JP5514491B2 - Electronic device and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device and a program that require a user to input authentication information when using the device, and permit use of the device when the input information by the user matches pre-registered authentication information.

  In recent years, as a countermeasure against corporate scandals, the so-called Japanese version of the SOX Act has been established, and companies are demanding stronger internal controls. For example, listed companies are required to disclose information related to internal controls (business procedures, etc.) in response to information disclosure requests from auditors, etc., so it is necessary to record these in detail and prepare for information disclosure requests. is there.

As a method for strengthening internal control, a method for improving information security is known.
For example, in Patent Document 1, when a business procedure is recorded using a workflow system, an application work and an approval work that occur in a business are defined as a workflow. Patent Document 1 proposes an electronic document management system in which a work procedure (history) is stored on a system by transmitting an application document or performing an approval operation along this workflow.

Here, for example, an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) has an authentication function, and the administrator needs to manage an authentication method when using the device. In addition, the MFP can set the usage authority for each individual, job title, and department, and allow the use of the device within the scope of the given authority according to the individual, job title, department, etc. specified by the authentication. .
Specifically, when using the device, the user is requested to input authentication information such as a login name, login ID, and password, and when the input information matches the pre-registered authentication information, The use of equipment within the range is allowed.

JP 2007-179251 A

However, in the above-described authentication method using a login name, login ID, password, etc., if such authentication information is leaked to others, the electronic device can be used without limitation after that, and there is a possibility that enormous damage may occur. There is.
As a method of preventing such damage, there is a method of adopting fingerprint authentication with high security. However, such an authentication system is expensive. Even in the same company, the required security level differs depending on the department, so it was difficult to introduce it uniformly.
Conventionally, every time the authentication system is changed, it is troublesome for the user because it takes time to modify or update the document of the authentication method for information disclosure.

The present invention has been considered in view of the above circumstances, and even if authentication information leaks to others, unauthorized use of the device can be effectively prevented, and internal control can be strengthened. And to provide a program.
In addition, the present invention provides an electronic device and a program that can change an authentication method without changing authentication information such as a password, and can smoothly respond to an information disclosure request for the authentication method. For other purposes.

  In order to achieve the above object, an electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes a service providing unit, a storage unit, an operation unit, an analysis unit, and an authentication unit. Here, when the input information matches the authentication information registered in advance, the electronic device is permitted to use the device, and the plurality of input information matches the plurality of authentication information registered in advance. In addition, when the input order of the plurality of pieces of input information matches a pre-registered authentication order, an authentication unit that permits use of the electronic device is provided.

  The program of the present invention is configured to cause an electronic device to function as an analysis unit and an authentication unit. Here, the analysis unit collates the input information provided from the operation unit with the authentication information stored in the storage unit, the input order of the input information, and the authentication order stored in the storage unit. The authentication means permits the user to use a predetermined service when each of the input information matches one of the authentication information and the input order of the input information matches the authentication order as a result of the verification. .

