Electronic apparatus, and operation control method

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus and an operation control method that can prevent a situation where use of the electronic apparatus is continued with an administrator password being an initial password.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 100A comprises: a determination processing unit 31 that, when the image forming apparatus 100A is started-up, determines whether an administrator password used for authentication of an administrator is an initial password; a start-up processing unit 32 that, when the determination processing unit 31 determines that the administrator password is the initial password, starts up the image forming apparatus 100A in a restriction mode in which functions of the image forming apparatus are restricted; and a reception processing unit 33A that, when the image forming apparatus is started up in the restriction mode, receives an operation to change the administrator password.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device and an operation control method. [Background technology]

[0002] In electronic devices such as printers, an administrator password is preset to be used for authenticating the administrator of the electronic device. Also, a related technology is known in which an electronic device displays a message urging the user to change the administrator password if the administrator password is an initial password set by the vendor (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-196821 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the electronic device according to the related art described above, it is not possible to prevent the electronic device from being used continuously while the administrator password is the initial password.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device and an operation control method that can prevent continued use of the electronic device while the administrator password is still the initial password. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, an electronic device includes a determination processor, a startup processor, and a reception processor. When the device is started, the determination processor determines whether an administrator password used to authenticate an administrator of the device is a predetermined initial password. When the determination processor determines that the administrator password is the initial password, the startup processor starts the device in a restricted mode in which functions of the device are restricted. When started in the restricted mode, the reception processor accepts an operation to change the administrator password.

[0007] An operation control method according to another aspect of the present invention is executed by an electronic device and includes a determination step, a startup step, and a reception step. In the determination step, when the device is started up, it is determined whether an administrator password used to authenticate an administrator of the device is a predetermined initial password. In the startup step, if it is determined in the determination step that the administrator password is the initial password, the device is started up in a restricted mode in which functions of the device are restricted. In the reception step, when started up in the restricted mode, an operation to change the administrator password is received. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the administrator password from being continuously used in a state where it is the initial password. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a first operation control process executed in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a second operation control process executed in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiment is an example of a specific embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0011] [First embodiment] First, the configuration of an image forming apparatus 100A according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Here, Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus 100A.

[0012] Image forming apparatus 100A is a multifunction peripheral having multiple functions such as a scanning function, a printing function, a fax function, and a copying function. Image forming apparatus 100A is an example of an electronic device of the present invention. Note that the electronic device of the present invention may also be a printer, a scanner, a fax machine, a copier, a washing machine, a refrigerator, a vending machine, an ATM (automated teller machine), or the like.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the image forming apparatus 100A includes an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 1, an image reading unit 2, an image forming unit 3, a sheet conveying unit 4, an operation display unit 5A, a communication unit 6, a memory unit 7, and a control unit 8.

[0014] The ADF 1 transports an original document to be read by the image reading unit 2. The ADF 1 includes an original document setting unit, a plurality of transport rollers, an original document holder, and a paper discharge unit.

[0015] The image reading unit 2 reads an image of a document. That is, the image reading unit 2 realizes the scanning function. The image reading unit 2 includes a document table, a light source, a plurality of mirrors, an optical lens, and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device).

[0016] The image forming unit 3 forms an image on a sheet based on image data. In other words, the image forming unit 3 realizes the printing function. Specifically, the image forming unit 3 forms an image using an electrophotographic method. The image forming unit 3 includes a photosensitive drum, a charging device, an optical scanning unit (LSU), a developing device, a transfer device, a cleaning device, and a fixing device. Note that the image forming unit 3 may also form an image using a method other than the electrophotographic method, such as an inkjet method.

[0017] The sheet transport unit 4 transports a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit 3. The sheet transport unit 4 includes a paper feed cassette and a plurality of transport rollers.

[0018] The operation display unit 5A is a user interface of the image forming apparatus 100A. The operation display unit 5A includes a first display unit and a first operation unit. The first display unit displays various information in response to control instructions from the control unit 8. For example, the first display unit is a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display. The first operation unit inputs various information to the control unit 8 in response to user operations. For example, the first operation unit includes operation keys (hard keys) and a touch panel.

[0019] The communication unit 6 is a communication interface that can execute wired or wireless data communication with an external communication device.

