Processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and processing method of processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a processing device and the like capable of deleting stored data at an appropriate timing, for example.SOLUTION: A processing device of the present disclosure includes an acquisition unit that acquires data having information of a generated date and time as a date and time attribute, a storage unit that stores the acquired data, and a control unit, in which the control unit updates the date and time attribute of the data acquired by the acquisition unit with the date and time acquired by the acquisition unit, and deletes data for which a predetermined period has elapsed from the date and time of the date and time attribute from the data in the storage unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a processing device and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that determines whether or not the storage period for a digital image has expired based on the date, and automatically deletes the digital image if the period has expired. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-203360 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide, for example, a processing device or the like that can delete stored data at an appropriate timing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The processing device of the present disclosure comprises an acquisition unit that acquires data having information on the date and time of generation as a date and time attribute, a memory unit that stores the acquired data, and a control unit, wherein the control unit updates the date and time attribute of the data acquired by the acquisition unit with the date and time acquired by the acquisition unit, and deletes data from the memory unit that has been in use for a predetermined period of time since the date and time attribute.

[0006] The image forming apparatus of the present disclosure comprises an acquisition unit that acquires content data including the date and time the data was generated as attribute information, a memory unit that stores the acquired content data, an image forming unit that forms an image based on the content data, and a control unit, wherein the control unit updates the date and time attribute of the data acquired by the acquisition unit with the date and time acquired by the acquisition unit, and deletes content data from the content data in the memory unit that has been in use for a predetermined period of time since the date and time attribute.

[0007] The processing method of the processing device disclosed herein includes an acquisition step of acquiring data having information on the date and time of generation as a date and time attribute, a storage step of storing the acquired data in a storage unit, an update step of updating the date and time attribute of the data acquired by the acquisition step with the date and time acquired by the acquisition step, and a deletion step of deleting data from the storage unit that has been in use for a predetermined period of time since the date and time attribute. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide, for example, a processing device or the like that can delete stored data at an appropriate timing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of system settings in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating attributes of content data in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a first process in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a system setting screen in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a system setting screen in the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating attributes of content data in the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a second process in the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating attributes of content data in the third embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a third process in the third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a third process in the fourth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a third process in the fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is one embodiment of the present disclosure, and the contents of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited based on the following description.

[0011] For example, there are known processing devices that automatically delete data imported from an external source after a predetermined time has elapsed.For example, in image forming devices, a technique is known that deletes data after a certain time has elapsed in order to ensure security for image data imported from an external source, imported job data, etc.

[0012] However, depending on the setting of the deletion timing, there is a problem that the data may be deleted earlier than expected by the user. For example, if data with the data creation date and time attribute is imported into another device as is, the data may be automatically deleted immediately after import, resulting in a problem that the data no longer exists when the user tries to use it. Furthermore, in order for the processing device to be able to determine the timing to delete data imported from outside, it is necessary to specifically assign attributes such as a storage period to the data, which is not a universally applicable method.

[0013] In particular, in devices that can be set to delete data after a few hours have passed, it is expected that the problem of necessary data being deleted immediately after being imported into the device will become more pronounced.

[0014] In order to solve such a problem, the following embodiment describes a processing device or the like that deletes data at an appropriate timing.

[0015] [1. First embodiment] [1.1 Overall System] 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a system 1. The system 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a system 1 including an image forming apparatus 10 as a processing apparatus.

[0016] In addition to the image forming apparatus 10, the system 1 may also include a terminal device 20 and a server device 30 that can communicate with the image forming apparatus 10 via a network NW.

[0017] The image forming apparatus 10 is, for example, a device called a multifunction peripheral or an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral / Printer / Product). For example, when the image forming apparatus 10 executes a job (print job), it can form an image on a recording medium, that is, paper. The image forming apparatus 10 can execute jobs for a plurality of processes, such as copy processing, fax processing, scan processing, and print processing.

[0018] The terminal device 20 is a device used by a user or an administrator. For example, a user sends a print job from the terminal device 20 to the image forming device 10. The image forming device 10 executes the received print job, for example, printing on recording paper based on the print data. In addition, an administrator can access the image forming device 10 from the terminal device 20 to, for example, configure the image forming device 10.

[0019] The server device 30 may manage, for example, user information. The server device 30 may collectively manage user information by using, for example, an LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) service.

