JP4507649B2 - Driver management method, apparatus, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a driver management method, apparatus, and program, and more particularly, to a driver management method, apparatus, and program for managing device drivers of devices whose use is restricted.

  In recent years, with the widespread use of networks, various devices such as printers, facsimiles, and scanners are compatible with the network, and opportunities for a plurality of users to use these devices are increasing.

The device corresponding to the network has an advantage that it can be shared by a plurality of users, but on the other hand, there is a possibility that it can be used even by a user who wants to restrict the use in terms of management. For this reason, many technologies for restricting the use of devices have been proposed, and among these technologies, each user is set for each user using a ticket issued by a server that restricts printing. There is also a system that can perform printing within the limits (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-117737 A

  By the way, when the use of a device such as a printer is restricted, the user who cannot use the device accidentally installs the device driver for the device, or before the device use restriction is implemented, If a device driver of a device is installed and then the device is not registered as a user who can use the device, the device is connected to a terminal device such as a PC (personal computer) as a client unless the user uninstalls the device driver. The driver remains installed. In such a case, the user may perform an operation for using the device due to an error.

  In addition, some users may intentionally use a device whose use is intentionally restricted. In such a case, it is unnecessary if the device is an output device such as a printer. Data will be sent to the network.

  Therefore, it is not preferable that the user performs an operation for using a device that is erroneously or intentionally restricted in use.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a driver management method, apparatus, and program that prevent a user whose use of a device is restricted from performing an operation for using the device.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the invention of claim 1 is a driver management method for managing a device driver installed in a terminal device that uses a device connected to a network, wherein the user information acquisition means includes All of the user information indicating permitted users who are permitted to use is acquired, the using user acquiring unit acquires the using user information indicating the user who uses the terminal device from the terminal device, and the user information comparing unit acquires the user information. When the user information is not included in the user information, the driver deletion unit uninstalls the device driver of the device installed in the terminal device. And

  The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 1, the user information is registered in the device.

The invention of claim 3 is a driver management method in which a device connected to a network manages a device driver installed in a terminal device that uses the device, and the user information management means permits the use of the device. All of the user information indicating the authorized authorized users is specified, the user specifying means specifies the user of the terminal apparatus from the job received by the device from the terminal apparatus, and the user information comparing means is added to the user information from the job. It is determined whether or not user information indicating the specified user is included, and if the user information indicating the user specified from the job is not included in the user information as a result of the determination, It characterized by uninstalling the device driver for the device installed in the terminal device To.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the device driver is uninstalled by transmitting an uninstall command to the device driver.

The invention of claim 5 is a driver management apparatus that manages a device driver installed in a terminal device that uses a device connected to a network, and includes user information indicating an authorized user who is permitted to use the device. User information acquisition means for acquiring all of the above, user user acquisition means for acquiring user user information indicating a user who uses the terminal device from the terminal device, user information acquired by the user information acquisition means and the user usage As a result of comparison by the user information comparison unit that compares the user information acquired by the acquisition unit with the user information comparison unit, the user information does not include the user information of the user indicated by the user user information . Uninstall the device driver of the device installed in the terminal device Characterized by comprising a driver deletion means.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, the user information acquisition unit acquires user information registered in the device.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in a driver management apparatus that is disposed in a device connected to a network and manages a device driver installed in a terminal device that uses the device, permission to use the device is granted. User information management means for managing all user information indicating users, user specification means for specifying the user of the terminal device from a job received by the device from the terminal device , and user information managed by the user information management means to show the user information comparing means determines whether contains the user information, the user information comparison result of the determination by means of the user by the user identifying unit has identified that indicates the user that the user identification means has identified If the user information is not included in the user information, it is installed in the terminal device Characterized by comprising a driver deleting means for uninstalling a device driver of the device that.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to claim 7, wherein the driver deleting means transmits an uninstall instruction to the device driver to uninstall the device driver.

The invention of claim 9 is a driver management program for managing a device driver installed in a terminal device that uses a device connected to a network, wherein the user information indicates an authorized user who is permitted to use the device. User information acquisition processing for acquiring all of the above, user usage acquisition processing for acquiring user usage information indicating a user who uses the terminal device from the terminal device, user information acquired in the user information acquisition processing, and the user usage and user data comparing process for comparing the acquired use user information acquisition process, the user information comparison of the comparison by the processing result, wherein when the use user information is not included user information of the user indicating to the user information , Uninstall the device driver of the device installed in the terminal device Characterized in that to execute the Rusuru driver deletion process on the computer.