[0020] The control unit 8 performs overall control of the image forming apparatus 100A. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 8 includes a CPU 21, a ROM 22, and a RAM 23. The CPU 21 is a processor that executes various types of arithmetic processing. The ROM 22 is a non-volatile storage device that stores in advance information such as control programs for causing the CPU 21 to execute various types of processing. The RAM 23 is a volatile or non-volatile storage device that is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for the various types of processing executed by the CPU 21. In the control unit 8, the CPU 21 executes the various control programs that have been stored in advance in the ROM 22. In this way, the control unit 8 performs overall control of the image forming apparatus 100A.

[0021] The storage unit 7 is a nonvolatile storage device. For example, the storage unit 7 is a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory. The storage unit 7 may also be a storage device such as an SSD (Solid State Drive) or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0022] A character string indicating an administrator password used to authenticate the administrator of image forming apparatus 100A is stored in advance in a predetermined first storage area in storage unit 7. The administrator has authority that ordinary users do not have, such as the authority to change security settings of image forming apparatus 100A.

[0023] For example, in response to a predetermined operation on the operation / display unit 5A, the control unit 8 causes the operation / display unit 5A to display an administrator authentication screen used to authenticate the administrator. The administrator authentication screen accepts an operation to input a verification string used to verify the administrator password. When the verification string is input on the administrator authentication screen, the control unit 8 determines whether the input verification string matches a string stored in the first storage area. When the control unit 8 determines that the input verification string matches a string stored in the first storage area, the control unit 8 determines that the user currently using the image forming apparatus 100A is the administrator and allows the administrator to log in to the image forming apparatus 100A.

[0024] The administrator password for the image forming apparatus 100A at the time of shipment from the factory is an initial password set by the vendor side. The administrator can arbitrarily change the administrator password by performing a predetermined operation.

[0025] Incidentally, there is known a related art in an electronic device that displays a message urging the user to change the administrator password when the administrator password is the initial password.

[0026] However, in the electronic device according to the related art described above, it is not possible to prevent the electronic device from being used continuously while the administrator password is the initial password.

[0027] In contrast to this, in the image forming apparatus 100A according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as will be described below, it is possible to prevent the image forming apparatus 100A from being continuously used in a state where the administrator password is the initial password.

[0028] Specifically, an operation control program for causing CPU 21 of control unit 8 to execute a first operation control process (see the flowchart in FIG. 3) described below is stored in advance in ROM 22 of control unit 8. The operation control program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD, DVD, or flash memory, and may be read from the recording medium and installed in a storage device such as memory unit 7.

[0029] 2, the control unit 8 includes a determination processing unit 31, a startup processing unit 32, a reception processing unit 33A, a temporary transition processing unit 34, and a transition processing unit 35. Specifically, the control unit 8 uses the CPU 21 to execute the operation control program stored in the ROM 22. As a result, the control unit 8 functions as each of the above-mentioned processing units.

[0030] Note that some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 8 may be configured with electronic circuits. Also, the operation control program may be a program for causing a plurality of processors to function as the processing units included in the control unit 8.

[0031] When the image forming apparatus 100A is started up, the determination processing unit 31 determines whether the administrator password used to authenticate the administrator of the image forming apparatus 100A is the initial password.

[0032] For example, in the image forming apparatus 100A, a character string indicating the initial password is stored in a second storage area in the storage unit 7, which is different from the first storage area.

[0033] Then, the determination processing unit 31 determines that the administrator password is the initial password if the character string stored in the first storage area matches the character string stored in the second storage area.

[0034] If the determination processing unit 31 determines that the administrator password is the initial password, the start-up processing unit 32 starts up the image forming apparatus 100A in a restricted mode in which the functions of the image forming apparatus 100A are restricted.

[0035] Furthermore, if the determination processing unit 31 determines that the administrator password is not the initial password, the startup processing unit 32 starts the image forming apparatus 100A in a normal mode in which the functions of the image forming apparatus 100A are not limited.

[0036] For example, in the restricted mode, functions other than those of the reception processing unit 33A, the temporary transition processing unit 34, and the transition processing unit 35 are disabled. In other words, when the operation mode of the image forming device 100A is in the restricted mode, the user of the image forming device 100A cannot use functions other than those of the reception processing unit 33A, the temporary transition processing unit 34, and the transition processing unit 35.

[0037] When the image forming apparatus 100A is started in the restricted mode, the reception processing unit 33A receives an operation to change the administrator password.

