JP2005269390A - Equipment specifying device, image forming apparatus, device specifying method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To specify a device which is a target for wireless communication and then acquire image data from the device for printing, with no complex registering work in advance, if there exist a plurality of devices around a specific device which can communicate with it by air. <P>SOLUTION: There are provided a first authentication information acquiring part 11 for acquiring a first authentication information by communicating through a public network with a device, which is a target for communication by specified wireless communication means from among a plurality of devices communicable by the wireless communication means, a second authentication information acquiring part 12 which acquires a second authentication information by communicating, with wireless communication means, with a specific device among a plurality of devices, a collation part 13 which collates the first authentication information with the second authentication information, an image data acquiring part 14 which acquires image data by authorizing the specific device as a target device if both authentication information match each other and then communication with the wireless communication means, and an image formation instruction part 15 which instructs image formation based on the image data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a device specifying apparatus for specifying a device to be wirelessly communicated from a plurality of devices capable of wireless communication.

  When printing a photograph taken with a photographing device such as a digital still camera or a camera-equipped mobile phone with a printing device, at present, a method of removing the media on which the photograph data is recorded from the photographing device and attaching it to the printing device, or a photographing device A method of connecting the printer and the printing apparatus with a cable is mainly used. However, in the former method, in addition to complicated operations for removing and installing the media, there is a risk that the media may be damaged during the operation, and in the latter method, it is necessary to carry a cable, It took time and effort to connect the cable.

In recent years, wireless communication means such as infrared communication, Bluetooth (registered trademark), wireless LAN, UWB (Ultra Wideband), etc. have attracted attention as means for reducing such complexity. That is, the photograph is transmitted from the photographing device to the printing apparatus using the wireless communication means and is to be printed.
Among these, infrared communication can realize PtoP connection because of its directivity, and even if there are a plurality of photographing devices having infrared communication functions around the printing device, the printing device selects the photographing device that has made the print request. Can be identified.

However, when Bluetooth, wireless LAN, UWB, or the like is used, when there are a plurality of photographing devices having the same wireless communication function around the printing device, the printing device cannot identify the communication partner. It may happen that a photographing device other than the photographing device that has issued the print request is determined as a communication partner.
Such a problem can occur not only between the photographing apparatus and the printing apparatus but also between any apparatus.
To deal with this problem, for example, in the hands-free system, by registering in advance the voice of the user of the mobile phone that performs communication, even if there are multiple mobile phones in the vicinity, the mobile phone to be communicated Can be specified (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-330100 A (page 7-8, FIG. 2)

However, the invention of Patent Document 1 is a technique specialized in a hands-free system, and cannot be applied to a system that does not input voice in the first place. In addition, the prior registration work is very troublesome, and if communication is not performed repeatedly between the same devices, the work becomes very wasteful work.
That is, in the related art, when there are a plurality of devices that can wirelessly communicate with a specific device around the specific device, it is not possible to specify a device to be wirelessly communicated without performing a prior complicated registration operation. There was a problem.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the technical problems as described above, and the object of the present invention is to advance a case where a plurality of devices capable of wireless communication with a specific device exist around the specific device. Therefore, it is possible to identify a target device for wireless communication without performing the troublesome registration work.

  For this purpose, the present invention specifies a target device for wireless communication by collating authentication information obtained by communication using a public network with authentication information obtained by communication using a predetermined wireless communication means. I did it. That is, the device specifying apparatus of the present invention specifies a target device that communicates with the first device by the wireless communication unit among a plurality of second devices that can communicate with the first device by a predetermined wireless communication unit. A first authentication information acquisition unit configured to acquire first authentication information by performing communication via a public network between the first device and the target device; and a first device and a plurality of first devices A second authentication information acquisition unit that acquires second authentication information by communicating with a specific device of the two devices by wireless communication means, and a first authentication acquired by the first authentication information acquisition unit When the information and the second authentication information acquired by the second authentication information acquisition unit match, a target device authorization unit that authorizes a specific device as a target device is provided.

