JP2001014051A - User authentication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a monitor system to authenticate a user so that only an operation corresponding to the level of the user is allowed by providing a limiting means, etc., which discriminates the level of a user by collating a password or ID against stored user information and allowing user's operation. SOLUTION: Information on an inputted ID or password is passed to a password authenticating means 24. The password authenticating means 24 authenticates the user by referring to a user setting table of a user information table 27. When the authentication is successful, the password authenticating means 24 passes an input from a control unit 50 to a connectable device determining means 25 thereafter. The connectable device determining means 25 finds a combination of a device ID and a function ID which are allowed for the level of the authenticated user by referring to a level-classified controllable function table of a user information table 27 and determines devices and functions that the authenticated user can control.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a user authentication device for authenticating a user who operates various devices, such as a surveillance camera or a recording device of a surveillance system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional large-scale surveillance system, images of a large number of surveillance cameras for photographing a surveillance area are collected at a center and displayed on a monitor. The center is also equipped with a video switcher that switches the video to be displayed on the monitor and a recording device that records the video.These devices are operated at the center, and the shooting direction of the surveillance camera is controlled. Remotely controlled at the center.

In a surveillance system, from the nature of surveillance,
No one is allowed to operate the equipment freely. For example, surveillance cameras are also installed in high security places and private areas, but it is necessary to make sure that images of such places can be seen only by specific people. for that reason,
In an actual system, a user is provided with a level such as a "system administrator" or a "person who performs only monitoring work", and operations for restricting operations that can be performed according to the level are routinely performed.

[0004] Some monitoring devices have a user authentication function. In this type of device, when a user inputs a password or ID and the password and ID match those registered. Authentication, and only the authenticated user can control the device.

[0005]

However, devices having a user authentication function inside can individually perform user authentication. However, in many cases, authentication methods and registration methods differ for each device. The operation of receiving authentication is cumbersome.

On the other hand, if comprehensive user authentication is performed for the entire monitoring system, the number of times of authentication is reduced, but the user who has been authenticated can control all devices. The operation of restricting the operation according to the user level cannot be guaranteed by the user authentication.

The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and provides a user authentication device capable of giving a user authentication that allows only an operation according to a user level to a monitoring system. It is intended to be.

[0008]

Accordingly, in the present invention, a user authentication device having a user authentication function is combined with a surveillance system including a surveillance camera and a video switcher, and a user inputs a password or ID to the user authentication device. And input means for comparing the input password or ID with the stored user information to identify the level of the user, and restricting means for permitting the user to operate within a limit determined for each level. Provided.

Therefore, by inputting a password or an ID, the user can receive the user authentication of the entire monitoring system in which only the operation according to the level of the user is permitted.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is directed to a user authentication device for authenticating a user who operates a monitoring system, wherein the input means for the user to input a password or ID; The ID is compared with the stored user information to identify the level of the user, and limiting means for allowing the user to operate within a limit determined for each level is provided. It is possible to provide user authentication of the entire monitoring system that permits only the operation according to the user level for the input user.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, devices to be operated are restricted for each level, and devices that can be accessed are limited according to a user level.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the contents of operation in the device are restricted for each level. For example, input selection can be performed using a switcher, but multi-screen operation cannot be performed. In addition, the operable contents of the device are limited according to the user level.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display means for indicating that the user authentication is to be rejected or for displaying the level when the user authentication is permitted. Failure can be confirmed, and if authentication is successful, one's own level can be confirmed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a change means for changing stored user information is provided, and the type of information that can be changed is limited by the level of the user. Can manage the level of the operator.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a user specifying device for specifying a user based on physical characteristics of the user and outputting a user ID, and the restricting means includes a user ID input from the user specifying device as user information. The verification is performed, and it is possible to prevent an unauthorized person from accessing the system by lending and borrowing a password.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the user identification device identifies the iris pattern of the user's eye and outputs the user ID, and the user inputs the user ID without contact. You do not need to remember your ID or password.

