Information Processing Apparatus, Printing System, and Program

Abstract

To identify a highly confidential page in creating print data by combining a plurality of sets of original data.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes a processor. The processor receives a print instruction from a terminal device and creates pages for print data by combining a plurality of sets of original data including highly confidential data; and adds high confidentiality information indicating high confidentiality to a page including the highly confidential data in the print data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a printing system, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional technique, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of adding security information to print data to be transferred when transferring print data to an image forming apparatus having no security function.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When creating print data by combining a plurality of original data including highly confidential information, it may be difficult to identify which pages of the print data are highly confidential pages. An object of the present invention is to enable identification of highly confidential pages when creating print data by combining a plurality of original data.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The invention according to claim 1 includes a processor that receives a print instruction from a terminal device, combines a plurality of original data including highly confidential data with high confidentiality, creates each page of the print data, and assigns high confidentiality information indicating high confidentiality to the pages of the print data that include the highly confidential data. It is an information processing apparatus. The invention according to claim 2 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor receives selection of the highly confidential data from the plurality of original data from the terminal device. The invention according to claim 3 is an information processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the processor receives, from the terminal device, the plurality of original data to which the high confidentiality information has been previously given in the selected high confidentiality data, and transfers the high confidentiality information given to the high confidentiality data to a page including the high confidentiality data of the print data. The invention according to claim 4 is an information processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the plurality of original data includes a plurality of manuscript data to be page-attached to each page of the print data, and the processor accepts selection of the high confidentiality data from among the plurality of manuscript data, and gives the high confidentiality information to a page to which the selected manuscript data is page-attached. The invention according to claim 5 is an information processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the plurality of original data includes a plurality of manuscript data to be page-attached to each page of the print data and a plurality of elements that are managed for each predetermined item and inserted into the page-attached manuscript data, and the processor accepts selection of the high confidentiality data for each item from among the plurality of elements, and gives the high confidentiality information to a page including the manuscript data into which the element belonging to the item is inserted. The invention according to claim 6 is an information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the processor divides each page of the print data and outputs it to a plurality of processing units each of which executes a predetermined process. The invention according to claim 7 is an information processing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the plurality of processing units have different levels of confidentiality, and the processor outputs a page to which the high confidentiality information has been given to a processing unit with a high level of confidentiality among the plurality of processing units. The invention according to claim 8 is an information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the processor gives different high confidentiality information to a page including the high confidentiality data for each print instruction or for each terminal device. In the invention according to claim 9, the processor transmits identification information for identifying the print instruction to a printing apparatus that prints the print data, and when the printing apparatus can authenticate the identification information, outputs a page with the highly confidential information of the print data to the printing apparatus. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 is characterized in that. In the invention according to claim 10, when the processor creates the print data that does not have the page by combining the plurality of original data, the processor assigns the highly confidential information to the print data itself. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 is characterized in that. The invention according to claim 11 includes an information processing apparatus that receives a print instruction from a terminal device, creates each page of print data by combining a plurality of original data including highly confidential data with high confidentiality, and assigns highly confidential information indicating high confidentiality to a page including the highly confidential data among the print data, and a printing apparatus that acquires the print data and forms an image on a recording medium based on the print data. The printing apparatus is a printing system that prints by attaching a highly confidential image indicating high confidentiality to a page to which the highly confidential information is assigned among the print data. The invention according to claim 12 is a program that realizes, for an information processing apparatus, a function of receiving a print instruction from a terminal device and creating each page of print data by combining a plurality of original data including highly confidential data with high confidentiality, and a function of assigning highly confidential information indicating high confidentiality to a page including the highly confidential data among the print data. [Effect of the Invention]

