JP2005115530A - Electronic paper - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide electronic paper having a storage means storing data and a display mean displaying the data as an image, protecting the data from acquisition by a third party, and allowing transmission or duplication of the protected data at any time if necessary. <P>SOLUTION: This electronic paper is provided with an operation means 14 serving as a registration means registering data as secret data, a display means 13, and a prohibition means prohibiting transmission of the secret data from the storage means 12 to the outside. Alternatively, the electronic paper is provide with the operation means 14 serving as the registration means registering the data as secret data, the display means 13, and an authentication means requiring operation related to authentication when the secret data are sent to the outside from the storage means 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique of electronic paper including a storage unit that stores data and a display unit that displays data as an image.

  In recent years, electronic paper having both the advantages of paper and the advantages of electronic displays has been researched and developed. Electronic paper is electrically rewritable, and once displayed data is retained until it is rewritten even after the power is turned off. It is also characterized in that it is thin and lightweight and can be easily carried like paper.

  The technology of this electronic paper is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1, and the electronic paper includes a memory that stores data, a display panel that displays data, and the like. The electronic paper is configured to be communicably connected to a data server or the like via an electric communication line, receives data (for example, newspaper data or magazine data) from the data server, and the received data is stored in a memory. It is configured to be displayed on the display panel.

The electronic paper disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with copy prohibiting means for prohibiting copying of received data and transfer prohibiting means for prohibiting transfer.
The copy prohibiting means judges whether or not the received data is data that is prohibited from being copied, and if it is determined that the data is data that is prohibited from being copied, Copying to a memory different from the memory is prohibited. This copy prohibition determination is made such that the received data is set to be copyable up to a predetermined number of times, and when the number of times the data is copied exceeds the predetermined number of times, the data is determined to be prohibited from being copied. Thereafter, copying of the data is prohibited.

  The transfer prohibiting means determines whether or not the received data is data that is prohibited from being transferred, and if it is determined that the data is data that is prohibited from being transferred, Transfer to a memory different from the memory is prohibited. This determination of transfer prohibition is made such that the received data is set to be transferable up to a predetermined number of times, and when the number of data transfers exceeds the predetermined number of times, it is determined that the data is prohibited from being transferred. Thereafter, transfer of the data is prohibited.

JP 2003-076354 A

  However, the electronic paper disclosed in Patent Document 1 has the inconvenience that it is no longer possible to copy the data when a situation occurs in which the data is to be copied after the number of times the data has been copied exceeds a predetermined number. Similarly, when a situation occurs in which it is desired to transfer the data after the number of times the data has been transferred exceeds a predetermined number, there is an inconvenience that the data cannot be transferred.

  In view of the above, the present invention provides an electronic paper that protects data from being obtained by a third party and can send or copy the protected data whenever necessary. Is an issue.

The above is a problem to be solved by the present invention. Next, means for solving this problem will be described.
First, as described in claim 1, an electronic paper including a storage unit that stores data and a display unit that displays data as an image, and a registration unit that registers the data as secret data; And a prohibiting unit that prohibits the secret data from being transmitted from the storage unit to the outside.

  The storage means for storing data, the display means for displaying the data as an image, and the operation for sending the data stored in the storage means to the outside from the storage means as described in claim 2 An electronic paper including an authentication means for requesting an operation related to authentication when secret data is sent from the storage means to the outside by the operation means. .

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic paper including a storage unit that stores data and a display unit that displays data as an image, and light in a specific area emitted to the display unit. And a restricting means for restricting image display on the display means when light in a specific area is detected by the light detecting means.

As described above, the present invention is a solving means, and according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
First, in the invention according to claim 1, even if a third party tries to acquire the secret data by registering data that is not to be leaked to the outside by the registering means, the secret data is controlled by the control means. The output to the other storage means outside the storage means is prohibited, and the leakage of secret data can be prevented in advance. As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to protect the secret data, prevent an illegal acquisition action and the like, and improve reliability.

  In the invention according to claim 2, when it is desired to send the registered secret data from the storage means to the outside, the authentication means requests the operation related to the authentication, so that the secret data is stored only when the authentication is correct. The data can be transmitted from the storage means to the outside, and the acquisition of secret data by a third party is prevented, thereby improving the reliability. As described above, in the invention described in claim 2, the data is protected as described above, and the administrator of the secret data can send the secret data to the outside from the storage means whenever necessary. Convenience is improved.

  In the invention described in claim 3, for example, when an image displayed on the display unit of the electronic paper is read by the document placement type scanner, light is emitted from the light source of the document placement type scanner, and the display unit is illuminated. When the light detection means detects light emitted from a specific area, the image displayed on the display means is restricted by scramble processing etc. to prevent data acquisition by a third party can do. As described above, the invention according to claim 3 can protect data, prevent illegal acquisition of an image displayed on the display means, and improve reliability.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.
The electronic paper 1 is a medium having a thin plate-like shape like paper, and has both the advantages of paper and the advantages of an electronic display, and is a document placement type scanner (reading optical with a document placed on a document placement surface). The image displayed on the display can be read by a scanner that reads the image of the original by moving the system.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic paper 1. The electronic paper 1 includes a communication means 11 that exchanges data with a communication terminal device, a data server, and the like, a storage means 12 that stores data, and data. Display means 13 for displaying as an image, operation means 14 for a user to operate, light detection means 15 for detecting light in a specific area emitted to the display means 13, and electronic paper 1 for storing data Additional storage means 16 and control means 10 for controlling each means 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 are configured as follows.