[0038] For example, when image forming apparatus 100A is started in the restricted mode, reception processor 33A causes operation display unit 5A to display a reception screen used for the change operation. For example, the reception screen includes an input field used to input a character string indicating the changed administrator password and a change key used to instruct execution of a change process to change the administrator password to the character string input in the input field. In this case, the change operation includes an operation of inputting a character string in the input field and an operation on the change key. For example, the change key is displayed as unselectable until the number of characters input in the input field reaches a predetermined minimum number. In other words, image forming apparatus 100A prohibits setting a password with a number of characters less than the minimum number as the administrator password.

[0039] For example, when the change key is operated on the reception screen, the control unit 8 executes the change process, in which the character string stored in the first storage area is replaced with the character string entered in the entry field (the changed administrator password).

[0040] When the image forming device 100A is started in the restricted mode and a predetermined temporary transition operation is accepted, the temporary transition processing unit 34 transitions the operating mode of the image forming device 100A from the restricted mode to the normal mode in which the functions of the device are not restricted until a predetermined termination condition is satisfied.

[0041] For example, the reception screen includes a skip button used for the temporary transition operation.

[0042] When the skip button is operated on the reception screen, temporary transition processing unit 34 transitions the operation mode of image forming device 100A from the restricted mode to the normal mode, allowing the user of image forming device 100A to use the functions of image forming device 100A without any restrictions.

[0043] For example, the termination condition may be that any function of image forming apparatus 100A is used, or that a predetermined time has elapsed since the skip button was operated.

[0044] When the termination condition is satisfied after the operation mode of image forming apparatus 100A has been switched to the normal mode, temporary transition processing unit 34 switches the operation mode of image forming apparatus 100A from the normal mode to the restricted mode. In this case, the reception screen is displayed on operation display unit 5A. Note that the skip button may be displayed as unselectable on the reception screen displayed after temporary switching to the normal mode by temporary transition processing unit 34.

[0045] The temporary transition operation may be an operation on a predetermined operation key (hard key) included in the first operation unit of the operation display unit 5A. In this case, the reception screen does not need to include the skip button.

[0046] When the administrator password is changed from the initial password by the change operation, the transition processing unit 35 transitions the operation mode of the image forming device 100A from the restricted mode to the normal mode in which the functions of the device itself are not restricted.

[0047] [First operation control process] 3, an example of the procedure of the first operation control process executed by the control unit 8 in the image forming apparatus 100A and the operation control method of the present invention will be described below. Here, steps S11, S12, etc. represent the numbers of the processing procedures (steps) executed by the control unit 8. The first operation control process is executed when the image forming apparatus 100A is started up.

[0048] <Step S11> First, in step S11, the control unit 8 determines whether the administrator password is the initial password. The process of step S11 is an example of a determination step of the present invention, and is executed by the determination processing unit 31 of the control unit 8.

[0049] Specifically, the control unit 8 determines that the administrator password is the initial password when the character string stored in the first storage area matches the character string stored in the second storage area.

[0050] If the control unit 8 determines that the administrator password is the initial password (Yes in S11), the control unit 8 proceeds to step S12. If the administrator password is not the initial password (No in S11), the control unit 8 proceeds to step S19.

[0051] <Step S12> In step S12, the control unit 8 starts up the image forming apparatus 100A in the restricted mode. The process of step S12 is an example of a start-up step of the present invention, and is executed by the start-up processing unit 32 of the control unit 8.

[0052] <Step S13> In step S13, the control unit 8 causes the operation display unit 5A to display the reception screen. The process of step S13 is an example of a reception step of the present invention, and is executed by the reception processing unit 33A of the control unit 8.

[0053] <Step S14> In step S14, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the change operation has been accepted on the acceptance screen.

[0054] Specifically, when the change key included in the reception screen is operated, the control unit 8 determines that the change operation has been received.

[0055] Here, when the control unit 8 determines that the change operation has been accepted (Yes in S14), it executes the change process and shifts the process to step S19. The process of shifting the process to step S19 after the change process is executed is executed by the shift processing unit 35 of the control unit 8. On the other hand, when the change operation has not been accepted (No in S14), the control unit 8 shifts the process to step S15.

[0056] <Step S15> In step S15, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the temporary transition operation has been accepted on the acceptance screen.

[0057] Specifically, when the skip button included in the reception screen is operated, the control unit 8 determines that the temporary transition operation has been received.

