JP2004234640A - Information providing device, information providing processing system, image forming apparatus, information providing method and unauthorized utilization preventing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information providing device capable of effectively preventing the unauthorized acquisition of information, an information providing processing system, an image forming apparatus, an information providing method and an unauthorized utilization preventing method. <P>SOLUTION: The information providing device 2 provides prescribed information corresponding to a request from a client 1. The utilization authentication information identifier of utilization authentication information corresponding to the information is transmitted to the client 1, and when the utilization authentication information identifier is received from the client 1, an information identifier for identifying the information is uniquely specified from the utilization authentication information identifier and the information identified by the information identifier is provided to the client 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus, an information providing processing system, an image forming apparatus, an information providing method, and an unauthorized use preventing method. The present invention relates to an information providing method and an unauthorized use preventing method for preventing unauthorized use of an information providing device.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an information providing apparatus that provides predetermined information in response to a request from a client connected via a network such as the Internet or a LAN has become known. 2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a multifunction machine) as an example of an information providing apparatus stores functions of respective devices such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile, and a scanner in a single housing. This multifunction machine includes a display unit, a printing unit, an imaging unit, and the like in one housing, and four types of software corresponding to a printer, a copier, a facsimile, and a scanner, respectively. It operates as a copy, facsimile and scanner.

  The multifunction peripheral stores, for example, a document as an example of information in a document management database (hereinafter, referred to as a document management DB). The multifunction peripheral provides a document stored in the document management DB to the client in response to a request from the client connected via the network.

  In a conventional multifunction peripheral, for example, when an image of a specified URL is requested to be acquired by an HTML tag on a Web page, the request is performed by a request using an HTTP GET method (hereinafter, referred to as an HTTP request). Further, in the conventional multifunction peripheral, a password is often set for a document stored in the document management DB in order to cope with a security problem. For this reason, the conventional multifunction peripheral has to perform password authentication every time a request is made for a document in which a password is set.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a ticket for certifying an authenticated document is used in order to eliminate the complexity of performing password authentication each time a request is made for a document in which a password is set. . In Patent Literature 1, when a request including a ticket is received from a client, an authenticated document is confirmed using the ticket without performing password authentication.
JP-A-10-329925

  For example, when an image of a specified URL is requested to be obtained by an HTML tag on a Web page, the HTTP request needs to express request information necessary for obtaining the image as a part of the URL. In this case, since the request information can be confirmed on the browser, there is a problem that a third party can easily view the request information. In addition, since the request information remains as a log of the proxy server, there is a problem that a third party can easily view the request information.

  Therefore, when requesting the acquisition of the image of the designated URL using the HTML tag on the Web page, there is a high risk that the request information including the password or the like is stolen.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides an information providing apparatus, an information providing processing system, an image forming apparatus, an information providing method, and an unauthorized use preventing method capable of effectively preventing unauthorized acquisition of information. The purpose is to do.

  Therefore, in order to solve the above problem, the present invention is an information providing device that provides predetermined information to a client in response to a request from the client, and uses a usage authentication information identifier of the usage authentication information according to the information. Transmitting to the client and receiving a usage authentication information identifier from the client, uniquely specifying an information identifier for identifying the information from the usage authentication information identifier, and providing the information identified by the information identifier to the client. It is characterized by the following.

Further, the present invention is an information providing processing system including an information providing device that provides predetermined information according to a request and an information processing device that performs predetermined processing according to the request on the information,
The information providing device transmits a usage authentication information identifier of usage authentication information corresponding to the information to the client, and upon receiving a usage authentication information identifier from the client, an information identifier for identifying the information from the usage authentication information identifier. While uniquely identifying the information and providing the information identified by the information identifier to the client, the information processing apparatus transmits the use authentication information identifier received from the information providing apparatus to the information providing apparatus. And information processing means for acquiring information identified by the use authentication information identifier and performing a predetermined process.

  Further, the present invention is an image forming apparatus that provides predetermined information to the client in response to a request from the client, wherein the image forming apparatus transmits a usage authentication information identifier of usage authentication information corresponding to the information to the client, Upon receiving the usage authentication information identifier from the client, an information identifier for uniquely identifying the information is uniquely specified from the usage authentication information identifier, and the information identified by the information identifier is provided to the client.

  Further, the present invention is an information providing method of an information providing apparatus for providing predetermined information to a client in response to a request from the client, wherein a usage authentication information identifier of usage authentication information corresponding to the information is provided to the client. Transmitting, when receiving a usage authentication information identifier from the client, uniquely identifying an information identifier for identifying the information from the usage authentication information identifier, and providing the information identified by the information identifier to the client. And

  Further, the present invention is a method for preventing unauthorized use of an information providing apparatus for providing predetermined information to a client in response to a request from the client, wherein the usage authentication information identifier of the usage authentication information corresponding to the information is set to the client. And when the usage authentication information identifier is received from the client, an information identifier for uniquely identifying the information is uniquely specified from the usage authentication information identifier, and information other than the information identified by the information identifier is provided to the client. It is characterized by not doing.

  In the present invention, the use authentication information identifier corresponding to the information is transmitted to the client, and when the use authentication information identifier is received from the client, the information identifier for identifying the information is uniquely identified from the received use authentication information identifier. The information identified by the information identifier is provided to the client.