[0006] According to the inventions of claims 1, 6, 11, and 12, when creating print data by combining a plurality of original data, it is possible to identify a page with high confidentiality. According to the inventions of claims 2 and 3, a page including highly confidential data selected by a terminal device among the print data can be identified. According to the invention of claim 4, a page with highly confidential manuscript data stamped can be identified. According to the invention of claim 5, a page into which a highly confidential element is inserted can be identified. According to the invention of claim 7, leakage of highly confidential data to the outside can be suppressed as compared with the case where a page to which highly confidential information is added is not output to a highly secure processing unit. According to the invention of claim 8, it becomes possible to identify a printing instruction or a terminal device based on highly confidential information. According to the invention of claim 9, erroneous transmission of a page including highly confidential data among print data is suppressed as compared with the case where print data is output without authenticating identification information. According to the invention of claim 10, even when the print data does not have a page, if the print data includes highly confidential data, it can be recognized that the confidentiality is high.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. (Embodiment 1) <Printing System 1> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a printing system 1 to which the present embodiment is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system 1 includes a printing apparatus 100. Further, the printing system 1 includes a page creation server 200 provided on the cloud C and image conversion servers 300A and 300B. Furthermore, the printing system 1 includes a terminal device 400 operated by a user of the printing system 1 or the like. In the printing system 1, the printing apparatus 100, the page creation server 200, the image conversion servers 300A and 300B, and the terminal device 400 are connected via a communication line 500 such as an Internet line. In the printing system 1 of the present embodiment, the printing apparatus 100, the page creation server 200, and the image conversion servers 300A and 300B cooperate to execute a printing job received from the terminal device 400 or the like. Also, in the printing system 1 of the present embodiment, the page creation server 200 and the image conversion servers 300A and 300B provided on the cloud C provide a service for controlling printing by the printing apparatus 100 as a cloud service.

[0009] Note that, in the printing system 1 shown in FIG. 1, one printing apparatus 100 and one terminal device 400 are connected to the cloud C (page creation server 200, image conversion servers 300A and 300B), but the present invention is not limited to this. In the printing system 1, one or both of the printing apparatus 100 and the terminal device 400 may be connected to the cloud C in plural. Also, in the printing system 1, the number of page creation servers 200 may be plural. Further, in the printing system 1, the number of image conversion servers 300A and 300B may be one, or may be three or more in plural. In the following description, when the image conversion servers 300A and 300B are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as the image conversion server 300.

[0010] <Printing Apparatus 100> The printing apparatus 100 prints an image on a sheet, which is an example of a recording medium, based on the acquired printing job. The printing device 100 is a so-called production printer used for business printing, for example. The printing device 100 may have, in addition to a printing function for printing an image on paper, a scanning function, a copying function, a post-processing function, and the like. Examples of post-processing include a binding process for binding a stack of papers, a folding process for folding the paper, a cutting process for cutting the paper, a perforating process for punching holes in the paper, and the like. Note that the printing device 100 is not limited to a production printer and may be applied to general printers (such as business printers and home printers).

[0011] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the printing device 100. The printing device 100 of the present embodiment includes a printing unit 110 that prints an image on paper, an inspection unit 120 that inspects the image printed on the paper by the printing unit 110, a discharge unit 130 from which the paper printed by the printing unit 110 is discharged, and a control unit 140 that controls each part of the printing device 100.

[0012] The printing unit 110 prints an image on paper by, for example, an electrophotographic method. Note that the printing method by the printing unit 110 is not particularly limited, and for example, an image may be printed on paper by an inkjet method.

[0013] The inspection unit 120 inspects the image printed on the paper by the printing unit 110. Specifically, the inspection unit 120 reads the image printed on the paper by the printing unit 110. Then, the inspection unit 120 inspects whether or not there is a defect in the image formed on the paper by comparing the read image with the image instructed to be printed by the print job (a rasterized image described later). Although details will be described later, when the inspection unit 120 of the present embodiment inspects a paper on which a page having an HS flag (described later) is printed, the inspection unit 120 has a higher inspection accuracy than when inspecting a paper on which a page having no HS flag is printed.

[0014] The discharge unit 130 has a first discharge tray 131 and a second discharge tray 132 for discharging the paper on which the image has been printed by the printing unit 110. In the discharge unit 130 of the present embodiment, the first discharge tray 131 has higher confidentiality than the second discharge tray 132. For example, the first discharge tray 131 is locked, and only the user who owns the key can take the discharged paper. On the other hand, the second discharge tray 132 is not locked, and the discharged paper can be taken without depending on the user.

[0015] <Terminal device 400> The terminal device 400 is a computer device operated by a user or the like who uses the printing system 1, and is composed of, for example, a PC (Personal Computer) or the like. Although not shown, the terminal device 400 has a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The ROM stores a control program executed by the CPU. Then, the CPU reads out the control program stored in the ROM and executes the control program using the RAM as a work area.

[0016] Based on the operation by the user, the terminal device 400 generates a print job. Then, the terminal device 400 outputs the print job to the page creation server 200 via the communication line 500. Here, the print job is an example of a print instruction and is a unit of a series of printing processes performed in the printing system 1. The print job includes identification information such as a job ID for identifying the print job, print source data that is the source of the image to be formed on the paper by the print job, and condition information regarding the conditions of the print job.