[0058] Here, if the control unit 8 determines that the temporary shift operation has been received (Yes in S15), the control unit 8 shifts the process to step S16. On the other hand, if the temporary shift operation has not been received (No in S15), the control unit 8 shifts the process to step S14.

[0059] <Step S16> In step S16, control unit 8 shifts the operation mode of image forming apparatus 100A to the normal mode.

[0060] <Step S17> In step S17, the control unit 8 determines whether the termination condition is met.

[0061] Specifically, when any function of image forming apparatus 100A is used, control unit 8 determines that the termination condition is satisfied.

[0062] Here, if the control unit 8 determines that the termination condition is satisfied (Yes in S17), it shifts the process to step S18. On the other hand, if the termination condition is not satisfied (No in S17), the control unit 8 waits for the termination condition to be satisfied in step S17.

[0063] <Step S18> In step S18, control unit 8 causes image forming apparatus 100A to transition to the restricted mode. The processes of steps S15 to S18 are executed by temporary transition processing unit 34 of control unit 8.

[0064] <Step S19> In step S19, the control unit 8 starts up the image forming apparatus 100A in the normal mode. The process of step S19 is executed by the start-up processing unit 32 of the control unit 8.

[0065] In this way, when the administrator password is the initial password at startup, the image forming apparatus 100A is started in the restricted mode and the change operation is accepted. This restricts use of functions of the image forming apparatus 100A until the administrator password is changed from the initial password. Therefore, it is possible to prevent continued use of the image forming apparatus 100A while the administrator password is the initial password.

[0066] Furthermore, when the image forming apparatus 100A is started in the restricted mode and the temporary transition operation is accepted, the operation mode is temporarily transitioned from the restricted mode to the normal mode, which allows a service person who installs the image forming apparatus 100A to check the operation of the image forming apparatus 100A before the user changes the administrator password.

[0067] [Second embodiment] The configuration of an image forming apparatus 100B according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0068] 2 and 4, image forming apparatus 100B differs from image forming apparatus 100A in that it includes operation display unit 5B, reception processing unit 33B, and output processing unit 36 ​​instead of operation display unit 5A, reception processing unit 33A, and temporary transition processing unit 34. Note that other points are common to image forming apparatus 100A and image forming apparatus 100B. Below, only the configuration of image forming apparatus 100B that is different from image forming apparatus 100A will be described.

[0069] The operation display unit 5B includes a second display unit and a second operation unit. The second display unit is capable of displaying multi-digit numbers. The second display unit is used to display the number of copies to be printed specified by the user. The second display unit cannot display the reception screen. The second operation unit includes operation keys (hard keys) used to specify the number of copies to be printed and to input instructions to execute the print function.

[0070] When image forming apparatus 100B is started in the restricted mode, reception processing unit 33B receives the change operation from an operation input device communicably connected to image forming apparatus 100B. For example, the operation input device is a personal computer. Note that the operation input device may also be a notebook computer, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like.

[0071] For example, when the image forming apparatus 100B is connected to a communication network, upon receiving a request to display a web page from the operation input device connected to the communication network, the reception processing unit 33B displays the web page including the reception screen on the display unit of the operation input device. For example, the communication network is a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet.

[0072] When image forming apparatus 100B is started in the restricted mode and connected to the communication network, output processing unit 36 ​​outputs identification information of image forming apparatus 100B in the communication network in response to a predetermined output operation. For example, the identification information includes an IP address and a subnet address of image forming apparatus 100B. The output operation is an operation on a predetermined operation key included in the second operation unit of operation display unit 5B.

[0073] Specifically, when the output operation is accepted, the output processing unit 36 ​​prints the identification information on a sheet using the image forming unit 3. The output processing unit 36 ​​may also print the serial number of the image forming device 100B on the sheet together with the identification information.

[0074] [Second operation control process] An example of the procedure of the second operation control process executed by the control unit 8 in the image forming apparatus 100B will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. The second operation control process is executed when the image forming apparatus 100B is started up.

[0075] <Step S21> First, in step S21, the control unit 8 determines whether the administrator password is the initial password. The process of step S21 is executed by the determination processing unit 31 of the control unit 8.

[0076] If the control unit 8 determines that the administrator password is the initial password (Yes in S21), the control unit 8 proceeds to step S22. If the administrator password is not the initial password (No in S21), the control unit 8 proceeds to step S29.

