JP2011076283A - Client device, method of controlling access authentication, and access authentication control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a client device which automatically launches a browser when an Internet access service is used and authentication on the browser is required. <P>SOLUTION: The client device delivers a command requiring access to a predetermined address via a network without browser application for accessing a site for access authentication. The client device launches the browser application if the response message for the command is a message indicating transfer to an address different from the predetermined address. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a client device that can use an Internet access service.

  In recent lodging / commercial facilities such as hotels, it is common to provide Internet access services that allow users who are users of facilities to access the Internet via the network in the facility. It has become.

  Internet access services that allow users to access the Internet via a public wireless LAN or the like have also been provided.

  By the way, the Internet access service as described above may permit access only to a person registered as a service user, for example, and an authentication procedure is required before using the service.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an Internet access system in which an Internet access service is provided when a connection request is sent from a user terminal to a wireless LAN access point and an authentication procedure is completed.

JP 2004-127187 A

  By the way, when the browser is started to access the WEB site on the Internet, it is forcibly transferred to an authentication server (hereinafter referred to as “redirection”) in order to perform an authentication procedure before using the Internet access service. , There are things that allow the user to authenticate on the browser.

  In this case, since the authentication is not completed unless the browser is activated on the client device, the user cannot use the Internet access service. For example, if the user activates only the mail software to send / receive mail, the Internet access service cannot be used and the mail cannot be sent / received because the browser is not started. In order to send and receive mail, the user must first activate the browser and authenticate, and then send and receive mail with mail software.

  However, the method of the authentication procedure for using the Internet access service as described above differs depending on the Internet access service that the user intends to use. That is, a case where authentication on the browser is necessary and a case where authentication on the browser is not performed are mixed. Depending on the Internet access service to be used, it is complicated for the user to make the user determine whether or not to activate the browser.

  In addition, since the user did not know that authentication on the browser is necessary, if the user tries to access the Internet without starting the browser, the user cannot access the Internet normally because the authentication is not performed. In this case, since the user does not know that authentication on the browser is necessary, it is difficult for the user to specify the reason why the user cannot access the Internet.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a client device that automatically starts a browser when authentication on the browser is required when using an Internet access service.

  A first client device according to the present invention is a client device that sends a command for requesting access to a predetermined address via a network without using a browser application that accesses an access authentication site. When the response message to is a message indicating transfer to an address different from the predetermined address, the browser application is activated.

  The second client device of the present invention includes an access control means for sending a command for requesting access to a predetermined address via a network without using a browser application for accessing an access authentication site, and the access control. And an authentication control unit that activates the browser application when a response message to the command sent by the unit is a message indicating transfer to an address different from the predetermined address.

  The first access authentication control method of the present invention includes an access control step for sending a command for requesting access to a predetermined address via a network without using a browser application that accesses an access authentication site; And an authentication control step of starting a browser application when a response message to the command sent by the access means is a message indicating transfer to an address different from the predetermined address.

  The first access authentication control program of the present invention is an access control step for sending a command for requesting access to a predetermined address via a network without using a browser application that accesses an access authentication site; And an authentication control step of starting a browser application when a response message to the command sent by the access means is a message indicating transfer to an address different from the predetermined address.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a client device that automatically starts a browser when authentication on the browser is required when using the Internet access service.

It is a block diagram for demonstrating the client apparatus of embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the client apparatus of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining an example in case the redirection in embodiment of this invention generate | occur | produces.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a client device according to the embodiment of this invention.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the client device 10 includes a control unit 20 and a communication unit 30. The client device 10 can be connected to the network 100.

  First, the outline of the client device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the client device 10 starts to access the Internet via the network 100, a command for requesting access to a predetermined Web site is issued. When a signal indicating that redirection has been received, the browser is activated. This will be described in detail below.

  The client device 10 includes a control unit 20 and a communication unit 30. The control unit 20 logically includes an access control unit 21 and an authentication unit 22 by reading and executing a program stored in the recording medium. The communication unit 30 is a communication interface device connected to the network 100. The network 100 is a communication line, and may be wired or wireless.

  The gateway device 40 is a communication device (network node) for connecting the network 100 and the Internet line.

  Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention (first example) will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 2, when there is a request for access to the Internet, the access control means 21 sends a request for accessing a predetermined Web site (step S101).

  A specific example of the request is shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 3, it is assumed that a website “http://www.someserver.ne.jp” is registered in advance as a predetermined website. Then, the access control means 21 sends out a request “GET http://www.someserver.ne.jp/HTTP/1.1 Host: www.someserver.ne.jp” via the network 100.

  Specific examples of the access request to the Internet include a transmission / reception request by mail software, and a connection request transmitted to the server device when the remote operation application is activated to the remote server device. Further, the access request may be an access request that is automatically made when mail software or a remote operation application is activated, regardless of whether or not the user has operated.

  For example, in the case of a transmission / reception request by mail software, the access control means 21 monitors whether or not the mail software issues a POP3 request and whether or not a predetermined port (110) is being used. It may be determined that there is an access request when the request is issued or when it is detected that the port 110 is used.

  Also, some remote operation applications first send a mail to request activation of a remote server. In this case, a technique for detecting a transmission / reception request by mail software can be used.

  Further, the access control means 21 may determine that an access request has been made when it is detected that mail software or a remote operation application has been executed. In this case, the mail software and the remote operation application may be registered in advance according to user settings.

  When a request is sent in step S101, a response message to the client device 10 is returned via the network 100.

  The access control means 21 determines the presence / absence of redirection from the response message returned to the client device 10 (step S102).

  Here, in the case of an Internet access service that requires authentication on the browser, the presence or absence of redirection is determined when the user starts the browser between the network 100 and an external Internet line. This is because the installed gateway device 40 performs redirection to the authentication server.

