JP2007264711A - Information processor with adapter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processor with an adapter for excluding the danger of information leakage due to the loss of an external medium in performing the maintenance operation of the computer equipment of a customer. <P>SOLUTION: This information processor with an adapter is provided with an information processor 3 and an interface converter 2 having an external medium type adapter 1. The external medium type adapter 1 is configured to transmit data encrypted by an encryption part 16, and to transmit and then erase data in a buffer 14 for preventing the leakage of information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus with an adapter, and in particular, can be inserted into an external medium device for inserting an external medium such as a floppy disk (registered trademark, the same shall apply hereinafter) or DAT (Digital Audio Tape). The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus with an adapter capable of transmitting and receiving data between media devices via an interface conversion apparatus.

  When performing maintenance work on systems of customer computers and other devices (customer devices), when there is no other means for exchanging file data, customer device setting information and logs are temporarily stored on floppy disks. In some cases, it is necessary to retrieve data by storing it in an external medium such as DAT. The external medium used at that time has data remaining inside and can be taken out, so there is a risk of information leakage due to loss or the like. As a means for preventing information leakage due to loss, there is a means for performing encryption processing, but it has been necessary to perform encryption processing for all external media.

Patent Document 1 discloses an invention in which a floppy disk adapter is inserted into a floppy disk drive and connected to the memory card drive through a cable, and data can be written or read between the floppy disk drive and the memory card. .
JP-A-6-162747

  It exists when the external medium does not take security measures such as encryption. Furthermore, security measures may not be available if the customer device does not have an encryption function. In these cases, if data remains in the external medium, there is a risk of information leakage due to loss of the external medium. The invention of Patent Document 1 is not a floppy disk type adapter for the purpose of preventing information leakage, but is intended to enable reading / writing of a memory card without an interface board or the like for connecting a memory card drive. There is a risk of information leakage due to loss of information or leakage of information remaining in the buffer.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus with an adapter that eliminates the risk of information leakage due to loss of an external medium in maintenance work of customer equipment.

  To achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus with an adapter according to the present invention is an adapter comprising an interface conversion apparatus having an information processing apparatus and an external medium type adapter that is connected to the information processing apparatus in a wired or wireless manner and inserted into an external medium device In the information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus includes a file transmission / reception function for transmitting / receiving data from the interface conversion apparatus, a file management function for managing files by the information processing apparatus, and an encryption for storing encrypted data. And an apparatus management function for accepting an instruction from an operator of the information processing apparatus and issuing an instruction to a function on the information processing apparatus side, and the external medium type adapter receives data from the external medium device Interface converter that accepts read or write commands and temporarily stores data A buffer, a buffer control unit that controls access to the buffer, an encryption unit that encrypts data, a file transmission / reception unit that transmits and receives data from the information processing device, and the device management function and interface. An adapter control unit that controls functions on the external medium type adapter side is provided, and after the data in the buffer is transmitted to the information processing apparatus or the external medium device, the data remaining in the buffer is erased. And

  The information processing apparatus with an adapter according to the present invention includes, for the file management function, information on the external medium device that is a data transmission destination or transmission source for the data stored in the encryption storage device or the external medium device. It has the function of constructing a database with information on the devices it has.

  The information processing apparatus with an adapter according to the present invention is characterized in that the file management function includes a function of erasing data stored in the encrypted storage device after a predetermined period of time.

  The information processing apparatus with an adapter according to the present invention transmits the data stored in the encrypted storage device to the external medium type adapter and then transmits the data remaining in the encrypted storage device to the file management function. It has a function of deleting the same data as the data.

  According to the present invention, data is encrypted in the external medium type adapter, and the data stored in the buffer is deleted after the transmission is completed. For this reason, information leakage during communication by the interface conversion device is prevented, and data remaining in the buffer is not acquired after data transmission. In other words, data can be exchanged safely through the external medium device by maintenance management of the customer equipment, and the risk of information leakage due to loss of the external medium is eliminated. Furthermore, data management by a plurality of external media is not required, and data can be managed centrally by the information processing apparatus.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for transmitting a file to a customer device having an external media device, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart for receiving a file from the customer device having an external media device.

  In FIG. 1, the system of this embodiment includes a PC (personal computer) 3 that is brought to a maintenance site by an operator, and an interface conversion device 2 having an external medium adapter 1 that can be inserted into an external medium device 4 of a customer device 6. Consists of. The interface conversion device 2 can exchange data by wire or wireless. The interface connection method is based on a network interface such as TCP / IP.

  The external medium type adapter 1 includes an interface conversion unit 11 that receives a data read or write command from an external medium device, a buffer 14 that temporarily stores data, a buffer control unit 12 that controls access to the buffer, a data An encryption unit 16 that encrypts the file, a file transmission / reception unit 13 that transmits / receives a file from the PC 3, and an adapter control unit 15 that has an interface with the device management function 34 and controls the function on the external medium type adapter side. Further, for example, a battery is provided as the power source 17.

  The PC 3 includes a file transmission / reception unit 31 that transmits and receives files from the interface conversion device 2, a file management function 32 that manages files by the PC 3, a storage device 33 that stores encrypted data, and instructions from the operator. And a device management function 34 for issuing an instruction to the function on the PC 3 side. As examples of the above instructions, there are a file transmission or reception instruction to the external medium type adapter 1, an information acquisition instruction in the buffer 14, and the like. These functions can be realized by a device provided in advance in a personal computer by incorporating software for providing the above functions.

