Image processing device and control method for the image processing device

Abstract

The objective is to provide an image processing device that can erase user data without external devices, even in situations where the device cannot be powered on. [Solution] The device comprises a storage means for storing user data, a recording unit for dispensing liquid onto a recording medium based on image data, an operating means capable of instructing the erasure of the data, a control means for erasing the data stored in the storage means based on the instruction, and a power storage means. The control means and the storage means are powered by an external power source and the power storage means, and the control means erases the data based on the power from the power storage means if power is not supplied from the external power source.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique that enables a user to erase personal data stored in a non-volatile memory even when external power supply is cut off in an image processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] When storing user data (including personal information) in electronic device products such as printers, a function capable of erasing the user data is provided to prevent information leakage. However, cases where the attached AC adapter or AC cable is lost, or the power supply is not provided due to a power circuit failure can be considered. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration for erasing a non-volatile memory by connecting an external erasing device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The method of Patent Document 1 requires an external device to complete the erasure, which leads to an increase in cost.

[0005] ]> Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that can erase user data without an external device even in a situation where the power of the apparatus is not turned on.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] Therefore, the image processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a storage means for storing user data, a recording unit for discharging liquid onto a recording medium based on image data, an operating means capable of instructing the erasure of the data, a control means for erasing the data stored in the storage means based on the instruction, and an energy storage means, wherein the control means and the storage means operate using power from an external power source and the energy storage means, and the control means erases the data based on power from the energy storage means if power is not supplied from the external power source. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, user data can be erased without an external device, even in situations where the device is not powered on. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the image processing apparatus in Example 1. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing an example of user data erasure in Example 1. [Figure 3] This is a diagram illustrating the erasure of user data when the battery level is low, as in Example 1. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the image processing apparatus in Example 2. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows an example of user data erasure in Example 2. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart showing an example of user data erasure in Example 3. [Figure 7] This is an example of how user data is encrypted using a common key data across multiple data points in Example 4. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart showing an example of user data erasure in Example 4. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of user data erasure in Example 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The best mode for carrying out the invention will be described by example.

[0010] [Example 1] Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the figures. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the image processing device in Embodiment 1. Solid lines are signal lines for exchanging data, and dashed lines are power supply lines for supplying power.

[0011] 100 is an image processing device. 101 is an external host device for transmitting image data to the image processing device 100, and is configured, for example, as a personal computer.

[0012] The image processing device 100 includes a main control unit 102, an operation unit 103, a recording unit 104, and a power supply unit 113.

[0013] The recording unit 104 is a unit for printing image data processed by the main control unit 102 onto a recording medium such as paper that has been transported. The recording unit 104 includes a recording head (not shown) that records images onto the recording medium by ejecting a liquid such as ink. The main control unit 102 and the recording unit 104 are connected by signal lines that transmit and receive image data and control commands.

[0014] The operation unit 103 includes an erase command switch 105, which is a button for instructing the erasure of user data, and a power switch 106 for instructing the switching of the power on / off of the image processing device. The erase command switch 105 and the power switch 106 can be configured as physical buttons, but they may also be non-physical buttons displayed on an LCD such as a touch panel.

[0015] The main control unit 102 includes a first controller 106, a second controller 108 (control means), a non-volatile memory 109, a first power supply unit 110, a second power supply unit 111, and a built-in battery 112.

[0016] The first controller 107 is a controller responsible for image processing and the main control of the entire image processing apparatus 100. The first controller 107 can be realized by combining an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) and a DRAM (not shown) as a main memory.

[0017] The second controller 108 is a controller configured to operate with less power compared to the first controller 107. The built-in battery 112 (power storage means) has a small capacity that is not sufficient power-wise to operate the main functions of the image processing apparatus 100. It is provided to supply power to the second controller 108 and the like when power supply from the power supply unit 113 is not provided. When the power supply from the power supply unit 113 is not provided during power-off or power-saving, the second controller 108 monitors the status of the image processing apparatus 100 by power supplied from the built-in battery 112 instead of the first controller 107. The situation where the power supply from the power supply unit 113 is not provided is, for example, a failure of the power supply circuit such as the power supply unit 113 or a state where the plug 114 is unplugged.

[0018] The second controller 108 can be realized by a microcomputer. The program information for operating the second controller 108 is stored in a non-volatile memory (not shown) built into the second controller 108.

