Image forming apparatus capable of selectively performing login-time automatic printing, method of controlling same, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10768874-B2
Application number	US-201916427813-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2019
Priority date	Jun 12, 2018
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

An image forming apparatus capable of preventing unintended print data from being automatically printed due to a user's erroneous operation in login-time automatic printing. The image forming apparatus includes a console panel that receives a user's operation. When a user logs in to the image forming apparatus by a first login method using credential information, automatic print processing is started based on print data stored in a storage area in association with the logged-in user, and the automatic print processing is not started when a user logs in to the image forming apparatus by a second login method which does not require credential information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a console panel that receives a user's operation;
at least one memory that stores a set of instructions; and
at least one processor that executes the instructions, the instructions, when executed, causing the image forming apparatus to:
determine whether a user has logged in to the image forming apparatus by a first login method by inputting user identification and a password via the console panel or a second login method by specifying a user object via the console panel;
start, in a case where it is determined that (i) the user has logged in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method and (ii) the user has input a predetermined PIN code via the console panel when logging in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method, automatic print processing in response to the log-in of the user based on print data stored in a storage area in association with the user who has logged in; and
not start, in a case where it is determined that (i) the user has logged in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method and (iii) the user has not input a predetermined PIN code via the console panel when logging in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method, the automatic print processing in response to the log-in of the user.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second login method includes a method of performing authentication of a user using a password, which is input via the console panel, and allowing the user to log in to the image forming apparatus in a case where the authentication of the user is successful.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second login method includes a method of performing authentication of a user using credential information received from an IC card or a mobile terminal, and allowing the user to log in to the image forming apparatus in a case where the authentication of the user is successful.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include an instruction for starting, in a case where it is determined that the user has logged in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method and the user has not input the predetermined PIN code via the console panel when logging in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method, print processing of print data stored in the one or more storage areas in association with the user who has logged in, according to a predetermined user's operation received via a screen displayed after the login.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the automatic print processing, a predetermined type of a print job is excluded from a printing target.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the predetermined type of the print job is printing of print data which requires inputting of a password when printing the print data.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include an instruction for determining whether or not the automatic print processing is set enabled, and
wherein in a case where it is determined that the automatic print processing is set disabled, even when it is determined that the user has logged in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method and the user has input the predetermined PIN code via the console panel when logging in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method, the automatic print processing is not executed.

8. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus including a console panel that receives a user's operation, comprising:
determining whether a user has logged in to the image forming apparatus by a first login method by inputting user identification and a password via the console panel or a second login method by specifying a user object via the console panel;
starting, in a case where it is determined that (i) the user has logged in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method and (ii) the user has input a predetermined PIN code via the console panel when logging in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method, automatic print processing in response to the log-in of the user based on print data stored in a storage area in association with the user who has logged in; and
not starting, in a case where it is determined that (i) the user has logged in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method and (iii) the user has not input a predetermined PIN code via the console panel when logging in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method, the automatic print processing in response to the log-in of the user.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer executable program for executing a method of controlling an image forming apparatus including a console panel that receives a user's operation,
wherein the method comprises:
determining whether a user has logged in to the image forming apparatus by a first login method by inputting user identification and a password via the console panel or a second login method by specifying a user object via the console panel;
starting, in a case where it is determined that (i) the user has logged in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method and (ii) the user has input a predetermined PIN code via the console panel when logging in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method, automatic print processing in response to the log-in of the user based on print data stored in a storage area in association with the user who has logged in; and
not starting, in a case where it is determined that (i) the user has logged in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method and (iii) the user has not input a predetermined PIN code via the console panel when logging in to the image forming apparatus by the second login method, the automatic print processing in response to the log-in of the user.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Nakajima Satoru

Classifications

• G06F3/1238 Primary

  Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs · CPC title

• G06F3/1222

  Increasing security of the print job · CPC title

• G06F3/1267

  Job repository, e.g. non-scheduled jobs, delay printing · CPC title

• G06F3/1285

  Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server · CPC title

• G06F21/34

  involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards · CPC title