JP2008197824A - Information processor, external application utilization method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To dispense with a plurality of times of authentication information inputs when authentication is required for both a body application and an external application, regarding software (body application) using the external application via plug-in. <P>SOLUTION: An authentication information storage function 26 stores, in a storage device 16, authentication information on the body application 21 as a body authentication information table, authentication information for using the external application 23 via the plug-in 22 as a plug-in authentication information table, and a relation between the name of the plug-in 22 and the plug-in authentication information table as a plug-in-to-plug-in authentication information table relation table. Once a user logs in the body, the body application 21 uses data table as above to access the external application 23 without requesting the user to input authentication information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a method of using an external application in the information processing apparatus, and a program.

  Software that enables function expansion by attaching a plug-in is conventionally known. Among such software, the software main unit (hereinafter referred to as the main unit application) has an access control function based on authentication, and information is exchanged between the main unit application and external software (hereinafter referred to as the external application) through function expansion by plug-ins. In addition, some external applications have a function of access control by authentication. The present invention relates to a method in which such software uses an external application.

  The above prior art will be described in detail. Software that enables function expansion by attaching a plug-in has the following characteristics.

  The first feature is that data can be exchanged between the main body application and an external application via a plug-in (see, for example, FIG. 8). In FIG. 8, the main body application 81 can exchange data with the external application 83 via the plug-in 82.

  A second feature is that a mechanism to which a plug-in is attached is provided by satisfying a specific condition. Examples of specific conditions are that the plug-in file name conforms to a specified naming rule (predetermined extension), and that the interface of the plug-in is specified (C language export function, C ++ class, Java, etc.) (Registered trademark) class, etc., and the plug-in is placed in a predetermined directory.

  The third feature is that it has an authentication mechanism, and it is necessary to input authentication information such as a user name, a password, and a domain name in order to use the main body application.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-151867 discloses a type of authentication device in a system that performs authentication using an authentication device (a fingerprint sensor for fingerprint authentication, an ID card reader for ID card authentication, a barcode reader for barcode authentication, etc.) used for user authentication. Regardless of the above, there is disclosed a related art relating to an authentication information acquisition apparatus that can easily cope with various authentication devices.
JP 2004-295632 A

However, if authentication is also required to use an external application, it is necessary to input authentication information multiple times as follows in order to use the external application via a plug-in in the main application. is there.
1. Enter authentication information when using the main application.
2. Enter authentication information when accessing an external application through a plug-in.

  However, since such a conventional technique needs to input authentication information a plurality of times each time it is used, there is a problem that this is troublesome for the user.

  Therefore, in view of the above-described problems of the conventional technology, the present invention provides software (main body application) that uses an external application via a plug-in when both the main body application and the external application require authentication. The purpose is to eliminate the need to enter authentication information.

  In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is an information processing apparatus that extends a function of using an external application by incorporating a plug-in, and the external application requires authentication when used. A storage unit that associates and stores authentication information for each user, authentication information for using the external application, and a plug-in name; and an authentication unit that authenticates a user of the information processing apparatus based on the authentication information of each user And authentication information and plug-in for using the external application associated with the user authentication information stored in the storage means when the user authenticated by the authentication means uses the external application. Having access means for accessing external applications through names An information processing apparatus characterized.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the authentication information of each user is stored as a main body authentication information table in the storage means, and is used for authentication for using the external application. Information is stored in the storage means as a plug-in authentication information table, and the relationship between the plug-in for using the external application and the authentication information for using the external application is stored in the storage means. It is stored as an association table, and the primary key of the main body authentication information table and the primary key of the plug-in authentication information table are made identical so that the association is implemented.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the second aspect, the plug-in authentication is such that field information necessary for authentication in a record in the main body authentication information table and the record and the primary key are the same. When the field information necessary for authentication of the external application in the record of the information table is the same, the fact is stored in the same detection field of the record of the plug-in authentication information table, and the access The means refers to the same detection field when accessing the external application, and if it is the same, the authentication information of the user is used instead of the authentication information of the external application.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in an information processing apparatus that expands the function of using an external application by incorporating a plug-in, the authentication information for each user, the authentication information for using the external application, and the plug-in name are associated with each other. A storage step of storing in the storage means of the information processing device, an authentication step of authenticating a user of the information processing device based on authentication information of each user, and a user authenticated by the authentication step uses the external application An access step for accessing the external application via the authentication information and the plug-in name for using the external application associated with the authentication information of the user stored in the storing step. In an information processing device characterized by It is a publication usage.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage process in which authentication information for each user, authentication information for using an external application and a plug-in name are stored in association with each other in a computer, and a computer user is stored in the authentication information for each user. Authentication processing based on authentication, and when the user authenticated by the authentication processing uses the external application, the external application associated with the user authentication information stored in the storage processing is used. And executing an access process for accessing an external application via the authentication information and the plug-in name, and causing the computer to function as an information processing apparatus that extends the function of using the external application by incorporating the plug-in. It is a featured program.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the program according to the fifth aspect, the computer stores the authentication information of each user in the storage means of the computer as a main body authentication information table in the storage process, and the external application Authentication information for using the external application as a plug-in authentication information table in the storage means, and a plug-in for using the external application and authentication information for using the external application And a process of storing the association as a relation table in the storage unit, and causing the computer to implement the association between the authentication information of each user, the authentication information for using the external application, and the plug-in name It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention, when software (main body application) that uses an external application via a plug-in requires authentication of both the main body application and the external application, it is necessary to input authentication information multiple times. It becomes possible to lose.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a hardware configuration example of an information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment is shown. In FIG. 1, the information processing apparatus 10 includes a CPU 11, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, an input device 14, an output device 15, and a storage device 16, each of which is connected by a bus 17. is there.

