Image log management system and processing method for image log management system

Abstract

To enable generation of a print preview image that highlights a content that poses a high risk of information leakage.SOLUTION: A server includes: storage means for storing a received document; and determination means for determining whether the stored document contains a content that poses a high risk of information leakage. An image forming device includes: receiving means for receiving a document or data based on the document from the server on the basis of a print request; printing means for printing the received document or data for printing on the basis of print setting information; and transmitting means for transmitting the print setting information to the server. The server includes: first generating means for generating a print preview image that highlights a content that poses a high risk of information leakage on the basis of the print setting information received from the image forming device if it is determined that the document contains a content that poses a high risk of information leakage; and display control means for controlling the preview image to be displayed on a first client terminal in response to an access request from the first client terminal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an image log management system and a processing method of the image log management system.

Background Art

[0002] There is an image log system composed of an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral and a storage server. The image forming apparatus executes jobs such as printing, scanning, FAX transmission, and copying, generates an image log (job attribute information, job image) for the executed job, and transmits it to the storage server.

[0003] In addition, as one of the printing methods, there is a method (cloud printing) in which print data is submitted from an information processing apparatus to cloud storage, an image forming apparatus for which printing is to be performed is operated, and the print data submitted to the cloud storage is selected for printing.

[0004] The storage server receives and stores the image log from the image forming apparatus, and further provides a search function.

[0005] The image log includes, for example, job attribute information and a job image as information when a job is executed. The job attribute information includes a job execution user, execution date and time, device information, document name, type of job executed, and the like. The job image is an image obtained by converting a document used in the job by the image forming apparatus into a format such as SPDF (searchable PDF).

[0006] The administrator user uses the search function provided by the storage server to monitor and confirm whether there is a general user who has executed a job for which an illegal or confidential image is the output target.

[0007] In addition, by selecting the image log stored in the storage server, the content of the job image can be confirmed. At this time, the displayed image reflects the content (paper size, page layout, etc.) set at the time of job execution such as printing.

[0008] Patent Document 1 discloses a method of displaying a preview image and generating output data according to an editing operation (such as adjusting the position of staples) on the preview image.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0009]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0010] In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, job data is generated based on print settings from input data, and the position of staples and the like are directly edited on the generated job data. In an image logging system, in the case of cloud printing, etc., the timing of inputting print data is different from the timing of performing printing from the image forming apparatus.

[0011] Therefore, when determining the drawing position from the input data and reflecting the drawing on the job image generated by the image forming apparatus, depending on the settings at the time of printing, it may not be possible to perform the drawing at the expected position.

[0012] An object of the present disclosure is to be able to generate a preview image of printing that highlights content with a high risk of information leakage when the document received by the server contains content with a high risk of information leakage.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0013] The image log management system has a server and an image forming apparatus. The server has a storage means for storing the received document, and a determination means for determining whether the document stored by the storage means contains content with a high risk of information leakage. The image forming apparatus has a reception means for receiving, based on a print request, the document stored by the storage means in the server or data based on the document, a print means for printing the document or print data received by the reception means based on print setting information, and a transmission means for transmitting the print setting information to the server. When the server is determined by the determination means to contain content with a high risk of information leakage, the server has a first generation means for generating a preview image of the print that highlights the content with a high risk of information leakage based on the print setting information received from the image forming apparatus, a notification means for notifying that fact when it is determined by the determination means to contain content with a high risk of information leakage, and a display control means for controlling to display the preview image on the first client terminal in response to an access request from the first client terminal.

Effects of the Invention

[0014] According to the present disclosure, when the document received by the server contains content with a high risk of information leakage, it is possible to generate a preview image of the print that highlights the content with a high risk of information leakage.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the claims, and not all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution means.

[0017] (First Embodiment) First, the first embodiment will be described.

[0018] <System Configuration> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an image log management system 130 according to the first embodiment. The image log management system 130 includes a client terminal 100, a cloud image log server 110, and an image forming apparatus 120.

[0019] The client terminal 100, the cloud image log server 110, and the image forming apparatus 120 are connected via the Internet. In this embodiment, one client terminal 100 and one image forming apparatus 120 are described, but a plurality of each device may be connected to the Internet.

[0020] The client terminal 100 is used to operate the cloud image log server 110 and the image forming apparatus 120.

[0021] The cloud image log server 110 receives, stores, and displays a list of the image logs (job attribute information, job images) generated by the image forming apparatus 120.

[0022] The image forming apparatus 120 has functions such as scanning, printing, copying, FAXing, and transmitting, and executes a job according to a user's operation. Further, with respect to the executed job, the image forming apparatus 120 generates job attribute information and a job image after or in parallel with the execution of the job, and transmits these as image logs to the cloud image log server 110.

[0023] The job attribute information is information regarding the job such as the job execution user, execution date and time, device information, document name, and type of the executed job. The job image is an image generated by the image forming apparatus 120 performing image processing such as OCR (optical character recognition) processing on the document used for the job.

[0024] To realize these functions, the image forming apparatus 120 may be a digital multi-function peripheral (MFP). By setting the transmission destination of the image log to the cloud image log server 110 in the image forming apparatus 120, it becomes possible to check the image log of the image forming apparatus 120 from the cloud image log server 110.

[0025] <Hardware Configuration> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of each of the client terminal 100, the cloud image log server 110, and the image forming apparatus 120 in FIG. 1. A general information processing apparatus hardware configuration can be applied to each of the client terminal 100, the cloud image log server 110, and the image forming apparatus 120.

[0026] The image forming apparatus 120 includes a bus 200, a CPU 201, a ROM 202, a RAM 203, a storage device 204, a communication device 205, an input device 206, a display device 207, a scanner device 208, and a printer device 209. The client terminal 100 and the cloud image log server 110 have a configuration similar to that of the image forming apparatus 120, but may not have the scanner device 208 and the printer device 209.