[0077] <Step S22> In step S22, the control unit 8 starts up the image forming apparatus 100B in the restricted mode. The process of step S22 is executed by the start-up processing unit 32 of the control unit 8.

[0078] <Step S23> In step S23, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the image forming apparatus 100B is connected to the communication network.

[0079] Specifically, the control unit 8 determines that it is connected to the communication network when an IP address is assigned by a router of the communication network.

[0080] Here, if the control unit 8 determines that the image forming device 100B is connected to the communication network (Yes in S23), the control unit 8 shifts the process to step S24. On the other hand, if the image forming device 100B is not connected to the communication network (No in S23), the control unit 8 waits in step S23 for the image forming device 100B to be connected to the communication network.

[0081] <Step S24> In step S24, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the output operation has been accepted.

[0082] Specifically, the control unit 8 determines that the output operation has been accepted when an operation on a predetermined operation key included in the second operation unit of the operation display unit 5B has been accepted.

[0083] Here, if the control unit 8 determines that the output operation has been received (Yes in S24), the control unit 8 shifts the process to step S25. On the other hand, if the output operation has not been received (No in S24), the control unit 8 shifts the process to step S26.

[0084] <Step S25> In step S25, the control unit 8 executes an output process to output the identification information. The process of step S25 is executed by the output processing unit 36 ​​of the control unit 8.

[0085] Specifically, the control unit 8 causes the image forming unit 3 to print the identification information on a sheet.

[0086] This allows the user to access the image forming apparatus 100B from the operation input device connected to the communication network, using the identification information printed on the sheet.

[0087] <Step S26> In step S26, the control unit 8 determines whether or not a request to display the web page has been received from the operation input device connected to the communication network.

[0088] Here, if the control unit 8 determines that the request to display the web page has been received (Yes in S26), it shifts the process to step S27. On the other hand, if the request to display the web page has not been received (No in S26), it shifts the process to step S24.

[0089] <Step S27> In step S27, the control unit 8 causes the display unit of the operation input device to display the web page including the reception screen. The process of step S27 is executed by the reception processing unit 33B of the control unit 8.

[0090] <Step S28> In step S28, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the change operation has been accepted on the acceptance screen.

[0091] Here, when the control unit 8 determines that the change operation has been accepted (Yes in S28), it executes the change process and shifts the process to step S29. The process of shifting the process to step S29 after the change process is executed is executed by the shift processing unit 35 of the control unit 8. On the other hand, when the change operation has not been accepted (No in S28), the control unit 8 waits for acceptance of the change operation in step S28.

[0092] <Step S29> In step S29, the control unit 8 starts up the image forming apparatus 100B in the normal mode. The process of step S29 is executed by the start-up processing unit 32 of the control unit 8.

[0093] In this way, in the image forming apparatus 100B, similarly to the image forming apparatus 100A, it is possible to prevent the image forming apparatus 100A from being continuously used in a state where the administrator password is the initial password.

[0094] Image forming apparatus 100B may include operation display unit 5A instead of operation display unit 5B. That is, image forming apparatus 100B may be capable of displaying the reception screen. In this case, control unit 8 may include both reception processing unit 33A and reception processing unit 33B. Furthermore, the output process may be a process of displaying the identification information on operation display unit 5A.

[0095] Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 100B may be communicably connected to the operation input device via a USB cable. In this case, when the image forming apparatus 100B is communicably connected to the operation input device via the USB cable, the reception processing unit 33B may display the reception screen on the display unit of the operation input device.

[0096] Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 100B may perform wireless communication with the operation input device in accordance with a predetermined wireless communication standard. For example, the wireless communication standard is Bluetooth (registered trademark). In this case, when the image forming apparatus 100B can perform wireless communication with the operation input device in accordance with the wireless communication standard, the reception processing unit 33B may display the reception screen on the display unit of the operation input device.

[0097] The communication network may be a wireless LAN. In this case, when image forming apparatus 100B is started in the restricted mode and a predetermined display operation is accepted, control unit 8 may display a setting screen used for wireless LAN connection settings on operation / display unit 5A or the operation input device capable of performing wireless communication in accordance with the wireless communication standard. The display operation may be an operation on an operation key (soft key) included in the acceptance screen, or an operation key (hard key) included in the first operation unit or the second operation unit. The setting screen accepts an operation to input an SSID (service set identifier) ​​and an operation to input a password. When an operation to input an SSID and a password is accepted on the setting screen, control unit 8 may connect image forming apparatus 100B to the wireless LAN based on the input information.

