Image forming system

• US 20050007630A1
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hideaki Matsuda, Matsuo Yomogida, Mutsuo Ogawa, Takamitsu Abe
• Inventors: Abe, Takamitsu, Yomogida, Matsuo, Matsuda, Hideaki, Ogawa, Mutsuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,123,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00876 wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry

Abstract

When a holder of an ID card approaches an image formation instructing device for sending an image forming instruction to an image forming apparatus, an ID code stored in a RF-ID element built in the ID card is read by a RF communication device. When the image formation instructing device transmits an image forming instruction to the image forming apparatus in this condition, an image forming operation is executed and the number of sheets for image formation is counted by counting means. Further, the counted number of sheets for image formation is associated with an ID code having predetermined bearing on the personal ID code read by the RF communication device and thereafter stored and held in a number-of-sheets file. Thus, the number of sheets for image formation is managed without preparing a key counter, a key card, etc. and without special operation.

Claims

1. An image forming system, comprising:

an image forming apparatus for executing an image forming operation according to an image forming instruction issued from an image formation instructing device;

means for counting the number of sheets for the formation of an image by the image forming apparatus;

a RF communication device provided within the image formation instructing device and configured to read a personal ID code from a RF-ID element of an ID card incorporating therein the RF-ID element for storing at least the personal ID code;

a number-of-sheets file for storing therein the number of sheets for the formation of each image by the image forming apparatus for each ID code having predetermined bearing on the personal ID code; and

means for, when an image forming instruction is given to the image forming apparatus from the image formation instructing device while the RF communication device is reading the personal ID code, storing the number of sheets for image formation based on the image forming instruction, which is counted by the counting means, in the number-of-sheets file in association with each ID code having predetermined bearing on the personal ID code read by the RF communication device,

wherein a permit code storage area for storing in advance a permit code for allowing the image forming instruction issued from the image formation instructing device is provided, and the RF-ID element stores the permit code therein and invalidates the image forming instruction when the RF communication device is reading each code unstored in the permit code storage area where the operation for the image forming instruction is effected on the image formation instructing device.

2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the image formation instructing device is provided integrally with the image forming apparatus.

3. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the image formation instructing device is placed in a position away separately from the image forming apparatus.

4. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the ID code is a code identical to the personal ID code.

5. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the ID code is and ID code indicative of a post to which each individual corresponding to the personal ID code belongs.

7. The image imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the RF-ID element stores therein the number of the sheets for the formation of each image by the image forming apparatus, and when an image forming instruction is given to the image forming apparatus from the image formation instructing device while the RF communication device is reading the personal ID code, the storing means adds the number of sheets for image formation based on the image forming instruction, which is counted by the counting means, to the RF-ID element.

9. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein when the RF communication device is reading each code unstored in the permit code storage area where the operation for the image forming instruction is effected on the image formation instructing device, the RF communication device notifies the contents thereof therefrom.

10. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the permit code is the personal ID code.

11. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the RF-ID element invalidates the image forming instruction when the RF communication device does not read any code where the operation for the image forming instruction is effected on the image formation instructing device.

12. The image forming system according to claim 11, wherein when the RF communication device does not read any code where the operation for the image forming instruction is effected on the image formation instructing device, the RF communication device notifies the contents thereof therefrom.

13. The image forming system according to claim 11, wherein the permit code is the personal ID code

14. The image forming system according to claim 11, further including a billing device for performing predetermined billing according to the operation of the image forming apparatus, and wherein when the RF communication device does not read any code where the operation for the image forming instruction is effected on the image formation instructing device, the billing device is activated to validate the image forming instruction on the condition that settlement is carried out by the billing device.

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