Print system managing the security of a printer shared on a network

• US 6,202,092 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1997
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Takimoto, Gishin
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US08/976,466
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 709/228, 709/225, 709/226, 395/114, 395/112, 358/1.13, 358/1.11, 358/1.12, 358/1.14, 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors

Abstract

Authority of each user to use a printer is set in a security data base with respect to the number of sheets to be printed, kinds of sheets, and special printing functions. A print request, including the number of sheets to be printed, the kinds of sheets, and whether special printing functions are to be used are sent to a security validating device, and the security validating device decides whether authorization to use the printer is to be granted based on the restrictions on the user maintained in the data base and the status of the user. If printing is authorized, after the printing is completed, an editing device updates information on the status of use in the security data base.

Claims

1. A print system with a shared printer on a network, comprising:

a data base for storing limitation information and print history information with respect to print characteristics, said limitation information and print history information being stored for respective users as identified by user identifying information, said limitation information including maximum sheet numbers of respective kinds of paper for respective users and said print history information including printed sheet numbers of the respective kinds of paper for respective users;

a means for restricting access to said printer based on said limitation information, said print history information, and said user identifying information, and when a total of a requested number of sheets of a requested kind of paper plus the printed sheet number of the requested kind of paper exceeds the respective maximum sheet number of the requested kind of paper, for indicating an available number of sheets of the requested kind of paper or suggesting the requested number of sheets of a different kind of paper; and

a means for reading and modifying said data base in response to externally provided instructions, said means for reading and modifying said data base modifies said maximum sheet numbers for respective users in said limitation information of said data base.

2. The print system of claim 1, wherein said access restriction means comprises:

a means for validating an inputted print request based on contents of said print request, said user identifying information, and said contents of said data base, said print validation means providing either authorization or non-authorization for said print request; and

a means for updating said print history if said print authorization is provided, by modifying said print history in said data base, based on said user identifying information and said print request.

3. The print system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said print history updating means comprises a means for adding a number of printed pages and a number of uses of special printer functions for said print request to said print history information.

4. The print system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reading and modifying means comprises:

a checking means for checking manager identifying information included in said externally provided instruction against manager identifying information stored in said data base; and

a means for reading and modifying said limitation information and said print history information as specified by said externally provided instruction when said checking means verifies said manager identifying information.

5. The print system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said limitation information includes data representing at least one of a maximum number of pages of each kind of paper, a maximum number of pages from respective paper feeders, and a maximum number of pages utilizing special printing function including at least a color printing function; and

said print history information includes data representing at least one of a cumulative number of pages of each kind of paper, a cumulative number of pages from respective paper feeders, and a cumulative number of pages utilizing special printing functions which have already been printed.

6. The print system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an interface for allowing said user to select whether to print on the kind of paper selected up to the maximum number for said kind of paper or to print entire print request on a different kind of paper, when the total number of pages in said print request plus said cumulative number of pages of said selected paper in said print history information exceeds said maximum number of pages of said selected paper in said limitation information.

7. A print system with a printer shared on a network and a server connected with said network for managing said printer, wherein said server comprises:

a data base for storing limitation information including a maximum number of printed pages of respective kinds of paper and a maximum number of uses of special printer functions, said data base also storing print history information with respect to said number of printed pages of the respective kinds of paper and said uses of special printer functions, said limitation information and print history information being stored for respective users as identified by user identifying information;

a means for validating an inputted print request based on contents of said print request, said user identifying information, and said contents of said data base, said print validation means providing either authorization or non-authorization for said print request, and when a total of a requested number of sheets of a requested kind of paper plus the printed sheet number of the requested kind of paper exceeds the respective maximum sheet number of the requested kind of paper, for indicating an available number of sheets of the requested kind of paper or suggesting the requested number of sheets of a different kind of paper;

a means for updating said print history if said print authorization is provided, by modifying said print history in said data base, based on said user identifying information and said print request; and

a means for reading and modifying said data base in response to externally provided instructions, said means for reading and modifying said data base modifies said maximum sheet numbers and maximum use numbers for respective users in said limitation information of said data base.

8. A print system with a printer shared on a network and a server connected with said network for managing said printer, wherein said server comprises:

a data base for storing limitation information including a maximum number of printed pages of respective kinds of paper and a maximum number of uses of special printer functions, said data base also storing print history information with respect to said number of printed pages of the respective kinds of paper and said uses of special printer functions, said limitation information and print history information being stored for respective users as identified by user identifying information;

and wherein said printer comprises;

a means for validating an inputted print request based on contents of said print request, said user identifying information, and said contents of said data base, said print validation means providing either authorization or non-authorization for said print request, and when a total of a requested number of sheets of a requested kind of paper plus the printed sheet number of the requested kind of paper exceeds the respective maximum sheet number of the requested kind of paper, for indicating an available number of sheets of the requested kind of paper or suggesting the requested number of sheets of a different kind of paper;

a means for updating said print history if said print authorization is provided, by modifying said print history in said data base, based on said user identifying information and said print request; and

a means for reading and modifying said data base in response to externally provided instructions, said means for reading and modifying said data base modifies said maximum sheet numbers and maximum use numbers for respective users in said limitation information of said data base.

9. A security management method for a print system with a printer shared on a network, comprising the steps of:

storing into a data base limitation information and print history information with respect to print characteristics, said limitation information and print history information corresponding to user identifying information for specifying a user of said printer into a data base, said limitation information including maximum sheet numbers of respective kinds of paper for respective users and said print history information including printed sheet numbers of the respective kinds of paper for respective users;

validating an inputted print request to determine whether said print request is to be authorized or not, said validating being based on said print request and said limitation information and said print history information corresponding to said user identifying information;

indicating an available number of sheets of the requested kind of paper or suggesting the requested number of sheets of a different kind of paper when a total of a requested number of sheets of a requested kind of paper plus the printed sheet number of the requested kind of paper exceeds the respective maximum sheet number of the requested kind of paper;

updating said print history information in said data base corresponding to said user identifying information included in said print request after printing according to said print request is executed; and

referring to and modifying said data base, including the maximum sheet numbers for respective users, in response to instruction from the outside registered in advance.

10. The security management method of claim 9, wherein said print characteristics include at least one of color printing, double-sided printing, automatic stapling, printing on woodfree paper, printing on recycled paper, printing on OHP sheet and printing with a dedicated format.

11. The security management method of claim 10, wherein the print request validation step includes adding a number of pages in the print request to said print history information regarding a number of pages already printed of a requested kind, and executing said print request if a sum of said addition is not greater than said maximum number of allowed pages of said requested kind.

12. The security management method of claim 11, wherein the updating step includes adding the number of printed pages with regard to each kind of paper and the number of times a special printing function is used to the print history information for these values and storing the updated print history information in the data base.