Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Takahiko Uno

Hiroshi Mori

Norio Michiie

Jongsook Eun

Hiroomi Motohashi

Toshiya Tagawa

Hisashi Ishiguro

Osamu Kizaki

Takashi Yoshikawa

Takuya Inoue

Yasuhiro Hattori

Hiroyasu Sumida

Moriyuki Koike

Kouichi Kanaya

Tsuyoshi Endoh

Tomofumi Harada

Tsuyoshi Endo

Shingo Ohta

Takashi Soyama

Yoshimine Horiuchi

Shuuichi Kimura

Tomohumi Harada

An image processing apparatus serving as a master device and a plurality of local image processing apparatus serving as local devices are connected to one another via a network, and each of the devices includes an authentication information storage unit and an authentication unit. The master device stores, as master authentication information, authentication information necessary for an authentication on each of users who are able to use each of the devices, for each of the devices, and allows editing of the master authentication information. When the authentication information on the local device in the master authentication information is edited, the edited authentication information is transmitted to the local device, and the authentication information stored in local device is updated. When a user login operation is performed on the local device, an authentication is performed by using the authentication information in the local device.

Image processing apparatus authentication system and image processing apparatus

An information processing apparatus employing user access authorization management verifies user access authorization using a portable storage medium storing identification (ID) information for the portable storage medium and user verification information registered in the information processing apparatus while including the portable storage medium ID as verified ID information for the portable storage medium. The information processing apparatus includes a processor to conduct generating ticket information including read portable storage medium ID; transmitting the generated ticket information to a designated issuee; receiving a request to update the ID information for the portable storage medium; obtaining the generated ticket information and the ID information for a new portable storage medium; verifying authenticity of the obtained ticket information; and updating the portable storage medium ID, included in the user verification information registered, with the ID information for the new portable storage medium when the authenticity of the obtained ticket information is verified.

Information processing apparatus, verification system, control method of verification system, program of control method of verification system, and storage medium

A disclosed image forming apparatus includes a validating unit validating a holder of an IC card having a first security information set, login information set and first identifier information set, based on the first security information set; a login unit performing a login process for the IC card holder to log in based on the login information set; and a storage unit storing the first security information set as a second security information set and the first identifier information set as a second identifier information set obtained when the login process performed is successful. In the image forming apparatus, the validating unit validates, provided that first identifier information set from the IC card matches the second identifier information set in the storage unit, the holder of the IC card by reusing the second security information set in the storage unit when the first security information is requested using the IC card.

Image forming apparatus, method for validating IC card holder, and computer program product thereof

An information processing apparatus includes a hard disk drive (HDD) that stores therein user information, an operating unit that performs an operation of setting of user authentication, a user information registering unit that registers user information for a user who are permitted to use a function, and a system control unit that controls registration of the user information to the user information registering unit. An authentication server reads out the user information from the HDD and authenticates use permission of functions in the information processing apparatus. The system control unit controls registerability of the user information to the user information registering unit for each function with use permission determined by the information processing apparatus.

Information processing apparatus, user information managing method, and computer program product

A user authentication method for an electronic apparatus makes a user authentication based on received first user identification information and registered user identification information and sets the electronic apparatus in an authenticated state if the received first user identification information matches the registered user identification information, and controls the authenticated state after the user authentication based on received second user identification, by continuing the authenticated state if the received second user identification information matches the registered user identification information.

Authentication method and unit, and electronic apparatus having authentication unit

The collaboration among the image forming devices is practiced on the computer network for efficiently utilizing the printing resources. When a large print job is requested, the parent image forming device seeks an appropriate child image forming device to share the same print job during a predetermined collaboration process. To minimize the waste and maximize the productivity during the collaboration process, the parent device ascertains that the child device is able to complete a part of the collaboration print job before the corresponding image data is transferred from the parent device to the child device. One of the resources that the parent device ascertains is the available memory amount at the child device for the image data to be transferred. If a sufficient amount of memory is not available at the child device, the image data is transferred to prevent an incomplete collaboration task at the child device. In addition, other resources such as paper and toner are also monitored in conjunction with the memory. Furthermore, the parent and child device monitor each other for completing a collaboration print job so that the collaboration print job is completed in the most efficient manner.

Collaboration system, method and software program for image forming apparatuses

An image processing apparatus including an input device for inputting image data, a storage device for storing image data from the input device, and a controlling device. The controlling device controls the parallel operations of a) writing image data into the storage device, and 2) reading image data from the storage device. Therefore, fast output is possible. Moreover, in a book copying mode, when copying two facing-pages with a scanner, copies of the first of two facing-pages are printed while the second of the two facing pages is scanned. As a result, this apparatus and the corresponding method enable a document to be changed easily and prevent extended holding times by an operator when using book copy mode.

Image forming apparatus which forms an image based on stored image data

An image forming apparatus for detecting and eliminating avoidable image reading operations includes a scanner for reading an original document, a memory for storing read image data, a printer for forming an image in accordance with the image data read from the memory, a ten-key pad for inputting instructions specifying a total number of sets of copies to be made, various functions to be performed by the apparatus for changing how the copying is performed and a sample set command by which the apparatus enters into a sample set command mode wherein one copy of the original document is output as a sample copy, and a controller for determining whether to use the image previously stored in the memory to output the rest of the total number of sets of copies to be made or performing an operation of reading the original document again depending upon types of functions input via the ten-key pad during the sample set command mode.

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Tokyo, Japan

Takahiko Uno