[0017] Print source data is data that serves as the basis for the image to be formed on the paper, and is, for example, data in the PDL (Page Description Language) format. In the present embodiment, the print source data includes one or more manuscript data to be laid on the paper and a database having a plurality of objects inserted into the predetermined manuscript data. In the database, objects, as an example of elements to be inserted into the predetermined manuscript data, are managed for each item. Also, the formats of the manuscript data and the objects included in the database are not particularly limited, and are, for example, image data, text data, numerical data, graphic data, and the like.

[0018] Also, in the present embodiment, high-security information indicating high confidentiality is given to high-security data, which is data with high confidentiality among the print source data. High-security information means information that allows devices such as the page creation server 200 and the image conversion server 300 that receive the data to recognize that the data has high confidentiality based on this high-security information, and its format is not particularly limited. In this example, an HS (High Security) flag, which is an example of high-security information, is given to high-security data with high confidentiality among the print source data.

[0019] For example, an HS flag is given to manuscript data with high confidentiality among the one or more manuscript data. Alternatively, an HS flag is given to an item to which an object with high confidentiality in the database belongs. In the present embodiment, for example, when the user operates the terminal device 400 to input a print job, high-security data is selected from the print source data. Then, the terminal device 400 gives an HS flag to the selected high-security data. Note that, for example, the terminal device 400 may analyze the print source data and give an HS flag based on the analysis result. Note that the HS flag given to the print source data will be described in detail later.

[0020] The condition information is a condition for determining the printing mode performed by the printing apparatus 100. Examples thereof include, but are not limited to, information regarding the size of the paper, the number of original data sheets arranged on one sheet of paper, the order of the original data arranged on one sheet of paper, single-sided printing or double-sided printing, the number of printed copies, and the like. In the following description, among the condition information, the information regarding the number of original data sheets arranged on one sheet of paper and the information regarding the order of the original data arranged on one sheet of paper may be collectively referred to as pagination information.

[0021] <Page creation server 200> Subsequently, the hardware configuration of the page creation server 200 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the page creation server 200. As shown in FIG. 3, it includes an information processing unit 210 that processes information, a storage unit 220 that stores information, and a communication interface (communication I / F) 230 that realizes communication. Also, in the page creation server 200, the information processing unit 210, the storage unit 220, and the communication I / F 230 are connected to a bus 280, and data is exchanged via this bus 280.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, the information processing unit 210 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 210a, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 210b, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 210c. The CPU 210a is an example of a processor, and realizes each function of the page creation server 200 described later by loading and executing various programs stored in the ROM 210b and the like into the RAM 210c. The RAM 210c is a memory used as a working memory of the CPU 210a and the like. The ROM 210b is a memory that stores various programs and the like executed by the CPU 210a.

[0023] Here, the program executed by the CPU 210a can be provided in a state stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as a magnetic recording medium (magnetic tape, magnetic disk, etc.), an optical recording medium (optical disk, etc.), a magneto-optical recording medium, or a semiconductor memory. Also, the program executed by the CPU 110a may be provided using communication means such as the Internet.

[0024] The page creation server 200 is an example of an information processing apparatus that receives a print job transmitted from the terminal device 400 and creates print data for printing on the printing apparatus 100 by combining a plurality of print source data based on the print job. Specifically, the page creation server 200 collates the original data of the print source data onto each page of the print data based on the condition information including the above-described imposition information. Also, the page creation server 200 inserts database objects into predetermined original data. Here, a page of the print data means a page printed on one side of one sheet of paper when printing the print data on the printing apparatus 100.

[0025] Also, when the print source data includes highly confidential data with high confidentiality, the page creation server 200 assigns high confidentiality information indicating high confidentiality to the pages including this highly confidential data among the created print data. Highly confidential data is data that the page creation server 200 can recognize as having high confidentiality. In this example, the print source data to which the above-described HS flag is assigned corresponds to highly confidential data.

[0026] When there is manuscript data with the above-mentioned HS flag among the manuscript data that is the print source data, the page creation server 200 assigns the HS flag, which is an example of highly confidential information, to the page where the manuscript data with this HS flag is laid out among the created print data. Additionally, the page creation server 200 inherits the HS flag assigned to the manuscript data to the page where the manuscript data with this HS flag is laid out among the print data.