  The present invention can also be understood as an image forming apparatus that forms an image by performing wireless communication with the device specified in this way. In that case, the first image forming apparatus of the present invention performs communication via a public line network with a target device that communicates with the wireless communication unit among a plurality of devices that can communicate with the predetermined wireless communication unit. The second authentication information for acquiring the second authentication information by performing communication by the wireless communication means between the first authentication information acquiring unit for acquiring the first authentication information and the specific device among the plurality of devices. When the acquisition unit and the first authentication information acquired by the first authentication information acquisition unit match the second authentication information acquired by the second authentication information acquisition unit, the specific device is recognized as the target device. An image data acquisition unit that acquires image data by communicating with the target device by wireless communication means, and an image formation unit that forms an image based on the image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit Have

  In addition, the second image forming apparatus of the present invention performs communication via a public network with a target device that communicates with a wireless communication unit among a plurality of devices that can communicate with the predetermined wireless communication unit. Using the authentication information acquisition unit that acquires authentication information and the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquisition unit, the target device is specified, and communication is performed with the specified device by wireless communication means. And an image data acquisition unit for acquiring image data.

  Furthermore, the present invention can also be understood as a device identification method for identifying, with a computer, a device to be communicated by a wireless communication unit among a plurality of devices that can communicate with a predetermined wireless communication unit. In that case, in the device specifying method of the present invention, the computer acquires the first authentication information by performing communication with the target device through the public network, and the computer acquires the acquired first authentication information. A step of storing in a predetermined storage device; a step of acquiring second authentication information by performing communication by means of wireless communication means with a specific device among a plurality of devices; and Determining whether or not the first authentication information stored in the first authentication information and the acquired second authentication information match, and if the computer determines that the first authentication information and the second authentication information match, And performing a process to be performed on the target device on a specific device.

  On the other hand, the present invention can also be understood as a computer program for causing a computer to realize a predetermined function. In that case, the first program of the present invention allows the computer to communicate with the target device that communicates with the wireless communication unit among a plurality of devices that can communicate with the predetermined wireless communication unit. A function of acquiring first authentication information by performing, a function of acquiring second authentication information by performing communication by wireless communication means with a specific device among a plurality of devices, When the second authentication information matches, a function of certifying a specific device as a target device is realized.

  In addition, the second program of the present invention includes a function for acquiring authentication information by performing communication over a public line network with another device capable of communicating with a computer by predetermined wireless communication means, and another device. When performing communication by wireless communication means, a function for requesting own authentication using the acquired authentication information is realized.

  According to the present invention, when there are a plurality of devices that can wirelessly communicate with a specific device around the specific device, the target device to perform wireless communication is identified without performing a troublesome registration work in advance. Is possible.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention can be applied to any system including a device that can communicate with a predetermined wireless communication unit and a device that can communicate with the device in the wireless communication unit. A case where the present invention is applied to a system including an image forming apparatus such as a printer will be described in detail. In the following description, it is assumed that communication by wireless communication means is performed in a certain area such as a store, for example, and is referred to as a “premises wireless network”.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a network system including an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the description will be made assuming a multifunction machine (hereinafter referred to as “M / F machine”) having a copy function, a printer function, a fax function, and a scanner function as the image forming apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 1, a network system includes a plurality of M / F machines, a server computer (hereinafter referred to as “server”), and a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as “PC”). It is connected to the public Internet network via Xerox Corporation registered trademark). Further, each M / F machine is often installed in a store such as a convenience store to provide services, and thus such a situation is illustrated. Further, in store A, there is shown a state in which devices a, b, c, and d capable of wireless communication with the M / F machine exist around the M / F machine. Of these devices, the devices a, b, and c are mobile phones, so that they can be connected to a telephone network.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied. The image forming apparatus includes a processing unit 10, a scanner unit 20, a printer unit 30, a first communication unit 40, a second communication unit 50, a UI (user interface) unit 60, a storage device 70, and a medium. A reader 80;

  The processing unit 10 is a unit that performs predetermined processing on the image data acquired from the scanner unit 20, the first communication unit 40, the second communication unit 50, or the media reader 80 and outputs the result to the printer unit 30. is there. For example, in addition to known functions such as reduction / enlargement of image data, it also has functions specific to this embodiment to be described later. These functions can be realized only by hardware, but can also be realized by a combination of hardware and software. In the latter case, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown) of the processing unit 10 implements each function by, for example, reading a program stored in the storage device 70 into the main memory and executing it.