  The usage authentication information identifier is a random value generated when necessary. Therefore, in the present invention, there is no problem even if the usage authentication information identifier is left as a log. Further, in the present invention, even if the usage authentication information identifier is stolen by a third party, for example, by setting an expiration date to the usage authentication information identifier, the information is illegally acquired using the usage authentication information identifier. Risk can be significantly reduced.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an information providing apparatus, an information providing processing system, an image forming apparatus, an information providing method, and an unauthorized use preventing method that can effectively prevent unauthorized acquisition of information.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described based on the following embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, a multifunction machine will be described as an example of an information providing apparatus. However, any apparatus that provides predetermined information in response to a request from a client may be used.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a first embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of the first embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. In the information providing method shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a client 1 connected to the multifunction peripheral 2 via a network 3 such as the Internet or a LAN acquires a document stored in the multifunction peripheral 2.

  When the user wants to obtain a document stored in the multi-function peripheral 2, the user operating the client 1 inputs an authentication code as an example of a password to the browser 11 and instructs to start obtaining the document.

  In step S1, the browser 11 of the client 1 creates an HTTP request including the authentication code input by the user, and transmits the HTTP request to the MFP 2 via the network 3. The HTTP request transmitted from the client 1 is supplied to the Web page service 13 via the HTTPD of the NCS 12. The details of HTTPD will be described later.

  Proceeding to step S2 following step S1, the Web page service 13 extracts the authentication code included in the HTTP request and transmits the authentication code to the document management service 14. The document management service 14 performs password authentication using the authentication code received from the web page service 13. The document management service 14 may cause the MCS, which will be described later, to perform password authentication and obtain a result of the password authentication. When the password authentication ends normally, the document management service 14 establishes a session with the Web page service 13 and creates a session ID of the session.

  Proceeding to step S3 following step S2, the document management service 14 sends the created session ID to the web page service 13. Proceeding to step S4 following step S3, the Web page service 13 requests the document management service 14 for a document ID list using the received session ID. The document ID list is a list in which documents that can be provided to the client 1 are represented by document IDs.

  The document management service 14 creates a document ID list in response to a request for a document ID list from the web page service 13. The document management service 14 may cause the MCS (described later) to create a document ID list and acquire the created document ID list.

  Proceeding to step S5 following step S4, the document management service 14 sends the document ID list to the web page service 13. In step S6 following step S5, the Web page service 13 uses the document ID included in the document ID list and the session ID received in step S3 to acquire the document identified by the document ID from the document management service 14. (Hereinafter referred to as a request URL) to the document management service 14.

  The document management service 14 creates a ticket ID in response to a request URL from the web page service 13. The document management service 14 stores ticket management information in which the created ticket ID, the document ID of the document that can be provided, and the expiration date of the ticket ID are associated with each other in the ticket management DB 16 as shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an example of the ticket management DB. The ticket management DB 16 of FIG. 3 has a ticket ID, a document ID, and an expiration date as data items.

  Further, the document management service 14 creates a request URL in response to a request for a request URL from the web page service 13. Proceeding to step S7 following step S6, the document management service 14 creates a request URL 21 incorporating the ticket ID 22 and sends it to the web page service 13.

  For example, if the created ticket ID is “rnimbdp” and the created request URL is “http: //www.xxx.yyy.zzz/image/image.jpg”, the request URL incorporating the ticket ID is “ http: //www.xxx.yyy.zzz/image/image.jpg? tid = rnimbdp ".

  In the following description, the request URL 21 in which the ticket ID 22 is embedded is referred to as an embedded request URL. Upon receiving the embedded request URL 21 from the document management service 14, the web page service 13 creates a web page for the browser 11 to acquire and display the document from the document management service 14 (hereinafter, referred to as a document display web page). I do. Note that the embedded request URL 21 is embedded in information such as HTML that constitutes the document display Web page.

  Proceeding to step S8 following step S7, the Web page service 13 transmits the created document display Web page to the browser 11 of the client 1 as an HTTP response. When displaying the received document display Web page, the browser 11 extracts the embedded request URL included in the information constituting the document display Web page.

  Proceeding to step S9 following step S8, the browser 11 requests the document management service 14 for a document corresponding to the embedded request URL21. The document management service 14 extracts the ticket ID 22 embedded in the received embedded request URL 21 and reads the document ID associated with the ticket ID 22 from the ticket management DB 16.

  The document management service 14 acquires a document from a document storage location such as a hard disk device according to the read document ID. Proceeding to step S10 following step S9, the document management service 14 transmits the acquired document to the browser 11. The browser 11 displays a document display Web page including the acquired document as shown in FIG. 4 on the screen.

  FIG. 4 is an image diagram of an example of a document display Web page. The document display Web page in FIG. 4 is an example in which the thumbnail, document name, created user name, and created date of the document acquired in step S10 are displayed.

  Note that the expiration date management unit 15 of FIG. 1 monitors the data item “expiration date” of the ticket management DB 16 and deletes expired ticket management information from the ticket management DB 16. Therefore, by setting a time that guarantees that the processes of steps S7 to S9 are performed as the expiration date of the ticket management information, there is a danger that a document is illegally acquired even if the URL is stolen. Can be lowered. Further, the document management service 14 deletes the ticket management information used in step S9, thereby reducing the risk of illegally acquiring a document even if the embedded request URL 21 is stolen.

  As described above, the present invention can effectively prevent illegal acquisition of a document by using the ticket management information whose expiration date is appropriately set for providing the document to the client.

  In the information providing method of FIGS. 1 and 2, an example has been described in which the client 1 connected to the multifunction peripheral 2 via the network 3 acquires one document stored in the multifunction peripheral 2. The same is true for the example of acquiring.

  FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram when a plurality of documents are obtained in the first embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. Note that the sequence diagram of FIG. 5 is the same as the sequence diagram of FIG. 2 except for a part, and thus the description will be appropriately omitted.

  The processing of steps S1 to S5 is the same as the sequence diagram of FIG. The document ID list received in step S5 includes the document IDs of documents A, B, and C. The Web page service 13 performs the processing of steps S6 and S7 in FIG. 2 for each of the document IDs of the documents A, B and C included in the document ID list.

  In the sequence diagram of FIG. 5, the processes of steps S6 and S7 corresponding to the document ID of document A are represented by steps S6a and S7a, and the processes of steps S6 and S7 corresponding to the document ID of document B are represented by steps S6b and S7b. The processing of steps S6 and S7 corresponding to the document ID of the document C is represented by steps S6c and S7c.

  That is, the Web page service 13 requests the document management service 14 for a request URL corresponding to the documents A, B, and C through the processing of steps S6a and S7a, steps S6b and S7b, and steps S6c and S7c.

  The document management service 14 creates request URLs 21a, 21b, and 21c incorporating the ticket ID in response to the request URL from the web page service 13, and transmits the request URLs to the web page service 13.

  Upon receiving the embedded request URLs 21a, 21b and 21c from the document management service 14, the Web page service 13 creates a document display Web page. The embedded request URLs 21a, 21b, and 21c are embedded in information such as HTML constituting the document display Web page.

  In step S8, the Web page service 13 transmits the created document display Web page to the browser 11 of the client 1 as an HTTP response. When displaying the received document display Web page, the browser 11 extracts the embedded request URL included in the information constituting the document display Web page.

  The browser 11 performs the processes of steps S9 and S10 in FIG. 2 for the embedded request URLs 21a, 21b and 21c for the document management service 14. In the sequence diagram of FIG. 5, the processes of steps S9 and S10 corresponding to the document ID of document A are represented by steps S9a and S10a, and the processes of steps S9 and S10 corresponding to the document ID of document B are represented by steps S9b and S10b. The processing of steps S9 and S10 corresponding to the document ID of the document C is represented by steps S9c and S10c.

  That is, the browser 11 requests the document management service 14 for a document corresponding to the embedded request URLs 21a, 21b, and 21c through the processing of steps S9a and S10a, steps S9b and S10b, and steps S9c and S10c.

  The document management service 14 extracts the ticket ID from the embedded URLs 21a, 21b, and 21c in response to a request for a document from the browser 11, and transmits the document of the document ID associated with the ticket ID to the browser 11. The browser 11 displays a document display Web page including the acquired document as shown in FIG. 6 on the screen.

  FIG. 6 is an image diagram of another example of the document display Web page. The document display Web page in FIG. 6 is an example in which the thumbnails, document names, created user names, and created dates of the documents acquired in steps S10a, S10b, and S10c are displayed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a document display Web page corresponding to a plurality of documents can be created and displayed on the screen of the browser 11.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a second embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of a second embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. Note that the information providing method of FIGS. 7 and 8 is the same as that of FIGS. 1 and 2 except for a part, and thus the description will be appropriately omitted.

  When the user wants to obtain a document stored in the multi-function peripheral 2, the user operating the client 1 inputs an authentication code as an example of a password to the browser 11 and instructs to start obtaining the document.

  In step S21, the browser 11 of the client 1 creates an HTTP request including the authentication code input by the user, and transmits the HTTP request to the MFP 2 via the network 3. At this time, the browser 11 transmits client identification information (for example, an IP address, a MAC address, and the like) for identifying the client to the MFP 2 together with the HTTP request. The HTTP request and the client identification information transmitted from the client 1 are supplied to the web page service 13 via the HTTPD of the NCS 12. The details of HTTPD will be described later.

  The processing of steps S22 to S25 is the same as the processing of steps S2 to S5 in FIGS. In step S26, the Web page service 13 uses the document ID included in the document ID list, the client identification information of the client 1 received in step S21, and the session ID received in step S23 to generate a request URL corresponding to the document. Request to the management service 14.

  The document management service 14 creates a ticket ID in response to a request URL from the web page service 13. The document management service 14 stores the created ticket ID, the client identification information of the client 1, the document ID of the document that can be provided, and the ticket management information in which the expiration date of the ticket ID is associated with the ticket management DB 16 as shown in FIG. . FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of another example of the ticket management DB. The ticket management DB 16 in FIG. 9 has a ticket ID, a client IP address as an example of client identification information, a document ID, and an expiration date as data items.

  Further, the document management service 14 creates a request URL in response to a request for a request URL from the web page service 13. The processing in steps S27 to S28 is the same as the processing in steps S7 and S8 in FIGS.

  In step S29, the browser 11 requests the document management service 14 for a document corresponding to the embedded request URL21. At this time, the browser 11 also sends the client identification information to the document management service 14. After extracting the ticket ID 22 embedded in the received embedded request URL 21, the document management service 14 determines whether the ticket ID 22 and the client identification information received from the browser 11 are associated in the ticket management DB 16.

  If the ticket management DB 16 determines that the ticket ID 22 embedded in the received embedded request URL 21 and the client identification information received from the browser 11 are associated with each other, the document management service 14 sends the document associated with the ticket ID 22 The ID is read from the ticket management DB 16.

