JPH10341307A - Communication terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide communication terminal equipment which permits the access of operating data only to a center, where a transmitted password is matches with a preset password. SOLUTION: At a facsimile equipment F as this equipment, a storage means 5 stores a password 5a. When a 1st password is received from center equipment C, C1 and C2 and the password 5a in the storage means 5 is in an initial state, a control means 1 reloads this password 5a into 1st password. On the other hand, when the password 5a in the storage means 5 is the 1st password, the access of operating data 5b is enabled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a communication terminal device capable of remote maintenance using a communication line from a center device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a communication terminal device such as a facsimile device has a so-called remote maintenance (remote maintenance) function capable of performing failure diagnosis and repair from a center device such as a computer connected via a communication line. Those equipped with are becoming popular. The center device installed in the service center calls the corresponding communication terminal device for which a maintenance contract or the like has been concluded periodically or by a failure repair request by telephone or the like, and receives operation data stored in the device.

[0003] Upon receiving the operation data, the center device refers to and analyzes the received operation data by screen display or key operation, and if necessary, changes or adds the data. Transmit to the communication terminal device. As described above, in the center device, the operating status of the communication terminal device can be known from a remote place via a communication line. And can be easily dealt with. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of times the service person goes to the installation location of the communication terminal device.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional communication terminal device, access to operation data is possible from any of a plurality of service centers, so that the management area of each service center is limited. In addition, even when a device to be managed for each service center is determined by a contract or the like, the operation data can be taken out or rewritten from another service center, thereby confusing the service work of each service center. .

[0005] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above points, and provides a communication terminal device that permits access to operation data only to a center whose transmitted password matches a preset password. It is intended to be.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a communication terminal device according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a storage device for storing a password, and a storage device for storing a first password from a center device. If the password of the storage means is in the initial state, the password is rewritten to the first password, and if the password of the storage means is the first password, control means for enabling access to the operation data is provided.

That is, in the initial state, the password (first password) received first is used as a password for judging permission / prohibition of access to operation data. The operation data includes maintenance information necessary for analyzing the cause of failure such as switch setting status and operation parameters, as well as various setting information such as control programs, one-touch / abbreviated dialing numbers, and sender display data. Also included.

According to a second aspect, in the first aspect, when the control means receives the second password from the center device, the control means rewrites the password stored in the storage means to a password in an initial state. When the center to be managed is changed, when the second password is received from the specific center device, the password is returned to the initial state, and the setting of the password (first password) of the changed center device is enabled.

According to a third aspect, in the first or second aspect,
The password stored in the storage means is transmitted from the center device to the first
Alternatively, it cannot be rewritten except for being rewritten by receiving the second password. As a result, there is no need to set a password on the communication terminal device side, and the password is not arbitrarily changed on the communication terminal device side.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a communication terminal device. Here, the configuration of the facsimile apparatus F is shown as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is connected via the communication line L to the center apparatuses C, C1, and C2 installed at each agency or the like. Any communication terminal device that allows access to operation data from the center devices C, C1, and C2 may be used.
It may be a personal computer having a data communication function.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a main control unit which constitutes control means of the present invention such as a CPU, 2 denotes an NCU which performs network control such as transmission of a dial signal to a communication line L, and 3 denotes facsimile communication of image data. A modem for modulating and demodulating signals, 4 is an image memory for storing image data for facsimile communication, 5 is a storage means of the present invention, and a RAM is for storing necessary data, and 6 is a processing program for storing processing programs in advance. ROM, 7 a display unit composed of a liquid crystal screen, LEDs, etc., 8 an operation unit composed of various operation keys and switches, 9 a reading unit for reading image data of a set original, 10 a recording paper And a recording unit for printing out image data. The main control unit 1 includes processing circuits for facsimile communication control, image data encoding / decoding, and the like.

