Image processing system

• US 8,184,311 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sakai, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, King
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cruz, Iriana
• Application Number:
  US11/111,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20050243364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,587 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.9, 358/1.15, 709/247, 713170-171, 713/150, 701/247, 705/64
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0822 using key encryption key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

An image processing system including an image processing device and a control device which controls data transfer to said image processing device is provided. When the control device is connected to the image processing device via the network, the control device encrypts the decrypted data and transfers the encrypted data to the image processing device via the network, and when the control device is connected to the image processing device via a leased cable, the control device transfers the decrypted data to the image processing device via the cable.

Claims

1. An image processing system including an image processing device and a control device which controls data transfer to said image processing device,

said control device comprising:

a first connection unit configured to connect a network, and

a second connection unit configured to connect a cable designed for data transfer, wherein the cable is different from the network,

said image processing device comprising at least one of a first connection device configured to connect the network and a second connection device configured to connect the cable,

said control device further comprising;

reception means for receiving encrypted data from an external device via the network,

decryption means for decrypting the received/encrypted data, and

encryption means for encrypting the decrypted received data decrypted by said decryption means to generate re-encrypted received data,

first determination means for determining whether or not a first communication channel is selected, wherein the first communication channel uses the network and the encryption executed by said encryption means to communicate with said image processing device,

first transfer means for, when said first determination means determines that the first communication channel is selected, transferring the re-encrypted received data generated by said encryption means to said image processing device via the network,

second determination means for determining whether or not a second communication channel is selected, wherein the second communication channel uses the cable to communicate with said image processing device, and

second transfer means for, when said second determination means determines that the second communication channel is selected, transferring the decrypted data decrypted by said decryption means to said image processing device via the cable,

wherein when said first determination means determines that the first communication channel is not selected, and said second determination means determines that the second communication channel is not selected, both of the transfer of the re-encrypted received data by said first transfer means to said image processing device and the transfer of the decrypted data by said second transfer means to said image processing device are restricted.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said control device further comprising authentication means for performing user authentication,

wherein when the user authentication is successful and said first determination means determines that the first communication channel is selected, said first transfer means is activated, and when the user authentication is successful and said second determination means determines that the second communication channel is selected, said second transfer means is activated.

3. A control device which controls data transfer to an image processing device, comprising:

a first connection unit configured to connect a network;

a second connection unit configured to connect a cable designed for data transfer, wherein the cable is different from the network;

reception means for receiving encrypted data from an external device via the network;

decryption means for decrypting the received/encrypted data;

encryption means for encrypting the decrypted received data decrypted by said decryption means to generate re-encrypted received data;

first determination means for determining whether or not a first communication channel is selected, wherein the first communication channel uses the network and encryption executed by said encryption means to communicate with the image processing device;

first transfer means for, when said first determination means determines that the first communication channel is selected, transferring the re-encrypted received data to the image processing device via the network;

second determination means for determining whether or not a second communication channel is selected, wherein the second communication channel uses the cable to communicate with the image processing device; and

second transfer means for, when said second determination means determines that the second communication channel is selected, transferring the decrypted data decrypted by said decryption means to the image processing device via the cable,

wherein when said first determination means determines that the first communication channel is not selected, and said second determination means determines that the second communication channel is not selected, both of the transfer of the re-encrypted received data by said first transfer means to said image processing device and the transfer of the decrypted data by said second transfer means to said image processing device are restricted.

4. The device according to claim 3, further comprising authentication means for performing user authentication,

wherein when the user authentication is successful and said first determination means determines that the first communication channel is selected, said first transfer means is activated, and when the user authentication is successful and said second determination means determines that the second communication channel is selected, said second transfer means is activated.

5. The device according to claim 3, further comprising:

encryption key reception means for receiving encrypted first encryption key data from the external device via the network; and

encryption key decryption means for decrypting the encrypted first encryption key data with an input key to obtain a first encryption key,

wherein said reception means receives data encrypted with the first encryption key, and

said decryption means decrypts the encrypted data received by said reception means with the decrypted first encryption key.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein when said first determination means determines that the first communication channel is selected, said encryption means encrypts, using a second encryption key, the data decrypted by said decryption means with the first encryption key, and said first transfer means transfers the data encrypted with the second encryption key to the image processing device via the network.

7. The device according to claim 3, further comprising display means for displaying a list of jobs on the basis of identification information stored in a card,

wherein said decryption means decrypts encrypted data corresponding to a job selected from the list.

