JP2000341362A - System and method for access limit to cable modem - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To limit an access to a Web site which is not good from an educational standpoint. SOLUTION: The access limit system of a CATV cable MODEM that limits access to a Web site on the Internet from the cable MODEM is provided with an IC card 11 that is inserted to the cable MODEM and on which a user ID and addresses of Web sites to which access is to be rejected are registered and with an access limit section 13 that rejects the access to a Web site going to be accessed when the address of the Web site going to be accessed is included in addresses of Web sites registered in the IC card. Preferably, the access limit section disposes of data received from a Web site when a received message includes any address of Web sites registered on the IC card 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cable television (CATV). In particular, the present invention relates to a cable modem access restriction system and method for restricting access to the Internet using a CATV cable modem.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a cable modem disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-69336 related to the above CATV cable modem. The prior art for accessing the Internet from the disclosed CATV cable modem is described below. FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a conventional system for accessing the Internet using a CATV cable modem. Note that the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals or symbols throughout the drawings. C shown in this figure
Signals are transmitted bidirectionally between the ATV station and user homes and between user homes. User homes are specifically homes, city halls,
Libraries, hospitals, businesses, etc. A cable modem 10 is provided in the user's home.
DOCSIS (Data Over Cable) that enables bidirectional high-speed data communication using the free area of the V network
Service Interface Specif
) specifications.

The cable modem 10 has a television 2
0, the personal computer (PC) 21 is, for example,
10BaseT or USB (Universal Se
(Real Bus). A head-end modem 30 is provided in the CATV station.
The connection is connected to the subordinate cable modem 10 via a cable 60 adopting a lid fiber and coaxial (optical / coaxial hybrid) system, a broadcast is transmitted to the television 20, and the personal computer 21 is connected to the Internet 50. Do.

[0004] A server 40 is connected to the headend modem 30.
Is connected, and the server 40 is connected to the personal computer 2.
1 is connected to the Internet 50. The server 40 also has a mail server function. Thus, the television 20 installed in the user can always be connected to the CATV, and the personal computer 22 is connected to the cable modem 10.
Can be connected to the Internet 50 at any time, and the cable modem 10 can be used easily by anyone.

[0005]

However, some of the Web sites on the Internet 50 that are accessed by using the cable modem 10 are not educationally desirable, so that children and those who do not want to see them may see them. There is. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cable modem access restriction system and method for restricting access to a Web site that is not desirable for children or the like for education.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a cable modem access restriction system for restricting access from a CATV cable modem to a Web site on the Internet. If the user ID and the IC card in which the address of the Web site to which access is to be denied are registered and the address of the Web site to be accessed are included in the addresses of the Web sites registered in the IC card, And an access control unit for rejecting access to the Web site to be accessed.

[0007] By this means, if a Web site on the Internet to be accessed is not educationally desirable, the access is rejected at the time of access. Preferably,
If the IC card is not inserted in the cable modem, the access restricting unit rejects access to the Web even if there is access to a Web site. By this means, some of the information from the Web site is unfavorable for education. Therefore, when accessing, the access is rejected uniformly.

[0008] Preferably, if the received message includes an address of a Web site registered in the IC card, the access restriction unit discards data received from the Web site. By this means, access to a Web site on the Internet to be accessed which is not desirable for education is denied upon reception. Preferably, the access restricting unit is provided if the IC card is not inserted into the cable modem. Discard the data received from the Web site.

[0009] By this means, some of the information from the Web site is unfavorable for education, so that the access is uniformly rejected upon reception. Preferably, the address of the Web site registered in the IC card is CATV
Modified remotely from the station. This is because the CATV station can collect and monitor information on Web sites that are undesirable for education. Preferably, the correction is performed after confirming the user ID registered in the IC card.

This measure makes it possible to avoid correction errors. Further, the present invention relates to a cable modem access restriction method for restricting access from a CATV cable modem to a Web site on the Internet, wherein the user modem is inserted into the cable modem and stored in an IC card.
D. a step of registering the address of the Web site to be denied access, and if the address of the Web site to be accessed is included in the address of the Web site registered in the IC card, Denying access to a Web site.

