Information processor, method for managing the same and computer program product

• US 8,266,675 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Murakawa, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIA, SYED
• Application Number:
  US11/372,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,377 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

An information processor is provided that can maintain security in the entire network and use recording media resources efficiently. An image forming apparatus includes a user information memorizing portion for memorizing local user data of users who have ever used the image forming apparatus, a user information deleting portion for deleting any one or more of the local user data when the local user data memorized in the user information memorizing portion has an amount greater than a predetermined value, an authentication request portion for requesting an authentication server to authenticate a user who desires to use the image forming apparatus, and a user information generating portion, when local user data of the user authenticated by the authentication server are not memorized in the user information memorizing portion, for generating local user data of the user in the user information memorizing portion to let the same memorize the generated data.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus capable of connecting, via a communication line, to an authentication server that memorizes first user account information and performs user authentication based on the memorized first user account information, the image processing apparatus comprising:

a user information memorizing portion for memorizing access privilege information indicating authorization to use a function of the image processing apparatus for each user who has ever used the image processing apparatus;

a user information deleting portion for automatically deleting at least one of the memorized access privilege information when the user information memorizing portion memorizes the access privilege information in excess of a predetermined value;

an authentication request portion for requesting the authentication server to authenticate a user who desires to use the image processing apparatus;

an access privilege information generating portion, when access privilege information of the user who is authenticated by the authentication server is not memorized in the user information memorizing portion, for automatically generating the access privilege information of the authenticated user to let the user information memorizing portion memorize the generated access privilege information; and

a job control portion determining whether the function specified by the authenticated user is permitted or not based on the access privilege information corresponding to the authenticated user.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user information deleting portion, when the access privilege information generating portion generates the access privilege information, automatically deletes memorized access privilege information until an amount of the access privilege information memorized in the user information memorizing portion is down to a predetermined value.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the user information memorizing portion further memorizes a usage count for each user indicating the number of times that each authenticated user has used the image processing apparatus during a predetermined period of time, and

the user information deleting portion automatically deletes the access privilege information corresponding to a user whose usage count is the smallest among the memorized usage count.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the user information memorizing portion further memorizes a last login date and time for each user that the authenticated user has logged in to the image processing apparatus most recently, and

the user information deleting portion automatically deletes the access privilege information corresponding to a user whose last login date and time is the most previous among the memorized last login date and time.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a user information update portion for updating the usage count corresponding to the authenticated user, every time when a process is performed based on a command from the authenticated user.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a user information update portion for updating a last login date and time corresponding to the authenticated user, every time when a process is performed based on a command from the authenticated user.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a user authentication process portion for authenticating a user in place of the authentication server when a communication between the image processing apparatus and the authentication server is impossible, wherein

the user information memorizing portion further memorizes second user account information indicating a password for each user, and

the user authentication process portion performs the user authentication based on the memorized password and a password entered by the user who desires to use the image processing apparatus.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the access privilege information generating portion generates the access privilege information of the authenticated user when the authenticated user issues a command to perform a process prior to performing the specified function.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the user information deleting portion deletes the generated access privilege information when no job is performed after generating the access privilege because the authenticated user has no authorization for the specified function.

8. A method for managing an image processing apparatus capable of connecting, via a communication line, to an authentication server that memorizes first user account information and performs user authentication based on the memorized first user account information, the method comprising:

letting a user information memorizing portion memorize access privilege information indicating authorization to use a function of the image processing apparatus for each user who has ever used the image processing apparatus; and

letting the image processing apparatus perform a first process, a second process, a third process and a fourth process when a user desires to use the image processing apparatus,

the first process being a process of requesting the authentication server to authenticate the user,

the second process being a process of automatically generating, when the authentication server verifies that the user is an authorized user and the access privilege information of the user is not memorized in the user information memorizing portion, access privilege information of the authenticated user to let the user information memorizing portion memorize the generated access privilege information,

the third process being a process of automatically deleting at least one memorized user information other than the generated access privilege information of the user from the user information memorizing portion when the user information memorizing portion memorizes the access privilege information in excess of a predetermined value, and

the fourth process being a process of determining whether the function specified by the authenticated user is permitted or not based on the access privilege information corresponding to the authenticated user.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, in letting the image processing apparatus perform the second process, the third process is performed until an amount of the access privilege information memorized in the user information memorizing portion is down to a predetermined value.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein

the user information memorizing portion further memorizes a usage count for each user indicating the number of times that each authenticated user has used the image processing apparatus during a predetermined period of time, and

the third process involves automatically deleting the access privilege information corresponding to a user whose usage count is the smallest among the memorized usage count.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein

the user information memorizing portion further memorizes a last login date and time for each user that the authenticated user has logged in to the image processing apparatus most recently, and

the third process involves automatically deleting the access privilege information corresponding to a user whose last login date and time is the most previous among the memorized last login date and time.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising letting the image processing apparatus perform a fifth process for updating the usage count corresponding to the authenticated user, every time when a process is performed based on a command from the authenticated user.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising letting the image processing apparatus perform a fifth process for updating a last login date and time corresponding to the authenticated user, every time when a process is performed based on a command from the authenticated user.

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising

letting the image processing apparatus perform a sixth process of authenticating a user in place of the authentication server when a communication between the image processing apparatus and the authentication server is impossible, wherein

the user information memorizing portion further memorizes second user account information indicating a password for each user, and

the first process involves performing the user authentication based on the memorized password and a password entered by the user who desires to use the image processing apparatus.

18. The method according to claim 8, wherein the second process generates the access privilege information of the authenticated user when the authenticated user issues a command to perform a process prior to performing the specified function.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the third process deletes the generated access privilege information when no job is performed after generating the access privilege because the authenticated user has no authorization for the specified function.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program used for an image processing apparatus that includes a user information memorizing portion for memorizing access privilege information indicating authorization to use a function of the image processing apparatus for each user, the program making the image processing apparatus perform processing of:

when a user desires to use the image processing apparatus,

requesting an authentication server, which is connected via a communication line to the image processing apparatus and memorizes first user account information, to authenticate the user based on the memorized first user account information;

automatically generating, when the authentication server verifies that the user is an authorized user and the access privilege information of the user is not memorized in the user information memorizing portion, access privilege information of the authenticated user to let the user information memorizing portion memorize the generated access privilege information;

automatically deleting at least one memorized user information other than the generated access privilege information of the user from the user information memorizing portion when the user information memorizing portion memorizes the access privilege information in excess of a predetermined value; and

determining whether the function specified by the authenticated user is permitted or not based on the access privilege information corresponding to the authenticated user.