Document management system, document management apparatus, authentication method, program for implementing the method, and storage medium storing the program

• US 20040030700A1
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hakamata, Rie
• Granted Patent: US 8,631,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

There is provided a document management system that eliminates the necessity of performing such a complicated operation as to input a password by the user each time he/she tries to open any of document databases, thus improving the operability or the like for the user. A plurality of document databases are provided, which are capable of being accessed by a client apparatus via a communication medium. A document management apparatus manages the plurality of document databases such that different authentication methods are used for respective ones of the plurality of document databases when one of the at least one client apparatus having made an access request so as to open any of said plurality of document databases is authenticated, and makes settings such that the one client apparatus is not required to be authenticated again when accessing another one of said plurality of document databases after the one client apparatus has been authenticated.

Claims

1. A document management system comprising:

at least one client apparatus;

a communication medium;

a plurality of document databases capable of being accessed by the client apparatus via said communication medium; and

a document management apparatus that manages said plurality of document databases such that different authentication methods are used for respective ones of said plurality of document databases when one of said at least one client apparatus having made an access request so as to open any of said plurality of document databases is authenticated, and makes settings such that the one client apparatus is not required to be authenticated again when accessing another one of said plurality of document databases after the one client apparatus has been authenticated.

2. A document management system according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said document databases holds user information indicative of at least one client apparatus, as said at least one client apparatus, that can access each of said document databases, and authentication method information indicative of an authentication method usable for each of said document databases; and

said document management apparatus determines whether the one client apparatus having made an access request has an access right according to the user information held in one of said document databases to be accessed, and is operable when determining that the one client apparatus has the access right, for determining an authentication method usable for the one of said document databases to be accessed according to the authentication method information held in the one of said document databases and for providing control to authenticate the one client apparatus by the determined authentication method.

3. A document management system according to claim 2, wherein said document management apparatus is operable when determining that the one client apparatus does not have the access right, for informing the one client apparatus that the one client apparatus does not have the access right via the communication medium.

4. A document management system according to claim 2, comprising an authentication apparatus capable of communicating with said document management apparatus, and said client apparatus;

and

wherein said document management apparatus is operable when determining that an authentication method using said authenticating apparatus has been designated as the authentication method usable for the one of said document database to be accessed, for confirming with said authentication apparatus whether the one client apparatus has already been authenticated by said authentication apparatus, and for opening the one of said document databases to be accessed when the one client apparatus has already been authenticated.

5. A document management system according to claim 2, wherein said document management apparatus is operable when determining that an authentication method using said document management apparatus has been designated as the authentication method usable for the one of said document database to be accessed, for authenticating the one client apparatus by said document management apparatus and for opening the one of said document databases to be accessed when the one client apparatus has already been authenticated.

6. A document management system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said document management apparatus is operable when determining that the one client apparatus has not been authenticated, for requesting the one client apparatus to input necessary information for authentication via said communication medium.

30. A storage medium according to claim 2.8 or 29, wherein said control module requests the client apparatus to input necessary information for authentication via the communication medium when it is determined that the client apparatus has not been authenticated.

7. A document management apparatus that manages a plurality of document databases capable of being accessed by a client apparatus via a communication medium, comprising:

a controller that manages the plurality of document databases such that different authentication methods are used for respective ones of the plurality of document databases when the client apparatus having made an access request so as to open any of the plurality of document databases is authenticated, and makes settings such that the client apparatus is not required to be authenticated again when accessing another one of the document databases after the client apparatus has been authenticated.

8. A document management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of the document databases holds user information indicative of the client apparatus that can access each of the document databases, and authentication method information indicative of an authentication method usable for each of the document databases;

and

said controller determines whether the client apparatus having made an access request has an access right according to the user information held in one of said document databases to be accessed, and is operable when determining that the client apparatus has the access right, for determining an authentication method usable for the one of said document databases to be accessed according to the authentication method information held in the one of said document databases and for providing control to authenticate the client apparatus by the determined authentication method.

9. A document management apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said controller is operable when determining that the client apparatus does not have the access right, for informing the one client apparatus that the client apparatus does not have the access right via the communication medium.

10. A document management apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said controller is operable when determining that an authentication method using an authentication apparatus capable of communicating with the document management apparatus and the client apparatus has been designated as the authentication method usable for the one of the document database to be accessed, for confirming with the authentication apparatus whether the client apparatus has already been authenticated by the authentication apparatus, and for opening the one of the document databases to be accessed when the client apparatus has already been authenticated.

11. A document management system according to claim 8, wherein said controller is operable when determining that an authentication method using the document management apparatus has been designated as the authentication method usable for the one of the document database to be accessed, for authenticating the client apparatus by the document management apparatus and for opening the one of the document databases to be accessed when the client apparatus has already been authenticated.

12. A document management system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein said controller is operable when determining that the client apparatus has not been authenticated, requesting the client apparatus to input necessary information for authentication via the communication medium.

13. An authentication method executed by a document management system comprising a plurality of document databases capable of being accessed by a client apparatus via a communication medium, and a document management apparatus that manages the plurality of document databases, the method comprising:

a control step of managing the plurality of document databases such that different authentication methods are used for respective ones of the plurality of document databases when the client apparatus having made an access request so as to open any of the plurality of document databases is authenticated, and making settings such that the client apparatus is not required to be authenticated again when accessing another one of the document databases after the client apparatus has been authenticated.

