DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20120185685A1
• Filed: 01/06/2012
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: KANAUCHI, Shizu, KATO, Yoshinaga, ASAI, Takahiro, VOLMAT, Alain
• Granted Patent: US 8,793,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]

Abstract

Disclosed is a data processing apparatus providing a predetermined function by executing a program for the data processing apparatus, including a first storage unit that stores encoded execution starting data for starting execution of the program; a first decode key storage unit that stores a first decode key capable of decoding the encoded execution starting data; a start up unit that obtains the first decode key from the first decode key storage unit when turning on the power is accepted and decodes the encoded execution starting data by the first decode key to start executing the program; and an authentication confirmation unit that sends a request for authentication to an external apparatus after the start up unit starts executing the program and starts providing the predetermined function when obtaining an authentication result indicating the apparatus is authenticated from the external apparatus.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus providing a predetermined function by executing a program for the data processing apparatus, comprising:

an operational input accepting unit that accepts turning on power;

a first storage unit that stores encoded execution starting data for starting execution of the program for the data processing apparatus;

a first decode key storage unit that stores a first decode key capable of decoding the encoded execution starting data;

a start up unit that obtains the first decode key from the first decode key storage unit when the operational input accepting unit accepts turning on the power and decodes the encoded execution starting data by the first decode key to start executing the program for the data processing apparatus; and

an authentication confirmation unit that sends a request for authentication to an external apparatus after the start up unit starts executing the program for the data processing apparatus, and that starts providing the predetermined function when obtaining an authentication result indicating the apparatus is authenticated from the external apparatus.

2. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second decode key storage unit that stores a second decode key, the second decode key storage unit being provided in a recording medium physically different from the first decode key storage unit,

wherein the first decode key is stored in the first storage unit in an encoded manner capable of being decoded by the second decode key, and

the start up unit reads out the second decode key from the second decode key storage unit, and decodes the encoded first decode key by the second decode key to obtain the first decode key.

3. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second storage unit that stores terminal identification data that uniquely identifies the apparatus to be included in the request for authentication which is sent by the authentication confirmation unit; and

a password storage unit that stores a password to be included in the request for authentication which is sent by the authentication confirmation unit, the password storage unit being composed of a medium physically different from the first storage unit, the second storage unit and the first decode key storage unit,

wherein the authentication confirmation unit sends the request for authentication including the terminal identification data and the password to the external apparatus.

4. The data processing apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the terminal identification data is stored in the second storage unit in an encoded manner capable of being decoded by the first decode key,

the first decode key is stored in the first storage unit in an encoded manner capable of being decoded by the password,

the start up unit reads out the password from the password storage unit, and decodes the first decode key by the password, and

the authentication confirmation unit decodes the terminal identification data by the first decode key and sends the request for authentication including the decoded terminal identification data and the password to the external apparatus.

5. The data processing apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the first decode key is stored in the first storage unit in an encoded manner capable of being decoded by the password, and

the start up unit reads out the password from the password storage unit, and decodes the first decode key by the password to obtain the first decode key.

6. The data processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a second storage unit that stores terminal identification data that uniquely identifies the apparatus to be included in the request for authentication which is sent by the authentication confirmation unit in an encoded manner capable of being decoded by the first decode key; and

a password storage unit that stores a password to be included in the request for authentication which is sent by the authentication confirmation unit, the password storage unit being composed of physically different medium from the first storage unit, the second storage unit and the first decode key storage unit,

wherein the authentication confirmation unit decodes the terminal identification data by the first decode key and sends the request for authentication including the decoded terminal identification data and the password to the external apparatus.

7. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined function is to obtain a terminal list including lists of terminals capable of having communication with the apparatus from the external apparatus by sending terminal identification data that uniquely identifies the apparatus to the external apparatus, to display the terminal list, and to start a communication with a terminal which is selected from the terminal list.

8. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the start up unit terminates an operation of starting execution of the program for the data processing apparatus without displaying a message when the encoded execution starting data is not decoded.

9. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication confirmation unit displays an error message when the authentication result indicating it is authenticated is not obtained from the external apparatus.

10. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first storage unit and the first decode key storage unit are provided in a first recording medium.

11. The data processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first recording medium is a hard disk.

12. The data processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first decode key is stored in the first storage unit in an encoded manner capable of being decoded by a second decode key which is stored in a second recording medium physically different from the first recording medium.

13. The data processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second recording medium is a BIOS ROM.

14. The data processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second decode key is a password which is to be included in the request for authentication which is sent by the authentication confirmation unit.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program that causes a data processing unit, which is composed of a computer, stores encoded execution starting data for starting execution of a program for the data processing apparatus, a first decode key capable of decoding the encoded execution starting data, and provides a predetermined function, to execute a method, comprising:

accepting turning on the power;

obtaining the first decode key when turning on the power is accepted and decoding the encoded execution starting data by the first decode key to start executing the program for the data processing apparatus;

sending a request for authentication to an external apparatus after starting execution of the program for the data processing apparatus; and

starting to provide the function when obtaining an authentication result indicating the apparatus is authenticated from the external apparatus.