  If the ticket management DB 16 determines that the ticket ID 22 embedded in the received embedded request URL 21 and the client identification information received from the browser 11 are not associated, the document management service 14 is associated with the ticket ID 22. The read document ID is not read from the ticket management DB 16. At this time, the document management service 14 may send an authentication error response to the browser 11.

  The document management service 14 acquires a document from the document storage location according to the read document ID. Proceeding to step S30 following step S29, the document management service 14 transmits the acquired document to the browser 11. The browser 11 displays a document display Web page including the acquired document on the screen.

  Therefore, even if the ticket ID is stolen and another client requests a document from the MFP 2 using the ticket ID, the ticket ID and the client identification information of the other client are associated as ticket management information in the ticket management DB 16. Therefore, a document cannot be obtained from the MFP 2.

  As described above, the present invention can prevent improper clients from impersonating legitimate clients by associating the ticket ID with the client identification information, thereby effectively preventing unauthorized acquisition of documents.

  FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a third embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram of a third embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. Note that the information providing method of FIGS. 10 and 11 is the same as that of FIGS. 7 and 8 except for a part, and thus the description will be appropriately omitted.

  When the user wants to obtain a document stored in the multi-function peripheral 2, the user operating the client 1 inputs an authentication code as an example of a password to the browser 11 and instructs to start obtaining the document.

  The processing of steps S31 to S35 is the same as the processing of steps S21 to S25 in FIGS. In step S36, the Web page service 13 displays the format of the document and its information using the document ID included in the document ID list, the IP address of the client 1 received in step S31, and the session ID received in step S33. It requests the document management service 14 for options of acquisition condition information such as the scaling factor at that time and the page range of the information.

  Proceeding to step S37 following step S36, the document management service 14 creates an option of the acquisition condition information in response to the request for the option of the acquisition condition information from the web page service 13, and stores the option of the acquisition condition information in the web page service. 13 is transmitted.

  Proceeding to step S38 following step S37, when the Web page service 13 receives the option of the acquisition condition information from the document management service 14, the Web page for the user to select the acquisition condition information (hereinafter, the acquisition condition selection Web page) Create). The Web page service 13 transmits the created acquisition condition selection Web page to the browser 11 of the client 1 as an HTTP response.

  When the user selects the acquisition condition information on the acquisition condition selection Web page, the browser 11 proceeds to step S39, creates an HTTP request including the IP address of the client 1, the document ID, and the acquisition condition information, and transmits the HTTP request to the network. 3 to the MFP 2. The HTTP request transmitted from the client 1 is supplied to the Web page service 13 via the HTTPD of the NCS 12. The details of HTTPD will be described later.

  Proceeding to step S40 following step S39, the Web page service 13 extracts the IP address, document ID, and acquisition condition information included in the HTTP request. The Web page service 13 requests the document management service 14 for a request URL corresponding to the document by using the extracted IP address, document ID, acquisition condition information, and the session ID received in step S33.

  The document management service 14 creates a ticket ID in response to a request URL from the web page service 13. The document management service 14 stores ticket management information in which the created ticket ID, the IP address of the client 1, the document ID of the document that can be provided, the acquisition condition information, and the expiration date of the ticket ID are associated with each other in the ticket management DB 16 as shown in FIG. Store.

  FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of another example of the ticket management DB. The ticket management DB 16 in FIG. 12 has, as data items, a ticket ID, a client IP address, a document ID, a document format, a scaling factor, a page range, and an expiration date.

  Further, the document management service 14 creates a request URL in response to a request for a request URL from the web page service 13. The processing in steps S41 to S43 is the same as the processing in steps S27 to S29 in FIGS.

  After extracting the ticket ID 22 embedded in the received embedded request URL 21, the document management service 14 determines whether the ticket ID 22 and the IP address received from the browser 11 are associated in the ticket management DB 16.

  If the ticket management DB 16 determines that the ticket ID 22 embedded in the received embedded request URL 21 and the IP address received from the browser 11 are associated with each other, the document management service 14 sends the document ID associated with the ticket ID 22 And the acquisition condition information is read from the ticket management DB 16.

  The document management service 14 acquires a document from the document storage location according to the read document ID, and converts the read document into a condition specified by the acquisition condition information as necessary. Proceeding to step S44 following step S43, the document management service 14 transmits the acquired document to the browser 11. The browser 11 displays a document display Web page including the acquired document on the screen.

  In the third embodiment, the content of the acquisition condition information specified by the user via the browser 11 is not left as a log. Further, even when the specified amount of the acquisition condition information is limited due to the restriction of the request method or the like, the specified amount of the acquisition condition information is not limited by storing the acquisition condition information in the ticket management DB 16 in advance.

  In this way, the present invention can prevent the contents of the acquisition condition information designated by the user from being stolen by an unauthorized user by associating the ticket ID with the acquisition condition information of the document.

  FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a fourth embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. Note that the information providing method of FIG. 13 has a process that is the same as that of the first to third embodiments, and thus the description is omitted as appropriate.

  It is assumed that the document management service 31 of the MFP 30 has established a session with the document management service 14 of the MFP 2 using the client function. When the user wants to obtain a document stored in the MFP 2, the document management service 31 of the MFP 30 creates an HTTP request including an IP address, a document ID, and a session ID, and transmits the HTTP request via the network 3. The request URL is transmitted to the MFP 2 to request the URL.

  The HTTP request transmitted from the document management service 31 of the MFP 30 is supplied to the document management service 14 of the MFP 2 via the HTTPD 32 of the NCS 12. The details of HTTPD will be described later.

