Multifunction image forming apparatus and document information searching method

• US 7,612,920 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kasatani, Kiyoshi, Abe, Yoshihiko, Fujishige, Takezo
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour; Houshang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dahbour; Henry
• Application Number:
  US10/901,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20050024674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,923 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/442, 358/402, 358/403, 358/1.14, 358/1.13, 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206, 709/219, 705/27
• US Class Current: 358/402
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints

Abstract

A control unit of a multifunction image forming apparatus obtains document information concerning copied documents, scanner read documents, and e-mail documents, and stores the obtained document information to a storing unit of a document storing unit. The control unit counts usage frequency concerning each document stored in the document storing unit, and stores the information as usage frequency information. The control unit has the operator, who carries out document searching, input predetermined information. The control unit matches the input information, and determines whether the operator is an authorized person concerning the searched document. In a case where it is determined that the operator is a legitimate authorized person, the control unit displays the information of the documents stored in the document storing unit, in an order of high usage frequency, to a display unit of an input operation unit, based on the usage frequency information.

Claims

1. A multifunction image forming apparatus comprising:

a document storing unit which stores document information including at least one of a copied document, a scanner read document, and an e-mailed document;

a usage frequency information storing unit which stores usage frequency information of the documents which are stored;

an authorized person authentication information storing unit which stores authentication information concerning the authorized person who has authority for searching a document stored in said document storing unit;

an operator authentication information input unit configured to input authentication information concerning the operator;

a determining unit which matches authentication information concerning the operator, obtained by said operator authentication information input unit, against authentication information concerning an authorized person stored in said authorized person authentication information storing unit, and determines whether the operator is an authorized person;

a searching unit which searches the usage frequency information, in a case where it is determined by said determining unit that the operator is an authorized person; and

a displaying unit which displays information concerning documents searched by said searching unit, in an order of high usage frequency of the documents.

2. The multifunction image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection input unit which accepts selection input of a document that the operator requests, from the information concerning the documents displayed in said displaying unit, wherein

said display unit displays document information selected in said selection input unit.

3. The multifunction image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a FAX sending unit configured to fax the document selected by said selection input unit to a designated destination.

4. The multifunction image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an e-mail sending unit configured to send an e-mail including a document selected by said selection input unit to a designated destination.

5. The multifunction image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said authentication information stored in said authorized person authentication information storing unit is at least one of identification information of a code and password, fingerprint information, voice information, and iris information, and

said operator authentication information input unit is configured to store the operator input authentication information corresponding to authentication information in said authorized person authentication information storing unit.

6. The multifunction image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said document storing unit stores a level of the documents;

said authorized person authentication information storing unit stores a level of authorized persons;

said determining unit obtains a level of an operator, in a case where it is determined that the operator is an authorized person; and

said searching unit searches information of documents having a level corresponding to the level of the operator, obtained by the determining unit.

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

an input unit configured to receive a user selection of a type of document;

a search control unit configured to control the display unit to display the document information of the documents in accordance with the user selection of the type of document such that only one of copied documents, scanner read documents, and e-mail documents are displayed by the display unit.

8. A document information searching method for use with a document information searching system, comprising:

a document storing step of storing, by the document information searching system, document information including at least one of a copied document, a scanner read document, and an e-mailed document;

a usage frequency information storing step which stores, by the document information searching system, usage frequency information of the documents which are stored;

an authorized person authentication information storing step of storing, by the document information searching system, authentication information concerning the authorized person who has authority for searching a document stored in said document storing step;

an operator authentication information input step which inputs, by the document information searching system, authentication information concerning the operator;

a determining step of matching, by the document information searching system, authentication information concerning the operator, obtained by said operator authentication information input step, against authentication information concerning an authorized person stored in said authorized person authentication information storing step, and determining whether the operator is an authorized person;

a searching step of searching, by the document information searching system, the usage frequency information in a case where it is determined by said determining step that the operator is an authorized person; and

a displaying step of displaying, by the document information searching system, information concerning documents searched by said searching step, in an order of high usage frequency of the documents.

9. The document information searching method according to claim 8, further comprising a selection input step of accepting, by the document information searching system, selection input of a document that the operator requests, from the information concerning the documents displayed in said displaying step, wherein

said displaying step displays document information selected in said selection input step.

10. The document information searching method according to claim 9, further comprising a FAX sending step of faxing, by the document information searching system, the document selected in said selection input step to a designated destination.

11. The document information searching method according to claim 9, further comprising an e-mail sending step of sending, by the document information searching system, an e-mail including a document to a designated destination, wherein said e-mail sending step sends an e-mail including the document selected by said selection input step.

12. The document information searching method according to claim 8, wherein:

said authentication information stored in said authorized person authentication information storing step is at least one of identification information of a code and password, fingerprint information, voice information, and iris information, and

said operator authentication information input step inputs, by the document information searching system, authentication information corresponding to authentication information which is stored in said authorized person authentication information storing step.

13. The document information searching method according to claim 8, wherein:

said document storing step stores, by the document information searching system, a level of the documents;

said authorized person authentication information storing step stores, by the document information searching system, a level of authorized persons;

said determining step obtains, by the document information searching system, a level of an operator, in a case where it is determined that the operator is an authorized person; and

said searching step searches, by the document information searching system, information of documents having a level corresponding to the level of the operator, obtained by the determining step.

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, by the document information searching system, a user selection of a type of document,

wherein the displaying displays, by the document information searching system, the information concerning the documents in accordance with the user selection of the type of document such that only one of copied documents, scanner read documents, and e-mail documents are displayed by the displaying step.

15. A computer readable recording medium which stores a program for controlling a computer to execute:

a document storing step of storing document information including at least one of a copied document, a scanner read document, and an e-mailed document;

a usage frequency information storing step which stores usage frequency information of the documents which are stored;

an authorized person authentication information storing step of storing authentication information concerning the authorized person who has authority for searching a document stored in said document storing step;

an operator authentication information input step which inputs authentication information concerning the operator;

a determining step of matching authentication information concerning the operator, obtained by said operator authentication information input step, against authentication information concerning an authorized person stored in said authorized person authentication information storing step, and determining whether the operator is an authorized person;

a searching step of searching the usage frequency information in a case where it is determined by said determining step that the operator is an authorized person; and

a displaying step of displaying information concerning documents searched by said searching step, in an order of high usage frequency of the documents.

16. A computer readable media according to claim 15, wherein:

said document storing step stores a level of the documents;

said authorized person authentication information storing step stores a level of authorized persons;

said determining step obtains a level of an operator, in a case where it is determined that the operator is a legitimate authorized person; and

said searching step searches information of documents having a level corresponding to the level of the operator, obtained by the determining step.

17. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein the program for controlling a computer further controls the computer to execute:

receiving a user selection of a type of document,

wherein the displaying displays the information concerning the documents in accordance with the user selection of the type of document such that only one of copied documents, scanner read documents, and e-mail documents are displayed by the displaying step.