INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT METHOD

• US 20150161407A1
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: HIRAKATA, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 9,721,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment

Abstract

An information processing apparatus for managing information stored in a storage location includes an authentication management unit that manages first authentication information and second authentication information in association with each other, a storage location monitor unit, and an information management unit. The first authentication information is used to authenticate a user operating an operation terminal, and the second authentication information is used to prompt the storage location to authenticate the user. The storage location monitor unit monitors the information stored in the storage location using the second authentication information, and updates index information of the information stored in the storage location. The information management unit determines the storage location that can be used by the user based on the second authentication information associated with the first authentication information, creates a list of information that can be used by the user, and provides the list to the operation terminal.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for managing information stored in a storage location, the information processing apparatus comprising:

an authentication management unit configured to manage first authentication information and second authentication information in association with each other, the first authentication information being used to authenticate a user operating an operation terminal, and the second authentication information being used to prompt the storage location to authenticate the user;

a storage location monitor unit configured to monitor the information stored in the storage location using the second authentication information, and update index information of the information stored in the storage location; and

an information management unit configured to determine the storage location that can be used by the user operating the operation terminal that has been authenticated based on the first authentication information, the determination being made based on the second authentication information associated with the first authentication information, the information management unit further being configured to create a list of information that can be used by the user operating the operation terminal based on the determination, and provide the list to the operation terminal.

2. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

when the user operating the operation terminal is authenticated based on the first authentication information, the storage location monitor unit uses the second authentication information associated with the first authentication information to establish a connection with the storage location, and updates the index information of the information that can be used by the user operating the operation terminal.

3. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the storage location monitor unit monitors the information stored in the storage location at predetermined time intervals using the second authentication information, and updates the index information of the information stored in the storage location.

4. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein

when an operation request relating to the information stored in the storage location is accepted from the user operating the operation terminal that has been authenticated based on the first authentication information, the information management unit uses the second authentication information associated with the first authentication information to establish a connection with the storage location and execute the operation request relating to the information stored in the storage location.

5. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

when a plurality of authentication requests for user authentication based on the first authentication information are accepted from a plurality of the users operating the operation terminals, the storage location monitor unit performs a first authentication process corresponding to a first authentication request of the plurality of authentication requests, and disconnects a connection with the storage location after the first authentication process corresponding to the first authentication request is completed.

6. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

when a plurality of authentication requests for user authentication based on the first authentication information are accepted from a plurality of the users operating the operation terminals, the storage location monitor unit determines whether a first authentication request that is accepted first and a subsequent authentication request that is accepted after the first authentication request are from the same user after completing a first authentication process corresponding to the first authentication request;

when the first authentication request and the subsequent authentication are from the same user, the storage location monitor unit uses a connection established with the storage location without disconnecting the connection; and

when the first authentication request and the subsequent authentication are not from the same user, the storage location monitor unit performs a subsequent authentication process corresponding to the subsequent authentication request after disconnecting the connection established with the storage location.

7. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

when a plurality of authentication requests for user authentication based on the first authentication information are accepted from a plurality of the users operating the operation terminals, the storage location monitor unit disconnects a connection established with the storage location before performing an authentication process corresponding to the authentication requests.

8. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the information management unit creates a list of information that can only be used by the user operating the operation terminal, and provides the list to the operation terminal.

9. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the information management unit creates a list including information that can only be used by the user operating the operation terminal and information that can be used by all users that are authenticated based on the first authentication information, and provides the list to the operation terminal.

10. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the information management unit creates a list having the information that can be used by the user operating the operation terminal displayed in parallel.

11. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the information management unit creates a list having the information that can be used by the user operating the operation terminal displayed separately according to the storage location.

12. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the information management unit creates a list having the information that can be used by the user operating the operation terminal displayed in different colors according to the storage location.

13. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the information management unit creates a list having different icons displayed in association with the information that can be used by the user operating the operation terminal according to the storage location.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon that is executable by an information processing apparatus for managing information stored in a storage location, the computer program when executed causing the information processing apparatus to function as:

an authentication management unit configured to manage first authentication information and second authentication information in association with each other, the first authentication information being used to authenticate a user operating an operation terminal, and the second authentication information being used to prompt the storage location to authenticate the user;

a storage location monitor unit configured to monitor the information stored in the storage location using the second authentication information, and update index information of the information stored in the storage location; and

an information management unit configured to determine the storage location that can be used by the user operating the operation terminal that has been authenticated based on the first authentication information, the determination being made based on the second authentication information associated with the first authentication information, the information management unit further being configured to create a list of information that can be used by the user operating the operation terminal based on the determination, and provide the list to the operation terminal.

15. An information management method implemented by an information processing apparatus for managing information stored in a storage location, the information management method comprising:

an authentication management step of managing first authentication information and second authentication information in association with each other, the first authentication information being used to authenticate a user operating an operation terminal, and the second authentication information being used to prompt the storage location to authenticate the user;

a storage location monitor step of monitoring the information stored in the storage location using the second authentication information, and updating index information of the information stored in the storage location; and

an information management step of determining the storage location that can be used by the user operating the operation terminal that has been authenticated based on the first authentication information, the determination being made based on the second authentication information associated with the first authentication information, the information management step further including creating a list of information that can be used by the user operating the operation terminal based on the determination, and providing the list to the operation terminal.