Confidential documents management system

• US 8,358,427 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirahara, Yoshiyuki, Takahashi, Kazunobu, Miyazaki, Yasunari, Ochiai, Norikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): SINGH, SATWANT K
• Application Number:
  US11/675,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20080198421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,168 Days
• Field of Search: 358 111- 118, 358/1.1, 382/306, 241/36, 715/500, 726/21, 396/15
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0032 with a medium handling apparatus, e.g. a sheet sorter handling thin or filamentary material, e.g. sheets B65H
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32106 separate from the image data, e.g. in a different computer file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4406 Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof
• 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 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3246 of data relating to permitted access or usage, e.g. level of access or usage parameters for digital rights management [DRM] related to still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

An image forming apparatus management system of an embodiment of the invention includes a first storage unit to store a document, an input unit to input print document data as use setting of the document after printing, a second storage unit to store the print document data inputted by the input unit, a print unit to print the document, and a control unit to manage the print document based on the print document data stored in the second storage unit.

Claims

1. A document management system, comprising:

a document receiving unit configured to receive document data;

a print document data receiving unit configured to receive print document data for managing documents to be printed corresponding to the document data;

a personal data receiving unit configured to receive personal data indicating names of respective persons set in a printer driver, to whom the documents are delivered;

a storage unit configured to store management data associating the print document data with the personal data;

a generate unit configured to generate print data representing at least the personal data and the print document data, the print data managing the persons to whom the documents are delivered;

a print unit configured to print the documents and the print data, wherein the print data is a watermark character that is created as a function of the personal data and the print document data; and

a control unit configured to update the management data if the print data is read.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the generate unit generates other print data different from the print data, if the personal data receiving unit receives other personal data different from the personal data.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a user information receiving unit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user using a copy function or a printer function; and

wherein;

the print document data includes the user identification information; and

the control unit manages the documents corresponding to the personal data associated with the user identification information.

4. The system of claim 3, comprising:

a read unit configured to read the print data; and

a shred unit configured to shred at least one of the documents; and

wherein the control unit deletes the personal data indicating the print data read by the read unit from the personal data associated with the user identification information, if the shred unit shreds at least one of the documents.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the print document data includes data for a number of print corresponding to the document data;

the storage unit stores the management data associating the number of the print with each of the personal data; and

the control unit manages a number of the documents delivered to each person.

6. The system of claim 5, comprising:

a user information receiving unit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user using a copy function or a printer function; and

wherein;

the print document data includes the user identification information; and

the control unit manages the documents corresponding to the personal data associated with the user identification information.

7. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a document receiving unit configured to receive document data;

a print document data receiving unit configured to receive print document data for managing documents to be printed corresponding to the document data;

a personal data receiving unit configured to receive personal data indicating names of respective persons set in a printer driver to whom the documents are delivered;

a storage unit configured to store management data associating the print document data with personal data;

a generate unit configured to generate print data representing at least the person data and the print document data, the print data managing the persons to whom the documents are delivered; and

a print unit configured to print the documents and the print data, wherein the print data is a watermark character that is created as a function of the person data and the print document data.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the generate unit generates other print data different from the print data, if the personal data receiving unit receives other personal data different from the personal data.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, comprising:

a read unit configured to read the print data; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit information corresponding to the print data to an external device which updates the management data for the print data read by the read unit, if the print data is read.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, comprising:

a read unit configured to read the print data; and

a control unit configured to update the management data for the print data read by the read unit, if the print data is read.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, comprising:

a user information receiving unit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user using a copy function or a printer function; and

wherein;

the print document data includes the user identification information; and

the control unit manages the documents corresponding to the personal data associated with the user identification information.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, comprising:

a shred unit configured to shred at least one of the documents; and

wherein the control unit deletes the personal data indicating the print data read by the read unit from the personal data associated with the user identification information, if the shred unit shreds at least one of the documents.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the print document data includes data for a number of print corresponding to the document data;

the storage unit stores the management data associating the number of the print with each of the personal data; and

the control unit manages a number of the documents delivered to each person.

14. A document management method implemented by an image forming apparatus, comprising:

receiving document data;

receiving print document data for managing documents to be printed corresponding to the document data;

receiving personal data indicating names of respective persons set in a printer driver to whom the documents are delivered;

storing management data associating the print document data with the personal data;

generating print data representing at least the person data and the print document data, the print data managing the persons to whom the documents are delivered; and

printing the documents and the print data, wherein the print data is a watermark character that is created as a function of the person data and the print document data.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising:

generating other print data different from the print data, if receiving other personal data different from the personal data.

16. The method of claim 14, comprising:

reading the print data; and

transmitting information corresponding to the print data to an external device which updates the management data for the print data read by the read unit, if the print data is read.

17. The method of claim 14, comprising:

reading the print data; and

updating the management data for the print data read by the read unit, if the print data is read.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

receiving user identification information for identifying a user using a copy function or a printer function; and

wherein;

the print document data includes the user identification information; and

the control unit manages the documents corresponding to the personal data associated with the user identification information.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising:

shredding at least one of the documents; and

deleting the personal data indicating the read print data from the personal data associated with the user identification information.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the print document data includes data for a number of printing corresponding to the document data; and

comprising;

storing the management data associating the number of the printing with each of the personal data; and

managing a number of the documents delivered to each person.