destination according to the scan to cloud function. The user interface apparatus may receive an input to select France (FR) <NUM>, Italy (IT) <NUM>, and the Netherlands (NL) <NUM>. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine whether France (FR) <NUM>, Italy (IT) <NUM>, and the Netherlands (NL) <NUM> are authorized transfer destinations to transfer a file including personal information based on the personal information protection policy set in the image forming apparatus <NUM>. When any one country of France (FR) <NUM>, Italy (IT) <NUM>, and the Netherlands (NL) <NUM> is not the authorized transfer destination to transfer the file including the personal information, the user interface apparatus may display a screen <NUM> including a message <NUM> indicating that "the country may not be selected since the country does not comply with the personal information protection policy".

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining an operation, performed by an image forming apparatus, of restricting use of a scan to OCR function based on a personal information protection policy, according to an example.

Referring to <FIG>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may execute an application of performing the scan to OCR function as shown in screen <NUM>. The user interface apparatus of the image forming apparatus <NUM> may scan a predetermined file and display a screen <NUM> for setting a command to read characters, numbers, symbols, and the like in the scanned file.

For example, when the user interface apparatus receives a command to perform the scan to OCR function, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may determine whether the application performing the scan to OCR function is an application whose execution is restricted according to the personal information protection policy based on the personal information protection policy set in the image forming apparatus <NUM>. When the application performing the scan to OCR function is the application whose execution is restricted according to the personal information protection policy, the user interface apparatus may display a screen <NUM> including a message <NUM> indicating that "the use of the scan to OCR function is restricted according to the personal information protection policy".

For another example, when the user interface apparatus receives the command to perform the scan to OCR function, the user interface apparatus may display a screen <NUM> including a file obtained by reading the characters, the numbers, the symbols, and the like in the scanned file according to the scan to OCR function. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may confirm whether personal information <NUM> of a predetermined user is included in the read file. When the personal information <NUM> of the predetermined user is included in the read file, the user interface apparatus may display a message <NUM> indicating that "the personal information is detected in the converted text. The personal information is deleted according to the personal information protection policy". The image forming apparatus <NUM> may obtain a file <NUM> from which the personal information <NUM> of the predetermined user is deleted from the read file. The user interface apparatus may display a screen <NUM> including the file <NUM> from which the personal information <NUM> of the predetermined user is deleted. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may store the file <NUM> from which the personal information <NUM> of the predetermined user is deleted in a memory or transfer the file <NUM> to a predetermined transfer destination.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining an operation, performed by an image forming apparatus, of restricting display of a user interface related to a predetermined job when the predetermined job is restricted to a personal information protection policy, according to an example.

Referring to <FIG>, the user interface apparatus of the image forming apparatus <NUM> may display a screen <NUM> including a window to select a country to which a scan file is to be transferred. In this case, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may obtain country information in which transfer of a file including personal information is restricted, based on the personal information protection policy set in the image forming apparatus <NUM>. For example, based on the personal information protection policy set in the image forming apparatus <NUM>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may extract France, Italy, Norway, Poland, and Portugal which are countries to which the transfer of the file including the personal information is restricted from among a plurality of countries.

The user interface apparatus may restrict the display of the user interface such that a country to which the transfer of the file including the personal information is restricted may not be selected from the window to select the country to which the scan file is to be transferred based on the country information. The user interface apparatus <NUM> may deactivate <NUM> an icon to select each of France, Italy, Norway, Poland, and Portugal such that France, Italy, Norway, Poland, and Portugal may not be selected as countries to which the scan file is to be transferred.

Also, the user interface apparatus may restrict the display of the user interface such that a region to which the transfer of the file including the personal information is restricted may not be selected from a window to select a region to which the scan file is to be transferred.

<FIG> is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus, according to an example.

Referring to <FIG>, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may include the communication apparatus <NUM>, the memory <NUM>, the user interface apparatus <NUM>, and the processor <NUM>. However, the illustrated components are not indispensable elements. The image forming apparatus <NUM> may be implemented by using more or fewer components than those illustrated in <FIG>. Hereinafter, examples of the components shown in <FIG> will be described.

