Information processing apparatus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

To enable remote control with maintained confidentiality in remote operation, without showing a general user at least a part of information indicating contents of the remote control.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 1 comprises: an operating unit 47 that receives input of an instruction from a user; a display unit 473; a network interface unit 91 that performs data communication with an external device; and a control unit 100 that, in a period during which it is remotely connected with the external device, when an operation mode shifts to a maintenance mode, executes secret display processing of not displaying, on the display unit 473, an operation screen indicated by image data to be transmitted to the external device, and displaying, on the display unit 473, predetermined another screen different from the operation screen displayed on the external device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of remote operation.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Documents 1 and 2 below describe the remote maintenance function of an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus performs screen transfer processing for transmitting image data indicating an operation screen displayed on a display unit provided in the image forming apparatus to an external device connected remotely via a network (for example, a personal computer operated by a maintenance person in charge of maintenance work), thereby sharing the screen between the two devices.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Among the operation modes of information processing apparatuses such as image forming apparatuses, there are a normal mode for normal operations used by general users (professional users) and a maintenance mode used only by a limited number of people such as maintenance personnel in charge of maintenance work.

[0005] In addition, in the information processing apparatus, there are settings that can be changed only in the maintenance mode, and in order to do so, the maintenance person may need to input confidential information such as a password. Also, in the information processing apparatus, a screen that is not displayed in the normal mode may be displayed in the maintenance mode on its display unit.

[0006] Confidential information such as a PIN number as described above and screens that are displayed only in maintenance mode are not intended to be shown to general users in the first place. However, in remote maintenance, if the screen is shared between the information processing device (the device to be maintained) and the external device operated by the maintenance staff, there is a risk that information such as confidential information, which is not intended to be seen by general users, may be seen by general users.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to enable remote operation while maintaining confidentiality without showing at least a part of the information indicating the content of the remote operation to general users during remote operation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] An information processing device according to an aspect of the present invention is an information processing device, comprising: an operation unit that receives an input of an instruction from a user; a display unit; a control unit that executes various processes including display processing of an operation screen on the display unit according to the instruction received by the operation unit; and a communication unit that performs data communication with an external device, wherein the control unit remotely connects to the external device via the communication unit, executes a process according to a remote instruction transmitted from the remotely connected external device, and executes a screen transfer process for transmitting image data indicating the operation screen to be displayed on the display unit at the time of execution of the process to the external device, and further, when operating the information processing device in a state of being remotely connected to the external device, the control unit does not display on the display unit the operation screen indicated by the image data to be transmitted to the external device at a predetermined timing, and executes a confidential display process of displaying on the display unit a predetermined other screen that does not display the operation content to be displayed at the time of execution of the process according to the remote instruction.

[0009] An image forming apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes an information processing device according to an aspect of the present invention and an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium.

Effects of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, during remote operation, it becomes possible to perform a remote operation while maintaining confidentiality without showing at least a part of the information indicating the content of the remote operation to a general user.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is, for example, an image forming apparatus. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 is, for example, a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a copying function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function.

[0013] The image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 10, a document feeder 6, a document reading unit 5, an image forming unit 12, a fixing unit 13, a paper feeding unit 14, an operation unit 47, a network interface unit 91, and a storage unit 8.

[0014] The document feeder 6 is configured to be openable and closable by hinges (not shown) on the upper surface of the document reading unit 5. When reading a document placed on a platen glass (not shown), the document feeder 6 functions as a document pressing cover. Further, the document feeder 6 is an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) and includes a document placement tray (not shown), and supplies the document placed on the document placement tray to the document reading unit 5.

[0015] The document reading unit 5 includes a scanner or the like, and reads the document fed from the document feeder 6 or the document placed on the platen glass.

[0016] The case where the document reading operation is performed in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. The document reading unit 5 optically reads the image of the document supplied to the document reading unit 5 by the document feeder 6 or the document placed on the platen glass, and generates image data. The image data generated by the document reading unit 5 is stored in an image memory (not shown) or the like.

[0017] The case where the image forming operation is performed in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. The image forming unit 12 includes a photosensitive drum, a charging device, an exposure device, a developing device, and a primary transfer device for each color, and is a mechanism for forming an image on a recording paper as a recording medium by secondary transfer via an intermediate transfer belt. The image forming unit 12 forms a toner image on the recording paper fed from the paper feeding unit 14 to create a printed matter based on the image data generated by the document reading operation, the image data stored in an image memory or the like, the image data received from a computer connected to the network, and the like.

