Patent ID: 8302177

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: 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, the reading unit being a card reader or a biometric information reader; 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, wherein the image processing unit, the processing unit, the authentication unit, the permission unit and the change unit are accomplished by one or more processors, the change unit changes the time interval to a longer interval when the permission unit permits the predetermined processing to be performed by the processing unit as compared to when the permission unit does not permit the predetermined processing, the image processing apparatus sets the status of processing to an active status when the permission unit permits the predetermined processing, and the time interval to perform the reading operation is set to be shorter at a time when reading begins than when the processing status is set to the active status.