[0027] The CPU 201 comprehensively controls the entire hardware, controls each component connected to the bus 200, and executes each function such as printing and scanning.

[0028] The ROM 202 is a read-only memory for data, and stores, for example, a basic control program executed by the CPU 201.

[0029] The RAM 203 is a memory capable of reading / writing data, and is used, for example, as a working memory of the CPU 201.

[0030] The storage device 204 is used as a storage area for temporary data and permanent data while the CPU 201 is executing each program. For example, the storage device 204 often uses an HDD, but may also be a device capable of reading / writing data by loading an external medium such as an SSD, a CD, a DVD, or a memory card.

[0031] The communication device 205 connects the client terminal 100, the cloud image log server 110, or the image forming apparatus 120 to a LAN or the Internet, and enables data communication between the devices by TCP / IP.

[0032] The input device 206 is an operation unit for receiving input operations of characters and data by the user. For example, the input device 206 is a keyboard, a mouse, a hard key, or a touch panel.

[0033] The display device 207 is a device for displaying various screens, such as a liquid crystal display or a touch panel. The user gives instructions via the input device 206 on the user interface screen displayed on the display device 207. For example, the instructions are a job execution instruction to the image forming apparatus 120, a setting instruction for the cloud image log server 110, and the like.

[0034] In the image forming apparatus 120, in addition, a scanner device 208 and a printer device 209 are connected to the bus 200.

[0035] <Functional Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus> FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of the image forming apparatus 120 of FIG. 1. The functional configuration described in FIG. 3 is realized by the CPU 201 reading a program stored in the ROM 202, for example, into the RAM 203 and executing it.

[0036] The image forming apparatus 120 includes a setting management unit 301, a job control unit 302, a communication unit 303, an image log control unit 304, a screen control unit 305, and a character information extraction unit 306.

[0037] The setting management unit 301 stores settings related to the execution of various functions of the image forming apparatus 120 in each storage device such as the RAM 203 and the storage device 204, and reads them out from each storage device. Here, the settings include, for example, copy settings for executing the copy function, print settings for executing the printing function, network settings, or individual identification information. Further, the settings include information on the transmission destination (cloud image log server 110) when an image log is generated during job execution.

[0038] The job control unit 302 controls the scanner device 208 or the printer device 209 based on a job execution request input by the input device 206 or received by the communication unit 303, and executes various jobs. For example, in the case of a hold print job, the job control unit 302 temporarily stores the print job received by the communication unit 303 from the client terminal 100 in the storage device 204. Then, the job control unit 302 executes the output of the held print job according to a user instruction via the input device 206 of the subsequent image forming apparatus 120.

[0039] The communication unit 303 receives, for example, a print job and a job execution request from the client terminal 100. The communication unit 303 also transmits an image log to the cloud image log server 110. Further, the communication unit 303 receives setting information input on the setting screen of the cloud image log server 110 and reflects it in the setting value of the setting management unit 301.

[0040] When a job is executed in the job control unit 302, the image log control unit 304 generates an image log after or in parallel with the job execution and stores it in the storage device 204.

[0041] The screen control unit 305 displays a screen on the display device 207 and receives an instruction from the user via the input device 206.

[0042] The character information extraction unit 306 extracts character information from the job image of the image log generated and stored by the image log control unit 304 by OCR. The extracted character information is managed as an image log.

[0043] <Functional Configuration of Cloud Image Log Server> FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of the cloud image log server 110 in FIG. 1. The functional configuration described in FIG. 4 is realized by the CPU 201 reading a program stored in the storage device 204 into the RAM 203 and executing it.

[0044] The cloud image log server 110 includes a setting management unit 401, a device management unit 402, a communication unit 403, an image log management unit 404, a screen control unit 405, and a detection unit 406.

[0045] The setting management unit 401 stores various setting values of the image forming apparatus 120 or the cloud image log server 110 in the storage device 204, and reads out the setting values as necessary. Here, the setting values of the image forming apparatus 120 include, for example, condition settings for email notification to the administrator when the image log meets specific conditions, email destination settings, storage destinations of the image log, and authentication information.

[0046] Here, the setting management unit 401 searches whether the content that meets specific conditions is included in the attributes such as the document name of the job included in the image log and the information extracted from the image. Thereby, the setting management unit 401 can monitor and confirm whether there is a general user who has executed a job with an illegal or confidential image as an output target.

[0047] In addition, the setting of the image forming apparatus 120 also includes the image transmission time setting of the image forming apparatus 120. The image forming apparatus 120 refers to the image transmission time setting of the setting management unit 401 via the communication unit 303 and reflects it to the setting management unit 301.

[0048] The communication unit 403 receives various requests transmitted from the image forming apparatus 120 and transmits the processing results. In addition, the communication unit 403 receives the image log from the image forming apparatus 120 and transmits a request for image information. In addition, the communication unit 403 is also responsible for email transmission processing.

[0049] The image log management unit 404 stores the image log received from the image forming apparatus 120 via the communication unit 403 in the storage device 204. In addition, when there is a user instruction via the input device 206 through a search screen (not shown) or the like, the image log management unit 404 reads out the requested image log from the storage device 204 and displays it on the display device 207.

[0050] In addition, the image log management unit 404 may be configured to delete image logs that have passed a certain period of time. This is to prevent the expansion of the usage capacity of the storage device 204 and to prevent the processing speed of searching for image logs from decreasing due to the expansion.

[0051] The screen control unit 405 displays a screen on the display device 207 and receives instructions from the user via the input device 206.