As described above, according to the present invention, even if authentication information leaks to others, unauthorized use of devices can be effectively prevented, and internal controls can be strengthened.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device and a program that can change an authentication method without changing authentication information such as a password.
In addition, it is possible to quickly respond to a request for disclosure of an authentication procedure.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the electronic device which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the authentication operation screen of the electronic device which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the authentication order data registered into the electronic device which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the authentication procedure document which the electronic device which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention outputs. It is a flowchart which shows the authentication order registration process of the electronic device which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the authentication process of the electronic device which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the authentication procedure document output process of the electronic device which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the electronic device which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the authentication order registration process of the electronic device which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the authentication procedure setting screen (category selection screen) of the electronic device which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the authentication procedure setting screen (basic screen) of the electronic device which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the authentication procedure setting screen (correction screen) of the electronic device which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the authentication procedure setting screen (addition screen) of the electronic device which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of an image forming system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an authentication operation screen of the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of authentication order data registered in the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an authentication procedure document output by the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing.
The electronic device according to the present embodiment is configured to require the user to input authentication information when using the electronic device, and permit the use when the input information by the user matches the authentication information registered in advance.
The electronic device 1 is an MFP having multiple functions such as a copying machine, a printer, a scanner, and a facsimile. In the authentication operation screen as shown in FIG. 2, use is permitted by inputting authentication information registered in advance.
Note that the authentication information can be input from the host computer 2 that is communicably connected to the electronic device 1 without directly performing the authentication operation screen of the electronic device 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment includes an analysis unit 11, an authentication unit 12, an authentication order registration unit 13, an authentication procedure manual as a functional configuration realized by the cooperation of a program and a computer. In addition to the output unit 14 and the like, the configuration realized by hardware includes a storage unit 15, an operation panel (operation unit) 16, a service providing unit 17, and the like.
The electronic device 1 includes a computer configured with control elements such as a CPU (Central Process Unit) and a chip set, ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The CPU is an arithmetic processing device that executes a program. The ROM is a non-volatile memory that stores programs and data in advance. The RAM is a memory that temporarily stores the program and data when the program is executed and uses it as a work area.
By executing the program, the electronic device 1 configures the analysis unit 11, the authentication unit 12, the authentication order registration unit 13, and the authentication procedure manual output unit 14 as functional blocks in the CPU.
The storage unit 15 is a readable / writable nonvolatile memory such as a hard disk. The storage unit 15 stores the authentication information registered by the authentication order registration unit 13 and the authentication order of the authentication information.
The operation panel 16 is an input device in which a liquid crystal display is superimposed on a transparent touch panel. Here, the liquid crystal display displays an authentication operation screen, an authentication procedure setting screen, other operation screens, a screen for notifying the user of the status and operation results of the electronic device 1, and the like. The touch panel detects a contact operation by the user. The operation panel 16 accepts an input operation detected by the touch panel, and provides input information corresponding to the input operation to the analysis unit.
The service providing unit 17 provides the user with a print service, a copy service, a scan service, and a facsimile service. The service providing unit 17 includes a print engine, a scanner device, and a facsimile device, and provides various services by operating these hardware elements. In particular, in the print service, the service providing unit 17 executes print processing of print data and authentication procedure manual data, and prints an image based on these data on a sheet.
The electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a document reading unit, a paper feeding unit, a paper discharge unit, and the like as a basic configuration of the MFP. Since these configurations are conventional, the illustration and description are omitted. Omitted.

Next, each functional block constituting the electronic device 1 will be described.
The analysis unit 11 analyzes the authentication order data received from the host computer 2, the authentication procedure manual output instruction, and the like, and also analyzes the input information provided from the operation panel 16. The analysis unit 11 analyzes the authentication order data and provides the authentication order data to the authentication order registration unit 13 if it can be registered as the authentication information and the authentication order of the authentication information. The analysis unit 11 analyzes the authentication procedure manual output instruction, extracts the description information of the authentication procedure manual from the storage unit 15, and provides it to the authentication procedure manual output unit 14. The analysis unit 11 collates the input information provided from the operation panel 16 with the authentication information stored in the storage unit 15, the input order of the input information, and the authentication order stored in the storage unit 15. This is provided to the authentication means 12 .

  The authentication means 12 authenticates the user when using the device, and permits the use of the device within the range of authority given to the user. In the present embodiment, the authentication unit 12 requests the user to input a plurality of pieces of authentication information, and provides the user with a plurality of pieces of input information to the analysis unit 11. As a result of the collation by the analysis unit 11, the authentication unit 12 determines that each of the input information matches one of the plurality of authentication information, and when the input order of the plurality of input information matches the authentication order, the service providing unit 17 Allow use.

For example, an authentication sequence for authenticating a user with three authentication information of login name, login ID, and password and these three authentication information in the order of “password-login name-login ID” is registered in the storage unit 15. Suppose that it is remembered. The authentication unit 12 displays a screen prompting the user to input a login name, a login ID, and a password via the operation panel 16. If the login name, login ID, and password entered by the user from the operation panel 16 match the pre-registered authentication information, and the input order is "password-login name-login ID", authentication is performed. The means 12 permits the use of the service providing unit 17.
Conversely, even if the input login name, login ID, and password match the pre-registered authentication information, the input order is not “password-login name-login ID” but “login name-login ID”. -Password "," Login name-Password-Login ID "," Login ID-Login name-Password "," Login ID-Password-Login name "or" Password-Login ID-Login name " The means 12 does not permit the use of the service providing unit 17. If any one of the input login name, login ID, and password does not match the authentication information, the authentication unit 12 does not permit the use of the service providing apparatus.

According to such an authentication means 12, even if authentication information such as a login name, login ID, and password is leaked, the authentication order is information that only the user can know, so that unauthorized use of the device is effectively prevented. can do.
Further, since the authentication method changes according to the authentication order, the authentication method can be easily changed without changing authentication information such as a password, and there is an advantage that the security is further improved.

