Information processing system, information processing method and information processing apparatus

• US 20050209969A1
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Tsuchiya, Yoshihiro, Kanazawa, Yuzi
• Granted Patent: US 8,151,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

An information processing system includes a management apparatus having a transmission preventing part preventing transmission of a predetermined usage allowing signal allowing usage of a predetermined device, in response to receiving a predetermined usage preventing instruction for the predetermined device.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

a management apparatus comprises a transmission preventing part preventing transmission of a predetermined usage allowing signal allowing usage of a predetermined device, in response to receiving a predetermined usage preventing instruction for the predetermined device.

2. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said predetermined device comprises a determining part determining whether the usage allowing signal is true or false.

3. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said predetermined device comprises a usage request signal generating part generating a usage request signal requesting the usage allowing signal, which usage request signal is unique to said predetermined device; and

said management apparatus comprises a usage allowing signal generating part responding to the usage request signal to generate the usage allowing signal unique to said predetermined device.

4. The information processing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said predetermined device comprises a change function part changing the usage request signal generated by said usage request generating part every time according to a predetermined rule; and

said management apparatus previously recognizes the predetermined rule.

5. The information processing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said predetermined device comprises a predetermined information recording medium, and said determining part, said usage request signal generating part and said change function part comprise programs executed by a computer.

6. The information processing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said predetermined device comprises a predetermined information recording medium, and said determining part, said usage request signal generating part and said change function part comprise programs executed by a computer.

7. The information processing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said predetermined device is configured so as to generate the usage request signal at predetermined timing after being started up, and continues operation only when receiving the true usage allowing signal in response to said usage request signal.

8. The information processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said predetermined device is configured so as to generate the usage request signal at predetermined timing after being started up, and continues operation only when receiving the true usage allowing signal in response to said usage request signal.

9. The information processing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said management apparatus transmits desired valid period information together with the usage allowing signal, with which starting up of said predetermined is allowed even when said predetermined device does not receive the usage allowing signal, during a desired valid period indicated by the desired valid period information.

10. The information processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said management apparatus transmits desired valid period information together with the usage allowing signal, with which starting up of said predetermined is allowed even when said predetermined device does not receive the usage allowing signal, during a desired valid period indicated by the desired valid period information.

11. The information processing system as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the desired valid period can be arbitrarily designated by a user of the predetermined device.

12. The information processing system as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

the desired valid period can be arbitrarily designated by a user of the predetermined device.

13. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined device delays activation of operation of preventing usage of said predetermined device due to absence of the usage allowing signal for a predetermined period after starting up of said predetermined device.

14. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said predetermined device has a setting such as to previously deactivate operation of preventing usage of the predetermined device due to absence of the usage allowing signal, and actually carries out the operation of preventing usage of said predetermined device due to absence of the usage allowing signal only after a setting is made by a user of said predetermined device such as to activate the operation of preventing usage of said predetermined device due to absence of the usage allowing signal.

15. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the operation of preventing usage of said predetermined device due to absence of the usage allowing signal is deactivated when the predetermined device is not connected to a predetermined communication network.

16. An information processing method comprising:

a instruction step of providing a predetermined usage preventing instruction for a predetermined device; and

a transmission preventing step of preventing transmission of a predetermined usage allowing signal required for allowing usage of the predetermined device, when receiving the usage preventing instruction in a predetermined management apparatus.

17. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a transmission preventing part preventing transmission of a predetermined usage allowing signal allowing usage of a predetermined device, in response to receiving a predetermined usage preventing instruction for the predetermined device.

18. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, comprising a usage allowing signal generating part responding to a usage request signal requesting the usage allowing signal, for generating the usage allowing signal unique to said predetermined device.

19. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said usage request signal is changed every time when it is generated; and

said apparatus further comprises a change rule recognizing part previously recognizing a rule for changing the usage request signal.

20. An information processing apparatus, configured to start up upon receiving a predetermined usage allowing signal from a predetermined management apparatus, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a usage request signal generating part generating a usage request signal unique to said information processing apparatus for requesting the usage allowing signal; and

a determining part determining whether the usage allowing signal is true or false.

21. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 20, comprising:

a change function part changing the usage request signal generated by said usage request generating part signal every time according to a predetermined rule.