The scanner unit 20 is a unit that reads a document placed on the platen and transmits it to the processing unit 10, and the printer unit 30 is a unit that transfers the image transmitted from the processing unit 10 onto a sheet and outputs it.
The first communication unit 40 is a means for communicating with other devices via a public line network (a line network based on a line use contract between a user such as the Internet network / voice network and a communication company). The second communication unit 50 is a means for communicating with other devices via a local wireless network (Bluetooth, wireless LAN, etc.).
The UI unit 60 is a means for the user to input data to the processing unit 10 and for the processing unit 10 to present information to the user, and is, for example, a touch panel display.

The storage device 70 is, for example, a hard disk device (HDD), and is means for storing image data acquired from the scanner unit 20, the first communication unit 40, the second communication unit 50, or the media reader 80. In addition, a computer program that causes the processing unit 10 to realize each function described later is also stored. This computer program may be installed from a recording medium, or may be installed after downloading via a communication line such as the Internet. Further, the storage device 70 also stores data used by this computer program.
The media reader 80 is means for reading image data from a recording medium used in a digital camera or the like such as a flash memory.

In the present embodiment, when there are a plurality of devices that can communicate with the image forming apparatus through a predetermined local wireless network around the image forming apparatus, an image is sent from the plurality of devices to the image forming apparatus. A device instructing formation is specified as a communication target device, and image formation is performed by performing wireless communication with the device.
First, the functional configuration of the processing unit 10 in the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the processing unit 10.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the processing unit 10 includes a first authentication information acquisition unit 11, a second authentication information acquisition unit 12, a collation unit 13, an image data acquisition unit 14, and an image formation instruction unit 15. ing.

  The first authentication information acquisition unit 11 is a part for acquiring the first authentication information received by the first communication unit 40 from the public line network. The second authentication information acquisition unit 12 is configured such that the second communication unit 50 is connected to the local wireless network. It is a part which acquires the 2nd authentication information received from. The collation unit 13 is a part that collates the first authentication information acquired by the first authentication information acquisition unit 11 and the second authentication information acquired by the second authentication information acquisition unit 12. The image data acquisition unit 14 acquires image data by performing wireless communication with the portable terminal via the second communication unit 50 when the verification unit 13 determines that the first authentication information and the second authentication information match. The image formation instructing unit 15 instructs to form an image based on the acquired image data.

Next, the printing operation in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the mobile terminal, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus. First, the operation of the mobile terminal will be described. The operation of the image forming apparatus will be described later.
For example, the user displays one of the screens of FIGS. 6A to 6C on the display unit of the mobile terminal, and clicks the “print” button at the bottom center of the screen in the vicinity of the image forming apparatus that the user desires to print. By clicking, the operation of FIG. 4 starts. In this specification, the term “click” includes a button selection operation in a device that does not have a mouse, such as a mobile phone. For example, the cursor is positioned on a target button and a selection button (not shown) is pressed to input selection of the button.

When the operation starts, the portable terminal first receives a print instruction (step 101). As a result, the program of the portable terminal operates and displays a unique ID input screen as shown in FIG. 6D (step 102).
When the user confirms that this screen is displayed on the display unit of the portable terminal, the user inputs the unique ID of the print terminal (image forming apparatus). Here, as the unique ID, for example, a telephone number assigned to each image forming apparatus can be adopted. The unique ID can be notified to the user by displaying it on the UI unit 60 of the image forming apparatus, for example.
The program of the portable terminal accepts the input unique ID (step 103) and connects to the public line network using this unique ID (step 104). That is, a call is made by program control to the image forming apparatus corresponding to the telephone number input as the unique ID.

