Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program product

• US 10,303,870 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2015
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Lynn D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lakhia, Viral S
• Application Number:
  US14/961,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20160171204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 726 15- 17, 358474, 358 115- 114, 705 2- 4, 713182-184
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/502 relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5091 for user-identification or authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a reception unit which receives first input information which is arbitrary set in conjunction with a login of the first user, a restriction unit which starts imposing a restriction of use of the information processing apparatus at a predetermined timing in a case that a second user logs in to the information processing apparatus while a login state of the first user is continued and a release unit which releases the restriction in response to inputting of second input information, which matches the first input information received by the reception unit, while the use of the information processing apparatus is restricted.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

circuitry configured to

receive a first login and authentication information of a first user;

when the first user is successfully authenticated, receive a first input information from the first user to set a release code that implements a use restriction to restrict use of the information processing apparatus at a later time, and log in the first user to the information processing apparatus;

receive a second login and authentication information of a second user, and when the second user is successfully authenticated, allow the second user to be logged in and operate the information processing apparatus while the first user remains logged into the information processing apparatus;

impose the use restriction to restrict use of the information processing apparatus at a predetermined timing after the second user logs into the information processing apparatus and while the first user remains logged into the information processing apparatus; and

release the use restriction in response to an input of a second input information that matches the first input information set by the first user as the release code, wherein

the input of the second input information is separate from the second user login, and

the circuitry restricts use of the information processing apparatus until the use restriction is released by the circuitry.

2. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to impose the use restriction by controlling a display to display a screen requiring the input of the release code.

3. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined timing is a timing at which the second user executes a logout operation to logout of the information processing apparatus.

4. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined timing is a timing at which a process requested by the second user is finished and the second user remains logged into the information processing apparatus.

5. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to impose the use restriction every time a process requested by the first user is finished.

6. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to impose the use restriction upon occurrence of an event that an operation of the information processing apparatus is not executed for a predetermined time period after a process requested by the first user is finished.

7. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a number of digits of the release code is shorter than a number of digits of an input information requested when the first user logs into the image processing apparatus.

8. An information processing method, implemented by circuitry of an information processing apparatus, comprising:

receiving a first login and authentication information of a first user;

when the first user is successfully authenticated, receive a first input information from the first user to set a release code that implements a use restriction to restrict use of the information processing apparatus at a later time, and log in the first user to the information processing apparatus;

receive a second login and authentication information of a second user, and when the second user is successfully authenticated, allow the second user to be logged in and operate the information processing apparatus while the first user remains logged into the information processing apparatus;

impose the use restriction to restrict use of the information processing apparatus at a predetermined timing after the second user logs into the information processing apparatus and while the first user remains logged into the information processing apparatus; and

release the use restriction in response to an input of a second input information that matches the first input information set by the first user set by the first user as the release code,

wherein

the input of the second input information is separate from the second user login, and

the circuitry restricts use of the information processing apparatus until the use restriction is released.

9. The information processing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the imposing the use restriction includes controlling, by the circuitry, a display to display a screen requiring the input of the release code.

10. The information processing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the predetermined timing is a timing at which the second user executes a logout operation to logout of the information processing apparatus.

11. The information processing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the predetermined timing is a timing at which a process requested by the second user is finished and the second user remains logged into the information processing apparatus.

12. The information processing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the imposing the use restriction is repeated each time a process requested by the first user is finished.

13. The information processing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the imposing the use restriction is performed upon occurrence of an event that an operation of the information processing apparatus is not executed for a predetermined time period after a process requested by the first user is finished.

20. The information processing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein a number of digits of the release code is shorter than a number of digits of an input information requested when the first user logs into the image processing apparatus.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by circuitry of an information processing apparatus, cause the information processing apparatus to perform a process comprising:

receiving a first login and authentication information of a first user;

when the first user is successfully authenticated, receive a first input information from the first user to set a release code that implements a use restriction to restrict use of the information processing apparatus at a later time, and log in the first user to the information processing apparatus;

receive a second login and authentication information of a second user, and when the second user is successfully authenticated, allow the second user to be logged in and operate the information processing apparatus while the first user remains logged into the information processing apparatus;

impose the use restriction to restrict use of the information processing apparatus at a predetermined timing after the second user logs into the information processing apparatus and while the first user remains logged into the information processing apparatus; and

release the use restriction in response to an input of a second input information that matches the first input information set by the first user as the release code,

wherein

the input of the second input information is separate from the second user login, and

use of the information processing apparatus is restricted until the use restriction is released.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 14, wherein the imposing the use restriction includes controlling a display to display a screen requiring the input of the release code.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 14, wherein the predetermined timing is a timing at which the second user executes a logout operation to logout of the information processing apparatus.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 14, wherein the predetermined timing is a timing at which a process requested by the second user is finished and the second user remains logged into the information processing apparatus.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 14, wherein the imposing the use restriction is repeated each time a process requested by the first user is finished.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 14, wherein the imposing the use restriction is performed upon occurrence of an event that an operation of the information processing apparatus is not executed for a predetermined time period after a process requested by the first user is finished.