Portable device and a method for accessing a computer resource of a temporary registered user

• US 20030097446A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Toshiya, Kimura, Tetsuro, Muranaga, Tetsuro
• Granted Patent: US 7,246,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

In a computer resource assignment apparatus, a registration request processing section assignes a computer resource to a user in response to a temporary registration request from the user. A computer resource management section manages the computer resource assigned to the user of the temporary registration request by unit of each user.

Claims

1. A computer resource assignment apparatus, comprising:

registration request processing means for assigning a computer resource to a user in response to a temporary registration request from the user; and

computer resource management means for managing the computer resource assigned to the user.

2. The computer resource assignment apparatus according to claim 1,

further comprising a computer resource list means for registering a user identifier, a group identifier, a user name, a password, and a home directory representing an address of the computer resource, and

further comprising a computer resource pool means for maintaining the computer resource to be assigned to the temporary registered user.

3. The computer resource assignment apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein said computer resource management means assigns an unused user identifier to the temporary registered user from the user identifiers stored in said computer resource list, and assigns the home directory and the group identifier to the temporary registered user if the user name inputted by the temporary registered user is not registered in said computer resource list.

4. The computer resource assignment apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein said computer resource management means sets a use period for the computer resource assigned to the temporary registered user, and decides whether a present time is near the end of the use period.

5. The computer resource assignment apparatus according to claim 4,

further comprising a use period notice means for sending a message that the present time is near the end of the use period to a terminal of the temporary registered user, if said computer resource management means decides that the present time is near the end of the use period of the temporary registered user.

6. The computer resource assignment apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein said computer resource management means sets an extended use period for the temporary registered user if the temporary registered user inputs an extension registration request in reply to the message.

7. The computer resource assignment apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein said computer resource management means deletes the computer resource assigned to the temporary registered user if the temporary registered user does not input an extension registration request.

8. The computer resource assignment apparatus according to claim 3,

further comprising an access right information sending means for sending an access right information of the computer resource assigned to the temporary registered user to a portable device of the temporary registered user.

9. A portable device used by a user for connecting to a network system, comprising:

access right information acquisition means for acquiring access right information of a computer resource assigned to a user temporarily registered to the network system, from a computer which manages the computer resource in the network system;

access right information preservation means for preserving the access right information acquired by said access right information acquisition means; and

network access means for accessing the network system using the access right information preserved in said access right information preservation means.

10. The portable device according to claim 9,

wherein said network access means compares the access right information with a particular access right information used in the portable device, and, if the access right information is different from the particular access right information, changes one of the particular access right information and the access right information so that the access right information matches the particular access right information.

11. A computer resource assignment method, comprising the steps of:

assigning a computer resource to a user in response to a temporary registered request from the user; and

managing the computer resource assigned to the user.

12. The computer resource assignment method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

registering a user identifier, a group identifier, a user name, a password, and a home directory representing an address of the computer resource, and

maintaining the computer resource to be assigned to the temporary registered user.

13. The computer resource assignment method according to claim 12,

wherein the assigning step includes the steps of:

assigning an unused user identifier to the temporary registered user from the user identifiers registered; and

assigning the home directory and the group identifier to the temporary registered user if the user name inputted by the temporary registered user is not registered yet.

14. The computer resource assignment method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

setting a use period for the computer resource assigned to the temporary registered user; and

deciding whether a present time is near the end of the use period.

15. The computer resource assignment method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

sending a message that the present time is near the end of the use period to a terminal of the temporary registered user, if the present time is decided to be near the end of the use period of the temporary registered user.

16. The computer resource assignment method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of:

setting an extended use period for the temporary registered user, if the temporary registered user inputs an extension registration request in reply to the message.

17. The computer resource assignment method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

deleting the computer resource assigned to the temporary registered user, if the temporary registered user does not input the extension registration request.

18. The computer resource assignment method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

sending an access right information of the computer resource assigned to the temporary registered user to a portable device of the temporary registered user.

19. A management method in a portable device used by a user for connecting to a network system, comprising the steps of:

acquiring an access right information of a computer resource assigned to a user temporarily registered to the network system, from a computer which manages the computer resource in the network system;

preserving the access right information acquired; and

accessing the network system using the access right information preserved.

20. The management method in a portable device according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

comparing the access right information with a particular access right information used in the portable device; and

changing the access right information or the particular access right information, if the access right information is different from the particular access right information so that the access right information and the particular access right information match.

21. A computer readable memory containing computer-readable instructions, comprising:

instruction means for causing a computer to assign a computer resource to a user in response to a temporary registration request from the user; and

instruction means for causing a computer to manage the computer resource assigned to the user.

22. A computer readable memory containing computer-readable instructions used in a portable device by connecting to a network system, comprising:

instruction means for causing a computer to acquire an access right information of a computer resource assigned to a user temporarily registered to the network system, from a computer which manages the computer resource in the network system;

instruction means for causing a computer to preserve the access right information acquired; and

instruction means for causing a computer to access the network system using the access right information preserved.