  The CPU 11 is a central processing unit that executes arithmetic processing and control processing in accordance with a program stored in the ROM 12 and a program expanded (loaded) from the storage device 16 to the RAM 13.

  The ROM 12 is a non-volatile memory that stores programs, data, parameters, and the like for the CPU 11 to perform various calculations and controls. The CPU 11 can read programs, data, parameters, and the like stored in the ROM 12, but does not rewrite or erase them.

  The RAM 13 is a memory that can freely write programs and data, and provides a working area necessary for the CPU 11 to execute various processes. Each program stored in the storage device 16 is expanded on the RAM 13 and read into the CPU 11.

  The input device 14 is composed of an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse. The user of the information processing apparatus 10 performs various operations such as key input, selection input, ID and password input using these input devices.

  The output device 15 includes an output device such as a display or a speaker.

  The storage device 16 includes a readable / writable storage medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory. These storage media store programs and data necessary for the information processing apparatus 10 to function.

  The bus 17 interconnects the CPU 11, the ROM 12, the RAM 13, the input device 14, the output device 15, and the storage device 16, and mediates control signals and data signals that are transmitted and received.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a software program that cooperates with the above hardware resources.

  Referring to FIG. 2, a software configuration example of the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment is shown. The software according to the present embodiment includes an OS 20, a main body application 21, a plug-in 22, and an external application 23, and these are stored in the storage device 16 in FIG. Here, for simplification of the drawing, only one plug-in and one external application are shown.

  The OS 20 is a program for realizing basic functions of the information processing apparatus 10 such as memory management, input / output management, and control management.

  The main body application 21 is a program used specifically for a specific purpose and operation. The main body application 21 also includes an authentication function 24 that performs user authentication such as login to the main body application 21 and user authentication such as login to an external application, and the external application 23 through the plug-in 22 using the authentication function 24. A software program in which an access function 25 for accessing the authentication information and an authentication information storage function 26 for storing authentication information for authentication by the authentication function 24 in the storage device 16 are preliminarily programmed.

  The plug-in 22 is a function expansion program that provides a function of making the external application 23 available by being incorporated in the main body application 21.

  The external application 23 has an authentication mechanism that performs authentication by collating with authentication information such as a user name, password, and domain, and this authentication mechanism has no direct relationship with the main body application 21. It cooperates with the main body application 21 via the plug-in 22.

  These software programs exhibit the functions programmed in advance by being executed by the CPU 11.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of authentication information (authentication data) stored in the storage device 16 by the authentication information storage function 26 that is exhibited when the main body application 21 is executed by the CPU 11. is there.

  The configuration of authentication information stored in the storage device 16 includes a main body authentication information table, a plug-in authentication information table, and a plug-in / plug-in authentication information table related table (hereinafter referred to as “related table”). .

  The main body authentication information table is for realizing user login to the main body application 21 and has a “user name” field, a “password” field, and a “domain” field with the “Index” field as a primary key. . When the user of the information processing apparatus 10 logs in to the main application 21, the CPU 11 uses the user name and password (or “user name, password and domain”, etc.) input by the user using the input device 14. In comparison with the main body authentication information table stored in the storage device 16, collation is performed to determine whether or not login is possible.

