JP5135986B2 - Information processing apparatus and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a program.

  There is an information processing apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral that provides functions such as a copying function and a facsimile function only to users who have been successfully authenticated by an authentication apparatus connected via a network.

  For example, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 disclose a technique that can authenticate a user by another authentication device even when the user authentication by the authentication device fails. Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that can store information used for authentication by an authentication device connected via a network in an internal storage device for each user.

Even when a network failure or the like occurs and the information processing apparatus cannot use the connected authentication apparatus, if the user can be authenticated, the convenience for the user is improved. In such a case, it is desirable to suppress an increase in management cost necessary for adding a storage device even if the number of users increases.
JP 2005-56393 A JP 2005-284552 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus and a program capable of authenticating a user even when a connected authentication apparatus cannot be used while suppressing an increase in management cost.

  The invention according to claim 1 is an information processing apparatus, and outputs a user information acquisition unit that acquires user information indicating a user, and authentication result information that authenticates the user and indicates whether the authentication is successful. Authentication means information requesting the authenticating means to authenticate the user indicated by the user information, and obtaining the authentication result information output from the authenticating means; and the user authentication indicated by the user information is successful. Authentication information output means for generating and outputting authentication information based on the user information when the authentication result information acquisition means acquires authentication result information indicating that the authentication result information is obtained, and the authentication result information acquisition means is authentication result information If the authentication information is not acquired, request information indicating that authentication information based on the user information is requested is output, the authentication information is received, and whether the received authentication information is authentication information based on the user information. Based on, in which it was decided to include an alternative authentication means for authenticating a user in which the user information indicates.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user information acquisition unit requests a user who requests at least one of a plurality of predetermined information processing. The authentication means outputs authentication result information including execution permission processing information indicating information processing that is permitted to be executed by the user to be authenticated, among the plurality of information processing, and the authentication The information output means generates and outputs authentication information based on the execution permission processing information included in the authentication result information acquired by the authentication result information acquisition means, and the alternative authentication means determines the authentication information based on the received authentication information. It is determined whether or not the execution of the information processing requested by the user is permitted.

  Invention of Claim 3 is information processing apparatus of Claim 1 or 2, Comprising: The said authentication means outputs the authentication result information containing the time information based on the time which produces | generates authentication result information, The said The authentication information output means generates and outputs authentication information based on time information included in the authentication result information acquired by the authentication result information acquisition means, and the alternative authentication means is based on the time indicated by the received authentication information. Thus, the user indicated by the user information is authenticated.

  A fourth aspect of the present invention is the information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the information processing apparatus stores an encryption key and a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key. The authentication information output means acquires the encryption key stored in the key storage unit, generates authentication information encrypted with the acquired encryption key, and outputs the authentication information. Whether the alternative authentication unit obtains the decryption key stored in the key storage unit and decrypts the received authentication information with the decryption key, based on the user information. Based on whether or not, the user indicated by the user information is authenticated.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the encryption key and a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key are received, and the received encryption key and decryption are received. Key receiving means for storing the key in the key storage unit is further included.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising means for connecting the information processing apparatus to a rewritable storage unit in which the user information is stored. The user information acquisition unit reads the user information from the rewritable storage unit, and the authentication information output unit generates authentication information corresponding to the user indicated by the user information, and The data is written in the replaceable storage unit.

  The invention according to claim 7 is a program, a user information acquisition means for acquiring user information indicating a user, an authentication means for authenticating the user and outputting authentication result information indicating success or failure of the authentication Requesting authentication of the user indicated by the user information, authentication result information acquiring means for acquiring the authentication result information output by the authenticating means, and indicating that the user indicated by the user information has been successfully authenticated. When authentication result information is acquired by the authentication result information acquisition means, authentication information output means for generating and outputting authentication information based on the user information, and when the authentication result information acquisition means does not acquire authentication result information Request information indicating that authentication information based on the user information is requested, accepting the authentication information, and based on whether the received authentication information is authentication information based on the user information. Te, alternative authentication means for authenticating a user in which the user information is shown, in which it was decided that causes a computer to function as a.