The communication apparatus <NUM> may perform communication with an external apparatus. For example, the communication apparatus <NUM> may be connected to a network by wire or wirelessly to perform communication with the external apparatus. In an example, the external apparatus may be a server managing the image forming apparatus <NUM>, a server managing a personal information protection policy or an electronic apparatus of a user using the image forming apparatus <NUM>. The communication apparatus <NUM> may include a communication module that supports one or more of a variety of wired or wireless communication methods. In an example, a communication module may be in the form of a chipset, or may be a sticker/barcode (e.g., a sticker including a near field communication (NFC) tag) including information necessary for communication, etc. The communication module may be a short-range communication module or a wired communication module.

The communication apparatus <NUM> may support at least one of a wireless LAN, a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), a Wi-Fi Direct, a Bluetooth, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), a Wired LAN, NFC, etc..

The communication apparatus <NUM> may be connected to the server managing a personal information protection policy to transfer and receive signals or data.

The memory <NUM> may store programs, data, or files related to the image forming apparatus <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may execute the programs stored in the memory <NUM>, read the data or the files stored in the memory <NUM>, or store new files in the memory <NUM>. The memory <NUM> may store program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., alone or in combination. The memory <NUM> may store instructions executable by the processor <NUM>.

For example, the memory <NUM> may store instructions to receive an execution request of a first application installed in the image forming apparatus <NUM>, instructions to determine whether a first job to be performed by the execution of the first application is restricted to a personal information protection policy, and instructions to control an operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> according to whether the first job is restricted to the personal information protection policy.

Also, the memory <NUM> may store data or information related to the restricted to a personal information protection policy set in the image forming apparatus <NUM>. For example, the memory <NUM> may store configuration information of at least one of a country, a region, an IP address, or the like to which the personal information protection policy is applied. Also, the memory <NUM> may store configuration information of an application to which the personal information protection policy is applied.

The user interface apparatus <NUM> may include an input unit for receiving an input for performing an image forming job from a user, etc., and an output unit for displaying information about a result of the image forming job or a state of the image forming apparatus <NUM>, etc. For example, the user interface apparatus <NUM> may include an operation panel for receiving a user input, a display panel for displaying a screen, and the like.

In an example, the input unit may include a device capable of receiving various types of user input, such as a keyboard, a physical button, a touch screen, a camera, a microphone, etc. Further, the output unit may include, in an example, a display panel, a speaker, etc. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the user interface apparatus <NUM> may include various devices supporting input/output.

An image forming operation unit (not shown) may include a printing unit, a scanning unit, and a facsimile unit. The image forming operation unit (not shown) may include only some of these elements or may further include elements for performing other kinds of image forming jobs.

The printing unit may form an image on a recording medium by various printing methods such as an electro-photographic method, an inkjet method, a thermal transfer method, a direct thermal method, or the like.

The scanning unit may irradiate light onto a document receive the reflected light, and read an image recorded in the document. In an example, a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) or a contact type image sensor (CIS) may be employed as an image sensor reading the image from the document. The scanning unit may have a flatbed structure in which the document is placed at a fixed position and the image sensor reads the image while moving, a document feed structure in which the image sensor is positioned at a fixed position and the document is transported, or a complex structure of these.

A configuration for scanning the image of the facsimile unit may be shared with the scanning unit. A configuration for printing the received file may be shared with the printing unit. The facsimile unit may transfer a scan file to a destination or receive the scan file from the outside.

The processor <NUM> may control an operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> and may include at least one processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) or the like. The processor <NUM> may control other configurations included in the image forming apparatus <NUM> to perform an operation corresponding to the user input received through the user interface apparatus <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may include at least one specialized processor corresponding to each function or may be an integrated processor.

The processor <NUM> may activate the personal information protection policy corresponding to a country of use set in the image forming apparatus <NUM>.

For example, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of restricting transfer of a predetermined scan file including predetermined personal information to a predetermined transfer destination based on at least one of a country, a region, an IP Address, or the like. Also, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of restricting storage of the predetermined scan file on a predetermined server or a predetermined external device. Also, the personal information protection policy may include a policy of restricting leakage of the predetermined personal information included in the predetermined scan file.

The processor <NUM> may request from a server that manages the personal information protection policy an execution file of the personal information protection policy to be set in the image forming apparatus <NUM> through the communication apparatus <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may receive an execution file corresponding to the country of use set in the image forming apparatus <NUM> from the server through the communication apparatus <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may activate the personal information protection policy in the image forming apparatus <NUM> based on the execution file.