  The communication means 11 is built in or detachably attached to the main body of the electronic paper 1, and is configured to be communicably connected via an electric communication line to an information network constructed using a dedicated line or an existing public line. ing. The communication means 11 is configured by a router, a terminal adapter, or the like, and transmits / receives data to / from a communication terminal device or a data server connected to the network via a dedicated line or a communication line such as an ADSL line. Note that the communication unit 11 may be configured to be wirelessly connected to a network. In this case, the communication unit 11 includes an antenna that can perform wireless communication with a base station.

  The storage unit 12 is constituted by a semiconductor memory or the like, and is built in the main body of the electronic paper 1. The storage unit 12 stores data input from a communication terminal device, a data server, or the like through a network.

  The display unit 13 is configured by, for example, sandwiching colored ink between two resin films, and changes the display color by adsorbing or releasing the colored ink by applying a predetermined voltage. It is configured. Further, the display means 13 may be configured to display by putting a colored liquid and white fine particles in a transparent microcapsule, and applying electrophoresis to the white fine particles by applying a voltage. There is no particular limitation. The display unit 13 displays data received from a communication terminal device, a data server, or the like via a network based on a display command from the control unit 10.

  For example, the operation unit 14 includes various function buttons provided on the main body of the electronic paper 1. Alternatively, the operation means 14 may be configured by a keyboard that is detachably attached to the electronic paper 1, and the configuration thereof is not particularly limited. When the user operates the operation means 14, the operation signal is output to the control means 10.

  The light detection unit 15 is configured to detect light in a specific area emitted to the display unit 13. For example, when reading an image displayed on the display unit 15 of the electronic paper 1 with a document placement type scanner, the document is scanned. It is configured to detect light having a predetermined illuminance or higher when light is emitted from the light source of the stationary scanner.

  The external storage means 16 is a memory composed of a magnetic or optical recording medium, a semiconductor memory, or the like, and is configured to be detachably attached to the electronic paper 1.

  The control means 10 is built in the main body of the electronic paper 1 and is communicatively connected to the means 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. The control means 10 stores various control programs for controlling the electronic paper 1, and controls the means 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 according to the control program.

Next, three embodiments of protection of data stored in the storage unit 12 will be described.
First, in the first embodiment, the operation unit 14 of the electronic paper 1 stores data stored in the storage unit 12 as other storage units (including the external storage unit 16). Operation for sending to the outside from the storage means 12, such as output to the printer or output to the printer, can be accepted, and after calling an output permission screen on the display means 13, the operation means By performing an output confirmation operation at 14, the data stored in the storage means 12 can be transmitted from the storage means 12 to the outside. However, transmission of this data is prohibited as follows for data registered as secret data.

  The control means 10 includes registration secret data transmission prohibiting means, and the registration secret data transmission prohibiting means transmits secret data registered by a registration operation by the operation means 14 and the display means 13 from the storage means 12 to the outside. It is configured as a registration secret data transmission prohibition program that prohibits the registration.

  “Sending from the storage unit 12 to the outside” means outputting data to a storage unit or a printer other than the storage unit 12 built in the electronic paper 1. For example, secret data in the storage unit 12 is communicated. Data is transmitted, transferred, or duplicated to the storage means of the communication terminal device via the telecommunication line by means 11, output to the storage means 16 externally attached to the electronic paper 1, copied, or output to the printer It is to be.

  FIG. 2 shows a flow until output of data registered as secret data is prohibited. First, the user stores the data on the display unit 13 in the storage unit 12 while operating the operation unit 14 of the electronic paper 1. The stored data is called by a file name or the like, and among these data, data that is not to be leaked to the outside is selected and registered as secret data (step A1). In this case, the registration means for registering the data as secret data is the operation means 14 and the display means 13.

  The method for registering secret data is not limited to this, and it may be configured so that it can already be registered as secret data when data is written to the storage means 12 from the outside. In this case, for example, with respect to data created by an application such as word processing software or image software, when the created data is stored, it can be registered as an attribute as secret data. Is read by the electronic paper 1, an attribute indicating that it is secret data is detected, and the data is recognized as secret data.

Thus, by registering data that is not to be leaked to the outside as secret data, the secret data is prohibited from being sent out from the storage means 12 (step A2).
That is, even if the operation means 14 is operated to send data registered as secret data from the storage means 12 to the outside, the operation becomes invalid and the secret data is protected.
Note that data not registered as secret data is not prohibited from being output to other storage means outside the storage means 12, and the operation on the operation means 14 works effectively and is sent out from the storage means 12 to the outside. Be able to.