  The invention of claim 10 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 9, the user information acquisition processing acquires user information registered in the device.

  The invention according to an eleventh aspect is the invention according to the ninth aspect, wherein the program for executing the user information acquisition process, the use user acquisition process, the user information comparison process, and the driver deletion process is executed by the terminal device in the device. It is a part of a program for operating a driver.

The invention of claim 12 is a driver management program for operating a computer included in a device connected to a network and managing a device driver installed in a terminal device using the device, wherein the use of the device is performed. A user information management process for managing all user information indicating authorized users , a user identification process for identifying a user of the terminal device from a job received by the device from the terminal device, and a user information management process. As a result of the determination by the user information comparison process for determining whether or not the user information indicating the user specified by the user identification process is included in the user information to be managed and the user information comparison process, the identification is performed by the user identification process. If the user information indicating the user who is not included in the user information, the A driver deletion process for uninstalling a device driver of the device installed on end device, characterized in that cause the computer to perform.

  According to a thirteenth aspect of the invention, in the twelfth aspect of the invention, the driver deletion process transmits an uninstall instruction to the device driver to uninstall the device driver.

  According to the present invention, when the user information of an authorized user who is permitted to use the device is acquired, and the user of the terminal device is not included in the acquired user information, the device of the device installed in the terminal device Since the configuration is such that the driver is uninstalled, the user does not operate the device that cannot be used by mistake, and the intentional unauthorized use of the device can also be prevented.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a driver management method and apparatus and a program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a network according to the first embodiment. As shown in the figure, in the network of the first embodiment, a plurality of terminal devices 1 (1-1 to 1-n) are connected to the device 2 via the network 4.

  The terminal device 1 is a computer such as a PC that operates as a client, and performs various processes using the device 2 in addition to various application software. However, when the use of the device 2 is restricted, the terminal device 1 cannot use the device 2 because the device driver of the device 2 is uninstalled by the process described later. The device 2 is a network device such as a printer, a fax machine, or a scanner.

  Here, device usage restrictions in the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the device driver 10 installed in the terminal device 1 and a functional configuration of the device 2.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the device driver 10 includes a user information acquisition unit 11, a user information comparison unit 12, and a deletion process execution unit 13. The device 2 includes a user information management unit 21 and a user information transmission unit 22.

  The user information acquisition unit 11 acquires user information indicating a use-permitted user of the device 2 from the device 2. The user information comparison unit 12 acquires user information of the terminal device 1 in which the device driver 10 is installed, and compares the user information acquired from the terminal device 1 with the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit 11. If the user information acquired from the terminal device 1 is not included in the user information acquired from the device 2 as a result of the comparison by the user information comparison unit 12, the deletion processing execution unit 13 unregisters the device driver 10 in the terminal device 1. Install it.

  The user information management unit 21 manages user information of users registered as use-permitted users of the device 2. The user information transmission unit 22 transmits user information managed by the user information management unit 21 to the device driver 10 in response to a request from the user information acquisition unit 11 of the device driver 10.

  The device 2 can be a conventionally used device as long as it can register use-permitted users.

  Next, device driver management processing in the configuration shown in FIG. 2 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of device driver management processing.

  When activated, the device driver 10 first transmits a user information acquisition request to the device 2 (step 101). When the device 2 responds to the acquisition request and the user information transmission unit 22 transmits user information (step 102), the user information acquisition unit 11 acquires the user information (step 103).

  Subsequently, the user information comparison unit 12 acquires user information of the terminal device 1 in which the device driver 10 is installed, and compares the user information acquired from the terminal device 1 with the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit 11. (Step 104). If the user information acquired from the terminal device 1 matches any of the user information acquired from the device 2 as a result of the comparison (YES in step 105), the device driver management process is terminated without performing any process. If the user information acquired from the terminal device 1 does not match any of the user information acquired from the device 2 (NO in step 105), the deletion processing execution unit 13 causes the terminal device 1 to uninstall the device driver 10 ( Step 106), the device driver management process is terminated.

  Next, Example 2 will be described. As in the case of the first embodiment, the network configuration in the second embodiment is as shown in FIG.

  Here, device usage restrictions in the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the device driver 210 installed in the terminal device corresponding to the terminal device 1 and a functional configuration of the device 202 corresponding to the device 2.

  As shown in the figure, the device driver 210 includes an instruction receiving unit 211 and an instruction execution unit 212. The device 202 includes a user information extraction unit 221, a user information management unit 222, a user information comparison unit 223, and a command transmission unit 224.

