IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM, IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS, AND RELAY DEVICE

• US 20150101039A1
• Filed: 10/07/2014
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Inventors: SAWAYANAGI, Kazumi, UCHIDA, Hisashi, TORIGOSHI, Akihiro, ASAMOTO, Noriaki, YAMADA, Masami, YONEDA, Shuji, ANEZAKI, Kazuya, ITO, Yasutaka
• Granted Patent: US 9,959,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]

Abstract

An MFP sets an access condition for an external device with respect to a cloud box. The access condition is transmitted from the MFP to a relay device, and is registered in a memory of the relay device. When the relay device receives an access request made by the external device with respect to the MFP serving as an internal device, the relay device determines whether to permit or deny access to the MFP by comparing the access request with the access condition. When the access is permitted, the access request is transferred from the relay device to the MFP, whereas when the access is denied, the relay device notifies the external device of it.

Claims

1. An image processing system comprising:

an image formation apparatus;

a relay unit configured to relay communication between said image formation apparatus and an external device external to the image processing system;

a setting unit configured to set an access condition for said external device with respect to a memory region accessible by other devices, included in said image formation apparatus;

a registration unit configured to register said access condition in a memory;

a request input unit configured to receive an access request, said access request being made by said external device with respect to an internal device, which is a device included in the image processing system;

a determination unit configured to determine whether to permit or deny access to said image formation apparatus by comparing said access request with said access condition when said access request is a request for access to said image formation apparatus;

a transfer unit configured to transfer said access request to said image formation apparatus when said determination unit determines to permit the access from said external device; and

a notification unit configured to notify said external device that the access has been denied when said determination unit determines to deny the access from said external device.

2. An image formation apparatus comprising:

a memory region accessible by other devices;

a first setting unit configured to set at least one first access condition, which is used for access to said memory region accessible by an external device, said external device being not included in a system to which the image formation apparatus belongs; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit said first access condition to a relay device included in said system for relaying communication between an internal device in said system and said external device.

3. The image formation apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a second setting unit configured to set at least one second access condition, which is used for access to said memory region accessible by said internal device; and

a determination unit configured to determine whether to permit or deny access to said accessible memory region by comparing an access request from another device with said second access condition.

4. The image formation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said transmission unit transmits an access condition, not included in said second access condition, of said first access condition to said relay unit.

5. The image formation apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a third setting unit configured to set at least one third access condition, which is used for access to a document stored in said memory region accessible by said external device, wherein

said transmission unit further transmits said third access condition to said relay device.

6. The image formation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

said third setting unit includes an input unit configured to receive input of at least one access condition from a user, and

when each access condition input from the user is included in said first access condition, said third setting unit sets the access condition input from said user as said third access condition.

7. A relay device for relaying communication between at least one internal device included in a system to which said relay device belongs and an external device not included in said system, the relay device comprising:

a first registration unit configured to register at least one first access condition in a memory, said first access condition being received from an image formation apparatus serving as said internal device, said first access condition being used for access to a memory region accessible by other devices of said image formation apparatus;

a request input unit configured to receive an access request made by said external device with respect to said internal device;

a determination unit configured to determine whether to permit or deny access to said image formation apparatus by comparing said access request with said first access condition when said access request is a request for access to said image formation apparatus;

a transfer unit configured to transfer said access request to said image formation apparatus when said determination unit determines to permit the access from said external device; and

a notification unit configured to notify said external device that the access has been denied when said determination unit determines to deny the access from said external device.

8. The relay device according to claim 7, further comprising a second registration unit configured to register at least one second access condition in said memory, said second access condition being received from an image formation apparatus serving as said internal device, said second access condition being used for access to a document stored in said memory region, wherein

when said second access condition with respect to the document designated by said access request is registered in said memory, said determination unit determines to permit or deny the access to said image formation apparatus by comparing said access request with said second access condition.

9. The relay device according to claim 8, wherein said second registration unit registers said second access condition in said memory when each second access condition is included in said first access condition.

10. The relay device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a second registration unit configured to register at least one second access condition in said memory, said second access condition being received from an image formation apparatus serving as said internal device, said second access condition being used for access to a document stored in said memory region, wherein

when said determination unit determines that said first access condition is satisfied by comparing said access request, which is a request for access to said image formation apparatus, with said first access condition, said determination unit further determines whether to permit or deny the access from said external device by comparing said access request with said second access condition.

11. The relay device according to claim 10, wherein

said second registration unit registers said second access condition in said memory when each second access condition is included in said first access condition.

12. An image formation apparatus comprising the relay device recited in claim 7.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program causing an image formation apparatus to perform an access management process for an external device not included in a system to which the image formation apparatus belongs,

said image formation apparatus including a memory region accessible by other devices,

said program causing said image formation apparatus to perform the steps of:

setting at least one first access condition, which is used for access to said memory region; and

transmitting said first access condition to a relay device included in said system for relaying communication between an internal device included in said system and said external device.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program causing a computer, which serves as a relay device, to perform an access management process, said relay device relaying communication between at least one internal device included in a system to which the relay device belongs and an external device not included in said system,

said program causing said computer to perform the steps of:

registering at least one first access condition in a memory, said first access condition being received from an image formation apparatus serving as said internal device, said first access condition being used for access to a memory region accessible by other devices of said image formation apparatus;

receiving an access request made by said external device with respect to said internal device;

determining whether to permit or deny access to said image formation apparatus by comparing said access request with said first access condition when said access request is a request for access to said image formation apparatus; and

transferring said access request to said image formation apparatus when it is determined to permit the access from said external device, and notifying said external device that the access has been denied when it is determined to deny the access from said external device.