JP2015232742A - User authentication method and ejection molding machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a user authentication method that makes an authentication procedure easy.SOLUTION: First of all, a USB memory is prepared that has an authentication key written. An operator inserts the USB memory into a prescribed device having a user authentication cleared to make a request, and then, a controller of the device is configured to: read a serial number of the USB memory; consolidate the serial number, user account and password as consolidation data; encrypt the consolidation data as the authentication key; and write the authentication key in the USB memory. When the USB memory prepared in this way is inserted into the controller in a log-out state, the controller is configured to: read the authentication key; extract the user account and the password from the authentication key; and automatically execute user authentication. Further, even the serial number is extracted from the authentication key, but when the extracted serial number does not agree with the serial number of the USB memory, the user authentication is configured to be halted.

Description

  The present invention relates to a user authentication method for authenticating a user, and although not limited thereto, the present invention relates to a user authentication method suitable for an injection molding machine and an injection molding machine.

  A device for which security is ensured, such as an industrial machine, needs to receive user authentication for operation. An example of such an industrial machine is an injection molding machine. As is well known in the art, an injection molding machine includes an injection device comprising a heating cylinder and a screw that can be driven in the rotation direction and the axial direction within the heating cylinder, a pair of molds, and these molds. A mold clamping device for clamping the mold, an ejector device for ejecting a molded product, and the like are configured, and these devices are controlled by a controller. A user who intends to operate the injection molding machine must receive user authentication at the controller. Incidentally, complicated molding conditions are set in the controller of the injection molding machine. The molding conditions require skill to be able to set appropriate conditions, and the contents are also important know-how regarding manufacturing technology. Then, it is preferable to open and change the molding conditions only for specific users. The same applies not only to injection molding machines but also to other industrial machines and other devices that require security. That is, in a machine that needs to receive such user authentication, the level of operation authority is divided by the user, and the operable range is limited according to the operation authority level.

  There are various user authentication methods for authenticating a user. For example, a user authentication method using a user account and a password is well known. In the case of an injection molding machine, the controller is provided with an input terminal. When a user account for identifying the user and a password are input from the input terminal, the user is authenticated and the operation of the injection molding machine is permitted.

JP 2012-79209 A

  There are other user authentication methods for authenticating a user. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of authenticating with an ID card. Patent Document 1 describes an injection molding machine, but this injection molding machine is provided with an ID card reader capable of reading ID card information in a non-contact manner. An ID card is distributed in advance to users who are given the authority to operate the injection molding machine. Accordingly, when the user holds the ID card over the ID card reader, the user authentication is completed, and a preset operation authority is given to the user. The user can operate the injection molding machine within the operation range permitted by the level of operation authority.

  As described above, an apparatus that requires user authentication is authenticated by various user authentication methods. These conventional user authentication methods have many advantages. However, there are some problems in the conventional user authentication method. For example, when user authentication is performed using a user account and a password, the user account and password must be input from the input terminal every time the machine is operated. Since user accounts and passwords consist of relatively long character strings, it is complicated to input them every time. Also, there is a risk that the password will be stolen when entering from the input terminal. On the other hand, if user authentication is performed by an ID card as in the method described in Patent Document 1, there is no complexity of user authentication and there is no problem such as password leakage. However, there are other problems. Specifically, there is a problem when the ID card is lost or stolen. In an apparatus that performs user authentication using an ID card, it is necessary to register the ID card in advance in the controller of the machine. When an ID card is lost or stolen, it is necessary to delete the registration from the controller so that the ID card cannot be used, and issue a new ID card to register it with the controller. By the way, generally, such work in the controller is permitted only to the user with the highest operation authority level. That is, every time an ID card is lost or stolen, a user with such a high operational authority level must work. In other words, management is difficult.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a user authentication method that solves the above-described conventional problems or problems. Specifically, in an apparatus that requires user authentication, an operation required for user authentication is performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a user authentication method that is simple and easy to manage, and an injection molding machine equipped with such a user authentication method.