  The command receiving unit 211 receives a command transmitted from the device 202. The command execution unit 212 executes the command received by the command reception unit 211. Specifically, the command reception unit 211 receives a deletion command that instructs to uninstall the device driver 210, and the command execution unit 212 applies the device driver to the terminal device in which the device driver 210 is installed according to the deletion command. 210 is uninstalled.

  The user information extraction unit 221 extracts user information indicating the user of the terminal device in which the device driver 210 is installed from the job sent by the device driver 210. The user information management unit 222 manages user information of users registered as use-permitted users of the device 202. The user information comparison unit 223 compares the user information extracted by the user information extraction unit 221 with the user information managed by the user information management unit 222. If the user information extracted by the user information extraction unit 221 is not included in the user information managed by the user information management unit 222 as a result of the comparison by the user information comparison unit 222, the command transmission unit 224 Then, a deletion command for instructing uninstallation of the device driver 210 is transmitted.

  Next, device driver management processing in the configuration shown in FIG. 4 will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of device driver management processing.

  First, the device driver 210 generates a job. For example, if the device 202 is a printer, the device driver 210 generates a print job based on a print instruction from application software (not shown). When the generated job is transmitted to the device 202 (step 301), the user information extraction unit 221 of the device 202 extracts user information indicating the user of the terminal device in which the device driver 210 is installed from the job (step 302). ).

  Subsequently, the user information comparison unit 223 compares the user information extracted by the user information extraction unit 221 with the user information managed by the user information management unit 222 (step 303). As a result of the comparison, if the user information extracted by the user information extraction unit 221 matches any of the user information managed by the user information management unit 222 (YES in step 304), the device driver management process is performed without performing any process. Exit. At this time, since the device driver 210 does not receive the delete command (NO in step 306), the device driver 210 ends the device driver management processing without performing any processing.

  On the other hand, if the user information extracted by the user information extraction unit 221 does not match any of the user information managed by the user information management unit 222 (NO in step 304), the command transmission unit 224 instructs the device driver 210 to delete it. Is transmitted (step 305). When the command receiving unit 211 receives this deletion command (YES in step 306), the command execution unit 212 uninstalls the device driver 210 in the terminal device in which the device driver 210 is installed (step 307), The management process ends.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a network in the third embodiment. As shown in the figure, in the network of the third embodiment, a plurality of terminal devices 401 (401-1 to 401-n) are connected via a device 402, a management device 403, and a network 404.

  The terminal device 401 is a computer such as a PC that operates as a client, and performs various processes using the device 402 in addition to various application software. However, when the use of the device 402 is restricted, the terminal device 401 cannot use the device 402 because the device driver of the device 402 is uninstalled by the process described later.

  The device 402 is a network device such as a printer, a fax machine, or a scanner. As the device 402, a conventionally used device can be used as it is.

  The management device 403 is a computer such as a server and manages device drivers installed in the terminal device 401.

  Here, device usage restrictions in the third embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the device driver 410 installed in the terminal device 401 and a functional configuration of the management device 403.

  As shown in the figure, the device driver 410 includes a user information acquisition unit 411, a user information comparison unit 412, and a deletion process execution unit 413. The management apparatus 403 includes a user information management unit 431 and a user information transmission unit 432.

  The user information acquisition unit 411 acquires user information indicating users who are permitted to use the device 402 from the management apparatus 403. The user information comparison unit 412 acquires user information of the terminal device 401 in which the device driver 410 is installed, and compares the user information acquired from the terminal device 401 with the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit 411. If the user information acquired from the terminal device 401 is not included in the user information acquired from the management device 403 as a result of the comparison by the user information comparison unit 412, the deletion processing execution unit 413 sends the device driver 410 to the terminal device 401. Uninstall it.

  The user information management unit 431 manages user information of users registered as use-permitted users of the device 402. The user information transmission unit 432 transmits user information managed by the user information management unit 431 to the device driver 410 in response to a request from the user information acquisition unit 411 of the device driver 410.

  Next, device driver management processing in the configuration shown in FIG. 7 will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of device driver management processing.

  When activated, the device driver 410 first transmits a user information acquisition request to the management apparatus 403 (step 501). When the management apparatus 403 responds to the acquisition request and the user information transmission unit 432 transmits user information (step 502), the user information acquisition unit 411 acquires the user information (step 503).