[0020] The terminal device 20 and the server device 30 may be provided in the system 1 as needed. For example, the terminal device 20 may be one or multiple terminal devices 20 may be connected. Furthermore, the server device 30 may use an external service (for example, a service provided on the cloud).

[0021] Furthermore, the network NW connecting the image forming device 10, the terminal device 20, and the server device 30 may be any communication line or communication system, and may utilize a wired or wireless LAN (Local Area Network), the Internet, a public line network, mobile communications (e.g., mobile communications such as 4G / 5G / 6G), a next-generation telephone network, or other communication systems.

[0022] [1.2 Hardware Configuration] The hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the image forming apparatus 10.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 has one or more of the following: a control unit 100 as a control device; a memory unit 110 (storage 112, ROM (Read only memory) 114, and RAM (Random Access Memory) 116) as a memory device; a display unit 130 as a display device; an operation unit 140 as an operation device; an image reading unit 150 as a reading device; an image forming unit 160 as a printing device; and a communication unit 170 as a communication device.

[0024] The control unit 100 controls the entire image forming apparatus 10. The control unit 100 realizes various functions by reading and executing various programs stored in the memory unit 110 (for example, the storage 112 or the ROM 1114). The control unit 100 may be realized by one or more control devices / arithmetic units (CPUs (Central Processing Units), SoCs (System on a Chip)). The control unit 100 may also be configured by one or more control circuits.

[0025] The storage unit 110 stores programs, data, etc. The storage unit 110 may be configured with, for example, a storage 112, a ROM 114, a RAM 116, etc. The storage unit 110 may also be configured to include, for example, a cache memory included in another functional unit (for example, the control unit 100, the communication unit 170, etc.).

[0026] The storage 112 is a non-volatile storage device capable of storing programs and data. For example, the storage 112 may be configured as a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage 112 may also be configured as an externally connectable USB memory. The storage 112 may also be, for example, a storage area on the cloud.

[0027] The ROM 114 is a non-volatile memory that can retain programs and data even when the power is turned off.

[0028] The RAM 116 is a main memory that is mainly used when the control unit 100 executes processing. The RAM 116 is a rewritable memory that temporarily stores programs read from the storage 112 or the ROM 114, and data including execution results.

[0029] The display unit 130 is a display device capable of displaying various types of information and execution screens. The display unit 130 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic electroluminescence (EL) display, an electrophoretic display, or other display device. The display unit 130 also includes an interface to which a display device can be connected. For example, the display unit 130 may be configured as an external display device connected via an HDMI (registered trademark) High-Definition Multimedia Interface, a DVI (Digital Visual Interface), or a Display Port.

[0030] The operation unit 140 is an operation device that allows a user to input operations. For example, it may be an operation device such as a touch panel integrated with the display unit 130 or operation buttons. The operation unit 140 may also be an operation device such as a keyboard or a mouse. The operation unit 140 may also include an interface (for example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB)) to which an operation device can be connected. For example, the image forming apparatus 10 may be connected to a different operation device (an operation device having a touch panel).

[0031] The image reading unit 150 reads an original (image) and outputs it as image data. The image reading unit 150 is, for example, a scanner, and may be a reading device using a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CIS (Contact Image Sensor). The image reading unit 150 may read image data from a recording medium such as a USB memory or an SD card (registered trademark). The image reading unit 150 may also read image data from a terminal device such as a smartphone connected to the image forming apparatus 10 via the communication unit 170.

[0032] The image forming unit 160 forms an image, for example, on recording paper. The image forming unit 160 includes, for example, an image carrier, and forms a toner image on the image carrier and transfers the image on the image carrier onto recording paper to form an image. The image forming unit 160 may be configured as an image forming device such as a printer. The image forming unit 160 may also form an image electronically as an image file.

[0033] The communication unit 170 is a communication interface for communicating with other devices. For example, it may be a network interface that can provide a wired connection such as Ethernet (registered trademark) or a wireless connection such as IEEE802.11a / b / g / n. The communication unit 170 may also provide a function of functioning as a base station for other devices for wireless communication.

[0034] In this embodiment, the communication unit 170 is capable of communicating with other devices via a network NW. The communication unit 170 may also have a communication method for connecting to a terminal device such as a smartphone. For example, the communication unit 170 may communicate with the terminal device using a short-range wireless communication method such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or NFC (Near Field Communication).