[0018] The paper feeding unit 14 includes a paper feeding cassette, and further includes a pickup roller, a conveyance roller, a conveyance path, and a rotation drive mechanism for each roller that pick up recording paper from the paper feeding cassette and feed it to the image forming unit 12.

[0019] The fixing unit 13 is a fixing device including a heat roller, a pressure roller, and a drive mechanism for rotationally driving these rollers. The fixing unit 13 heats and presses the recording paper on which a toner image has been formed by the image forming unit 12 with the nip formed by the above two rollers to fix the toner image on the recording paper. The recording paper on which the fixing process has been performed is discharged to a discharge tray (not shown).

[0020] The operation unit 47 includes various hard keys operated by the user, and receives instructions from the user, such as an instruction to execute an image forming operation, regarding various operations and processes that the image forming apparatus 1 can execute according to the operation of the hard keys. Further, the operation unit 47 receives an input of an instruction from the user based on an operation (touch operation) by the user on the screen displayed on the display unit 473 via the touch panel included in the display unit 473.

[0021] The display unit 473 is a rectangular display and is composed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like. When the operator touches a button or key displayed on the screen, an instruction associated with the touched position is received by the touch panel. In this case, the touch panel functions as an operation unit.

[0022] The network interface unit 91 is a communication interface that performs transmission and reception of various data with external devices (for example, servers and personal computers) within a local area or on the Internet. Note that the network interface unit 91 is an example of the communication unit in the claims.

[0023] The storage unit 8 is a large-capacity storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), and stores various control programs and the like.

[0024] The control unit 10 is configured to include a processor, a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a dedicated hardware circuit. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), etc. The control unit 10 includes a control section 100.

[0025] The control unit 10 functions as the control section 100 by the operation of the processor according to a control program stored in the storage section 8. However, the control section 100 can also be configured by hardware circuits respectively without depending on the operation according to a control program or the like by the control unit 10. Unless otherwise specified, the same applies to each embodiment below.

[0026] The control section 100 is in charge of the overall operation control of the image forming apparatus 1. The control section 100 is connected to the document feeder 6, the document reading section 5, the image forming section 12, the fixing section 13, the paper feeding section 14, the operation section 47, the network interface section 91, and the storage section 8, and performs drive control and the like of these sections. For example, based on operation data indicating a user operation received by the operation section 47, the control section 100 executes various processes (such as processes necessary for image formation by the image forming apparatus 1) including the display process of the operation screen on the display section 473.

[0027] The image forming apparatus 1 can remotely connect to an external device ED (Fig. 2) via a server SV (Fig. 2) over a network and receive remote operations from the remotely connected external device ED. When the control unit 100 receives an instruction (remote instruction) for the image forming apparatus 1 transmitted from the remotely connected external device ED via the network interface unit 91, it executes various processes according to the received remote instruction. At the same time, the control unit 100 executes a screen transfer process for transmitting image data indicating an operation screen to be displayed on the display unit 473 to the external device ED when executing each of these processes. Thereby, a remote operation of the image forming apparatus 1 by the external device ED is performed.

[0028] Further, the control unit 100 operates the image forming apparatus 1 in a normal mode and a maintenance mode. The maintenance mode is a mode in which predetermined maintenance operations and maintenance processes are performed on the image forming apparatus 1. The normal mode is an operation other than the maintenance operation and the maintenance process, and is a mode for performing operations during normal operation, such as an image forming operation, a scan operation, a transmission operation, and a fax operation according to an instruction from a user received by the operation unit 47, or an image forming operation according to print target data and a print instruction transmitted from an external device.

[0029] When remotely connected to the external device ED, the control unit 100 executes a confidentiality display process for displaying, on the display unit 473, a predetermined separate screen that does not display the operation screen indicated by the image data to be transmitted to the external device ED at a predetermined timing and does not display the operation content to be displayed when executing the process according to the remote instruction.

[0030] Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of the process until a remote connection is established between the image forming apparatus 1 and the external device ED, and then the image forming apparatus 1 shifts to the maintenance mode and the remote connection with the external device ED is disconnected.

[0031] The maintenance staff uses an external device ED such as a personal computer to request a remote operation of the devices (including the image forming apparatus 1) managed by the server SV that constructs a remote connection environment with respect to the server SV.