  Subsequently, the user information comparison unit 412 acquires user information of the terminal device 401 in which the device driver 410 is installed, and compares the user information acquired from the terminal device 401 with the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit 411. (Step 504). If the user information acquired from the terminal device 401 matches any of the user information acquired from the management device 403 as a result of the comparison (YES in step 405), the device driver management processing ends without performing any processing. If the user information acquired from the terminal device 401 does not match any of the user information acquired from the management device 403 (NO in step 405), the deletion processing execution unit 413 uninstalls the device driver 410 in the terminal device 401. (Step 506), and the device driver management process is terminated.

  Next, Example 4 will be described. As in the case of the third embodiment, the network configuration in the fourth embodiment is as shown in FIG.

  Here, device usage restrictions in the fourth embodiment will be described. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the device driver 610 installed in the terminal device corresponding to the terminal device 401 and a functional configuration of the management device 603 corresponding to the management device 403.

  As shown in the figure, the device driver 610 includes an instruction receiving unit 611 and an instruction execution unit 612. The management device 603 includes a user information extraction unit 631, a user information management unit 632, a user information comparison unit 633, and a command transmission unit 634.

  The command receiving unit 611 receives a command transmitted from the management device 603. The command execution unit 612 executes the command received by the command reception unit 611. Specifically, the command receiving unit 611 receives a deletion command that instructs to uninstall the device driver 610, and the command execution unit 612 receives the device driver in the terminal device in which the device driver 610 is installed according to the deletion command. 610 is uninstalled.

  The user information extraction unit 631 monitors a job sent from the device driver 610 to the device 602, and extracts user information indicating a user of the terminal device in which the device driver 610 is installed. The user information management unit 632 manages user information of users registered as authorized users of the device 602. The user information comparison unit 633 compares the user information extracted by the user information extraction unit 631 with the user information managed by the user information management unit 632. If the user information extracted by the user information extraction unit 631 is not included in the user information managed by the user information management unit 632 as a result of the comparison by the user information comparison unit 632, the command transmission unit 634 sends a command to the device driver 610. Then, a deletion command for instructing the uninstallation of the device driver 610 is transmitted.

  Next, device driver management processing in the configuration shown in FIG. 9 will be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of device driver management processing.

  First, the device driver 610 generates a job. For example, if the device 602 is a printer, the device driver 610 generates a print job based on a print instruction from application software (not shown). When the generated job is transmitted to the device 602 (step 701), the user information extraction unit 631 of the management apparatus 603 monitors the job and provides user information indicating the user of the terminal apparatus in which the device driver 610 is installed. Extract (step 702).

  Subsequently, the user information comparison unit 633 compares the user information extracted by the user information extraction unit 631 with the user information managed by the user information management unit 632 (step 703). If the user information extracted by the user information extraction unit 631 matches any of the user information managed by the user information management unit 632 as a result of the comparison (YES in step 704), the device driver management process is performed without performing any process. Exit. At this time, since the device driver 610 does not receive the delete command (NO in step 706), the device driver 610 ends the device driver management process without performing any process.

  On the other hand, if the user information extracted by the user information extraction unit 631 does not match any of the user information managed by the user information management unit 632 (NO in step 704), the command transmission unit 634 sends a delete command to the device driver 610. Is transmitted (step 705). When the command receiving unit 611 receives this deletion command (YES in step 706), the command executing unit 612 uninstalls the device driver 610 from the terminal device in which the device driver 610 is installed (step 707), The management process ends.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a network in Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a device driver 10 installed in a terminal device 1 and a functional configuration of a device 2. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a device driver management process in the first embodiment. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a device driver 210 installed in a terminal device corresponding to the terminal device 1 and a functional configuration of a device 202 corresponding to the device 2. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of device driver management processing according to the second exemplary embodiment. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a network in Embodiment 3. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a device driver 410 installed in a terminal apparatus 401 and a functional configuration of a management apparatus 403. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of device driver management processing according to the third exemplary embodiment. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a device driver 610 installed in a terminal device corresponding to a terminal device 401 and a functional configuration of a management device 603 corresponding to a management device 403. FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of device driver management processing according to the fourth exemplary embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1-1 to 1-n Terminal device 2 Device 4 Network 10 Device driver 11 User information acquisition unit 12 User information comparison unit 13 Delete processing execution unit 21 User information management unit 22 User information transmission unit 202 Device 210 Device driver 211 Command reception unit 212 Command execution unit 221 User information extraction unit 222 User information management unit 223 User information comparison unit 224 Command transmission unit 401-1 to 401-n Terminal device 402 Device 403 Management device 404 Network 410 Device driver 411 User information acquisition unit 412 User information Comparison unit 413 Delete process execution unit 431 User information management unit 432 User information transmission unit 603 Management device 610 Device driver 611 Command reception unit 612 Command execution unit 631 User information extraction unit 632 User Broadcast management unit 633 user information comparing unit 634 the instruction transmission unit