  The authentication order registration unit 13 newly registers or overwrites the authentication information and the authentication order of the authentication information according to the authentication order data received from the host computer 2. Here, it is assumed that the authentication order data is provided by the analysis unit 11. As shown in FIG. 3, the authentication order data is data such as CSV format (comma separated data format). The authentication order data includes an authentication information definition part that defines the type of authentication information used for user authentication (see FIG. 3A), the authentication information type that is actually required for authentication, and an authentication order that sets the authentication order. A setting part (see FIG. 3B) is included.

  The authentication information definition part of the authentication order data includes an identification symbol (hereinafter referred to as “authentication information ID”, referred to in the upper part of FIG. 3A) attached to each authentication information, and a display name indicating each authentication information. (See the lower part of FIG. 3 (a)). For example, in the authentication order data shown in FIG. 3 (a), a login name, a login ID, and an IC card are used as authentication information used for user authentication. “LOGIN_NAME”, “LOGIN_ID”, and “ID_CARD” are defined as authentication information IDs corresponding to the authentication information. In the authentication order data shown in FIG. 3A, the login name, the login ID, and the IC card correspond to “LOGIN_NAME”, “LOGIN_ID”, and “ID_CARD”, respectively.

  The authentication order setting part of the authentication order data includes a numerical value indicating the authentication order of each authentication information (see the upper part of FIG. 3B) and an authentication information ID (see the lower part of FIG. 3B). In the authentication order data shown in FIG. 3 composed of a combination, “LOGIN_NAME-LOGIN_ID” is set as the authentication order of the user “Taro Suzuki”. As described above, since “LOGIN_NAME” and “LOGIN_ID” correspond to the login name and the login ID, respectively, the authentication order “login name−login ID” is set. Since the login name and login ID of the user “Taro Suzuki” are registered and stored in advance in the storage unit 15 of the electronic device 1, the above authentication order is changed during the authentication operation of the user “Taro Suzuki”. Will be referenced.

According to such an authentication order registration means 13, by transmitting authentication order data from the host computer 2 to the electronic device 1, it becomes possible to easily register the authentication order described above.
The authority to register the authentication order can be given to individuals, titles, departments, etc., and the unauthorized use of the electronic device 1 can be effectively prevented by appropriately changing the authentication order for each person, title, department. be able to.
The authentication order to be registered is preferably different from the order in which various authentication information input fields are arranged on the authentication operation screen. In this way, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the authentication order coincides by chance.
Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, since an authentication information entry field (for example, an IC card) unnecessary or pseudo for authentication is also displayed, it becomes more difficult for others to decipher the authentication order. ing.

The authentication procedure manual output unit 14 outputs (prints) an authentication procedure document including the above-described authentication order in accordance with the description information of the authentication procedure document provided from the analysis unit 11.
For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the authentication procedure manual is given to the login name, the part describing the login name, the part describing the authentication order (login order) registered in association with the login name, and the login name. And a part that describes authority.

In the authentication procedure shown in FIG. 4, “Taro Suzuki” is described as a login name, an input order “login name−login ID” is described as an authentication order registered in association with the login name, and As the authority given to the login name, “AAA” and “BBB” are described.
“AAA” and “BBB” shown in the figure are identification names of operation authority. For example, if the electronic device 1 is an MFP, copy authority, facsimile operation authority, scan authority, and the like are applicable.

  According to such an authentication procedure document output means 14, when it is necessary to disclose the authentication sequence of the electronic device 1 to a third party based on the SOX method, the authentication procedure document is output from the host computer 2 to the electronic device 1. It is possible to output an authentication procedure document including an authentication order simply by sending an instruction.

  Next, an authentication sequence registration process, an authentication process, and an authentication procedure document output process of the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. However, it is assumed that the processes shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 are in a login state.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing authentication order registration processing of the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in this figure, when a new authentication order is registered in the electronic device 1 or when an already registered authentication order is changed (overwrite registration), the electronic device 1 transfers data from the host computer 2. Receive (S11).
The analysis unit 11 determines whether the received data is authentication order data (S12).
Here, if it is determined that the received data is not the authentication order data (S12: NO), the analysis unit 11 deletes the received data (S13).
On the other hand, if it is determined that the received data is authentication order data (S12: YES), the analysis unit 11 analyzes the authentication order data (S14).

