Printer, printing system, recording medium and server requiring authentication

• US 7,433,067 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2001
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakazawa, Yoshiki, Nonoyama, Masahiro, Higashi, Toshikazu, Tsujihara, Kiyohito
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II; Jerome
• Application Number:
  US09/984,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,535 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 358/407, 358/1.6, 358/1.9, 399/80, 399/8, 399/79, 709/203
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/181 Receiving print data characterized by its formatting, e.g. particular page description languages
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1822 Analysing the received data before processing

Abstract

When a print job is received from the network, subsequent processing depends on whether the print job includes authentication information. Where the print job includes authentication information, the print job is stored in a memory while being associated with the authentication information. When authentication information is received from the network thereafter, a print controller selects, from among the print jobs stored in the memory, the job that is associated with authentication information that matches the received authentication information, and causes it to be printed.

Claims

1. A printer connected to a network, comprising:

a memory receives from the network a print job including authentication information, and stores the print job that is associated with the authentication information; and

a first print controller which, when authentication information is received from the network, performs a printing operation of the print jobs that are associated with the received authentication information from among print jobs that are stored in said memory before the authentication information is received.

2. A printer as claimed in claim 1,

wherein received authentication information is transmitted from another printer which is connected to the network.

3. A printer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an input unit which inputs authentication information by users operation,

a second print controller which, when authentication information is input by the input unit, performs a printing operation of the print job that are associated with the input authentication information from among print jobs stored in said memory.

4. A printer as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a transmission controller which transmits the input authentication information to another printer via the network when authentication information is input by the input unit.

5. A printer as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the transmission by said transmission controller is performed only when there is a print job that, among the print jobs stored in the memory, is associated with the input authentication information.

6. A printing system having printers which are connected to a network, comprising:

an input unit by which the user inputs authentication information; and

a transmission controller that, when authentication information is input to the input unit, transmits the input authentication information to the network,

wherein each printer includes,

a memory received from the network the print job includes the authentication information, and stores the print job while associating it with the authentication information, and

a first print controller that, when authentication information is received from the network, performs a printing operation of the print jobs that are associated with the authentication information received from among print jobs that are stored in said memory before the authentication information is received.

7. A printing system as claimed in claim 6,

wherein at least one printer of said printers includes said input unit, said transmission controller, and a second controller,

wherein the second controller that, when authentication information is input via the printer'"'"'s input unit, causes to be printed, among the print jobs stored in the memory of the printer, the print job that is associated with the input authentication information.

8. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a program that is executed by a computer, the program comprising the steps of:

judging whether or not network input authentication information matches any authentication information already stored with a print job in a first printer when the authentication information is input;

causing the first printer to perform the print job that is stored in the first printer and that is associated with the matching authentication information, where there is a match by the judging step; and

causing the first printer to transmit the authentication information to a second printer; and

causing the second printer to perform print jobs that are stored in the second printer and that are associated with the matching authentication information, where there is a match by the judging step.

9. A server that stores a program for distribution, the program comprising the steps of:

judging whether or not network input authentication information matches any authentication information already stored with a print job in a first printer when authentication information is input;

causing the first printer to perform the print job that is stored in the first printer and that is associated with the matching authentication information, where there is a match by the judging step and causing the first printer to transmit the authentication information to a second printer; and

causing the second printer to perform print jobs that are stored in the second printer and that are associated with the matching authentication information, where there is a match by the judging step.

10. A printer connected to a network, comprising:

a memory stores a print job, the print job includes an authentication information;

an input unit which a user inputs authentication information; and

a transmission controller unit, when authentication information is input to the input unit, transmits the authentication information to another printer connected to the network.

11. A printer as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

said transmission controller includes a memory which stores printer IDs that indicate other printers; and

said transmission controller transmits the authentication information to the other printer selected based on the printer IDs.

12. A printer as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

said transmission controller transmits the authentication information to the another printer selected based on parameters of other printers, or designated by the user via said input unit.

13. A printer as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

said authentication information is associated with a print job that is stored in a memory of the another printer before the authentication information is input.

14. A printer connected to a network, comprising:

a memory stores a print job, the print job includes an authentication information;

a first controller that determines whether network input authentication information matches any authentication information already stored when authentication information is input; and

a second controller that performs a printing operation of the print job stored in the memory and associated with the authentication information as print data.

15. A printer connected to a network, comprising:

a memory stores a print job, the print job includes an authentication information;

a first controller that determines whether a printer ID for printer identification included in a data on the network matches the printer ID of the printer, and receives the data when there is a match; and

a second controller that performs a printing operation of the print job stored in the memory and associated with the authentication information included in the received data as print data.

16. A printer connected to a network, comprising:

a first controller that determines a printer ID for printer identification included in a data on the network matches the printer ID of the printer; and

a second controller that receives the data when a match is determined.

17. A printing system having printers which are connected to a network, comprising:

an input unit by which the user inputs authentication information; and

a transmission controller that, when authentication information is input to the input unit, transmits the input authentication information to the network,

wherein each printer includes,

a memory stores a print job, the print job includes an authentication information;

a determining controller determines whether the authentication information on the network is addressed to the printer; and

a print controller that, when the authentication information on the network is addressed to the printer, performs a printing operation of the print job stored in the memory and associated with the authentication information as print data.

18. A method of connecting a printer to a network, comprising the steps of:

storing a print job which includes an authentication information;

inputting authentication information to an input unit by a user; and

when authentication information is input to the input unit, transmitting the authentication information to another printer connected to the network.

19. A method of connecting a printer to a network, comprising the steps of:

storing a print job which includes an authentication information;

determining whether network input authentication information matches any authentication information already stored when authentication information is input; and

performs a printing operation of the print job stored in the memory and associated with the authentication information as print data.

20. A method of connecting a printer to a network, comprising the steps of:

storing a print job which includes an authentication information;

determining whether a printer ID for printer identification included in a data on the network matches the printer ID of the printer, and receiving the data from the network when there is a match; and

performing a printing operation of the print job stored in the memory and associated with the authentication information included in the received data as print data.

21. A method of connecting a printer to a network, comprising the steps of:

determining if a printer ID for printer identification included in a data on the network matches the printer ID of the printer; and

receiving the data when a match is determined.