When the connection to the image forming apparatus via the public line network is completed in this way, an authentication code is generated by processing in the image forming apparatus and is sent back to the mobile terminal, so that the mobile terminal receives it (step 105). ). When the authentication code is received, the program of the portable terminal automatically connects to the image forming apparatus via a predetermined local wireless network and transmits the received authentication code (step 106). The transmission here may be in a form in which the mobile terminal takes the initiative to transmit data to the image forming apparatus, or the data is transmitted in response to an inquiry packet broadcast by the image forming apparatus. It may be in the form of transmitting. Thereafter, authentication is performed in the image forming apparatus, and when the authentication is successful, the mobile terminal receives a communication establishment notification.
Specifically, the program of the mobile terminal first determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the authentication code was transmitted through the local wireless network (step 107). If the predetermined time has not elapsed, it is determined whether or not a communication establishment notification has been received (step 108). If not, the process returns to step 107. Then, this process is repeated until a predetermined time elapses, and when a communication establishment notification is received within the predetermined time, the program of the mobile terminal displays the display contents of the screen at that time (shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C). Content) is automatically acquired and transmitted to the image forming apparatus (step 109). In this case, it may be notified that the authentication is completed through a screen as shown in FIG.
On the other hand, when the communication establishment notification is not received within the predetermined time, the portable terminal notifies the user of the authentication failure (step 110).

Next, an operation of the image forming apparatus that acquires image data and performs image formation by performing wireless communication with the mobile terminal will be described with reference to FIG.
First, in the image forming apparatus, the first communication unit 40 receives a connection from the public line network (step 201). Then, the first authentication information acquisition unit 11 generates an authentication code, stores it in a predetermined authentication code storage area, and transmits it to the mobile terminal via the public line network via the first communication unit 40 (step 202). Note that the authentication code generated here is a completely random character string, and it is assumed that the once generated character string is not generated again for a considerable period of time.

  As described with reference to FIG. 4, when the mobile terminal receives the authentication code via the public line network, it returns the authentication code as it is via the local wireless network. Therefore, the second authentication information acquisition unit 12 waits for the second communication unit 50 to receive the authentication code transmitted from the mobile terminal. That is, the second authentication information acquisition unit 12 first determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the authentication code was transmitted in step 202 (step 203). If the predetermined time has not elapsed, it is determined whether an authentication code has been received (step 204), and if not, the process returns to step 203. Then, this process is repeated until a predetermined time elapses. When the authentication code is received within the predetermined time, the verification unit 13 generates the first authentication information acquisition unit 11 and stores it in the authentication code storage area. The code is collated with the second authentication code received by the second authentication information acquisition unit 12 (step 205).

Here, as a transmission source of the authentication code received by the second authentication information acquisition unit 12, the other mobile terminal (communication target mobile terminal) that transmitted the authentication code through the public line network in Step 202 and the other mobile terminal A terminal is considered.
First, it is assumed that the second authentication information acquisition unit 12 receives an authentication code from the former mobile terminal. In this case, it is determined in step 205 that the authentication codes match, and the mobile terminal is recognized as a communication-target mobile terminal. And the image data acquisition part 14 performs the process for acquiring image data from the portable terminal. That is, first, a communication establishment notification is transmitted to the mobile terminal (step 206). When data is transmitted from the portable terminal in response to this, the image data acquisition unit 14 receives this to acquire image data (step 207).

For example, if a screen as shown in FIG. 6A is displayed on the display unit of the mobile terminal, the screen is directly acquired as image data. If the screens shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C are displayed, the image data is acquired from the server connected to the Internet based on the URL description and the description including the link. get. In this case, if the link information is included in the data received from the mobile terminal, the latter processing may be performed, and the other processing may be controlled by the program of the image forming apparatus to perform the former processing. The user may explicitly indicate which process is to be performed.
Thereafter, the image formation instruction unit 15 instructs the printer unit 30 to perform image formation based on the acquired image data, and image formation is performed (step 208).