In the analysis process, the analysis unit 11 extracts the authentication order data format determination (CSV format, text format, unique format, etc.), authentication information ID, authentication information, and authentication order (for example, in the case of CSV format, as shown in FIG. 3). Read the data contents for each comma delimiter).
When the analysis process ends, the analysis unit 11 determines whether or not the authentication order data is data that can be registered as the authentication order (S15). For example, the analysis unit 11 widely checks various criteria such as whether or not the limit number of characters is exceeded, whether or not prohibited characters are used, and whether or not login IDs are duplicated.
If it is determined that the authentication order data is not data that can be registered as the authentication information and the authentication order of the authentication information (S15: NO), the analysis unit 11 deletes the authentication order data (S13).
On the other hand, if it is determined that the authentication order data is data that can be registered as the authentication information and the authentication order of the authentication information (S15: YES), the analysis unit 11 provides the authentication order data to the authentication order registration unit 13. The authentication order registration unit 13 stores the authentication order data provided from the analysis unit 11 in the storage unit 15 (S16). As a result, the authentication order is newly registered or overwritten.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an authentication process of the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 6, when performing user authentication when using the device, the operation panel 16 displays an authentication operation screen (login screen) as shown in FIG. 2 (S21).
Next, the analysis unit 11 reads the authentication order data registered by the above-described authentication order registration process from the storage unit 15 and stored in the storage unit 15 (S22).

Next, a user input operation on the authentication operation screen is determined. For example, on the authentication operation screen shown in FIG. 2, a login name input operation, a login ID input operation, an IC card reading execution operation, a login execution operation, and the like are possible, and these operations are determined.
In the flowchart shown in FIG. 6, the authentication order data shown in FIG. 3 is registered and stored in the storage unit 15, and after a login name input operation, there is a login ID input operation, followed by a login execution operation. Is assumed.

Here, if a login name is input on the authentication operation screen on the operation panel 16 (S23), the analysis unit 11 searches for authentication information of the user who has set the login name first in the authentication order (S24). ). Further, the analysis unit 11 stores the input login name and that the input order of the login name is first on the work area (S25).
Next, if the login ID is input on the authentication operation screen on the operation panel 16 (S26), the analysis unit 11 indicates that the input order of the input login ID and the login ID is second on the work area. (S27).

Thereafter, when a login execution operation is performed on the authentication operation screen on the operation panel 16 (S28), the analysis unit 11 stores the input information (login name and login ID) stored in the work area of the storage unit 15 and the storage unit. 15, the authentication information (login name and login ID), the input order of the input information (login name-login ID order), and the authentication order (login name-login ID order) are collated. The authentication unit 12 receives the result of the collation by the analysis unit, and determines whether or not a series of authentication operations has been performed based on a previously registered authentication order (S29).
Specifically, the authentication unit 12 includes an authentication order in which each of the plurality of pieces of input information by the user matches the plurality of pieces of authentication information registered in advance, and the input order of the plurality of pieces of input information is registered in advance. The authentication unit 12 determines whether or not they match.
If it is determined that a series of authentication operations have been processed based on a pre-registered authentication order (S29: YES), a login process (S30) is executed and use of the service providing unit 17 is permitted.
On the other hand, if it is not determined that a series of authentication operations has been processed based on the previously registered authentication order (S29: NO), the login process is not executed and the authentication operation screen is returned to the initial state (S21). Specifically, when the login name and / or login ID input as the input information is different from the authentication information, when the IC card is read, or when the login ID is input in the order of login ID, the login is performed. Processing is not performed.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing authentication procedure manual output processing of the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in this figure, when outputting the authentication procedure manual, the electronic device 1 receives an authentication procedure manual output instruction from the host computer 2 (S41).
The authentication unit 12 determines whether or not the currently logged-in user is a user having the authority to output the authentication procedure manual (S42).
As a result, if it is determined that there is no authority (S42: NO), the process ends as unprocessed (S43).
On the other hand, if it is determined that there is an authority (S42: YES), the analysis unit 11 executes an analysis process of the authentication procedure document output instruction (S44).

Next, the analysis unit 11 extracts the description information of the authentication procedure manual from the storage unit 15 (S45). For example, when outputting the authentication procedure document shown in FIG. 4, the login name, the authentication order registered in association with the login name, and the authority given to the login name are extracted as description information. The analysis unit 11 provides the extracted description information to the authentication procedure manual output unit 14.
The authentication procedure manual output unit 14 generates print data of the authentication procedure document based on the description information provided from the analysis unit 11 and provides the print data to the printing unit 17. The printing unit 17 prints the authentication procedure document based on the print data of the authentication procedure document provided from the authentication procedure document output means 14 (S46), and the series of processes related to the authentication procedure document output ends.