  The above program can also be stored in a computer-readable information storage medium.

  According to the first and seventh aspects of the present invention, even when the authentication result information cannot be obtained, the alternative authentication means authenticates the user based on the authentication information, so that an increase in management cost is suppressed, and the connected authentication is performed. Even when the device cannot be used, the user can be authenticated.

  According to the invention described in claim 2, since it is determined whether or not to permit execution of the information processing requested by the user based on the authentication information based on the execution permission processing information included in the authentication result information, A user can be permitted to execute information processing selectively from a plurality of information processing.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the alternative authentication unit authenticates the user based on the authentication information based on the time information included in the authentication result information, it is based on the time when the authentication unit generates the authentication result information. User authentication is possible.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the authentication information encrypted with the encryption key is output, the risk that the authentication information is tampered with can be reduced.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the encryption key and the decryption key are received and stored in the key storage unit, the encryption key and the decryption key can be updated as appropriate.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the user information is read from the rewritable storage unit, and the authentication information is written in the rewritable storage unit. Can also be read.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in the hardware configuration diagram of FIG. 1, the information processing system 10 in this embodiment includes an information processing device 12 and an authentication device 14.

  The information processing apparatus 12 includes a control unit 20, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 24, a user interface (UI) unit 26, and an input / output unit 28. The control unit 20, the storage unit 22, the communication unit 24, the UI unit 26, and the input / output unit 28 are connected via a bus 30.

  The control unit 20 is a program control device such as a CPU, and operates according to an information processing program installed in the information processing apparatus 12. The information processing program is supplied to the information processing apparatus 12 via a computer-readable information transmission medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, or via a communication network such as the Internet.

  The storage unit 22 is a storage element such as a RAM or a hard disk. The storage unit 22 stores a program executed by the control unit 20. The storage unit 22 also operates as a work memory for the control unit 20.

  The communication unit 24 is, for example, a network interface or the like, and transmits information to the authentication device 14 or the like via a network 32 such as a local area network (LAN) in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 20. The communication unit 24 outputs information received via the network 32 to the control unit 20.

  The UI unit 26 is a liquid crystal touch panel, a display, a keypad such as a numeric keypad, and the like, and outputs contents of operations performed by the user to the control unit 20. In addition, the UI unit 26 displays and outputs information in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 20.

  The input / output unit 28 is an IC card reader / writer or the like, communicates with a contact type or non-contact type IC card possessed by the user, reads information such as an ID indicating the user, and outputs the information to the control unit 20. The input / output unit 28 stores information input from the control unit 20 in an IC card or the like. In the present embodiment, the input / output unit 28 may be included in the housing of the information processing apparatus 12, or may be externally connected via an interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus). Of course, the input / output unit 28 does not have to be an IC card reader, and may be another device as long as it is a device that inputs / outputs information to / from a storage medium.

  The authentication device 14 includes a program control device such as a CPU, a storage element such as a RAM, a hard disk, and a network interface. The authentication device 14 acquires user information such as a user ID indicating a user from the information processing device 12, authenticates the user, and provides authentication result information indicating success or failure of the user authentication. 12 is output.

  Next, functions realized mainly by the control unit 20 of the information processing apparatus 12 will be described. As shown in the functional block diagram of FIG. 2, the information processing apparatus 12 functionally includes a user information acquisition unit 40, an authentication result information acquisition unit 42, an authentication information output unit 44, an alternative authentication unit 46, and information processing execution. It functions as including part 48.

  The user information acquisition unit 40 acquires user information (for example, a user ID) indicating a user who requests the information processing execution unit 48 to execute processing. In the present embodiment, the input / output unit 28 such as an IC card reader / writer detects the IC card, reads the user ID from the detected IC card, and the input / output unit 28 outputs the user ID to the control unit 20. The user information acquisition unit 40 realized by the control unit 20 acquires the user ID and the like.