  In the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the user authentication method includes first and second processes. The first process is an authentication key registration process that is performed in response to a request from an operator in a state where the apparatus is user-authenticated and the USB memory is inserted. This process reads the serial number of the USB memory, concatenates the serial number, the user account under user authentication, and the password to obtain concatenated data, encrypts this to obtain an authentication key, and writes it into the USB memory. The second process is a USB authentication process that is performed when a USB memory is inserted while the apparatus is logged out. In this process, the authentication key is read from the USB memory and decrypted to obtain the concatenated data, and the serial number, user account, and password are obtained. Then, if this serial number matches the serial number of the USB memory being inserted, the user authentication is performed with the user account and password obtained.

That is, the invention described in claim 1 is a user authentication method in a predetermined apparatus that includes a USB interface into which a USB memory is inserted and requires user authentication using a user account and a password in order to achieve the above object. The user authentication method includes an authentication key registration process that is performed in response to an operator's request in a state where the device is user-authenticated and a USB memory is inserted, and in a state where the device is logged out. A USB authentication process for detecting and inserting the memory when the memory is inserted, wherein the authentication key registration process reads the serial number of the USB memory from the USB memory, and the serial number and the user account during user authentication And a password are concatenated to generate one piece of concatenated data, and the concatenated data is encrypted and an authentication key is created. And writing the authentication key in the USB memory, the USB authentication process reads the authentication key if it is in the inserted USB memory and decrypts it to obtain the concatenated data. It consists of a process of obtaining a production number, a user account, and a password from the data, and authenticating the user with the obtained user account and password when the obtained production number matches the production number of the USB memory being inserted. It is comprised as a user authentication method characterized by this.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the user authentication method according to the first aspect, the concatenated data generated in the authentication key registration process includes a serial number of the device, and the USB authentication process includes the A user authentication method is characterized in that user authentication is stopped when the serial number obtained from the concatenated data does not match the serial number of the device.
The invention according to claim 3 is configured as an injection molding machine characterized by being authenticated by the user authentication method according to claim 1 or 2.

  As described above, the present invention is configured as a user authentication method in a predetermined apparatus that includes a USB interface into which a USB memory is inserted and requires user authentication using a user account and a password. The user authentication method includes an authentication key registration process performed in response to an operator request in a state where the device is user-authenticated and a USB memory is inserted, and a USB memory is inserted while the device is logged out. And USB authentication processing for detecting and inserting the insertion. The authentication key registration process reads the USB memory serial number from the USB memory, concatenates the serial number, the user account being authenticated, and the password to generate one concatenated data, and encrypts the concatenated data. This process consists of obtaining an authentication key and writing the authentication key in the USB memory. That is, the authentication key including information necessary for user authentication is written in the USB memory. Then, the USB authentication process is performed by reading the authentication key in the inserted USB memory and decrypting it to obtain the concatenated data, and obtaining the serial number, the user account, and the password from the concatenated data. When the manufacturing number matches the manufacturing number of the USB memory being inserted, the process consists of user authentication using the obtained user account and password. That is, it is possible to automatically receive user authentication simply by inserting a USB memory that has been subjected to authentication key registration processing. Therefore, user authentication is simple and not complicated. The user authentication method of the present invention is sufficiently secured by the following two features. The first feature is that the authentication key is obtained by encrypting the concatenated data. In other words, it is difficult to decipher the contents. The second feature is that user authentication is not performed unless the serial number included in the concatenated data matches the serial number of the USB memory. In other words, even if the authentication key stored in the USB memory is illegally copied to another USB memory by a third party, the serial number of the USB memory does not match the serial number read from the concatenated data. I can't. The user authentication method of the present invention can easily manage users even when the USB memory is stolen or lost, and security is maintained. Specifically, the operator who has lost the USB memory may change the password after receiving user authentication in the target device. Then, even if a stolen or lost USB memory is inserted into the device by a third party, the user authentication is not received because the password stored in the USB memory is old. In other words, it is not necessary to request a user management from an operator with a high operation authority, and security is ensured only by each user changing his / her own password.

  According to another invention, the serial number of the device is also included in the concatenated data generated in the authentication key registration process, and the user authentication is performed when the serial number obtained from the concatenated data does not match the serial number of the device in the USB authentication process. Is configured to abort. For example, an operator who receives user authentication for a plurality of devices with the same user account and password desires to receive user authentication by inserting a USB memory only for a specific device. There is a case. Since the present invention checks the serial number of the device in user authentication, it can cope with such a case.

