Communication system, and client, server and program used in such system
First Claim
1. A communication system in which at least part of a function implementable by a client is made available through authentication by a server, wherein:
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an authentication judgment unit which judges whether or not authentication information on the client, contained in an authentication request transmitted from the client for requesting authentication of the client, has already been registered in an authentication database, in which authentication information to be used for authenticating the client is registered while associating the authentication information with the client, as authentication information on the client transmitting the authentication request;
a permission instruction transmitting unit which transmits a permission instruction, representing permission for use of the function, to the client transmitting the authentication request when the authentication judgment unit judges that the authentication information contained in the authentication request has already been registered in the authentication database;
a registration request transmitting unit which transmits a registration request, requesting new registration in the authentication database, to the client transmitting the authentication request when the authentication judgment unit judges that the authentication information contained in the authentication request has not been registered in the authentication database; and
an information registering unit which registers authentication information on the client, contained in a registration application transmitted from the client receiving the registration request from the registration request transmitting unit for applying for registration, in the authentication database as authentication information on the client transmitting the registration application, and the permission instruction transmitting unit is configured to transmit the permission instruction to a client on which the registration of authentication information in the authentication database has been carried out by the information registering unit, and the client includes;
an information input unit which lets a user input authentication information to be used for authenticating the client;
an authentication request transmitting unit which transmits the authentication request, containing the authentication information inputted through the information input unit, to the server;
a registration application transmitting unit which transmits the registration application, containing authentication information inputted through the information input unit, to the server when the registration request is received from the server receiving the authentication request transmitted by the authentication request transmitting unit; and
a function enabling unit which switches an operational state of the client from a function unavailable state in which at least part of the function implementable by the client is unavailable to a function available state in which the function is available when the permission instruction is received from the server receiving the authentication request transmitted by the authentication request transmitting unit or the registration application transmitted by the registration application transmitting unit.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication system, capable of offering improved convenience to third parties having no intention of illegal use without affecting benefits of regular (authorized, registered) users, is provided. When a management server receiving an authentication request (containing authentication information inputted by the user of a client) from the client judges that the client is not a proper device based on the authentication request (authentication information), the management server requests new registration in an authentication database by transmitting a “user registration job” to the client. In a user registration server process executed by the management server upon reception of a user registration request from the client receiving the user registration job, authentication information supplied from the client can be newly registered in the authentication database.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A communication system in which at least part of a function implementable by a client is made available through authentication by a server, wherein:
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the server includes;
an authentication judgment unit which judges whether or not authentication information on the client, contained in an authentication request transmitted from the client for requesting authentication of the client, has already been registered in an authentication database, in which authentication information to be used for authenticating the client is registered while associating the authentication information with the client, as authentication information on the client transmitting the authentication request;
a permission instruction transmitting unit which transmits a permission instruction, representing permission for use of the function, to the client transmitting the authentication request when the authentication judgment unit judges that the authentication information contained in the authentication request has already been registered in the authentication database;
a registration request transmitting unit which transmits a registration request, requesting new registration in the authentication database, to the client transmitting the authentication request when the authentication judgment unit judges that the authentication information contained in the authentication request has not been registered in the authentication database; and
an information registering unit which registers authentication information on the client, contained in a registration application transmitted from the client receiving the registration request from the registration request transmitting unit for applying for registration, in the authentication database as authentication information on the client transmitting the registration application, and the permission instruction transmitting unit is configured to transmit the permission instruction to a client on which the registration of authentication information in the authentication database has been carried out by the information registering unit, and the client includes;
an information input unit which lets a user input authentication information to be used for authenticating the client;
an authentication request transmitting unit which transmits the authentication request, containing the authentication information inputted through the information input unit, to the server;
a registration application transmitting unit which transmits the registration application, containing authentication information inputted through the information input unit, to the server when the registration request is received from the server receiving the authentication request transmitted by the authentication request transmitting unit; and
