IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD

• US 20140036298A1
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Kimura, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 9,066,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32106 separate from the image data, e.g. in a different computer file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• 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 2201/3202 of communication or activity log or report
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

An image forming apparatus of the present disclosure includes: an output prohibition control unit that performs output prohibition control that prohibits outputting a registered job in a preset time period; a system administrator account information storage unit that stores account information of a system administrator who has an authority of temporal release of the output prohibition control; a temporal release control unit that performs the temporal release according to an instruction of the authenticated system administrator; a log information storage unit that stores temporal release information that identifies the system administrator who performs the instruction of the temporal release; a device administrator account information storage unit that stores the account information of a device administrator who has an authority to access the temporal release information and; a log information outputting unit that outputs the temporal release information only if an instruction is received from the authenticated device administrator.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an output prohibition control unit configured to perform output prohibition control that prohibits outputting a registered job in a preset time period;

a system administrator account information storage unit configured to store account information of a system administrator who has an authority of temporal release of the output prohibition control;

an authenticating unit configured to perform authentication based on the account information;

a temporal release control unit configured to perform temporal release of the output prohibition control if an instruction is received from the system administrator who has been authenticated by the authenticating unit;

a log information storage unit configured to store temporal release information that identifies the system administrator who performs the instruction of the temporal release;

a device administrator account information storage unit configured to store the account information of a device administrator who has an authority to access the temporal release information and;

a log information outputting unit configured to output the temporal release information only if an instruction is received from the device administrator who has been authenticated by the authenticating unit.

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

a temporal release available time setting storage unit configured to store a time period when the temporal release is available;

a temporal release unavailable time setting storage unit to store a time period when the temporal release is unavailable; and

a temporal release time period control unit configured to permit or prohibit the temporal release of the job on the basis of the temporal release available time setting storage unit and the temporal release unavailable time setting storage unit.

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

a temporal release job setting storage unit configured to store information that indicates whether the temporal release is permitted or prohibited for each user ID of the system administrator and each job type; and

a temporal release job setting control unit configured to permit or prohibit the temporal release of the job on the basis of the temporal release job setting storage unit.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temporal release job release type control unit configured to cause to perform the temporal release among (a) the temporal release for all registered jobs, (b) the temporal release for only a job registered over a predetermined limit value, and (c) the temporal release for a job of a specific type.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temporal release notifying unit configured to notify the device administrator of the temporal release performed by the temporal release control unit.

6. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

performing output prohibition control that prohibits outputting a registered job in a preset time period;

storing account information of a system administrator who has an authority of temporal release of the output prohibition control;

performing authentication based on the account information;

performing temporal release of the output prohibition control if an instruction is received from the system administrator who has been authenticated;

storing temporal release information that identifies the system administrator who performs the instruction of the temporal release;

storing the account information of a device administrator who has an authority to access the temporal release information and;

outputting the temporal release information only if an instruction is received from the device administrator who has been authenticated.