Image forming device, control method, and program for image forming device

1. An image forming device comprising:

an image input unit configured to input image data of a document having a plurality of pages on a page-by-page basis;

a control code detection unit configured to detect a control code for output processing of the image data on a page-by-page basis, the control code being added to the image data inputted by the image input unit;

an image data storage unit configured to store, in a memory unit, image data of a page entered after the page with a first control code added thereto, when the control code detection unit detects the first control code;

a control code decision unit configured to decide a content of control for an entirety of the output processing of the image data in accordance with the first control code and a second control code added to image data of the page entered after the page with the first control code, when the control code detection unit detects the second control code; and

a control unit configured to,

delay the output processing of the image data stored in the memory unit until the control code detection unit completes the detection on all of the plurality of pages of the document, and

control the entirety of the output processing of the image data stored in the memory unit in accordance with the control decided by the control code decision unit for the entirety of the output processing.

2. The image forming device according to claim 1 , comprising a switch unit configured to switch a mode of operation of the image data storage unit between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation,

wherein when the control code detected by the control code detection unit is a control code for the entire document, during the first mode of operation, the image data storage unit stores, in the memory unit, the image data of a page entered after the page with the control code attached thereto, and

wherein during the second mode of operation, the image data storage unit stores, in the memory unit, the image data of all pages regardless whether the control code detected by the control code detection unit is a control code for the entire document.

3. The image forming device according to claim 1 , wherein, when a control code capable of deciding a content of control for image data output processing is detected before image data of all pages is completely input, the control code decision unit directs the control unit to start the output processing of the image data in accordance with the content of control.

4. The image forming device according to claim 1 , wherein, when a plurality of control codes are detected by the control code detection unit, the control code decision unit decides to employ a content of control indicated by a control code of the highest security level value as a content of control for image data output processing.

5. The image forming device according to claim 4 , further comprising setting unit for receiving an operation to set the security level value of the control code.

6. The image forming device according to claim 4 , wherein: the control code decision unit determines whether document security can be ensured for output processing with the content of control indicated by the control code of the highest security level value; and when it is determined that document security for output processing cannot be ensured, a content of control indicated by another control code detected by the control code detection unit is included in a content of control for output processing of image data.

7. The image forming device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit calculates a rate of a number of invalid output pages to a total number of pages as an invalid output rate, and prohibits the output processing of the entire document when the calculated invalid output rate is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.

8. The image forming device according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a display unit configured to display a check window to see whether the output processing is to be continued when the invalid output rate is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold; and

an operation unit configured to input an operation input signal indicative of whether the output processing is to be continued, and

wherein the control unit decides whether to continue the output processing in accordance with the operation input signal entered at the operation unit.

9. A method for controlling an image forming device, comprising:

an image input step of inputting, on a page-by-page basis, image data of a document having a plurality of pages;

a control code detection step of detecting, on a page-by-page basis, a control code for output processing of the image data, the control code being attached to the image data input in the image input step;

an image data storing step of storing, in memory unit, image data of a page entered after the page with a first control code attached thereto, when the first control code is detected in the control code detection step;

a control code decision step of deciding a content of control for an entirety of the output processing of the image data in accordance with the first control code and a second control code added to image data of a page entered after the page with the first control code, when the control code detection unit detects the second control code; and

a control step of,

delaying the output processing of the image data stored in the memory unit until the control code detection step completes the detection on all of the plurality of pages of the document, and

controlling the entirety of the output processing of the image data stored in the memory unit during the image data storing step in accordance with the control decided in the control code decision step for the entirety of the output processing.

10. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program codes embodied in the medium that when executed causes a non-transitory computer to execute:

an image input step of inputting, on a page-by-page basis, image data of a document having a plurality of pages;

a control code detection step of detecting, on a page-by-page basis, a control code for output processing of the image data, the control code being added to the image data inputted in the image input step;

an image data storing step of storing, in memory unit, image data of a page entered after the page with a first control code added thereto, when the control code is detected in the control code detection step;

a control code decision step of deciding a content of control for an entirety of the output processing of the image data in accordance with the first control code and a second control code added to image data of a page entered after the page with the first control code, when the control code detection unit detects the second control code; and

a control step of,

delaying the output processing of the image data stored in the memory unit until the control code detection step completes the detection on all of the plurality of pages of the document, and

controlling the entirety of the output processing of the image data stored in the memory unit during the image data storing step in accordance with the control decided in the control code decision step for the entirety of the output processing.

11. An image forming device comprising:

an image input unit configured to input image data of a document having a plurality of pages on a page-by-page basis;

a control code detection unit configured to detect control codes on the plurality of pages and associate the detected control codes with the image data;

an image data storage unit configured to store, in a memory unit, the detected control codes;

a control code decision unit configured to determine whether output processing of the document as a whole is allowable based on a plurality of the detected control codes, if the control code detection unit detects more than one of the control codes within the plurality of pages; and

a control unit configured to,

delay the output processing of the image data stored in the memory unit until the control code detection unit completes the detection on all of the plurality of pages, and

control the output processing of the image data stored in the memory unit in accordance with a result of the determination of whether output processing of the document as a whole is allowable.