[0052] The device management unit 402 manages information on one or more image forming apparatuses 120. In this embodiment, at the time of system introduction, the device management unit 402 registers the image forming apparatus 120 with the cloud image log server 110. The communication unit 303 of the image forming apparatus 120 transmits registration information including the individual identification information to the communication unit 403 of the cloud image log server 110. The device management unit 402 of the cloud image log server 110 stores the registration information including the individual identification information in the storage device 204. As a result, the cloud image log server 110 can receive image logs from the image forming apparatus 120 managed by the device management unit 402.

[0053] When an error occurs in the cloud image log server 110 or when a job with a high risk of information leakage is detected, the detection unit 406 sends an email notification to the email address set in the setting management unit 401.

[0054] <Print execution flow> FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing a processing method of the image log management system 130, and represents a flow in which an end user performs printing and a monitor receives a notification and checks a log image.

[0055] In step S501, the client terminal 100 of the end user designates the image forming apparatus 120 using an installed printer driver or the like according to the operation of the end user, and transmits a print request to the image forming apparatus 120 via the communication device 205. The print request is, for example, a print job.

[0056] In step S502, the image forming apparatus 120 receives a print request from the end user's client terminal 100 via the communication unit 303, and executes printing with the printer device 209.

[0057] In step S503, the image log control unit 304 of the image forming apparatus 120 generates an image log based on the print request and stores it in the storage device 204. The image log includes the job image generated by performing OCR by the character information extraction unit 306, and job attribute information such as the job execution user, execution date and time, device information, document name, and type of job executed. Step S503 is performed after the job execution in step S502 or in parallel with the job execution.

[0058] In step S504, the image forming apparatus 120 transmits the image log stored in the storage device 204 in step S503 to the cloud image log server 110 via the communication unit 303. After transmitting the image log to the cloud image log server 110, the image log control unit 304 of the image forming apparatus 120 deletes the image log from the storage device 204.

[0059] In step S505, the cloud image log server 110 receives the image log transmitted from the image forming apparatus 120 via the communication unit 403. The image log management unit 404 stores and manages the received image log in the storage device 204.

[0060] In step S506, the detection unit 406 detects whether the image log stored in the storage device 204 contains content with a high risk of information leakage. Content with a high risk of information leakage includes, for example, cases where the execution time is slow, cases where it is transmitted outside the company, cases where personal information or secret characters are included, and cases where a specific character string is specified in the settings (not shown) of the cloud image log server 110 and the specific character string is included. At this time, the detection unit 406 stores the position information and page information of the detected character string, etc. as highlighted display information in the storage device 204.

[0061] In step S507, the image log management unit 404 of the cloud image log server 110 generates a preview image of the received image log. At this time, the generated preview image may be limited to, for example, not all pages of the job image, but only the first page of the job image determined to have a high risk of information leakage in step S506. Also, when the job image does not include a page determined to have a high risk of information leakage, a preview image of the first page may be generated. The preview image of the page determined to have a high risk of information leakage surrounds the string determined to have a high risk of information leakage with a rectangle and highlights it.

[0062] In step S508, when there is an image log determined to include content with a high risk of information leakage in step S506, the cloud image log server 110 sends an email to that effect to the monitor's client terminal 100 via the communication unit 403.

[0063] In step S509, the monitor's client terminal 100 accesses the image log list screen provided by the cloud image log server 110 via the communication device 205 and displays the image log list screen 600 (FIG. 6) on the display device 207 of the client terminal 100. The monitor can display the preview image 701 (FIG. 7) of the job image by selecting an arbitrary image log from the displayed image log list screen 600 (FIG. 6).

[0064] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a UI that displays a list of image logs displayed in step S509 of FIG. 5.

[0065] The image log list screen 600 is a screen that displays a list of image logs stored in the cloud image log server 110. In the filter 601, the image logs displayed on the image log list screen 600 can be limited by specifying the job type, job name, number of pages, device, user, execution date and time, and presence or absence of detection. The filter settings set in the filter 601 can be canceled by pressing the filter cancellation 602.

[0066] On the image log list screen 600, job type 603, job name 604, number of pages 605, device 606, user 607, execution date and time 608, and presence or absence of detection 609 are displayed, and sorting can be performed for each item.

[0067] Since the number of image logs that can be displayed on the image log list screen 600 is fixed, if they cannot all be displayed, the image logs displayed on the image log list screen 600 can be changed by operating buttons 610 to 614.

[0068] By pressing the first button 610, the first page of the image log can be displayed. The first button 610 becomes inactive when the first page is already displayed.

[0069] By pressing the previous button 611, the previous page of the image log can be displayed. The previous button 611 becomes inactive when the first page is already displayed.

[0070] By entering a number from 1 to the maximum number of pages in the currently displayed page 612, the specified page of the image log can be displayed.

[0071] By pressing the next button 613, the next page of the image log can be displayed. The next button 613 becomes inactive when the last page is already displayed.

[0072] By pressing the last button 614, the last page of the image log can be displayed. The last button 614 becomes inactive when the last page is already displayed.

[0073] By selecting and pressing an image log on the image log list screen 600, the job details screen 700 in FIG. 7 described later is displayed.

[0074] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a UI that displays a job details information screen 700. By selecting an image log on the image log list screen 600, the first page of the job image with a high risk of information leakage generated in step S507, or a preview of the first page of the job image, is displayed.

[0075] The job details information screen 700 is a screen that displays detailed information of the image log selected on the image log list screen 600. In the preview image 701, a preview of the job image is displayed. In the preview image 701, if there are specific character strings 702 determined to have a high risk of information leakage, personal information 703, etc., they are highlighted, for example, by surrounding them with a rectangle.

[0076] The detection mark 704 is displayed when it is detected in step S506 that the target image log has a high risk of information leakage.