[0027] Also, when there is an item with the HS flag in the database that is the print source data, the page creation server 200 assigns the HS flag, which is an example of highly confidential information, to the page where the object belonging to the item with this HS flag is inserted among the created print data. Additionally, the page creation server 200 inherits the HS flag assigned to the item in the database to the page where the object belonging to the item with this HS flag is inserted among the print data.

[0028] Here, when the page creation server 200 assigns the HS flag to a page containing highly confidential data in the print data, for example, different HS flags may be assigned for each print job. Also, when the page creation server 200 assigns the HS flag to a page containing highly confidential data in the print data, for example, different HS flags may be assigned for each terminal device 400 that instructed the execution of the print job. In this case, in the printing device 100, image conversion server 300, etc. that receive the print data, the HS flag can be used to identify the print job and the terminal device 400 that instructed the execution of the print job.

[0029] Then, the page creation server 200 outputs the created print data to the image conversion server 300. In this example, the page creation server 200 outputs the created print data for multiple pages separately to the image conversion server 300A and the image conversion server 300B. Additionally, the page creation server 200 outputs the pages with the HS flag among the created print data to the image conversion server 300A, while outputting the pages without the HS flag to the image conversion server 300B. Note that specific examples will be given and explained later for the processing performed by the page creation server 200.

[0030] <Image conversion server 300> Next, the configuration of the image conversion server 300 (image conversion servers 300A and 300B) will be described. The image conversion server 300A and the image conversion server 300B basically have the same configuration. Here, when not distinguishing between them, they are simply referred to as the image conversion server 300. The image conversion server 300 is an example of a processing unit and is a server device on the cloud C. Although not shown in the figure, the image conversion server 300, like the page creation server 200, has an information processing unit composed of a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM, a storage unit, and a communication I / F, and these are connected by a bus. The CPU is another example of a processor and realizes the functions of the image conversion server 300 by loading various programs stored in the ROM and the like into the RAM and executing them. The RAM is a memory used as a working memory for the CPU and the like. The ROM is a memory that stores various programs and the like executed by the CPU.

[0031] In this embodiment, the image conversion server 300A and the image conversion server 300B have different confidentiality levels from outside the cloud C. In this example, the confidentiality level of the image conversion server 300A is higher than that of the image conversion server 300B. Then, as described above, in this example, from the page creation server 200, for the image conversion server 300A, pages of the print data with the HS flag are output, and for the image conversion server 300B, pages of the print data without the HS flag are output.

[0032] Each image conversion server 300 performs rasterization processing on each page of the print data received from the page creation server 200. Then, each image conversion server 300 outputs a rasterized image, which is an image for which rasterization processing has been completed for each page of the print data, to the printing apparatus 100. In addition, when a page of the print data received from the page creation server 200 has the HS flag, each image conversion server 300 inherits this HS flag to the rasterized image for which rasterization processing has been completed. In this example, the image conversion server 300A inherits the HS flag attached to the page of the print data received from the page creation server 200 to the rasterized image for which rasterization processing has been completed.

[0033] In the present embodiment, the rasterization processing for each page of the print data created by the page creation server 200 can be divided between the image conversion server 300A and the image conversion server 300B and performed in parallel. Thereby, for example, compared with the case where all the print data is rasterized by a single image conversion server 300, the productivity of the printing process can be improved.

[0034] By the way, when creating print data by combining a plurality of print source data including highly confidential data with high confidentiality, it may be difficult to identify which part of the print data has high confidentiality. For example, when creating print data consisting of a plurality of pages by combining a plurality of print source data by page layout or the like, it may be difficult to identify which page of the print data is a page with high confidentiality. On the other hand, in this embodiment, when the page creation server 200 combines a plurality of manuscripts to create print data, the page including highly confidential data with high confidentiality is provided with an HS flag, which is an example of highly confidential information indicating high confidentiality.

[0035] <Processing by Page Creation Server 200> Subsequently, when the execution of a print job is instructed from the terminal device 400 or the like, the operation of the page creation server 200 will be specifically described centering on the processing by the information processing unit 210 of the page creation server 200. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the processing performed by the page creation server 200 when the execution of a print job is instructed. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the processing performed by the page creation server 200. Further, FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the data flow among the page creation server 200, the image conversion server 300, and the printing apparatus 100 when the execution of a print job is instructed.

[0036] First, the page creation server 200 receives a print job from the terminal device 400 (step 101). Specifically, the page creation server 200 receives, from the terminal device 400, as a print job, identification information for identifying the print job, print source data that is the source of the image to be formed on the paper by the print job, and condition information that is information regarding the conditions of the print job.