  More specifically, whether or not redirection has occurred can be determined by a return value (hereinafter referred to as an HTTP status code) from the gateway device 40 installed between the network 100 and the Internet line. Referring to FIG. 3B, a response signal such as “HTTP / 1.1 307 Temporary Redirect Location: auth.xxxhotel.co.jp” is returned as a response signal. The numerical value “307” in this response signal is an HTTP status code, indicating that redirection has occurred.

  On the other hand, if no redirection has occurred, as shown in FIG. 3C, the request is normally sent to the previously registered website http://www.someserver.ne.jp. A response message such as “HTTP / 1/1 200 OK” is returned. The numerical value “200” in this response message is the HTTP status code, indicating that no redirection has occurred.

  That is, in step S102, the access control means 21 can determine whether redirection has occurred depending on whether the HTTP status code is in the 200s or 300s. If the HTTP status code is in the 300s, redirection has occurred.

  If it is determined in step S102 that redirection has occurred (step S102 / YES), the authentication control means 22 activates a browser application provided in the client device 10 (step S103).

  If it is determined in step S102 that no redirection has occurred (step S102 / NO), the process does not proceed to step S103.

  By the way, it may not be sufficient to determine whether or not redirection has occurred.

  Specifically, when a website operator requests access to his website A (www.necsomewhere.ne.jp), he / she leads to another website B (www.necsomewhere.com/) You may have set up to do. In this case, when the access control means 21 transmits a request to access the above-mentioned Web site A, it is redirected to the Web site B and the HTTP status code is in the 300s.

  Therefore, in step S102, not only the determination of the HTTP status code, but also whether the domain of the level having the longest character string changes among the domains of the respective levels of the website A and the website B after redirection. You may let them.

  In a different embodiment (second example) of the present invention, in step S102, the access control means 21 performs the following process when the HTTP status code is in the 300s. Good.

  The access control means 21 acquires information on the longest character string of the domains at each level from the address information of the Web site that made the access request in step S101. Next, the access control means 21 acquires the address information of the Web site after the redirection from the response message, and determines whether or not there is a change in the level domain having the longest character string.

  Note that the response message is sent from the gateway device 40 if it is a redirection for authentication. On the other hand, when the website operator has set the address of the website that received the access request to be redirected, it is transmitted from the website server of the website operator. Note that when the redirection is performed by the Web server of the Web site operator, the gateway device 40 transmits (through) the access request transmitted in Step S101 as it is to the Internet line.

  As a specific example, assume that the address of the website that made the access request is www.necsomewhere.ne.jp, and the address of the website after the redirection is www.xxhotel.ne.jp. In this case, the domain having the first longest character string is the second level domain (necsomewhere). The character string of the second level domain is changed to xxhotel after being redirected, and it is determined that the character string of the second level domain is redirection to the authentication server.

  The comparison of changes in the domain of the level having the longest character string is generally that the website address is of a level composed of a relatively small number of characters such as two characters such as www, ne, jp or three characters. This is because, when the domain changes, the website operator often sets redirection.

  If it is determined that the redirection is to the authentication server, the authentication control unit 22 activates the browser application.

  In addition to the above, a method of determining only a change in a domain at a preset level may be used. For example, it is set in advance so as to monitor only whether the second level domain of the address www.nec.com changes. Then, if it is redirected to www1.nec.com from the address www.nec.com, since the second level domain nec has not changed, it is determined that redirection to the authentication server has not been performed. It is also good. This is effective when the character string of the domain at each level of the address of the website of the access request destination is composed of a relatively small number of characters such as 2 characters or 3 characters.

  The operation of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment except for the processing in step S102.

  With the above processing, when using the Internet access service, if authentication on the browser is required, the browser is automatically started. Therefore, when using each Internet access service, the user can There is no need to remember if the above authentication is required. For this reason, the complexity of operation by a user is eased.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Client apparatus 20 Control part 21 Access control means 22 Authentication control means 30 Communication part 40 Gateway apparatus 100 Network

Claims (7)

  A client device that sends a command for requesting access to a predetermined address via a network without using a browser application that accesses the access authentication site, and a response message to the command includes the predetermined address and A client device, which activates the browser application when the message indicates transfer to a different address. An access control means for sending out a command for requesting access to a predetermined address via a network without depending on a browser application for accessing an access authentication site;
And an authentication control means for starting the browser application when a response message to the command sent by the access control means is a message indicating transfer to an address different from the predetermined address. Client device. The authentication control means includes
An address comparing means for comparing a predetermined domain of the predetermined address with a predetermined domain of the different address;
The browser application is activated when the address comparison unit determines that the predetermined domain of the different address does not match the predetermined domain of the predetermined address. Client device. An access control step for sending a command for requesting access to a predetermined address via a network without depending on a browser application accessing the site for access authentication;
Access authentication comprising: an authentication control step of starting a browser application when a response message to a command sent by the access means is a message indicating transfer to an address different from the predetermined address Control method. The authentication control step includes
An address comparison step of comparing a predetermined domain of the predetermined address with a predetermined domain of the different address;
The browser application is activated when it is determined by the address comparison step that a predetermined domain of the different address does not match a predetermined domain of the predetermined address. Access authentication control method. An access control step for sending a command for requesting access to a predetermined address via a network without depending on a browser application accessing the site for access authentication;
Access authentication comprising: an authentication control step of starting a browser application when a response message to a command sent by the access means is a message indicating transfer to an address different from the predetermined address Control program. The authentication control step includes
An address comparison step of comparing a predetermined domain of the predetermined address with a predetermined domain of the different address;
The browser application is activated when it is determined by the address comparison step that a predetermined domain of the different address does not match a predetermined domain of the predetermined address. Access authentication control program.

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