JP2007184769A - Goods sale data processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a goods sale data processing device from being rejected for connection with a network because its electronic certificate is invalid after an expiration date has passed. <P>SOLUTION: The goods sale data processing device memorizes the term information indicating a prescribed term before an expiration date set for its electronic certificate arrives together with electronic certificate information which is distributed by an authentication server and includes information concerning the expiration date of the electronic certificate, judges whether the memorized prescribed term has elapsed or not (ST27), and outputs the expiration date approaching information indicating that the expiration date set for the electronic certificate is approaching (ST28) when it is judged that the prescribed term has passed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a merchandise sales data processing apparatus that performs authentication using an authentication server before starting communication.

  For example, a POS terminal device, which is a product sales data processing device disposed in a store, and a store server are connected to a network in the store by a LAN cable. As described above, the network to which the POS terminal device and the store server are connected is often connected to the Internet through ADSL, optical fiber, or the like. In such a case, the store server that stores information such as customer information and sales information is likely to be targeted by a malicious person, so security must be considered. For this reason, a technique is known in which a POS terminal device that does not have an electronic certificate cannot be connected to the network by performing server recognition processing of the electronic certificate when connected to the network. That is, when the authentication server and the POS terminal device perform authentication processing based on the electronic certificate distributed in advance to the POS terminal device through the VLAN switch with an authentication function at the time of startup at the time of power-on, and the authentication is not performed This technology prevents network connections. In addition, since an expiration date is generally set for an electronic certificate, even if the electronic certificate is stolen, a network connection using the electronic certificate can be made if the expiration date expires. It is supposed to disappear.

  In some cases, the POS terminal device is connected to a network using a wireless bridge. The wireless bridge is used to convert a wired LAN from a POS terminal device into a wireless LAN and connect to a store server, an authentication server, etc. via a wireless access point. For this reason, since a wireless communication driver is not used, operation is easy. However, unlike a wired LAN, a wireless LAN may be connected to a network by any device (even an outsider's device) at a distance where radio waves reach from a wireless access point. Therefore, security is enhanced by using an authentication server for wireless communication so that an unauthenticated terminal cannot be connected to the wireless access point.

Information for determining the validity of a public key can be easily obtained in a certificate authority that issues an electronic certificate for a public key and a server connected via a network to a user terminal device that uses the public key. Is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-2005-109641

  However, in ordinary stores, checking the expiration date of an electronic certificate every day tends to be difficult because it takes labor. For this reason, it is often the case that the expiration date of the electronic certificate expires and the expiration date is noticed only when the POS terminal device cannot be connected to the network. In such a case, the POS terminal device cannot be connected to the network until it receives the redistribution of the electronic certificate, so that the processing of the POS terminal device, such as registration of sales products, cannot be performed at all. In particular, when an electronic certificate is distributed to all devices such as POS terminal devices in a store with the same expiration date, all the POS terminal devices are connected to the network all at once when the expiration date of the electronic certificate expires. There will be a situation where it becomes impossible to connect. Such a situation also occurs in the case of a POS terminal device using a wireless access point.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. The purpose of the present invention is to notify that the expiration date of the electronic certificate is approaching when the expiration date of the electronic certificate is approaching. An object of the present invention is to provide a merchandise sales data processing apparatus that prevents a network connection from being expired.

  The present invention is connected to an authentication server via a network, and in a merchandise sales data processing apparatus that performs authentication processing with the authentication server based on an electronic certificate distributed in advance from the authentication server when connecting to the network. Along with the electronic certificate information including the information related to the expiration date distributed from the server, the expiration date information indicating the predetermined expiration date before the expiration date set in the electronic certificate is stored, and the predetermined information stored at every predetermined timing is stored. It is determined whether or not the expiration date has passed. If it is determined that the predetermined expiration date has passed, the expiration date information indicating that the expiration date set in the electronic certificate is approaching is output.

  According to the present invention, when the expiration date of the electronic certificate approaches, it is possible to notify that the expiration date of the electronic certificate is approaching, and to prevent product connection data processing from preventing network connection due to expiration of the electronic certificate Equipment can be provided.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a network configuration in the first embodiment. In the authentication system, a RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial In User Service) server 1, a store server 2, and POS terminal devices 3 and 4 which are merchandise sales data processing devices are communicably connected via a VLAN switch 5. The VLAN switch 5 is a switch compatible with IEEE 802.1x. This network is provided, for example, in a store such as a convenience store, a supermarket, or a department store. In addition, the VLAN switch 5 collects data from the store server 2 connected to the network in each store, the POS terminal devices 3 and 4, or the center server 6 disposed in the central management center that distributes the data, for example, the Internet 7 is communicably connected. Although FIG. 1 shows a case where two POS terminal devices 3 and 4 are connected to the VLAN switch 5, the number of POS terminal devices connected to the VLAN switch 5 is not limited to this. .