[0098] Furthermore, the control unit 8 does not need to include the transition processing unit 35. In this case, the control unit 8 may restart the image forming apparatus 100B (or the image forming apparatus 100A) when the administrator password is changed from the initial password by the change operation.

[0099] [Notes on the Invention] The following is a summary of the invention extracted from the above-described embodiment. Note that the configurations and processing functions described in the following supplementary notes can be selected and combined as desired.

[0100] <Appendix 1> An electronic device comprising: a judgment processing unit that, when the device is started, determines whether an administrator password used to authenticate an administrator of the device is a predetermined initial password; a startup processing unit that, when the judgment processing unit determines that the administrator password is the initial password, starts the device in a restricted mode in which the functions of the device are restricted; and a reception processing unit that, when started in the restricted mode, accepts an operation to change the administrator password.

[0101] <Appendix 2> 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the reception processing unit receives the change operation in an operation input device communicably connected to the electronic device.

[0102] <Appendix 3> The electronic device described in Appendix 2 is provided with an output processing unit that outputs identification information of the device in the communication network in response to a predetermined output operation when the electronic device is started in the restricted mode and connected to the communication network.

[0103] <Appendix 4> An electronic device as described in any of Appendices 1 to 3, comprising a temporary transition processing unit that, when started in the restricted mode and a predetermined temporary transition operation is accepted, transitions the operating mode of the device from the restricted mode to a normal mode in which the functions of the device are not restricted until a predetermined termination condition is met.

[0104] <Appendix 5> An electronic device as described in any of Appendices 1 to 4, comprising a transition processing unit that transitions the operating mode of the device from the restricted mode to a normal mode in which the functions of the device are not restricted when the administrator password is changed from the initial password by the change operation.

[0105] <Appendix 6> 6. The electronic device according to any one of appendices 1 to 5, comprising either or both of an image reading unit that reads an image of a document and an image forming unit that forms an image based on image data.

[0106] <Appendix 7> An operation control method executed by an electronic device, the operation control method including: a determination step of determining whether an administrator password used to authenticate an administrator of the device is a predetermined initial password when the device is started up; a startup step of starting the device in a restricted mode in which the functions of the device are restricted when the determination step determines that the administrator password is the initial password; and a reception step of accepting an operation to change the administrator password when the device is started up in the restricted mode. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 1 ADF 2 Image reading unit 3 Image forming unit 4 Sheet transport section 5A Operation display section 6. Communications Department 7 Memory section 8 Control Unit 31 Judgment processing unit 32 Startup processing section 33A Reception Department 34 Temporary transition processing unit 35 Transition processing section 36 Output Processing Section 100A Image forming device

Claims

1. a determination processing unit that determines whether an administrator password used to authenticate an administrator of the device is a predetermined initial password when the device is started up; a startup processing unit that starts the device in a restricted mode in which functions of the device are restricted when the determination processing unit determines that the administrator password is the initial password; a reception processing unit that receives an operation to change the administrator password when the computer is started in the restricted mode; An electronic device comprising:

2. the reception processing unit receives the change operation from an operation input device communicably connected to the device itself; The electronic device according to claim 1 .

3. an output processing unit that outputs identification information of the device in the communication network in response to a predetermined output operation when the device is started in the restricted mode and connected to the communication network; The electronic device according to claim 2 .

4. a temporary transition processing unit that, when activated in the limited mode and a predetermined temporary transition operation is accepted, transitions the operation mode of the device from the limited mode to a normal mode in which functions of the device are not limited until a predetermined termination condition is satisfied; 4. The electronic device according to claim 1.

5. a transition processing unit that transitions the operation mode of the device from the restricted mode to a normal mode in which functions of the device are not restricted when the administrator password is changed from the initial password by the change operation; 4. The electronic device according to claim 1.

6. The image forming apparatus includes an image reading unit that reads an image of a document and / or an image forming unit that forms an image based on image data.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1.

7. An operation control method executed in an electronic device, comprising: a determination step of determining whether an administrator password used to authenticate an administrator of the device is a predetermined initial password when the device is started up; a startup step of starting the device in a limited mode in which functions of the device are limited when it is determined in the determination step that the administrator password is the initial password; a receiving step of receiving an operation to change the administrator password when the computer is started in the restricted mode; An operation control method including:

Images