License-authentication functioned output system, output apparatus, data authentication apparatus, design resource output program, data authentication program and license authentication output method

• US 20050114267A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Toshio, Miwa, Shinji
• Application Number:
  US10/959,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114267A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide a license-authentication functioned output system which enables data protection positive and enhances and/or improves a user'"'"'s convenience, further being suited to reduce processing load. A printer receives document data and a user ID and sends design resource-data authentication information and the user ID included in the document data, together with an authentication request, to a data authentication server. When a use-permitting information is received, it prints a design resource within a use-permitted scope depending upon the use-permitting information and design resource data. A data authentication server searches through a license information register table on the basis of the authentication information and reads out license information concerned. The data authentification server decides whether or not the received user ID is included in the license information. When it is decided that the user ID is included, the use-permitting information included in the license information is sent to the printer.

Claims

1. A license-authentication functioned output system to output a design resource and to limit output of the design resource depending upon design resource data, the license-authentication functioned output system comprising:

a license information storing device to store license information, including use-permitting information defining a use-permitted scope of the design resource data and subject identification information identifying a subject of use of the design resource data, by a correspondence to authentication information;

a design resource data input device to input the design resource data to which the authentication information is placed in correspondence;

a subject identification information input device to input the subject identification information;

a license information search device to search through the license information storing device on the basis of the authentication information placed in correspondence to the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device and to read out license information concerned;

a data authentication device to authenticate a use of the design resource data depending upon the license information read out by the license information search device; and

a design resource output device to output the design resource depending upon the design resource data;

the data authentication device being adapted to decide whether or not the subject identification information inputted by the subject identification information input device is included in the license information read out by the license information search device;

the design resource output device being adapted to output the design resource within a use-permitted scope depending upon the use-permitting information included in the license information read out by the license information search device and the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device when the data authentication device decides that the subject identification information is included.

2. A license-authentication functioned output system, comprising:

connected communicatably with a output apparatus to output a design resource depending upon design resource data and a data authentication apparatus to authenticate a use of the design resource data, thereby limiting output of the design resource, the license-authentication functioned output system comprising;

the output apparatus having a design resource data input device to input the design resource data to which authentication information is placed in correspondence, a subject identification information input device to input the subject identification information identifying a subject of use of the design resource data, an authentication request transmitting device to send, together with an authentication request, authentication information placed in correspondence to the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device and the subject identification information inputted by the subject identification information input device to the data authentication apparatus, and a design resource output device to output the design resource depending upon the design resource data;

the data authentication apparatus having a license information storing device to store license information including use-permitting information defining a use-permitted scope of the design resource data and subject identification information by a correspondence to the authentication information, an authentication request receiving device to receive the authentication information and the subject identification information together with the authentication request, a license information search device to search through the license information storing device on the basis of the authentication information received by the authentication request receiving device and to read out license information concerned, and a data authentication device to authenticate a use of the design resource data depending upon the license information read out by the license information search device;

the data authentication device being adapted to decide whether or not the subject identification information received by the authentication request receiving device is included in the license information read out by the license information search device, and sending the use-permitting information included in the license information read out by the license information search device to the output apparatus, when it is decided that the subject identification information is included;

the design resource output device being adapted to output the design resource within a use-permitted scope depending upon the use-permitting information received and the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device when the output apparatus receives the use-permitting information.

3. The license-authentication functioned output system according to claim 2, the license information including data confirming information to confirm a content of the design resource data,

the output apparatus having a data confirming information generating device to generate data confirming information to confirm a content of the design resource data depending upon design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device,

the authentication request transmitting device being adapted to send the authentication information, the subject identification information and the data confirming information, generated by the data confirming information generating device, together with the authentication request, to the data authentication apparatus,

the authentication request receiving device being adapted to receive, together with the authentication request, the authentication information, the subject identification information and the data confirming information,

the data authentication device further deciding whether or not a predetermined relationship is satisfied by the data confirming information received by the authentication request receiving device and the data confirming information included in the license information read out by the license information search device, and sending the use-permitting information included in the license information read out by the license information search device to the output apparatus when it is decided that the predetermined relationship is satisfied and that the subject identification information is included in the license information.

4. The license-authentication functioned output system according to claim 2, the output apparatus and the data authentication apparatuses in plurality, being connected together in communication,

the output apparatus being adapted to make an inquiry about authentication to a particular one of the data authentication apparatuses in plurality.

5. The license-authentication functioned output system according to claim 2, the output apparatus and the data authentication apparatuses in plurality, being connected together in communication;

the output apparatus having an apparatus-authenticating device to authenticate a reliability of the data authentication apparatus, and being adapted to make an inquiry about authentication to an authenticated one of the plural data authentication apparatuses.