  The file management function 32 includes a management database 35 that manages a database for data stored in the encryption storage device 33. In the database, when data is transmitted to the external medium device 4, information regarding the external medium device 4 which is a transmission destination and information regarding the customer apparatus 6 having the external medium device are accompanied. Further, the data received from the external medium device is accompanied by information on the external medium device 4 that is the data transmission source and information on the customer equipment 6 that has the external medium device. As the information regarding the external medium device 4, for example, information on the type of external medium corresponding to the external medium device can be given. Further, the information related to the customer device 6 having the external medium device includes information on a folder path related to a transmission destination or a transmission source of data in the customer device, a model name of the customer device, a user name of the customer device, and the like. In addition, the database can be accompanied by information such as the last access date. This database can manage data such as addition and deletion of information by operating the PC 3.

  A data flow when transmitting file data from the PC 3 to the external medium type device 4 of the customer device 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. As an example of transmitting data from the PC 3 to the external medium device 4 of the customer device 6, there is a case where a setting file is created in the PC 3 in advance and a new setting file is applied to the customer device 6.

  First, the external medium type adapter 1 having the same shape as the external medium is inserted and connected to the external medium device 4 of the customer equipment 6. Here, as an example of the external medium adapter to be inserted into the external medium device 4, a floppy disk, DAT, or the like can be given.

  Then, mapping to the external medium type adapter 1 is performed by operating the PC 3 and designating a folder path in the encryption storage device 33 (S22). Next, an operation of transmitting the files under the mapped folder to the external medium adapter is performed on the PC 3 (S23). As a result, the file data under the mapped folder of the encryption storage device 33 is transmitted from the file receiving function 31 to the file transmitting / receiving unit 13, and further transmitted to the buffer 14 through the buffer control unit 12 to be temporarily stored. .

  Next, the customer device 6 is operated, and an operation of acquiring data from the external medium of the external medium device of the customer device 6 is performed. Thereby, the data stored in the buffer in accordance with the read command from the external medium device 4 is output to the external medium device 4 through the interface converter 11 (S25). Here, the operation of the customer device 6 is terminated (S26). At this time, after the data is transmitted to the external medium device, the data in the temporary buffer is deleted (S27).

  A data flow when acquiring file data from the external medium device 4 of the customer device 6 to the PC 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. An example of acquiring data from the external medium device 4 of the customer device 6 to the PC 3 is a case of collecting log information of the customer device 6.

  First, the external medium type adapter 1 having the same shape as the external medium is inserted and connected to the external medium device 4 of the customer equipment 6. As an example of the external medium adapter to be inserted into the external medium device 4, a floppy disk, DAT, and the like can be given.

  Then, the PC 3 side is operated, the folder path of the file data in the encryption storage device 33 is designated, and mapping to the external medium type adapter 1 is performed (S32). Further, the customer device 6 is operated to perform an operation of transmitting the file to the external medium through the external medium device (S33). Then, the data is transmitted from the external medium device 4 to the interface conversion unit 11, and is output to the buffer 14 through the buffer control unit 12, and the data is temporarily stored (S34). Here, the operation of the customer device 6 ends (S35).

  Further, the PC 3 is operated to specify a folder for storing data in the encryption storage device 33 and to instruct to acquire data in the buffer of the external medium type adapter. Then, the data in the buffer is sent to the encryption unit 16, and the data is encrypted. The encrypted data is sent from the file transmission / reception unit 13 to the file transmission / reception function 31 on the PC side, and the data is stored in the designated folder in the encryption storage device 33 through the file management function 32 (S36). At this time, after the data is transmitted to the PC 3, the data in the temporary buffer 14 is deleted (S37).

  In the present embodiment, the case of maintenance work for the system of the customer device 6 has been described. However, the present invention includes the case where the person who uses the device works without being limited to the customer. Further, the present invention is not limited to maintenance management of a system or the like, and information leakage can be prevented by applying the present invention even when data is exchanged with a device having an external medium device.

1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart in the case of transmitting a file to a customer device. It is a flowchart in the case of receiving a file from a customer apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 External media type adapter 2 Interface converter 3 PC
4 External media device 6 Customer equipment 35 Management database

Claims (4)

In an information processing apparatus with an adapter including an information processing apparatus and an interface conversion apparatus having an external medium type adapter connected to the information processing apparatus by wire or wirelessly and inserted into an external medium device,
The information processing apparatus includes a file transmission / reception function for transmitting / receiving data from the interface conversion apparatus, a file management function for managing files by the information processing apparatus, an encrypted storage device for storing encrypted data, An apparatus management function for receiving an instruction from an operator of the information processing apparatus and issuing an instruction to the function on the information processing apparatus side;
The external medium type adapter includes an interface conversion unit that accepts a data read or write command from the external medium device, a buffer that temporarily stores data, a buffer control unit that controls access to the buffer, and data encryption An encryption unit, a file transmission / reception unit for transmitting / receiving data from the information processing device, an adapter control unit having an interface with the device management function and controlling the function on the external medium adapter side, and the buffer An information processing apparatus with an adapter, wherein data remaining in the buffer is deleted after data in the data is transmitted to the information processing apparatus or the external medium device.   The information processing apparatus with an adapter according to claim 1, wherein the file management function includes information on the external medium device that is a data transmission destination or transmission source for data stored in the encryption storage device, or the external An information processing apparatus with an adapter, which has a function of constructing a database with information on devices having media devices.   The information processing apparatus with an adapter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the file management function includes a function for deleting data in the encrypted storage device after a predetermined period of time. Information processing device. 4. The information processing apparatus with an adapter according to claim 1, wherein the file management function transmits the data stored in the encrypted storage device to the external medium type adapter and then encrypts the data. An information processing apparatus with an adapter, comprising a function of deleting the same data as the data transmitted as data remaining in the storage device.

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