On the other hand, it is assumed that the second authentication information acquisition unit 12 receives an authentication code from a mobile terminal other than the mobile terminal to be communicated. In this case, it is determined in step 205 that the authentication code is different, and the process returns to step 203.
Thus, the operation of the present embodiment ends.

In this embodiment, a telephone number is used as the unique ID, but an identification number assigned to each image forming apparatus can also be used. In this case, a configuration for converting the identification number into a telephone number is required. As such a configuration, for example, the following can be considered.
In the first configuration, a correspondence table between identification numbers and telephone numbers assigned to the respective image forming apparatuses is held in the portable terminal, and after the program of the portable terminal accepts the identification number in step 103, the correspondence table. In step 104, the identification number is converted into a telephone number. In step 104, the image forming apparatus is called using the telephone number.
In the second configuration, a server that relays communication over the public line network between the mobile terminal and the image forming apparatus holds a correspondence table of identification numbers and telephone numbers assigned to the respective image forming apparatuses, When the program of the portable terminal transmits the identification number to the server in step 104, the server refers to the correspondence table, converts the identification number into a telephone number, and calls the image forming apparatus using the telephone number. It is.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which a telephone network is used as a public line network has been described. However, an Internet network may be used. In this case, as in the second configuration, the server that relays communication between the portable terminal and the image forming apparatus is connected to the identification number assigned to each image forming apparatus and the address information on the Internet. When the correspondence table is held and the program of the portable terminal transmits the identification number to the server in step 104, the server refers to the correspondence table and converts the identification number into address information. It is conceivable to access the image forming apparatus via the network.

By the way, as described above, the unique ID is displayed on the UI unit 60 of the image forming apparatus, for example, so that only the person in front of the image forming apparatus can request authentication. However, if the unique ID assigned to each image forming apparatus does not change forever, the unique ID is stored even though there is a person trying to receive authentication in front of the image forming apparatus. There is a possibility that another person can interrupt and authenticate from a remote location. Therefore, in order to prevent such interruption, it is desirable to change the unique ID periodically and display the changed one on the UI unit 60.
When the unique ID is periodically changed in this way, the above correspondence table needs to be updated periodically. In the first configuration, it is necessary to periodically update the correspondence table held by the mobile terminal, and in the second configuration, it is necessary to periodically update the correspondence table held by the server.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the same authentication code as that generated in step 202 does not occur again for a considerable period of time. However, depending on how to set the “appropriate period” here and the “predetermined period” in step 203, the authentication code that should have been transmitted to the communication target portable terminal via the public line network may be It may be transmitted from a portable terminal other than the terminal via the local wireless network. Alternatively, it is conceivable that such an authentication code is artificially generated in the portable terminal and transmitted to the image forming apparatus. Therefore, in this embodiment, authentication may be performed using identification information (device address) of the mobile terminal. That is, the mobile terminal identification information is also transmitted at step 104, the mobile terminal identification information and the authentication code are stored in association with each other at step 202, the mobile terminal identification information is transmitted at step 106, and the mobile terminal at step 205. When the combination of the identification information and the authentication code matches, the mobile terminal is authorized.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the authentication code transmitted from the image forming apparatus to the portable terminal via the public line network is compared with the authentication code transmitted from the portable terminal to the image forming apparatus via the local wireless network. However, various types of authentication information can be used for verification.
If the authentication information communicated via the public network is the first authentication information and the authentication information communicated via the local wireless network is the second authentication information, for example, the first authentication information is generated by the portable terminal. An authentication code transmitted to the image forming apparatus may be employed, and an authentication code transmitted from the portable terminal to the image forming apparatus may be employed as the second authentication information as in the above-described embodiment. Alternatively, a rule (a secret word) is set as the first and second authentication information such that when the image forming apparatus transmits the information “XX”, the portable terminal returns the information “XX”. It is also possible.