The processor <NUM> may set, based on the execution file, at least one of a country, a region, an IP address, or the like to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied.

Further, the processor <NUM> may set at least one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied among applications installed in the image forming apparatus <NUM>, based on the execution file. For example, the processor <NUM> may set a function to block execution of one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied. Also, the processor <NUM> may set a function of blocking transfer or storage of a predetermined file including predetermined personal information to an unauthorized transfer destination based on the at least one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied.

The processor <NUM> may receive an execution request for a first application installed in the image forming apparatus <NUM> through the user interface apparatus <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> may determine whether a first job to be performed by execution of the first application is restricted to the personal information protection policy.

For example, the processor <NUM> may determine whether the first job is restricted to the personal information protection policy based on at least one of a first operation of confirming whether the first application is included in the at least one application to which the personal information protection policy is to be applied, a second operation of confirming whether a job of transferring or storing the predetermined file to or in the unauthorized transfer destination is included in the first job, and a third operation of confirming whether the personal information of the predetermined user is included in a first document related to the first job.

The processor <NUM> may obtain a first scan file in which the first document related to the first job is scanned. The processor <NUM> may confirm whether the personal information of the predetermined user is included in the first scan file. When the personal information of the predetermined user is included in the first scan file, the processor <NUM> may determine whether the first job is restricted to the personal information protection policy. In an example, when the personal information of the predetermined user is not included in the first scan file, the processor <NUM> may control the operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> such that the first job is performed.

The processor <NUM> may control an operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> according to whether the first job is restricted to the personal information protection policy.

When the first job is a job restricted to the personal information protection policy, the processor <NUM> may control the operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> such that the first job is not performed. In an example, when the first job is not a job restricted to the personal information protection policy, the processor <NUM> may control the operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> such that the first job is performed.

For example, when it is determined that the personal information of the predetermined user is included in the first document related to the first job, the processor <NUM> may delete the personal information of the predetermined user from the first document and control the operation of the image forming apparatus <NUM> such that a subsequent operation of the first job is performed.

Also, when the first job is a job restricted to the personal information protection policy, the <NUM> processor <NUM> may control the user interface apparatus <NUM> to display a message indicating that the first job may not be performed on the user interface apparatus <NUM> of the image forming apparatus <NUM>.

Also, when the first job is a job restricted to the personal information protection policy, the processor <NUM> may control the user interface apparatus <NUM> to restrict the display of the user interface related to the first job on the user interface apparatus <NUM> of the image forming apparatus <NUM>.

The above-described methods of operating the image forming apparatus <NUM> and the server <NUM> may be embodied in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-executable instructions or data. The above-described examples may be written as computer programs and may be implemented in general-use digital computers that execute the programs using a computer-readable recording medium. Examples of the non-transitory computer-readable recording medium may include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), flash memory, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, CD+Rs, CD-RWs, CD+RWs, DVD-ROMs, DVD-Rs, DVD+Rs, DVD-RWs, DVD+RWs, DVD-RAMs, BD-ROMs, BD-Rs, BD-R LTHs, BD-REs, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, a magneto-optical data storage device, an optical data storage device, a hard disk, a solid-state disk (SSD), and any device capable of storing an instruction or software, related data, a data file, and data structures and providing the instruction or software, the related data, the data file, and the data structures to a processor or a computer such that the processor or the computer execute the instruction.

Claim 1:
A method of operating an image forming apparatus (<NUM>), the method comprising:
requesting, from a server (<NUM>), an execution file of a personal information protection policy to be set in the image forming apparatus (<NUM>) ;
receiving, from the server (<NUM>), the execution file corresponding to a country of use set in the image forming apparatus (<NUM>);
executing the execution file to activate the personal information protection policy corresponding to the country of use set in the image forming apparatus (<NUM>);
receiving an execution request of a first application installed in the image forming apparatus (<NUM>);
determining whether a first job to be performed by execution of the first application is restricted to the personal information protection policy by confirming whether personal information of a predetermined user is included in a first document related to the first job; and
controlling an operation of the image forming apparatus (<NUM>) according to whether the first job is restricted to the personal information protection policy by deleting the personal information of the predetermined user from the first document, obtaining a file from which the personal information of the predetermined user is deleted, and storing the obtained file.