JP2015176194A - Information processing device, information processing method, program, and information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing device capable of reducing a time the information processing device needs to authentication.SOLUTION: An information processing device is connected with a server via a LAN and also connected with a mobile terminal via radio communication or short-range wireless communication. The information processing device refers to authentication authorization information obtained in advance on the basis of identification information on the mobile terminal obtained by authentication operation of a user, and authenticates the user who performed the above-described authentication operation when the authentication authorization information approves it.

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program, and an information processing system, and more particularly, to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a program, and an information processing system having a wireless communication function and a short-range wireless communication function. .

  Conventional information processing apparatuses such as multifunction peripherals and printers have a login authentication (hereinafter simply referred to as “authentication”) function and a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) access point function in order to ensure security and manage settings. As a means for performing the authentication, a method using a near field communication technique (hereinafter referred to as “NFC”) is known.

  Specifically, NFC authentication is performed by reading the authentication information included in the IC card in a non-contact state by holding the IC card over a card reader that generates a weak radio wave provided in the information processing apparatus. In addition to IC cards, portable terminals such as smartphones and tablet PCs that can perform wireless communication via public lines or wireless LANs and have NFC mounted thereon are used. In particular, authentication by NFC using a mobile terminal is performed based on unique identification information of the mobile terminal. Specifically, in mobile terminal management called MDM (Mobile Device Management), if identification information unique to a mobile terminal used for authentication is managed as authenticable, a user using the mobile terminal is authenticated.

  The identification information unique to the mobile terminal includes, for example, a MAC (Media Access Control) address, and the MAC address is used to specify a user who performs settings related to use of a wireless LAN access point (for example, Patent Documents). 1).

JP 2005-64737 A

  However, since the information processing apparatus inquires the server having the authentication management information as to whether or not to authenticate based on the authentication information acquired from the authentication terminal such as an IC card or a portable terminal when performing authentication. It takes time, and if the network communication environment is poor, it takes more time to make an inquiry to the server.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a program, and an information processing system that can reduce the time required for authentication of the information processing apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention is an information processing apparatus that performs wireless communication and short-range wireless communication with a shorter communication distance than the wireless communication. A first acquisition unit that uses the first acquisition unit to acquire authentication information, and executes authentication processing based on the authentication information acquired by the first acquisition unit when the first acquisition unit acquires the authentication information. An authentication unit; a storage unit that stores information indicating a result of an authentication process executed by the authentication unit; a second acquisition unit that acquires authentication information of an authentication terminal using the short-range wireless communication; Use of the information processing apparatus based on the authentication information acquired by the second acquisition means and the information indicating the result of the authentication process stored in the storage means when the acquisition means of 2 acquires the authentication information Allow Or characterized in that it comprises discriminating means for discriminating.

  According to the present invention, the time required for authentication by the information processing apparatus can be reduced.

It is a block diagram which shows roughly the structure of the information processing system which has the information processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing an internal configuration of the information processing apparatus in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing an internal configuration of a wireless LAN communication unit in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing an internal configuration of the mobile terminal in FIG. 1. It is a sequence diagram of the authentication information acquisition process performed by the information processing apparatus of FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram used for explaining an authentication management table referred to in step S506 of FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a diagram used to describe a table cache of authentication management information stored in a RAM in step S507 of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the authentication process to the information processing apparatus performed by the near field communication part in FIG. FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram of a short-range wireless communication establishment process executed in step S802 of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the deletion process which deletes the table cache of the authentication management information of FIG. It is a figure used for demonstrating performing the deletion process of FIG. 10 based on the acquisition time of authentication availability information.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an information processing system having an information processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The information processing system in FIG. 1 includes an information processing apparatus 100, a PC 110, and a server 111 connected to each other via a LAN 120, and a mobile terminal 1000 (connected to the information processing apparatus 100 via wireless communication and short-range wireless communication ( Authentication terminal). Note that the short-range wireless communication distance is shorter than the wireless communication distance. The information processing apparatus 100 includes a main controller 101, an operation unit 102, a scanner unit 103, and a printer unit 104 connected to the main controller 101, respectively. The operation unit 102 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal touch panel.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the information processing apparatus 100 in FIG.

  In FIG. 2, the information processing apparatus 100 includes a main controller 101, and the main controller 101 includes a power control unit 218, a domain 240, and a domain 241.

