IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM STORING JOB PROCESSING PROGRAM CODES, AND JOB PROCESSING METHOD

• US 20100271651A1
• Filed: 02/05/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kyocera MITA Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Kimura, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 8,514,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.140
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/50 Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control sequencing control G03G21/14
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00126 Multi-job machines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control

Abstract

An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a reading unit, authentication unit, job processing control unit, and output unit. The reading unit sequentially performs reading of low jobs making up a high job. The authentication unit stores a user information table in which user information elements on authorized users are registered and sequentially determines whether each low job is proper or improper by verifying a user information element corresponding to the low job against the user information table to carry out authentication. The job processing control unit controls, if a low job is determined to be improper in the determination, an operation of skipping the low job determined to be improper and sequentially performing the reading and determination on subsequent low jobs. The output unit outputs a low job determined to be proper in the determination.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a reading unit configured to sequentially read a plurality of low jobs making up a high job, wherein each of the low jobs has a corresponding user information element;

an authentication unit configured to determine whether each of the low jobs is proper or improper by verifying the user information element against a user information table to carry out authentication, wherein the user information table includes a registration of user information elements indicating authorized users;

a job processing control unit configured to control, in a skip mode, if a low job is determined to be improper, an operation of skipping the low job determined to be improper and sequentially performing the reading and determination on subsequent low jobs; and

an output unit configured to output a low job determined to be proper.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an error display unit configured to display an error indication if the low job is determined to be improper,

wherein the error display unit is configured to remove the error indication in response to a predetermined operation.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the job processing control unit is configured to, if the subsequent low jobs are determined to be proper after the low job is determined to be improper, suspend outputting the subsequent low jobs until the error indication is removed.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the job processing control unit is configured to, if the subsequent low jobs are determined to be proper after the low job is determined to be improper, control the reading and authentication of the subsequent low jobs, even if the error indication is not removed.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the job processing control unit is configured to control, in a cancel mode, after the low job is determined to be improper, an operation of canceling the reading, authentication, and outputting on the subsequent low jobs.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the job processing control unit is configured to delete the subsequent low jobs cancelled in response to a cancel operation.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

an error handling setting unit configured to set the skip mode or the cancel mode if the low job is determined to be improper,

wherein the job processing control unit is configured to control job processing according to the mode set by the error handling setting unit.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication unit stores the user information table.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the job processing control unit is configured to determine which of a skip mode and a cancel mode has been set by a user.

10. A computer-readable recording medium that stores job processing program codes that are executed by a computer of an image forming apparatus, the job processing program codes comprising:

first program code for causing the computer to sequentially read a plurality of low jobs making up a high job;

second program code for causing the computer to store a user information table in which user information elements on authorized users are registered;

third program code for causing the computer to carry out authentication by sequentially determining whether each of the low jobs is proper or improper by verifying a user information element corresponding to the low job against the user information table;

fourth program code for causing the computer to control, in a skip mode, if a low job is determined to be improper, an operation of skipping the low job determined to be improper and sequentially performing the reading and determination on subsequent low jobs; and

fifth program code for causing the computer to output a low job determined to be proper in the determination.

11. A job processing method comprising:

a reading unit sequentially reading a plurality of low jobs making up a high job;

an authentication unit storing a user information table in which user information elements on authorized users are registered;

the authentication unit sequentially determining whether each of the low jobs is proper or improper by verifying a user information element corresponding to the low job against the user information table, to carry out authentication;

a job processing control unit controlling, in a skip mode, if a low job is determined to be improper, an operation of skipping the low job determined to be improper and sequentially performing the reading and determination on subsequent low jobs; and

an output unit outputting a low job determined to be proper in the determination.

12. The job processing method according to claim 11, further comprising:

an error display unit displaying an error indication if the low job is determined to be improper; and

the error display unit removing the error indication in response to a predetermined operation.

13. The job processing method according to claim 12, further comprising, if the subsequent low jobs are determined to be proper after the low job is determined to be improper, the job processing control unit suspending output of the subsequent low jobs until the error indication is removed.

14. The job processing method according to claim 12, further comprising, if the subsequent low jobs are determined to be proper after the low job is determined to be improper, the job processing control unit controlling the reading and authentication of the subsequent low jobs, even if the error indication is not removed.

15. The job processing method according to claim 11, further comprising the job processing control unit controlling, in a cancel mode, after the low job is determined to be improper, an operation of canceling the reading, authentication, and outputting on the subsequent low jobs.

16. The job processing method according to claim 15, further comprising the job processing control unit deleting the subsequent low jobs cancelled in response to a cancel operation.

17. The job processing method according to claim 15, further comprising:

an error handling setting unit setting the skip mode or the cancel mode if the low job is determined to be improper; and

the job processing control unit controlling job processing according to the mode set by the error handling setting unit.

18. The job processing method according to claim 11, further comprising the authentication unit storing the user information table.

19. The job processing method according to claim 15, further comprising the job processing control unit determining which of a skip mode and a cancel mode has been set by a user.

20. The job processing method according to claim 17, further comprising the error handling setting unit setting the skip mode or the cancel mode in response to a user operation.