Information transmission apparatus, information reception apparatus, method for controlling these apparatuses, storage medium, and system

• US 20010007130A1
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Published: 07/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takaragi, Yoichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,159,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861

Abstract

In a printing system, an information reception apparatus, such as a printer or the like, is allowed to more assuredly identify a specific user by using organism information of the user. Fingerprint readers read a fingerprint pattern of the user as image data. Pointing device including a keyboard, a mouse and the like is used when forming or editing print data. The print data and the fingerprint pattern subjected to encryption are transmitted from a computer to the printer via a data transmission channel. The fingerprint pattern transmitted from the computer is decoded. After authenticating the user by performing matching between the decoded fingerprint pattern and the fingerprint pattern read by the fingerprint reader, the print data is printed.

Claims

1. An information transmission apparatus for transmitting information formed or edited by a user to an external information reception apparatus, said information transmission apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting identification information for identifying the user;

encryption means for generating encryption information from the identification information input by said the input means; and

transmission means for transmitting both of the encryption information and the information to be transmitted, to the information reception apparatus.

2. An information transmission apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the identification information includes organism information of the user, and wherein said input means inputs the organism information.

3. An information transmission apparatus according to

claim 2

, wherein the organism information includes a fingerprint of the user.

4. An information transmission apparatus according to

claim 1

, further comprising formation means for forming a frequency spectrum based on the identification information read from said input means, wherein said encryption means performs encryption using the frequency spectrum.

5. An information transmission apparatus according to

claim 4

, wherein said encryption means performs encryption of the frequency spectrum using public-key cryptography.

6. An information reception apparatus for reproducing information transmitted from a transmission apparatus, said information reception apparatus comprising:

reception means for receiving information to be reproduced, together with encryption information;

restoration means for generating restored information by restoring the encryption information received by said reception means;

input means for inputting identification information for identifying a user;

transformation means for transforming the identification information into the same data format as a data format of the restored information;

matching means for performing matching between information obtained by transforming the identification information by said transformation means and the restored information; and

reproduction means for reproducing the information transmitted from the transmission apparatus when the matching can be performed by said matching means.

7. An information reception apparatus according to

claim 6

, further comprising a printer.

8. An information reception apparatus according to

claim 6

, wherein the identification information includes organism information of the user, and wherein said input means inputs the organism information.

9. An information reception apparatus according to

claim 6

, wherein said transformation means performs the same processing as processing performed when the transmission apparatus generates the same data format as a data format of the restored information.

10. A system comprising:

an information transmission apparatus for transmitting information formed or edited by a user to an external apparatus; and

an information reception apparatus for receiving and reproducing the information from said information transmission apparatus, said information transmission apparatus comprising;

input means for inputting identification information for identifying the user;

encryption means for generating encryption information from the identification information input by said input means; and

transmission means for transmitting both of the encryption information and the information to be transmitted, to said information reception apparatus, and said information reception apparatus comprising;

reception means for receiving the information transmitted from said transmission means;

restoration means for generating restored information by restoring the encryption information received by said reception means;

input means for inputting identification information for identifying a user;

transformation means for transforming the identification information into the same data format as a data format of the restored information;

matching means for performing matching between information obtained by transforming the identification information by said transformation means and the restored information; and

reproduction means for reproducing the information transmitted from the transmission apparatus when the matching can be performed by said matching means.

11. An information transmission apparatus for transmitting information formed or edited by a user to an external information reception apparatus, said information transmission apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting a frequency spectrum based on identification information for identifying the user;

encryption means for generating encryption information from the frequency spectrum input by said input means; and

transmission means for transmitting both of the encryption information and information to be transmitted, to the information reception apparatus.

12. An information transmission apparatus according to

claim 11

, wherein said input means inputs a storage medium for storing the frequency spectrum.

13. An information reception apparatus for reproducing information transmitted from a transmission apparatus, said information reception apparatus comprising:

reception means for receiving information to be reproduced, together with encryption information;

restoration means for generating restored information by restoring the encryption information received by said reception means;

input means for inputting a frequency spectrum based on an identification information for identifying a user;

matching means for performing matching between the frequency spectrum and the restored information; and

reproduction means for reproducing the information transmitted from the transmission apparatus when the matching can be performed by said matching means.

14. An information reception apparatus according to

claim 13

, wherein said input means inputs a storage medium for storing the frequency spectrum.

15. A system comprising:

an information transmission apparatus for transmitting information formed or edited by a user to an external apparatus; and

an information reception apparatus for receiving and reproducing the information from said information transmission apparatus, said information transmission apparatus comprising;

input means for inputting a frequency spectrum based on identification information for identifying the user;

encryption means for generating encryption information from the frequency spectrum information input by said input means; and

transmission means for transmitting both of the encryption information and information to be transmitted, to said information reception apparatus, said information reception apparatus comprising;

reception means for receiving the information transmitted from said transmission means;

restoration means for generating restored information by restoring the cipher information received by said reception means;

input means for inputting the frequency spectrum based on the identification information for identifying the user;

matching means for performing matching between the frequency spectrum and the restored information; and

reproduction means for reproducing the information transmitted from the information transmission apparatus when the matching can be performed by said matching means.