As described above, according to the electronic device 1 of the present embodiment, even if authentication information such as a login name, login ID, and password is leaked to others, unauthorized use of the device can be effectively prevented. .
Further, since the authentication method changes according to the authentication order, there is an advantage that the authentication method can be easily changed without changing authentication information such as a password.

Further, the authentication order can be easily registered by simply transmitting the authentication order data from the host computer 2 to the electronic device 1.
The authority to register this authentication order can be given to individuals, titles, departments, etc., and the unauthorized use of the electronic device 1 can be effectively prevented by appropriately changing the authentication order for each person, title, department. Can do.

  Furthermore, according to the electronic device 1 of this embodiment, when it is necessary to disclose the authentication order of the electronic device 1 to a third party based on the SOX method, the authentication procedure document is output from the host computer 2 to the electronic device 1. By simply sending an instruction, an authentication procedure manual including the authentication order can be easily output.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, an electronic apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. However, about the part which is common with the said embodiment, description of the said embodiment is used by attaching | subjecting the same code | symbol as the said embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in the figure, in the electronic apparatus 1B according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the authentication order registration unit 13B does not register the authentication order according to the authentication order data received from the host computer 2, The authentication order is registered according to the input information input from the operation panel 16.
Further, the authentication procedure manual output means 14B of the present embodiment does not output the authentication procedure manual in response to the authentication procedure manual output instruction received from the host computer 2, but responds to the input information input from the operation panel 16. The authentication procedure manual is output.
Hereinafter, differences from the above-described embodiment will be described based on the authentication order registration process.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing authentication order registration processing of the electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in this figure, when a new authentication order is registered in the electronic device 1 or when an already registered authentication order is changed (overwrite registration), an authentication procedure setting screen (see FIGS. 10 to 13) is displayed. It is displayed on the operation panel 16 (S51). The analysis unit 11 reads the authentication order definition data registered in advance from the storage unit 15 (S52).
Next, the analysis unit 11 determines a user input operation on the authentication procedure setting screen. Here, when the authentication order is corrected (S53), the authentication order registration unit 13B stores the corrected authentication order in the storage unit 15 (S54), and proceeds to the login process (S55).
Hereinafter, screen transitions related to correction of the authentication order will be described.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing an authentication procedure setting screen (category selection screen) for an electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is an authentication procedure setting screen for the electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an authentication procedure setting screen (correction screen) for an electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the second embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the authentication procedure setting screen (addition screen) of the said electronic device.
As shown in these drawings, the authentication procedure setting screen includes a category selection screen, a basic screen, a correction screen, an addition screen, and the like.

In the authentication procedure setting mode, the electronic device 1B first displays a category selection screen (see FIG. 10). On this screen, categories such as whole, group, and individual are displayed, and one of the categories can be selected.
For example, when an individual is selected, a screen for specifying an individual (not shown) is displayed, and the individual is specified here. For example, a list of registered login names is displayed, and a corresponding login name is selected from the list.

When the login name is specified, the screen moves to the basic screen (see FIG. 11). This screen displays the authentication order registered in association with the login name, and includes process selection buttons such as correction, addition, deletion, and procedure manual output, and a decision button for executing the selected process. Is displayed.
When the authentication order is not registered for the specified login name, the authentication order is not displayed, and a message indicating that the setting of the main body is followed is displayed.

For example, when a correction button is selected on the basic screen and the enter button is operated, the screen shifts to the correction screen (see FIG. 12). When an add button is selected and the enter button is operated, the add screen (see FIG. 13). If the delete button is selected and the enter button is operated, the screen moves to a delete screen (not shown).
Note that the deletion screen is not shown because it only selects and deletes the type of authentication information.
When the procedure manual output button is selected on this screen and the enter button is operated, an authentication procedure manual output instruction is sent to the authentication procedure manual output means 14B, and the authentication procedure manual is printed.

The correction screen shown in FIG. 12 displays selectable types of authentication information and a numerical value input unit for designating the input order of the selected authentication information as a numerical value. In other words, after selecting the type of authentication information for which the input order is to be corrected, by inputting the numerical value of the input order and operating the enter button, the input order of the authentication information, that is, the authentication order is corrected. .
Here, when the numerical value input on this screen overlaps with the input order of other authentication information, the input order input on this screen is given priority, and the input order of the overlapping authentication information is lowered. For example, when the authentication order is registered in the order of “login name−login ID”, when “login ID” is selected and a numerical value “1” is input, the input order of “login ID” is first. The input order of “login name” is changed to the second place.