  In this configuration, even if a third party tries to acquire the secret data stored in the storage unit 12, sending or copying the secret data outside the storage unit 12 is prohibited by the registered secret data transmission prohibition program of the control unit 10. Thus, leakage of secret data can be prevented in advance. In this way, it is possible to protect the secret data, prevent an illegal acquisition action and the like, and improve reliability.

Next, a second embodiment of protection of data stored in the storage unit 12 will be described.
The control unit 10 includes a registered secret data authentication unit, and the registered secret data authentication unit performs an operation related to authentication when the operation unit 14 sends secret data from the storage unit 12 built in the electronic paper 1 to the outside. This is configured as a registered secret data authentication program that verifies the authentication information input as a response to the request and the authentication information set in advance. Here, “operation related to authentication” includes an operation of inputting a password, an operation of reading a fingerprint, and the like, and the operation of inputting the former password will be described below as an example.

  FIG. 3 shows a flow until transmission of data registered as secret data to the outside is restricted. First, a user operates a storage unit on the display unit 13 while operating the operation unit 14 of the electronic paper 1. 12 Call the data stored in the file name, etc., select the data that you do not want to leak to the outside, register it as secret data, and enter the password to be verified when calling the secret data (Step B1). Again, the registration means for registering data as secret data is the operation means 14 and the display means 13.

  When the registered secret data is transmitted from the storage unit 12 built in the electronic paper 1 to the outside, the password as authentication information is input while operating the operation unit 14 (step B2), and the registered secret data is stored. When the entered password and the preset password are collated by the authentication program and the entered password matches the preset password (step B3), the secret data storage means 12 Output to other storage means outside is permitted (step B4).

  In this configuration, even if a third party tries to acquire the secret data stored in the storage means 12, the registered secret data authentication program of the control means 10 performs an operation related to authentication such as password entry, and the verification does not match. As long as the secret data is sent out or copied outside the storage means 12, the leakage of the secret data can be prevented. In this way, it is possible to protect the secret data, prevent an illegal acquisition action and the like, and improve reliability. Also, with this configuration, the data is protected as described above, and the secret data manager can output the secret data to other storage means outside the storage means whenever necessary. Will improve.

Next, a third embodiment of protection of data stored in the storage unit 12 will be described.
The control means 10 is provided with an image acquisition restriction means, and the image acquisition restriction means displays the light when the display means 13 emits light and the light detection means 15 detects light having a predetermined illuminance or higher. This is configured as an image acquisition restriction program for restricting image display by means 13.

“Restrict image display” means performing other processing to prevent display image acquisition, such as deleting the display image or changing the display image to an unreadable (unrecognizable) form. This processing is performed by the control means 10 based on the image acquisition restriction program.
“Changing the image display into an unreadable form” means blurring the image display or performing a scramble process for rearranging pixels according to a certain rule.
Note that the image whose display is restricted by the image acquisition restriction program is not limited to the secret data image, and may be other images. Further, the image data stored in the storage means 12 may be ranked according to the degree of secrecy, and it may be configured so that it can be set up to which rank of the image is limited. The restricted image is not particularly limited.

  FIG. 4 is a flow until acquisition of an image displayed on the display unit 13 is limited. When the image displayed on the display unit 15 of the electronic paper 1 is read by the document placement type scanner, the document placement type scanner is used. When light having a predetermined illuminance or higher emitted from the light detection means 15 to the display means 13 is detected by the light detection means 15 (step C1), the light is displayed on the display means 13. The image is limited in image display by being scrambled or the like (step C2), so that acquisition of data by a third party can be prevented.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to protect data, prevent an illegal acquisition act of an image displayed on the display means 15, and improve reliability.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of electronic paper 1. FIG. The flowchart which shows the flow until the output of the data registered as secret data is prohibited. The flowchart which shows the flow until transmission to the outside of the data registered as secret data is restrict | limited. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow until acquisition of an image displayed on the display unit 13 is restricted.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electronic paper 10 Control means 11 Communication means 12 Storage means 13 Display means 14 Operation means 15 Light detection means

Claims (3)

An electronic paper comprising storage means for storing data and display means for displaying the data as an image,
Registration means for registering the data as secret data;
Prohibiting means for prohibiting the secret data from being sent out from the storage means;
An electronic paper characterized by comprising: Electronic paper comprising storage means for storing data, display means for displaying the data as an image, and operation means for accepting an operation for sending data stored in the storage means to the outside from the storage means Because
Registration means for registering the data as secret data;
Authentication means for requesting an operation related to authentication when secret data is sent from the storage means to the outside by the operation means;
An electronic paper characterized by comprising: An electronic paper comprising storage means for storing data and display means for displaying the data as an image,
Light detection means for detecting light in a specific area emitted to the display means;
Limiting means for limiting image display on the display means when light in a specific area is detected by the light detection means;
An electronic paper characterized by comprising:

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