16. A method for controlling an information transmission apparatus for transmitting information formed or edited by a user to an external information reception apparatus, said method comprising:

an input step of inputting identification information for identifying the user;

an encryption step of generating encryption information from the identification information input in said input step; and

a transmission step of transmitting both of the encryption information and the information to be transmitted, to the information reception apparatus.

17. A method according to

claim 16

, wherein the identification information includes organism information of the user, and wherein in said input step, the organism information is input.

18. A method according to

claim 17

, wherein the organism information includes a fingerprint of the user.

19. A method according to

claim 16

, further comprising a formation step of forming a frequency spectrum based on the identification information read in said input step, wherein in said encryption step, encryption is performed using the frequency spectrum.

20. A method according to

claim 19

, wherein in said encryption step, the frequency spectrum is subjected to encryption using public-key cryptography.

32. A method according to any one of claims 16 through 30, wherein a program expressing said respective steps so as to be executable by a computer is provided.

21. A method for controlling an information reception apparatus for reproducing information transmitted from a transmission apparatus, said method comprising:

a reception step of receiving information to be reproduced, together with encryption information;

a restoration step of generating restored information by restoring the encryption information received in said reception step;

an input step of inputting identification information for identifying a user;

a transformation step of transforming the identification information into the same data format as a data format of the restored information;

a matching step of performing matching between information obtained by transforming the identification information in said transformation step and the restored information; and

a reproduction step of reproducing the information transmitted from the transmission apparatus when the matching can be performed in said matching step.

22. A method according to

claim 21

, further comprising a step of controlling a printer.

23. A method according to

claim 21

, wherein the identification information includes organism information of the user, and wherein in said input step, the organism information is input.

24. A method according to

claim 21

, wherein in said transformation step, the same processing as processing performed when the transmission apparatus generates the same data format as a data format of the restored information is performed.

25. A method for controlling a system including an information transmission apparatus for transmitting information formed or edited by a user to an external apparatus, and an information reception apparatus for receiving and reproducing the information from the information transmission apparatus, said method comprising:

a method for controlling the information transmission apparatus, said method comprising;

an input step of inputting identification information for identifying the user;

an encryption step of generating encryption information from the identification information input in said input step; and

a transmission step of transmitting both of the encryption information and the information to be transmitted, to the information reception apparatus, and

a method for controlling the information reception apparatus, said method comprising;

a reception step of receiving the information transmitted in said transmission step;

a restoration step of generating restored information by restoring the encryption information received in said reception step;

an input step of inputting identification information for identifying a user;

a transformation step of transforming the identification information into the same data format as a data format of the restored information;

a matching step of performing matching between information obtained by transforming the identification information in said transformation step and the restored information; and

a reproduction step of reproducing the information transmitted from the information transmission apparatus when the matching can be performed in said matching step.

26. A method for controlling an information transmission apparatus for transmitting information formed or edited by a user to an external information reception apparatus, said method comprising:

an input step of inputting a frequency spectrum based on identification information for identifying the user;

an encryption step of generating encryption information from the frequency spectrum input in said input step; and

a transmission step of transmitting both of the encryption information and information to be transmitted, to the information reception apparatus.

27. A method according to

claim 26

, wherein in said input step, a storage medium for storing the frequency spectrum is input.

28. A method for controlling an information reception apparatus for reproducing information transmitted from a transmission apparatus, said method comprising:

a reception step of receiving information to be reproduced, together with encryption information;

a restoration step of generating restored information by restoring the encryption information received in said reception step;

an input step of inputting a frequency spectrum based on identification information for identifying a user;

a matching step of performing matching between the frequency spectrum and the restored information; and

a reproduction step of reproducing the information transmitted from the transmission apparatus when the matching can be performed in said matching step.

29. A method according to

claim 28

, wherein in said input step, a storage medium storing the frequency spectrum is input.

30. A method for controlling a system including an information transmission apparatus for transmitting information formed or edited by a user, and an information reception apparatus for receiving and reproducing the information from the information transmission apparatus, said method comprising:

a method for controlling the information transmission apparatus, said method comprising;

an input step of inputting a frequency spectrum based on identification information for identifying the user;

an encryption step of generating encryption information from the frequency spectrum input in said input step; and

a transmission step of transmitting both of the encryption information and information to be transmitted, to the information reception apparatus, and

a method for controlling the information reception apparatus, said method comprising;

a reception step of receiving the information transmitted in said transmission step;

a restoration step of generating restored information by restoring the encryption information received in said reception step;

an input step of inputting a frequency spectrum based on identification information for identifying a user;

a matching step of performing matching between the frequency spectrum and the restored information; and

a reproduction step of reproducing the information transmitted from the transmission apparatus when the matching can be performed in said matching step.

31. Program codes operating as an information transmission apparatus for transmitting information formed or edited by a user to an external information reception apparatus, by being read and executed by a computer, said program codes comprising:

program codes for an input step of inputting identification information for identifying the user;

program codes for an encryption step of generating encryption information from the identification information input in said input step; and

program codes for a transmission step of transmitting both of the encryption information and the information to be transmitted, to the information reception apparatus.