The RAM 5 stores data necessary for failure analysis of the facsimile apparatus F, setting data of each apparatus, and operation data 5b composed of various programs.
And a password 5a for determining access to the operation data 5b. Specifically, the operation data 5b includes the operation parameters of the facsimile machine F,
There are one-touch / abbreviated dialing numbers and control programs. As the operation parameters, a modulation / demodulation method, a communication speed, and the like are set, and are used for periodic inspection and failure analysis. The control program can be replaced at the time of data destruction or version upgrade, and can be executed by an execution request from the center devices C, C1, and C2.

The abbreviated / one-touch dialing number and other setting data such as the display of the sender and the transmission of the reservation are usually set by operating the operation unit 8 of the facsimile machine F. Even from C1 and C2, it is possible to carry out the service as an effective service for each facsimile machine F. In such a configuration, the facsimile apparatus F encodes the image data read by the reading unit 9 and transmits the encoded image data to another communication terminal device via the communication line L, and decodes the image data received via the communication line L. The basic operation of printing out from the recording unit 10 is performed.

The facsimile apparatus F is connected to a communication line L
, C1, C1, C2 installed in a service center or the like and configured by a personal computer or the like
From now, remote maintenance is performed. When the center devices C, C1, and C2 receive the operation data 5b from each of the facsimile devices F, the information is displayed on a CRT screen or the like, and a keyboard or the like is operated while referring to and analyzing the contents. Change or add settings. When the change or addition is completed, the operation data 5b is returned to the facsimile machine F by operating the keyboard.

According to the present invention, the center devices C, C1, C2 which can access the operation data 5b by using a password at the time of performing such a remote maintenance.
Is limited. In the following, a plurality of center devices C, C
1 and C2, the center device C1 is assumed to be installed in a service center that manages the illustrated facsimile machine F.

The password 5a stored in the RAM 5 is
When shipped from the factory, it is in the initial state, and when receiving the first password from the center device C1, the main control unit 1 rewrites the password 5a in the initial state to the received first password. The first password is stored in each center device C, C
Data other than the initial state of the password 5a is assigned in advance to each of the first and second devices C1 and C2, and each of the center devices C, C1 and C2 sends out its own password (first password) during remote maintenance. After that, the operation data 5b is accessed.

When one facsimile apparatus F receives the first password from the center apparatus C1, the facsimile apparatus F
If the password 5a is the first password, access to the operation data 5b is permitted. That is, in the initial state, the password received first (first password)
Is a password for permitting / prohibiting access to the operation data 5b.

As described above, according to the present invention, the password of each of the center devices C, C1, and C2 can be remotely set in the facsimile machine F for remote maintenance. Only the center that sends the matching password can be the center that permits access. FIG. 2A schematically shows the above operation together with a change in the setting content of the password 5a. Here, the initial state of the password 5a is “0000”, and the password of the center device C1 is “123”.
4 "(other than" 0000 ").

The password "123" is sent from the center device C1.
After receiving “4”, the password 5a is rewritten to “1234”. Then, remote maintenance of only the center device C1 is enabled (access to the operation data 5b is permitted), and “12
When a password other than "34" (e.g., "2222") is received, it can be determined that the call is from another center device C or C2, so remote maintenance is rejected (access to the operation data 5b is prohibited).

Next, a case where the center device C1 for managing the facsimile machine F is changed to the center device C2 will be described. When the service center under control changes due to moving or relocation, a password is sent from the center device C2 to perform remote maintenance.
Since the password of the center device C1 is already set in the password 5a of the facsimile device F, the operation data 5b cannot be accessed.

Therefore, in such a case, the center device C
The specific center device C that has received the notification from the second device transmits a second password other than the first password assigned to each of the center devices C, C1, and C2. That is, the specific sensor C can transmit a specific password (second password) in addition to the password (first password) assigned to itself.

In the facsimile machine F that has received the second password, the main control unit 1 sends the password 5a in the RAM 5
To the password in the initial state. Then, when a password (first password) is received from the center device C2, the password 5a is rewritten with the password of the center device C2. In this case, the specific center device C may transmit the password of the center device C2 instead of transmitting the second password, and rewrite the password 5a.

