Device and method for managing files in storage device

• US 7,519,597 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Kano, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANG, THANH HA T
• Application Number:
  US11/019,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/8, 707/9, 707/10, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

In a device, files are stored in each of a plurality of storage areas, and an authenticated user can browse and/or manipulate the files stored in the storage areas. A user is allowed to set the device when the user is authenticated as a system administrator, otherwise the user is inhibited to set the device. A user is allowed to browse and/or manipulate a storage area provided for the user in the plurality of storage areas in the storage device. The user is allowed to browse and/or manipulate another storage area when the user is a box administrator different from a system administrator, the another area being provided for another user authenticated and different from the box administrator. Alternatively, the user is inhibited to browse and/or manipulate files stored in a storage area provided for another user even when the user is the system administrator.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a storage device storing files in each of a plurality of storage areas;

a browsing device browsing and manipulating the files stored in the storage areas in said storage device;

an authentication device authenticating a first user of the device;

a setter setting the device settings;

a first limiting device allowing the first user to set the device with the setter when the first user is authenticated as a system administrator by said authentication device, and inhibiting the first user to set the device by said setter when the first user is not authenticated as the system administrator; and

a second limiting device allowing the first user authenticated by said authentication device to browse and to manipulate a storage area provided for the first user in the plurality of storage areas in said storage device with said browsing device, wherein when the first user authenticated by the authentication device is a box administrator different from a system administrator, said second limitation device allows the first user to browse and to manipulate another storage area provided for a second user authenticated by said authentication device and different from the box administrator in said storage device, and wherein even when the first user authenticated by the authentication device is the system administrator, the second limiting device prohibits browsing and manipulating of files stored in the another storage area provided for the second user authenticated by said authentication device and different from the system administrator.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is connected via a network to a terminal, and said first limiting device creates data displayed on the device settings according to a result of the authentication by said authentication device, and sends the created data to the terminal.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said first limiting device limits a menu and data displayed on the device settings according to the result of authentication and sends the limited menu and data to the terminal.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is connected via a network to a terminal, and said second limiting device creates data displayed on the storage areas according to a result of the authentication by said authentication device, and sends the created data to the terminal.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said second limiting device limits a menu and data displayed on the storage areas according to the result of the authentication by said authentication device and sends the limited menu and data to the terminal.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein even when the first user authenticated by the authentication device is the system administrator, the second limiting device prohibits browsing and manipulation of the another storage area provided for the second user authenticated by said authentication device and different from the system administrator.

7. A device management method for a device comprising a storage device storing files in each of a plurality of storage areas, and a browsing device browsing and manipulating the files stored in the storage areas in the storage device, the method comprising:

authenticating a first user of the device;

allowing the first user to set the device settings when the first user is authenticated as a system administrator, and inhibiting the first user to set the device when the first user is not authenticated as the system administrator;

allowing the first user to browse and to manipulate a storage area provided for the first user in the plurality of storage areas in the storage device; and

allowing the first user to browse and to manipulate another storage area when the first user is a box administrator different from a system administrator, the another storage area being provided in said storage device for a second user authenticated and different from the box administrator, wherein even when the first user authenticated is the system administrator, browsing and manipulating of files stored in the another storage area provided for the second user different from the system administrator is prohibited.

8. The device management method according to claim 7, wherein the device is connected via a network to a terminal, and data displayed on the device settings is created according to a result of the authentication, and the created data is sent to the terminal.

9. The device management method according to claim 8, wherein a menu and data displayed on the storage areas are limited according to the result of the authentication and the limited menu and data are sent to the terminal.

10. The device management method according to claim 7, wherein the device is connected via a network to a terminal, and data displayed on the storage areas is created according to a result of the authentication, and the created data is sent to the terminal.

11. The device management method according to claim 10, wherein a menu and data displayed on the storage areas are limited according to the result of the authentication and the limited menu and data are sent to the terminal.

12. A computer readable recording medium storing computer program instructions for device management for a device comprising a storage device storing files in each of a plurality of storage areas, and a browsing device browsing and manipulating the files stored in the storage areas in the storage device, which when executed by a computer programmed with the instructions causes the computer to perform the following steps:

authenticating a first user of the device;

allowing the first user to set the device settings when the first user is authenticated as a system administrator, and inhibiting the first user to set the device settings when the first user is not authenticated as the system administrator;

allowing the first user to browse and to manipulate a storage area provided for the first user in the plurality of storage areas in the storage device; and

allowing the first user to browse and to manipulate another storage area when the first user is a box administrator different from a system administrator, the another storage area being provided in said storage device for a second user authenticated and different from the box administrator, wherein even when the first user authenticated is the system administrator, browsing and manipulating of files stored in the another storage area provided for the second user different from the system administrator is prohibited.