[0032] Thereafter, when a login process for authentication is performed between the external device ED and the server SV and the server SV recognizes that the maintenance staff is an authorized person for remote operation, an operation screen for selecting a device to be remotely operated is displayed on the external device ED (display). When the maintenance staff inputs an instruction to select the image forming apparatus 1 as the device to be remotely operated via the operation screen, a request for remote connection is transmitted from the external device ED to the image forming apparatus 1 via the server SV.

[0033] When the control unit 100 of the image forming apparatus 1 receives the above remote connection request via the network interface unit 91 (an example of a communication unit), it causes the display unit 473 to display a screen indicating the reception of the remote connection request. When the control unit 100 receives an instruction from the user to permit the above request via the operation unit 47, it transmits a permission signal toward the external device ED via the network interface unit 91. Thereafter, a remote connection is established between the image forming apparatus 1 and the external device ED, and the screens are shared between the two devices. An operation screen G1 as shown in the example of FIG. 3 is displayed on the display unit 473 of the image forming apparatus 1, and the image data indicating this operation screen G1 is transmitted from the image forming apparatus 1 to the external device ED, and the same operation screen G1 is also displayed on the external device ED.

[0034] While the image forming apparatus 1 is remotely connected to the external device ED, when a request to shift to the maintenance mode is received from the external device ED, the operation mode is shifted to the maintenance mode, and from this shift time (an example of a predetermined timing), the above-described concealment display process is executed. As described above, the concealment display process is a process of causing the display unit 473 to display a predetermined separate screen that does not display the operation screen indicated by the image data transmitted to the external device ED and does not display the operation content to be displayed when executing the process according to the remote instruction. For example, as the above-described predetermined separate screen, the image forming apparatus 1 causes the display unit 473 to display a dedicated screen G2 as shown in the example of FIG. 4. Thereby, the operation screen displayed on the external device ED during the operation in the maintenance mode is not displayed on the display unit 473 of the image forming apparatus 1, and the remote operation content in the maintenance mode is not visible to the user of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0035] When the control unit 100 of the image forming apparatus 1 receives a request to release the maintenance mode (shift to the normal mode) from the external device ED via the network interface unit 91, it shifts the operation mode to the normal mode. At this time, the control unit 100 makes the dedicated screen G2 non-displayed on the display unit 473, and transmits image data indicating the original operation screen (such as the operation screen G1) to be displayed during the operation in the normal mode to the external device ED via the network interface unit 91. Thereby, the same operation screen as the screen (such as the operation screen G1) displayed on the external device ED is also displayed on the display unit 473 of the image forming apparatus 1. For this reason, the screen is shared between the image forming apparatus 1 and the external device ED. Thereafter, when the control unit 100 of the image forming apparatus 1 receives a request to disconnect the remote connection from the external device ED, it disconnects the remote connection with the external device ED. Thereby, the screen sharing between the image forming apparatus 1 and the external device ED ends. As a result, a screen different from the screen (such as the operation screen G1) displayed on the image forming apparatus 1 is displayed on the external device ED.

[0036] Next, a first embodiment of the processing during remote operation of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the first embodiment of the processing during remote operation of the image forming apparatus 1. This processing is performed when the control unit 100 receives a remote connection request from the external device ED via the network interface unit 91.

[0037] When the control unit 100 receives a remote connection request, it causes the display unit 473 to display a screen indicating that the remote connection request has been received (S1). Thereby, the user is notified that a remote connection request has been received from the external device ED.

[0038] When the control unit 100 receives an instruction from the user to permit the remote connection request at the operation unit 47 (YES in S2), it executes a process for establishing a remote connection with the external device ED (S3). At this time, the control unit 100 transmits image data indicating the operation screen to be displayed on the display unit 473 to the external device ED via the network interface unit 91. As a result, the operation screen is also displayed on the display unit of the external device ED, and the screen is shared with the external device ED.

[0039] Note that when the control unit 100 receives an instruction from the user to reject the remote connection request at the operation unit 47 (NO in S2), this process ends.

[0040] After the process of S3, the control unit 100 determines whether it has received a request from the remotely connected external device ED to shift the operation mode to the maintenance mode (S4). When the control unit 100 determines that the shift request has been received (YES in S4), it executes a login process for shifting to the maintenance mode (S5), and determines whether the operator of the external device ED is a regular maintenance person (a qualified person for maintenance) (S6). That is, the control unit 100 performs a process for authentication.