8. A control device which controls data transfer to an image processing device, comprising:

a first connection unit configured to connect a network;

a second connection unit configured to connect the image processing device and the control device physically in a one to one correspondence;

reception means for receiving encrypted data from an external device via the network;

decryption means for decrypting the encrypted data received by said reception means;

encryption means for encrypting the decrypted received data decrypted by said decryption means to generate re-encrypted received data;

first determination means for determining whether or not a first communication channel is selected, wherein the first communication channel uses the network and encryption executed by said encryption means to communicate with the image processing device;

first transfer means for, when said first determination means determines that the first communication channel is selected, transferring the re-encrypted received data generated by said encryption means to the image processing device via the network,

second determination means for determining whether or not a second communication channel is selected, wherein the second communication channel uses the second connection unit to communicate with the image processing device; and

second transfer means for, when said second determination means determines that the second communication channel is selected, transferring the decrypted data decrypted by said decryption means to the image processing device via the second connection unit,

wherein when said first determination means determines that the first communication channel is not selected, and said second determination means determines that the second communication channel is not selected, both of the transfer of the re-encrypted received data by said first transfer means to said image processing device and the transfer of the decrypted data by said second transfer means to said image processing device are restricted.

9. A method for controlling a control device having a first connection unit for connecting a network and a second connection unit for connecting a cable different from the network, and which controls data transfer to an image processing device, comprising the steps of:

receiving encrypted data from an external device via the network;

decrypting the received encrypted data;

encrypting the decrypted data decrypted in said decrypting step to generate re-encrypted received data;

a first determination step of determining whether or not a first communication channel is selected, wherein the first communication channel uses the network and encryption executed in said encrypting step to communicate with the image processing device;

a first transfer step of, when said first determination step determines that the first communication channel is selected, transferring the re-encrypted received data generated in said encrypting step to the image processing device via the network,

a second determination step of determining whether or not a second communication channel is selected, wherein the second communication channel uses the cable to communicate with the image processing device;

a second transfer step of, when said second determination step determines that the second communication channel is selected, transferring the decrypted data decrypted in said decrypting step to the image processing device via the cable, and

a restricting step of, when said first determination step determines that the first communication channel is not selected, and said second determination step determines that the second communication channel is not selected, restricting the transfer of the re-encrypted received data by said first transfer step to the image processing device and the transfer of the decrypted data by said second transfer step to said image processing device.

10. A method for controlling a control device having a first connection unit for connecting a network and a second connection unit for connecting an image processing device and the control device physically one to one, and which controls data transfer to the image processing device, comprising the steps of:

receiving encrypted data from an external device via the network;

decrypting the received encrypted data;

encrypting the decrypted data decrypted in said decrypting step to generate re-encrypted received data;

a first determination step of determining whether or not a first communication channel is selected, wherein the first communication channel uses the network and encryption executed in said encrypting step to communicate with the image processing device;

a first transfer step of, when said first determination step determines that the first communication channel is selected, transferring the re-encrypted received data generated in said encrypting step to the image processing device via the network,

a second determination step of determining whether or not a second communication channel is selected, wherein the second communication channel uses the cable to communicate with the image processing device;

a second transfer step of, when said second determination step determines that the second communication channel is selected, transferring the decrypted data decrypted in said decrypting step to the image processing device via the cable, and

a restricting step of, when said first determination step determines that the first communication channel is not selected, and said second determination step determines that the second communication channel is not selected, both of restricting the transfer of the re-encrypted received data by said first transfer step to the image processing device and the transfer of the decrypted data by said second transfer step to said image processing device.

11. A program, embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, for controlling a control device having a first connection unit for connecting a network and a second connection unit for connecting a data transfer cable different from the network, and which controls data transfer to an image processing device, comprising the codes for:

receiving encrypted data from an external device via the network;

decrypting the received encrypted data;

encrypting the decrypted data decrypted in said decrypting step to generate re-encrypted received data;

a first determination step of determining whether or not a first communication channel is selected, wherein the first communication channel uses the network and encryption executed in said encrypting step to communicate with the image processing device;

a first transfer step of, when said first determination step determines that the first communication channel is selected, transferring the re-encrypted received data generated in said encrypting step to the image processing device via the network, a second determination step of determining whether or not a second communication channel is selected, wherein the second communication channel uses the cable to communicate with the image processing device; and

a second transfer step of, when said second determination step determines that the second communication channel is selected, transferring the decrypted data decrypted in said decrypting step to the image processing device via the cable, and a restricting step of, when said first determination step determines that the first communication channel is not selected, and said second determination step determines that the second communication channel is not selected, restricting both of the transfer of the re-encrypted received data by said first transfer step to the image processing device and the transfer of the decrypted data by said second transfer step to said image processing device.