6. The license-authentication functioned output system according to claim 2, the subject identification information being apparatus identification information to identify the output apparatus.

7. The license-authentication functioned output system according to claim 2, the subject identification information being user identification information to identify a user who is to use the design resource data.

8. The license-authentication functioned output system according to claim 2, the design resource output device being adapted to decide, depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and to limit output of the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

9. The license-authentication functioned output system according to claim 2, the design resource output device being adapted to decide, depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and output the design resource by a predetermined output limiting process depending upon the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device, when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

10. The license-authentication functioned output system according to claim 2, the design resource output device being adapted to decide, depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and to limit output of the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device and another one of design resource data to be outputted together with the relevant design resource data when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

11. The license-authentication functioned output system according to claim 2, the license information including output limiting information defining an output limiting way of the design resource data,

an output limiting device to limit to output the design resource,

the data authentication device being adapted to decide whether or not the subject identification information received by the authentication request receiving device is included in the license information read out by the license information search device, and send to the output limiting device output limiting information, included in the license information read out by the license information search device, when it is decided that the subject identification information is not included,

the output limiting device being adapted to limit output of the design resource depending upon the received output limiting information when the output limiting information is received.

12. The license-authentication functioned output system according to claim 2, the output apparatus being any one of a printer, a display and a raster image processor for conversion processing of from document data to output data.

13. The output apparatus to output a design resource and to limit to output the design resource depending upon design resource data, the output apparatus comprising:

a design resource data input device to input the design resource data to which authentication information is placed in correspondence;

a subject identification information input device to input subject identification information identifying a subject of the use of the design resource data;

an authentication request transmitting device to send, together with an authentication request, authentication information placed in correspondence to the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device and subject identification information inputted by the subject identification information input device to the data authentication apparatus; and

a design resource output device to output the design resource depending upon the design resource data;

the design resource output device being adapted, when the relevant output apparatus receives use-permitting information defining a use-permitted scope of the design resource data, to output the design resource within a use-permitted scope depending upon the received use-permitting information and the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device.

14. The output apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

data confirming information generating device to generate data confirming information to confirm a content of the relevant design resource data depending upon design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device,

the authentication request transmitting device being adapted to send, together with the authentication request, the authentication information, the subject identification information and the data confirming information generated by the data confirming information generating device to the data authentication apparatus.

15. The output apparatus according to claim 13, an inquiry about authentication being made to a particular one of the plural data authentication apparatuses.

16. The output apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

an apparatus-authenticating device to authenticate a reliability of the data authentication apparatus, and being adapted to make an inquiry about authentication to an authenticated one of the plural data authentication apparatuses.

17. The output apparatus according to claim 13, the subject identification information being apparatus identification information to identify the relevant apparatus.

18. The output apparatus according to claim 13, the subject identification information being user identification information identifying a user who is to use the design resource data.

19. The output apparatus according to claim 13, the design resource output device being adapted to decide, depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and to limit output of the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

20. The output apparatus according to claim 13, the design resource output device being adapted to decide, depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and output the design resource by a predetermined output limiting process depending upon the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

21. The output apparatus according to claim 13, the design resource output device being adapted to decide, depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and to limit output of the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input device and another one of design resource data to be outputted together with the relevant design resource data when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

22. The output apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

output limiting device to limit output of the design resource,

an the output limiting device being adapted to limit output of the design resource, depending upon the received output limiting information, when the relevant output apparatus receives output limiting information defining an output limiting way of the design resource data.

23. The output apparatus according to claim 13, the apparatus being any one of a printer, a display and a raster image processor for conversion processing of from document data to output data.

33. The design resource output program according to claim 13, the subject identification information being apparatus identification information identifying the relevant apparatus.

24. A data authentication apparatus to authenticate the use of design resource data, the data authentication apparatus comprising:

a license information storing device to store license information, including use-permitting information defining a use-permitted scope of the design resource data and subject identification information identifying a subject of use of the design resource data, by a correspondence to authentication information;

an authentication request receiving device to receive the authentication information and the subject identification information, together with an authentication request;

a license information search device to search through the license information storing device on the basis of the authentication information received by the authentication request receiving device and reading out license information concerned; and

a data authentication device to authenticate a use of the design resource data depending upon the license information read out by the license information search device;

the data authentication device being adapted to decide whether or not the subject identification information received by the authentication request receiving device is included in the license information read out by the license information search devices, and send to the output apparatus, use-permitting information included in the license information read out by the license information search device when it is decided that the subject identification information is included.