The store server 2 has an interface for connecting to the VLAN switch 5, a display unit for displaying information, an input unit for inputting information, and the like.
The VLAN switch 5 has a plurality of ports, and the RADIUS server 1, store server 2, POS terminal devices 3, 4, etc. are connected to each port. The RADIUS server 1 is a server that authenticates whether a device connected to the network via the VLAN switch 5 is a device permitted to connect. That is, the authentication for connecting to the network is performed between the RADIUS server 1 and the store server 2 connected to each port of the VLAN switch 5 and the POS terminal devices 3 and 4. This is performed based on an electronic certificate distributed in advance to the devices 3 and 4. Therefore, a device that is not authenticated by the RADIUS server 1 cannot be connected to the network via the VLAN switch 5.

  The RADIUS server 1 distributes the electronic certificate to the store server 2 and the POS terminal devices 3 and 4 connected to the network via the VLAN switch 5 as described above, and to the network based on the distributed electronic certificate. A control program for authenticating whether or not to permit the connection. The RADIUS server 1 implements the certificate authority function by executing this control program. The electronic certificate distributed to the store server 2 and the POS terminal devices 3 and 4 includes information such as version, serial number, signature algorithm, certification authority name, expiration date, and public key.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a main part of processing when the RADIUS server 1 distributes an electronic certificate to the POS terminal device 3. The process of distributing the electronic certificate may be performed by an operation by the store owner, but in this embodiment, a worker is dispatched from the central management center where the center server 6 is installed. Will be.

  By the operation of the worker, the RADIUS server 1 is operated to create an electronic certificate (ST11). This electronic certificate is set with an expiration date as described above. The expiration date is set to date and time, that is, day, hour, and minute. For example, the hour and minute are set to a time before the time for starting the POS terminal device 3 described later. Then, an electronic certificate in which a predetermined expiration date is set is distributed to the POS terminal device 3 by the operation of the worker (ST12). The electronic certificate is also distributed to the store server 2 and the POS terminal device 4 by performing similar processing. The store server 2 and the POS terminal devices 3 and 4 can be connected to the network via the VLAN switch 5 by performing authentication processing based on the electronic certificate distributed from the RADIUS server 1 in this way. In addition, the expiration dates of the electronic certificates distributed from the RADIUS server 1 to the store server 2 and the POS terminal devices 3 and 4 are different. This is to prevent the store server 2 and the POS terminal devices 3 and 4 from being simultaneously connected to the network via the VLAN switch 5.

Next, the POS terminal device 3 will be described. Since the POS terminal device 4 has the same configuration, the description thereof is omitted. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the POS terminal device 3. The POS terminal device 3 includes a CPU 11 constituting a control unit main body, a ROM 12 storing a control program such as a program for realizing a supplicant function, a RAM 13 storing various data, and a clock unit for measuring the current date and time. 14, I / O port 15, network controller 16, keyboard controller 17, touch panel controller 18, display controller 19, printer controller 20, scanner interface (I / F) 21, etc. . The POS terminal device 3 can realize the supplicant function by loading the control program for realizing the supplicant function stored in the ROM 12 into the RAM 13 and executing it. The supplicant function is a function for performing authentication processing for connecting to the network via the VLAN switch 5 with the RADIUS server 1. Further, the mode switch 15 a and the drawer opening device 15 b are connected to the I / O port 15. The VLAN switch 5 is connected to the network controller 16, the keyboard 17a is connected to the keyboard controller 17, the touch panel sensor 18a of the display with a touch panel and the display unit 18b are connected to the touch panel controller 18, and the customer display 19a is connected to the display controller 19. , The printer 20 a is connected to the printer controller 20, and the scanner 21 a is connected to the scanner I / F 21.