  The domain 240 includes a CPU 201, ROM 203, FLASH 204, bus I / F 205, RIP 211, device I / F 212, scanner image processing unit 213, printer image processing unit 214, image rotation unit 215, image compression unit 216, and HDD 217. These are connected to each other via an image bus 210.

  The domain 241 includes a RAM 202, an operation unit I / F 206, a wired LAN communication unit 208, a modem unit 209, and a wireless LAN communication unit 224, which are connected to each other via a system bus 207. The domain 241 further includes a short-range wireless communication unit 225. The CPU 201, ROM 203, FLASH 204, bus I / F 205, and HDD 217 of the domain 240 are connected to the system bus 207. The system bus 207 and the image bus 210 are connected to each other via a bus I / F 205 as a bus bridge.

  The operation unit 102, the LAN 120, the public line 121, and the portable terminal 1000 are connected to the operation unit I / F 206, the wired LAN communication unit 208, the modem unit 209, the wireless LAN communication unit 224, and the short-range wireless communication unit 225, respectively. ing. Further, the scanner unit 103 and the printer unit 104 are connected to the device I / F 212. The CPU 201 of the domain 240 is connected to the power supply control unit 218 via the control signal line 224, and the power supply control unit 218 is connected to the power supply device 219 via the power supply line 220 and to the domain 240 via the power supply line 221. It is connected. The domain 241 is connected to the power control unit 218 via the control signal line 223 and the power supply line 222.

  The power supply control unit 218 performs power supply control by switching the power supply circuit according to the operation state of the information processing apparatus 100, for example, a power saving state such as a normal state or a sleep state. More specifically, when the short-range wireless communication unit 225 detects communication using NFC from the portable terminal 1000 (hereinafter referred to as “NFC communication”), the power supply control unit 218 sleeps the information processing apparatus 100. The power supply control is performed by switching the power supply circuit so that the state is released and becomes the normal state.

  The power supply control unit 218 receives a control signal from the CPU 201 of the domain 240 via the control signal line 224 and also receives a control signal from the domain 241 via the control signal line 223. Further, the power supply control unit 218 is supplied via a power supply line 220 from a power supply device 219 including two power supply circuits, a large-capacity power supply circuit (not shown) and a small-capacity power supply circuit (not shown). The DC power is supplied to each component of the domains 240 and 241 through the power supply lines 221 and 222.

  The CPU 201 controls the information processing apparatus 100 as a whole. A RAM 202 is a readable / writable memory for providing a work area for the CPU 201 and an image memory for temporarily storing image data. The ROM 203 is a boot ROM and stores a boot program for the information processing system. The FLASH 204 is a nonvolatile memory, and stores system software, setting value data, and the like that need to be stored even after the information processing apparatus 100 is powered off. A bus I / F 205 is an interface that connects the system bus 207 and the image bus 210 and also operates as a bus bridge that converts a data structure.

  The operation unit I / F 206 is an interface for outputting image data to be displayed to the operation unit 102 and transmitting information input by the user via the operation unit 102 to the CPU 201.

  A wired LAN communication unit 208 is connected to the LAN 120 and inputs / outputs information via the LAN 120. The modem unit 209 is connected to the public line 121 and inputs / outputs information via the public line 121. The wireless LAN communication unit 224 connects to the portable terminal 1000 that is a wireless device via the wireless LAN and inputs / outputs information via the portable terminal 1000. The short-range wireless communication unit 225 connects to the portable terminal 1000 that is also a short-range wireless communication compatible device via a wireless LAN, and inputs and outputs information via the portable terminal 1000, for example, by NFC communication. Further, the short-range wireless communication unit 225 executes an authentication process of FIG.

  The HDD 217 is a nonvolatile data storage device, and stores various data such as image data, system data, and user data, and an operation program executed by the CPU 201. When the main controller 101 does not include the HDD 217, the above-described various data and operation programs are stored in the FLASH 204.

  A RIP (Raster Image Processor) 211 creates a bitmap image from PDL (Page Description Language) data received via the LAN 120. A device I / F 212 is an interface for connecting the scanner unit 103 and printer unit 104 to the main controller 101, and performs synchronous / asynchronous conversion of image data. A scanner image processing unit 213 corrects, processes, or edits input image data read from the scanner unit 103. The printer image processing unit 214 performs color conversion, filter processing, or resolution conversion on the image data output to the printer unit 104. The image rotation unit 215 rotates image data. The image compression unit 216 performs JPEG compression / decompression processing of multi-valued image data or JBIG compression / decompression processing of binary image data, MMR compression / decompression processing, or MH compression / decompression processing.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the wireless LAN communication unit 224 in FIG.