  Proceeding to step S52 following step S51, the document management service 14 extracts the IP address, document ID, and session ID included in the HTTP request, and creates a ticket ID as described above. The document management service 14 stores the created ticket ID, the document ID received in step S51, and ticket management information in which the expiration date of the ticket ID is associated in the ticket management DB 16 as shown in FIG. In the ticket management DB of FIG. 15, the above-described acquisition condition information is also stored in association with the ticket ID.

  The MFP 2 has a login information DB in which a login ID and an authentication code are associated with each other as shown in FIG. FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of an example of the login information DB. FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram of another example of the ticket management DB.

  The document management service 14 creates the embedded request URL 34 in response to the request URL from the document management service 31. The installation request URL 34 includes a login ID 35, an authentication code 36, and a ticket ID 37.

  The document management service 14 sends the created embedded request URL 34 and the session ID received in step S51 to the document management service 31 of the MFP 30. Proceeding to step S53 following step S52, the document management service 31 requests the MFP 2 for the document corresponding to the embedded request URL 34 by ftp.

  The embedded HTTP request 34 transmitted from the document management service 31 is supplied to the document management service 14 via the FTPD 33 of the NCS 12. The details of the FTPD will be described later.

  The document management service 14 extracts the login ID 35 and the authentication code 36 embedded in the received embedded request URL 34 and performs an authentication process. When the authentication process ends normally, the document management service 14 extracts the ticket ID 37 embedded in the received embedded request URL 34 and reads out the document ID associated with the ticket ID 37 from the ticket management DB 16.

  The document management service 14 acquires a document according to the read document ID. Proceeding to step S54 following step S53, the document management service 14 transmits the acquired document to the document management service 31 of the MFP 30 by ftp.

  As described above, the present invention can effectively prevent illegal acquisition of a document by using the ticket management information whose expiration date is appropriately set for providing a document to another multi-function peripheral by ftp.

  FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of a fifth embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. FIG. 17 is a sequence diagram of a fifth embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. Note that the information providing method of FIGS. 16 and 17 has a process that is the same as that of the first to fourth embodiments, and thus the description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

  In steps S61 to S66, a session (A) is established between the application 17 of the client 1 and the document management service 14 of the MFP 2. The application 17 obtains a document ID list from the document management service 14, and obtains a ticket of a document ID desired to be printed from the document ID list from the document management service 14.

  In steps S67 to S69, a session (B) is established between the application 17 of the client 1 and the print service 41 of the MFP 30. The application 17 requests the print service 41 to print a document using the acquired ticket.

  In steps S70 and S71, the print service 41 transmits a ticket to the document management service 31 of the multifunction peripheral 30, and requests acquisition of a document. In steps S72 to S77, a session (C) is established between the document management service 31 of the MFP 30 and the document management service 14 of the MFP 2.

  The document management service 31 of the MFP 30 requests the document management service 14 to receive a document corresponding to the ticket. The document management service 14 transmits a collection destination URL to the document management service 31 in response to a document collection request from the document management service 31. In the same manner as the above-described embedded request URL, a ticket ID required for acquiring a document is installed in the destination URL.

  In steps S78 to S80, the document management service 31 acquires the document using the received take-off destination URL, and transmits the document to the print service 41. The print service 41 prints the received document. In step S81, after the print service 41 finishes printing, the print service 41 sends a print end notification to the application 17 of the client 1.

  As described above, the present invention uses the ticket management information with an appropriately set expiration date to provide a document from one multifunction peripheral to another multifunction peripheral in accordance with an instruction from a client. A document acquired from one multi-function device can be printed by another multi-function device while preventing the problem.

  FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a sixth embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. In the information providing method shown in FIG. 18, the client 1 connected to the multifunction peripheral 2 via a network 3 such as the Internet or a LAN acquires a document stored in the multifunction peripheral 2. When the user wants to obtain a document stored in the multifunction device 2, the user operating the client 1 instructs the application 17 to start obtaining the document.

  In step S90, the application 17 of the client 1 creates an HTTP request as shown in FIG. 19 including the document ID of the document specified by the user, and transmits the HTTP request to the MFP 2 via the network 3. FIG. 19 is a configuration diagram of an example of the HTTP request transmitted in step S90. The application 17 requests the document management service 14 for a request URL by transmitting an HTTP request as shown in FIG.

  The HTTP request transmitted from the client 1 is supplied to the request processing unit 18 of the document management service 14 via the HTTPD of the NCS 12. The details of HTTPD will be described later.

  Proceeding to step S91 following step S90, the request processing unit 18 performs authentication as needed, and then creates a ticket ID in response to the request for the request URL. The request processing unit 18 stores ticket management information in which the created ticket ID, the document ID received in step S90, and the expiration date of the ticket ID are associated with each other in the ticket management DB 16 as shown in FIG.

  Further, the request processing unit 18 creates a request URL 23 pointing to the information providing unit 19 in response to the request of the request URL. Proceeding to step S92 following step S91, the request processing unit 18 creates an HTTP response as shown in FIG. 20 including the ticket ID and the request URL 23, and transmits the HTTP response to the application 17 of the client 1. FIG. 20 is a configuration diagram of an example of the HTTP response transmitted in step S92.

  The application 17 creates an HTTP request as shown in FIG. 21 including the ticket ID received in step S92, and transmits the HTTP request to the MFP 2. FIG. 21 is a configuration diagram of an example of the HTTP request transmitted in step S93. In step S93, the ticket ID is included in the body (BODY) of the HTTP request without being incorporated into the request URL.

