Apparatus and method for requesting password re-entry for external-device display and not requesting password re-entry for image display on display unit of the apparatus

• US 8,314,955 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2008
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sato, Hirochika
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUILLERMETY, JUAN M
• Application Number:
  US12/198,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20090059268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 705/2, 705/3, 705/14.38, 705/304
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/502 relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5091 for user-identification or authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00846 based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00875 Inhibiting reproduction, e.g. by disabling reading or reproduction apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32149 Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes

Abstract

The image forming apparatus decodes a two dimensional code within an image and obtains a password; stores the image in a storage unit if the password thus obtained matches a password entered through an operating section; and when an instruction is given by a user to display the image stored in the storage unit on a display unit of the image forming apparatus, displays the image on the display unit of the image forming apparatus without requesting an entry of the obtained password, and when an instruction is given by a user to display the image stored in the storage unit on a display unit of an external device, other than the display unit of the image forming apparatus, requests re-entry of the password for displaying the image on the display unit of the external device.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus including a display unit, comprising:

an authorization unit configured to authorize a user to operate the image forming apparatus based on a first password input by the user via an operating section;

a decoding unit configured to decode a two dimensional code within an image;

a storage control unit configured to perform control of the apparatus to store the image in a storage unit, if a user has been authorized based on the first password and if the correctness of a second password entered by the authorized user through the operating section is authenticated by the information obtained by the decoding at the decoding unit; and

a control unit configured

to perform, when an instruction is given by an authorized user to display the image stored in the storage unit on the display unit, control of the apparatus to display the image on the display unit without requesting re-entry of the second password, and

to perform, when an instruction is given by a user to display the image stored in the storage unit on a display unit of an external device, other than the display unit included in the image forming apparatus, control of the apparatus to request re-entry of the second password for displaying the image on the display unit of the external device.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when an instruction is given by the authorized user to form the image stored in the storage unit, control of the apparatus is performed to request re-entry of the second password for forming the image.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus lacks a print screen function for handling, as another file, an image displayed on the display unit of the image forming apparatus.

4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a setting unit configured to set, when transmitting data of the image to a device external to the image forming apparatus, a password for the entire image.

5. A control method for an image forming apparatus including a display unit, comprising the steps of:

authorizing a user to operate the image forming apparatus based on a first password input by the user via an operating section;

decoding a two dimensional code within an image;

performing control of the apparatus to store the image in a storage unit, if a user has been authorized based on the first password and if the correctness of a second password entered by the authorized user through the operating section is authenticated by the information obtained by the decoding;

performing, when an instruction is given by an authorized user to display the image stored in the storage unit on the display unit, control of the apparatus to display the image on the display unit without requesting re-entry of the second password; and

performing, when an instruction is given by a user to display the image stored in the storage unit on a display unit of an external device, other than the display unit included in the image forming apparatus, control of the apparatus to request re-entry of the second password for displaying the image on the display unit of the external device.

6. The control method for the image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a step of performing, when an instruction is given by the authorized user to form the image stored in the storage unit, control of the apparatus to request re-entry of the second password for forming the image.

7. The control method for the image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus lacks a print screen function for handling, as another file, an image displayed on the display unit of the image forming apparatus.

8. A computer-readable storage medium with a control program stored therein, the control program causing a control unit included in an image forming apparatus to perform the steps of:

authorizing a user to operate the image forming apparatus based on a first password input by the user via an operating section;

decoding a two dimensional code within an image;

performing control of the apparatus to store the image in a storage unit, if a user has been authorized based on the first password and if the correctness of a second password entered by the authorized user through the operating section is authenticated by the information obtained by the decoding;

performing, when an instruction is given by an authorized user to display the image stored in the storage unit on a display unit included in the image forming apparatus, control of the apparatus to display the image on the display unit included in the image forming apparatus without requesting re-entry of the second password; and

performing, when an instruction is given by a user to display the image stored in the storage unit on a display unit of an external device, other than the display unit included in the image forming apparatus, control of the apparatus to request re-entry of the second password for displaying the image on the display unit of the external device.