  Of course, the method by which the user information acquisition unit 40 acquires user information such as a user ID is not limited to the above method. For example, a user inputs a user ID or the like to the UI unit 26 such as a touch panel, the UI unit 26 acquires the input user ID or the like, and the UI unit 26 outputs the user ID or the like to the control unit 20. The user information acquisition unit 40 realized by the control unit 20 may acquire the user ID and the like.

  The authentication result information acquisition unit 42 requests the authentication device 14 to authenticate the user indicated by the user information such as the user ID acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40. Specifically, for example, the user ID acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40 is output to the authentication device 14.

  Then, the authentication device 14 authenticates the user. For example, the authentication device 14 is searched by searching for a user ID from a user information database provided in the authentication device 14 and confirming whether or not there is a user ID corresponding to the user ID acquired by the authentication device 14. Authenticates the user. Then, the authentication device 14 outputs authentication result information indicating success or failure of the user authentication to the authentication result information acquisition unit 42.

  And the authentication result information acquisition part 42 acquires the authentication result information which the authentication apparatus 14 outputs.

  The authentication device 14 executes execution permission indicating information processing that is permitted to be executed by the user to be authenticated, for example, a character string “monochrome copy: possible, color copy: impossible, FAX: impossible, function setting: impossible”. Authentication result information including processing information may be output.

  Examples of authentication result information include “user ID: AAA, authentication: success, monochrome copy: acceptable, color copy: impossible, FAX: impossible, function setting: impossible”, “user ID: AAA, authentication: failure”, etc. Or a bit string based on a predetermined rule such as “11000”. Of course, the authentication result information is not limited to the character string and bit string shown above.

  The authentication information output unit 44 is used when the authentication result information acquisition unit 42 acquires authentication result information indicating that the user authentication indicated by the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40 is successful, that is, the authentication device. 14, the authentication information based on the user information such as the user ID acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40 is generated. At this time, the authentication information output unit 44 may acquire an encryption key stored in advance in the storage unit 22 and generate authentication information encrypted with the acquired encryption key. The encryption key may not be read by a user or the like from the outside.

  When the authentication device 14 outputs authentication result information including execution permission process information, the authentication information output unit 44 may generate authentication information based on the execution permission process information.

  The authentication information is information used for authentication in the alternative authentication unit 46 described later. Note that the authentication information output unit 44 may generate authentication information based on the execution permission process information included in the authentication result information acquired by the authentication result information acquisition unit 42.

  As a specific example of the authentication information, a character string obtained by encrypting a user ID with an encryption key stored in advance in the storage unit 22, “user ID: AAA, monochrome copy: acceptable, color copy: impossible, FAX: impossible The character string based on the authentication result information such as “Function setting: Impossible”, the bit string based on the authentication result information, the character string or the bit string based on the execution permission processing information, and the character string or the bit string are stored in the storage unit 22 in advance. For example, a character string or a bit string encrypted with an encryption key. Further, the authentication information does not need to be a character string, and may be a barcode, for example.

  And the authentication information output part 44 produces | generates the process selection screen 50 as shown in FIG. 3 based on the produced | generated authentication information, and displays and outputs it to UI parts 26, such as a touch panel.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a process selection screen 50 displayed and output on the UI unit 26 such as a touch panel. As shown in FIG. 3, the process selection screen 50 includes at least an authentication information column 52 and a process selection button 54.

  The authentication information output unit 44 outputs the generated authentication information to the authentication information column 52 of the process selection screen 50. For example, as shown in the process selection screen 50 of FIG. 3, “09AF434BDE0A12EFE” generated by the authentication information output unit 44 based on the user ID (for example, “AAA”) of the user whose user name is “AAA”. ”Is output to the authentication information column 52.

  Further, the authentication information output unit 44 outputs a process selection button 54 on the process selection screen 50. The process selection button 54 indicates the contents of information processing executed by the information processing execution unit 48. When the authentication device 14 outputs the authentication result information including the execution permission process information, the authentication information output unit 44 so that only the process selection button 54 corresponding to the information processing indicated by the execution permission process information is selected by the user. May output a process selection button 54.