[0011] By this means, as in the above-described invention, a Web site on the Internet to be accessed that is not educationally desirable is denied access at the time of access.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a cable modem access restriction system according to the present invention. In this figure, the configuration different from FIG. 8 is that the IC card 11 provided in the cable modem 10 in the user's house,
The network (NW) address table 12, the access restriction unit 13, and the correction unit 4 provided in the server 40
It is one. The IC card 11 is owned by each user, and is used by being inserted into the cable modem 10 when connecting to the Internet 50 from the personal computer 21, and information described below is registered.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining information registered in the IC card 11 of FIG. As shown in the figure, the IC card 11 rejects the access to the Web site on the Internet 50 or rejects the reception from the Web site on the assumption that the user, especially the child, is not educationally preferable. A plurality of addresses 101, 102,
.., N are registered. Note that the websites to be rejected may be graded according to the age of the child. This address itself is a URL (Uniform Resource).
e Locator), specifically, h
http: // www. This is displayed in a format starting with, and requests a data transmission by accessing an Internet 50 Web site.

Returning to FIG. 1, the correction unit 41 of the server 40
Is an SNMP (Simple Network) that grasps the state of a device and changes definition information set in the device.
As a management protocol (Manager) manager, the access restricting unit 13 of the cable modem 10 is an SNMP element, and the manager manages the element and registers the registered contents of the IC card 11 as follows.
Fix it. FIG. 3 shows the correcting unit 4 of the server 40 in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining correction by No. 1; As shown in this figure,
.., And address information n registered in the IC card 11.
, Add address n + 1, delete address 101, or change address 101 to address 101A.

Returning to FIG. 1, the network address table 12 stores a private IP (Internet Protocol) on a local network in a CATV station.
l) Address is retained. Specifically, private I at the home of a user such as a home, a city hall, a library, a hospital, and a company.
P address. The access restriction unit 13 uses the IC card 11 and the network address table 12 to restrict access from the cable modem 10 to the Internet 50 and reception from the Internet 50 to the cable modem 10 as follows.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the control operation of the access restriction unit 13 for controlling the upward access operation of the cable modem 10. As shown in the figure, during normal operation, in step S201,
The cable modem 10 is a subordinate personal computer 2
1 receives an access request message. Step S
In 202, the access restriction unit 13
1 is determined to be inserted into the cable modem 10 or not. In step S203, the access control unit 13
Is the IC card 1 in the received access request message.
It is determined whether or not the address of the Web site registered in No. 1 is included.

In step S204, the access restricting unit 13 permits access to the Internet 50 when the address of the Web site registered in the IC card 11 is included in step S203. That is, the access restriction unit 13 allows the personal computer 21
Can access a Web site of the Internet 50 which is preferable for education.

In step S205, if the access restriction unit 13 does not include the Web site address registered in the IC card 11 in step S203,
Denies access to the Internet 50. That is, the access restriction unit 13 allows the personal computer 21 to use the W
It becomes impossible to access the website.
The result is displayed on the personal computer 21. As described above, by providing the Web site, that is, the URL with the filtering function, the Web site that is not educationally preferable when the cable modem 10 performs the access operation in the upward direction.
Access to the site is restricted. Proceed to step S207.

In step S206, referring to the network address table 12, the access control unit 13
Is the private IP in the received access request message
Determine whether the address is included. If the private IP address is not included, the state returns to the processing operation state. In step S207, if the access restriction unit 13 includes the private IP address, the access restriction unit 13 permits local access within the CATV station. As a result, mail can be received between the CATV station and the user's house and between the users. Return processing to normal operation.

In step S208, step S2
02, when the IC card 11 is not inserted, the access restricting unit 13
It is determined whether or not the address of the site b is included. If the Web site address is not included, the process proceeds to step S207. In step S209, if the address of the Web site is included, the access to the Internet 50 is rejected. This is because there is a possibility that the address of the Web site in the access request message may include the address of the Web site that is not desirable for education. This result is displayed on the personal computer 21. Proceed to step S207.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining another example of the control operation of the access restriction unit 13 for controlling the access operation of the cable modem 10 in the downward direction. As shown in the figure, during normal operation, in step S211 the cable modem 10 receives a message to the subordinate personal computer 21. In step S212, the access restriction unit 13 determines whether the IC card 11 is inserted in the cable modem 10. In step S213, the access restriction unit 13 determines whether or not the received access request message includes the address of the website registered in the IC card 11.

In step S214, when the access restriction unit 13 includes the Web site address registered in the IC card 11 in step S213, the access restriction unit 13 forwards the received data to the personal computer 21. Thereby, access to the Internet 50 is permitted. That is, the access restriction unit 13 allows the personal computer 21 to access a Web site of the Internet 50 that is preferable for education.

In step S215, if the access restriction unit 13 does not include the Web site address registered in the IC card 11 in step S213,
The data to the personal computer 21 is discarded. Access to the Internet 50 is denied. That is, the access restriction unit 13 allows the personal computer 21 to use the W
It becomes impossible to access the website.

