Information processing apparatus, recording medium, and communication controlling method

• US 10,432,630 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2016
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Takemoto, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Alata, Ayoub
• Application Number:
  US15/228,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20170054727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4675 Dynamic sharing of VLAN information amongst network nodes configuration of the network or of network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

An information processing apparatus for connection to a first network and to a second network is disclosed. The information processing apparatus includes a storage unit storing device information in which a device connected to the first network is registered; an authentication unit authenticating an information terminal connected to the second network and registering identification information about the information terminal in registration information responsive to successful authentication of the information terminal; a transition request receiving unit receiving, from the second network, a request for transition to a communication controlled state; and a communication controller restricting information transmission from the second network to the first network in an event of the transition to the communication controlled state made upon receipt of the request, while the communication controller allows, in that event, the information terminal registered in the registration information to transmit information to the device registered in the device information.

Claims

1. A system for connection to a first network and to a second network, the system comprising:

a conference managing device; and

a network connection controlling device,

the conference managing device including,

first memory storing first computer-executable instructions, and

one or more first processors configured to execute the first computer-executable instructions such that the one or more first processors are configured to, store device information in which a first device connected to the first network is registered,

authenticate an information terminal connected to the second network based on authentication information transmitted from the information terminal, and

register identification information about the information terminal in registration information in response to successful authentication of the information terminal,

the network connection controlling device including, second memory storing second computer-executable instructions, and one or more second processors configured to execute the second computer-executable instructions such that the one or more second processors are configured to, receive, from the second network, a request for transition to a communication controlled states,

in response to receiving the request, transition to the communication controlled state, and in response to transitioning to the communication controlled state, restrict transmission of information from the second network to the first network while allowing the information terminal registered in the registration information to transmit information to the first device that is registered in the device information.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more second processors are configured to execute the second computer-executable instructions such that, in response to transitioning to the communication controlled state, the one or more second processors refer to the device information in which identification information about the first device is registered and to the registration information, and with respect to communication from the second network to the first network, the or more second processors allow the information terminal to communicate with the first device if a destination is the first device registered in the device information and a transmission source is the information terminal registered in the registration information.

3. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the second network includes an encrypted network and an unencrypted network, and wherein, the one or more second processors are configured to execute the second computer-executable instructions such that, in response to transitioning to the communication controlled state, the one or more second processors allow communication from the information terminal connected to the unencrypted network to the first device.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the one or more second processors are configured to execute the second computer-executable instructions such that, in response to detecting that the information terminal is connected to the unencrypted network before the transition to the communication controlled state, the one or more second processors restrict communication of the information terminal with an apparatus different from the first device registered in the device information and with a non-secure apparatus connected to the first network before the transition to the communication controlled state.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein, the one or more second processors are configured to execute the second computer-executable instructions such that before the transition to the communication controlled state, the one or more second processors prohibit the information terminal from communicating with the Internet via the first network.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the one or more second processors are configured to execute the second computer-executable instructions such that, in response to detecting that the information terminal is connected to the encrypted network before the transition to the communication controlled state, the one or more second processors allow the information terminal to communicate with the Internet via the first network before the transition to the communication controlled state.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the one or more second processors are configured to execute the second computer-executable instructions such that, before the transition to the communication controlled state, the one or more second processors transmit screen information about a URL to the information terminal in response to, the information terminal connected to the unencrypted network sending a request for communication to the apparatus different from the first device registered in the device information, the information terminal sending the request for communication to the non-secure apparatus connected to the first network, or the information terminal sending the request for communication to the Internet.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more second processors are configured to execute the second computer-executable instructions such that, the one or more second processors store registered identification information in which identification information about a first device connected to the first network and identification information about a second device connected to the second network are registered in an associated manner,

in response to transitioning to the communication controlled state, the one or more second processors restrict transmission of information from the first network to the second network, and

in response to a request for communication from the first network to the second network being detected in the communication controlled state, and a destination and a transmission source of the request for communication being registered in the registered identification information, the one or more second processors refer to the registered identification information and allow transmission of information from the first network to the second network.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more second processors are configured to execute the second computer-executable instructions such that, the one or more second processors store registered identification information in which identification information about an information processing device connected to the first network is registered,

in response to the transitioning to the communication controlled state, the one or more second processors restrict transmission of information from the first network to the second network, and

in response to a request for communication from the first network to the second network being detected in the communication controlled state, a destination of the request for communication being registered in the registration information, and a transmission source of the request for communication being registered in the registered identification information,

the one or more second processors refer to the registered identification information and allow transmission of information from the first network to the second network.