[0037] In this example, as shown in FIG. 5, the page creation server 200 receives a plurality (four in this example) of manuscript data (first manuscript data M1, second manuscript data M2, third manuscript data M3, fourth manuscript data M4) as the print source data. Also, the page creation server 200 receives the database D as print source data. The database D shown in FIG. 5 has items "company name", "person name", and "amount". And for each item in the database D, a plurality of objects to be inserted into the manuscript data belong. Also, for each item, the presence or absence (ON / OFF) of the assignment of the HS flag, which is an example of highly confidential information, is set in the database D. In this example, among the items that the database D has, the "person name" has the HS flag assigned (in other words, the HS flag is ON), and the "company name" and "amount" do not have the HS flag assigned (in other words, the HS flag is OFF).

[0038] Also, as described above, the page creation server 200 receives condition information including information regarding the number of manuscript data sheets to be arranged on one sheet of paper and imposition information which is information regarding the arrangement order of the manuscript data to be arranged on one sheet of paper from the terminal device 400.

[0039] Subsequently, the page creation server 200 imposes the manuscript data based on the imposition information and the like acquired in step 101 (step 102). In this example, as shown in FIG. 5, the page creation server 200 arranges two sheets of manuscript data on each page of the print data based on the imposition information. Specifically, the page creation server 200 imposes the first manuscript data M1 and the fourth manuscript data M4 among the manuscript data to create the first page P1 of the print data. Similarly, the page creation server 200 imposes the third manuscript data M3 and the second manuscript data M2 among the manuscript data to create the second page P2 of the print data. Similarly, the page creation server 200 imposes the third manuscript data M3 and the first manuscript data M1 among the manuscript data to create the third page P3 of the print data. Similarly, the page creation server 200 imposes the first manuscript data M1 and the second manuscript data M2 among the manuscript data to create the fourth page P4 of the print data.

[0040] Subsequently, the page creation server 200 inserts the objects in the database D into the manuscript data that has been page-attached to the pages of the print data (step 103). In this example, as shown in FIG. 5, the page creation server 200 inserts the objects belonging to "person name" and "amount" in the database D into the third manuscript data M3 page-attached to the second page P2 of the print data and the third manuscript data M3 page-attached to the third page P3 of the print data. Specifically, the page creation server 200 inserts the object "Taro Tanaka" belonging to the item "person name" in the database D into the third manuscript data M3 page-attached to the second page P2 of the print data, and inserts the object "10,000 yen" belonging to the item "amount" in the database D. Similarly, the page creation server 200 inserts the object "Jiro Suzuki" belonging to the item "person name" in the database D into the third manuscript data M3 page-attached to the third page P3 of the print data, and inserts the object "15,000 yen" belonging to the item "amount" in the database D.

[0041] Subsequently, the page creation server 200 assigns an HS flag, which is an example of highly confidential information indicating high confidentiality, to the pages of the print data that include highly confidential data with high confidentiality (step 104). In this example, as described above, the HS flag has been previously assigned to the item "person name" in the database D of the original print data. In other words, in this example, among the original print data, the objects belonging to the item "person name" in the database D are highly confidential data. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the page creation server 200 assigns an HS flag (indicated by the symbol HS in FIG. 5) to the second page P2 and the third page P3 in the created print data into which the objects belonging to the item "person name" in the database D have been inserted. In other words, the page creation server 200 inherits the HS flag assigned to the item "person name" in the database D of the original print data to the second page P2 and the third page P3 in the print data into which the objects belonging to the item "person name" in the database D have been inserted.

[0042] Subsequently, the page creation server 200 outputs the created print data to the image conversion server 300 (step 105). The page creation server 200 divides the created print data and distributes and outputs it to a plurality of image conversion servers 300. In this example, as shown in FIG. 6, the page creation server 200 outputs the second page P2 and the third page P3 to which the HS flag is added in step 104 among the print data to the image conversion server 300A. Further, the page creation server 200 outputs the first page P1 and the fourth page P4 to which the HS flag is not added in step 104 among the print data to the image conversion server 300B.

[0043] Also, when the page creation server 200 outputs the print data to the image conversion server 300, the page creation server 200 may also output the identification information and the condition information included in the print job to the image conversion server 300 together. Thereby, a series of processes by the page creation server 200 are completed.