[0035] The terminal device 20 and the server device 30 may be general-purpose information processing devices. For example, they may have one or more functions such as a control unit, a memory unit (storage, ROM, RAM), a display unit, an operation unit, and a communication unit. The configurations of the terminal device 20 and the server device 30 are clear, so detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0036] [1.3 Software Configuration] The main software configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 of the system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Note that the software configuration shown in Fig. 3 mainly describes the configuration required in this embodiment, and other configurations are omitted. For example, the image forming apparatus 10 may further include configurations that provide functions required for the image forming apparatus 10, such as an image processing unit and a power control unit.

[0037] The control unit 100 of the image forming apparatus 10 executes a program (application) stored in the storage unit 110, thereby functioning as each of the following components.

[0038] The system setting unit 1010 performs settings related to the system (hereinafter referred to as “system settings”) required for operation of the image forming apparatus 10. The system settings set by the system setting unit 1010 are stored in a system setting storage area 1110 of the storage unit 110.

[0039] The system setting storage area 1110 stores various settings necessary for the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 as system settings, but only the items necessary in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0040] The system setting storage area 1110 stores setting items and setting values ​​in association with each other. The setting items include a type of deletion setting (e.g., "after a specified time has elapsed"), a deletion setting value corresponding to the deletion setting (e.g., "6 hours"), and target folders to be deleted (e.g., "all folders").

[0041] As mentioned above, the system settings shown in Fig. 4 are just an example. Other system settings may be stored, and unnecessary settings in Fig. 4 may not be stored.

[0042] The content acquisition unit 1040 acquires content data. The content data includes image data, document data, job data, etc. The content acquisition unit 1040 then stores the acquired content data in the content data storage area 1120.

[0043] The content acquisition unit 1040 acquires content data as follows. (1) Obtain from an image For example, content acquisition unit 1040 may acquire image data from image reading unit 150. Here, when image reading unit 150 scans a document, image data is generated, and content acquisition unit 1040 acquires the image data as content data. Note that the data generated by image reading unit 150 does not necessarily have to be image data, and may be document data in, for example, a PDF (Portable Document Format) format. (2) Get from a file The content acquisition unit 1040 may acquire image files, document files, etc. as content data from the image reading unit 150 and the communication unit 170. For example, the content acquisition unit 1040 may acquire content data from the terminal device 20 or from the server device 30 via the communication unit 170. The content acquisition unit 1040 may also read out files recorded on a recording medium via the image reading unit 150 and acquire the files as content data.

[0044] The attributes of the content data may be stored in the content data storage area 1120. The attributes of the content data may be stored as attributes in the content data itself (for example, a file corresponding to the content), or a table for managing the content data may be used.

[0045] Furthermore, the content data may be stored directly in the content data storage area 1120, or may be stored in another area or another device. The content data storage area 1120 may also store information (link information, shortcut information) relating to the specific location where the content data is stored.

[0046] 5 is a diagram showing an example of content data attributes. For example, for a certain piece of content, the attributes stored include a file name (e.g., "PHOTO.JPG"), the date and time the content data was created (e.g., "2024 / 05 / 20 16:15:00"), the creator of the content data (e.g., "XXX"), and the protection attribute of the content data (e.g., "OFF"), but one or more of these pieces of information may be stored. Furthermore, the attributes of the content data stored in the content data storage area 1120 may be added later by the control unit 100 as needed.

[0047] [1.4 Processing flow] The processing flow of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following processing will be described with a focus on points that clarify the characteristics of the present disclosure.

[0048] [1.4.1 First process] 6 is a diagram illustrating a process (first process) in this embodiment. The control unit 100 determines whether content data has been imported (S102). Here, the control unit 100 importing content data may mean, for example, the content acquisition unit 1040 reading an image from the image reading unit 150. Furthermore, the control unit 100 importing content data may mean, for example, the content acquisition unit 1040 acquiring data from another device via the communication unit 170. Furthermore, importing content data may mean, for example, the control unit 100 reading content data stored in a USB memory.

[0049] Here, the data taken in by the control unit 100 is content data, but it may be image data, document data, or job data, for example.

[0050] When the control unit 100 imports content data (S102; Yes), it updates the date and time attribute of the content data with the import date and time (S104). Here, in the first embodiment, for example, the date and time when the content data was generated is stored as the date and time attribute of the content data. That is, the content data includes, as an attribute, the date and time when the content data was generated at the import destination (acquisition destination) or saved at the import destination. That is, the date and time attribute included in the attribute of the content data is assigned by the import destination device or the device where the content data was created and saved. Furthermore, the date and time attribute of the content data may be stored as a data attribute or may be stored as a file timestamp.