  The wireless LAN communication unit 224 in FIG. 3 includes a CPU 301, ROM 302, RAM 303, wireless transmission / reception unit 304, antenna 305, and host I / F 306, which are connected to each other via an internal bus 307.

  The CPU 301 controls the wireless LAN communication unit 224. The ROM 302 stores a boot program executed when the wireless LAN communication unit 224 is started up and an operation program of the CPU 301. The activation process of the wireless LAN communication unit 224 is executed during the activation process of the main controller 101 and is executed by the CPU 301 that is activated after the CPU 201.

  The RAM 303 is used as a work memory when the CPU 301 controls the wireless LAN communication unit 224. The RAM 303 stores a communication method, an authentication method, a MAC address, an IP (Internaet Protocol) address, and the like, which are management information for wireless connection with the mobile terminal 1000.

  The wireless transmission / reception unit 304 transmits / receives data by wireless communication via the antenna 305 built in the wireless LAN communication unit 224 and performs modulation / demodulation processing of a carrier wave at the time of data transmission / reception. The host I / F 306 is a bus conversion processing unit for the wireless LAN communication unit 224 to connect to the system bus 207, and includes, for example, a standardized interface such as SDIO (Secure Digital Input / Output) or USB (Universal Serial Bus). Is done. The host I / F 306 includes a DMA (Direct Memory Access) (not shown), and transmits and receives data between the RAM 303 and the RAM 202. Accordingly, the wireless LAN communication unit 224 can transmit / receive data regarding the portable terminal 1000 to / from the main controller 101.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the mobile terminal 1000 in FIG.

  4 includes a CPU 401, a ROM 402, a RAM 403, an operation unit 404, a communication unit 405, a short-range wireless communication unit 406, and a power supply control unit 407, which are connected to each other via an internal bus 408. .

  The CPU 401 controls the entire portable terminal 1000, and the ROM 402 stores programs used by the CPU 401 and applications such as image data that operate in cooperation with the information processing apparatus 100. A RAM 403 is a work memory that temporarily stores data used by the CPU 401 for calculation. The operation unit 404 includes a liquid crystal display unit corresponding to a touch panel operation, a switch, and the like, and is used to execute and set an application (not illustrated) related to an authentication operation on the information processing apparatus 100.

  The communication unit 405 performs wireless communication via the wireless LAN with the information processing apparatus 100 including the wireless LAN access point by incorporating an antenna (not shown). In addition, the communication unit 405 stores a wireless LAN MAC address that is terminal identification information used during an authentication operation on the information processing apparatus 100. The short-range wireless communication unit 406 performs NFC communication with an external apparatus, for example, the information processing apparatus 100. The power control unit 407 performs power management in the mobile terminal 1000 and supplies power to all or part of the processing modules in the mobile terminal 1000.

  FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of authentication information acquisition processing executed by the information processing apparatus 100 of FIG. The authentication information acquisition process in FIG. 5 is executed prior to the authentication process in FIG. 8 to be described later, and is started when the mobile terminal 1000 enters the wireless communication range of the information processing apparatus 100 that operates as an access point. The

  In FIG. 5, the information processing apparatus 100 is connected to a mobile terminal 1000 and a server 111.

  The information processing apparatus 100 broadcasts a beacon frame related to the identification information of the access point of the information processing apparatus 100 to the mobile terminal 1000 existing within the wireless communication range of the information processing apparatus 100 (step S501). The beacon frames are transmitted at a predetermined time interval, for example, at an interval of 100 milliseconds. The wireless communication range of the access point is not particularly limited, but is preferably within a range of a few meters to a few tens of meters from the information processing apparatus 100 as a center for smooth communication. The wireless communication range can be set on a wireless LAN setting screen (not shown), and may be set only by an authorized user.

  The mobile terminal 1000 that has received the beacon frame transmits a probe request frame to the information processing apparatus 100 that is the transmission source, and makes an inquiry regarding the identification information of the access point (step S502).

