Transmitter device firewall

• US 20030217282A1
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Henry, Steven G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,302,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A transmitter device receives a request from a user for transmission of user message data to a requested network address on a network. A determination is made at the transmitter device whether or not the requested transmission is authorized. A transmission is sent of the user message data to the requested network address when the requested transmission is authorized. A diagnostic is issued when the requested transmission is unauthorized.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a processor, direct a computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving at a transmitter device that is capable of sending data on a network a request from a user for transmission of user message data to a requested network resource at a requested network address on the network;

determining at the transmitter device if the requested transmission is proscribed;

sending the transmission of the user message data to the requested network resource at the requested network address when the determination determines the requested transmission not to be proscribed; and

issuing a diagnostic when the determination determines the requested transmission to be proscribed.

2. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 1, wherein when the receiving at a transmitter device further comprises:

optically scanning at the transmitter device at least one object to form corresponding scanned object data; and

forming in said user message data said scanned object data.

3. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 1, wherein the receiving at a transmitter device further comprises receiving the user message data from a host computer in communication with the transmitter device through the network.

4. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 1, wherein the issuing a diagnostic comprises sending diagnostic message data to a diagnostic network address of a network resource on the network that is not the requested network address.

5. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 4, wherein:

the receiving at a transmitter device on a network a request from a user further comprises accepting user input through a user interface of said transmitter device, the user input including a user id from the user; and

the diagnostic message data includes the user id and the requested network address.

6. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 4, wherein:

the receiving at a transmitter device on a network a request from a user further comprises accepting user input through a user interface of said transmitter device, the user input including a requested function to be performed by the transmitter device; and

the determining if the requested transmission is proscribed further comprises;

retrieving an function access list (FAL) from a memory in the transmitter device; and

comparing the requested function to the FAL;

the diagnostic message data includes the requested function;

7. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said requested network address is selected from the group consisting of a user e-mail address, a distribution list, a web site address, and a file directory.

8. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitter device is included within a multiple function peripheral device, which further includes a printer device that is operatively coupled to said transmitter device.

9. A transmitter device capable of transmission of a network message on a network and having an input device and a processor for executing the computer-executable instructions to as recited in claim 1.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a processor, direct a computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving at a transmitter device that is capable of sending data on a network;

user message data;

a user identification (id); and

a requested network address of a network resource on the network;

retrieving an access control list (ACL) for the user id and respective permissions thereof from a memory in the transmitter device;

comparing the ACL to at least one of;

the user id; and

the requested network address;

sending the user message data to the requested network address when the comparison to the ACL is positive; and

sending a diagnostic to a diagnostic network address of a network resource on the network other than the requested network address when the comparison to the ACL is negative.

11. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 10, wherein when the receiving at a transmitter device that is capable of sending data on a network further comprises:

optically scanning at the transmitter device at least one object to form corresponding scanned object data; and

forming in said user message data said scanned object data.

12. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the receiving at a transmitter device that is capable of sending data on a network further comprises receiving the user message data from a host computer in communication with the transmitter device through the network.

13. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 10, wherein the diagnostic includes the user id and the requested network address.

14. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 10, wherein the receiving at a transmitter device that is capable of sending data on a network further comprises accepting user input through a user interface of said transmitter device, the user input including:

the user message data;

the user identification (id); and

the requested network address of a network resource on the network.

15. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein said requested network address is selected from the group consisting of a user e-mail address, a distribution list, a web site address, and a file directory.

16. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein said transmitter device is included within a multiple function peripheral device, which further includes a printer device that is operatively coupled to said transmitter device.

17. A transmitter device capable of transmission of a network message on a network and having an input device and a processor for executing the computer-executable instructions as recited in claim 10.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a processor, direct a computer to perform a method comprising:

accepting, at a user interface of a transmitter device that is capable of transmitting data on a network, a user input that includes at least one of;

a user id of the user;

a requested function to be performed by the transmitter device;

a requested network address on the network to which the user message data is requested to be transmitted;

determining if the requested transmission is permissible by;

retrieving from a memory in the transmitter device at least one of an access control list (ACL) and a function access list (FAL);

comparing the at least one of the ACL and the FAL for respective matches with at least one of;

the user id;

the requested network address; and

the requested function;

when the determination determines the requested transmission is permissible;

optically scanning at the transmitter device at least one object to form corresponding scanned object data;

forming in said user message data said scanned object data;

addressing said user message data using said requested network address; and

sending the transmission of the user message data to the requested network resource at the requested network address on the network;

when the determination determines the requested transmission is proscribed, sending diagnostic message data to a network address of a network resource on the network that is not the requested network address, wherein the diagnostic message data includes at least one of;

the user id;

the requested function; and

the requested network address.

19. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein said requested network address is selected from the group consisting of a user e-mail address, a distribution list, a web site address, and a file directory.

20. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein said transmitter device is included within a multiple function peripheral device, which further includes a printer device that is operatively coupled to said transmitter device.

21. A transmitter device capable of transmission of a network message on a network and having an input device and a processor for executing the computer-executable instructions as recited in claim 18.

22. An apparatus capable of sending message data, the apparatus comprising:

a memory including an access control list (ACL);

a scanning mechanism configurable to optically scan at least one object to form corresponding scanned object data;

an input device to the memory to receive a user input that includes a user id;

logic, operatively coupled to said memory, and configured to compare the user id to the ACL;

at least one network interface, operatively coupled to said logic, and configurable to;

when the comparison is positive;

form the scanned object data in a user message data;

address the user message data using a first network address; and

initiate a transmission to the at least one network interface of the user message data to the first network address;

when the comparison is negative, issue a diagnostic.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said user input further comprises additional mail data and includes a plurality of network addresses associated with a plurality of intended message data recipients.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein:

said apparatus is included within a multiple function peripheral device;

said multiple function peripheral device further includes a printer device that is operatively coupled to said logic; and

said logic is further configured to cause said printer device to selectively print at least one document corresponding to said user message data.