  Specifically, for example, the authentication device 14 has authentication result information indicated by a character string “user ID: AAA, authentication: success, monochrome copy: acceptable, color copy: impossible, FAX: impossible, function setting: impossible”. When the authentication result information acquisition unit 42 acquires this authentication result information, as shown in the process selection screen 50 of FIG. 3, the information processing execution unit 48 executes “monochrome copy”, “color copy”, Among the “FAX” and “function setting” processes, the process selection button 54 on the process selection screen 50 shown in FIG. 3 is set to the authentication information output unit 44 so that only the “black and white copy” process is selected by the user. May be output.

  In the present embodiment, the authentication information output unit 44 displays and outputs the authentication information on the UI unit 26 such as a screen, but the method of outputting the authentication information is not limited to this method.

  For example, when the information processing execution unit 48 executes a copy process or a print process on the document 56 before information processing as shown in FIG. 4A, it includes authentication information as shown in FIG. The document 56 may be generated as an execution result of information processing.

  In addition, for example, when the information processing execution unit 48 executes processing for generating an electronic document or the like, the electronic document may be generated in association with authentication information. Specifically, an electronic document in which authentication information is included in at least a part of the file name, attribute, or content may be generated.

  Further, for example, the authentication information may be written in a rewritable storage unit such as an IC card via the input / output unit 28.

  The alternative authentication unit 46, for example, when the authentication result information acquisition unit 42 does not acquire the authentication result information, such as when a failure occurs in the network 32 (for example, the communication unit 24 detects a communication timeout, and the control unit Request information indicating that an authentication information based on the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40 is requested is output. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, an authentication information input screen 60 for allowing the user to input authentication information is displayed and output on the UI unit 26. Here, the user inputs authentication information indicated by a character string output by the authentication information output unit 44 to the UI unit 26.

  FIG. 5 is an example of an authentication information input screen 60 output by the alternative authentication unit 46. As shown in FIG. 5, the authentication information input screen 60 includes at least an authentication information display field 62, a character input button 64, a decision button 66, and a cancel button 68.

  When the user presses the stop button 68, the UI unit 26 outputs information indicating a process stop request to the control unit 20, and the control unit 20 stops the process.

  When the user presses the character input button 64 and inputs a character, the UI unit 26 displays the character corresponding to the character input button 64 in the authentication information display field 62. As shown in FIG. 5, the UI unit 26 displays an abbreviation such as an asterisk in the authentication information display field 62 instead of the character input by the user so that the character input by the user cannot be seen by others. May be.

  When the user inputs authentication information indicated by a character string using the character input button 64 and presses the enter button 66, the UI unit 26 acquires the authentication information indicated by the character string input by the user. Then, the data is output to the alternative authentication unit 46 realized by the control unit 20. The alternative authentication unit 46 receives authentication information such as a character string input by the user to the UI unit 26, and the received authentication information is authentication information based on the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40. The user is authenticated based on whether or not there is. When the authentication information output unit 44 acquires an encryption key stored in advance in the storage unit 22 and generates authentication information encrypted with the acquired encryption key, the alternative authentication unit 46 The information obtained by acquiring the decryption key stored in advance in the storage unit 22 and decrypting the authentication information with the acquired decryption key is information based on the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40. The user may be authenticated based on whether or not there is. The decryption key may not be read by a user or the like from the outside.

  Specifically, for example, the user presses the character input button 64 on the character string input request screen shown in FIG. 5, inputs authentication information indicated by a character string “09AF434BDE0A12EFE”, and presses the enter button 66. Suppose that it is pressed. Then, the alternative authentication unit 46 acquires authentication information indicated by this character string. Since this character string corresponds to the character string “09AF434BDE0A12EFE” generated by the authentication information output unit 44 earlier, the alternative authentication unit 46 authenticates that the user who has input this authentication information is “AAA”.

