Method and apparatus for computer lock management, and computer product

• US 7,620,982 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Client Computing Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ishidera, Nobutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): TABOR, AMARE F
• Application Number:
  US10/923,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20050229247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,912 Days
• Field of Search: 726/17
• US Class Current: 726/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2131 Lost password, e.g. recovery of lost or forgotten passwords

Abstract

An occupancy state of access to a predetermined device when lock processing is to be executed is detected, and whether the lock processing is to be stopped is decided based on the result of the detection.

Claims

1. A computer-readable recording medium that stores thereon, a computer program that includes instructions which when executed on a computer cause the computer to execute:

detecting an occupancy state of access to a predetermined device from a program other than a computer locking process when a lock processing is to be executed, wherein lock management of the computer is performed using the predetermined device, said predetermined device having a memory unit storing authentication information of a user including at least the user'"'"'s logon ID; and

determining whether to proceed with the lock processing based on the occupancy state detected, and

wherein the detecting is performed on such occasions including when an access between an information reading device, which reads information stored in the predetermined device, and the predetermined device is cut off by removing the predetermined device from the information reading device, and when a request for execution of the lock processing is received from the user.

2. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1, further comprising outputting lock processing information, if it is determined at the determining that the lock processing does not proceed.

3. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 2, wherein the lock processing information is information that urges a user to end a program that occupies access to the predetermined device.

4. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 2, further comprising executing the lock processing, when the lock processing information is output and a program occupying access to the predetermined device ends.

5. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the lock processing includes executing a workstation lock to restrict operation of the computer by a user.

6. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined device is a storage device that stores user authentication information that is referred to by the computer to perform user authentication processing after the computer recovers from a lock state.

7. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the detecting is performed based on a result of requesting access to the predetermined device.

8. A method of lock management, comprising:

detecting an occupancy state of access to a predetermined device from a program other than a computer locking process when a lock processing is to be executed, wherein lock management of the computer is performed using the predetermined device, said predetermined device having a memory unit storing authentication information of a user including at least the user'"'"'s logon ID; and

determining whether to proceed with the lock processing based on the occupancy state detected, and

wherein the detecting is performed on such occasions including when an access between an information reading device, which reads information stored in the predetermined device, and the predetermined device is cut off by removing the predetermined device from the information reading device, and when a request for execution of the lock processing is received from the user.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising outputting lock processing information, if it is determined at the determining that the lock processing does not proceed.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the lock processing information is information that urges a user to end a program that occupies access to the predetermined device.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising executing the lock processing, when the lock processing information is output and a program occupying access to the predetermined device ends.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the lock processing includes executing a workstation lock to restrict operation of the computer by a user.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined device is a storage device that stores user authentication information that is referred to by the computer to perform user authentication processing after the computer recovers from a lock state.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the detecting is performed based on a result of requesting access to the predetermined device.

15. A computer lock management apparatus comprising:

a detecting unit that detects an occupancy state of access to a predetermined device from a program other than computer locking process when a lock processing is to be executed, wherein lock management of the computer is performed using the predetermined device, said predetermined device having a memory unit storing authentication information of a user including at least the user'"'"'s logon ID; and

a determining unit that determines whether to proceed with the lock processing based on the occupancy state detected by the detecting unit, and

wherein the detecting unit performs the detection on such occasions including when an access between an information reading device, which reads information stored in the predetermined device, and the predetermined device is cut off by removing the predetermined device from the information reading device, and when a request for execution of the lock processing is received from the user.

16. The computer lock management apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising an outputting unit that outputs lock processing information, if the determining unit determines that the lock processing does not proceed.

17. The computer lock management apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the lock processing information urges a user to end a program that occupies access to the predetermined device.

18. The computer lock management apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising an executing unit that executes the lock processing, when the lock processing information is output and a program occupying access to the predetermined device ends.

19. The computer lock management apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the lock processing includes executing a workstation lock to restrict operation of the computer by a user.

20. The computer lock management apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined device is a storage device that stores user authentication information that is referred to by the computer to perform user authentication processing after the computer recovers from a lock state.

21. The computer lock management apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the detecting unit detects the occupancy state based on a result of requesting access to the predetermined device.