Multifunction machine and personal authentication method of multifunction machine

• US 7,634,801 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2004
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kizawa, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiferaw; Eleni A
• Application Number:
  US10/893,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20050152544A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,975 Days
• Field of Search: 713/182, 726 16- 21, 726/2, 726/4, 726/27, 380/55
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00342 with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00427 using a menu list H04N1/00421, H04N1/00424, H04N1/00429 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00514 for individual users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0097 Storage of instructions or parameters, e.g. customised instructions or different parameters for different user IDs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4426 involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A multifunction machine and a personal authentication method are provided in which information is exchanged between the multifunction machine and a memory card by the RF-ID method. The multifunction machine reads identification information of a user from the memory card through a wireless wave without contact. The read identification information is send to a server to inquire whether the user is registered. A personal information table is obtained from the server, when the user is authenticated. The personal information table includes a customized menu and a training menu. The training menu includes setting information when the customized menu was selected in the immediately previous operation. The obtained customized menu and setting information of the training menu are displayed on a panel of the multifunction machine.

Claims

1. A multifunction machine, comprising:

an RFID controller that reads identification information of a user from a memory card via a wireless wave;

a personal information server interface unit that sends a personal authentication request and the identification information to a personal information server, and receives one or more customized menus which are customized for the user from the personal information sewer, when the personal information sewer authenticates the user; and

a display that displays the one or more customized menus,

wherein the RFID controller reads setting information for one or more settings corresponding to the one or more customized menus from the memory card, and sets or changes the setting information in the memory card when a setting for a job selected from one of the customized menus is set,

when the user sets or changes one of the settings, the RFID controller sets or changes the setting information in the memory card before the multifunction machine initiates a job using the set or changed setting, and

wherein the multifunction machine tracks consumable information and associates the consumable information with at least one of the user and the user'"'"'s division, based on the identification information of the user.

2. The multifunction machine as recited in claim 1, wherein the multifunction machine performs a plurality of functions, including a print function.

3. The multifunction machine as recited in claim 1, wherein the display displays a message indicating that the user is authenticated when the personal information server authenticates the user.

4. The multifunction machine as recited in claim 1, wherein the display displays the setting information in association with one or more of the customized menus.

5. The multifunction machine as recited in claim 1, further comprising a job controller that controls a job selected from one of the customized menus based on the setting information.

6. The multifunction machine as recited in claim 1, wherein the multifunction machine uses standard settings for settings that do not have corresponding setting information stored in the memory card.

7. A method of operating a multifunction machine, comprising:

reading identification information of a user from a memory card via a wireless wave;

sending a personal authentication request and the identification information to a personal information server;

receiving one or more customized menus which are customized for the user from the personal information server, when the personal information server authenticates the user;

reading setting information for one or more settings corresponding to the one or more customized menus from the memory card;

displaying the one or more customized menus;

selecting a job from one of the customized menus;

setting or changing a setting for the selected job;

setting or changing setting information corresponding to the set or changed setting for the selected job in the memory card;

initiating the job after setting or changing the setting information in the memory card;

tracking consumable information; and

associating the consumable information with at least one of the user and the user'"'"'s division, based on the identification information of the user.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising displaying a message on a display of the multifunction machine indicating that the user is authenticated when the personal information server authenticates the user.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the setting information is displayed in association with the displayed customized menus.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising operating the multifunction machine using standard settings for settings that do not have corresponding setting information stored in the memory card.