Access control system, access managing method, image forming device and computer program product

• US 20050273620A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Inui, Kazuo, Uchida, Hisashi, Kawabata, Hiroyuki, Emori, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,553 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3246 of data relating to permitted access or usage, e.g. level of access or usage parameters for digital rights management [DRM] related to still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A multifunction device includes a storage controlling portion for causing document data, which are to be given by a user who has logged in to a different user, to be stored in a box owned by the different user, and an access authority setting portion for granting an access authority to make access to the document data, to both of the users in the event that the document data are stored in the box and, also, for erasing the access authority, which has been granted to the user, when the user logs out. Thus, in the event that the user stores the data such as document data or the like in the box other than his or her personal box, the user can be permitted to make access to the data, while the owner of such box is warranted a high security and conveniences of data management are ensured.

Claims

1. An access control system for managing an access authority with respect to data stored in a storage device, the system comprising:

a storage controlling portion for storing in the storage device, to-be-given data, which are data to be given from a user who has logged in the access control system to a different user; and

an access authority managing portion for granting an access authority to make access to the to-be-given data, to both of the user, who is a provider of the data, and the different user, who is given the to-be-given data, in the event that the to-be-given data are stored in the storage device and, also, for erasing the access authority, which has been granted to the user, when the user logs out the access control system.

2. An access control system for managing an access authority with respect to data stored in a storage device having a storage area for each of users, the system comprising:

a storage controlling portion for causing data, which are to be given by a first user, then logging in the access control system, to a second user, to be stored in the storage area owned by the second user; and

an access authority managing portion for granting an access authority to make access to the data to be given by the first user, to both of the first user and the second user who is an owner of the storage area in the event that the data to be given by the first user are stored in the storage area and, also, for erasing the access authority, which has been granted to the first user, when the first user logs out the access control system.

3. An image forming device provided with storage areas in a storage device for storage of data, the storage areas being provided one for each of users, the image forming device comprising:

a storage controlling portion for causing data, which are to be given by a first user who has logged in the image forming device to a second user, to be stored in the storage area owned by the second user; and

an access authority managing portion for granting an access authority to make access to the data to be given by the first user, to both of the first user and the second user who is an owner of the storage area in the event that the data to be given by the first user are stored in the storage area and, also, for erasing the access authority, which has been granted to the first user, when the first user logs out the image forming device.

4. The image forming device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the access authority managing portion grants only a read authority to read the data to the second user as the access authority when the data are stored in the storage area, but grants a full access authority as the access authority to the second user when the first user logs out the image forming device.

5. The image forming device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the access authority managing portion grants, as the full access authority, an authority with which the data can be read, updated and deleted.

6. The image forming device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the access authority managing portion erases the access authority granted to the first user, when the second user makes access to the data regardless of the timing at which the first user logs out the image forming device.

7. The image forming device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a prioritized person setting portion for setting a person prioritized to make access to the data for each of the storage areas and wherein the access authority managing portion is operable;

if the person prioritized to the storage area, in which the data are stored, is the first user, to grant, as the access authority, only a read authority to read the data to the second user when the data are stored in the storage area, but to grant, as the access authority, a full access authority to the second user when the first user logs out the image forming device, and

if the person prioritized to the storage area, in which the data are stored, is the second user, to grant, as the access authority, a full access authority to both of the first and second users when the data are stored in the storage area, but to erase the access authority, granted to the first user, when the second user makes access to the data and regardless of the timing at which the first user logs out the image forming device.

8. An image forming device having a process executing portion for executing a process based on job data, the device comprising:

a storage controlling portion for storing in a predetermined storage area in a storage device, the job data descriptive of contents of the process designated by a user who has logged in the image forming device; and

an access authority managing portion for granting an access authority for enabling the user, who designated the process, to make access to the job data, to the user when the job data are stored in the predetermined storage area and, also, for erasing the access authority when the user logs out the image forming device.

9. The image forming device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the process executing portion starts the process based on the job data, after the user who has designated the process logs out the image forming device.

10. The image forming device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the access authority managing portion grants, as the access authority, an authority to read, update and delete the job data and an authority to read, update and delete an addressee to which the job data are transferred, if the job data are associated with transfer of the data to the designated addressee.

11. An access managing method of managing an access authority with respect to data stored in a storage device, the method comprising:

storing in the storage device, to-be-given data, which are data to be given from a user who has logged in to a different user; and

granting an access authority to make access to the to-be-given data, to both of the user, who is a provider of the to-be-given data, and the different user, who is given the to-be-given data, in the event that the to-be-given data are stored in the storage device and, also, for erasing the access authority, which has been granted to the user, when the user logs out an access control system.

12. A computer program product for use in a computer which is used to manage an access authority with respect to data stored in a storage device, the program comprising:

a process for storing in the storage device, to-be-given data, which are data to be given from a user who has logged in to a different user; and

a process for granting an access authority to make access to the to-be-given data, to both of the user, who is a provider of the to-be-given data, and the different user, who is given the to-be-given data, in the event that the to-be-given data are stored in the storage device and, also, for erasing the access authority, which has been granted to the user, when the user logs out an access control system.