  Based on the probe request frame received from the mobile terminal 1000, the information processing apparatus 100 acquires the MAC address related to the source mobile terminal 1000 as identification information of the mobile terminal 1000 (step S503). The information processing apparatus 100 transmits the MAC address acquired in step S503 to the server 111 (hereinafter referred to as “authentication request”) (step S504), and transmits a probe response frame to the probe request frame received in step 502 to the mobile terminal. 1000 (step S505).

  The information processing apparatus 100 can transmit one or two or more MAC addresses to the server 111 at a time when making an authentication propriety request. In addition, the information processing apparatus 100 may set the number of MAC addresses to be transmitted at a time in advance, and may transmit to the server 111 when the number of MAC addresses to be transmitted reaches the set number of MAC addresses. Further, the information processing apparatus 100 may transmit all the MAC addresses acquired after the initial acquisition of the MAC addresses until a predetermined time set by the user has elapsed to the server 111. As a result, the frequency with which the server 111 is inquired about the MAC address can be reduced, and communication traffic on the LAN 120 can be reduced.

  The server 111 obtains authentication information including a MAC address, a user name, and authentication enable / disable information associated with the mobile terminal 1000 with reference to an authentication management table of FIG. The information is transmitted to the information processing apparatus 100 (hereinafter referred to as “authentication availability response”) (step S506). The information processing apparatus 100 stores the authentication information received from the server 111 in the RAM 202 as a table cache of authentication management information in FIG. 7 described later (step S507).

  For example, TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) or UDP (User Datagram Protocol) can be used as the communication protocol performed in steps S504 and S506. For example, when the MAC address that is identification information of the mobile terminal 1000 is transmitted to the server 111 using UDP, the information processing apparatus 100 stores the MAC address in the payload of the UDP IP packet and transmits the MAC address to the server 111. Next, the server 111 stores the authentication management information in the payload of the UDP IP packet and transmits it to the information processing apparatus 100.

  5 may be started when the information processing apparatus 100 is in a power saving state such as a sleep state. Even when the information processing apparatus 100 is in the power saving state, power is supplied from the power supply apparatus 219 to the domain 241 including the wireless LAN communication unit 224 and the short-range wireless communication unit 225 via the power supply line 222. Therefore, the authentication information acquisition process of FIG. 5 can be executed even in the power saving state. As a result, since it is not necessary to return the information processing apparatus 100 from the sleep state to the normal state, wasteful power consumption can be avoided, and this is particularly effective when the authentication process of FIG. 8 described later is not executed.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram used for explaining the authentication management table 600 referred to in step S506 of FIG.

  In FIG. 6, the authentication management table 600 includes information included in the server 111 and includes a portable terminal MAC address 601, a user name 602, and authentication permission / inhibition information 603.

  The mobile terminal MAC address 601 is a physical address assigned to a network interface (not shown) of the wireless LAN provided in the communication unit 405 of the mobile terminal 1000. In general, the MAC address is a number assigned to the network interface, but is used as identification information of the mobile terminal 1000 in the present embodiment. A user name 602 indicates a user of the mobile terminal 1000 corresponding to each mobile terminal MAC address 601. The authentication propriety information 603 indicates whether each user described in the user name 602 can be authenticated by the information processing apparatus.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram used to describe the table cache 700 of authentication management information stored in the RAM 202 in step S507 of FIG.

  In FIG. 7, the authentication management information table cache 700 includes information included in the information processing apparatus 100, which includes a mobile terminal MAC address 701, a user name 702, and authentication propriety information 703.

  The mobile terminal MAC address 701, the user name 702, and the authentication enable / disable information 703 are the same information as the mobile terminal MAC address 601, user name 602, and authentication enable / disable information 603 in the authentication management table 600, respectively. The authentication management information table cache 700 describes the authentication result of each portable terminal 1000 based on the information held in the authentication management table 600 in response to the authentication permission request transmitted in step S504. As an example, the table cache 700 of FIG. 7 describes three mobile terminal MAC addresses 701, user names 702 and authentication propriety information 703 relating to each, and the three mobile terminals 1000 for which an authentication propriety request (step S504) has been made. Of these, it can be seen that two portable terminals 1000 may be authenticated.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure of authentication processing to the information processing apparatus 100 executed by the short-range wireless communication unit 225 in FIG.

  The authentication process in FIG. 8 is executed by the short-range wireless communication unit 225.

