Patent ID: 7973640

Claim:
An output management system comprising: a shutoff device for shutting off access of a user to an area in which an output device is located; a storing unit for storing a registered authentication data; an inputting unit for inputting input authenticated data; a checking unit for checking said input authenticated data against said registered authentication data; a shutoff releasing unit for releasing a shutoff by said shutoff device when said input authenticated data and said registered authentication data conform to each other; an area management device which has said storing unit, said inputting unit, said checking unit and said shutoff releasing unit, for managing the access of said user to said area; a sending unit for receiving process data sent from a terminal device and sending the same to the output device; a receiving unit for receiving transmitted authenticated data from said terminal device with said process data; a second checking unit for checking said transmitted authenticated data against said registered authentication data; a shutoff executing unit for allowing said shutoff device to shut off the access of said user to said area, when said transmitted authenticated data and said registered authentication data conform to each other; and a data management device which has said sending unit, said receiving unit, said second checking unit and said shutoff executing unit, a data sending controlling unit which is provided in said data management device for sending the process data sent from said terminal device to said output device when said transmitted authenticated data and said registered authentication data conform to each other, an unused device detecting unit which is provided in said data management device for detecting an unused output device; and a device selecting unit which is provided in said data management device for selecting one output device from one or more output devices detected by said unused device detecting unit, wherein said data management device allows said shutoff executing unit and said data sending controlling unit to execute in response to the output device selected by said device selecting unit and an area thereof, and said area management device allows said checking unit and said shutoff releasing unit to execute in response to the output device selected by said device selecting unit and the area thereof.