Data processing apparatus, control method, and program

• US 9,179,040 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2011
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Mizuno, Takafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US13/225,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00129 with a display device, e.g. CRT or LCD monitor with a television apparatus H04N1/00283; arrangements for control of display devices G09G
• 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 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00424 using a list of graphical elements, e.g. icons or icon bar
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00435 arranged in a predetermined sequence, e.g. using next and previous buttons
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00464 using browsers, i.e. interfaces based on mark-up languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00514 for individual users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00925 Inhibiting an operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• 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 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network

Abstract

A data processing apparatus determines whether or not administrator authority of a user is set, and whether access is made locally or from the network. When the access is made locally, even if the user has the administrator authority, folders of all users are not displayed. The folders of all users are displayed only when the user having the administrator authority accesses from the network.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus communicable with a remote computer over a network, the image forming apparatus comprising:

a storage unit having a plurality of user folders as subfolders of a specific folder, each user folder corresponding to a user;

an authentication unit configured to perform an authentication process for authenticating a user;

an operation unit configured, in a case where a user is authenticated by the authentication unit, to allow the authenticated user to input an instruction and to display an operation screen, the operation screen including information for executing a function of the image forming apparatus;

a receiving unit configured to receive, from a first user who uses the remote computer, a request for displaying the subfolders of the specific folder, the first user being authenticated by the authentication unit; and

a transmitting unit configured to transmit information indicative of the plurality of user folders corresponding to at least the first user and a second user from among the plurality of user folders to the remote computer, in response to reception of the request, the second user being a different user from the first user and not being authenticated by the authentication unit,

wherein the operation unit is configured to display, when the instruction is input by the first user to display the subfolders of the specific folder, the operation screen which includes information indicative of a user folder corresponding to the first user and does not include information indicative of a user folder corresponding to the second user.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an access authority of a user is set to each of the plurality of user folders.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit is configured to control the receiving unit to transmit the information indicative of the plurality of user folders to the remote computer, based on a determination that a user having administrator authority has issued the request.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information indicative of the plurality of user folders includes at least a folder name.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit is configured to communicate with the remote computer in accordance with Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) protocol or Server Message Block (SMB) Protocol.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the request received by the receiving unit includes user information about the user authenticated by the authentication unit.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information indicative of the user folder corresponding to the first user is information indicative of a user folder to which the user authenticated by the authentication unit has authority to access.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authenticated user has administrator authority.

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

a selection unit configured to select one of a general-user mode for displaying the information indicative of a user folder corresponding to the first user and an administrator mode for displaying information indicative of the plurality of user folders each corresponding to a different one of all users,

wherein the transmitting unit is configured to control the operation unit to display the information indicative of the plurality of user folders if the administrator mode has been selected by the selection unit.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the request is used for acquiring a list of the plurality of user folders stored in the storage unit.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printing unit configured to print an image based on a file in one of the plurality of user folders,

wherein, while displaying the operation screen, the operation unit is configured to allow the authenticated user to input a print instruction, and

wherein the transmitting unit is configured to control the printing unit to print an image based on a file in the user folder corresponding to the first user, in a case where the print instruction is input through the operation unit.

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

a scanning unit configured to read a document,

wherein, while displaying the operation screen, the operation unit is configured to allow the authenticated user to input a scan instruction, and

wherein the transmitting unit is configured to store an image of the document read by the scanning unit into the user folder corresponding to the first user, in a case where the scan instruction is input through the operation unit.

