Information processing apparatus, control method therefor and computer readable information recording medium

• US 7,610,246 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Harada, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Worjloh; Jalatee
• Application Number:
  US11/362,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 59, 380/200, 726/26
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4406 Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4426 involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof

Abstract

An information processing apparatus handling a removable formation recording medium storing predetermined substance information and first license information concerning the information processing apparatus includes a storing part storing second license information concerning the removable information recording medium, a license checking part carrying out checking of license information with the use of at least one of the first license information and the second license information, and a substance information usage allowability control part controlling, based on a result of the checking carried out by the license checking part, allowability for usage of the predetermined substance information from the removable information recording medium.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a removable information recording medium having recorded thereon predetermined substance information and first license information including identification information uniquely indicating said information processing apparatus;

a storing unit configured to store second license information including identification information uniquely indicating the removable information recording medium;

a license checking unit configured to check license information using at least one of said first license information including the identification information uniquely indicating said information processing apparatus and said second license information including the identification information uniquely indicating the removable information recording medium; and

a substance information usage allowability control unit configured to control, based on a result of the checking carried out by said license checking unit, allowability for a usage of said predetermined substance information from said removable information recording medium, and configured to disallow usage of said predetermined substance information from the removable information recording medium when the checking made by said license checking unit results in failure.

2. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a license information adding unit configured to add new license information to at least one of said removable information recording medium and said storing unit.

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

said predetermined substance information comprises information which adds a new function to said information processing apparatus.

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

said information which adds a new function to said information processing apparatus includes a new execution program.

5. A control method for an information processing apparatus, comprising:

checking license information using at least one of a first license information stored in a removable information recording medium configured to store predetermined substance information and said first license and a second license information stored in a storing unit of an information processing apparatus, wherein said first license information includes identification information uniquely indicating said information processing apparatus and said second license information includes identification information uniquely indicating said removable information recording medium; and

controlling, using a result of the checking license information, allowability for a usage of said predetermined substance information from said removable information recording medium, including disallowing usage of said predetermined substance information from said removable information recording medium if the checking license information results in failure.

6. The control method for the information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising adding new license information to at least one of said removable information recording medium and said storing unit.

7. The control method for the information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said predetermined substance information comprises information which adds a new function to said information processing apparatus.

8. The control method for the information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

said information which adds a new function to said information processing apparatus includes a new execution program.