Information processing apparatus allowing plurality of users to concurrently log in, and method of controlling the same

• US 7,957,022 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Anno, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; James A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh; Satwant K
• Application Number:
  US11/462,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20070052993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 358 11- 118, 434/20, 709/223, 705/37, 705/26, 713/183, 713/202, 348/14.08, 718/107
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

An information processing apparatus capable of displaying a predetermined object, such as a file, is configured to allow a plurality of users to access the object. First, a plurality of users are set to a logged-in status. While the plurality of users are set to the logged-in status, one user in the logged-in status and having no access right to an object is permitted to operate the object using an access right of another user in the logged-in status.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an accept unit, which accepts a plurality of log-in requests from a plurality of users including a first user and a second user;

a setting unit, which sets both the first user and the second user concurrently to a logged-in status in a case where each of the users is authenticated;

a display control unit, which controls a display device such that an object accessible to a given user is displayed on an operation screen of the display device,

wherein a first display area in which an object accessible to the first user is displayed and a second display area in which an object accessible to the second user is displayed are concurrently displayed on the operation screen;

a detecting unit that detects a display area on which a user instruction is performed; and

an access unit that accesses the object by using access control information of the first if the display area detected by the detecting unit is the first display area, and accesses the object by using access control information of the second user if the display area detected by the detecting unit is the second display area.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a hold unit which holds the access control information indicating correspondence between an object to which each of the users is accessible and an indication for specifying the user.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit which stores a plurality objects, wherein said access unit accesses the object stored in said storage unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a connect unit which connects said information processing apparatus to a network, wherein said access unit accesses the object stored in a device connected to the network via said connect unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a scanner which scans image of the document, wherein the object is the scanned image obtained by said scanner.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printer which prints image corresponding to the object to a recording sheet.

7. A controlling method of an information processing apparatus comprising the steps of:

accepting a plurality of log-in requests from a plurality of users including a first user and a second user;

concurrently setting both the first user to a logged-in status in a case where each of the users is authenticated;

controlling a display device such that an object accessible to a given user is displayed on an operation screen of the display device,

wherein a first display area in which an object accessible to the first user is displayed and a second display area in which an object accessible to the second user is displayed are concurrently displayed on the operation screen;

detecting a display area on which a user instruction is performed; and

accessing the object by using access control information of the first user if the detected display area detected is the first display area, and accessing the object by using access control information of the second user if the detected display area is the second display area.

8. A storage medium which stores a computer readable program for controlling an information processing apparatus, said program comprising the steps of:

accepting a plurality of log-in requests from a plurality of users including a first user and a second user;

concurrently setting both the first user and the second user to a logged-in status in a case where each of the users is authenticated;

controlling a display device such that an object accessible to a given user is displayed on an operation screen of the display device;

wherein a first display area in which an object accessible to the first user is displayed and a second display area in which an object accessible to the second user is displayed are concurrently displayed on the operation screen;

detecting a display area on which a user instruction is performed; and

accessing the object by using access control information of the first user if the detected display area is the first display area, and accessing the object by using access control information of the second user if the detected display area is the second display area.