DEVICE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, DEVICE MANAGEMENT APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANAGEMENT METHOD

• US 20160072975A1
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: FUJIOKA, Susumu
• Granted Patent: US 9,924,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1222 Increasing security of the print job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00854 Recognising an unauthorised user or user-associated action
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A device management system includes a device management apparatus, a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and an intervening apparatus. The device management apparatus includes a memory storing authorized user identification information, a receiver receiving user identification information from the first electronic device, and processing circuitry determining whether it is allowed to use at least the first electronic device. If so, third device identification information is stored. The intervening apparatus includes a receiver receiving the user identification information from the second electronic device and processing circuitry determining whether it is allowed to use at least the first electronic device. If so, the third device identification information is received. The second electronic device includes a receiver receiving a request and processing circuitry determining whether the third device identification information in the request matches the third device identification information received from the device management apparatus, and accepts the request.

Claims

1. A device management system, comprising:

a device management apparatus connected to at least a first electronic device disposed on a first network;

a second electronic device disposed on a second network different than the first network; and

an intervening apparatus disposed between the device management apparatus and the second electronic device,

wherein the device management apparatus includes;

a memory that stores authorized user identification information indicating who is allowed to use at least the first electronic device and the second electronic device;

a receiver that receives user identification information of a user from the first electronic device; and

processing circuitry that determines whether the user is allowed to use at least the first electronic device using the user identification information, and when the user is allowed to use, further stores third device identification information of a third electronic device carried by the user and device type information indicating a device type of the first electronic device that are received from the first electronic device in association with the user identification information of the user in the memory, and

the intervening apparatus includes;

a receiver that receives the user identification information of the user from the second electronic device; and

processing circuitry that determines whether the user is allowed to use at least the first electronic device using the user identification information, and, when the user is allowed to use, receives from the device management apparatus the third device identification information stored in association with the user identification information of the user, and

the second electronic device includes;

a receiver that receives a request for communicating from the third electronic device carried by the user; and

processing circuitry that determines whether the third device identification information included in the request for communicating matches the third device identification information received from the device management apparatus via the intervening apparatus, and accepts the request for communicating when the third device identification information match.

2. The device management system of claim 1, further comprising the first electronic device including:

a memory to store authorized third device identification information indicating at least one third electronic device allowed to communicate;

a receiver that receives a request for commutating with the third electronic device, the request including the third device identification information of the third electronic device; and

processing circuitry that determines whether the third electronic device is allowed to communicate using based on a match between the authorized third device identification information and the third device identification information, and when the third electronic device is allowed, further transmits the user identification information of the user carrying the third electronic device, the third device identification information, and the device type information of the first electronic device to the device management apparatus.

3. The device management system according to claim 1, wherein the third electronic device is a mobile device that exchanges data with the first electronic device and the second electronic device while communicating with the first electronic device and the second electronic device at different times.

4. The device management system according to claim 2, wherein:

the processing circuitry in the first electronic device transfers address of the third electronic device along with the user identification information of the user and its own model identification information as the device type information to the device management apparatus after the first electronic device communicates with the third electronic device; and

the processing circuitry in the device management apparatus stores the address of the third electronic device and the third device identification information transferred by the first electronic device in the memory associated with the user identification information, and transmits the address of the third electronic device stored in the memory associated with the user identification information and the model identification information to the second electronic device after receiving the user identification information and the model identification information from the second electronic device.

5. The device management system according to claim 4, wherein:

the processing circuitry in the first electronic device transmits its own configuration information to the device management apparatus with the user identification information of the user and the model identification information of the first electronic device; and

the processing circuitry in the device management apparatus stores the configuration information transferred by the first electronic device in the memory associated with the user identification information and the model identification information, and transfers the third device identification information and the configuration information stored in the memory associated with the user identification information and the model identification information to the second electronic device after receiving the user identification information and the model identification information from the second electronic device.

6. The device management system according to claim 1, wherein:

the memory in the device management apparatus stores grouped model identification information of the second electronic device, the third device identification information, and address of the second electronic device including different models allowed for use by the user of the user identification information; and

the processing circuitry in the device management apparatus transfers either the third device identification information, or the third device identification information and the configuration information, to the addresses of all of the grouped second electronic devices stored in the memory associated with the user identification information after the user identification information and the model identification information are transferred by any one of the second electronic devices.

7. The device management system according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry in the second electronic device allows communication with limited communication function if the third device identification information transferred by the device management apparatus does not match the third device identification information included in the communication request.

8. The device management system according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry in the second electronic device discards the third device identification information used for communication allowance if communication with the third electronic device allowed based on the third device identification information finishes or communication idle time expires after predetermined period of time.

9. A device management apparatus, comprising:

a memory to store authorized user identification information indicating who is allowed to use at least a first electronic device and a second electronic device;

a receiver to receive user identification information of a user from the first electronic device; and

processing circuitry to determine whether the user is allowed to use at least the first electronic device using the user identification information, and when the user is allowed to use, further store third device identification information of a third electronic device carried by the user and device type information indicating a device type of the first electronic device that are received from the first electronic device in association with the user identification information of the user in the memory.

10. A device management method, comprising:

storing authorized user identification information indicating who is allowed to use at least a first electronic device and a second electronic device;

receiving user identification information of a user from the first electronic device; and

determining whether the user is allowed to use at least the first electronic device using the user identification information, and when the user is allowed to use, further storing third device identification information of a third electronic device carried by the user and device type information indicating a device type of the first electronic device that are received from the first electronic device in association with the user identification information of the user in the memory.