Image forming apparatus and electronizing method for information mentioned in paper

• US 20060020808A1
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kanai, Yoichi, Yachida, Masuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,881,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps

Abstract

An image forming apparatus configured to generate image data by reading information in a paper, includes a machine signature generation part configured to generate a first electronic signature for the image data by using a secret key peculiar to the image forming apparatus, and an operator signature generation part configured to generate a second electronic signature for the image data by using a secret key peculiar to an operator of the image forming apparatus.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus configured to generate image data by reading information in a paper, comprising:

a machine signature generation part configured to generate a first electronic signature for the image data by using a secret key peculiar to the image forming apparatus; and

an operator signature generation part configured to generate a second electronic signature for the image data by using a secret key peculiar to an operator of the image forming apparatus.

2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the secret key of the operator is recorded in an IC card of the operator;

and

the operator signature generation part generates the second electronic signature to the IC card.

3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a displaying part configured to display the image data;

wherein the operator signature part generates the second electronic signature in a case where the generation of the second electronic signature for the image data displayed by the displaying part is permitted.

4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a number generation part configured to generate a sequential number based on the generation of the image data;

wherein the machine signature generation part generates the first electronic signature based on information where the sequential number is added to the image data.

5. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the machine signature generation part generates the first electronic signature based on information where the sequential number and the information peculiar to the image forming apparatus are added to the image data.

6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a delivery part configured to deliver the image data, the first electronic signature, and the second electronic signature to a device connecting to the image forming device via a network.

7. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a time stamp obtaining part configured to obtain a time stamp for the image data, the first electronic signature, or the image data and the first electronic signature via a network.

8. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a time stamp obtaining part configured to obtain a single time stamp for all of the first and second electronic signatures generated in a designated time every the designated time.

9. An image forming apparatus configured to generate image data by reading paper information, comprising:

means for generating a first electronic signature for the image data by using a secret key peculiar to the image forming apparatus; and

means for generating a second electronic signature for the image data by using a secret key peculiar to an operator of the image forming apparatus.

10. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9,

wherein the secret key of the operator is recorded in an IC card of the operator;

and

the means for generating the second electronic signature generates the second electronic signature to the IC card.

11. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

means for displaying the image data;

wherein the means for generating the second electronic signature generates the second electronic signature in a case where the generation of the second electronic signature for the image data displayed by the means for displaying is permitted.

12. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

means for generating a sequential number based on the generation of the image data;

wherein the means for the first electronic signature generates the first electronic signature based on information where the sequential number is added to the image data.

13. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 12,

wherein the means for the first electronic signature generates the first electronic signature based on information where the sequential number and the information peculiar to the image forming apparatus are added to the image data.

14. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

means for delivering the image data, the first electronic signature, and the second electronic signature to a device connecting to the image forming device via a network.

15. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

means for obtaining a time stamp for the image data, the first electronic signature, or the image data and the first electronic signature via a network.

16. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

means for obtaining a single time stamp for all of the first and second electronic signatures generated in a designated time every the designated time.

17. An electronizing method for information being mentioned in a paper in an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:

a) generating image data by reading the information mentioned in the paper;

b) generating a first electronic signature to the image data generated in the step a), by using a secret key peculiar to the image forming apparatus; and

c) generating a second electronic signature to the image data generated in the step a), by using a secret key peculiar to an operator of the image forming apparatus.

18. The electronizing method for information being mentioned in the paper as claimed in claim 17,

wherein the secret key of the operator is recorded in an IC card of the operator;

and

the second electronic signature to the IC card is generated in the step c).

19. The electronizing method for information being mentioned in the paper as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

d) displaying the image data generated in the step a);

wherein, in the step c), the second electronic signature is generated in a case where the generation of the second electronic signature to the image data displayed in the step d) is permitted.

20. The electronizing method for information being mentioned in the paper as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

e) generating a sequential number based on the generation of the image data;

wherein the first electronic signature is generated in the step b) based on information where the sequential number is added to the image data.

21. The electronizing method for information being mentioned in the paper as claimed in claim 20,

wherein the first electronic signature is generated in the step b) based on information where the sequential number and the information peculiar to the image forming apparatus are added to the image data.

22. The electronizing method for information being mentioned in the paper as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

f) delivering the image data, the first electronic signature, and the second electronic signature to a device connecting to the image forming device via a network.

23. The electronizing method for information being mentioned in the paper as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

g) obtaining a time stamp for the image data, the first electronic signature, or the image data and the first electronic signature via a network.

24. The electronizing method for information being mentioned in the paper as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

h) obtaining a single time stamp for all of the first and second electronic signatures generated in a designated time every the designated time.