  When the authentication information output unit 44 writes the authentication information to a rewritable storage unit such as an IC card via the input / output unit 28 such as an IC card reader / writer, the alternative authentication unit 46 passes through the input / output unit 28. Request information indicating that authentication information based on the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40 is requested is output to a rewritable storage unit such as an IC card, and the authentication information is received from the rewritable storage unit. (Acquire) may be used.

  When the authentication device 14 outputs authentication result information including execution permission processing information, and the authentication information output unit 44 generates authentication information based on the authentication result information, the alternative authentication unit 46 includes the authentication information. Based on this, it may be determined whether or not the execution of the information processing requested by the user is permitted.

  Specifically, for example, the authentication information output unit 44 stores a character string “user ID: AAA, authentication: success, black and white copy: acceptable, color copy: impossible, FAX: impossible, function setting: impossible” in the storage unit. 22, the authentication information “09AF434BDE0A12EFE” is generated and output, and the user inputs this character string into the UI unit 26, and the alternative authentication unit 46 Suppose you get a string. Then, the alternative authentication unit 46 decrypts this character string with the decryption key stored in the storage unit 22 in advance, and “user ID: AAA, authentication: successful, monochrome copy: acceptable, color copy: impossible, FAX. : Not possible, Function setting: Not possible ”is generated. In this way, the alternative authentication unit 46 may determine that this user (AAA) is only allowed to execute the “monochrome copy” process.

  Further, when the authentication based on the received authentication information is successful, the alternative authentication unit 46 generates a process selection screen 50 as shown in FIG. 3 and displays and outputs it on the UI unit 26 such as a touch panel. At this time, the alternative authentication unit 46 may not display and output the authentication information in the authentication information column 52.

  When the information processing execution unit 48 authenticates the user by the authentication device 14, for example, as shown in FIG. 4B, an execution result of information processing such as copy processing or printing processing of a document 56 including authentication information. When the alternative authentication unit 46 instead of the authentication device 14 authenticates the user, for example, a document 56 that does not include authentication information as shown in FIG. 4A is copied or printed. You may make it produce | generate as an execution result of information processing, such as a process.

  The information processing execution unit 48 executes at least one information processing determined in advance, such as “monochrome copy”, “color copy”, “FAX”, “function setting”, and the like. In addition, when the information processing execution unit 48 executes a plurality of predetermined information processing, the user requests at least one of the plurality of information processing.

  Note that the information processing execution unit 48 may start the processing without the authentication information output unit 44 or the alternative authentication unit 46 outputting the processing selection screen 50.

  Next, an example of the processing flow of the information processing system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention in a situation where the user is authenticated by the authentication device 14 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, the input / output unit 28 such as an IC card reader / writer detects an IC card, and acquires a user ID from the detected IC card (S101). Then, the input / output unit 28 outputs the acquired user ID to the control unit 20. Then, the user information acquisition unit 40 realized by the control unit 20 acquires the user ID output by the input / output unit 28 (S102).

  Then, the authentication result information acquisition unit 42 realized by the control unit 20 outputs the user ID acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40 to the authentication device 14. Then, the authentication device 14 acquires the user ID output by the authentication result information acquisition unit 42 (S103).

  Then, the authentication device 14 authenticates the user based on the acquired user ID, and generates authentication result information including execution permission processing information indicating that only the “monochrome copy” processing is permitted (S104). ).

  Then, the authentication device 14 outputs the generated authentication result information to the control unit 20. And the authentication result information acquisition part 42 implement | achieved by the control part 20 acquires the authentication result information which the authentication apparatus 14 output (S105). And the authentication result information acquisition part 42 confirms the success or failure of the authentication by the authentication apparatus 14 about the user which the user ID which the user information acquisition part 40 acquired based on the acquired authentication result information (S106). .

  When the authentication result information acquisition unit 42 confirms that the user indicated by the user ID acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40 has been successfully authenticated (Y in S106), the authentication result information acquisition unit 42 stores the storage unit. The encryption key stored in 22 is acquired (S107).