[0019] The non-volatile memory 109 is a rewritable non-volatile memory that stores program information necessary to operate the first controller 107, and is accessible from both the first controller 107 and the second controller 108. The non-volatile memory 109 also has a chip erase function that erases all data stored on the memory, which is executed by sending a specific command from either the first controller 107 or the second controller 108. The non-volatile memory 109 can be implemented, for example, by flash memory, and may consist of a single memory or multiple memory units.

[0020] Possible connection methods include connecting the first controller 107 and the second controller 108 with a wired OR and communicating exclusively, or switching the connection using a bus switch.

[0021] The power supply unit 113 converts the commercial power (external power supply) supplied from the plug 114 into DC power. The power supply unit 113 can be implemented, for example, by an AC-DC converter. Alternatively, instead of the power supply unit 113 and plug 114, the system may consist of an external LiB battery such as a mobile battery or an internal battery pack.

[0022] The first power supply unit 110 converts the DC power supplied from the power supply unit 113 into an appropriate voltage and supplies power to the recording unit 104 and the first controller 107. The first power supply unit 110 can also be controlled on / off by the second controller 108, and when it is off, power is stopped from supplying power to the recording unit 104 and the first controller 107. The first power supply unit 110 can be configured, for example, by a DC-DC converter.

[0023] The second power supply unit 111 converts the DC power supplied from the power supply unit 113 into an appropriate voltage and supplies power to the second controller 108 and the non-volatile memory 109. The second power supply unit 111 is composed of, for example, an LDO regulator.

[0024] 112 is an internal battery that, when plug 114 is unplugged or when external power supply is interrupted due to a failure of power supply unit 113, etc., supplies power to the second controller 108 and non-volatile memory 109 in place of the second power supply unit 111. The internal battery 112 is a low-capacity battery whose maximum possible output is lower than the power required for recording operations by the first controller 107 and recording unit 104, and can be realized by a primary battery such as a button cell. A Zener diode 119 is connected to the output of the second power supply unit 111 and the internal battery 112 to prevent reverse current flow between the two power systems of the second power supply unit 111 and the internal battery 112.

[0025] The second controller 108 has A / D ports 115 and 116, which are ports connected to the internal A / D converter. The output voltage of the second power supply unit 111 is input to A / D port 115, and the output voltage of the internal battery 112 is input to A / D port 116. The second controller 108 determines whether or not there is external power supply based on the output voltage of the second power supply unit 111, and estimates the remaining charge of the internal battery 112 based on the output voltage of the internal battery 112.

[0026] Next, the process of turning off the power of the image processing device 100 will be explained. For example, when the power is turned off by the user operating the power switch 106, the first controller 107 sends a power-off command to the second controller 108. This command is transmitted and received via I2C117 and I2C118, which are I2C (Inter-integrated Circuit) interfaces provided in the first controller 107 and the second controller 108, respectively.

[0027] When the second controller 108 receives a power-off command, it turns off the first power supply unit 110 and stops supplying power to the first controller 107 and the recording unit 104.

[0028] When the power is off, the second controller monitors the status of the image processing device 100 in place of the first controller 107. When the power switch 106 is pressed in this state, the second controller 108 turns on the first power supply unit 110, supplies power to the first controller 107 and the recording unit 104, and restores the power to ON.

[0029] Next, the process for erasing data to be erased will be explained. Data to be erased refers to data that is desirable to be erasable from within the image processing device 100, such as user data. Here, "user data" refers to information about the user who uses the image processing device 100. Specifically, this could include network settings, location information, telephone numbers, and other information that varies from user to user and identifies the individual user. This data is stored in the non-volatile memory 109, and from a privacy standpoint, it is preferable that it be erased when the image processing device 100 is disposed of or reused.

[0030] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the process executed by the second controller 108 when user data is erased. When the user presses the erase command switch 105, the erasure of user data begins (S100).

[0031] The non-volatile memory 109 stores not only user data but also program data for operating the first controller 107. If the program data is erased along with the user data, the image processing device 100 will not be able to start up. Therefore, from a reuse perspective, it is desirable to erase only the user data.

[0032] Therefore, address information indicating which address the user data is stored at is pre-stored in the non-volatile memory 109 or the internal memory of the second controller, and this address information is retrieved when the erasure of user data begins. Hereafter, this address information will be referred to as address information 1 (S101).