  The plug-in authentication information table is a data table storing authentication information that is referred to in order to perform authentication proxy (log-in proxy) via the specific plug-in 22 to the external application 23 having the authentication mechanism. The field has a “user name” field, a “password” field, and a “domain” field with a primary key. Although it is created based on the authentication information of the external application 23, it does not have to match the authentication information of the external application 23. When there are a plurality of plug-ins, this plug-in authentication information table is created for each plug-in.

  In the present embodiment, the primary key of the plug-in authentication information table is matched with the primary key of the main body authentication information table.

  The association table is a data table storing the association between the plugin authentication information table created for each plugin and the plugin.

  These data tables are stored in the storage device 16 by the authentication information storage function 26 that is exhibited when the main body application 21 is executed by the CPU 11, and is appropriately referred to by the authentication function 24 as necessary.

  Next, information processing by the various programs using the hardware resources will be described with reference to FIGS.

[Overall Information Processing Flow of this Embodiment]
The overall flow of the present embodiment is as follows. First, the GUI (graphical user interface) realized in advance by the input device 14 and the output device 15 is related to the authentication information of the main body application 21 and the authentication information of the external application 23. The step of storing in the storage device 16 by the user input using, and secondly, the authentication of the external application 23 stored in advance when the main body application 21 accesses the external application 23 via the plug-in 22. The authentication information is taken out and accessed using the information.

  Hereinafter, a specific description will be given with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the overall flow of information processing of the information processing apparatus 10.

  First, in response to a user input, the information processing apparatus 10 stores the relationship between the authentication information of the main body application 21 and the authentication information of the external application 23 in the storage device 16 (step S41).

  Next, when the user logs in to the main body application 21 (step S42), the authentication information of the external application 23 stored in advance (in step S41) is taken out (step S43).

  Using the information extracted in step S43, the main body application 21 accesses the external application 23 via the plug-in 22 (step S44).

[Authentication information storage processing]
With reference to FIG. 5, a description will be given of the flow of processing for receiving the input related to the authentication information of the main body application 21 and the authentication information of the external application 23 and storing them in the storage device 16 shown in step S41 of FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing details of step S41 in FIG.

  First, the user inputs authentication information of the external application 23 related to the authentication information of the main body application 21 through the GUI (step S51). Here, although it is not always necessary to use a GUI, it is advantageous because an intuitive operation of the user can be expected and input errors can be reduced.

  Next, the plug-in authentication information table name for the plug-in 22 for linking with the external application 23 is acquired from the association table shown in FIG. 3 (step S52).

  Next, the authentication information of the external application 23 received in step S51 is stored in the plug-in authentication information table having the plug-in authentication information table name acquired in step S52 (step S53).

  At the time of storage, the main key of the authentication information table of the main body application 21 is matched with the main key of the plug-in authentication information table (step S54). For example, in the authentication information of the main application 21, when the user User1 has a value Index1 in the Index field, the authentication information of the external application 23 to be associated with User1 is Index1 in the Index field of the plug-in authentication information table. Stored in records with values.

  The authentication information storage process described above is information processing by the authentication information storage function 26 that is exhibited when the main body application 21 is executed by the CPU 11.

[External application access processing]
The flow of processing for accessing the external application 23 via the plug-in 22 shown in step S44 of FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing details of step S44 of FIG.

  As a precondition, it is assumed that the user has already logged in to the main application 21 as the user name: User1. First, the plug-in authentication information table name for the plug-in 22 for linking with the external application 23 is acquired from the association table (step S61).

  Next, a record having the same primary key as the primary key of the record indicating the user (User1) in the main body application 21 is acquired from the plug-in authentication information table having the acquired plug-in authentication information table name (step S62).

  The external application 23 is accessed with the authentication information included in the record acquired in step S62 (step S63).

  The above external application access processing is information processing by the access function 25 that is exhibited when the main body application 21 is executed by the CPU 11.

  Further, the authentication (authentication process) required in step S42 of FIG. 4 or step S63 of FIG. 6 is information processing by the authentication function 24 that is exhibited when the main body application 21 is executed by the CPU 11.

