Process execution apparatus and phone number registration apparatus

• US 8,640,254 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Inaba, Michio
• Primary Examiner(s): THIAW, CATHERINE B
• Application Number:
  US11/966,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20080163381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: 726 26- 28, 713/155, 713/168
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/313 using a call-back technique via a telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

A process execution apparatus includes a first input unit that receives an instruction from a user, an execution unit that executes a process according to the instruction, a transmitting unit that makes a call to a terminal device having a phone number corresponding to the user, a judging unit that judges whether connection to the terminal device is made, a first authentication unit that determines whether user authentication is successful when the judging unit judges that the connection to the terminal device is made, and a controller that permits execution of the process by the execution unit when the first authentication unit determines that the user authentication is successful.

Claims

1. A process execution apparatus comprising:

a first input unit that is configured to receive an instruction from a user;

an image forming unit that is configured to execute a process according to the instruction;

a database memory including a record, wherein the record includes a user name and a phone number associated with the user name;

a communication unit that is configured to make a call to a terminal device using a phone number;

a controller that is coupled to the first input unit, the image forming unit, the database memory and the communication unit, wherein the controller includes a processing unit; and

memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the controller to perform the steps of;

detecting that a user name has been selected via the first input unit;

retrieving a phone number associated with the user name from the database memory;

causing the communication unit to make a call to a terminal device having the retrieved phone number responsive to the controller detecting that the user name has been selected;

detecting whether the communication unit has received a signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the retrieved phone number, wherein the signal is generated in response to the terminal device, which has the retrieved phone number, receiving the call from the communication unit and connecting to the call;

determining whether authentication by user name is successful including

determining that authentication by user name is successful and causing the image forming unit to execute the process in response to the communication unit receiving the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the retrieved phone number; and

determining that authentication by user name is unsuccessful and not causing the image forming unit to execute the process when the controller does not detect that the communication unit receives the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the retrieved phone number;

causing execution of authentication by password when authentication by user name is determined to be unsuccessful; and

causing the image forming unit to execute the process when authentication by password is successful.

2. The process execution apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller performs the step of determining that authentication by user name is successful when detecting that the communication unit receives the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device within a predetermined time from when the communication unit starts to make the call to the terminal device, and

wherein the controller performs the step of determining that authentication by user name is unsuccessful when not detecting that the communication unit receives the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device within the predetermined time from when the communication unit starts to make the call to the terminal device.

3. The process execution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second input unit that is configured to receive a password, wherein the record in the database memory further includes a password associated with the user name,

wherein causing the image forming unit to execute authentication by password includes the controller performing the steps of

retrieving the password associated with the user name from the database memory when not detecting that the communication unit receives the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the retrieved phone number;

determining that authentication by password is successful and authenticating the user name when the password received from the second input unit and the password retrieved from the database memory are the same; and

determining that authentication by the password is unsuccessful and not authenticating the user name and not causing the image forming unit to execute the process when the password received from the second input unit and the password retrieved from the database memory are not the same.

4. The process execution apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the retrieved phone number is generated at an instant when the terminal device, which has the retrieved phone number, receives the call from the communication unit and connects to the call.

5. A phone number registration apparatus comprising:

an input unit configured to receive a phone number as an input;

a registration memory;

a communication unit that is configured to make a call to a terminal device using the input phone number;

a controller that is coupled to the input unit, the registration memory and the communication unit, wherein the controller includes a processing unit, and

memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the controller to;

cause the communication unit to make a call to a terminal device having the input phone number when detecting that input phone number has been input via the input unit;

determine whether authentication by input phone number is successful including

determine that authentication by input phone number is successful in response to the communication unit receiving a signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the input phone number, wherein the signal is generated in response to the terminal device, which has the input phone number, receiving the call from the communication unit and connecting to the call;

determine that authentication by input phone number is unsuccessful when the controller does not detect that the communication unit receives the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the input phone number;

record the input phone number in the registration memory when determining that authentication by input phone number is successful;

cause execution of authentication by password when determining that authentication by input phone number is unsuccessful; and

record the password in the registration memory when authentication by password is successful.

6. The phone number registration apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller records the input phone number in the registration memory when determining that authentication by input phone number is successful within a predetermined time after the communication unit starts to make the call.

7. The phone number registration apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the input phone number is generated at an instant when the terminal device, which has the input phone number, receives the call from the communication unit and connects to the call.

8. A method for executing a process, comprising:

receiving an instruction from a user via an input unit;

first detecting that a user name has been selected via an input unit;

retrieving a phone number associated with the user name from a database memory;

causing a communication unit to make a call to a terminal device having the retrieved phone number responsive to said detecting that the user name has been selected;

second detecting whether the communication unit has received a signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the retrieved phone number, wherein the signal is generated in response to the terminal device, which has the retrieved phone number, receiving the call from the communication unit and connecting to the call;

determining whether authentication by user name is successful including

determining that authentication by user name is successful in response to the communication unit receiving the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the retrieved phone number;

determining that authentication by user name is unsuccessful when said second detecting does not detect that the communication unit receives the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the retrieved phone number;

causing execution of authentication by password when said determining determines that authentication by user name is unsuccessful; and

causing an image forming unit to execute a process in accordance with the instruction when said determining determines that authentication by user name is successful; and

causing the image forming unit to execute the process when authentication by password is successful.

9. The method for executing a process according to claim 8, wherein said determining determines that authentication by user name is successful when said second detecting detects that the communication unit receives the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device within a predetermined time from when starting to make the call to the terminal device.

10. A method for executing a process according to claim 8, wherein the signal indicating that the communication unit is successfully coupled to the terminal device having the retrieved phone number is generated at an instant when the terminal device, which has the retrieved phone number, receives the call from the communication unit and connects to the call.