Apparatus and method for generating a communication management report with security function

• US 8,564,812 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Inventors: Machiyama, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Payer, Paul F
• Application Number:
  US12/461,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20100053692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function
• 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 2201/3202 of communication or activity log or report
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping

Abstract

A communication terminal apparatus comprises: a communication history information part storing a communication history related to at least one of destination information of a receiver and destination information of a sender; a user information part storing user information corresponding to a plurality of users; a security function setting part enabling whether or not the destination information is outputted in a communication management report; and an output part configured to output the communication management report containing a plurality of communication histories of the users based on an output instruction by a first user, wherein when the security function setting part is in a state that the destination information is not outputted, the communication management report does not contain the destination information that does not correspond to the communication history of the first user.

Claims

1. A communication terminal apparatus comprising:

a communication history information part configured to store a plurality of communication histories, including at least destination information;

a report generating part configured to generate a communication management report including at least a portion of the plurality of the communication histories;

an output part configured to output the communication management report;

a destination information output setting part configured to set either a first condition, in which at least some of the destination information is included in the communication management report, or a second condition, in which none of the destination information is included in the communication management report;

a user information part configured to store first user information in advance;

a user authentication part configured to conduct an authentication of a user based on the first user information and second user information that has been input into the communication terminal apparatus by the user; and

a security function setting part configured to determine whether a security function is enabled, and to set either a third condition, in which the portion of the plurality of the communication histories included in the communication management report includes destination information relating to the user and users other than the user, if the security function is not enabled, or a fourth condition, in which the portion of the plurality of the communication histories included in the communication management report includes the destination information of only the user and not destination information relating to users other than the user, if the security function is enabled, wherein

when the first condition is set at the destination information output setting part, and when the third condition is set at the security function setting part, the report generating part generates, without the authentication of the user, the communication management report such that the portion of the plurality of the communication histories included in the communication management report includes all of the destination information,

when the first condition is set at the destination information output setting part, and when the fourth condition is set at the security function setting part, the report generating part generates, upon the authentication of the user, the communication management report such that the portion of the plurality of the communication histories included in the communication management report includes only a portion of the destination information associated with a portion of the communication histories relating to the user,

only when the second condition is set at the destination information output setting part, the portion of the plurality of the communication histories included in the communication management report includes none of the destination information.

2. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the communication management report is displayed at a host device that is connected to the communication terminal apparatus through a communication network.

3. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising,

a web page processing unit displaying the communication management report through a web browser on the host device.

4. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the communication network is the Internet.

5. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the output part includes a printing unit configured to output the communication management report in a printed format.

6. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1,

the first user information includes a first user identification information and a first password that is associated with the first user identification information,

the second user information includes a second user identification information and a second password that is associated with the second user identification information, and

the user authentication part conducts the authentication of the user by respectively comparing the second user identification information and the second password with the first user identification information and the first password.

7. A method of operating a communication terminal apparatus, comprising:

receiving a request for outputting a communication management report including at least a portion of communication history information relating to one or more data communications, the communication history information including destination information for each of the one or more data communications;

authenticating a user based on stored first user information and second user information that has been input into the communication terminal apparatus by the user;

determining whether a first condition occurs, in which the portion of the communication history information included in the communication management report includes at least some of the destination information, or whether a second condition occurs, in which none of the destination information is included in the communication management report;

determining whether a security function is enabled;

if the security function is not enabled, setting a third condition, in which the portion of the communication history information included in the communication management report includes destination information relating to the user and users other than the user;

if the security function is enabled, setting a fourth condition, in which the portion of the communication history information included in the communication management report includes the destination information of only the user and does not include destination information relating to users other than the user;

acquiring the portion of the communication history information included in the communication management report from a memory element, including any portion of the destination information that has been determined to be included in the communication management report;

generating the communication management report based on the acquired communication history information; and

outputting the communication management report using an output part, wherein

when it is determined that the first condition occurs and it is determined that the third condition occurs, the generating of the communication management report is performed, without the authentication of the user, such that the communication management report includes all of the destination information,

when it is determined that the first condition occurs and it is determined that the fourth condition occurs, the generating of the communication management report is performed, upon the authentication of the user, such that the communication management report includes only a portion of the destination information associated with the user,

only when it is determined that the second condition occurs, the generating of the communication management report is performed such that the communication management report includes none of the destination information.

8. The method of operating a communication terminal apparatus of claim 7, wherein the outputting comprises:

physically printing the communication management report.

9. The method of operating a communication terminal apparatus of claim 7, wherein the outputting comprises:

electronically sending the communication management report to a remote device; and

displaying the communication management report on the remote device.

10. The method of operating a communication terminal apparatus of claim 9,

wherein the remote device is a computer, and

wherein the displaying of the communication management report is performed using a web browser on the computer.

11. The method of operating a communication terminal apparatus of claim 9,

wherein the remote device is one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a fax machine, and a netbook.