Information processing apparatus and method for controlling the same to mediate the transfer of a process request from a client to a file server

• US 8,572,213 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sakata, Munetaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US12/942,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20110153784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 713/300
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3284 Power saving in printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1221 with regard to power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a first reception unit receiving condition setting information which specifies a permission condition for permitting access to a file server and is sent from the file server when the processing apparatus transitions from a first power supply mode to a second power supply mode in which power consumption is less than that in the first power supply mode, a second reception unit receiving a process request with respect to the file server from a client computer, a determination unit determining whether the process request received by the second reception unit satisfies the permission condition specified in the condition setting information, and a transfer control unit sending a response indicating a refusal of access to the client computer without transferring the process request received by the second reception unit to the file server when the determination unit has determined that the permission condition is not satisfied.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus configured for communication with a client computer and a processing apparatus including a file server, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a first reception unit configured to receive condition setting information which specifies a permission condition for permitting access to the file server and which is sent from the file server, wherein the processing apparatus, when operating in a first power supply mode, determines whether to permit or refuse access to the file server based on the permission condition specified in the condition setting information;

a second reception unit configured to receive a process request with respect to the file server from the client computer;

a determination unit configured to determine whether the process request received by the second reception unit satisfies the permission condition specified in the condition setting information received by the first reception unit, when the second reception unit has received the process request and the processing apparatus is operating in a second power supply mode in which power consumption is less than that in the first power supply mode; and

a transfer control unit configured to send a response indicating a refusal of access to the client computer without transferring the process request received by the second reception unit to the file server when the determination unit has determined that the permission condition is not satisfied.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the condition setting information specifies a file format which is permitted for writing or reading of the file server, and the determination unit determines whether the process request received by the second reception unit is the permitted file format.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the condition setting information specifies a user who is permitted access to the file server, and the determination unit determines whether the process request received by the second reception unit has been performed by the permitted user.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first reception unit receives information indicating a directory or a file to be accessed in addition to the condition setting information.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing apparatus is an image formation apparatus configured to perform an image formation process based on image formation data stored in the file server.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein, in the second power supply mode, at least power supply to the file server is stopped in the processing apparatus, and the transfer control unit, when the determination unit has determined that the permission condition is satisfied, sends a request for returning to the first power supply mode to the processing apparatus before transferring the process request received by the second reception unit to the file server.

7. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus configured for communication with a client computer and a processing apparatus including a file server, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving condition setting information which specifies a permission condition for permitting access to the file server and which is sent from the file server, wherein the processing apparatus, when operating in a first power supply mode, determines whether to permit or refuse access to the file server based on the permission condition specified in the condition setting information;

receiving a process request with respect to the file server from the client computer;

determining, when the process request has been received and the processing apparatus is operating in a second power supply mode in which power consumption is less than that in the first power supply mode, whether the received process request satisfies the permission condition specified in the received condition setting information; and

sending a response indicating a refusal of access to the client computer without transferring the received process request to the file server when it has been determined that the permission condition is not satisfied.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored computer executable code of a program for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling an information processing apparatus configured for communication with a client computer and a processing apparatus including a file server, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving condition setting information which specifies a permission condition for permitting access to the file server and which is sent from the file server, wherein the processing apparatus, when operating in a first power supply mode, determines whether to permit or refuse access to the file server based on the permission condition specified in the condition setting information;

receiving a process request with respect to the file server from the client computer;

determining, when the process request has been received and the processing apparatus is operating in a second power supply mode in which power consumption is less than that in the first power supply mode, whether the received process request satisfies the permission condition specified in the received condition setting information; and

sending a response indicating a refusal of access to the client computer without transferring the received process request to the file server when it has been determined that the permission condition is not satisfied.

9. An information processing apparatus configured for communication with a client computer and a processing apparatus including a file server, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a first reception unit configured to receive condition setting information which specifies a permission condition for permitting a file to be stored in the file server, the condition setting information being sent from the file server when the processing apparatus transitions from a first power supply mode to a second power supply mode in which power consumption is less than that in the first power supply mode;

a second reception unit configured to receive a process request with respect to the file server from the client computer;

a determination unit configured to determine, based on the permission condition received by the first reception unit, whether a file specified by the process request received by the second reception unit is permitted to be stored in the file server; and

a transfer control unit configured to send a response indicating a refusal of storing the file in the file server to the client computer without transferring the process request received by the second reception unit to the file server when the determination unit has determined that the file specified by the process request is not permitted to be stored in the file server.

10. The information processing apparatus to claim 9, wherein the condition setting information specifies a user who is permitted access to the file server, and the determination unit determines whether the process request received by the second reception unit has been performed by the permitted user.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first reception unit receives information indicating a directory or a file to be accessed in addition to the condition setting information.

12. The information processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processing apparatus is an image formation apparatus configured to perform an image formation process based on image formation data stored in the file server.

13. The information processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein, in the second power supply mode, at least power supply to the file server is stopped in the processing apparatus, and the transfer control unit, when the determination unit has determined that the file specified by the process request is permitted to be stored in the file server, sends a request for returning to the first power supply mode to the processing apparatus before transferring the process request received by the second reception unit to the file server.

14. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus configured for communication with a client computer and a processing apparatus including a file server, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving condition setting information which specifies a permission condition for permitting a file to be stored in the file server, the condition setting information being sent from the file server when the processing apparatus transitions from a first power supply mode to a second power supply mode in which power consumption is less than that in the first power supply mode;

receiving a process request with request to the file server from the client computer;

determining, based on the received permission condition, whether a file specified by the received process request is permitted to be stored in the file server; and

sending a response indicating a refusal of storing the file in the file server to the client computer without transferring the received process request to the file server when it has been determined that the file specified by the process request is not permitted to be stored in the file server.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored computer executable code of a program for causing a computer to execute the method for controlling an information processing apparatus configured for communication with a client computer and a processing apparatus including a file server, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving condition setting information which specifies a permission condition for permitting a file to be stored in the file server, the condition setting information being sent from the file server when the processing apparatus transitions from a first power supply mode to a second power supply mode in which power consumption is less than that in the first power supply mode;

receiving a process request with request to the file server from the client computer;

determining, based on the received permission condition, whether a file specified by the received process request is permitted to be stored in the file server; and

sending a response indicating a refusal of storing the file in the file server to the client computer without transferring the received process request to the file server when it has been determined that the file specified by the process request is not permitted to be stored in the file server.