IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND PERSONAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

• US 20080163363A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: MIZUTANI, Akihiro
• Application Number:
  US12/047,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20080163363A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1222 Increasing security of the print job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/442 using a biometric data reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4426 involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display

Abstract

An image processing apparatus and a personal information management program are provided in which each user is permitted to perform the processing of user'"'"'s own personal information while preventing leakage of user'"'"'s personal information without disturbing the use of the apparatus by an infinite number of users to any substantial extent. The apparatus includes a user authentication section that acquires ID information to identify each user from among a plurality of users, and performs user authentication based on the ID information; an operation mode setting section that can selectively set, as an operation mode that sets a work environment for operation inputs, between an personal operation mode to permit each user to operate individually and a public operation mode to permit an indefinite number of users to operate; and a mode switching section that, when a user is authenticated in the user authentication section, switches the operation mode from the public operation mode into the personal operation mode for the authenticated user.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus having a stand-by state which ID information can be inputted comprising:

a user authentication section that compares the ID information inputted with data for ID information authentication;

an operation mode setting section that sets a first operation mode when a user is authenticated by the user authentication section; and

a mode switching section that switches to the stand-by state when the image processing apparatus is not operated for a period of time longer than a predetermined time during the first operation mode.

2. The image processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a second operation mode that can be operated without performing the user authentication by the user authentication section.

3. A method of personal information management of an image processing apparatus having a stand-by state which ID information can be inputted comprising:

comparing the ID information inputted with data for ID information authentication;

setting a first operation mode when a user is authenticated by the user authentication section; and

switching to the stand-by state when the image processing apparatus is not operated for a period of time longer than a predetermined time during the first operation mode.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the image processing apparatus further comprises a second operation mode that can be operated without performing the user authentication by the user authentication section.