  In FIG. 8, first, when the user performs an authentication operation of holding the portable terminal 1000 having authentication information over an NFC reader unit (not shown) provided in the short-range wireless communication unit 225 of the information processing apparatus 100 (YES in step S801). The short-range wireless communication establishment process of FIG. 9 described later is executed (step S802), and it is determined whether or not the short-range wireless communication is established (step S803).

  If the short-range wireless communication is established as a result of the determination in step S803, the information processing apparatus 100 acquires the identification information of the portable terminal 1000 from the portable terminal 1000, for example, the MAC address of the wireless LAN, and stores it in the RAM 202. (Step S804), referring to the authentication enable / disable information acquired in Step S507 (Step S805), and determining whether or not the authentication enable / disable information 703 associated with the MAC address stored in Step S804 is “Yes”. (Step S806).

  As a result of the determination in step S806, if the authentication propriety information 703 stored in the RAM 202 in step S804 is “permitted”, the authentication information of the portable terminal 1000 held by the user over the NFC reader unit and the portable information stored in the RAM 202 are stored. It is determined that the identification information of the terminal 1000 matches, the user who has performed the authentication operation is authenticated, the use of the information processing apparatus 100 is permitted (authentication OK) (step S807), and the process ends.

  For example, the MAC address 01: 23: 45: 00: 00: 00 of the mobile terminal 1000 acquired in step S804 is “OK” as the authentication propriety information corresponding to the MAC address in the authentication information acquired in advance in step S507. Since it is stored, the user of the portable terminal 1000 whose MAC address is 01: 23: 45: 00: 00: 00 is authenticated.

  On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S806, if the authentication propriety information 703 stored in the RAM 202 is not “permitted”, it is determined whether or not the authentication propriety information 703 stored in the RAM 202 is “prohibited” (step S808). ).

  As a result of the determination in step S808, when the authentication permission / inhibition information 703 stored in the RAM 202 is “No”, the authentication information of the mobile terminal 1000 held by the user over the NFC reader unit and the mobile terminal 1000 stored in the RAM 202 are stored. It is determined that the identification information does not match, and the process is terminated without authenticating the user who performed the authentication operation (authentication NG) (step S809).

  For example, the MAC address 01: 23: 45: 00: 00: 02 of the mobile terminal 1000 acquired in step S804 is “No” as authentication propriety information corresponding to the MAC address in the authentication information acquired in advance in step S507. Since it is stored, the user of the portable terminal 1000 whose MAC address is 01: 23: 45: 00: 02: 00 is not authenticated.

  On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S808, when the authentication propriety information 703 stored in the RAM 202 is not “No”, that is, as the unique authentication propriety information associated with the MAC address in the table cache 700 of the authentication management information, When neither “” nor “No” is stored, an authentication permission request is made to the server 111 (step S 810), and it is determined whether or not to authenticate the user who has performed the authentication operation based on the authentication permission response from the server ( Step S811).

  The statuses of steps S810 to S811, for example, are that the wireless communication of the mobile terminal 1000 is disconnected, so that “permitted” or “not permitted” is not stored in the RAM 202 as authentication propriety information, and the user connects the mobile terminal 1000 to the NFC reader. Occurs when an authentication operation is performed over a part.

  As a result of the determination in step S811, when the user who performed the authentication operation is authenticated, the user who performed the authentication operation described above is authenticated and the use of the information processing apparatus 100 is permitted (authentication OK) (step S807). End the process. On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S811, when the user who has performed the authentication operation is not authenticated, the user who has performed the above-described authentication operation is not authenticated (authentication NG) (step S809), and this process ends.

  In step S807 described above, the information processing apparatus 100 may request the user to input a password when authenticating. Thereby, the security function is further improved. In step S811, a timeout time is set in advance in preparation for when the information processing apparatus 100 is in a standby state without a response indicating whether authentication is possible from the server, and the standby state is canceled when the timeout time has elapsed. This process may be terminated.

  If the short-range wireless communication is not established as a result of the determination in step S803, the fact that the short-range wireless communication has not been established is displayed on the operation unit 102 (step S812), and this processing is terminated.

