Printing control device and image forming device

• US 20040213615A1
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakao, Shuji
• Granted Patent: US 7,033,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing

Abstract

Upon receiving the printing data and a password set up for the particular printing data, a printer functioning as an image forming device permits the received printing data to be printed and also saves this printing data into the hard disk. When the password entered into the printer after saving the printing data matches with the password received from the PC together with the printing data, the printing of the printing data saved in the hard disk is allowed.

Claims

1. A printing control device, comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving printing data and first information set up for said printing data;

a first permission unit for permitting the printing of said printing data received by said receiving unit;

a saving unit for saving said printing data received by said receiving unit;

an entry unit to which second information is entered after said printing data is saved in said saving unit; and

a second permission unit for permitting the printing of said printing data saved in said saving unit when said second information corresponds with said first information.

2. A printing control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said first information and second information are a password related to said printing data.

3. A printing control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said first information is an identification code of the transmission side of said printing data and said second information is a password;

said printing control device further comprises a registration unit to which a correspondence table for said identification code and said password; and

said second permission unit makes a judgment as to whether second information corresponds with said first information based on said correspondence table or not.

4. A printing control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said first permission unit prompts a user to enter a third information when it judges that a specified printing condition is set up for said printing data, and permits the printing of said printing data received by said receiving unit only when the third entered information corresponds with said first information.

5. An image forming device, comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving printing data to which a password is set up;

a saving unit for saving said printing data received by said receiving unit;

a printing unit for printing the printing data received by said receiving unit or the printing data issued by said saving unit;

a judging unit for judging as to whether the printing data to be printed is one which is issued by said saving unit or not; and

a control unit capable of controlling in such a manner as to allow said printing unit to print printing data without requiring the password to be entered if the printing data to be printed is one which is not issued from said saving unit, and to allow said printing unit to print the printing data only after the password is entered if the printing data to be printed is one which is issued from said saving unit.

6. An image forming device as claimed in claim 5, wherein

said control unit is capable of performing a second control which allows said printing unit to print the printing data only after the password is entered regardless of whether the printing data to be printed is one which is not issued from said saving unit or the printing data to be printed is one which is issued from said saving unit.

7. An image forming device, comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving printing data to which a password is set up;

a printing unit for printing the printing data;

a saving unit for saving the printing data; and

a control unit capable of controlling in such a manner as to cause the printing data to be saved into said saving unit after printing the received printing data without requiring the password to be entered, and to allow said printing unit to print the printing data only after the password is entered when the printing data is retrieved from said saving unit to be reprinted.

8. An image forming device as claimed in claim 7, wherein

said control unit is capable of performing a second control which causes the printing data to be saved into said saving unit after printing the received printing data only after the password is entered, and allows said printing unit to print the printing data only after the password is entered when the printing data is retrieved from said saving unit to be reprinted.

9. A printing control method comprising the steps of:

1) receiving printing data and first information set up for said printing data;

2) permitting the printing of said printing data received in step

     1);

3) saving said printing data received in step

     1) into a saving unit;

4) entering second information after said printing data is saved in said saving unit; and

5) permitting the printing of said printing data saved in said saving unit when said second information corresponds with said first information.

10. An image forming method comprising the steps of:

1) receiving printing data to which a password is set up;

2) saving said printing data received in step

     1) into a saving unit;

3) judging whether printing data to be printed is one which is issued from said saving unit or one which is not issued from said saving unit but rather the printing data received in step

     1); and

4) printing the printing data without requiring the password to be entered if the printing data to be printed is one which is not issued from said saving unit but rather the printing data received in step

     1), and printing the printing data only after the password is entered if the printing data to be printed is one which is issued from the saving unit.

11. An image forming method comprising the steps of:

1) receiving printing data to which a password is set up;

2) printing the received printing data without requiring the password to be entered;

3) saving the received printing data into a saving unit after printing the received printing data in step

     2); and

4) printing the printing data after the password is entered if the printing data is retrieved from the saving unit to be reprinted.

12. A program for causing a computer to execute a process comprising the steps of:

1) receiving printing data and first information set up for said printing data;

2) permitting the printing of said printing data received in step

     1);

3) causing said printing data received in step

     1) to be saved into a saving unit;

4) entering second information after said printing data is saved in said saving unit; and

5) permitting the printing of said printing data saved in said saving unit when said second information corresponds with said first information.

13. A computer readable recording medium on which the program as claimed in claim 12 is recorded.

14. A program for causing a computer to execute a process comprising the steps of:

1) receiving printing data to which a password is set up;

2) causing the printing data received in step

     1) to be saved into a saving unit;

3) judging whether printing data to be printed is one which is issued from said saving unit or one which is not issued from said saving unit but rather the printing data received in step

     1); and

4) controlling to allow the printing unit to print the printing data without requiring the password to be entered if the printing data to be printed is one which is not issued from said saving unit but rather the printing data received in step

     1), and to allow the printing unit to print the printing data only after a password is entered if the printing data to be printed is one which is issued from said saving unit.

15. A computer readable recording medium on which the program as claimed in claim 14 is recorded.

16. A program for causing a computer to execute a process comprising the steps of:

1) receiving printing data to which a password is set up;

2) causing a printing unit to print the received printing data without requiring the password to be entered;

3) causing the received printing data to be saved into a saving unit after causing the printing unit to print the received printing data in step

     2); and

4) causing the printing unit to print the printing data after the password is entered if the printing data is retrieved from the saving unit to be reprinted.

17. A computer readable recording medium on which the program as claimed in claim 16 is recorded.