[0077] By pressing the previous detection page button 705, a page containing a specific character string 702 or personal information 703 that is one page before the currently displayed page is displayed. The previous detection page button 705 becomes inactive if there is no page containing a specific character string 702 or personal information 703 before the current page.

[0078] By pressing the next detection page button 706, a page containing a specific character string 702 or personal information 703 that is one page after the currently displayed page is displayed. The next detection page button 706 becomes inactive if there is no page containing a specific character string 702 or personal information 703 after the current page.

[0079] By pressing the first button 707, the first page of the job image can be displayed. The first button 707 becomes inactive when the first page is being displayed.

[0080] By pressing the previous button 708, the previous page of the job image can be displayed. The previous button 708 becomes inactive when the first page is being displayed.

[0081] The current display page 709 can display the specified page of the job image by entering a number from 1 to the maximum page number.

[0082] The next button 710 can display the next page of the job image when pressed. The next button 710 becomes inactive when the last page is being displayed.

[0083] The last button 711 can display the last page of the job image when pressed. The last button 711 becomes inactive when the last page is being displayed.

[0084] The information display area 712 displays detection information and job information. The detection information includes the detected content, information about the detected page, etc. Also, for example, if the detection information is such that for a detected job, after confirmation by the monitor, paper output or transmission is to be performed, the user name of the confirming monitor may be displayed as the confirmor. The job information includes information about the document used in the job, such as the total number of pages.

[0085] <Cloud Print Execution Flow> Figure 8 is a sequence diagram showing the processing method of the image log management system 130, representing the flow in which an end user performs cloud printing and a monitor receives a notification and checks the log image.

[0086] In step S801, the end-user's client terminal 100 submits (sends) a document to be printed to the cloud image log server 110 via the communication device 205 according to the end-user's operation. The cloud image log server 110 functions as a storage unit, receives the document from the end-user's client terminal 100, and stores the received document in the storage device 204. In step S801, the end-user's client terminal 100 can perform printing from any image forming apparatus 120 during printing in step S803 without specifying the image forming apparatus 120.

[0087] In step S802, the detection unit 406 of the cloud image log server 110 functions as a determination unit and determines (detects) whether the document stored in the storage device 204 contains content with a high risk of information leakage. Content with a high risk of information leakage includes, for example, cases where personal information or secret characters are included, or cases where a specific character string is specified in the settings (not shown) of the cloud image log server 110 and the specific character string is included. At this time, the detection unit 406 stores the position information and page information of the detected character string and the like in the storage device 204 as detection information.

[0088] In the case of cloud printing, the detection unit 406 performs risk detection using the document stored in the cloud image log server 110 instead of the job image generated by the image forming apparatus 120. Since there may be characters that cannot be recognized depending on the OCR accuracy in the job image (SPDF) generated by the image forming apparatus 120, the detection unit 406 performs risk detection using the original document before conversion to SPDF. This improves the detection accuracy.

[0089] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the risk detection processes of step S506 in FIG. 5 and step S802 in FIG. 8. The cloud image log server 110 starts the risk detection process of step S802 or S506 by receiving the document in step S801 or receiving the job image in step S504.

[0090] In step S1201, the cloud image log server 110 determines, via the communication unit 403, whether it has received a document or a job image. If it is the case of step S802, the cloud image log server 110 determines that it has received a document and proceeds to step S1202. If it is the case of step S506, the cloud image log server 110 determines that it has received a job image and proceeds to step S1204.

[0091] In step S1202, the detection unit 406 determines whether the received document contains a string with a high risk of information leakage. If the received document contains a string with a high risk of information leakage, the cloud image log server 110 stores the information of the page containing the string and the position (coordinates, size) of the string in the RAM 203.

[0092] In step S1203, the cloud image log server 110 associates the page information and the string position (coordinates, size) stored in the RAM 203 with the document and stores them in the storage device 204 as detection information. Then, the process of the flowchart in FIG. 12 ends.

[0093] In step S1204, the cloud image log server 110 determines whether detection information is stored in the storage device 204 of the cloud image log server 110. If the detection information is not stored, the process proceeds to step S1205. If the detection information is stored, the process of the flowchart in FIG. 12 ends.

[0094] In step S1205, the detection unit 406 detects whether the received job image contains a string with a high risk of information leakage. If the received job image contains a string with a high risk of information leakage, the cloud image log server 110 stores the information of the page containing the string and the position (coordinates, size) of the string in the RAM 203.

[0095] In step S1206, the cloud image log server 110 associates the information of the page stored in the RAM 203 and the position (coordinates, size) of the character string with the job image, and stores it in the storage device 204 as highlighted display information. Then, the processing of the flowchart in FIG. 12 ends.

[0096] In step S803 of FIG. 8, the end-user's client terminal 100 selects a document stored in the cloud image log server 110 according to the operation of the end-user's display device 207, and transmits a print request to the image forming apparatus 120.

[0097] In step S804, based on the print request received from the end-user's client terminal 100, the image forming apparatus 120 transmits a request for acquiring the document selected in step S803 to the cloud image log server 110 via the communication unit 303.

[0098] In step S805, the cloud image log server 110 transmits the requested document stored in the storage device 204 to the image forming apparatus 120 via the communication unit 403. At this time, the cloud image log server 110 may transmit, as the data to be transmitted, not the document but the document after being converted into print data. The image forming apparatus 120 functions as a receiving unit and receives the document or the print data from the cloud image log server 110 via the communication unit 303.

[0099] In step S806, the image forming apparatus 120 functions as a printing unit and prints (executes the job) the document or the print data received from the cloud image log server 110 by the printer device 209. At this time, the image forming apparatus 120 stores the print setting information (paper size, page layout, etc.) in the storage device 204.