[0041] When the control unit 100 determines that the operator of the external device ED is a regular maintenance person (YES in S6), it shifts the operation mode of the image forming apparatus 1 to the maintenance mode (S7). When the image forming apparatus 1 is shifted to the maintenance mode in this way, the control unit 100 displays a dedicated screen G2 as shown in FIG. 4 on the display unit 473 (S8).

[0042] Thereafter, the control unit 100 determines whether it has received a request to cancel the maintenance mode from the remotely connected external device ED (S9). When it determines that the cancellation request has been received (YES in S9), it shifts the operation mode to the normal mode (S10). At this time, the control unit 100 makes the dedicated screen G2 non-displayed on the display unit 473 (S11), displays the original operation screen (such as the operation screen G1) to be displayed during operation in the normal mode, and further transmits the image data indicating the operation screen to the external device ED via the network interface unit 91. Thereby, the screen is shared between the image forming apparatus 1 and the external device ED. Note that when the control unit 100 determines that the cancellation request has not been received (NO in S9), it repeats the process of S9.

[0043] The control unit 100 determines whether it has received a request to disconnect the remote connection transmitted from the remotely connected external device ED (S12). When it determines that the connection disconnection request has been received (YES in S12), it performs processing to disconnect the remote connection with the external device ED (S13). Thereafter, the process ends. The control unit 100 repeats the process from S4 until it determines that the connection disconnection request has been received (NO in S12).

[0044] Note that in S4, when the control unit 100 determines that it has not received the request to shift to the maintenance mode (NO in S4), and in S6, when the control unit 100 determines that the operator of the external device ED is not a regular maintenance person (NO in S6), the process proceeds to S12.

[0045] In such a first embodiment, the operation screen shown by the image data to be transmitted to the remotely connected external device ED is not displayed on the display unit 473, and a predetermined different screen (dedicated screen G2) different from the operation screen is displayed on the display unit 473. As a result, when the image forming apparatus 1 operates in the maintenance mode, the display unit 473 does not display confidential information such as a password that requires input for maintenance operations, and further, a screen that is displayed only during maintenance operations. Therefore, during remote maintenance of the image forming apparatus 1, the above confidential information and the operation contents in the maintenance mode are not visible to the user. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to perform remote operations while maintaining confidentiality without showing the contents of the remote operations to general users when the image forming apparatus 1 operates remotely.

[0046] By the way, the remote connection may be suddenly disconnected for some reason such as a communication failure, contrary to the intention of the maintenance staff or the user. When the remote connection with the external device ED is disconnected, if the control unit 100 makes the dedicated screen G2 non-displayed from the display unit 473 and displays the original operation screen to be displayed on the display unit 473 during the maintenance mode, there is a risk that the confidential information used during remote maintenance and the operation contents in the maintenance mode may be seen by the user.

[0047] Therefore, when the dedicated screen G2 is displayed on the display unit 473, the control unit 100 maintains the display of the dedicated screen G2 on the display unit 473 even if the remote connection with the external device ED is disconnected. This prevents the confidential information from being seen by general users.

[0048] As another embodiment, when the dedicated screen G2 is displayed on the display unit 473 and the remote connection with the external device ED is disconnected, the control unit 100 may shift the operation mode from the maintenance mode to the normal mode and switch the screen displayed on the display unit 473 from the dedicated screen G2 to the original operation screen (such as the operation screen G1) to be displayed during operation in the normal mode and display it.

[0049] Next, a second embodiment of the processing during remote operation of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. In the second embodiment, when the control unit 100 receives a predetermined confidentiality request from an external device ED that is remotely connected via the network interface unit 91 (an example of a predetermined timing), the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the above-described confidentiality display processing is executed. For example, a maintenance person transmits a confidentiality request command from the external device ED to the image forming apparatus 1.

[0050] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the processing during remote operation of the image forming apparatus 1. The processing according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. This processing is processing that is performed when the control unit 100 receives a remote connection request from the external device ED via the network interface unit 91.