  When short-range wireless communication is not established (NO in step S803), for example, when either one of the information processing apparatus 100 and the mobile terminal 1000 is not turned on or when sudden device noise occurs Is applicable. When the short-range wireless communication is not established (NO in step S803), the short-range wireless communication establishment process (step S802) may be executed a plurality of times instead of immediately ending this process. Thereby, for example, even if sudden device noise occurs and communication establishment fails, the communication establishment succeeds by executing the process again, thereby improving the convenience for the user.

  According to the authentication processing of FIG. 8, the authentication operation by the user is linked to the acquired MAC address, and refers to the authentication propriety information acquired in advance (step S805), and the authentication propriety information is “permitted”. Sometimes (YES in step S806), since the information processing apparatus 100 authenticates the user who performed the above-described authentication operation (step S807), it is immediately determined whether authentication is possible without inquiring the server 111 after the user starts the authentication operation. Therefore, the time for performing authentication to the information processing apparatus 100 can be reduced.

  In the authentication process of FIG. 8, the NFC reader unit (not shown) is included in the short-range wireless communication unit 225 of the information processing apparatus 100. However, the NFC reader unit is also provided outside the main controller. In this case, the short-range wireless communication unit 225 and the NFC reader unit may be connected by a communication line such as a USB.

  FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram of the short-range wireless communication establishment process executed in step S802 of FIG.

  In FIG. 9, the short-range wireless communication executed in step S802 of FIG. 8 is a short-range wireless communication standard using an electromagnetic wave of 13.56 MHz, and is interconnected with an existing non-contact IC card, a portable terminal, or the like. NFC communication capable of bidirectional communication between devices while maintaining the above.

  When the user holds the portable terminal 1000 over a card reader unit (not shown) of the information processing apparatus 100, the portable terminal 1000 transmits a polling command to the information processing apparatus 100 (step 901). The information processing apparatus 100 transmits technology in response to the received polling command (step S902). Technology is information regarding communication conditions in short-range wireless communication, and specifically includes Type A, Type B, or Felica communication modes and wireless communication speeds defined by the NFC standard. When the mobile terminal 1000 receives the technology information from the information processing apparatus 100, NFC communication is established between the mobile terminal 1000 and the information processing apparatus 100 (step S903).

  Although the portable terminal 1000 transmits the polling command and the information processing apparatus 100 receives the polling command and establishes communication, the transmission / reception relationship is reversed, that is, the information processing apparatus 100 transmits the polling command. In addition, communication can be established even when the portable terminal 1000 receives the polling command.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a deletion process for deleting the authentication management information table cache 700 of FIG.

  In the deletion process of FIG. 10, the wireless LAN communication unit 224 deletes the authentication management information table cache 700 of FIG. 7 stored in the RAM 202 in step S507 of FIG.

  In FIG. 10, the wireless LAN communication unit 224 transmits a beacon frame to the mobile terminal 1000 (step S1001) and determines whether a probe request frame is received from the mobile terminal 1000 (step S1002). Whether or not the probe request frame has been received is determined by measuring the elapsed time from the time when the beacon frame is transmitted to the mobile terminal 1000 by a timer (not shown) provided in the main controller 101, and requesting the probe request within a predetermined time. This is performed depending on whether or not a frame is received.

  If the result of determination in step S1002 is that a probe request frame has not been received within a predetermined time, the authentication management information table cache 700 stored in the RAM 202 is deleted (step S1007), and this process ends.

  Note that the authentication management information table cache 700 is deleted when a probe request frame is not received after a certain period of time has elapsed since the beacon frame was transmitted to the mobile terminal 1000. May be deleted when a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the time of acquisition (acquisition time 704) (FIG. 11).

  As a result of the determination in step S1002, when a probe request frame is received within a predetermined time, a MAC address is acquired (step S1003), and it is determined whether or not authentication enable / disable information associated with the acquired MAC address can be referred to. (Step S1004).

  As a result of the determination in step S1004, when the authentication enable / disable information associated with the acquired MAC address can be referred to, the storage state of the authentication enable / disable information that can be referred to is continued (step S1005), and this processing is terminated. On the other hand, if the authentication cannot be referred to, an authentication permission response is received from the server 111 after transmitting an authentication permission request to the server 111, and the authentication information is stored in the RAM 202 as a table cache of authentication management information (step S1006). This process ends.

  According to the processing in FIG. 10, if a probe request frame is not received within a certain time from when a beacon frame is transmitted to the mobile terminal 1000 (NO in step S1002), the authentication management information table cache 700 stored in the RAM 202 is received. (Step S1007), it is possible to prevent the authentication management information that should originally be managed by the server 111 from being stored in the information processing apparatus 100 indefinitely, thereby improving security.