  The HTTP request transmitted from the client 1 is supplied to the information providing unit 19 of the document management service 14 indicated by the request URL 23 via the HTTPD of the NCS 12. Proceeding to step S94 following step S93, the information providing unit 19 extracts the ticket ID from the received HTTP request and reads out the document ID associated with the ticket ID 22 from the ticket management DB 16.

  The information providing unit 19 acquires a document from a document storage location such as a hard disk device according to the read document ID. Proceeding to step S96 following step S95, the information providing unit 19 transmits the acquired document to the application 17 of the client 1. The expiration date management unit 15 in FIG. 18 monitors the expiration date of the ticket management DB 16 and deletes the expired ticket management information from the ticket management DB 16.

  Therefore, by setting a time that guarantees that the processing of steps S92 to S93 is performed as the expiration date of the ticket management information, there is a risk that a document may be illegally acquired even if the ticket ID is intercepted. Can be reduced. Further, the information providing unit 19 deletes the ticket management information used in step S93, thereby reducing the risk of illegally obtaining a document even if the ticket ID is stolen.

  As described above, the present invention can effectively prevent illegal acquisition of a document by using the ticket management information whose expiration date is appropriately set for providing the document to the client.

In the first to sixth embodiments, the ticket management information in which the ticket ID and the document ID are associated with each other is stored in the ticket management DB 16, but if the ticket ID has a meaning so that the document ID can be determined from the ticket ID. However, it is not always necessary to associate the ticket ID with the document ID in the ticket management DB 16. FIG. 22 is a configuration diagram of an example of a ticket ID having a meaning so that a document ID can be determined. In FIG. 22, the ticket ID 51 includes the expiration date of the ticket. The ticket management information 50 includes a document ID and an expiration date. Therefore, in the case of the ticket management information 50 and the ticket ID 51 of FIG. 22, the document ID can be calculated from the ticket ID using the expiration date of the ticket. Note that the ticket ID 51 in FIG. 22 may be encrypted from the viewpoint of security.
(Explanation of the fusion machine)
Next, details of the MFP 2 will be described. FIG. 23 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the multifunction peripheral according to the present invention. The multifunction peripheral 2 is configured to include a software group 100, a multifunction peripheral activation unit 200, and hardware resources 300.

  The multifunction peripheral starting unit 200 is executed first when the power of the multifunction peripheral 2 is turned on, and activates the application layer 111 and the platform 135. For example, the multifunction peripheral starting unit 200 reads the programs of the application layer 111 and the platform 135 from a hard disk device (hereinafter, referred to as HDD) or the like, and transfers each read program to a memory area to start.

  The hardware resources 300 include a black-and-white laser printer (B & W LP) 301, a color laser printer (Color LP) 302, and other hardware resources 303 such as a scanner and a facsimile.

  Further, the software group 100 includes an application layer 111 and a platform 135 that are activated on an operating system (hereinafter, referred to as an OS) such as UNIX (registered trademark). The application layer 111 includes a program that performs processing specific to a user service related to image formation, such as a printer, a copy, a facsimile, and a scanner.

  The application layer 111 includes a printer application 101, a copy application 102, a fax application 103, a scanner application 104, a web page application 105, one or more shared functions (hereinafter, referred to as SF) 107, and a web page application 105. And a web service function (hereinafter, referred to as WSF) 106 provided between the mobile phone and the SF 107.

  The WSF 106 has an application program interface (hereinafter, referred to as an API) 108 that receives a processing request from the web page application 105 using a function defined in advance. The SF 107 has an API 109 for receiving a processing request from the WSF 106 using a function defined in advance.

  Upon receiving a processing request from the web page application 105 via the API 108, the WSF 106 selects the SF 107 according to the processing request. The WSF 106 transmits the processing request received via the API 108 to the SF 107 selected according to the processing request via the API 109. Upon receiving a processing request via the API 109, the SF 107 performs processing according to the processing request.

  For example, the MFP 2 of FIG. 23 includes two SFs 107. One SF 107 performs the processing of the Web page service 13 described above, and the other SF 107 performs the processing of the document management service 14.

  The platform 135 interprets the processing request from the application layer 111 to generate a request for acquiring the hardware resource 300, and manages one or more hardware resources 300 and transmits the request from the control service layer 129. It includes a system resource manager (hereinafter, referred to as SRM) 130 that arbitrates an acquisition request, and a handler layer 133 that manages the hardware resources 300 in response to the acquisition request from the SRM 130.

  The control service layer 129 includes a network control service (hereinafter, referred to as NCS) 121, a delivery control service (hereinafter, referred to as DCS) 122, an operation panel control service (hereinafter, referred to as OCS) 123, and a fax control service (hereinafter, referred to as FCS) 124. , An engine control service (hereinafter referred to as ECS) 125, a memory control service (hereinafter referred to as MCS) 126, a user information control service (hereinafter referred to as UCS) 127, a system control service (hereinafter referred to as SCS) 128, and the like. It is configured to include a service module.

  The platform 135 is configured to have an API 110 that receives a processing request from the application layer 111 by using a function defined in advance. The OS executes each software of the application layer 111 and the platform 135 in parallel as a process.

  The process of the NCS 121 distributes data received from the network side according to each protocol to each application, and mediates transmission of data from each application to the network side.