[0033] Next, address information of user data to be erased preferentially when the remaining charge of the internal battery 112 is low is obtained (S102). For example, as shown in Figure 3, if a telephone number is divided into multiple address information and stored in the non-volatile memory 109, erasing even just one of the divided data (divided data) makes it difficult to recover the telephone number. Therefore, when the remaining charge of the internal battery 112 is low, instead of erasing all the data that makes up the telephone number, only some of the data is erased preferentially. In this way, if one data to be erased is in the form of an array with two or more elements, erasing only the data of the array of specific elements that makes data recovery impossible can shorten the erasure time. Hereafter, this address information will be referred to as address information 2.

[0034] Address information 2 and address information 1 do not necessarily need to be separate; they can be obtained simultaneously using S101.

[0035] Next, the second controller 108 determines whether it is being powered from an external power source based on the output voltage value of the second power supply unit 111 (S103).

[0036] First, let's explain the case where it is determined in S103 that power is being supplied from an external power source (S103:YES). The second controller 108 erases the user data based on address information 1 (S104). Possible methods of erasure include overwriting the area where the user data is stored with a specific value such as 0xFFFF_FFFF.

[0037] Each time a user data area is erased, it is checked whether all user data contained in address information 1 has been erased (S105). Here, "one user data area" refers to, for example, an area of ​​one address where user data is stored. However, one sector or one block may also be considered one user data area. If not all user data has been erased, the process returns to S103.

[0038] If all user data contained in address information 1 has been erased, the second controller 108 writes information to the non-volatile memory 109 indicating that the erasure of user data is complete (S109). This makes it easier to reuse the non-volatile memory 109, even when it is reused for purposes such as refurbishment, because it can be determined that program data remains in the non-volatile memory 109 and user data has been erased.

[0039] Next, we will explain the case in S103 when it is determined that there is no power supply from an external power source (S103:NO). In this case, the second controller 108 estimates the remaining battery charge (storage amount) based on the output voltage value of the internal battery 112 and compares it with a threshold (predetermined value) (S106). If the remaining charge (storage amount) of the internal battery 112 is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold (greater than or equal to the predetermined value), the process proceeds to S104, and erasure is performed in the same flow as when power was supplied from an external power source. On the other hand, if the remaining charge of the internal battery 112 is less than the predetermined threshold (less than the predetermined value), user data is erased based on address information 2 (S107). The battery charge threshold may be, for example, a value corresponding to 90% of the rated voltage of the output voltage value of the internal battery 112, or the power required to complete the erasure process of all user data (data based on address information 1).

[0040] Similar to cases where power is supplied from an external power source, each time a user data area is erased, it is checked whether all user data contained in address information 2 has been erased (S105), and if there is still user data to be erased, the process returns to S103. If all data has been erased, the second controller 108 writes information indicating that the erasure of user data is complete to the non-volatile memory 109 (S109). In addition, for example, the battery level threshold can be set to an even lower threshold to determine whether the user data in address information 2 can be reliably erased. In that case, if it is determined that the threshold is not met, a chip erase process that erases all data stored in the non-volatile memory 109 can also be considered. Whether or not the main unit should be discarded can be determined, for example, by the way the user operates the switches.

[0041] With the above configuration, even in situations where power is not supplied from an external power source, the second controller 108, which operates with less power than the first controller 107, can erase user data in place of the first controller 107 by being powered from the built-in battery 112.

[0042] [Example 2] Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to the figures. Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the image processing device 100 in Embodiment 2. In addition to the configuration of Embodiment 1, this image processing device 100 can control the power supplied to the non-volatile memory 109 by a cutoff switch 120. The cutoff switch 120 is connected to a second controller 118, and the on / off state of the cutoff switch 120 can be controlled from the second controller. When the cutoff switch 120 is on, power supply to the non-volatile memory 109 from the second power supply unit 111 or the built-in battery 112 is stopped. The cutoff switch 120 can be implemented by a load switch using an FET.