25. The data authentication apparatus according to claim 24, the license information including data confirming information to confirm a content of the design resource data,

the authentication request receiving device being adapted to receive the authentication information, the subject identification information and the data confirming information, together with the authentication request,

the data authentication device further deciding whether or not a predetermined relationship is satisfied by the data confirming information received by the authentication request receiving device and the data confirming information included in the license information read out by the license information search device, and sending the use-permitting information included in the license information read out by the license information search device to the output apparatus, when it is decided that the predetermined relationship is satisfied and that the subject identification information is included in the license information.

26. The data authentication apparatus according to claim 24, the subject identification information being apparatus identification information identifying the output apparatus.

27. The data authentication apparatus according to claim 24, the subject identification information being user identification information identifying a user who is to use the design resource data.

28. The data authentication apparatus according to claim 24, the license information including output limiting information defining an output limiting way of the design resource data,

the data authentication device being adapted to decide whether or not the subject identification information received by the authentication request receiving device, is not included in the license information read out by the license information search device, and to send to the output apparatus output limiting information included in the license information read out by the license information search device when it is decided that the subject identification information is not included.

29. A design resource output program for use with a computer, to output a design resource and to limit output of the design resource depending upon design resource data, comprising:

a program for inputting the design resource data to which authentication information is placed in correspondence;

a program for inputting subject identification information identifying a subject of use of the design resource data;

a program for sending, together with an authentication request, authentication information placed in correspondence to the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input and subject identification information inputted by the subject identification information input to the data authentication apparatus; and

a program for outputting the design resource depending upon the design resource data;

the design resource output being adapted to output the design resource within a use-permitted scope depending upon the received use-permitting information and the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input when the computer receives use-permitting information defining a use-permitted scope of the design resource data.

30. The design resource output program according to claim 29, further comprising:

a program for the computer to execute a process including generating data confirming information to confirm a content of the design resource data depending upon the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input,

the authentication request transmitting being adapted to send, together with the authentication request, the authentication information, the subject identification information and the data confirming information generated by the data confirming information generating, to the data authentication apparatus.

31. The design resource output program according to claim 29, further comprising:

a program for the computer to execute a process of making an inquiry about authentication to a particular one of the plural data authentication apparatuses.

32. The design resource output program according to claim 29, further comprising:

a program for the computer to execute a process including authenticating a reliability of the data authentication apparatus, and a process of making an inquiry about authentication to an authenticated one of the plural data authentication apparatuses.

34. The design resource output program according to claim 29, the subject identification information being user identification information identifying a user who is to use the design resource data.

35. The design resource output program according to claim 29, the design resource output being to decide depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and to limit output of the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

36. The design resource output program according to claim 29, the design resource output being to decide depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and to output the design resource by a predetermined output limiting process depending upon the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

37. The design resource output program according to claim 29, the design resource output being to decide depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and to limit output of the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input and another one of design resource data to be outputted together with the relevant design resource data when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

38. The design resource output program according to claim 29, further comprising:

a program for the computer to execute a process including limiting output of the design resource,

the output limiting being to limit output of the design resource depending upon the received output limiting information when the computer receives output limiting information defining an output limiting way of the design resource data.

39. A data authentication program for use with a computer, to authenticate the use of design resource data, comprising:

a program for the computer capable of making use of a license information storing device to store license information including use-permitting information defining a use-permitted scope of the design resource data and subject identification information identifying a subject of use of the design resource data by a correspondence to authentication information, to execute;

receiving the authentication information and the subject identification information, together with an authentication request;

searching through the license information storing device on the basis of the authentication information received in the authentication request receiving and reading out license information concerned; and

authenticating a use of the design resource data depending upon the license information read out in the license information search;

the data authentication for deciding whether or not the subject identification information received in the authentication request receiving is included in the license information read out in the license information search and sending to the output apparatus, use-permitting information included in the license information read out in the license information search when it is decided that the subject identification information is included.

40. The data authentication program according to claim 39, the license information including data confirming information to confirm a content of the design resource data,

the authentication request receiving being to receive the authentication information, the subject identification information and the data confirming information, together with the authentication request,

the data authentication being further to decide whether or not a predetermined relationship is satisfied by the data confirming information received in the authentication request receiving and the data confirming information included in the license information read out in the license information search, and to send the use-permitting information included in the license information read out in the license information search to the output apparatus when it is decided that the predetermined relationship is satisfied and that the subject identification information is included in the license information.

41. The data authentication program according to claim 39, the subject identification information being apparatus identification information identifying the output apparatus.

42. The data authentication program according to claim 39, the subject identification information being user identification information identifying a user who is to use the design resource data.

43. The data authentication program according claim 39, the license information including output limiting information defining an output limiting way of the design resource data,

the data authentication being to decide whether or not the subject identification information received in the authentication request receiving is not included in the license information read out in the license information search, and to send to the output apparatus output limiting information included in the license information read out in the license information search when it is decided that the subject identification information is not included.