  For example, the NCS 121 controls data communication with a client connected via a network by HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol Daemon) by HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol Daemon). Further, the NCS 121 controls data communication with a client connected via a network by an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) by an FTP (File Transfer Protocol Daemon).

  The process of the DCS 122 controls the delivery of the stored document and the like. The process of the OCS 123 controls an operation panel serving as information transmission means between the operator and the main body control. The FCS 124 process provides an API from the application layer 111 for transmitting / receiving a fax using a PSTN or ISDN network, registering / quoting various fax data managed in a backup memory, reading a fax, and printing a fax. I do.

  The process of the ECS 125 controls engine units such as a black and white laser printer 301, a color laser printer 302, and hardware resources 303. The process of the MCS 126 performs memory control such as acquisition and release of a memory, use of an HDD, and compression and decompression of image data. The UCS 127 process manages user information.

  The process of the SCS 128 performs processes such as application management, operation unit control, system screen display, LED display, hardware resource management, and interrupt application control.

  The process of the SRM 130 controls the system and manages the hardware resources 300 together with the SCS 128. For example, the process of the SRM 130 performs arbitration in accordance with an acquisition request from an upper layer using the hardware resources 300 such as the black and white laser printer 301 and the color laser printer 302, and controls execution.

  Specifically, the process of the SRM 130 determines whether the requested hardware resource 300 is available (whether it is not used by another acquisition request), and if available, the requested hardware resource 300 is acquired. The upper layer is notified that the resource 300 is available. Also, the process of the SRM 130 performs scheduling for using the hardware resource 300 in response to an acquisition request from an upper layer, and the content of the request (for example, paper conveyance and image forming operation by a printer engine, memory reservation, file generation, etc.). Is implemented directly.

  The handler layer 133 also includes a fax control unit handler (hereinafter, referred to as FCUH) 131 that manages a fax control unit (hereinafter, referred to as FCU) described later, and an image that manages the memory allocated to the process and the memory allocated to the process. A memory handler (hereinafter referred to as IMH) 132.

  The SRM 130 and the FCUH 131 make a processing request to the hardware resource 300 using the engine I / F 134 that transmits a processing request to the hardware resource 300 by a function defined in advance.

  With the configuration of FIG. 23, the multifunction peripheral 2 can centrally perform processing required by each application on the platform 135.

  Next, the hardware configuration of the MFP 2 will be described. FIG. 24 is a hardware configuration diagram of an embodiment of the multifunction peripheral according to the present invention. The MFP 2 includes a controller 400, an operation panel 410, an FCU 411, a USB device 412, an IEEE 1394 device 413, and an engine unit 414.

  Further, the controller 400 includes a CPU 401, a system memory 402, a north bridge (hereinafter, referred to as NB) 403, a south bridge (hereinafter, referred to as SB) 404, an ASIC 406, a local memory 407, and an HDD 408.

  The operation panel 410 is connected to the ASIC 406 of the controller 400. The FCU 411, USB device 412, IEEE 1394 device 413, and engine unit 414 are connected to the ASIC 406 of the controller 400 via a PCI bus.

  In the controller 400, the local memory 407, the HDD 408, and the like are connected to the ASIC 406, and the CPU 401 and the ASIC 406 are connected via the NB 403 of the CPU chipset. As described above, if the CPU 401 and the ASIC 406 are connected via the NB 403, it is possible to cope with a case where the interface of the CPU 401 is not disclosed.

  The ASIC 406 and the NB 403 are not connected via a PCI bus, but are connected via an AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) 405. As described above, in order to control the execution of one or more processes forming the application layer 111 and the platform 135 of FIG. 23, the ASIC 406 and the NB 403 are connected not through the low-speed PCI bus but through the AGP 405 to prevent the performance from deteriorating. In.

  The CPU 401 performs overall control of the MFP 2. The CPU 401 starts and executes the NCS 121, the DCS 122, the OCS 123, the FCS 124, the ECS 125, the MCS 126, the UCS 127, the SCS 128, the SRM 139, the FCU H 131, and the IMH 132 as processes on the OS, and executes the printer application 101 and the copy application which form the application layer 111. 102, the fax application 103, the scanner application 104, the web page application 105, the WSF 106, and the SF 107 are activated and executed.

  The NB 403 is a bridge for connecting the CPU 401, the system memory 402, the SB 404, and the ASIC 406. The system memory 402 is a memory used as a drawing memory or the like of the MFP 2. The SB 404 is a bridge for connecting the NB 403 to a ROM, a PCI bus, and peripheral devices. The local memory 407 is a memory used as a copy image buffer and a code buffer.

  The ASIC 66 is an IC for image processing having hardware components for image processing. The HDD 408 is a storage for storing image data, document data, storing programs, storing font data, storing forms, and the like. The operation panel 410 is an operation unit that receives an input operation from the user and performs display for the user.

  The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a first embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram of a first embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. It is a lineblock diagram of an example of a ticket management DB. FIG. 6 is an image diagram of an example of a document display Web page. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram when a plurality of documents are acquired in the first embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is an image diagram of another example of a document display Web page. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a second embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram of a second embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. It is a lineblock diagram of another example of a ticket management DB. It is an explanatory view of a third embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram of a third embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. It is a lineblock diagram of another example of a ticket management DB. It is an explanatory view of a fourth embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an example of a login information DB. It is a lineblock diagram of another example of a ticket management DB. It is an explanatory view of a fifth embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram of a fifth embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. It is an explanatory view of a sixth embodiment of the information providing method according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of an example of an HTTP request transmitted in step S90. FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of an example of an HTTP response transmitted in step S92. FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of an example of an HTTP request transmitted in step S93. FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of an example of a ticket ID having a meaning so that a document ID can be determined. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a fusion machine according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an embodiment of the multifunction peripheral according to the present invention.