  In this embodiment, the portable terminal 1000 is described as an example of the authentication terminal. However, the authentication terminal is not limited to this, and is a device or the like that can insert an IC card or a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card. Any device capable of communication is acceptable.

  Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the MAC address is described as an example of the identification information of the portable terminal 1000. However, the identification information is not limited to this, and the serial number of the portable terminal 1000 and the manufacturer of the portable terminal 1000 are attached. It may be an identification number unique to the manufacturer, an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) that is stored in the SIM card and assigned to each contractor, and can identify the user of the mobile terminal 1000 Good.

  The present invention supplies software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and the computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads the program. In the process to be executed, the program and a computer-readable storage medium storing the program may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Information processing apparatus 101 Main controller 224 Wireless LAN communication part 225 Short-range wireless communication part 600,700 Authentication availability information 601,701 Authentication terminal MAC address 1000 Portable terminal

Claims (8)

An information processing apparatus that performs wireless communication and short-range wireless communication with a shorter communication distance than the wireless communication,
First acquisition means for acquiring authentication information of an authentication terminal using the wireless communication;
An authentication unit that executes an authentication process based on the authentication information acquired by the first acquisition unit when the first acquisition unit acquires the authentication information;
Storage means for storing information indicating a result of the authentication processing executed by the authentication means;
Second acquisition means for acquiring authentication information of an authentication terminal using the short-range wireless communication;
When the second acquisition unit acquires authentication information, the information processing apparatus is based on the authentication information acquired by the second acquisition unit and information indicating the result of the authentication process stored by the storage unit. An information processing apparatus comprising: discrimination means for discriminating whether or not to permit use.   When the authentication information acquired by the second acquisition unit matches the information indicating the result of the authentication process stored by the storage unit, the determination unit permits use of the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.   When the authentication information acquired by the second acquisition unit and the information indicating the result of the authentication process stored by the storage unit do not match, the determination unit does not permit the use of the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1. Further comprising other authentication means for executing an authentication process based on the authentication information acquired by the second acquisition means;
When the storage means does not store information indicating the result of the authentication process corresponding to the authentication information acquired by the second acquisition means, the other authentication means acquires the authentication information acquired by the second acquisition means. The authentication processing is executed based on the authentication information, and the determination means determines whether to permit the use of the information processing device based on the result of the authentication processing executed by the other authentication means. 1. An information processing apparatus according to 1.   If the second acquisition unit does not acquire the authentication information within a predetermined time after the storage unit stores the information indicating the result of the authentication process, the result of the authentication process stored by the storage unit is indicated. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a deletion unit that deletes information.   6. The information processing according to claim 1, wherein the authentication unit performs the authentication process by transmitting the authentication information acquired by the first acquisition unit to a server. apparatus. An information processing method for performing wireless communication and short-range wireless communication having a communication distance shorter than the wireless communication,
A first acquisition step of acquiring authentication information of an authentication terminal using the wireless communication;
An authentication step of executing an authentication process based on the authentication information acquired by the first acquisition step when the first acquisition step acquires authentication information;
A storage step for storing information indicating a result of the authentication process executed by the authentication step;
A second acquisition step of acquiring authentication information of an authentication terminal using the short-range wireless communication;
When the second acquisition step acquires authentication information, based on the authentication information acquired by the second acquisition step and information indicating the result of the authentication process stored in the storage step, the information processing apparatus An information processing method comprising: a determination step of determining whether or not to permit use of the device. A program for causing a computer to execute an information processing method for performing wireless communication and short-range wireless communication having a communication distance shorter than the wireless communication,
The information processing method includes:
A first acquisition step of acquiring authentication information of an authentication terminal using the wireless communication;
An authentication step of executing an authentication process based on the authentication information acquired by the first acquisition step when the first acquisition step acquires authentication information;
A storage step for storing information indicating a result of the authentication process executed by the authentication step;
A second acquisition step of acquiring authentication information of an authentication terminal using the short-range wireless communication;
When the second acquisition step acquires authentication information, based on the authentication information acquired by the second acquisition step and information indicating the result of the authentication process stored in the storage step, the information processing apparatus And a determination step for determining whether or not to permit use of the program.

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