[0043] Next, the power-off process in Embodiment 2 will be explained. Similar to Embodiment 1, power-off occurs when the first controller 107 sends a power-off command to the second controller 108, causing the second controller 108 to turn off the first power supply unit 110 and stop supplying power to the first controller 107 and the recording unit 104. In Embodiment 2, the second controller 108 then determines whether power is being supplied from an external power source based on the output voltage value of the second power supply unit 111. If there is no power supply from an external power source, that is, if power is being supplied by the built-in battery 112, the second controller 108 turns on the cutoff switch 120 and stops supplying power to the non-volatile memory 109 (cutoff state). In this way, power consumption by the non-volatile memory 109 during power-off is suppressed, and battery depletion is reduced. During power-off, the second controller 108 monitors the status of the image processing device 100 on behalf of the first controller 107. When the power switch 106 is pressed while the power is off, the second controller 108 turns off (releases) the cutoff switch 120, supplies power to the non-volatile memory 109, and then turns on the first power supply unit 110 to supply power to the first controller 107 and the recording unit 104.

[0044] Next, we will explain the process of erasing the data to be erased in Example 2. In this example, we will assume that user data is the data to be erased. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the process executed by the second controller 108 when user data is erased.

[0045] When the user presses the erase command switch 105, the erasure of user data begins (S200). Next, the second controller 108 turns off the cutoff switch 120 and supplies power to the non-volatile memory 109 (S201). Subsequent steps S202 to S210 perform the same user data erasure as steps S101 to S109 in Figure 2 of Embodiment 1.

[0046] This workflow allows for the erasure of user data while suppressing power consumption by controlling the cutoff switch, even when there is no power supply from an external source.

[0047] [Example 3] Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to the figures. In this embodiment, the user data is assumed to be the data to be erased, and the following explanation will proceed accordingly. The schematic configuration of the image processing device 100 in Embodiment 3 is the same as in Embodiment 1 (Figure 1). The power-off procedure is also the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0048] This image processing device 100 has two methods for erasing user data. One is the first erasure flow, which is the same as the user data erasure flow described in Example 1 (Figure 2). The other is the second erasure flow, which is a method for automatically erasing user data when power is no longer supplied from an external power source.

[0049] When the user presses the erase command switch, the first erase flow is executed. If the system is set to automatically erase user data and external power is lost, the second erase flow is executed.

[0050] To detect the failure of the external power supply, the image processing device 100 constantly monitors whether there is power supply from the external power source based on the output voltage value of the second power supply unit 111, using a second controller 108.

[0051] Next, the second erasure flow will be explained using Figure 6. The second erasure flow starts when it is detected that the external power supply has been cut off (S300). Next, it is checked whether a predetermined setting for automatically erasing user data has been made (S301). This setting is used to determine whether to automatically erase user data when power supply from the external power supply is stopped, and is set in advance by the user. This setting can be achieved by writing a specific value indicating that automatic erasure should be performed to a specific address in the non-volatile memory 109 or the built-in memory of the second controller 108. If the setting for automatic target data erasure has been made, the address information where the user data is stored is obtained (S302). This is the same as address information 1 explained in Example 1. Next, the address information of user data to be erased preferentially when the battery level is low is obtained (S302). This is the same as address information 2 explained in Example 1.

[0052] Next, the system checks if the battery level is below a predetermined threshold. If it is below the predetermined value, the user data is erased based on address information 2 (S307). If the battery level is above the predetermined value, the user data is erased based on address information 1 (S305). Once all data has been erased, information indicating that the user data erasure is complete is written to the non-volatile memory 109 (S309).

[0053] [Example 4] Embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described with reference to the figures. Figure 7 shows an example of encrypting user data among multiple user data using a common key data. Figure 7 uses a telephone number as an example of user data. As shown in the figure, an example is shown based on a value obtained by converting a telephone number, which is a type of user data, into ASCII code. This value is encrypted using the common key data stored at address 0xF0 of the non-volatile memory 109, and the encrypted data is stored at a desired address in the non-volatile memory 109. Note that the specific encryption method is not limited to the method shown in Figure 7 of this embodiment.

[0054] Common Key data can be set in any number depending on the type and attributes of user data. Examples of user data types and attributes include telephone numbers, fax numbers, and Wi-Fi SSIDs. Alternatively, common Key data can be unique to each individual device, calculated based on one of the following: the device's serial number, destination number, factory line number, factory location number, or country of origin number.

[0055] As shown in Example 1, when the remaining charge of the built-in battery 112 falls below a predetermined threshold, erasing this common key data makes it impossible to recover user data, which is equivalent to erasing the user data.