[0100] In step S807, the image log control unit 304 of the image forming apparatus 120 generates an image log based on the printing in step S806 and stores it in the storage device 204. The image log includes the job image generated by performing OCR by the character information extraction unit 306, and job attribute information such as the job execution user, execution date and time, device information, document name, and type of job executed. The image log control unit 304 functions as a generation unit, and the character information extraction unit 306 generates a job image obtained by performing character extraction on the document or print data printed in step S806. Step S807 is performed after the execution of the job in step S806 or in parallel with the job execution.

[0101] In step S808, the image forming apparatus 120 functions as a transmission unit, and transmits the image log stored in the storage device 204 in step S807 to the cloud image log server 110 via the communication unit 303. At this time, the image forming apparatus 120 transmits the print setting information stored in the storage device 204 to the cloud image log server 110 together with the image log. After transmitting the image log and the print setting information to the cloud image log server 110, the image log control unit 304 of the image forming apparatus 120 deletes the image log and the print setting information from the storage device 204.

[0102] In step S809, the cloud image log server 110 receives the image log and the print setting information transmitted from the image forming apparatus 120 via the communication unit 403. The image log management unit 404 stores and manages the received image log and print setting information in the storage device 204.

[0103] In step S810, the detection unit 406 detects whether the job attribute information of the image log stored in the storage device 204 contains content with a high risk of information leakage, and checks whether it was detected in step S802 that the content with a high risk of information leakage is included. Content with a high risk of information leakage is, for example, the execution time or the destination.

[0104] In step S811, the image log management unit 404 of the cloud image log server 110 functions as a generation unit and generates a preview image of the printed additional image log based on the received image log, the print setting information, and the detection information in step S1203. As shown in FIG. 7, the preview image is a preview image 701 that highlights content with a high risk of information leakage. At this time, the generated preview image may be limited to, for example, not all pages of the job image but only the first page detected in step S802 or S810 as containing content with a high risk of information leakage. Also, if the job image does not contain pages with a high risk of information leakage, the image log management unit 404 may generate a preview image of the first page.

[0105] The image log management unit 404 encloses and highlights the detected string with a high risk of information leakage in a rectangle within the preview image of the page detected as having a high risk of information leakage. When enclosing the string in a rectangle, the image log management unit 404 determines the position of the rectangle in the job image of the image log from the position information such as the string stored in the storage device 204, page information, and the print setting information.

[0106] For example, when the print size for the input data at the time of printing is N / 1, the image log management unit 404 sets the X coordinate, Y coordinate, vertical size of the rectangle, and horizontal size of the rectangle of the position information to N / 1. Also, in the case of 2in1, the image log management unit 404 determines whether the page on which the corresponding page of the input data is printed is the right or left or top or bottom of the paper on which page, and determines the area of the corresponding page at the time of printing. The image log management unit 404 determines the X coordinate, Y coordinate, vertical size of the rectangle, and horizontal size of the rectangle from the size of the area of the corresponding page at this time.

[0107] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the process of step S811 for generating a preview image when the cloud image log server 110 receives an image log and print setting information.

[0108] In step S1301, the cloud image log server 110 determines whether detection information is stored in the storage device 204. If the detection information was stored in step S1203, the process proceeds to step S1303; if not, the process proceeds to step S1302.

[0109] In step S1302, the cloud image log server 110 generates a preview image of the first page of the job image stored in the storage device 204 and stores it in the storage device 204 linked to the image log. The image log management unit 404 manages the preview image. Then, the process of the flowchart in FIG. 13 ends.

[0110] In step S1303, the cloud image log server 110 obtains the first detected page from the detection information stored in the storage device 204, refers to the first detected page in the job image from the print setting information, and generates a preview image.

[0111] In step S1304, the cloud image log server 110 calculates the position of the detected character string on the corresponding page of the job image from the detection information and print setting information stored in the storage device 204, and draws a rectangle on the preview image generated in step S1303. Then, the process of the flowchart in FIG. 13 ends.

[0112] Here, in step S806, the image forming apparatus 120 prints the document or data received in step S805 based on the print setting information. In step S807, the image forming apparatus 120 generates a job image based on the printed document or data. This job image changes in terms of the number of pages, layout, etc. according to the print setting information (page layout or output size, etc.). Therefore, the page values and coordinates of the character strings with a high risk of information leakage in the document submitted in step S801 and the page values and coordinates of the character strings with a high risk of information leakage in the job image generated in step S807 are different from each other according to the print setting information.

[0113] In step S811, the cloud image log server 110 generates a preview image of the job image of the image log based on the detection information in step S1203. Here, this detection information is the detection information of the document submitted in step S801, and it indicates the page values and coordinates of the character strings with a high risk of information leakage in the document. The page values and coordinates of the character strings with a high risk of information leakage in the job image are unknown.

[0114] Therefore, in addition to the detection information in step S1203, the cloud image log server 110 identifies the page values and coordinates of the character strings with a high risk of information leakage in the job image based on the print setting information received in step S808. As a result, the cloud image log server 110 can draw a rectangle surrounding the character strings with a high risk of information leakage in the job image, enabling the highlighted display of the rectangles surrounding the specific character string 702 and the personal information 703 in FIG. 7.

[0115] In step 812 of FIG. 8, the cloud image log server 110 functions as a notification unit. If there is an image log detected to have a high risk of information leakage in step S810, it notifies the monitor's client terminal 100 to that effect via the communication unit 403 by sending an email.

[0116] In step S813, the monitor's client terminal 100 accesses, via the communication device 205, the image log list screen provided by the cloud image log server 110 according to the monitor's operation, and displays the image log list screen 600 (FIG. 6) on the display device 207 of the client terminal 100. The monitor's client terminal 100 can select an arbitrary image log from the displayed image log list screen 600 (FIG. 6) according to the monitor's operation, and display the preview image 701 (FIG. 7) of the job image of the selected image log. The cloud image log server 110 functions as a display control unit, and controls to display the job detailed information screen 700 including the preview image 701 on the monitor's client terminal 100 in response to an access request from the monitor's client terminal 100. In the information display area 712 of the job detailed information screen 700, as detection information, a content with a high risk of information leakage and a page value including the content with a high risk of information leakage are displayed.