Explanation of reference numerals

1 Client 2, 30 Multifunction Device 3 Network 11 Browser 12 NCS (Network Control Service)
13 Web page service 14, 31 Document management service 15 Expiration date management unit 16 Ticket management DB
17 Application 18 Request processing unit 19 Information providing unit 21, 21a-21c, 34 Request URL incorporating ticket ID
22,37 Ticket ID
32 HTTP daemon 33 FTP daemon 41 Printing service

Claims (16)

An information providing device for providing predetermined information to the client in response to a request from the client,
Transmitting a use authentication information identifier of use authentication information corresponding to the information to the client,
Upon receiving a usage authentication information identifier from the client, uniquely identifying an information identifier that identifies the information from the usage authentication information identifier, and providing the information identified by the information identifier to the client. Providing device. Information storage means for storing the information;
Use management means associated with the information identifier and the use authentication information identifier,
Network service providing means for transmitting a usage authentication information identifier of usage authentication information corresponding to the information to the client;
Receiving the use authentication information identifier from the client, obtaining an information identifier associated with the use authentication information identifier, and providing information identified by the information identifier to the client. The information providing device according to claim 1, wherein: Information storage means for storing the information;
A network service providing unit for creating a use authentication information identifier of use authentication information corresponding to the information and transmitting the use authentication information identifier to the client, so that the information identifier can be determined;
An information providing unit that, when receiving the use authentication information identifier from the client, calculates an information identifier from the use authentication information identifier and provides information identified by the information identifier to the client. Item 2. The information providing device according to Item 1. The network service providing means transmits to the client by including a use authentication information identifier of use authentication information corresponding to the information in the request destination information of the information,
3. The information providing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information providing unit receives request destination information including the use authentication information identifier from the client. The network service providing unit transmits a usage authentication information identifier of usage authentication information corresponding to the information to the client by including it in information other than the request destination information of the information,
3. The information providing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information providing unit receives information other than the request destination information including the use authentication information identifier from the client.   The information providing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an expiration date management unit that monitors an expiration date of the usage authentication information and invalidates the expired usage authentication information. . The network service providing unit, upon receiving the information acquisition request from the client, acquires from the information providing unit the request destination information of the information and a usage authentication information identifier included in the request destination information,
Creating an information display screen that displays the information using the request destination information of the information and the usage authentication information identifier included in the request destination information, and transmitting the information display screen to the client. The information providing device according to claim 4, wherein The information providing unit creates the use authentication information identifier and request destination information in response to a request from the network service providing unit, and associates the use authentication information identifier with the information identifier and the expiration date to the use management unit. While storing
8. The information providing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said request destination information and a usage authentication information identifier included in said request destination information are transmitted to said network service providing means.   The information display screen includes request destination information of the information and a usage authentication information identifier included in the request destination information, and the client requests the information request destination information and the use authentication included in the request destination information. 9. The information providing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a function of acquiring information corresponding to the use authentication information identifier from the information providing unit using the information identifier and displaying the information.   The use management unit associates an information identifier for identifying the information, a use authentication information identifier of use authentication information corresponding to the information, an expiration date of the use authentication information, and a client identifier of the client that made the request. The information providing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein:   11. The information providing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the use management unit is further associated with acquisition condition information indicating a condition when the client acquires information.   The information providing unit obtains an information identifier associated with the use authentication information identifier from the use management unit, and provides information identified by the information identifier to the client. 12. The information providing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the use authentication information identified is invalidated. An information providing processing system having an information providing device that provides predetermined information in response to a request and a client that performs predetermined processing in response to the request with respect to the information,
The information providing device transmits a usage authentication information identifier of usage authentication information corresponding to the information to the client,
Upon receiving a usage authentication information identifier from the client, uniquely identifying an information identifier that identifies the information from the usage authentication information identifier, and providing the information identified by the information identifier to the client,
The client transmits the use authentication information identifier received from the information providing device to the information providing device, thereby acquiring information identified by the use authentication information identifier and performing an information processing unit that performs a predetermined process. An information providing processing system comprising: An image forming apparatus that provides predetermined information to the client in response to a request from the client,
Transmitting a use authentication information identifier of use authentication information corresponding to the information to the client,
Upon receiving a usage authentication information identifier from the client, an information identifier for uniquely identifying the information is uniquely specified from the usage authentication information identifier, and the information identified by the information identifier is provided to the client. Forming equipment. An information providing method of an information providing apparatus for providing predetermined information to the client in response to a request from the client,
Transmitting a use authentication information identifier of use authentication information corresponding to the information to the client,
Upon receiving a usage authentication information identifier from the client, uniquely identifying an information identifier that identifies the information from the usage authentication information identifier, and providing the information identified by the information identifier to the client. Delivery method. A method for preventing unauthorized use of an information providing apparatus for providing predetermined information to a client in response to a request from the client,
Transmitting a use authentication information identifier of use authentication information corresponding to the information to the client,
When receiving the usage authentication information identifier from the client, the information identifier for uniquely identifying the information is uniquely specified from the usage authentication information identifier, and information other than the information identified by the information identifier is not provided to the client. To prevent unauthorized use.

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