[0056] Next, the process of erasing the data to be erased in Example 4 will be explained. In this example, the user data is assumed to be the data to be erased. Figure 8 is a flowchart of the process executed by the second controller 108 when user data is erased. When the user presses the erase instruction switch 105, the erasure of user data begins (S400). Subsequent steps S401 to S402 perform the same acquisition of address information as in S101 to S102 in Figure 2 of Example 1. After that, address information for common key data is acquired (S410). Steps S403 to S405 perform the same operations as in S103 to S105 in Figure 2 of Example 1.

[0057] Next, we will explain the case in process S403 when it is determined that there is no power supply from an external power source. In this case, the second controller 108 estimates the remaining battery level based on the output voltage value of the built-in battery 112 and compares it with a threshold (S406). If the remaining battery level is above the predetermined threshold, the process proceeds to S404, and erasure is performed in the same flow as when power was supplied from an external power source. On the other hand, if the remaining level of the built-in battery 112 is below the predetermined threshold, the erasure of the common Key data is prioritized based on the address information of the common Key data (S410). It is checked whether all of the common Key data has been erased (S411), and if all have been erased, the process proceeds to erasure of the user data of address information 2 (S407). S407 to S409 perform the same operations as S107 to S109 in Figure 2 of Example 1.

[0058] In this way, by prioritizing the erasure of key data, even when the battery level is low, only some data is erased, making it impossible to recover user data, thus achieving the same effect as erasing user data.

[0059] [Example 5] Embodiment 5 of the present invention will be described with reference to the figures. Compared to Embodiment 4, only the erasure of common key data may be performed. Figure 9 is a flowchart of the process executed by the second controller 108 when user data is erased. When the user presses the erase instruction switch 105, the erasure of user data begins (S500). Subsequent steps S501 to S502 perform the acquisition of address information in the same way as steps S101 to S102 in Figure 2 of Embodiment 1. After that, the address information of the common key data is acquired (S510). Steps S503 to S505 perform the same operations as steps S103 to S105 in Figure 2 of Embodiment 1.

[0060] Next, we will explain the case where it is determined that there is no power supply from an external power source in process S503. In this case, the second controller 108 estimates the remaining battery level based on the output voltage value of the built-in battery 112 and compares it with a threshold (S506). If the remaining battery level is above the predetermined threshold, the process proceeds to S504, and erasure is performed in the same flow as when power was supplied from an external power source. On the other hand, if the remaining battery level of the built-in battery 112 is below the predetermined threshold, the common Key data is erased based on the address information of the common Key data (S510). It is checked whether all of the common Key data has been erased (S511), and if all have been erased, the process proceeds to S409. S409 performs the same operation as S109 in Figure 2 of Example 1.

[0061] In this way, by deleting only the key data, it becomes impossible to quickly recover user data, which is equivalent to deleting the user data.

[0062] [Other examples] In the above example, the addresses of each user data are obtained at the beginning of the flow, but it is also possible to obtain the address information of the target data immediately before the delete operation.

[0063] Furthermore, although the completion of erasure is stored in the non-volatile memory 109, it may also be possible to store the completion of erasure based on address information 2 or the completion of erasure of key data. This would allow the system to erase any remaining data when external power is supplied next.

[0064] Furthermore, the key data may be different for each user, and users may have multiple key data sets depending on the type of user data or data to be deleted.

[0065] Furthermore, this image processing device can be applied to multifunction printers with scanners, image scanners, and other electronic devices.

[0066] The above embodiment disclosure includes the following configuration and method.

[0067] (Composition 1) A storage means for storing data about a user, A recording unit that dispenses liquid onto a recording medium based on image data, An operating means capable of instructing the deletion of the aforementioned data, A control means for erasing the data stored in the storage means based on the aforementioned instruction, Equipped with a means of storing energy, The control means and the storage means are powered by an external power source and the energy storage means. The control means is characterized in that, if power is not supplied from the external power source, it erases the data based on power from the power storage means.

[0068] (Configuration 2) The image processing apparatus according to configuration 11, characterized in that the control means erases the data based on the address information in which the data is stored.

[0069] (Composition 3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control means erases a portion of the data when power is not supplied from the external power source and the amount of energy stored in the energy storage means is less than a predetermined value.