Claims (13)

A driver management method for managing a device driver installed in a terminal device that uses a device connected to a network,
The user information acquisition unit acquires all user information indicating authorized users who are permitted to use the device, and the usage user acquisition unit acquires usage user information indicating a user who uses the terminal device from the terminal device, The device of the device in which the driver deletion means is installed in the terminal device when the user information comparison means compares the user information with the use user information and the use information is not included in the user information A driver management method comprising uninstalling a driver. The user information is
The driver management method according to claim 1, wherein the driver management method is registered in the device. A device management method in which a device connected to a network manages a device driver installed in a terminal device using the device,
The user information management unit manages all user information indicating authorized users who are permitted to use the device, and the user specifying unit specifies the user of the terminal device from the job received by the device from the terminal device. The information comparing means determines whether or not the user information indicating the user specified from the job is included in the user information, and as a result of the determination, the user information includes user information indicating the user specified from the job If not, the driver deletion unit uninstalls the device driver of the device installed in the terminal device . To uninstall the device driver,
4. The driver management method according to claim 3, wherein the driver management method is performed by transmitting an uninstall command to the device driver. A driver management device that manages a device driver installed in a terminal device that uses a device connected to a network,
User information acquisition means for acquiring all user information indicating authorized users permitted to use the device;
Use user acquisition means for acquiring use user information indicating a user who uses the terminal device from the terminal device;
User information comparison means for comparing the user information acquired by the user information acquisition means and the usage user information acquired by the usage user acquisition means;
The user information of the comparison by the comparison means result, wherein when the use user information is not included user information of the user indicating to the user information, uninstalling the device driver for the device installed in the terminal device A driver management apparatus comprising: a driver deletion unit. The user information acquisition means includes
6. The driver management apparatus according to claim 5, wherein user information registered in the device is acquired. In a driver management apparatus that manages a device driver installed in a terminal device that is disposed in a device connected to a network and uses the device,
User information management means for managing all user information indicating authorized users permitted to use the device;
User specifying means for specifying a user of the terminal device from a job received by the device from the terminal device ;
User information comparing means for determining whether or not the user information managed by the user information managing means includes user information indicating the user specified by the user specifying means;
As a result of the determination by the user information comparing means, if the user information indicating the user specified by the user specifying means is not included in the user information, the device driver of the device installed in the terminal device is uninstalled. And a driver deleting unit. The driver deleting means is
The driver management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein an uninstall command is transmitted to the device driver to uninstall the device driver. A driver management program for managing a device driver installed in a terminal device that uses a device connected to a network,
A user information acquisition process for acquiring all user information indicating authorized users permitted to use the device;
Use user acquisition processing for acquiring use user information indicating a user who uses the terminal device from the terminal device;
A user information comparison process for comparing the user information acquired in the user information acquisition process with the use user information acquired in the use user acquisition process;
Said user information comparison of the comparison by the processing result, wherein when the use user information is not included user information of the user indicating to the user information, uninstalling the device driver for the device installed in the terminal device A driver management program that causes a computer to execute driver deletion processing. The user information acquisition process includes:
The driver management program according to claim 9, wherein user information registered in the device is acquired. The program for executing the user information acquisition process, the use user acquisition process, the user information comparison process, and the driver deletion process is a part of a program for operating the device driver in the terminal device. Item 9. A driver management program according to Item 9. A driver management program for operating a computer included in a device connected to a network and managing a device driver installed in a terminal device using the device,
A user information management process for managing all user information indicating authorized users permitted to use the device;
A user specifying process for specifying a user of the terminal device from a job received by the device from the terminal device ;
A user information comparison process for determining whether or not the user information managed in the user information management process includes user information indicating the user identified in the user identification process;
As a result of the determination by the user information comparison process, when the user information indicating the user specified by the user specifying process is not included in the user information, the device driver of the device installed in the terminal device is uninstalled. driver management program that the driver deletion process is characterized by causing the computer to perform. The driver deletion process
13. The driver management program according to claim 12, wherein an uninstall instruction is transmitted to the device driver to cause the device driver to be uninstalled.

Images