13. A control method for image forming apparatus communicable with a remote computer over a network, comprising a storage unit configured to store a plurality of user folders as subfolders of a specific folder, each user folder corresponding to a user, for storing a file, an authentication unit configured to perform an authentication process for authenticating a user, an operation unit configured, in a case where a user is authenticated by the authentication unit, to allow the authenticated user to input an instruction and to display an operation screen, the operation screen including information for executing a function of the image forming apparatus and a receiving unit configured to receive, from a first user who uses the remote computer, a request for displaying the subfolders of the specific folder, the first user being authenticated by the authentication unit, the control method comprising:

controlling the receiving unit to transmit information indicative of user folders corresponding to at least the first user and a second user from among the plurality of user folders to the remote computer, in response to reception of the request, the second user being a different user from the first user and not being authenticated by the authentication unit; and

controlling the operation unit to display, when the instruction is input by the first user to display the subfolders of the specific folder, the operation screen which includes information indicative of a user folder corresponding to the first user and does not include information indicative of a user folder corresponding to the second user.

14. A computer-executable program which on execution by a programmable data processing apparatus causes the image forming apparatus to execute the control method according to claim 13.

15. An image forming apparatus communicable with a remote computer over a network, the image forming apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to store a plurality of user files of a specific folder, each of the plurality of user files corresponding to a user, in a folder;

an operation unit configured to allow a user to input an instruction and to display an operation screen, the operation screen including information for executing a function of the image forming apparatus;

a receiving unit configured to receive, from a first user who uses the remote computer, a request for displaying the plurality of user files of the specific folder, the first user being authenticated by the authentication unit; and

a transmitting unit configured to transmit information indicative of the plurality of user files corresponding to at least the first user and a second user from among the plurality of user files to the remote computer, in response to reception of the request, the second user being a different user from the first user and not being authenticated by the authentication unit,

wherein the operation unit is configured to display, when the instruction is input by the first user to display the plurality of user files of the specific folder, the operation screen which includes information indicative of a user file corresponding to the first user and does not include information indicative of a user file corresponding to the second user.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein an access authority of a user is set to each of the plurality of user files stored in the storage unit.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the transmitting unit is configured to control the receiving unit to transmit the information indicative of the plurality of user files to the remote computer, based on a determination that a user having administrator authority has issued the request.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the information indicative of the plurality of user files includes at least a file name.

19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the receiving unit is configured to communicate with the remote computer in accordance with Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) protocol or Server Message Block (SMB) Protocol.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the request received by the receiving unit includes user information about the user authenticated by the authentication unit.

21. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the information indicative of the user file corresponding to the first user is information indicative of a user file to which the user authenticated by the authentication unit has authority to access.

22. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the authenticated user has administrator authority.

23. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

a selection unit configured to select one of a general-user mode for displaying information indicative of a user file corresponding to the first user and an administrator mode for displaying information indicative of the plurality user files each corresponding to a different one of all users.

24. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the request is used for acquiring a list of the plurality of user files stored in the storage unit.

25. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

a printing unit configured to print an image based on a user file in the specific folder,

wherein, while displaying the operation screen, the operation unit is configured to allow the authenticated user to input a print instruction, and

wherein the transmitting unit is configured to control the printing unit to print an image based on the user file corresponding to the first user, in a case where the print instruction is input through the operation unit.

26. A control method for image forming apparatus communicable with a remote computer over a network, the image forming apparatus comprising a storage unit configured to store a plurality of user files of a specific folder, in a folder, each of the plurality of user files corresponding to a user, an operation unit configured to allow a user to input an instruction and to display an operation screen, the operation screen including information for executing a function of the image forming apparatus, and a receiving unit configured to receive, from a first user who uses the remote computer a request for displaying the plurality of user files of the specific folder, the first user being authenticated, the control method comprising:

controlling a transmitting unit to transmit information indicative of the plurality of user files corresponding to at least the first user and a second user from among the plurality of user files, in response to reception of the request, the second user being a different user from the first user and not being authenticated; and

controlling the operation unit to display, when the instruction is input by the first user to display the plurality of user files of the specific folder, the operation screen which includes information indicative of a user file corresponding to the first user and does not include information indicative of a user file corresponding to the second user.

27. A computer-executable program which on execution by a programmable data processing apparatus causes the image forming apparatus to execute the control method according to claim 26.