[0044] As described above, in the present embodiment, when the page creation server 200 combines a plurality of print source data to create each page of the print data, by adding an HS flag to the page including highly confidential data, a page with high confidentiality can be identified.

[0045] <Processing of the image conversion server 300> Subsequently, the processing performed by the image conversion server 300 will be described. The image conversion server 300 acquires the print data output from the page creation server 200. In this example, the image conversion server 300A acquires the second page P2 and the third page P3 to which the HS flag is added among the print data. Further, the image conversion server 300B acquires the first page P1 and the fourth page P4 to which the HS flag is not added among the print data.

[0046] Then, the image conversion server 300 performs rasterization processing on the acquired print data to create a rasterized image. In this example, the image conversion server 300A performs rasterization processing on the second page P2 and the third page P3 of the print data to create rasterized images. Also, the image conversion server 300B performs rasterization processing on the first page P1 and the fourth page P4 of the print data to create rasterized images. Hereinafter, the rasterized images obtained by rasterizing the first page P1 to the fourth page P4 of the print data may be respectively referred to as the first rasterized image R1 to the fourth rasterized image R4.

[0047] Here, as described above, in the printing system 1 of the present embodiment, the confidentiality of the image conversion server 300A is higher than that of the image conversion server 300B. Therefore, by performing the rasterization processing of the second page P2 and the third page P3 to which the HS flag is attached in the print data on the image conversion server 300A, compared with the case where the rasterization processing of the second page P2 and the third page P3 is performed on the image conversion server 300B, leakage of highly confidential data included in the second page P2 and the third page P3 to the outside is suppressed. Note that since the HS flag is not attached to the first page P1 and the fourth page P4 and they do not include highly confidential data, even if the rasterization processing is performed on the image conversion server 300B with lower confidentiality than the image conversion server 300A, problems are less likely to occur.

[0048] Here, when the HS flag is attached to the page of the print data that is the target of the rasterization processing by the image conversion server 300, the image conversion server 300 also inherits this HS flag for the rasterized image after the rasterization processing. In this example, as shown in FIG. 6, the image conversion server 300A inherits the HS flags attached to the second page P2 and the third page P3 of the print data to the second rasterized image R2 and the third rasterized image R3 after the rasterization processing, respectively.

[0049] Subsequently, the image conversion server 300 outputs the created rasterized image to the printing apparatus 100. In this example, as shown in FIG. 6, the image conversion server 300A outputs the second rasterized image R2 and the third rasterized image R3 to the printing apparatus 100. Similarly, the image conversion server 300B outputs the first rasterized image R1 and the fourth rasterized image R4 to the printing apparatus 100.

[0050] Here, when the image conversion server 300 outputs a rasterized image with an HS flag to the printing apparatus 100, it may transmit identification information to the printing apparatus 100 and, when the identification information can be authenticated in the printing apparatus 100, output the rasterized image with the HS flag to the printing apparatus 100. In this example, before the image conversion server 300A outputs the second rasterized image R2 and the third rasterized image R3 to the printing apparatus 100, it outputs identification information for identifying the print job to the printing apparatus 100. In the printing apparatus 100, when executing the print job, it compares the identification information of the print job received in advance from the terminal device 400 or the like with the identification information received from the image conversion server 300A and performs an authentication process. Then, when these pieces of identification information match, the printing apparatus 100 permits the output of the rasterized image to the image conversion server 300A. In response to the permission of output by the printing apparatus 100, the image conversion server 300A outputs the second rasterized image R2 and the third rasterized image R3 with the HS flag to the printing apparatus 100.

[0051] On the other hand, when the printing apparatus 100 does not have identification information that matches the identification information received from the image conversion server 300A, it does not permit the output of the rasterized image to the image conversion server 300A. In this case, the image conversion server 300A does not output the second rasterized image R2 and the third rasterized image R3 with the HS flag to the printing apparatus 100. Thereby, for example, it is suppressed that a rasterized image including highly confidential data is output to a device different from the printing apparatus 100 instructed by the user to perform printing by a print job. With the above, the processing by the image conversion server 300 ends.

[0052] <Processing in the printing apparatus 100> In the printing apparatus 100, the control unit 140 acquires each rasterized image output from the image conversion server 300, synthesizes the acquired rasterized images, and creates rasterized data composed of a plurality of rasterized images. Then, the printing unit 110 of the printing apparatus 100 prints each rasterized image on a sheet using the synthesized rasterized data. In the present embodiment, when the printing unit 110 of the printing apparatus 100 prints a rasterized image to which an HS flag is attached on a sheet, a high-security image indicating high confidentiality is also printed on this sheet. Examples of the high-security image include, but are not particularly limited to, a watermark or a background pattern image indicating high confidentiality. Thereby, when a user views a sheet on which a rasterized image to which an HS flag is attached is printed, it is possible to recognize that the confidentiality is high.