[0117] According to the present embodiment, by determining the position of the rectangle in the job image of the image log from the print setting information and the position information, it is possible to detect a character string with a high risk of information leakage in the submitted document and display a rectangle on the preview image of the job image.

[0118] The cloud image log server 110 determines what drawing to perform from the submitted document when performing cloud printing, and performs the drawing determined from the submitted document on the job image generated by the image forming apparatus 120. The cloud image log server 110 can determine the drawing content from the submitted document and reflect it on the job image generated by the image forming apparatus 120. Therefore, even a character string that cannot be extracted from the job image depending on the OCR accuracy can be extracted from the submitted document, and it is possible to perform drawing such as surrounding the character string with a rectangle on the job image from the information of the extracted character string.

[0119] (Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the image forming apparatus 120 generates a job image (SPDF) of an image log. However, a home use image forming apparatus 900 (Fig. 9) used, for example, in the case of telecommuting does not have a character information extraction unit 306 and cannot generate a job image (SPDF).

[0120] In the second embodiment, an example of an image log generation method and a preview image generation method when using a home use image forming apparatus 900 (Fig. 9) will be described. Note that all configurations and processes not specifically specified are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0121] <System Configuration> Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an image log management system 930 according to the second embodiment. The image log management system 930 includes a client terminal 100, a cloud image log server 110, and an image forming apparatus 900.

[0122] The client terminal 100, the cloud image log server 110, and the image forming apparatus 900 are connected via the Internet. In the present embodiment, one client terminal 100 and one image forming apparatus 900 are described, but a plurality of each device may be connected to the Internet.

[0123] The client terminal 100 is used to operate the cloud image log server 110 and the image forming apparatus 900.

[0124] The cloud image log server 110 stores an image log (job attribute information, input data) and displays a list of the stored image logs.

[0125] The image forming apparatus 900 has functions such as scanning, printing, copying, FAX, and transmission, and executes jobs according to user operations. Also, the image forming apparatus 900 generates job attribute information regarding the executed jobs after job execution or in parallel with job execution, and transmits this information as job attribute information to the cloud image log server 110. Job attribute information refers to information regarding jobs such as the job execution user, execution date and time, device information, document name, and type of job executed.

[0126] In order to implement these functions, the image forming apparatus 900 may be a digital multifunction peripheral (MFP). By setting the transmission destination of the image log to the cloud image log server 110, the image log of the image forming apparatus 900 can be confirmed from the cloud image log server 110.

[0127] <Functional Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus> FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of the image forming apparatus 900 of FIG. 9. The functional configuration described in FIG. 10 is realized by the CPU 201 reading out and executing a program stored in, for example, the ROM 202 into the RAM 203.

[0128] The image forming apparatus 900 includes a setting management unit 1001, a job control unit 1002, a communication unit 1003, an image log control unit 1004, and a screen control unit 1005.

[0129] The setting management unit 1001 stores settings related to the execution of various functions of the image forming apparatus 900 in each storage device such as the RAM 203 and the storage device 204, and reads them out from each storage device. Here, the settings include, for example, copy settings for executing the copy function, print settings for executing the printing function, network settings, or individual identification information. Also, the settings include information on the transmission destination (cloud image log server 110) when job attribute information is generated during job execution.

[0130] The job control unit 1002 controls the scanner device 208 and the printer device 209 to execute various jobs based on a job execution request input by the input device 206 or received by the communication unit 1003. For example, in the case of a hold print job, the job control unit 1002 temporarily stores the print job received by the communication unit 1003 from the client terminal 100 in the storage device 204. Then, the job control unit 1002 executes the output of the stored print job according to a user instruction via the input device 206 of the subsequent image forming apparatus 900.

[0131] The communication unit 1003 receives, for example, a print job and a job execution request from the client terminal 100. Further, the communication unit 1003 transmits job attribute information to the cloud image log server 110. Furthermore, the communication unit 1003 receives setting information input on the setting screen of the cloud image log server 110 and reflects it in the setting values of the setting management unit 1001.

[0132] When a job is executed in the job control unit 1002, the image log control unit 1004 generates job attribute information after or in parallel with the job execution and stores it in the storage device 204.

[0133] The screen control unit 1005 displays a screen on the display device 207 and receives instructions from the user via the input device 206.

[0134] <Cloud Print Execution Flow> FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a processing method of the image log management system 930 according to the second embodiment, representing a flow in which an end user performs cloud printing using the image forming apparatus 900 and a monitor receives a notification and checks a log image.

[0135] In step S1101, the end-user's client terminal 100 submits (transmits) a document for printing to the cloud image log server 110 in response to the end-user's operation via the communication device 205. The cloud image log server 110 stores the received document in the storage device 204. In step S1101, the end-user's client terminal 100 can be printed from any image forming apparatus 900 during printing in step S1103 without specifying the image forming apparatus 900.

[0136] In step S1102, the detection unit 406 of the cloud image log server 110 detects whether the document stored in the storage device 204 contains content with a high risk of information leakage. Content with a high risk of information leakage includes, for example, cases where personal information or secret characters are included, or cases where a specific character string is specified in the settings (not shown) of the cloud image log server 110 and the specific character string is included. At this time, the cloud image log server 110 stores position information and page information such as the detected character string in the storage device 204.

