US-12621263-B2 - Image forming apparatus capable of notifying user of error caused due to ZT mode, method of controlling image forming apparatus, and storage medium

US12621263B2US 12621263 B2US12621263 B2US 12621263B2US-12621263-B2

Abstract

An image forming apparatus capable of notifying a user that an error is caused due to a ZT mode. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of network ports that are capable of receiving job data. When the image forming apparatus receives a request for shifting the image forming apparatus to the ZT mode for limiting a communicable network port to a predetermined network port of the plurality of network ports, out of the plurality of network ports, the network ports other than the predetermined network port are blocked. The other network ports having been blocked are opened, and when any of the opened other network port receives the job data, a code indicating that a job is terminated in an error due to the ZT mode is output and notified to a user.

Inventors

Hiroyuki Nakane

Assignees

CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20220413
Priority Date: 20210426

Claims (5)

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising: a display; a controller that receives a selection of one or more applications among a plurality of applications in a communication apparatus for which usage is to be permitted in a second operation mode of the image forming apparatus; a network interface controller that receives a request for shifting the image forming apparatus to the second operation mode from a first operation mode, wherein: the first operation mode is where the image forming apparatus performs a print job received, using an application among the plurality of applications in the communication apparatus and a network port from among a plurality of network ports available in the image forming apparatus, from the communication apparatus, and the second operation mode is: a Zero Trust (ZT) mode; where the image forming apparatus performs the print job received, using the selected one or more applications in the communication apparatus and a predetermined network port different from the network port used in the first operation mode from among the plurality of network ports, from the information processing communication apparatus; and where the image forming apparatus invalidates the network port used in the first operation mode; and does not receive, as a result of the invalidation of the network port, the print job transmitted by an application, among the plurality of applications in the communication apparatus, different from the selected one or more applications using the network port, from the communication apparatus; and wherein the controller controls the display to display error information for the print job, the print job being transmitted by the application different from the selected one or more applications using the network port in a state where the image forming apparatus is in the second operation mode, wherein the displayed error information includes: first information indicating that the print job is not performed and identifying the network port used in the transmission of the print mob; second information prompting a user to use the selected one or more applications for transmitting a print job using the predetermined network port; third information indicating an error occurred due to an application restricted by the ZT mode; and a QR code for displaying a user manual indicating a usage of the selected one or more applications, wherein the controller controls the display to display the first information in a state where the second information, the third information, and the QR code are displayed on the display.
2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined network port is one of an HTTPS port, an HTTP port, an IPPS port, an IPP port, a RAW port, or an LPD port.
3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second operation mode is where the ZT mode is valid and a setting for notifying the communication apparatus of displaying the error information is set.
4 . A method of controlling an image forming apparatus including a network interface controller and a display, the method comprising: receiving a selection of one or more applications among a plurality of applications in a communication apparatus for which usage is to be permitted in a second operation mode of the image forming apparatus; receiving, via the network interface controller, a request for shifting the image forming apparatus to the second operation mode from a first operation mode, wherein: the first operation mode is where the image forming apparatus performs a print job received, using an application among the plurality of applications in the communication apparatus and a network port from among a plurality of network ports available in the image forming apparatus, from the communication apparatus, and the second operation mode is: a Zero Trust (ZT) mode; where the image forming apparatus performs the print job received, using the selected one or more applications in the communication apparatus and a predetermined network port different from the network port used in the first operation mode from among the plurality of network ports, from the communication apparatus; and where the image forming apparatus invalidates the network port used in the first operation mode; and does not receive, as a result of the invalidation of the network port, the print job, transmitted by an application among the plurality of applications in the communication apparatus, different from the selected one or more applications using the network port, from the information processing communication apparatus; and controlling the display to display error information for the print job, the print mob being transmitted by the application different from the selected one or more applications using the network port in a state where the image forming apparatus is in the second operation mode, wherein the displayed error information includes: first information indicating that the print job is not performed and identifying the network port used in the transmission of the print mob; second information prompting a user to use the selected one or more applications for transmitting a print job using the predetermined network port; third information indicating an error occurred due to an application restricted by the ZT mode; and a QR code for displaying a user manual indicating a usage of the selected one or more applications, wherein the controlling controls the display to display the first information in a state where the second information, the third information, and the QR code are displayed on the display.