The result is displayed on the personal computer 21. As described above, by providing the Web site, that is, the URL with the filtering function, the access to the Web site that is not desirable for education is restricted when the cable modem 10 performs the access operation in the downward direction.
Proceed to step S217. In step S216,
Referring to the network address table 12, the access restriction unit 13 determines whether or not the received access request message includes only the private IP address. If the private IP address is not included, the state returns to the normal operation state.

In step S 217, if a private IP address is included, the access control unit 13 sets the CA
Permit local access within the TV station. As a result, C
E-mail can be received between the ATV station and the user's home or between users. Return processing to normal operation. Step S2
In step S18, if the IC card 11 is not inserted in step S212, the access control unit 13 determines whether the received message includes the Web site address. If the address of the Web site is not included, the process proceeds to step S217.

If it is determined in step S219 that the address of the Web site is included, the personal computer 2
Discard the data to 1. Access to the Internet 50 is denied. This is because there is a possibility that the address of the Web site in the received message may include the address of the Web site that is undesirable for education. This result is displayed on the personal computer 21. Step S
Proceed to 217.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the control operation of the access restriction unit 13 for correcting the registration of the IC card 11 of the cable modem 10, and FIG. 7 is a sequence chart of the control operation of FIG. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in step S221, the access control unit 1
3 receives a request for rewriting the information of the IC card 11 from the personal computer 21 under the cable modem 10. In step S222, the access control unit 13
Determines whether the IC card 11 is inserted into the cable modem 10 or not.

In step S223, if there is the insertion, the access restricting unit 13
It is determined whether the card 11 is the user's own. That is, if the IC card 11 does not match the registered user name, the request for rewriting the information of the IC card 11 is rejected. This is to avoid rewriting errors.

In step S224, if there is a match, as shown in FIG. 3, the addition, deletion, change, etc. of the Web site address of the IC card 11 to be corrected from the access restriction unit 13 are corrected by the server 40. Part 41
And the correction unit 41 corrects the IC card 11. This is for denying access to a Web site that is not desirable for education. In step S225, if there is no insertion in step S222, step S22
In step 3, if there is no match, the request reception in step S221 is rejected.

As described above, the IC card 11 inserted in the cable modem 10 is transmitted to the server 4 in the CATV station.
From 0, information can be rewritten by remote control. The remote operation from the server 40 is performed because the server 40 collects and monitors information on Web sites that are not desirable for education.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Inserting an IC card in which the address of an educationally unfavorable Web site is registered into a cable modem, and the Web site address on the Internet to be accessed is preferred for educational purposes if the registered Web site address of the IC card is included. Access is denied at the time of access.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a cable modem access restriction system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating information registered in an IC card 11 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a correction by a correction unit 41 of a server 40 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control operation of the access restriction unit 13 for controlling an uplink access operation of the cable modem 10;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the control operation of the access restriction unit 13 for controlling the downlink access operation of the cable modem 10.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control operation of the access restriction unit 13 in which registration of the IC card 11 of the cable modem 10 is corrected.

FIG. 7 is a sequence chart of the control operation of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a conventional system for accessing the Internet using a CATV cable modem.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Cable modem 11 ... IC card 12 ... Network address table 13 ... Access restriction part 20 ... Television 21 ... Personal computer 22 ... 10BaseT / USB 30 ... Headend modem 40 ... Server 41 ... Modification part 50 ... Internet 60 ... HFC

Claims (7)

[Claims] In a cable modem access restriction system for restricting access from a CATV cable modem to a Web site on the Internet, a user ID and an address of a Web site to be denied access that are inserted into the cable modem. The registered IC card and the address of the website to be accessed are
An access restriction system for a cable modem, comprising: an access restriction unit that rejects access to the Web site to be accessed if the address is included in the Web site address registered in the C card. 2. The access control unit, if the IC card is not inserted into the cable modem,
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein access to the Web is denied even if access to the site is made. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the access restriction unit discards data received from the Web site if the received message includes a Web site address registered in the IC card. Item 2. An access restriction system for a cable modem according to item 1. 4. The access control unit, if the IC card is not inserted in the cable modem,
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein data received from the website is discarded. 5. The W registered in the IC card
The cable modem access restriction system according to claim 1, wherein the address of the website is modified remotely from a CATV station. 6. The cable modem access restriction system according to claim 5, wherein a correction is made after confirming a user ID registered in said IC card. 7. A cable modem access restriction method for restricting access from a CATV cable modem to a Web site on the Internet. A Web site to be inserted into the cable modem and to be denied access to a user ID and an IC card in the IC card And registering the address of the Web site to be accessed.
Rejecting access to the Web site to be accessed if the address is included in the Web site address registered in the C card.