44. A license authentication output method to output a design resource and to limiting output of the design resource depending upon design resource data, the license authentication output method comprising:

inputting the design resource data to which authentication information is placed in correspondence;

inputting the subject identification information identifying a subject of use of the design resource data;

searching through the license information storing device storing license information including the use-permitting information defining a use-permitted scope of the design resource data and the subject identification information by a correspondence, to authentication information on the basis of the authentication information placed in correspondence to the design resource data inputted in the design resource data input and of reading out license information concerned;

deciding whether or not the subject identification information inputted in the subject identification information input is included in the license information read out in the license information search; and

outputting the design resource within a use-permitted scope depending upon the use-permitting information included in the license information read out in the license information search and the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input when the data authentication decides that the subject identification information is included.

45. A license authentication output method, comprising connecting communicatably, a output apparatus to output a design resource depending upon design resource data and a data authentication apparatus to authenticate a use of the design resource data, thereby limiting to output the design resource, the output apparatus including:

inputting the design resource data to which authentication information is placed in correspondence;

inputting subject identification information identifying a subject of use of the design resource data; and

sending, together with an authentication request, authentication information placed in correspondence to the design resource data inputted in the design resource data input and the subject identification information inputted in the subject identification information input to the data authentication apparatus;

the data authentication apparatus, including;

receiving the authentication information and the subject identification information, together with the authentication request;

searching through the license information storing device storing license information including use-permitting information defining a use-permitted scope of the design resource data and the subject identification information by a correspondence to authentication information on the basis of the authentication information received in the authentication request receiving; and

deciding whether or not the subject identification information received in the authentication request receiving is included in the license information read out by the license information search, and sending the use-permitting information included in the license information read out by the license information search to the output apparatus when it is decided that the subject identification information is included;

the design resource output device including;

outputting the design resource within a use-permitted scope depending upon the use-permitting information received and the design resource data inputted in the design resource data input when the output apparatus receives the use-permitting information.

46. The license authentication output method according to claim 45, the license information including data confirming information to confirm a content of the design resource data, the output apparatus, including:

generating data confirming information to confirm a content of the design resource data depending upon the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input,

the authentication request transmitting including sending the authentication information, the subject identification information and the data confirming information generated in the data confirming information generating, together with the authentication request, to the data authentication apparatus,

the authentication request receiving including receiving, together with the authentication request, the authentication information, the subject identification information and the data confirming information,

the data authentication including deciding whether or not a predetermined relationship is satisfied by the data confirming information received in the authentication request receiving and the data confirming information included in the license information read out in the license information search, and sending the use-permitting information included in the license information read out in the license information search to the output apparatus, when it is decided that the predetermined relationship is satisfied and that the subject identification information is included in the license information.

47. The license authentication output method according to claim 45, the output apparatus and the data authentication apparatuses in plurality are connected in communication together, the output apparatus, including:

making an inquiry about authentication to a particular one of the plural data authentication apparatuses in plurality.

48. The license authentication output method according to claim 45, the output apparatus and the data authentication apparatuses in plurality being connected in communication together, the method further including:

authenticating, for the output apparatus, a reliability of the plural data authentication apparatus, to make an inquiry about authentication to an authenticated one of the plural data authentication apparatuses.

49. The license authentication output method according to claim 45, the subject identification information being apparatus identification information to identify the output apparatus.

50. The available authentication output method according to claim 45, the subject identification information being user identification information identifying a user who is to use the design resource data.

51. The license authentication output method according to claim 45, the design resource output being to decide, depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and to limit output of the design resource data inputted by the design resource data input when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

52. The license authentication output method according to claim 45, the design resource output being to decide, depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and to output the design resource by a predetermined output limiting process depending upon the design resource data inputted in the design resource data input when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

53. The license authentication output method according to claim 45, the design resource output is deciding, depending upon the received use-permitting information, whether or not the use is outside a use-permitted scope, and to limit output of the design resource data inputted in the design resource data input and another one of design resource data to be outputted together with the design resource data when it is decided that the use is outside a use-permitted scope.

54. The license authentication output method according to claim 45, the license information including output limiting information defining an output limiting way of the design resource data,

the method further including limiting to output the design resource,

the data authentication being to decide whether or not the subject identification information received in the authentication request receiving is included in the license information read out in the license information search, and to send to the output apparatus, output limiting information included in the license information read out in the license information search when it is decided that the subject identification information is not included,

the output limiting being to limit output of the design resource depending upon the received output limiting information when the output limiting information is received.

55. The license authentication output method according to claim 45, the output apparatus being any one of a printer, a display and a raster image processor for conversion processing of from document data to output data.