[0051] Then, the control unit 100 updates the date and time attribute of the content data to the date and time at the time the content data is imported (date and time at the time of import). As a result, the date and time attribute of the content data imported into the image forming apparatus 10 becomes the date and time at the time the content data is imported into the image forming apparatus 10.

[0052] The control unit 100 determines whether the set deletion processing time (sometimes simply referred to as deletion time) has arrived (S106). For example, the control unit 100 may determine that the deletion time is every hour on the hour, or may determine that the deletion time has arrived at predetermined time intervals such as 3:00, 6:00, 9:00, and so on.

[0053] The control unit 100 identifies content data to be deleted from the content data stored in the storage unit 110. In the first embodiment, the control unit 100 identifies content data having a date and time attribute that is earlier than the deletion time (the deletion time determined in S106, the current time at the time of deletion, etc.) minus a set time, as content data to be deleted (S108).

[0054] Here, the set time may be set by the user. For example, if the user does not want to delete the content data for six hours, the set time is set to six hours. The set time may also be set by an administrator or may be preset by the system.

[0055] At this time, the control unit 100 also identifies files to be deleted from all files of content data stored in the storage unit 110 in principle.

[0056] Then, the control unit 100 deletes the content data identified as the content to be deleted (S110).

[0057] The deletion time and the set time can be set by the system setting. For example, when the user selects the system setting without importing the content data (S102; No → S122; Yes), the control unit 100 executes the system setting process (S124).

[0058] For example, Fig. 7 is an example of a display screen W100 that is displayed on the display unit 130 when setting up automatic file deletion during the system setting process. Fig. 8 is an example of a display screen W110 that is displayed on the display unit 130 when registering settings for automatic file deletion.

[0059] The display screen in Figure 7 displays file deletion settings in area R100. For example, the user can select one of Settings 1 to 3 to transition to Figure 8, where a schedule for deleting files can be set.

[0060] 7 displays a list of file deletion schedules. By viewing the list in area R100, the user can confirm the timing at which files will be deleted in each of settings 1 to 3. Here, control unit 100 executes schedules for which the "Enabled" column is checked.

[0061] 7 may also display a "Delete Now" button. When the user selects the "Delete Now" button, the control unit 100 executes the file deletion process regardless of the schedule. Note that when the "Delete Now" button is selected, the control unit 100 may execute only the schedules for which the "Enabled" column is checked.

[0062] For example, Fig. 8 is an example of a display screen W110 that is displayed on display unit 130 during system setting processing. Display screen W110 of Fig. 8 may be displayed when any of Settings 1 to 3 is selected on display screen W100 of Fig. 7. Display screen W110 of Fig. 8 may also be displayed without first displaying display screen W100 of Fig. 7. For example, when image forming apparatus 10 stores only one schedule setting, it is sufficient to display display screen W110 of Fig. 8.

[0063] 8, the control unit 100 allows the user to select at least one of three timings as the timing for deleting files. For example, the user can select and set the timing for deleting files from "delete periodically," "delete at a specified time after a specified number of days have passed," and "delete after a specified time has passed." These rules may be configured so that one rule (deletion rule) can be selected using, for example, a radio button.

[0064] Here, if the user selects "Delete periodically" and "Daily", the user can further set the time of deletion. Also, if the user selects "Delete periodically" and "Weekly", the user can set the day of the week and time of deletion. Also, if the user selects "Delete periodically" and "Monthly", the user can set the day and time of deletion.

[0065] If the user selects "Delete at a specified time after a specified number of days have passed," the user can set the number of days to pass and the deletion time. If the user selects "Delete after a specified time has passed," the user can set the time to pass after the file is saved.

[0066] Furthermore, the user can select the folders to which the deletion rules will be applied. The user can choose either "All folders (including folders to be registered in the future)" or "Select folders from below." If the user selects "Select folders from below," the user can specify the folders to which the deletion rules will be applied. The user can also select whether or not to delete protected files and files with passwords attached, such as confidential files.

[0067] Specifically, on the display screen W110 shown in Fig. 8, the deletion setting is displayed as a setting item described in Fig. 4 so that it can be selected using a radio button. Here, for example, when "Delete after a specified time has elapsed" is selected, the setting value of the setting item "Delete setting" in the system settings in the system setting storage area 1110 in Fig. 4 is updated to "After a specified time has elapsed."