28. An image forming apparatus communicable with an external apparatus over a network, the image forming apparatus comprising:

a management unit configured to manage folders for each user;

a receiving unit configured to receive a display request of the folders from the external apparatus via the network;

a determination unit configured to determine whether a user who uses the external apparatus is a user having administrator rights;

a transmitting unit configured, in a case where the determination unit determines that the user has the administrator rights, to transmit information indicative of a folder corresponding to the user and information indicative of a folder corresponding to a user other than the user having the administrator rights to the external apparatus, in response to reception of the display request, and in a case where the determination unit determines that the user does not have the administrator rights, not to transmit information indicative of a folder corresponding to a user other than the user and to transmit information indicative of a folder corresponding to the user to the external apparatus, in response to reception of the display request.

29. The image forming apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the user having the administrator rights is a user having authority to delete folders of other users.

30. The image forming apparatus according to claim 28, wherein information indicative of a folder transmitted by the transmitting unit includes a name of the folder, a type of the folder, a data size of the folder, or an updated date and time of the folder.

31. The image forming apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising:

an operation unit; and

a display unit configured to, in a case where a user has issued the display request of the folders using the operation unit, display an operation screen including information indicative of a folder corresponding to the user and an instruction button for instructing execution of an image printing function of the image forming apparatus without displaying information indicative of a folder corresponding to a user other than the user.

32. The image forming apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising a printing unit configured to execute printing of a file stored in the folders, in response to an operation of the instruction button.

33. An image forming apparatus communicable with an external apparatus over a network, the image forming apparatus comprising:

a storage unit having a folder corresponding to a first user and a folder corresponding to a second user;

a first receiving unit configured to receive a display request of a folder from the first user by network communication;

a second receiving unit configured to receive a display request of a folder from the first user via an operation unit included in the image forming apparatus;

a transmitting unit configured to transmit information on the folder corresponding to the first user and information on the folder corresponding to the second user to the external apparatus, in response to reception of the display request of a folder by the first receiving unit; and

a display control unit configured to perform control in such a manner that an operation screen including the information indicative of the folder corresponding to the first user and not including the information indicative of the folder corresponding to the second user is displayed on the operation unit, the operation screen being for executing a function of the image forming apparatus, in response to reception of the display request of a folder by the second receiving unit.

34. A control method for image forming apparatus communicable with an external apparatus over a network, the image forming apparatus comprising a management unit configured to manage folders for each user, the control method comprising:

receiving a display request of the folders from the external apparatus via the network;

determining whether a user who uses the external apparatus is a user having administrator rights;

transmitting, in a case where the determining determines that the user who uses the external apparatus is the user having the administrator rights, information indicative of a folder corresponding to the user having the administrator rights and information indicative of folders corresponding to a user other than the user having the administrator rights to the external apparatus, in response to reception of the display request, and in a case where the determining determines that the user who uses the external apparatus is not the user having the administrator rights, information indicative of a folder of the user without transmitting information indicative of a folder other than the user to the external apparatus, in response to reception of the display request.

35. A computer-executable program which on execution by a programmable data processing apparatus causes the image forming apparatus to execute the control method according to claim 34.

36. A control method for image forming apparatus communicable with an external apparatus over a network, the image forming apparatus comprising a storage unit having a folder corresponding to a first user and a folder corresponding to a second user, the control method comprising:

first receiving a display request of a folder from the first user by network communication;

second receiving a display request of a folder from the first user via an operation unit included in the image forming apparatus;

transmitting information indicative of the folder corresponding to the first user and information indicative of the folder corresponding to the second user to the external apparatus, in response to reception of the display request of a folder by the first receiving; and

displaying an operation screen not including the information indicative of the folder corresponding to the second user and including the information indicative of the folder corresponding to the first user on the operation unit, the operation screen being a screen for executing a function of the image forming apparatus, in response to reception of the display request of a folder by the second receiving.

37. A computer-executable program which on execution by a programmable data processing apparatus causes the image forming apparatus to execute the control method according to claim 36.