In the additional screen shown in FIG. 13, the types of authentication information that can be selected are displayed, and a numerical value input unit for designating the input order of the selected authentication information as a numerical value is displayed. In other words, after selecting the type of authentication information you want to add, enter the numerical value of the input order, and operate the enter button, you can increase the types of authentication information required for login and set the input order. Can do.
When the numerical value entered on this screen overlaps with the input order of other authentication information, the input order entered on this screen is given priority as in the correction screen, and the input order of duplicate authentication information is It goes down. When the enter button is operated without entering a numerical value, the type of the selected authentication information is added at the end of the authentication order.

  According to the second embodiment configured as described above, the authentication order can be registered even when the host computer 2 is not connected or when the host computer 2 cannot be used.

  Further, according to the second embodiment, the authentication procedure manual can be output even in a situation where the host computer 2 is not connected or in a situation where the host computer 2 cannot be used.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.
For example, the present invention can be widely used not only for the MFP but also for other electronic devices having an authentication function.
Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the authentication method which used the login name and login ID as authentication information, not only this but other authentication information (for example, 2nd login name, 2nd user ID, etc.) is used. It can also be added to the authentication information.
In this case, since the variation of the authentication order further increases, the security can be further improved.

  The present invention relates to a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, and a multi-function machine that requests the user to input authentication information when using the device, and permits the use of the device when the input information by the user matches the pre-registered authentication information. It can be used in electronic devices and programs.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electronic device 2 Host computer 11 Analysis means 12 Authentication means 13 Authentication order registration means 14 Authentication procedure manual output means 15 Storage part 16 Operation panel 17 Service provision part

Claims (5)

A service providing unit for providing a predetermined service to the user;
A plurality of authentication information, and a storage unit for storing an authentication order of the authentication information;
An operation unit that accepts an input operation by a user and provides a plurality of input information according to the input operation to an analysis unit;
Analysis means for collating the input information and the authentication information provided from the operation unit, the input order of the input information, and the authentication order;
As a result of the collation, when each of the input information matches one of the authentication information, and when the input order of the input information matches the authentication order, an authentication unit that permits use of the service providing unit;
An authentication order registering means for registering the authentication order based on the input authentication order data and storing it in the storage unit;
The authentication order registration means includes:
The authentication order is registered based on the authentication order data input via a predetermined operation unit or the authentication order data received from the outside, and the authentication order is changed for each predetermined authority to be authenticated. And register ,
The authentication order data is:
An authentication information definition part that defines the type of the authentication information, and an authentication order setting part that sets the type of the authentication information necessary for the authentication and its authentication order,
The authentication information definition part consists of a combination of an identification symbol attached to each authentication information and a display name indicating each authentication information,
The electronic device is characterized in that the authentication order setting portion comprises a combination of a numerical value indicating the authentication order of each authentication information and the identification symbol . According to the input output instruction, the electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising an authentication procedures outputting means for outputting an authentication procedures that includes said authentication order. The authentication procedure manual output means includes:
The electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the authentication procedure manual is output in response to an output instruction input via the operation unit. The authentication procedure manual output means includes:
According to the output instruction received from the outside, according to claim 2 or 3 electronic apparatus according to output the authentication procedures. The electronic computer,
Input means provided from the operation unit and authentication information stored in the storage unit , analysis means for collating the input order of the input information and the authentication order stored in the storage unit ,
As a result of the collation, when each of the input information matches one of the authentication information, and when the input order of the input information matches the authentication order, an authentication unit that allows a user to use a predetermined service;
Based on the input authentication order data, the authentication order is registered and functioned as an authentication order registration means for storing in the storage unit,
The authentication order registration means;
The authentication order is registered based on the authentication order data input via a predetermined operation unit or the authentication order data received from the outside, and the authentication order is changed for each predetermined authority to be authenticated. And function to register ,
The authentication order data is:
An authentication information definition part that defines the type of the authentication information, and an authentication order setting part that sets the type of the authentication information necessary for the authentication and its authentication order,
The authentication information definition part consists of a combination of an identification symbol attached to each authentication information and a display name indicating each authentication information,
The authentication order setting part comprises a combination of a numerical value indicating the authentication order of each authentication information and the identification symbol .

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