Image Forming Apparatus Page-Specific Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses authenticate users at the beginning of printing, resulting in all pages of a document being printed and output, even if sensitive information is contained on a specific page, potentially leading to information leakage if the user is not present when printing that page.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus embeds verification information into the image data of specific pages, requiring user authentication before printing those pages, ensuring that only the intended pages are printed and output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If authentication is performed at the beginning of printing, then printing processing can be started, but all pages are printed and output even if sensitive information is contained on a specific page
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the authentication process by page number. Instead of performing authentication once at the beginning for all pages, the system divides the document into individual pages and requires separate authentication for each page containing sensitive information. This is achieved by specifying target page numbers in the print information and performing authentication processing for each target page before printing that specific page, thereby preventing information leakage while maintaining printing efficiency for non-sensitive pages.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If authentication is performed for each page, then information leakage can be prevented, but printing processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating authentication requirements based on the specific page characteristics. Not all pages require authentication - only target pages specified in the print information (those containing sensitive information) require authentication processing. Non-target pages can be printed without authentication, thus preventing information leakage for sensitive pages while minimizing the impact on overall printing processing time.
3Productivity
If all pages are printed after initial authentication, then printing efficiency is maintained, but user presence cannot be ensured for sensitive pages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary authentication action for each target page before printing that specific page. The authentication processing is executed in advance for each page that requires security control, and the print job is held until successful authentication. This ensures user presence verification for sensitive pages while maintaining printing efficiency for non-sensitive pages, as the system prepares authentication requirements beforehand rather than interrupting the printing process.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a processor configured to: obtain print information including a setting of a predetermined specific page and predetermined verification information, the predetermined specific page being indicated by print data which is to be subjected to printing processing; convert the print data into image data in a printable format for each output page; embed the predetermined verification information into the image data of an output page including the predetermined specific page; request a user to provide the verification information so as to obtain the verification information when printing the output page with the embedded verification information; and execute printing processing if the embedded verification information and the obtained verification information match each other.