It is a block diagram which shows typically the data of the injection molding machine which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and USB memory. It is a flowchart which shows an authentication key registration process among the user authentication methods which concern on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows a USB authentication process among the user authentication methods which concern on embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The user authentication method according to the present embodiment can be implemented in various apparatuses, and an apparatus to which this user authentication method is most suitable is an injection molding machine. The injection molding machine 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The injection molding machine 1 is composed of various devices such as a mold clamping device for clamping a mold and an injection device for injecting an injection material into the mold in the same manner as a conventional injection molding machine, and a controller for controlling these devices. Is provided. As shown in FIG. 1, the controller of the injection molding machine 1 according to the present embodiment is also provided with a memory area 2, and an account management file 3 for user authentication is provided in the memory area 2. Yes. The account management file 3 stores user accounts and passwords of a plurality of operators, and operation authority levels that define the range that can be operated for each operator. Like the conventional account management file, the password is stored as an encrypted character string so that the password is not leaked even when the contents of the file are viewed.

  Although not shown in FIG. 1, the controller of the injection molding machine 1 is provided with a USB interface so that a general USB memory 5 can be inserted. Incidentally, the USB memory 5 is a medium that is compliant with the USB mass storage class, which is the USB standard, and is capable of recording data in the built-in flash memory 6. When the USB memory 5 is inserted and recognized by the OS, most of the flash memory 6 is an area that can be accessed as a file system, but there is also a protected area 6a that cannot be used as a file system. A production number 8 which is a unique number assigned to each product is stored in the protection area 6a. Depending on the type of USB memory, the serial number 8 may be stored in another hardware different from the flash memory 6. As described above, the serial number 8 is stored in an area inaccessible as a file system, but can be read by a special API.

  In the user authentication method according to the present embodiment, if there is a predetermined USB memory 5 capable of user authentication, the user authentication is automatically performed only by inserting the USB memory 5. First, a process for creating the USB memory 5 capable of user authentication as preparation, that is, an authentication key registration process will be described. First, in accordance with a normal procedure, user authentication is received at the controller of the injection molding machine 1. That is, the operator receives a user authentication by inputting a user account and a password from the input terminal of the controller. When user authentication is received, the USB memory 5 is inserted into the controller. The USB memory 5 may be a general USB memory. Next, the operator makes a predetermined request in the user authenticated controller. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the controller accepts an authentication key registration request (step S1). The controller checks whether or not the USB memory 5 is present (step S2), and if the USB memory 5 is not inserted, displays a warning to that effect and returns to the first process. If the USB memory 5 is inserted, the controller reads the manufacturing number 8 from the USB memory 5 (step S3). The controller then prompts for a user account and password on the monitor. The operator inputs the user account and password, and the controller reads them (step S4). The controller generates the concatenated data by concatenating the serial number 8 and the read user account and password. The concatenated data may be generated in any format, for example, as a character string. When generating as a character string, for example, the manufacturing number is a fixed-length character string of 20 characters, the user account is followed by the manufacturing number as a fixed-length character string of 10 characters, and the password is fixed-length of 10 characters. Continue to the user account as a character string, and fill any blanks that are less than the fixed length with spaces. In this way, concatenated data is generated based on a predetermined rule. Next, the controller encrypts the concatenated data using a predetermined encryption algorithm, and uses the encrypted data as an authentication key (step S5). As the encryption algorithm, for example, a common key encryption method such as DES, FEAL, IDEA, AES, or the like can be adopted, or another encryption method can be adopted, but at least it can be decrypted. Next, the controller creates an authentication key file 10 with a predetermined file name in the USB memory 5, and writes the created authentication key into the authentication key file 10 (step S6). If the authentication key file 10 already exists in the USB memory 5, the authentication key created this time is added after the other authentication keys already written in this file. The controller ends the authentication key registration process. The operator removes the USB memory 5 by a normal procedure and logs out as necessary.