The invention according to claim 8 is such that the user identification device identifies a user's fingerprint and outputs a user ID, and the user does not need to remember his or her own ID or password.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, when a signal indicating an emergency is input, the user authentication function is released to enable operation of the monitoring system without user authentication. Not following user management during operation,
It is possible to release the operation right to all users,
In an emergency, anyone can grasp the situation of the monitoring place.

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

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a monitoring system incorporating a user authentication device 20 according to a first embodiment. The surveillance system consists of N surveillance cameras 13 and M
Monitors 11 and surveillance cameras 13 displayed on the monitor 11
A matrix switcher 12 for switching the images of the two devices and a control device 50 for controlling these devices are provided.
This is possible only when the user has been authenticated.

The authentication device 20 includes ID password input means 22 for the user operating the control device 50 to input an ID or password, information on the password and level of the user, and information on devices and functions that can be operated according to each level. , An ID password changing unit 21 that rewrites the user information table 27, a password authentication unit 24 that authenticates a password input with reference to the user information table 27, and a password authentication authentication. Authentication result display means 23 for displaying the result
Connectable device determining means 25 for determining a controllable device according to the user level with reference to the user information table 27, and device-specific authentication message assembly for generating a message for each device and issuing a command Means 26.

The authentication device 20 receives the user ID of the specified person from the iris recognition device 30 that specifies the person based on the iris of the user's eye, and receives an emergency input 40 when an emergency occurs. input.

The user information table 27 stores the following user setting table, device setting table, type function setting table, and controllable function table for each level.

As shown in FIG. 3, a user ID, a user name, a user password, and information on the level of the user are set in the user setting table.

As shown in FIG. 4, a device ID for uniquely specifying each device, a type code indicating the type of device, and a device name are set in the device setting table.

In the type function setting table, as shown in FIG. 5, a type code of the device, a function ID assigned to specify the operation content of the device, and an outline of the operation are set.

As shown in FIG. 6, the controllable function table for each level includes a controllable flag indicating whether a control operation is permitted for a combination of a device ID and a function ID. It is set for each.

A user who wants to control the equipment of this monitoring system uses the ID password input means 22
Alternatively, a password is input to the authentication device 20. The input ID or password information is transmitted to the password authentication unit 24.
Passed to.

The password authentication means 24 authenticates the user with reference to the user setting table (FIG. 3) of the user information table 27. ID is not registered,
If the entered password does not match the registered password, the authentication result display means 23 displays a message indicating that the authentication has failed and notifies the user.

If the authentication is successful, the password authentication unit 24 thereafter passes the input from the control device 50 to the connectable device determination unit 25. The authentication result display means 23
Display the level of the user.

The connectable device determining means 25 refers to the controllable function table for each level of the user information table 27 (FIG. 6) to determine the device ID and function ID permitted for the level of the authenticated user. Find the combination and find the device I
With reference to the device setting table (FIG. 4) defining D and the type function table (FIG. 5) defining the function ID, the devices and functions that can be controlled by the authenticated user are determined. When the control information input from the control device 50 is control information of the determined device and function, the control information is passed to the device-specific authentication message assembling means 26 for each device.

The device-specific authentication message assembling means 26 acquires authentication information used in the authentication of each device registered in advance, generates a message for each device using the authentication information, and Issue an authentication command to the other device or monitoring system.

As described above, in this user authentication device,
It is possible to provide a user authentication that allows only an operation corresponding to the user level.

(Second Embodiment) In the second embodiment,
A case where an emergency input occurs in the user authentication device 20 of FIG. 1 will be described.

When the user authentication device 20 receives the signal of the emergency input 40 indicating the occurrence of a fire, earthquake or other emergency, the user authentication device 20 stops the user authentication function and performs monitoring from the control device 50 without user authentication. Enables control of the system.

Accordingly, in an emergency, all users can operate the monitoring system without following the user management during normal operation, and anyone can grasp the situation of the situation through the monitoring system. Become.