5 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program executable by a computer to execute a method of controlling an image forming apparatus including a network interface controller and a display, the method comprising: receiving a selection of one or more applications among a plurality of applications in a communication apparatus for which usage is to be permitted in a second operation mode of the image forming apparatus; receiving, via the network interface controller, a request for shifting the image forming apparatus to the second operation mode from a first operation mode, wherein: the first operation mode is where the image forming apparatus performs a print job received, using an application among the plurality of applications in the communication apparatus and a network port from among a plurality of network ports available in the image forming apparatus, from the communication apparatus, and the second operation mode is: a Zero Trust (ZT) mode; where the image forming apparatus is configured to performs the print job received, using the selected one or more applications in the communication apparatus and a predetermined network port different from the network port used in the first operation mode from among the plurality of network ports, from the communication apparatus; and where the image forming apparatus invalidates the network port used in the first operation mode; and does not perform receive, as a result of the invalidation of the network port, the print job received, transmitted by an application, among the plurality of applications in the communication apparatus, different from the selected one or more applications using the network port, from the communication apparatus; and controlling the display to display error information for the print job, the print job being transmitted by the application different from the selected one or more applications using the network port in a state where the image forming apparatus is in the second operation mode, wherein the displayed error information includes: first information indicating that the print job is not performed and identifying the network port used in the transmission of the print mob; second information prompting a user to use the selected one or more applications for transmitting a print job using the predetermined network port; third information indicating an error occurred due to an application restricted by the ZT mode; and a QR code for displaying a user manual indicating a usage of the selected one or more applications, wherein the controlling controls the display to display the first information is displayed in a state where the second information, the third information, and the QR code are displayed on the display.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that is capable of notifying a user of an error caused due to a ZT mode, a method of controlling the image forming apparatus, and a storage medium. Description of the Related Art A technique disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2015-3407 determines a security policy in advance and verifies whether or not an input job matches the security policy. In a case where an input job does not match the security policy, execution of the input job is restricted. In such a configuration that verifies whether or not an input job matches the security policy, even in a case where job data for executing a job is transmitted via a non-secure path, the image forming apparatus is required to once take the job data into the image forming apparatus, which involves security risk. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that is capable of notifying a user that an error is caused due to a ZT mode, a method of controlling the image forming apparatus, and a storage medium. In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus, including a plurality of network ports that are capable of receiving job data, at least one processor, and a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform the operations as: a reception unit configured to receive a request for shifting the image forming apparatus to a predetermined operation mode for limiting a communicable network port to a predetermined network port of the plurality of network ports, a blocking control unit configured to block, out of the plurality of network ports, network ports other than the predetermined network port, upon receipt of the request for shifting the image forming apparatus to the predetermined operation mode, an opening control unit configured to open the other network ports which have been blocked, an output unit configured to output a code indicating that a job is terminated in an error due to the predetermined operation mode when any of the opened other network port receives the job data, and a notification unit configured to notify a user of the code. In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling an image forming apparatus including a plurality of network ports that are capable of receiving job data, comprising receiving a request for shifting the image forming apparatus to a predetermined operation mode for limiting a communicable network port to a predetermined network port of the plurality of network ports, closing, out of the plurality of network ports, network ports other than the predetermined network port, upon receipt of the request for shifting the image forming apparatus to the predetermined operation mode, opening the other network ports which have been blocked, outputting a code indicating that a job is terminated in an error due to the predetermined operation mode when any of the opened other network port receives the job data, and notifying a user of the code. According to the present invention, it is possible to notify a user that an error is caused due to a ZT mode. Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to the attached drawings). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram of the network configuration of an MFP as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the MFP appearing in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a communication apparatus appearing in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a control module included in the MFP appearing in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a control module included in the communication apparatus appearing in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram useful in explaining a process related to a ZT mode, which is performed by the MFP appearing in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen displayed on a console panel appearing in FIG. 3. FIG. 8 is a table showing a list of print applications which are available in the MFP appearing in FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a process for shifting to a ZT mode, which is performed in a step in FIG. 6. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a user notification preparation process performed in a step in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a network port-opening/closing process performed in a step in FIG. 9. FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a job execution process performed in a step in FIG. 6. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a job history screen displayed on a console panel appearing in FIG. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings showing embodime