[0068] Also, at this time, the user has selected the elapsed time "6 hours" as a parameter in the pull-down menu. The control unit 100 sets the set value of the set elapsed time "6 hours" as the set value of the setting item "deletion set value" in the system settings. Note that the time selectable in the pull-down menu can be, for example, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, or 12 hours, but is not limited to these, and any time may be set.

[0069] [1.5 Example of operation] The following description will be given based on a specific example of operation. For example, in the image forming apparatus 10, the deletion time is set to every hour on the hour, and the deletion setting value is set to "6 hours."

[0070] For example, a case will be described in which the control unit 100 imports image data "TEST.JPG" created on "2023 / 10 / 10 12:00:00" into the storage unit 110 on "2024 / 05 / 20 12:30:00".

[0071] The control unit 100 updates the date and time attribute of the image data "TEST.JPG" to "2024 / 05 / 20 12:30:00", which is the date and time when the image data was captured.

[0072] Next, the control unit 100 determines that the deletion time is 13:00. However, when comparing the date and time attribute with 13:00, only one hour has passed since the time of the image data "TEST.JPG", so it is not subject to deletion and remains stored.

[0073] Then, after multiple deletion times have passed, when the deletion time reaches 7:00 PM, six hours have passed since the date and time attribute "2024 / 05 / 20 12:30:00." Therefore, at 7:00 PM, the control unit 100 targets the image data for deletion and deletes it from the storage unit 110.

[0074] [1.6 Effects] In this way, according to this embodiment, when data is imported, the attribute value of the creation date and time among the attribute values ​​of the data is updated with the date and time of import, so that the data will not be automatically deleted until a set amount of time has passed since it was imported.

[0075] [2. Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment, the control unit 100 updates the creation date and time of the content data attribute with the date and time when the content data was captured. In the second embodiment, the attribute includes the creation date and time and the date and time when the content data was captured.

[0076] The second embodiment has the same hardware and software configuration as the first embodiment, but the following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0077] 9 is a diagram showing the attributes of content data in this embodiment. For example, compared to the data attributes of the first embodiment described in FIG. 5, an import date and time (for example, "2024 / 05 / 20 16:15:00") has been added.

[0078] In the second embodiment, the control unit 100 executes the second process in place of the first process in Fig. 10. Hereinafter, the same processes as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0079] When the control unit 100 imports content data (S102; Yes), it adds a date and time attribute of the import date and time of the content data (S202). That is, in this embodiment, the date and time when the content data was imported is stored as the date and time attribute of the content data, while the date and time when the content data was created remains stored. For example, when the image reading unit 150 scans a document and generates image data, it records the date and time when the image data was generated as the creation date and time and import date and time of the content data, and when the content data is obtained from another device via the communication unit 170, the import date and time is updated to the date and time when the content data was imported.

[0080] Therefore, when the deletion processing time arrives (S106; Yes), the control unit 100 determines whether the set time has passed based on the date and time attribute of the import date and time (S204). That is, in this embodiment, content data having an attribute in which the date and time at which the content data was imported is earlier than the date and time obtained by subtracting the set time from the deletion time (the deletion time determined in S106, the current time at the time of deletion, etc.) is identified as content data to be deleted.

[0081] In this way, according to this embodiment, while the creation date and time of the content data is stored, it is possible to determine whether or not the content data can be automatically deleted based on the date and time the content data was imported, which was added as a date and time attribute.

[0082] By doing this, the content data will not be automatically deleted for the period from when it was imported until the retention period has elapsed. Note that the storage destination for the import date and time may be the area or attribute in which the creation date and time of the content data or the storage date and time are recorded. Furthermore, when importing (importing), the creation date and time of the content data or the storage date and time may be overwritten with the import date and time.

[0083] 3. Third Embodiment In the first and second embodiments, the control unit 100 targets files for automatic deletion if a set time has elapsed since the file was imported, based on the file import date and time. The third embodiment is an embodiment in which flag information is used instead of the file import date and time to prevent content data from being automatically deleted.

[0084] The third embodiment has the same hardware and software configuration as the first embodiment (or the second embodiment). The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0085] 11 is a diagram showing the attributes of content data in this embodiment. For example, flag information (for example, "ON") has been added to the attributes of the data in the first embodiment described in FIG.