(Third Embodiment) In the third embodiment,
A case where the iris recognition device 30 is used in the user authentication device 20 of FIG. 1 will be described.

The iris recognition device 30 specifies a person based on the iris pattern of the eye, and passes the user ID of the specified person to the password authentication unit 24.

The password authentication means 24 authenticates the user with reference to the user setting table (FIG. 3) of the user information table 27. If the ID has not been registered, the authentication result display means 23 displays that the authentication has failed, and notifies the user. Further, when the authentication is successful, the password authentication unit 24 thereafter passes the input from the control device 50 to the connectable device determination unit 25. Subsequent operations are the same as those described in the first embodiment.

As described above, in this user authentication device,
Since the user is identified and the user is authenticated, it is possible to prevent an unauthorized person from accessing the system by lending and borrowing a password. Also, the user can input the user ID without contact.

Although this example shows a case where user authentication is performed only with iris information, authentication by inputting an ID or a password may be used in addition to identification of a person by the iris recognition device 30.

In order to specify a person, a fingerprint recognition device may be used instead of the iris recognition device.

(Fourth Embodiment) In the fourth embodiment,
An operation of rewriting data in the user information table 27 in the user authentication device 20 of FIG. 1 will be described.

In this case, regarding the rewriting of the user information table 27, a super user level is set as shown in FIG. This superuser level is
May be assigned to any level of the user settings table.

The user at the super user level can add, delete,
Users who can change passwords, change levels, add devices, and delete devices, and are not at the superuser level,
It is assumed that only the password can be changed.

A user who rewrites the user information table 27 performs a data rewrite input operation after inputting a password from the ID password changing means 21. ID
The user who has input the password from the password changing means 21 can rewrite the data as long as the authority is permitted.

The user at the super user level has the authority of the super user and can add or delete a user in the user information table or change the level by an input operation from the ID password changing means 21. it can.

Thus, the system administrator can manage the level of the operator.

[0049]

As is apparent from the above description, the user authentication device of the present invention can provide the monitoring system with user authentication that permits only the operation corresponding to the level of the user. Therefore, it is possible to restrict the monitoring of a high security place or a private area based on the ID or the password.

Further, when an emergency occurs in the monitoring area, the user authentication can be canceled by the emergency occurrence signal, and the emergency can be promptly dealt with.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a user authentication device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a table showing super user settings;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a user setting table;

FIG. 4 is an example of a device setting table;

FIG. 5 is an example of a type function table,

FIG. 6 is an example of a controllable function table for each level.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Monitor 12 Matrix switcher 13 Surveillance camera 20 User authentication device 21 ID password changing means 22 ID password input means 23 Authentication result display means 24 Password authentication means 25 Connectable equipment determination means 26 Device-specific authentication message assembly means 27 User information table 30 Iris recognition device 40 Emergency input 50 Control device

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A user authentication device for authenticating a user who operates a monitoring system, comprising: an input unit for inputting a password or ID by a user; and checking the input password or ID with stored user information. A user authentication device, comprising: a limiter that identifies a level of the user and allows the user to operate within a range of a limit determined for each level. 2. The user authentication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein operation target devices are restricted for each of the levels. 3. The user authentication device according to claim 1, wherein operation contents of the device are restricted for each of the levels. 4. The user authentication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for indicating that the user authentication is to be rejected, or displaying the level when the user authentication is permitted. 5. The user authentication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a change unit for changing the stored user information, wherein a type of the changeable information is limited by a user level. 6. A user identification device for identifying a user based on physical characteristics of the user and outputting a user ID, wherein the restricting unit checks a user ID input from the user identification device with the user information. The user authentication device according to claim 1, wherein: 7. The user authentication device according to claim 6, wherein the user identification device identifies the iris pattern of a user's eye and outputs the user ID. 8. The user authentication device according to claim 6, wherein the user identification device identifies the user's fingerprint and outputs the user ID. 9. The user authentication device according to claim 1, wherein, when a signal indicating an emergency is input, the user authentication function is released to enable operation of the monitoring system without user authentication.