On the other hand, it is possible to modify the first authentication information and the second authentication information performed by the image forming apparatus so as to be performed by the mobile terminal.
In that case, first, an authentication code generated by the portable terminal and transmitted to the image forming apparatus is adopted as the first authentication information, and an authentication code transmitted from the image forming apparatus to the portable terminal is used as the second authentication information. It is possible to adopt. Further, an authentication code generated by the image forming apparatus and transmitted to the mobile terminal is adopted as the first authentication information, and an authentication code transmitted from the image forming apparatus to the mobile terminal is adopted as the second authentication information. Is also possible. Alternatively, a rule (password) that the image forming apparatus returns information “XX” when the portable terminal transmits information “XX” is set as the first and second authentication information. It is also possible.

  Note that the payment of the fee for image formation in this embodiment may be a cash method or a post-payment method. In the case of a cash method, for example, final printing may be performed by depositing a coin kit. In the case of the post-payment method, it is necessary to record the billing information for the device specifying information obtained by communication through the public line network. As the device specifying information, for example, the phone number of the mobile terminal obtained from the caller ID notification when making a call via the public line network can be considered. Thereafter, based on the recorded billing information, payment is made by credit card, transfer, or the like.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the first authentication information exchanged with the portable terminal via the public line network and the second authentication information exchanged with the portable terminal via the local wireless network are collated, and the first authentication is performed. When the information and the second authentication information match, the mobile terminal is authorized as a communication target mobile terminal. In this way, when there are a plurality of portable terminals capable of wireless communication around the image forming apparatus, it is possible to specify a portable terminal to be wirelessly communicated without performing a troublesome registration work in advance. It becomes.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a network system including an image forming apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a processing unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is the flowchart which showed operation | movement of the portable terminal in embodiment of this invention. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure which showed the example of a screen displayed on a portable terminal in embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Processing part, 11 ... 1st authentication information acquisition part, 12 ... 2nd authentication information acquisition part, 13 ... Collation part, 14 ... Image data acquisition part, 15 ... Image formation instruction | indication part, 20 ... Scanner part, 30 ... Printer 40, first communication unit, 50 ... second communication unit, 60 ... UI unit, 70 ... storage device, 80 ... media reader

Claims (17)