  The network controller 16 controls data communication performed via the VLAN switch 5. The keyboard controller 17 captures a key signal corresponding to the key operated from the keyboard 17a and notifies the CPU 11 of the key signal. The touch panel controller 18 selectively displays various screens on the display unit 18b in response to a command from the CPU 11, and acquires signals of the touch panel sensor 18a to obtain touch position coordinates and notifies the CPU 11 of them. The display controller 19 causes the display 19a to display characters and the like corresponding to display data such as the total amount paid by the customer. The printer controller 20 controls receipt printing and journal printing by the printer 20a. The scanner I / F 21 inputs the barcode data scanned by the scanner 21a. The keyboard 17a is provided with various function keys such as a PLU key, a subtotal key, a deposit / current total key, and a total key in addition to a numeric key for inputting numeric data. The mode switch 15a is for selecting various business modes.

  The RAM 13 stores electronic certificate information indicating an electronic certificate distributed from the RADIUS server 1 (electronic certificate information storage means). Also, time limit information indicating a predetermined time limit before the expiration date set in the electronic certificate is stored (time limit information storage means). This time limit information is set, for example, by “7 days before” the date indicated by the expiration date of the electronic certificate and the above worker using the keyboard 17a or the like. In this way, when “7 days ago” is set, the date and time 7 days before the date when the validity period of the electronic certificate expires becomes the predetermined time limit. These data are held by receiving a power backup (not shown).

Next, processing when the POS terminal device 3 is started up will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a main part of the startup process executed by the CPU 11 when the POS terminal device 3 is started up.
First, the expiration date of the electronic certificate distributed from the RADIUS server 1 is confirmed (ST21). That is, the expiration date set in the electronic certificate is confirmed from the electronic certificate information stored in the RAM 13. Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the confirmed expiration date has expired (ST22). That is, it is determined whether the date and time counted by the clock unit 14 has passed the expiration date confirmed in step ST21. If it is determined that the validity period has expired (YES in ST22), processing for requesting the RADIUS server 1 to redistribute the electronic certificate is performed (ST23). As described above, if the expiration date set in the electronic certificate has expired, the POS terminal apparatus 3 cannot connect to the network from the VLAN switch 5 unless the electronic certificate is redistributed. The RADIUS server 1 that has received the request for redistribution of the electronic certificate transmits information indicating that the validity period of the electronic certificate has expired to the center server 6. The operator of the centralized management center who has confirmed the information dispatches a worker and distributes a new electronic certificate to the POS terminal device 3. After the electronic certificate is redistributed in this way, the POS terminal apparatus 3 can be connected to the network again via the VLAN switch 5.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the expiration date has not expired (NO in ST22), an authentication process is performed by the supplicant function (ST24). That is, authentication processing is performed with the RADIUS server 1 based on the electronic certificate information stored in the RAM 13. By performing the authentication process in this way, the POS terminal device 3 can be connected to the network via the VLAN switch 5.

  Subsequently, the expiration date of the electronic certificate is confirmed again (ST25). That is, the expiration date set in the electronic certificate is confirmed from the electronic certificate information stored in the RAM 13. Then, the date and time counted by the clock unit 14 is acquired (ST26). It is determined whether or not the current date / time has passed the time limit stored in the time limit information, from the confirmed expiration date, the time limit indicated by the time limit information stored in the RAM 13, and the date / time acquired from the clock unit 14. (ST27, determination means). For example, if “seven days ago” is set as the expiration date, it is determined whether or not the current date has passed seven days before the expiration date set in the electronic certificate. Is done.

  Here, if it is determined that the current date and time has passed the time limit stored in the time limit information (YES in ST27), the number of days until the expiration date set in the electronic certificate, for example, “7 The certificate expiration date approaching information indicating that the expiration date of the electronic certificate including the information indicating “day” is approaching is output to the store server 2 (ST28, output means). The information indicating the number of days is calculated from the expiration date of the electronic certificate acquired by the above processing, the time limit indicated by the time limit information, and the date and time acquired from the clock unit 14. Since the processing is performed at the time of startup, if the electronic certificate is not redistributed, the information indicating the number of days is “6 days” when the next day is started, and “5” when the next day is started. The day will be reduced every day.

  Thus, when the certificate expiring date approaching information is output to the store server 2 (ST28), or when it is determined that the current date and time has not passed the time limit stored in the time limit information (NO in ST27), Processing for normal operation, such as registration processing of sales products as the POS terminal device 3, is performed (ST29), and the processing is terminated.