[0086] Here, the flag information is information indicating that the content data is not to be deleted. For example, if the flag information is "ON", the content data is not to be deleted. On the other hand, if the flag information is "OFF", the content data is to be deleted.

[0087] In FIG. 11, the value of the flag information is "ON" or "OFF" to indicate whether or not the content data is to be deleted, but the control unit 100 may not treat content data to which flag information is added (the attribute has flag information) as being to be deleted.

[0088] In the third embodiment, the control unit 100 executes a third process in Fig. 12 instead of the first process. Hereinafter, the same processes as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0089] When the control unit 100 imports content data (S102; Yes), it adds flag information to the content data to exclude it from deletion (S302). When content data is imported in S102, the control unit 100 first adds flag information to the content data.

[0090] When the deletion processing time arrives (S106; Yes), it is determined whether there is flag information for each content data to exclude it from deletion (S304). If the content data does not have flag information for excluding it from deletion (for example, the content data attribute does not include flag information, the flag information is "OFF", etc.) (S304; No), the content data is identified as content data to be deleted (S306).

[0091] On the other hand, when there is flag information for excluding the stored content data from the deletion target (S304; Yes), the control unit 100 updates the flag information (S308).

[0092] Here, the control unit 100 may update the flag information, for example, by performing the following process.

[0093] (1) Remove flag information (2) Change the value of the flag information from "ON" to "OFF" (3) Decrement the setting value of the flag information. For example, when "3" is stored as the setting value of the flag information, the control unit 100 decrements the setting value of the flag information by 1 to set it to "2" in the first step S308. Then, when the setting value of the flag information becomes "0", the control unit 100 determines that the flag information of the content data has disappeared (been removed).

[0094] As an example of operation, consider a case where the deletion process time for automatically deleting content data every six hours arrives. In this case, the control unit 100 does not select the content data for deletion at the first deletion target time since the content data was imported, because the flag information is "ON." The control unit 100 then updates the flag information to "OFF."

[0095] Next, after six hours have elapsed, the control unit 100 again checks whether to delete the content data. At this time, the control unit 100 identifies the content data that was previously determined not to be deleted as content data to be deleted because the flag information has been removed, and deletes the content data.

[0096] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to appropriately manage the timing of deleting content data without storing the date and time when the content data is imported.

[0097] With this configuration, the content data will not be automatically deleted until the automatic deletion determination is made two or more times after the content data is imported. That is, when the content data is imported, the control unit 100 sets a flag (import flag) indicating whether the content data has just been imported. After the automatic deletion determination is made for the content data, the control unit 100 may lower the import flag for the content data. As a result, if the import flag is set, the control unit 100 determines that the content data has just been imported. Note that the control unit 100 may, for example, make a deletion determination to automatically delete content data at a fixed time (for example, at 0 minutes past the hour) or at a date and time specified by the user.

[0098] [4. Fourth Embodiment] In the above-described embodiment, it is determined whether or not content data stored in the storage unit 110 is to be deleted. In the fourth embodiment, when content data is stored in units of folders, it is determined whether or not each folder is to be automatically deleted.

[0099] In the system settings, it is possible to select the folder to be deleted. For example, folder selection can be performed on the display screen W100 in Fig. 8. When selecting a folder, it is possible to select whether to target content data stored in all folders or content data stored in a specific folder.

[0100] For example, in the system settings shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 100 may store information about the folder to be deleted in the target folder.

[0101] In the fourth embodiment, the control unit 100 executes a fourth process in Fig. 13 instead of the first process. Hereinafter, the same processes as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0102] When content data is imported (S102; Yes), the control unit 100 determines whether the folder storing the content data is a folder that is set as a folder to be deleted (S402). Here, if the storage destination of the imported content data is a folder that is not set as a folder to be deleted, the control unit 100 does not need to update the creation date and time of the content data based on the import date and time of the content (S402; No).

[0103] On the other hand, if the storage destination of the content data is a folder that has been set as a deletion target, the control unit 100 updates the date and time attribute of the content data with the date and time when the content was imported (S402; Yes→S104).

[0104] Furthermore, when the deletion processing time arrives (S106; Yes), the control unit 100 does not determine whether to automatically delete content data stored in the storage unit 110 that is stored in a folder that is not set as a target for deletion (S404; No → S102).

[0105] In this way, according to this embodiment, of the content data, only the content data stored in the folder to be deleted is automatically deleted.