25. The apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein:

the user input further comprises user provided data selected from a group of data consisting of the first network address, subject data, and text data;

the first network address is selected from a group of consisting of a user e-mail address, a distribution list, a web site address, and a file directory; and

the logic is further configured to form said user message data by combining said scanned object data and the user provided data.

26. The apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein the issue a diagnostic further comprises initiate a transmission to the at least one network interface of diagnostic message data to a second network address.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said user input further comprises additional mail data and includes a plurality of network addresses associated with a plurality of intended message data recipients.

28. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein:

said apparatus is included within a multiple function peripheral device;

said multiple function peripheral device further includes a printer device that is operatively coupled to said logic; and

said logic is further configured to cause said printer device to selectively print at least one document corresponding to said user message data.

29. An apparatus capable of sending message data, the apparatus comprising:

a memory including a function control list (FCL);

a scanning mechanism configurable to optically scan at least one object to form corresponding scanned object data;

an input device to the memory to receive a user input that includes a requested function;

logic, operatively coupled to said memory, and configured to compare the requested function to the FCL;

at least one network interface, operatively coupled to said logic, and configurable to;

when the comparison is positive;

form the scanned object data in a user message data;

address the user message data using a first network address; and

initiate a transmission to the at least one network interface of the user message data to the first network address;

when the comparison is negative, issue a diagnostic.

30. The apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein:

the user input further comprises user provided data selected from a group of data comprising the first network address, subject data, and text data;

the first network address is selected from a group of consisting of a user e-mail address, a distribution list, a web site address, and a file directory; and

the logic is further configured to form said user message data by combining said scanned object data and the user provided data.

31. The apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein the issue a diagnostic further comprises initiate a transmission to the at least one network interface of diagnostic message data to a second network address.

32. An apparatus capable of sending message data, the apparatus comprising:

a memory including at least one of an access control list (ACL) and a function access list (FAL);

a scanning mechanism configurable to optically scan at least one object to form corresponding scanned object data;

an input device to the memory to receive a user input that includes at least one of;

a user id of a user;

a requested function to be performed by the apparatus;

a requested network address selected from a group of consisting of a user e-mail address, a distribution list, a web site address, and a file directory;

logic, operatively coupled to said memory, and configured to compare the user input to at least one of the ACL and the FAL;

at least one network interface operatively coupled to said logic and configurable to;

when the comparison is positive;

form the scanned object data in a user message data;

address the user message data using the requested network address; and

initiate a transmission of the user message data to the requested network resource at the requested network address;

when the comparison is negative;

initiate a transmission of diagnostic message data to a network address of a network resource that is not the requested network address, wherein the diagnostic message data includes at least one of;

the user id;

the requested function; and

the requested network address.

33. A transmitter device comprising:

means for receiving input of a requested address, a requested function, and a user ID;

means for performing the requested function including optically scanning at least one object to form corresponding scanned object data;

means, using the requested function from the user id and the transmission to the requested address, for determining the permissibility of;

the requested function from the user id; and

the transmission to the requested address;

means for transmitting message data including said scanned object data to the requested address if the means of determining determines as permissible;

the requested function from the user id; and

the transmission to the requested address.

34. The transmitter device as defined in claim 33, further comprising:

means for transmitting diagnostic message data to another address if the means of determining determines as impermissible either;

the requested function from the user id;

or

the transmission to the requested address which is selected from a group of consisting of a user e-mail address, a distribution list, a web site address, and a file directory.

35. In a transmitter device that includes a memory, a scanning mechanism configurable to optically scan at least one object to form corresponding scanned object data, an input device to the memory to receive a user input, at least one network interface to send user message data on a network, and logic, wherein the logic is operatively coupled to said memory and to the at least one network interface, wherein the logic is configurable to form in the user message data said scanned object data, and wherein the logic is configurable to execute a program embodied on a computer-readable medium and, the program comprising:

a code segment to receive at the input device a request from for transmission of the user message data to a requested network resource at a requested network address on the network;

a code segment to determine if the requested transmission is proscribed;

a code segment to send the transmission of the user message data to the requested network resource at the requested network address when the determination determines the requested transmission not to be proscribed; and

a code segment to issue a diagnostic when the determination determines the requested transmission to be proscribed.

36. The program as defined in claim 36, further comprising a code segment to initiate a transmission of diagnostic message data to a network address of a network resource that is not the requested network address when the determination determines the requested transmission to be proscribed.

37. The program as defined in claim 36, wherein the requested network address is selected from a group of consisting of a user e-mail address, a distribution list, a web site address, and a file directory.

38. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions embedded therein for performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving a request for transmission of data to at least one specified address;

determining if the requested transmission is authorized;

transmitting the data to the at least one specified address when the requested transmission is authorized; and

issuing a diagnostic when the requested transmission is unauthorized.”

39. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 38, wherein the receiving at a transmitter device further comprises:

scanning at the transmitter device at least one object to form corresponding object data; and

forming in said data said object data.

40. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 38, wherein the receiving at a transmitter device further comprises receiving the data from a host computer.

41. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 38, wherein the issuing a diagnostic comprises sending diagnostic data to a network address that is not a requested network address.