The second password may be transmitted from the center device C2 after the change. However, in order to prevent the password 5a from being rewritten unnecessarily, a specific password of the general agent or the manufacturer direct line is used. It is desirable that only the service center can send the second password. FIG. 2B schematically shows the operation at this time. Here, the password (first password) of the center device C1 before the change is “1234”, the password (first password) of the center device C2 after the change is “9999”, and is sent from the specific center device C. The case where the second password is “CLER” and the initial state of the password 5a is “0000” is shown.

When receiving the password "CLER", the password 5a returns to the initial state "0000".
After rewriting to "999", remote maintenance of only the center device C2 is enabled. When a password other than "9999" (e.g., "5678") is received, it can be determined that the call is from another center device. Deny maintenance. In this case, even if the password “1234” before the change is received, the password can be rejected.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main control unit 1 for realizing the operation described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B (100 to 109). here,
The password received from the center devices C, C1, C2 is called a reception password, and the password 5a stored in the RAM 5 is called a setting password. In this case, when the password 5a is in the initial state and the first password is received and the password 5a is rewritten, the remote maintenance can be performed continuously without disconnecting the line. Also, after the password 5a is returned to the initial state, remote maintenance can be continuously performed.

After the call is received (100), the telephone number of the caller is detected from the facsimile communication procedure signal, and if the caller is other than the center devices C, C1, and C2,
While performing normal facsimile reception, the center devices C and C
If the call is from C1, 1, a password is received (101, 102). Received password is "CLER"
(Second password), but the setting password is "00
00 (initial state), the remote maintenance process (access to the operation data 5b) is performed when the set password and the received password match (103 to 10).
6) If the set password and the received password do not match, a message indicating that remote maintenance cannot be performed is returned as access prohibition processing (107).

If the received password is not “CLER” (second password) and the set password is “000”
If it is "0" (initial state), it is rewritten with the setting password and the receiving password (108), and the receiving password is "CL".
If it is "ER" (second password), the setting password is set to "0000" (initial state) (109). As described above, the password 5a stored in the RAM 5 is
Rewriting cannot be performed except for rewriting by receiving the first or second password from the center devices C, C1, and C2. Therefore, the facsimile machine F does not need to set the password 5a in accordance with the center to be managed, and does not need to visit a service person. On the facsimile machine F side,
The password 5a is not changed without permission by the operation of the operation unit 8.

[0028]

As can be understood from the above description, according to the communication terminal device of the first aspect of the present invention, when the stored password is in the initial state, the password received from the center is hereinafter referred to. Permission to access the operation data of
It can be a password for judging ban. Therefore, even if you do not set a password in advance for each device,
By setting a password from one center, it is possible to prevent remote maintenance from being performed by another center without permission. Also, since the password can be set remotely, there is no need to go to the installation location of each device.

According to the second aspect, the second password is transmitted from the center device and the password can be returned to the initial state. Therefore, even if a password for another center has already been set, a new password is set. Thereafter, the remote maintenance can be performed using the new password. In claim 3, the set password is:
Since rewriting is possible only from the center device, there is no need to set a password in advance for each device, and since the password is not changed without permission, the service work of each center will not be disrupted and remote maintenance will be performed. Can be performed normally.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a communication terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the communication terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the communication terminal device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of Signs] F: Facsimile machine 1: Main control unit 5: RAM 5a: Password 5b: Operation data L: Communication line C1, C2: Center device C ..Center devices (specific service centers)

Claims (3)

[Claims] In a communication terminal device capable of accessing operation data from a center device, a storage means for storing a password, and when a first password is received from the center device, the password of the storage means is initialized. A communication terminal device having a control unit for rewriting this password to a first password if it is in a state, and accessing the operation data if the password of the storage unit is the first password. 2. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein said control means, upon receiving a second password from the center device, rewrites the password stored in said storage means to an initial password. apparatus. 3. The password according to claim 1, wherein the password stored in the storage means cannot be rewritten except for being rewritten by receiving the first or second password from the center device. Communication terminal device.