Recording medium, storage unit, information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program and computer readable medium

• US 8,209,547 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2004
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Shimizu, Kohji, Akiyoshi, Kunihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tabor, Amare F
• Application Number:
  US10/915,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,876 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/193, 380/44
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs

Abstract

A recording medium is provided. The recording medium is used for inputting, into an information processing apparatus, a program for causing the information processing apparatus to perform information processing, wherein the recording medium includes an ID file used for storing an ID of the program in which the ID is encrypted by a key specific to the recording medium or specific to the information processing apparatus.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an information processing unit configured to execute an application program to perform information processing, wherein the application program is loaded into the information processing apparatus by using a non-transitory recording medium that includes;

a program file storing a plurality of programs including an application program and a checking program, the application program including identification information of the application program,

an encrypted identification information file storing an encrypted form of the identification information, of the application program stored in the program file, that is encrypted by a key data specific to the recording medium or specific to the information processing apparatus, and

information for generating the key data;

a checking program launch request unit configured to request launch of the checking program stored in the recording medium;

a recording medium validity determination unit configured to check whether the recording medium is valid as a medium used for storing the application program into the information processing apparatus, wherein the recording medium validity determination unit determines that the recording medium is valid if the checking program requested to be launched by the checking program launch request unit is launched successfully;

a unit configured to generate the key data using the information stored in the recording medium if the recording medium is determined to be valid;

a unit configured to obtain the identification information from the application program stored in the recording medium;

a unit configured to decrypt the encrypted form of the identification information by using the key data; and

an application program validity determination unit configured to compare the identification information obtained from the application program with the identification information obtained by decrypting the encrypted form of the identification information to determine validity of the application program stored in the recording medium.

2. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a unit configured to check if the application program is a specific application program developed by a dedicated software development environment by checking whether identification data indicating that the application program is the specific application program is stored in the recording medium.

3. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus performs a launch process or a launch right setting process for the application program on condition that the application program is determined to be valid by the application program validity determination unit.

4. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is an image forming apparatus.

5. An information processing method performed in an information processing unit configured to execute an application program to perform information processing, wherein the application program is loaded into the information processing apparatus by using a non-transitory recording medium that includes:

a program file storing a plurality of programs including an application program and a checking program, the application program including identification information of the application program,

an encrypted identification information file storing an encrypted form of the identification information, of the application program stored in the program file, that is encrypted by a key data specific to the recording medium or specific to the information processing apparatus, and

information for generating the key data;

the method comprising;

requesting launch of the checking program stored in the recording medium;

checking whether the recording medium is valid as a medium used for storing the application program into the information processing apparatus, wherein the recording medium validity checking determines that the recording medium is valid if the checking program requested to be launched by the checking program launch requesting is launched successfully;

generating the key data using the information stored in the recording medium if the recording medium is determined to be valid;

obtaining the identification information from the application program stored in the recording medium;

decrypting the encrypted form of the identification information by using the key data; and

comparing the identification information obtained from the application program with the identification information obtained by decrypting the encrypted form of the identification information to determine validity of the application program stored in the recording medium.

6. The information processing method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

checking if the application program is a specific application program developed by a dedicated software development environment by checking whether identification data indicating that the application program is the specific application program is stored in the recording medium.

7. The information processing method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

performing a launch process or a launch right setting process for the application program on condition that the application program is determined to be valid by the comparing.

8. The information processing method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the information processing apparatus is an image forming apparatus.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer executable instructions to cause an information processing unit to execute an application program to perform information processing, wherein the application program is loaded into the information processing apparatus by using a non-transitory recording medium that includes:

a program file storing a plurality of programs including an application program and a checking program, the application program including identification information of the application program,

an encrypted identification information file storing an encrypted form of the identification information, of the application program stored in the program file, that is encrypted by a key data specific to the recording medium or specific to the information processing apparatus, and

information for generating the key data;

the computer executable instructions causing the information processing unit to perform operations comprising;

requesting launch of the checking program stored in the recording medium;

checking whether the recording medium is valid as a medium used for storing the application program into the information processing apparatus, wherein the checking determines that the recording medium is valid if the checking program requested to be launched by the checking program launch requesting is launched successfully;

generating the key data using the information stored in the recording medium if the recording medium is determined to be valid;

obtaining the identification information from the application program stored in the recording medium;

decrypting the encrypted form of the identification information by using the key data; and

comparing the identification information obtained from the application program with the identification information obtained by decrypting the encrypted form of the identification information to determine validity of the application program stored in the recording medium.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

checking if the application program is a specific application program developed by a dedicated software development environment by checking whether identification data indicating that the application program is the specific application program is stored in the recording medium.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

performing a launch process or a launch right setting process for the application program on condition that the application program is determined to be valid by the comparing.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 9, wherein the information processing apparatus is an image forming apparatus.