A device identification device that identifies a target device that communicates with the first device by the wireless communication unit among a plurality of second devices that can communicate with the first device by a predetermined wireless communication unit;
A first authentication information acquisition unit that acquires first authentication information by performing communication via a public network between the first device and the target device;
A second authentication information acquisition unit that acquires second authentication information by performing communication by the wireless communication means between the first device and a specific device of the plurality of second devices;
When the first authentication information acquired by the first authentication information acquisition unit matches the second authentication information acquired by the second authentication information acquisition unit, the specific device is defined as the target device. A device identification device characterized by comprising a target device certification section to be certified. The first authentication information acquisition unit acquires, as the first authentication information, a first authentication code transmitted from the first device to the target device,
The second authentication information acquisition unit acquires a second authentication code transmitted from the specific device to the first device as the second authentication information,
The target device authorization unit, when the first authentication code acquired by the first authentication information acquisition unit matches the second authentication code acquired by the second authentication information acquisition unit, The device identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is recognized as the target device. The first authentication information acquisition unit acquires a first authentication code transmitted from the target device to the first device as the first authentication information,
The second authentication information acquisition unit acquires a second authentication code transmitted from the specific device to the first device as the second authentication information,
The target device authorization unit, when the first authentication code acquired by the first authentication information acquisition unit matches the second authentication code acquired by the second authentication information acquisition unit, The device identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is recognized as the target device. The first authentication information acquisition unit acquires a first authentication code transmitted from the target device to the first device as the first authentication information,
The second authentication information acquisition unit acquires a second authentication code transmitted from the first device to the specific device as the second authentication information,
The target device authorization unit, when the first authentication code acquired by the first authentication information acquisition unit matches the second authentication code acquired by the second authentication information acquisition unit, The device identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is recognized as the target device. The first authentication information acquisition unit acquires, as the first authentication information, a first authentication code transmitted from the first device to the target device,
The second authentication information acquisition unit acquires a second authentication code transmitted from the first device to the specific device as the second authentication information,
The target device authorization unit, when the first authentication code acquired by the first authentication information acquisition unit matches the second authentication code acquired by the second authentication information acquisition unit, The device identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is recognized as the target device.   2. The second authentication information acquisition unit acquires the second authentication information only within a predetermined time after the first authentication information is acquired by the first authentication information acquisition unit. The device identification device described. The first authentication information acquisition unit further acquires first identification information for identifying the target device,
The second authentication information acquisition unit further acquires second identification information for identifying the specific device,
The target device authorization unit determines the specific device when the first identification information matches the second identification information, and the first authentication information matches the second authentication information. The device identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is identified as the target device. First authentication information acquisition that acquires first authentication information by performing communication via a public network with a target device that performs communication by the wireless communication unit among a plurality of devices that can communicate by a predetermined wireless communication unit And
A second authentication information acquisition unit for acquiring second authentication information by performing communication by the wireless communication means with a specific device among the plurality of devices;
When the first authentication information acquired by the first authentication information acquisition unit matches the second authentication information acquired by the second authentication information acquisition unit, the specific device is defined as the target device. An image data acquisition unit for acquiring and acquiring image data by performing communication with the target device and the wireless communication means;
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image based on the image data acquired by the image data acquiring unit.   9. The second authentication information acquisition unit acquires the second authentication information only within a predetermined time after the first authentication information is acquired by the first authentication information acquisition unit. The image forming apparatus described. An authentication information acquisition unit that acquires authentication information by performing communication via a public network with a target device that performs communication by the wireless communication unit among a plurality of devices that can communicate by a predetermined wireless communication unit;
Image data for acquiring image data by specifying the target device using the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquisition unit, and performing communication by the wireless communication means with the specified device An image forming apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit. A device identification method for identifying, with a computer, a target device that communicates with a wireless communication unit among a plurality of devices that can communicate with a predetermined wireless communication unit,
The computer acquiring first authentication information by performing communication with the target device via a public network; and
The computer storing the acquired first authentication information in a predetermined storage device;
The computer acquiring second authentication information by performing communication by the wireless communication means with a specific device of the plurality of devices;
The computer determining whether the first authentication information stored in the storage device matches the acquired second authentication information; and
The computer, when it is determined that the first authentication information and the second authentication information match, performing a process to be performed on the target device with respect to the specific device. A device identification method. In the step of acquiring the first authentication information, further acquiring first identification information for identifying the target device,
In the step of acquiring the second authentication information, further acquiring second identification information for identifying the specific device,
In the determining step, it is further determined whether or not the first identification information and the second identification information match,
In the step of performing the process, when it is determined that the first identification information and the second identification information match and the first authentication information and the second authentication information match, the target 12. The device identification method according to claim 11, wherein processing to be performed on the specific device is performed on the specific device. On the computer,
A function of acquiring first authentication information by performing communication via a public network with a target device that performs communication by the wireless communication unit among a plurality of devices capable of communicating by a predetermined wireless communication unit;
A function of acquiring second authentication information by performing communication by the wireless communication means with a specific device of the plurality of devices;
A program for realizing a function of authorizing the specific device as the target device when the first authentication information and the second authentication information match.   14. The program according to claim 13, wherein the function of acquiring the second authentication information is a function of acquiring the second authentication information only within a predetermined time after the acquisition of the first authentication information. . On the computer,
A function of acquiring authentication information by performing communication via a public network with other devices capable of communicating by a predetermined wireless communication means;
A program for realizing a function of requesting own authentication using the acquired authentication information when performing communication with the other device by the wireless communication means. On the computer,
The program according to claim 15, further realizing a function of starting communication with the other device via a public line network by making a call to a telephone number input from the outside. On the computer,
A function of converting information input from the outside into a telephone number associated with the information;
The program according to claim 15, further realizing a function of starting communication with the other device via a public line network by calling a telephone number obtained by the function to convert.

Images