[0137] In the case of a home-use image forming apparatus 900, the detection unit 406 performs risk detection using the document stored in the cloud image log server 110 instead of the job image generated by the image forming apparatus 900. Since the image forming apparatus 900 cannot generate a job image (SPDF), when a document is stored in the cloud image log server 110, the cloud image log server 110 uses the document as the job image of the image log.

[0138] In step S1103, the end-user's client terminal 100 selects a document stored in the cloud image log server 110 in response to an operation of the display device 207 of the end-user's client terminal 100 and transmits a print request to the image forming apparatus 900.

[0139] In step S1104, the image forming apparatus 900 transmits a request to acquire the document selected in step S1103 to the cloud image log server 110 via the communication unit 1003.

[0140] In step S1105, the cloud image log server 110 transmits the requested document stored in the storage device 204 to the image forming apparatus 900 via the communication unit 403. At this time, the cloud image log server 110 may transmit, as the data to be transmitted, not the document but the document converted into print data.

[0141] In step S1106, the image forming apparatus 900 prints (executes a job) the data received from the cloud image log server 110 by the printer device 209 via the communication unit 1003. At this time, the image forming apparatus 900 stores print setting information (such as paper size and page layout) in the storage device 204.

[0142] In step S1107, the image log control unit 1004 of the image forming apparatus 900 generates job attribute information based on the printed data and stores it in the storage device 204. The job attribute information includes the job execution user, execution date and time, device information, document name, type of job executed, and the like. Step S1107 is performed after the execution of the job in step S1106 or in parallel with the execution of the job.

[0143] In step S1108, the image forming apparatus 900 transmits the job attribute information stored in the storage device 204 in step S1107 to the cloud image log server 110 via the communication unit 1003. At this time, the image forming apparatus 900 transmits the print setting information stored in the storage device 204 to the cloud image log server 110 together with the job attribute information. After transmitting the job attribute information and the print setting information to the cloud image log server 110, the image log control unit 1004 of the image forming apparatus 900 deletes the job attribute information and the print setting information from the storage device 204.

[0144] In step S1109, the cloud image log server 110 receives the job attribute information and the print setting information transmitted from the image forming apparatus 900 via the communication unit 403. The image log management unit 404 stores and manages the received job attribute information and print setting information in the storage device 204.

[0145] In step S1110, the detection unit 406 detects whether the job attribute information stored in the storage device 204 contains content with a high risk of information leakage (such as execution time and destination), and checks whether it was detected in step S1102 that the risk of information leakage is high.

[0146] In step S1111, the image log management unit 404 of the cloud image log server 110 generates a preview image of the print based on the job attribute information added based on the job attribute information in step S1108, the print setting information, and the document in step S1101. At this time, the preview image to be generated may be limited to, for example, not all pages of the job image but only the first page detected in step S1102 or S1110 to have a high risk of information leakage. Also, when the job image does not include a page detected to have a high risk of information leakage, the image log management unit 404 may generate a preview image of the first page.

[0147] The image log management unit 404 converts the document stored in the storage device 204 and the print setting information into an image adjusted to the settings for printing by the image forming apparatus 900 as the preview image. For example, when the print size is N / 1, the image log management unit 404 sets the preview image to the size of N / 1. Also, in the case of 2in1, the image log management unit 404 arranges two pages of the input data side by side vertically or horizontally on one page and adjusts the size so that it fits within the print size.

[0148] Furthermore, similar to FIG. 13, the image log management unit 404 surrounds the character string detected to have a high risk of information leakage in the preview image of the page determined to have a high risk of information leakage with a rectangle and highlights it. When surrounding the character string with a rectangle, the image log management unit 404 determines the position of the rectangle in the preview image from the position information and page information of the character string stored in the storage device 204 and the print setting information.

[0149] For example, when the print size is N / 1 for the input data at the time of printing, the image log management unit 404 sets the X coordinate, Y coordinate, vertical size of the rectangle, and horizontal size of the rectangle of the position information to N / 1. Also, in the case of 2in1, the image log management unit 404 determines whether the page where the corresponding page of the input data is printed is on the right or left or top or bottom of the paper of which page number, and determines the area of the corresponding page at the time of printing. The image log management unit 404 determines the X coordinate, Y coordinate, vertical size of the rectangle, and horizontal size of the rectangle from the size of the area of the corresponding page at this time. For highlighting, a preview image may be generated after generating a rectangle for the input data.

[0150] In step 1112, when there is job attribute information detected by the cloud image log server 110 in step S1102 or S1110 as having a high risk of information leakage, the cloud image log server 110 sends an email to that effect to the monitor's client terminal 100 via the communication unit 403.

[0151] In step S1113, the monitor's client terminal 100 accesses, via the communication device 205, the image log list screen provided by the cloud image log server 110 according to the monitor's operation, and displays the image log list screen 600 (FIG. 6) on the display device 207 of the monitor's client terminal 100. The monitor's client terminal 100 can select arbitrary job attribute information (image log) from the displayed image log list screen 600 (FIG. 6) according to the monitor's operation, and display the preview image 701 (FIG. 7) of the selected job attribute information.

[0152] According to this embodiment, it becomes possible for the image forming apparatus 900 to transmit job attribute information to the cloud image log server 110, and for the cloud image log server 110 to generate a preview image corresponding to the job image at the time of printing from the input data.

[0153] (Other Embodiments) The present disclosure can also be implemented by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus via a network or a storage medium, and causing one or more processors in a computer of the system or apparatus to read and execute the program. It can also be implemented by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0154] Note that the above-described embodiments are merely specific examples for implementing the present disclosure, and the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limitedly interpreted by these. That is, the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms without departing from its technical idea or its main features.