[0106] Therefore, for example, it is conceivable that the user will determine that long-term storage is not necessary for content data stored in an "automatic temporary storage folder" (a folder for temporarily storing document data for copy jobs, etc.), and set a relatively short storage period for the folder. Therefore, since there is a high possibility that the content data will be deleted immediately after being imported, the control unit 100 can be set to store the import date and time and flag information.

[0107] Although the fourth embodiment has been described in combination with the first embodiment, it may also be combined with the second and third embodiments. That is, in the second process of the second embodiment and the third process of the third embodiment, the control unit 100 only needs to execute S402 immediately after S102; Yes and execute S404 immediately after S106; Yes.

[0108] [5. Fifth Embodiment] In the above-described embodiments, the control unit 100 has been described on the assumption that the content data is always imported. In the fifth embodiment, the control unit 100 performs a process of canceling the import of the content data in accordance with a predetermined condition after the data import process has been performed.

[0109] In the fifth embodiment, the control unit 100 executes a fifth process in Fig. 14 instead of the first process. Hereinafter, the same processes as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0110] After the control unit 100 has acquired the content data (S102; Yes), it determines whether the date and time attribute of the content data (for example, the date and time when the content data was created) is data that is older than a set time (S502).

[0111] For example, when the set time is six hours, the control unit 100 determines whether the date and time attribute when the content data was generated is a time (older time) that is earlier than the set time from the time of import. The control unit 100 also determines whether the date and time attribute when the content data was generated is a time (older time) that is earlier than the set time from the next deletion processing time.

[0112] If the creation date and time of the content data is earlier than the time of import or the set time from the next deletion processing time, the user is queried as to whether or not to import the content data as is (S504). At this time, the user may be notified that the content data will be immediately deleted even if imported as is. If the content data is to be imported as is, the user may be queried as to whether or not to update the date and time attribute of the content data with the import date and time. If the user selects "import as is," the control unit 100 determines whether or not to update the date and time attribute of the content data with the import date and time. If the selection is made to update the date and time attribute of the content data with the import date and time, the control unit 100 executes the process from S104, as in the first process (S504; Yes). Note that, when notifying the user in S504 that the content data will be immediately deleted even if imported as is, the user may be queried as to whether or not to add flag information to the attribute of the content data if the content data is to be imported as is. In this case, when the user selects "import as is," the control unit 100 determines whether flag information has been added to the attributes of the content data, and if it has been selected to add flag information to the attributes of the content data, it executes processing from S302, similar to the third process.

[0113] On the other hand, if the user selects not to import the content data (S504; No), the control unit 100 cancels (suspends) the import of the content data (S506).

[0114] In this way, in this embodiment, the user is notified of content data that may be deleted immediately even if it is imported, and is allowed to select whether or not to import the content data.

[0115] Furthermore, in this embodiment, whether old content data is deemed unnecessary depends on the user's judgment and the content and type of the content data. Therefore, it is preferable that the control unit 100 allows the user to select whether or not to import the content data when importing. Therefore, the user may select whether or not to import each piece of target content data, or the result of the user's selection may be applied to all of the target content data (for example, content data stored in the same folder, content data similar to the content data selected by the user, content data dated close to the content data selected by the user, etc.).

[0116] Although the fifth embodiment has been described in combination with the first embodiment, it may be combined with any of the second to fourth embodiments. That is, the control unit 100 may execute S502, S504, and S506 immediately after S102; Yes in the second process of the second embodiment, the third process of the third embodiment, and the fourth process of the fourth embodiment.

[0117] [6. Modifications] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible. In other words, embodiments obtained by combining technical means that are appropriately modified within the scope of the present disclosure are also included in the technical scope.

[0118] In the above-described embodiment, an image forming apparatus has been described as an example of a processing apparatus. However, the processing apparatus can be applied to other devices. For example, the processing apparatus may be an information processing apparatus such as a smartphone or a tablet. It may also be a home appliance equipped with an IoT function (e.g., an air conditioner, a refrigerator, a television, etc.). It is not limited to a stationary device, and may also be, for example, a portable device or an in-vehicle device. For example, the in-vehicle device may be a device such as a car navigation system.

[0119] Although the above-mentioned embodiments are described separately for convenience of explanation, they can be combined to the extent possible. Furthermore, the present invention intends to obtain rights to any of the technologies described in the specification through amendments or divisional applications, etc.