  Then, the authentication information output unit 44 realized by the control unit 20 encrypts a bit string based on the user ID acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40 with the encryption key acquired by the authentication result information acquisition unit 42 ( S108). Then, the authentication information output unit 44 generates authentication information, which is a character string, based on the encrypted bit string (S109). Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the authentication information output unit 44 selects only the authentication information column 52 in which the authentication information indicated by the generated character string is displayed or the “monochrome copy” process as a target of selection by the user. The process selection screen 50 including the process selection button 54 is output to the UI unit 26 (S110).

  Then, the user presses the process selection button 54 indicating the “monochrome copy” process. Then, the UI unit 26 acquires push button information indicating information processing corresponding to the pressed process selection button 54 (S111). Here, the pressed button information indicating the “monochrome copy” process is acquired.

  Then, the acquired push button information is output to the control unit 20. And the information processing execution part 48 implement | achieved by the control part 20 acquires this press button information (S112). Here, the information processing execution unit 48 acquires the pressed button information indicating the “monochrome copy” process. And the information processing execution part 48 implement | achieved by the control part 20 performs the process which press button information shows (S113). Here, “monochrome copy” processing is executed.

  In this way, when the user requests the information processing device 12 to execute information processing such as “monochrome copy” processing, the user is permitted to execute the information processing after authentication by the authentication device 14. Then, the information processing apparatus 12 executes information processing such as “monochrome copy” processing.

  Of course, the processing flow shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is merely an example, and the processing flow of the information processing system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the processing flow shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  The timing at which the authentication information output unit 44 outputs the authentication information to the UI unit 26 (S110) and the timing at which the information processing execution unit 48 executes the information processing (S113) may be any.

  Next, FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing flow of the information processing system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention in a situation where a failure or the like occurs in the network 32 and the user is not authenticated by the authentication device 14. Will be described with reference to FIG.

  Here, in a situation where the user is authenticated by the authentication device 14, the information processing execution unit 48 executes information processing according to the processing flow shown in the flowchart shown in FIG. It is assumed that the authentication information field 52 of the process selection screen 50 output to the UI unit 26 in the process of S110 has already been visually recognized and the authentication information indicated by the character string has been recognized.

  First, similarly to the process shown in S101 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 6, the input / output unit 28 acquires a user ID (S201). Then, the input / output unit 28 outputs the acquired user ID to the control unit 20. Then, the user information acquisition unit 40 realized by the control unit 20 acquires the user ID output by the input / output unit 28 (S202).

  And the authentication result information acquisition part 42 implement | achieved by the control part 20 outputs the user ID which the user information acquisition part 40 acquired to the authentication apparatus 14 (S203). Here, unlike the processing flow shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, the authentication device 14 does not output authentication result information due to a failure or the like in the network 32.

  Then, the alternative authentication unit 46 realized by the control unit 20 confirms whether or not a predetermined time limit has elapsed after the authentication result information acquisition unit 42 outputs the user ID to the authentication device 14. (S204). If the time limit has not elapsed (S204: N), the system waits for a predetermined confirmation interval time (S205). After that time has elapsed, has the predetermined time limit elapsed again? It is confirmed whether or not (S204).

  Then, when a predetermined waiting time elapses without outputting information from the authentication device 14 to the information processing device 12 (S204: Y), the alternative authentication unit 46 realized by the control unit 20 is shown in FIG. As shown, an authentication information input screen 60 for allowing the user to input authentication information indicated by a character string is displayed on the UI unit 26 (S206).

  Here, the user inputs authentication information indicated by a character string by pressing a character input button 64 displayed and output on the UI unit 26 such as a touch panel. Then, the UI unit 26 acquires authentication information indicated by the character string input by the user (S207), and outputs the authentication information indicated by the acquired character string to the control unit 20 (S208). Then, the alternative authentication unit 46 realized by the control unit 20 acquires authentication information indicated by the character string output from the UI unit 26.

  Then, the alternative authentication unit 46 realized by the control unit 20 acquires the decryption key stored in the storage unit 22 (S209). This decryption key is a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key stored in the storage unit 22, and this decryption key decrypts information encrypted with the encryption key stored in the storage unit 22. Turn into.