[0155] The disclosure of the present embodiment includes the following configurations and methods. (Configuration 1) A server and an image forming apparatus, wherein the server has storage means for storing the received document, and determination means for determining whether the document stored by the storage means contains content with a high risk of information leakage, wherein the image forming apparatus has receiving means for receiving, based on a print request, the document stored by the storage means in the server or data based on the document, printing means for printing the document or print data received by the receiving means based on print setting information, and transmission means for transmitting the print setting information to the server, wherein the server when it is determined by the determination means that the content contains a high risk of information leakage, based on the print setting information received from the image forming apparatus, first generation means for generating a preview image of the print in which the content with a high risk of information leakage is highlighted, and when it is determined by the determination means that the content contains a high risk of information leakage, notification means for notifying the fact, An image log management system, characterized by comprising display control means for controlling to display the preview image on the first client terminal in response to an access request from the first client terminal. (Configuration 2) The image forming apparatus has second generation means for generating a job image obtained by performing character extraction on a document printed by the printing means or printing data, The transmission means of the image forming apparatus transmits the print setting information and the job image to the server, The first generation means of the server generates the preview image based on the setting information received from the image forming apparatus and the job image. The image log management system according to Configuration 1. (Configuration 3) The first generation means of the server generates the preview image based on the setting information received from the image forming apparatus and the document stored by the storage means. The image log management system according to Configuration 1. (Configuration 4) The storage means receives a document from a second client terminal, The receiving means receives, based on a print request from the second client terminal, the document stored by the storage means in the server or data based on the document. The image log management system according to any one of Configurations 1 to 3. (Configuration 5) The determination means determines whether the document stored by the storage means contains a string with a high risk of information leakage. The image log management system according to any one of Configurations 1 to 4. (Configuration 6) The display control means controls to display, in response to an access request from the first client terminal, the preview image, the content with a high risk of information leakage, and the page value including the content with a high risk of information leakage on the first client terminal. The image log management system according to any one of Configurations 1 to 5. (Method 1) A processing method of an image log management system having a server and an image forming apparatus, comprising: a saving step in which the server saves the received document; a determination step in which the server determines whether the document saved in the saving step contains content with a high risk of information leakage; a receiving step in which the image forming apparatus receives, based on a print request, the document saved in the saving step by the server or data based on the document; a printing step in which the image forming apparatus prints the document or print data received in the receiving step based on print setting information; a transmitting step in which the image forming apparatus transmits the print setting information to the server; a first generation step in which, when the server determines in the determination step that the content contains a high risk of information leakage, the server generates a print preview image that highlights the content with a high risk of information leakage based on the print setting information received from the image forming apparatus; a notification step in which, when the server determines in the determination step that the content contains a high risk of information leakage, the server notifies to that effect; a display control step in which the server controls to display the preview image on the first client terminal in response to an access request from the first client terminal characterized by comprising the above steps.

Explanation of Signs

[0156] 110 Cloud image log server, 120 Image forming apparatus, 301 Setting management unit, 302 Job control unit, 303 Communication unit, 304 Image log control unit, 305 Screen control unit, 306 Character information extraction unit, 401 Setting management unit, 402 Device management unit, 403 Communication unit, 404 Image log management unit, 405 Screen control unit, 406 Detection unit

Claims

1. A server and, an image forming apparatus, and the server has storage means for storing the received document, and judgment means for judging whether the document stored by the storage means contains content with a high risk of information leakage, and the image forming apparatus has receiving means for receiving, based on a print request, the document stored by the storage means in the server or data based on the document, printing means for printing the document or print data received by the receiving means based on print setting information, and transmission means for transmitting the print setting information to the server, and the server has first generation means for generating a preview image of the print that highlights the content with a high risk of information leakage based on the print setting information received from the image forming apparatus when it is judged by the judgment means that the content contains content with a high risk of information leakage, notification means for notifying when it is judged by the judgment means that the content contains content with a high risk of information leakage, and display control means for controlling to display the preview image on the first client terminal in response to an access request from the first client terminal. An image log management system characterized by having.

2. The image forming apparatus has second generation means for generating a job image obtained by performing character extraction on the document or print data printed by the printing means, the transmission means of the image forming apparatus transmits the print setting information and the job image to the server, The first generation means of the server generates the preview image based on the setting information received from the image forming apparatus and the job image. The image log management system according to claim 1, characterized in that.

3. The first generation means of the server generates the preview image based on the setting information received from the image forming apparatus and the document stored by the storage means. The image log management system according to claim 1, characterized in that.

4. The storage means receives a document from a second client terminal, The receiving means receives, based on a print request from the second client terminal, the document stored by the storage means in the server or data based on the document. The image log management system according to claim 1, characterized in that.

5. The image log management system according to claim 1, wherein the determination means determines whether the document stored by the storage means contains a character string with a high risk of information leakage.

6. The image log management system according to claim 1, wherein the display control means controls to display, on the first client terminal, the preview image, the content with a high risk of information leakage, and the page value including the content with a high risk of information leakage in response to an access request from the first client terminal.

7. A processing method of an image log management system having a server and an image forming apparatus, a storage step in which the server stores the received document; a determination step in which the server determines whether the document stored in the storage step contains content with a high risk of information leakage; a reception step in which the image forming apparatus receives, based on a print request, the document stored in the storage step by the server or data based on the document; a printing step in which the image forming apparatus prints the document or print data received in the reception step based on print setting information; a transmission step in which the image forming apparatus transmits the print setting information to the server; a first generation step in which, when it is determined in the determination step that the content with a high risk of information leakage is included, the server generates a preview image of the print in which the content with a high risk of information leakage is highlighted based on the print setting information received from the image forming apparatus; a notification step in which, when it is determined in the determination step that the content with a high risk of information leakage is included, the server notifies to that effect; a display control step in which the server controls to display the preview image on the first client terminal in response to an access request from the first client terminal characterized by comprising.

Images