[0051] When the control unit 100 receives a remote connection request, it displays on the display unit 473 a screen indicating that the remote connection request has been received (S21). When the control unit 100 receives an instruction for permitting the remote connection request from the operation unit 47 (YES in S22), it executes processing for establishing a remote connection with the external device ED (S23). At this time, the control unit 100 transmits, via the network interface unit 91, image data indicating an operation screen to be displayed on the display unit 473 to the external device ED. As a result, the operation screen is also displayed on the display unit of the external device ED, and the screens are shared between the external device ED and the image forming apparatus 1. At this time, the control unit 100 causes the original operation screen to be displayed on the display unit 473 during the maintenance mode.

[0052] On the other hand, when the control unit 100 determines that the operation unit 47 has received an instruction for rejecting the remote connection request (NO in S22), this processing ends.

[0053] After the process of S23, when the control unit 100 determines that it has received the above-mentioned predetermined confidentiality request from the remotely connected external device ED (YES in S24), it performs the above-mentioned confidentiality display process to display a dedicated screen G2 as shown in FIG. 4 on the display unit 473 (S25).

[0054] Thereafter, the control unit 100 determines whether it has received a request to disconnect the remote connection from the remotely connected external device ED (S26). When it determines that it has received the above-mentioned connection disconnection request (YES in S26), it makes the dedicated screen G2 non-displayed from the display unit 473, and at this point, it displays on the display unit 473 the operation screen that should be originally displayed according to the operation of the image forming apparatus 1, that is, the operation screen indicated by the image data transmitted to the external device ED at this point (the most recent operation screen displayed on the external device ED) (S27). Then, the control unit 100 performs a process for disconnecting the remote connection with the external device ED (S28). After this, the process ends. Note that when the control unit 100 determines that it has not received the above-mentioned connection disconnection request (NO in S26), the process repeats S26.

[0055] Also, in S24, when the control unit 100 determines that it has not received the above-mentioned confidentiality request (NO in S24), it determines whether it has received a request to disconnect the remote connection from the remotely connected external device ED (S29).

[0056] When the control unit 100 determines that it has received the above-mentioned connection disconnection request (YES in S29), it performs a process for disconnecting the remote connection with the external device ED (S28). That is, at this time, the original operation screen to be displayed in the maintenance mode is displayed on the display unit 473 by the control unit 100. After this, the process ends. On the other hand, while the control unit 100 determines that it has not received the above-mentioned connection disconnection request (NO in S29), the process returns to S24.

[0057] According to the second embodiment described above, when the image forming apparatus 1 is operating remotely, a maintenance staff member who operates the external device ED can prevent the original operation screen to be displayed in the maintenance mode from being displayed on the display unit 473 of the image forming apparatus 1 at a desired timing. As a result, it is possible to perform remote operation while maintaining confidentiality without showing the content of the remote operation to general users.

[0058] So far, in order to prevent the original operation screen to be displayed in the maintenance mode from being displayed on the display unit 473 of the image forming apparatus 1, the case where the dedicated screen G2 as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the display unit 473 of the image forming apparatus 1 as the different screen has been described.

[0059] In contrast, in the third embodiment shown below, when the control unit 100 executes processing in accordance with a remote instruction in the maintenance mode as the above-mentioned predetermined different screen, as the above-mentioned predetermined different screen, an operation screen for receiving an instruction regarding the operation in the normal mode, which does not receive an instruction regarding the operation in the maintenance mode, is displayed on the display unit 473. At this time, the control unit 100 performs control to cause the image forming apparatus 1 to perform operations and processes in the normal mode in parallel with the maintenance operation in accordance with an instruction from the user received by the operation unit 47. Thereby, it is possible to make both the continuation of the maintenance operation and the execution of the operations and processes in the normal mode possible by preventing the operations and processes in the normal mode that interfere with the ongoing maintenance from being executed.

[0060] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing in the remote operation of the image forming apparatus 1 and showing the third embodiment. The processing according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The processing shown in FIG. 7 is different in the processing of S8A and S11A when compared with the processing shown in FIG. 5.

[0061] In step S8A, the control unit 100 causes the display unit 473 to display a prohibited screen that is an operation screen for receiving instructions regarding the operation in the normal mode as the predetermined separate screen, and does not receive instructions regarding the operation in the maintenance mode. Further, in step S11A, the control unit 100 makes the prohibited screen non-displayed on the display unit 473, and further causes the display unit 473 to display an operation screen that should be originally displayed according to the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 at this time, that is, an operation screen indicated by the image data transmitted to the external device ED at this time (the most recent operation screen displayed on the external device ED).