  Then, the alternative authentication unit 46 decrypts the authentication information indicated by the character string output from the UI unit 26 with the obtained decryption key (S210). Then, the alternative authentication unit 46 determines whether or not the authentication information indicated by the character string output from the UI unit 26 has been decrypted, and the decrypted character string is acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40. It is confirmed whether or not the information is based on the person ID (S211).

  Here, the alternative authentication unit 46 can decrypt the authentication information indicated by the character string output from the UI unit 26, and the decrypted character string is the user ID acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40. If it is confirmed that the information is based on (S211: Y), the authentication information indicated by the generated character string is shown as shown in FIG. 3, as in the process of S110 in the flowchart shown in FIG. A process selection screen 50 including a process selection button 54 for which only the process of the authentication information column 52 and “monochrome copy” is selected by the user is output to the UI unit 26 (S212).

  Hereinafter, the information processing execution unit 48 executes the processing indicated by the pressed button information in accordance with the processing flow similar to S111 to S113 in the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 (S213 to S215). Here, “monochrome copy” processing is executed.

  Of course, the processing flow shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 is merely an example, and the processing flow of the information processing system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the processing flow shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  In this manner, when a failure or the like occurs in the network 32 and the user is not authenticated by the authentication device 14, the user requests the information processing device 12 to execute information processing such as “monochrome copy” processing. The alternative authentication unit 46 realized by the control unit 20 of the information processing apparatus 12 authenticates the user. Therefore, according to the present invention, an increase in management cost can be suppressed, and the user can be authenticated even when the connected authentication device cannot be used.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

  For example, the authentication device 14 may output authentication result information including time information. Here, the time information is, for example, information indicating the character string “2007093010000” when the authentication device 14 generates the authentication result information at 12:00 on September 30, 2007, etc. Refers to information based on the time of generation. Of course, the time information shown here is only an example, and the time information may be other information based on the time when the authentication device 14 generates the authentication result information.

  Then, the authentication information output unit 44 may generate authentication information based on the time information and output it to the UI unit 26 or the like. Then, the alternative authentication unit 46 receives this authentication information and authenticates the user indicated by the user information such as the user ID acquired by the user information acquisition unit 40 based on the time indicated by the received authentication information. You may do it.

  Specifically, for example, the alternative authentication unit 46 receives authentication information including the character string “2007093010000”, and the received time is the time indicated by the received authentication information (for example, September 30, 2007 12 If a predetermined time (e.g., 3 days) has elapsed since (time), this user authentication may be failed.

  Further, the alternative authentication unit 46 executes processing by the information processing device 12 based on the time indicated by the authentication information (that is, the time based on the time when the authentication result information is generated), the time when the authentication information is acquired, and the like. It may be controlled whether or not to allow the user.

  Specifically, for example, for a user who is normally permitted to execute “monochrome copy” and “color copy”, the time at which the authentication information is received by the alternative authentication unit 46 is the time indicated by the received authentication information. If a predetermined time has elapsed since then, this user may be allowed to execute only “monochrome copy”.

  Further, for example, the present invention is applied to a distributed information processing system in which the information processing execution unit 48 is provided in another computer outside the information processing system 10 and communicates with the information processing apparatus 12 via the communication unit 24. May be.

  Further, the information processing apparatus 12 may be configured by a single casing or may be configured by a plurality of casings.

  The authentication device 14 may be the same housing as the information processing device 12.

  Further, the information processing apparatus 12 may receive an encryption key and a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, and store the received encryption key and decryption key in the storage unit 22. .

  Further, when the information processing system 10 includes a plurality of information processing apparatuses 12, different encryption keys and decryption keys corresponding to the encryption keys are stored in the storage unit 22 of each information processing apparatus 12. You may do it. Further, a common encryption key and a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key may be stored.