  Next, USB authentication processing that is a user authentication method according to the present embodiment will be described. When the operator logs out from the controller, the controller is in a state of accepting an input for user authentication from the operator as shown in step S11 of FIG. For example, in this state, when the operator inputs a user account and a password from the input terminal of the controller, the controller reads the user account and the password (step S12) and performs user authentication (step S13). It is the same as authentication. In the injection molding machine 1 according to the present embodiment, when the USB memory 5 is inserted into the controller in a state where the user is logged out and an input for user authentication from the operator is accepted (step S11), the insertion is performed. The USB authentication process is automatically executed as a trigger. In the USB authentication process, first, it is checked whether or not the authentication key file 10 exists in the USB memory 5 (step S14). If there is no authentication key file 10, the process returns to step S11. If the authentication key file 10 exists, the authentication key stored in it is read (step S15). The authentication key is decrypted by the decryption algorithm to obtain concatenated data. The serial number, user account, and password stored in the concatenated data are extracted (step S16). The controller reads the manufacturing number from the inserted USB memory 5, and checks whether or not this manufacturing number matches the manufacturing number obtained from the concatenated data (step S17). If the serial numbers do not match, it is determined that the authentication key file 10 stored in the USB memory 5 is an illegal file, a warning is issued, and the process returns to step S11. If the serial numbers match, user authentication (step S13) is received with the account and password extracted from the concatenated data. If the user authentication is successful, the operator can subsequently execute a desired operation (step S18). When all desired operations are completed, the USB memory 5 is removed. The controller detects the removal and automatically logs out (step S19). On the other hand, if the user authentication fails in step S13, the controller returns to step S11. However, if a plurality of authentication keys are registered in the authentication key file 10, the process returns to step 15 to read the next authentication key, and the same processing is performed thereafter. If user authentication (step S13) is not successful even if the same processing is performed for all authentication keys, the process returns to step S11.

  The user authentication method according to the present embodiment can be variously modified. For example, in the above description, the connection data is generated only from the serial number 5 of the USB memory, the user account, and the password. However, the serial number of the controller may be added to the concatenated data. For example, the CPU of the controller has a unique CPU number, which can be adopted as the serial number. When the serial number of the controller is also added to the concatenated data in this way, the serial number extracted from the concatenated data is compared with the serial number of the controller after step S17 in FIG. 3 described above. If the serial numbers do not match, user authentication is not permitted. In this way, even if the user account and the password match, user authentication is not permitted in an injection molding machine that has not executed the authentication key registration process, and security is improved.

  Other variations are possible. For example, in the authentication key registration process, the controller has been described so as to prompt the operator to input a user account and a password in step S4 shown in FIG. However, the controller recognizes the user account that is currently authenticated without prompting the operator for these inputs. The account management file 3 also stores a password although it is encrypted. Therefore, in step S5, the controller may generate concatenated data from the serial number of the USB memory 5, the user account, and the encrypted password, and encrypt this to create an authentication key. In this case, since the password obtained from the concatenated data in the USB authentication process is an encrypted password, the controller compares it with the encrypted password stored in the account management file 3. . If the encrypted password matches, the user is authenticated. Other variations are possible, and the logout method can also be modified. In the above description of the USB authentication process, the logout is performed by removing the USB memory 5 from the controller. However, the logout may be executed by a conventional logout operation on the controller. In this way, user authentication is not canceled even if the USB memory 5 is removed.

1 Injection molding machine 2 Memory area 3 Account management file 5 USB memory 8 Serial number 10 Authentication key file

Claims (3)

A user authentication method in a predetermined apparatus that includes a USB interface into which a USB memory is inserted and requires user authentication with a user account and a password,
The user authentication method includes an authentication key registration process performed in response to an operator's request in a state where the device is user-authenticated and a USB memory is inserted, and the USB memory is connected while the device is logged out. A USB authentication process that detects and implements the insertion when inserted,
The authentication key registration process reads the USB memory serial number from the USB memory, concatenates the serial number, the user account being authenticated, and the password to generate one concatenated data, and encrypts the concatenated data To obtain an authentication key and write the authentication key into the USB memory,
The USB authentication process is obtained by reading the authentication key in the inserted USB memory and decrypting it to obtain the concatenated data, obtaining the serial number, user account and password from the concatenated data. A user authentication method comprising a process of authenticating a user with the obtained user account and password when the production number matches the production number of the USB memory being inserted.   The user authentication method according to claim 1, wherein the concatenated data generated in the authentication key registration process includes a serial number of the device, and the serial number obtained from the concatenated data in the USB authentication process is A user authentication method, wherein user authentication is stopped when the serial number of the device does not match.   An injection molding machine that is authenticated by the user authentication method according to claim 1.

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