  Next, a process after the POS terminal apparatus 3 outputs the certificate expiring date approaching information will be described. When the store server 2 receives the certificate expiration date information, the store server 2 automatically transmits the certificate expiration date information to the center server 6 of the central management center. When the center server 6 receives the certificate expiration date approaching information from the store server 2, the center server 6 displays a certificate expiration date warning screen on the display unit. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a certificate expiring warning screen displayed on the display unit 6 a of the center server 6. On this screen, the name of the store whose certificate expiration date is approaching, the number of the POS terminal device 3, the number of days until the expiration date, etc. are displayed. By confirming the certificate expiry date screen displayed on the display unit 6a of the center server 6 by the operator of the central management center, the electronic certificate from the central management center to the POS terminal device 3 is redistributed. Workers are dispatched before the expiration date. Then, an electronic certificate in which a new expiration date is set by the worker is distributed to the POS terminal device 3. As a result, before the expiration date set in the electronic certificate expires, the POS terminal device 3 stores in the RAM 13 electronic certificate information indicating a new electronic certificate with an extended expiration date. Therefore, the POS terminal device 3 cannot be connected to the network via the VLAN switch 5.

  When the store server 2 receives the certificate expiring information, the store server 2 automatically transmits the certificate expiring information to the center server 6 of the central management center. You may make it transmit to the server 2 and display a certificate expiration date warning screen on the display part of the store server 2. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a certificate expiring warning message displayed on the display unit 2a of the store server 2. On this screen, the number of the POS terminal device 3 whose expiration date of the electronic certificate is approaching, the number of days until the expiration date, and a message for prompting contact to the central management center are displayed. After the certificate expiration warning screen displayed on the display unit 2a is confirmed by the store owner, the store owner may notify the central management center of the matter.

  According to this embodiment, the POS terminal device 3 has reached the expiration date of the electronic certificate when the expiration date of the electronic certificate approaches (the current date and time indicates the expiration date before the expiration date set in the electronic certificate). It is possible to output the certificate expiring information for displaying on the display unit 6a of the center server 6 or the display unit 2a of the store server 2 via the store server 2. The POS terminal device 3 can receive redistribution of a new electronic certificate whose validity period has been extended by a worker dispatched based on an instruction of the operator or the store owner who confirmed the display. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the POS terminal device 3 from being expired and not being able to connect to the network via the VLAN switch 5 and not operating.

  Moreover, although the case where the electronic certificate which set the different expiration date is distributed to the store server 2 and the POS terminal devices 3 and 4 is explained, all the devices in the store, that is, the store server 2 and the POS In some cases, electronic certificates with the same expiration date are distributed to the terminal devices 3 and 4. In such a case, if the validity period of the electronic certificate expires, all the devices in the store, that is, the store server 2 and the POS terminal devices 3 and 4 cannot be connected to the network via the VLAN switch 5 at the same time. However, this situation can be prevented.

  Further, the expiration date approach information indicating that the expiration date is approaching every day until the expiration date of the electronic certificate expires is output from the POS terminal device 3 to the center server 6 via the store server 2 or the store server 2. In this way, when a failure or the like occurs in the POS terminal device 3 that has output the certificate expiration date information within the period in which the certificate expiration date information is output, it is replaced with a new POS terminal device. A new electronic certificate is distributed from the RADIUS server 1 to the new POS terminal device. Therefore, it is not necessary to distribute a new electronic certificate to the new POS terminal device. In such a case, since the certificate expiry date information is not output from the failed POS terminal device 3 to the center server 6 via the store server 2 or the store server 2 after the next day, the store or the central management center Thus, it is possible to know that it is no longer necessary to redistribute the electronic certificate to the POS terminal device 3.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part same as 1st Embodiment mentioned above, and the detailed description about the part same as 1st Embodiment is abbreviate | omitted.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a network configuration in the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the RADIUS server 1, the store server 2, and the wireless access points 32 and 33 are connected via a switching hub 31 so as to communicate with each other. The switching hub 31 is also communicably connected to the center server 6 via the Internet 7. The POS terminal devices 3 and 4 are connected to the wireless bridges 34 and 35 by wire, and the POS terminal devices 3 and 4 can wirelessly communicate with the wireless access points 32 and 33 via the wireless bridges 34 and 35, respectively. Yes. Therefore, the wireless communication function by the wireless access points 32 and 33 and the wireless bridges 34 and 35 is substituted for the communication function by the wired connection with the VLAN switch 5 of the POS terminal devices 3 and 4 in the first embodiment. Further, the electronic certificate set with the expiration date distributed from the RADIUS server 1 is distributed to the wireless bridges 34 and 35 via the wireless access points 32 and 33, respectively.