[0070] (Composition 4) The aforementioned data includes segmented data, which is stored by dividing a single piece of data into multiple address information. The image processing apparatus according to configuration 3, wherein the control means erases the divided data.

[0071] (Composition 5) The image processing apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized in that the control means records in the storage means that the erasure has been completed.

[0072] (Composition 6) It includes a shut-off means for shutting off the power supply to the storage means, The image processing apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, characterized in that the shut-off means shuts off when power is not supplied from the external power source.

[0073] (Composition 7) The image processing apparatus according to configuration 6, characterized in that the control means releases the blocking state by the blocking means based on the instruction.

[0074] (Composition 8) The image processing apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, characterized in that, if a predetermined setting for erasure has been made, the control means erases the data even if there is no instruction after power is no longer supplied from the external power source.

[0075] (Composition 9) The aforementioned data is stored in an encrypted state based on a predetermined key. The control means is characterized by erasing the predetermined key, as described in any one of configurations 1 to 8, for the image processing apparatus.

[0076] (Composition 10) The image processing apparatus according to configuration 9, characterized in that the control means erases the predetermined key when power is not supplied from the external power source and the amount of stored power in the power storage means is less than a predetermined value.

[0077] (Composition 11) The aforementioned data includes segmented data, which is stored by dividing a single piece of data into multiple address information. The image processing apparatus according to configuration 9 or 10, characterized in that the control means erases the divided data after erasing the predetermined key.

[0078] (Composition 12) The electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, characterized in that the storage means is a non-volatile memory.

[0079] (Composition 13) The electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 12, characterized in that the energy storage means is a primary battery.

[0080] (Composition 14) A storage step for storing data about the user, A recording step in which liquid is dispensed onto a recording medium based on image data, An instruction step to instruct the deletion of the aforementioned data, The system includes an erasure step of erasing the data stored in the storage means based on the aforementioned instructions, The control method for an image processing apparatus is characterized in that, if power is not supplied from an external power source, the erasure step erases the data based on power from a power storage means. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 100 Image Processing Devices 101 External host device 102 Main Control Unit 103 Operation section 104 Records Department 105 Erase instruction switch 106 Power switch 107 The First Controller 108 Second Controller 109 Non-volatile memory 110 First power supply section 111 Second power supply section 112 Built-in battery 113 Power Supply Unit 114 plug 115, 116 A / D ports 117, 118 I2C 119 Zener diode 120 Cut-off switch

Claims

1. A storage means for storing data about a user, A recording unit that dispenses liquid onto a recording medium based on image data, An operating means capable of instructing the deletion of the aforementioned data, A control means for erasing the data stored in the storage means based on the aforementioned instruction, Equipped with a means of storing energy, The control means and the storage means are powered by an external power source and the energy storage means. The control means is characterized in that, if power is not supplied from the external power source, it erases the data based on power from the power storage means.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means erases the data based on the address information in which the data is stored.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control means erases a portion of the data when power is not supplied from the external power source and the amount of energy stored in the energy storage means is less than a predetermined value.

4. The aforementioned data includes segmented data, which is stored by dividing a single piece of data into multiple address information. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control means erases the divided data.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means records in the storage means that the erasure has been completed.

6. It includes a shut-off means for shutting off the power supply to the storage means, The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the shut-off means shuts off when power is not supplied from the external power source.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the control means releases the blocking state by the blocking means based on the instruction.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, if a predetermined setting for erasure has been made, the control means erases the data even if there is no instruction after power is no longer supplied from the external power source.

9. The aforementioned data is stored in an encrypted state based on a predetermined key. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means erases the predetermined key.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the control means erases the predetermined key when power is not supplied from the external power source and the amount of stored power in the power storage means is less than a predetermined value.

11. The aforementioned data includes segmented data, which is stored by dividing a single piece of data into multiple address information. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the control means erases the divided data after erasing the predetermined key.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the storage means is a non-volatile memory.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the energy storage means is a primary battery.

14. A storage step for storing data about the user, A recording step in which liquid is dispensed onto a recording medium based on image data, An instruction step to instruct the deletion of the aforementioned data, The system includes an erasure step of erasing the data stored in the storage means based on the aforementioned instructions, The control method for an image processing apparatus is characterized in that, if power is not supplied from an external power source, the erasure step erases the data based on power from a power storage means.

Images