[Same authentication information]
When the authentication information of the main body application 21 and the authentication information of the external application 23 are the same for a user (only the information necessary for authentication is the same), a field for storing that fact in the plug-in authentication information table And store it. FIG. 7 shows an example of the configuration.

  In FIG. 7, the authentication information of the main body application 21 and the authentication information of the external application 23 having the same main key are the same in the “same as authentication information of main body application?” Field (hereinafter, the same detection field). In some cases, Yes (No if not identical) is stored.

  When external application access processing is performed, instead of step S63 of FIG. 6, it is checked whether the same detection field is Yes / No. If Yes, the acquired authentication information of the external application 23 is used. First, access is performed using the authentication information of the main body application 21. In No, the process of step S63 is performed.

  With the above configuration, the access processing speed can be increased.

  Further, the configuration of the association table is not limited to that shown in FIG. By eliminating the related table and naming the plug-in authentication information table name according to a certain naming rule associated with the plug-in name, the same effect as the related table can be obtained.

Example naming convention: AuthInfoRelation_ [PluginName]
With the above configuration, the storage area necessary for the storage device 16 can be compressed, and as a result, the storage cost can be reduced.

It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of the information processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment by this invention. It is a figure which shows the software structural example of the information processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment by this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the authentication information which an authentication information storage means memorize | stores. It is a flowchart figure which shows the flow of the whole operation | movement of this embodiment. It is a flowchart figure which shows the detail of step S41 of FIG. It is a flowchart figure which shows the detail of step S44 of FIG. It is a figure which shows another structural example of the plug-in authentication information table shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows notionally the function of the main body application which utilizes a conventional general external application using a plug-in.

Explanation of symbols

10 Information processing apparatus 11 CPU
12 ROM
13 RAM
14 Input device 15 Output device 16 Storage device 20 OS
21 Main body application 22 Plug-in 23 External application 24 Authentication function 25 Access function 26 Authentication information storage function

Claims (6)

An information processing device that extends the function of using an external application by incorporating a plug-in,
The external application requires authentication when used,
Storage means for associating and storing authentication information for each user and authentication information for using the external application and a plug-in name;
Authentication means for authenticating the user of the information processing device based on the authentication information of each user;
When a user authenticated by the authentication unit uses the external application, authentication information and a plug-in name for using the external application associated with the user authentication information stored in the storage unit are stored. Access means for accessing external applications via
An information processing apparatus comprising: The authentication information of each user is stored in the storage means as a main body authentication information table,
Authentication information for using the external application is stored in the storage means as a plug-in authentication information table,
The relationship between the plug-in for using the external application and the authentication information for using the external application is stored in the storage means as a related table,
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the association is implemented by making the main key of the main body authentication information table and the main key of the plug-in authentication information table the same. Field information necessary for authentication in a record in the main body authentication information table;
Information on fields necessary for authentication of the external application in the record of the plug-in authentication information table having the same primary key as the record;
Are the same,
That fact is stored in the same detection field of the record of the plug-in authentication information table,
The access means refers to the same detection field when accessing an external application, and if it is the same, uses the user authentication information instead of the external application authentication information. The information processing apparatus described. In an information processing device that extends the function of using an external application by incorporating a plug-in,
A storage step of associating authentication information for each user and authentication information for using the external application and a plug-in name in the storage means of the information processing apparatus;
An authentication step of authenticating a user of the information processing device based on the authentication information of each user;
When a user authenticated in the authentication step uses the external application, authentication information and a plug-in name for using the external application associated with the user authentication information stored in the storage step are displayed. An access step for accessing an external application via
A method for using an external application in an information processing apparatus, comprising: On the computer,
A storage process for associating and storing authentication information for each user and authentication information for using an external application and a plug-in name;
An authentication process for authenticating a computer user based on the authentication information of each user;
When a user authenticated by the authentication process uses the external application, authentication information and a plug-in name for using the external application associated with the user authentication information stored in the storage process are displayed. Access processing to access external applications via
And causing the computer to function as an information processing apparatus that extends the function of using an external application by incorporating a plug-in. On the computer,
A process of storing the authentication information of each user in a storage means of a computer in the storage process as a main body authentication information table;
Processing for storing authentication information for using the external application as a plug-in authentication information table in the storage means in the storage processing;
A process of storing a relation between a plug-in for using the external application and authentication information for using the external application in the storage unit as a relation table;
6. The program according to claim 5, wherein the computer is caused to implement association of authentication information for each user and authentication information for using the external application and a plug-in name.

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