  The wireless bridge 34 stores a control program for realizing an SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) server function and a supplicant function in a storage unit (not shown). These control programs are loaded into a RAM (not shown) and executed, so that the wireless bridge 34 can realize an SNMP server function and a supplicant function. The electronic certificate information indicating the electronic certificate distributed from the RADIUS server 1 is stored in the storage unit (electronic certificate information storage means). Furthermore, the wireless bridge 34 can publish the expiration date of the stored electronic certificate as SNMP extended MIB (Management Information Base) information.

  The ROM 12 of the POS terminal device 3 stores a control program for realizing the SNMP agent function. By loading this control program into the RAM 13 and being executed by the CPU 11, the POS terminal apparatus 3 can realize the SNMP agent function. Therefore, the POS terminal apparatus 3 can acquire the expiration date of the electronic certificate that the wireless bridge 34 discloses as SNMP extended MIB information by realizing the SNMP agent function. Further, the RAM 13 stores time limit information indicating a predetermined time limit before the expiration date set in the electronic certificate stored in the storage unit (not shown) of the wireless bridge 34 (time limit information storage means). Similar to the first embodiment, the time limit information is set, for example, “seven days before” the date indicated by the expiration date of the electronic certificate and the above-mentioned worker using the keyboard 17a and the like. Since the wireless bridge 35 and the POS terminal device 4 have the same configuration, the description thereof is omitted.

  Next, processing when the POS terminal device 3 is started up will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a main part of the startup process executed by the CPU 11 when the POS terminal device 3 is started up. Processing for obtaining the validity period of the electronic certificate from the wireless bridge 34 (ST31, ST36) is added to the processing of the flowchart described in FIG. Specifically, the process for obtaining the validity period of the electronic certificate uses information indicating the validity period of the electronic certificate published as the SNMP extended MIB information of the wireless bridge 34 described above using the SNMP agent function. Get. The other processes of ST32 to ST35 and ST37 to ST41 are the same as the processes of ST21 to ST28 described above, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  As in the second embodiment, the POS terminal device 3 acquires the expiration date set in the electronic certificate from the extended MIB information of the wireless bridge 34, and the acquired expiration date and the validity set in the RAM 13 Even if the expiration date information indicating a predetermined expiration date before the expiration date and the certificate expiration date information are output based on the date and time acquired from the clock unit 14, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained. it can.

  In each of the above embodiments, the process (ST27, ST39) for determining whether or not the predetermined period before the expiration date is performed when the POS terminal apparatus 3 is started up. However, the present invention is not limited to this. is not. For example, the time is set in the RAM 13 in advance, and if the date and time acquired from the clock unit 14 becomes the set time, a process is performed to determine whether or not a predetermined time period before the expiration date. If the expiration date of the certificate has passed, the certificate expiry date information may be output.

  Further, the product sales data processing apparatus of the present invention has been described in the case where it is applied to a POS terminal device. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to a server provided in a store, an ordering terminal for ordering products, or the like. Is possible.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage, and is disclosed in the embodiments. Various inventions can be modified by appropriately combining a plurality of components.

1 is a diagram schematically showing a network configuration in a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. The flowchart which shows the principal part of a process when distributing an electronic certificate in the embodiment. The block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the POS terminal device in the embodiment. The flowchart which shows the principal part of the starting process in the embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the certificate expiration date approach warning screen in the embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the certificate expiration date approach warning screen in the embodiment. The figure which shows schematically the network structure in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the principal part of the starting process in the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... RADIUS server, 2 ... Store server, 2a ... Display part, 3, 4 ... POS terminal device, 5 ... VLAN switch, 6 ... Store server, 6a ... Display part, 11 ... CPU, 12 ... ROM, 13 ... RAM, 32, 33 ... wireless access point, 34, 35 ... wireless bridge

Claims (1)

In a merchandise sales data processing apparatus that is connected to an authentication server via a network and performs authentication processing with the authentication server based on an electronic certificate distributed in advance from the authentication server when connecting to the network.
Electronic certificate information storage means for storing electronic certificate information including information about an expiration date distributed from the authentication server;
Time limit information storage means for storing time limit information indicating a predetermined time limit before the expiration date set in the electronic certificate;
Determining means for determining whether or not a predetermined time limit stored in the time limit information storage means has passed at each predetermined timing;
If it is determined by the determining means that the predetermined time limit stored in the time limit information storage means has passed, an output means for outputting expiring expiration information indicating that the expiration date set in the electronic certificate is approaching; A merchandise sales data processing apparatus comprising:

Images