[0053] Subsequently, in the printing apparatus 100, the inspection unit 120 inspects the image printed on the sheet by the printing unit 110. Here, in the present embodiment, it is preferable that the inspection unit 120 increases the inspection accuracy for an image printed with a rasterized image to which an HS flag is attached as compared with the inspection accuracy for an image printed with a rasterized image to which no HS flag is attached. For example, when the inspection unit 120 reads the image printed on the sheet during inspection, the resolution for reading an image printed with a rasterized image to which an HS flag is attached is made higher than the resolution for reading an image printed with a rasterized image to which no HS flag is attached. Thereby, it is suppressed that the sheet is discharged in a state where there is a defect in the image printed with the rasterized image to which an HS flag is attached.

[0054] Subsequently, the printing apparatus 100 prints each rasterized image in the printing unit 110, and discharges a printed matter composed of a plurality of sheets on which the images have been inspected in the inspection unit 120, to the discharge unit 130. In the present embodiment, when the rasterized data includes a rasterized image to which an HS flag is attached, the printed matter is discharged to the first discharge tray 131. In other words, in the printing system 1 of the present embodiment, when the print source data of the print job includes highly confidential data, the printed matter obtained based on this print job is discharged to the first discharge tray 131. Here, as described above, the first discharge tray 131 has a higher confidentiality level than the second discharge tray 132. Thereby, it is suppressed that the printed matter obtained based on the print job including highly confidential data is viewed by other users different from the user who instructed the execution of the print job.

[0055] <Other examples of processing by the page creation server 200> Next, another example of the processing by the information processing unit 210 of the page creation server 200 will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the processing performed by the page creation server 200. Note that detailed descriptions of the same processing as in the above-described example will be omitted. In the above-described example, the page creation server 200 acquires, in step 101 (see FIG. 4; the same applies hereinafter), as print source data including highly confidential data with high confidentiality, a database to which an HS flag is attached for a predetermined item (the item "person's name" in the above-described example). In contrast, the page creation server 200 may acquire, as print source data including highly confidential data, a plurality of original data (the first original data M1, the second original data M2, the third original data M3, the fourth original data M4) to which an HS flag is attached in a predetermined original data.

[0056] Specifically, the page creation server 200 receives, in step 101, as print source data, a plurality (four in this example) of original data (the first original data M1, the second original data M2, the third original data M3, the fourth original data M4). In this example, an HS flag is attached to the fourth original data M4 among the four original data. Also, in step 101, the page creation server 200 receives, as print source data, a database D having items "company name", "person name", and "amount". In this example, for each item in the database D, the presence or absence (ON / OFF) of the HS flag is set, and the HS flag is not assigned to all items (in other words, the HS flag is OFF).

[0057] Subsequently, the page creation server 200, in the same manner as steps 102 and 103 described above, collates the manuscript data onto the paper and inserts the object of the database D into the collated manuscript data.

[0058] Subsequently, in step 104, the page creation server 200 assigns an HS flag, which is an example of high confidentiality information indicating high confidentiality, to the page including the high confidentiality data. In this example, among the print source data, the HS flag is pre-assigned to the fourth manuscript data M4. In other words, in this example, among the plurality of manuscript data, the fourth manuscript data M4 is high confidentiality data. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the page creation server 200 assigns the HS flag to the first page P1 on which the fourth manuscript data M4 is collated among the created print data. In other words, the page creation server 200 inherits the HS flag assigned to the fourth manuscript data M4 of the print source data to the first page P1 on which the fourth manuscript data M4 is collated among the print data.

[0059] Subsequently, the page creation server 200 outputs the created print data to the image conversion server 300 in the same manner as step 105 described above. In this example, the page creation server 200 divides the created print data and outputs the first page P1 to which the HS flag is assigned in step 104 to the image conversion server 300A, and outputs the second page P2 to the fourth page P4 to which the HS flag is not assigned in step 104 to the image conversion server 300B. As a result, a series of processes by the page creation server 200 are completed.