[0062] Thereby, even during the remote maintenance period, the user can operate the image forming apparatus 1. However, the control unit 100 does not execute a process that interferes with the ongoing maintenance. For example, during the execution of maintenance related to printing such as adjusting the print counter value, even if there is an instruction from the user, the control unit 100 does not execute a process related to printing, and executes a process not related to printing such as a process related to a scanner, displaying or changing an address book.

[0063] By the way, in the second and third embodiments, when the control unit 100 executes the above-described concealment display process and displays the dedicated screen G2 (FIG. 4) or the above-described prohibited screen on the display unit 473, during that period, it is possible to prevent confidential information used during remote maintenance and operation contents in the maintenance mode from being seen by the user, for example, a general user. However, there is a possibility that the confidential information and the like may be seen by the user until the dedicated screen G2 or the prohibited screen is displayed on the display unit 473.

[0064] Therefore, as yet another embodiment, the control unit 100 makes the display unit 473 not display characters transmitted from an external device ED that is remotely connected via the network interface unit 91. For example, the control unit 100 replaces the numbers indicating the password transmitted from the external device ED with marks such as "*" and then displays them. That is, in this yet another embodiment, when the control unit 100 is executing processing according to a remote instruction (an example of a predetermined timing), as the predetermined different screen, the control unit 100 causes the display unit 473 to display an operation screen indicated by the image data transmitted to the external device ED at the time of remote connection. On the operation screen, the character information received from the remotely connected external device ED via the network interface unit 91 is made not to be displayed. Also by this, confidential information used during the maintenance operation can be prevented from being seen by the user.

[0065] The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible. Also, in the above embodiments, the configurations and processes shown by the above embodiments using FIGS. 1 to 7 are merely one embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not intended to be limited to such configurations and processes.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0066] 1 Image forming apparatus 12 Image forming unit 47 Operation unit 91 Network interface unit 100 Control unit 473 Display unit

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising: an operation unit that receives an input of an instruction from a user; a display unit; a control unit that executes various processes including display processing of an operation screen on the display unit according to the instruction received by the operation unit; a communication unit that performs data communication with an external device, wherein the control unit: remotely connects to the external device via the communication unit, executes a process according to a remote instruction transmitted from the remotely connected external device, and executes a screen transfer process for transmitting, to the external device, image data indicating the operation screen to be displayed on the display unit when executing the process; Furthermore, when operating the information processing apparatus while remotely connected to the external device, the control unit does not display, on the display unit, the operation screen indicated by the image data to be transmitted to the external device at a predetermined timing, and executes a confidentiality display process of displaying, on the display unit, a predetermined separate screen that does not display the operation content to be displayed when executing the process according to the remote instruction.

2. The control unit: operates the information processing apparatus in either a normal mode or a maintenance mode, and when operating the information processing apparatus in the maintenance mode while remotely connected to the external device, takes this as the predetermined timing, and does not display, on the display unit, the operation screen that is originally to be displayed during operation in the maintenance mode and that is indicated by the image data to be transmitted to the external device, but instead displays, on the display unit, the predetermined separate screen. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

3. When receiving, via the communication unit, a predetermined confidentiality request from the remotely connected external device, the control unit takes this as the predetermined timing, and does not display, on the display unit, the operation screen indicated by the image data to be transmitted to the external device, but instead displays, on the display unit, the predetermined separate screen. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

4. When the predetermined separate screen is being displayed on the display unit, the control unit maintains the display of the predetermined separate screen on the display unit even if the remote connection to the external device is disconnected. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 2 or Claim 3.

5. When the control unit determines that the remote connection to the external device has been disconnected while the predetermined different screen is being displayed on the display unit, the control unit shifts the operation mode from the maintenance mode to the normal mode and switches the screen displayed on the display unit from the predetermined different screen to the operation screen to be displayed during operation in the normal mode. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

6. When the control unit is executing processing according to the remote instruction in the maintenance mode, the control unit causes the display unit to display, as the predetermined different screen, an operation screen for receiving an instruction regarding the operation in the normal mode and not receiving an instruction regarding the operation in the maintenance mode, which is a prohibited screen. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

7. The control unit sets the timing when the processing according to the remote instruction is being executed as the predetermined timing, causes the display unit to display, as the predetermined different screen, an operation screen indicated by the image data transmitted to the external device during remote connection, and on the operation screen, does not display the character information received from the external device connected remotely via the communication unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium.

Images