[0120] In addition, the programs that run on each device in each embodiment are programs that control the CPU, etc. (programs that make a computer function) so as to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments. Information handled by these devices is temporarily stored in a temporary storage device (e.g., RAM) during processing, and then stored in various ROMs and HDDs, and is read, modified, and written by the CPU as needed.

[0121] Here, the recording medium for storing the program may be any of semiconductor media (e.g., ROM, non-volatile memory card, etc.), optical recording media / magneto-optical recording media (e.g., DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), CD (Compact Disc), BD (Blu-ray (registered trademark) Disc), etc.), magnetic recording media (e.g., magnetic tape, flexible disk, etc.), etc.

[0122] Furthermore, when distributing the program in the market, the program can be stored in a portable recording medium and distributed, or transferred to a server computer connected via a network such as the Internet. In this case, the storage device of the server device is also included in the present disclosure.

[0123] Furthermore, the above-mentioned data may not be stored within the device, but may be stored in an external device and called up as needed. For example, the data may be stored in a network attached storage (NAS) or on the cloud.

[0124] The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations explicitly described in the specification, but also includes combinations of the technologies disclosed in the specification. The configurations of the present disclosure for which a patent is sought are set forth in the appended claims, but it is not intended to exclude them from the technical scope on the grounds that they are not set forth in the claims.

[0125] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned specification, the statements "in the case of" and "when" are given as examples and are not intended to limit the configuration to the described contents. The disclosure also includes configurations that are not in these cases or situations, even if they would be obvious to a person skilled in the art, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to them.

[0126] Furthermore, the processes and data flows described in the specification are not limited to the order in which they are described. For example, the patent also discloses configurations in which some processes are deleted or the order is changed, and the patent holder intends to obtain the rights to such configurations.

[0127] Furthermore, although the functions described in the embodiments are executed by each device, they may be realized by one device or may further utilize an external server.

[0128] Furthermore, each functional block or feature of the device used in the above-described embodiments may be implemented or performed by an electrical circuit, for example, an integrated circuit or multiple integrated circuits. The electrical circuit designed to perform the functions described herein may include a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or a combination thereof. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or a conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The electrical circuit may be composed of digital circuits or analog circuits. Furthermore, as advances in semiconductor technology emerge, one or more aspects of the present disclosure may utilize new integrated circuits based on that technology. [Explanation of symbols]

[0129] 1 System 10 Image forming device 100 control section 110 Storage section 112 Storage 114 ROM 116 RAM 130 Display section 140 Operation section 150 Image reading unit 160 Image forming unit 170 Communications Department

Claims

1. an acquisition unit that acquires data having information on the generated date and time as a date and time attribute; a storage unit that stores the acquired data; a control unit, The control unit updating a date and time attribute of the data acquired by the acquisition unit with the date and time acquired by the acquisition unit; Delete data for which a predetermined period has elapsed since the date and time of the date and time attribute from the data in the storage unit. Processing equipment.

2. the acquisition unit acquires a file as data, The file has an attribute that sets the date and time when the file was saved at the acquisition destination as the saved date and time, The control unit The save date and time of the file is updated to the date and time acquired by the acquisition unit. The processing device of claim 1 .

3. The processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit deletes data from the storage unit for which a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the date and time acquired by the acquisition unit, at predetermined time intervals set by a user.

4. The control unit adding flag information indicating that the data acquired by the acquisition unit is not to be deleted; When the data stored in the storage unit is to be deleted at a predetermined time, if flag information that is not subject to deletion is added, the flag information is not deleted and is updated to flag information that is subject to deletion. The processing device according to claim 3 .

5. an acquisition unit that acquires content data including the date and time when the data was generated as attribute information; a storage unit that stores the acquired content data; an image forming unit that forms an image based on the content data; a control unit, The control unit updating a date and time attribute of the data acquired by the acquisition unit with the date and time acquired by the acquisition unit; The content data of the storage unit is deleted if a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the date and time of the date and time attribute. Image forming device.

6. an acquiring step of acquiring data having information on the generated date and time as a date and time attribute; a storage step of storing the acquired data in a storage unit; an updating step of updating a date and time attribute of the data acquired in the acquiring step with the date and time acquired in the acquiring step; a deleting step of deleting data for which a predetermined period has elapsed since the date and time of the date and time attribute from the data in the storage unit; A processing method for a processing device including the following.

Images