14. An authentication method according to claim 13, wherein:

each of the document databases holds user information indicative of the client apparatus that can access each of the document databases, and authentication method information indicative of an authentication method usable for each of the document databases; and

said control step comprises providing control such that whether the client apparatus having made an access request has an access right is determined according to the user information held in one of the document databases to be accessed, and when it is determined the client apparatus has the access right, an authentication method usable for the one of the document databases to be accessed is determined according to the authentication method information held in the one of the document databases, and the client apparatus is authenticated by the determined authentication method.

15. An authentication method according to claim 14, wherein said control step comprises informing the client apparatus that the client apparatus does not have access right via the communication medium when it is determined that the client apparatus does not have access right.

16. An authentication method according to claim 14, wherein said control step comprises confirming with an authentication apparatus capable of communicating with the document management apparatus and the client apparatus whether the client apparatus has already been authenticated by the authentication apparatus when it is determined that an authentication method using the authentication apparatus has been designated as the authentication method usable for the one of the document database to be accessed, and opening the one of the document databases to be accessed when the client apparatus has already been authenticated.

17. An authentication method according to claim 14, wherein said control step comprises authenticating the client apparatus by the document management apparatus when it is determined that an authentication method using the document management apparatus has been designated as the authentication method usable for the one of the document database to be accessed, and opening the one of the document databases to be accessed when the client apparatus has already been authenticated.

18. A document management system according to claim 16 or 17, wherein said control step comprises requesting the client apparatus to input necessary information for authentication via the communication medium when it is determined that the client apparatus has not been authenticated.

24. A program according to claim 16 or 17, wherein said control module requests the client apparatus to input necessary information for authentication via the communication medium when it is determined that the client apparatus has not been authenticated.

19. A program for causing a computer to execute an authentication method implemented by a document management system comprising at least one client apparatus, a communication medium, a plurality of document databases capable of being accessed by the client apparatus via the communication medium, and a document management apparatus that manages the plurality of document databases, the program comprising:

a control module for managing the plurality of document databases such that different authentication methods are used for respective ones of the plurality of document databases when the client apparatus having made an access request so as to open any of the plurality of document databases is authenticated, and making settings such that the client apparatus is not required to be authenticated again when accessing another one of the document databases after the client apparatus has been authenticated.

20. A program according to claim 19, wherein each of the document databases holds user information indicative of the client apparatus that can access each of the document databases, and authentication method information indicative of an authentication method usable for each of the document databases;

and

said control module provides control such that whether the client apparatus having made an access request has an access right is determined according to the user information held in one of the document databases to be accessed, and when it is determined the client apparatus has the access right, an authentication method usable for the one of the document databases to be accessed is determined according to the authentication method information held in the one of the document databases, and the client apparatus is authenticated by the determined authentication method.

21. An authentication method according to claim 20, wherein said control module informs the client apparatus that the client apparatus does not have access right via the communication medium when it is determined that the client apparatus does not have the access right.

22. A program according to claim 20, wherein when it is determined that an authentication method using an authentication apparatus capable of communicating with the document management apparatus and the client apparatus has been designated as the authentication method usable for the one of the document database to be accessed, said control module confirms with the authentication apparatus whether the client apparatus has already been authenticated by the authentication apparatus, and opens the one of the document databases to be accessed when the client apparatus has already been authenticated.

23. A program according to claim 20, wherein said control module authenticates the client apparatus by the document management apparatus when it is determined that an authentication method using the document management apparatus has been designated as the authentication method usable for the one of the document database to be accessed, and opening the one of the document databases to be accessed when the client apparatus has already been authenticated.

25. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing an authentication method to be executed by a document management system comprising at least one client apparatus, a communication medium, a plurality of document databases capable of being accessed by the client apparatus via the communication medium, and a document management apparatus that manages the plurality of document databases, the program comprising:

a control module for managing the plurality of document databases such that different authentication methods are used for respective ones of the plurality of document databases when the client apparatus having made an access request so as to open any of the plurality of document databases is authenticated, and making settings such that the client apparatus is not required to be authenticated again when accessing another one of the document databases after the client apparatus has been authenticated.

26. A storage medium according to claim 25, wherein each of the document databases holds user information indicative of the client apparatus that can access each of the document databases, and authentication method information indicative of an authentication method usable for each of the document databases;

and

said control module provides control such that whether the client apparatus having made an access request has an access right is determined according to the user information held in one of the document databases to be accessed, and when it is determined the client apparatus has the access right, an authentication method usable for the one of the document databases to be accessed is determined according to the authentication method information held in the one of the document databases, and the client apparatus is authenticated by the determined authentication method.

27. A storage medium according to claim 26, wherein said control module informs the client apparatus that the client apparatus does not have access right via the communication medium when it is determined that the client apparatus does not have the access right.

28. A storage medium according to claim 26, wherein when it is determined that an authentication method using an authentication apparatus capable of communicating with the document management apparatus and the client apparatus has been designated as the authentication method usable for the one of the document database to be accessed, said control module confirms with the authentication apparatus whether the client apparatus has already been authenticated by the authentication apparatus, and opens the one of the document databases to be accessed when the client apparatus has already been authenticated.

29. A storage medium according to claim 26, wherein said control module authenticates the client apparatus by the document management apparatus when it is determined that an authentication method using the document management apparatus has been designated as the authentication method usable for the one of the document database to be accessed, and opening the one of the document databases to be accessed when the client apparatus has already been authenticated