It is a figure which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of the information processing system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram of an information processor concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of an authentication information display screen. It is a figure which shows an example of the original document used as the object of the information processing which the information processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention performs. It is a figure which shows an example of character string input request screen information processing. It is a figure which shows an example of the flow of the process performed with an information processing system. It is a figure which shows an example of the flow of the process performed with an information processing system.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Information processing system, 12 Information processing apparatus, 14 Authentication apparatus, 20 Control part, 22 Storage part, 24 Communication part, 26 User interface (UI) part, 28 Input / output part, 30 Bus, 32 Network, 40 User information acquisition Section, 42 authentication result information acquisition section, 44 authentication information output section, 46 alternative authentication section, 48 information processing execution section, 50 process selection screen, 52 authentication information column, 54 process selection button, 56 manuscript, 60 authentication information input screen, 62 Authentication information display field, 64 character input button, 66 enter button, 68 cancel button.

Claims (6)

User information acquisition means for acquiring user information indicating a user who requests at least one of a plurality of predetermined information processing ;
Authentication means for authenticating a user and outputting authentication result information indicating success or failure of the authentication, including execution permission processing information indicating information processing that is permitted to be executed by a user to be authenticated among the plurality of information processing Authentication result information acquisition means for requesting authentication of the user indicated by the user information and acquiring authentication result information output by the authentication means;
When the authentication result information acquisition unit acquires authentication result information indicating that the user authentication indicated by the user information is successful, the user information and the authentication result acquired by the authentication result information acquisition unit Authentication information output means for generating and outputting authentication information based on the execution permission processing information included in the information ;
When the authentication result information acquisition means does not acquire authentication result information, it outputs request information indicating that authentication information based on the user information and the execution permission processing information is requested, receives the authentication information, and receives the authentication information. Based on whether or not the authentication information is authentication information based on the user information and the execution permission processing information , the user indicated by the user information is authenticated , and the information processing requested by the user is executed. An alternative authentication means for determining whether to permit ,
An information processing apparatus comprising: The authentication means outputs authentication result information including time information based on a time of generating authentication result information;
The authentication information output means generates and outputs authentication information based on time information included in the authentication result information acquired by the authentication result information acquisition means;
The alternative authentication means authenticates the user indicated by the user information based on the time indicated by the received authentication information;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 . The information processing apparatus further includes means for connecting to a key storage unit that stores an encryption key and a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key;
The authentication information output means acquires the encryption key stored in the key storage unit, generates authentication information encrypted with the acquired encryption key, and outputs it,
Whether or not the alternative authentication means acquires the decryption key stored in the key storage unit and decrypts the received authentication information with the decryption key, based on the user information And authenticating the user indicated by the user information,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 . A key receiving unit that receives an encryption key and a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, and stores the received encryption key and decryption key in the key storage unit;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising: The information processing apparatus further includes means for connecting to a rewritable storage unit in which the user information is stored,
The user information acquisition means reads the user information from the rewritable storage unit,
The authentication information output means generates authentication information corresponding to the user indicated by the user information and writes the authentication information in the rewritable storage unit;
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that. User information acquisition means for acquiring user information indicating a user who requests at least one of a plurality of predetermined information processing ;
Authentication means for authenticating a user and outputting authentication result information indicating success or failure of the authentication, including execution permission processing information indicating information processing that is permitted to be executed by a user to be authenticated among the plurality of information processing Authentication result information acquisition means for requesting authentication of the user indicated by the user information and acquiring authentication result information output by the authentication means;
When the authentication result information acquisition unit acquires authentication result information indicating that the user authentication indicated by the user information is successful, the user information and the authentication result acquired by the authentication result information acquisition unit Authentication information output means for generating and outputting authentication information based on the execution permission processing information included in the information;
When the authentication result information acquisition means does not acquire authentication result information, it outputs request information indicating that authentication information based on the user information and the execution permission processing information is requested, receives the authentication information, and receives the authentication information. Based on whether or not the authentication information is authentication information based on the user information and the execution permission processing information , the user indicated by the user information is authenticated , and the information processing requested by the user is executed. Alternative authentication means to determine whether to allow ,
A program characterized by causing a computer to function.

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