Communication device, communication system and method therefor

• US 20060265600A1
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atsuhiko Mimura, Hiroki Kotani, Naoko Kumagai
• Original Assignee: Atsuhiko Mimura, Hiroki Kotani, Naoko Kumagai
• Inventors: Kotani, Hiroki, Kumagai, Naoko, Mimura, Atsuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

A communication device including an access authority data managing DB device for managing access authority data with which access authority for at least one of storage area defined logically or physically in a storage device and file data stored in the storage area is defined while at least one of a user making the access and a group to which the user concerned belongs is set as a unit, and a non-open WWW device for controlling an access to the storage device on the basis of the access authority data achieved from the access authority data managing DB device in accordance with an access from a terminal device.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A communication system which accepts an access from a single or plural other communication devices through a network in accordance with the operation of plural users, characterized by comprising:

storage means;

managing means for managing access authority data for defining access authority for at least one of first and second areas logically or physically defined in a storage area of said storage means and file data stored in the first and second storage areas concerned every at least one of a user making the access and a group to which the user concerned belongs;

first access control means for making an inquiry to said managing means in response to a request for an access to the first storage area and controlling the access to the first storage area on the basis of the access authority data received from said managing means in response to the inquiry every user or group; and

second access control means for making an inquiry to said managing means in response to a request for an access to the second storage area and controlling the access to the second storage area on the basis of the access authority data received from said managing means in response to the inquiry every user or group.

11. The communication system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

first authenticating means for performing user authentication to judge whether a user has access authority for said first access control means, and permitting an access from the other communication device to said first access control means under the condition that the justice of the user concerned is acknowledged; and

second authenticating means for performing user authentication to judge whether a user has access authority for said second access control means, and permitting an access from the other communication device to said second access control means under the condition that the justice of the user concerned is acknowledged.

12. The communication system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first authenticating means permits a prescribed user making the access through a generally open communication network and a prescribed user making the access through a specific dedicated line to make the access to said first access control means, and second authenticating means permits a prescribed user making the access through a specific dedicated line to make an access to said second access control means.

13-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A communication method for receiving an access from single or plural other communication devices through a network in accordance with operations of plural users and carrying out processing by using storage means, managing means, first access control means and second access control means, characterized in that the managing means manages access authority data which define access authority for at least one of first and second storage areas defined logically or physically in the storage means and file data stored in the first and second storage areas every at least one of a user making the access and a group to which the user concerned belongs, the first access control means makes an inquiry to the managing means in accordance with the access to the first storage area and controls the access to the first storage area on the basis of the access authority data received from the managing means in response to the inquiry every user or group, and the second access control means makes an inquiry to the managing means in accordance with the access to the second storage area, and controlling the access to the second storage area on the basis of the access authority data received from the managing means in response to the inquiry every user or group.

21. The communication method as claimed in claim 20, wherein user authentication to judge whether a user has access authority for the first access control means is performed, an access from the other communication device to the first access control means is permitted, under the condition that the justice of the user concerned is acknowledged, user authentication to judge whether a user has access authority for the second access control means is judged, and an access from the other communication device to the second access control means is permitted under the condition that the justice of the user concerned is acknowledged.

22. The communication method as claimed in claim 21, wherein a prescribed user making the access through a generally open communication network and a prescribed user making the access through a specific dedicated line are permitted to make the access to the first access control means, and a prescribed user making the access through a specific dedicated line is permitted to make an access to the second access control means.