[0060] Here, in the above-described example, the case where the HS flag is given to only one of the manuscript data or the database object among the print source data received by the page creation server 200 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The HS flag may be given to both the manuscript data and the database object among the print source data. In this case, in step 104 described above, the page creation server 200 may give the HS flag to both the page in which the manuscript data with the HS flag is inserted and the page in which the object belonging to the item with the HS flag is inserted among the created print data.

[0061] Also, in the above-described example, the page creation server 200 creates print data consisting of one or more pages by combining a plurality of print source data. However, the print data created by the page creation server 200 does not necessarily have to have pages. That is, the page creation server 200 may create print data not divided into pages by combining manuscript data and database objects, which are a plurality of print source data. In this case, when the HS flag is given to the manuscript data or the database, which is the print source data, the page creation server 200 inherits the HS flag of the print source data to the created print data itself. As a result, it becomes possible to recognize that the created print data contains highly confidential data.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above-described example, the printing system 1 typesets the manuscript data in the page creation server 200 and inserts the objects belonging to the database to create each page of the print data, and then rasterizes each page of the print data in the image conversion server 300 to obtain a rasterized image. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the printing system 1, after rasterizing the original data in which an object belonging to the database is inserted to obtain a rasterized image of each original data, each page of the printing data may be created by imposing the rasterized images of the respective original data. In this case, when creating each page of the printing data by imposing the rasterized images of the respective original data, an HS flag may be given to the page on which the rasterized image including highly confidential data is imposed.

[0063] As described above, the embodiments have been explained, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is obvious from the description of the claims that those obtained by making various changes or improvements to the above embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0064] 1... printing system, 100... printing apparatus, 110... printing unit, 120... inspection unit, 130... discharge unit, 140... control unit, 200... page creation server, 210... information processing unit, 220... storage unit, 230... communication I / F, 300, 300A, 300B... image conversion server, 400... terminal device, 500... communication line

Claims

1. A processor is provided, The processor: Receives a printing instruction from a terminal device, combines a plurality of original data including highly confidential data with high confidentiality, and creates each page of printing data; Adds high confidentiality information indicating high confidentiality to the page including the highly confidential data among the printing data. An information processing apparatus.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor receives a selection of the highly confidential data from among the plurality of original data from the terminal device.

3. The processor receives, from the terminal device, the plurality of original data in which the high confidentiality information has been previously added to the selected highly confidential data, The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the high confidentiality information added to the highly confidential data is carried over to the page including the highly confidential data of the printing data.

4. The plurality of original data includes a plurality of manuscript data to be page-attached to each page of the printing data, The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor receives a selection of the highly confidential data from among the plurality of manuscript data, and adds the high confidentiality information to the page to which the selected manuscript data is page-attached.

5. The plurality of original data includes a plurality of manuscript data to be page-attached to each page of the printing data and a plurality of elements that are managed for each predetermined item and inserted into the page-attached manuscript data, The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor receives a selection of the highly confidential data for each item from among the plurality of elements, and adds the high confidentiality information to the page including the manuscript data into which the elements belonging to the item are inserted.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor divides each page of the printing data and outputs it to a plurality of processing units that each execute a predetermined process.

7. The plurality of processing units have different levels of confidentiality from each other, The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the processor outputs the page to which the high confidentiality information has been added to the processing unit with high confidentiality among the plurality of processing units.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor assigns different pieces of the highly confidential information to pages including the highly confidential data, for each printing instruction or for each terminal device.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor transmits identification information for identifying the printing instruction to a printing apparatus that prints the print data, and when the printing apparatus can authenticate the identification information, outputs to the printing apparatus a page in which the highly confidential information is assigned to the print data.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the processor creates print data that does not have the page by combining the plurality of original data, the processor assigns the highly confidential information to the print data itself.

11. An information processing apparatus that receives a printing instruction from a terminal device, creates each page of print data by combining a plurality of original data including highly confidential data with high confidentiality, and assigns highly confidential information indicating high confidentiality to a page including the highly confidential data among the print data; A printing apparatus that acquires the print data and forms an image on a recording medium based on the print data, wherein the printing apparatus prints by attaching a highly confidential image indicating high confidentiality to a page to which the highly confidential information is assigned among the print data printing system.

12. For an information processing apparatus, A function of receiving a printing instruction from a terminal device and creating each page of print data by combining a plurality of original data including highly confidential data with high confidentiality; A program that realizes a function of assigning highly confidential information indicating high confidentiality to a page including the highly confidential data among the print data .

Images