a function enabling unit which switches an operational state of the client from a function unavailable state in which at least part of the function implementable by the client is unavailable to a function available state in which the function is available when the permission instruction is received from the server receiving the authentication request transmitted by the authentication request transmitting unit or the registration application transmitted by the registration application transmitting unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A server capable of communicating with a client and executing authentication for making at least part of a function implementable by the client available, comprising:
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an authentication judgment unit which judges whether or not authentication information on the client, contained in an authentication request transmitted from the client for requesting authentication of the client, has already been registered in an authentication database, in which authentication information to be used for authenticating the client is registered while associating the authentication information with the client, as authentication information on the client transmitting the authentication request;
a permission instruction transmitting unit which transmits a permission instruction, representing permission for use of the function, to the client transmitting the authentication request when the authentication judgment unit judges that the authentication information contained in the authentication request has already been registered in the authentication database;
a registration request transmitting unit which transmits a registration request, requesting new registration in the authentication database, to the client transmitting the authentication request when the authentication judgment unit judges that the authentication information contained in the authentication request has not been registered in the authentication database; and
an information registering unit which registers authentication information on the client, contained in a registration application transmitted from the client receiving the registration request from the registration request transmitting unit for applying for registration, in the authentication database as authentication information on the client transmitting the registration application, wherein;
the permission instruction transmitting unit is configured to transmit the permission instruction to. a client on which the registration of authentication information in the authentication database has been carried out by the information registering unit.
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11. A client capable of communicating with a server executing authentication for making at least part of a function implementable by the client available, comprising:
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an information input unit which lets a user input authentication information to be used for authenticating the client;
an authentication request transmitting unit which transmits an authentication request for requesting authentication of the client, containing the authentication information inputted through the information input unit, to the server;
a registration application transmitting unit which transmits a registration application for applying for registration of authentication information, containing authentication information inputted through the information input unit, to the server when a registration request for requesting new registration is received from the server receiving the authentication request transmitted by the authentication request transmitting unit; and
a function enabling unit which switches an operational state of the client from a function unavailable state in which at least part of the function implementable by the client is unavailable to a function available state in which the function is available when a permission instruction representing permission for use of the function is received from the server receiving the authentication request transmitted by the authentication request transmitting unit or the registration application transmitted by the registration application transmitting unit.
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12. A computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions to be executed by a server, capable of communicating with a client and executing authentication for making at least part of a function implementable by the client available, the instructions causing the server to:
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judge whether or not authentication information on the client, contained in an authentication request transmitted from the client for requesting authentication of the client, has already been registered in an authentication database, in which authentication information to be used for authenticating the client is registered while associating the authentication information with the client, as authentication information on the client transmitting the authentication request;
transmit a permission instruction, representing permission for use of the function, to the client transmitting the authentication request if it is judged that the authentication information contained in the authentication request has already been registered in the authentication database;
transmit a registration request, requesting new registration in the authentication database, to the client transmitting the authentication request if it is judged that the authentication information contained in the authentication request has not been registered in the authentication database; and
register authentication information on the client, contained in a registration application transmitted from the client receiving the registration request for applying for registration, in the authentication database as authentication information on the client transmitting the registration application, wherein;
the permission instruction is transmitted to a client on which the registration of authentication information in the authentication database has been carried out.
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13. A computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions to be executed by a client, capable of communicating with a server executing authentication for making at least part of a function implementable by the client available, the instructions causing the client to:
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let a user input authentication information to be used for authenticating the client;
transmit an authentication request for requesting authentication of the client, containing the authentication information, to the server;
transmit a registration application for applying for registration of authentication information, containing authentication information, to the server if a registration request for requesting new registration is received from the server receiving the authentication request; and
switch an operational state of the client from a function unavailable state in which at least part of the function implementable by the client is unavailable to a function available state in which the function is available if a permission instruction representing permission for use of the function is received from the server receiving the authentication request or the registration application.
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Specification