CONTROL DEVICE, COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, CONTROL SYSTEM, CONTROL METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20100228966A1
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Tomoharu
• Granted Patent: US 9,712,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/155
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device

Abstract

A control system which can control a function of a device depending on the result of authentication of an external device that exists outside the device and prevent others from using the device without permission is provided. The control system includes a control device (100) which controls at least one function (1), and at least one external device (900-1 to n: n is an arbitrary integer) which exists outside the control device (100). The control device (100) authenticates the external devices (900-1 to n), and controls the function (1) depending on the number of authenticated devices which can be authenticated and the number of unauthenticated devices which can not be authenticated.

Claims

1. A control device that controls at least one function, comprising:

an authentication unit that authenticates external devices that exist outside the control device; and

a function controlling unit that controls the function depending on the number of authenticated devices able to be authenticated by the authentication unit, and the number of unauthenticated devices not able to be authenticated by the authentication unit.

2. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising a control condition retaining unit that retains control matters depending on the number of the authenticated devices and the number of the unauthenticated devices,

wherein the function controlling unit refers to the control condition retaining unit to specify control matter depending on the number of the authenticated devices and the number of the unauthenticated devices, and controls the function based on the specified control matter.

3. The control device according to claim 2, further comprising:

an authenticated device counting unit that counts and retains the number of the authenticated devices able to be authenticated by the authentication unit; and

an unauthenticated device counting unit that counts and retains the number of the authenticated devices not able to be authenticated by the authentication unit,

wherein the function controlling unit refers to the control condition retaining unit to specify control matter depending on the number of authenticated devices retained by the authenticated device counting unit and the number of unauthenticated devices retained by the unauthenticated device to counting unit, and controls the function based on the specified control matter.

4. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the control condition retaining unit retains conditions made up of the number of the authenticated devices and the number of the unauthenticated devices in association with control matters for controlling the function, and

the function controlling unit refers to the control condition retaining unit to specify control matter that meets a condition depending on the number of the authenticated devices and the number of the unauthenticated devices, and controls the function based on the specified control matter.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the function includes a voice communication function that performs voice communication with connecting to a subscriber network, and

the function controlling unit controls the voice communication function to stop the voice communication if the number of the unauthenticated devices exceeds a specific number, even when the authenticated device exists.

6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the function includes a data communication function that performs data communication with connecting to a subscriber network, and

the function controlling unit controls the data communication function to stop the data communication, when the number of the unauthenticated devices is larger than the number of the authenticated devices.

7. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the function includes a radio communication function that performs radio communication, and

the function controlling unit controls the radio communication function to stop the radio communication, when the number of the unauthenticated devices is larger than the number of the authenticated devices.

8. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the function includes an access function for various information recorded in a recording medium, and

the function controlling unit controls the access function to be inhibited from accessing the various information, when the number of the unauthenticated devices is larger than the number of the authenticated devices.

9. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the function includes an erasure function that erases various information recorded in a recording medium, and

the function controlling unit controls the erasure function to erase the various information, when the number of the unauthenticated devices is larger than the number of the authenticated devices.

10. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the function includes an encryption function that encrypts various information recorded in a recording medium, and

the function controlling unit controls the encryption function to encrypt the various information, when the number of the unauthenticated devices is larger than the number of the authenticated devices.

11. The control device according to claim 8, wherein the various information includes at least one of personal information, phonebook information, and schedule information.

12. A communication apparatus mounted with the control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device controls a function of the communication apparatus.

13. A control system comprising:

a control device that controls at least one function; and

at least one external device that exists outside the control device,

wherein the control device includes an authentication unit that authenticates the external device, and

a function controlling unit that controls the function depending on the number of authenticated devices able to be authenticated by the authentication unit and the number of unauthenticated devices not able to be authenticated by the authentication unit.

14. A control method performed in a control device that in controls at least one function, comprising;

authenticating external devices that exist outside the control device; and

controlling the function depending on the number of authenticated devices able to be authenticated and the number of unauthenticated devices not able to be authenticated.

15. A storage medium that stores a control program for causing a control device which controls at least one function to execute:

an authentication process for authenticating external devices that exist outside the control device; and

a function controlling process for controlling the function depending on the number of authenticated devices able to be authenticated in the authentication process, and the number of unauthenticated devices not able to be authenticated in the authentication process.