10. A non-transitory recording medium storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

storing device information in which a first device connected to a first network is registered;

authenticating an information terminal connected to a second network based on authentication information transmitted from the information terminal and registering identification information about the information terminal in registration information in response to successful authentication of the information terminal;

receiving, from the second network, a request for transition to a communication controlled state;

in response to receiving the request, transitioning to the communication controlled state; and

in response to transitioning to the communication controlled state, restricting transmission of information from the second network to the first network while allowing the information terminal registered in the registration information to transmit information to the first device that is registered in the device information.

11. A method for controlling communication performed by an information processing apparatus for connection to a first network and to a second network, the method for controlling communication comprising:

storing, by a conference managing device, device information in which a first device connected to the first network is registered;

authenticating, by the conference managing device, an information terminal connected to the second network based on authentication information transmitted from the information terminal and registering identification information about the information terminal in registration information in response to successful authentication of the information terminal;

receiving, by a network connection controlling device, from the second network, a request for transition to a communication controlled state;

in response to receiving the request, transitioning, by the network connection controlling device, to the communication controlled state; and

in response to transitioning to the communication controlled state, restricting, by the network connection controlling device, transmission of information from the second network to the first network while allowing the information terminal registered in the registration information to transmit information to the first device that is registered in the device information.

12. The method for controlling communication according to claim 11, wherein, in response to transitioning to the communication controlled state, the network connection controlling device refers to the device information in which identification information about the first device is registered and to the registration information, and with respect to communication from the second network to the first network, the network connection controlling device allows the information terminal to communicate with the first device if a destination is the first device registered in the device information and a transmission source is the information terminal registered in the registration information.

13. The method for controlling communication according to claim 11, wherein the second network includes an encrypted network and an unencrypted network, and wherein, in response to transitioning to the communication controlled state, the network connection controlling device allows communication from the information terminal connected to the unencrypted network to the first device.

14. The method for controlling communication according to claim 13, further comprising:

in response to detecting that the information terminal is connected to the unencrypted network before the transition to the communication controlled state, restricting, by the network connection controlling device, communication of the information terminal with an apparatus different from the first device registered in the device information and with a non-secure apparatus connected to the first network, before the transition to the communication controlled state.

15. The method for controlling communication according to claim 14, further comprising:

before the transition to the communication controlled state, prohibiting, by the network connection controlling device, the information terminal from communicating with the Internet via the first network.

16. The method for controlling communication according to claim 14, wherein, in response to detecting that the information terminal is connected to the encrypted network before the transition to the communication controlled state, the network connection controlling device allows the information terminal to communicate with the Internet via the first network before the transition to the communication controlled state.

17. The method for controlling communication according to claim 15, wherein, before the transition to the communication controlled state, the network connection controlling device transmits screen information about a URL to the information terminal in response to, the information terminal connected to the unencrypted network sending a request for communication to the apparatus different from the first device registered in the device information, the information terminal sending the request for communication to the non-secure apparatus connected to the first network, or the information terminal sending the request for communication to the Internet.

18. The method for controlling communication according to claim 11, wherein the network connection controlling device stores registered identification information in which identification information about a first device connected to the first network and identification information about a second device connected to the second network are registered in an associated manner, wherein, in response to transitioning to the communication controlled state, the network connection controlling device restricts transmission of information from the first network to the second network, and

wherein, in response to a request for communication from the first network to the second network being detected in the communication controlled state and a destination and a transmission source of the request for communication being registered in the registered identification information, the network connection controlling device refers to the registered identification information and allows transmission of information from the first network to the second network.

19. The method for controlling communication according to claim 11, wherein the network connection controlling device stores registered identification information in which identification information about an information processing device connected to the first network is registered,

wherein, in response to transitioning to the communication controlled state, the network connection controlling device restricts transmission of information from the first network to the second network, and

wherein, in response to a request for communication from the first network to the second network being detected in the communication controlled state, a destination of the request for communication being registered in the registration information, and a transmission source of the request for communication being registered in the registered identification information,

the network connection controlling device refers to the registered identification information and allows transmission of information from the first network to the second network.