Security system of information processing apparatus and security control apparatus

• US 9,659,420 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2014
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Star Micronics Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Star Micronics Company Limited
• Inventors: Matsushima, Takaharu, Takikita, Hiromichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Timory, Kabir A
• Application Number:
  US14/567,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20150187152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

In a security system, a security control apparatus 300 includes an authentication processing unit 31 for perform an authentication on whether the mobile terminal is a permitted terminal, a distance determining unit 32 for determining whether the mobile terminal is located within a predetermined distance from a printer 100, and an unlocking unit 33 for transmitting an unlock instruction signal to the printer 100 when the authentication is successful and it is determined that the mobile terminal is located within the predetermined distance from the printer 100. Therefore, a locking mechanism of the printer 100 cannot be unlocked even if the authentication is successful, and the locking mechanism of the printer 100 can be unlocked when it is further determined the mobile terminal is located within the predetermined distance from the printer 100.

Claims

1. A security system including an information processing apparatus provided with a locking mechanism, a security control apparatus arranged in a vicinity of the information processing apparatus, and a mobile terminal, and being configured to output an unlock instruction by using the mobile terminal, the security system comprising:

an authentication processing unit which performs an authentication on whether the mobile terminal is permitted to output the unlock instruction;

a distance determining unit which determines whether the mobile terminal comes within a predetermined distance from the information processing apparatus; and

an unlocking unit which outputs an unlock instruction signal to the information processing apparatus,

wherein the authentication processing unit and the unlocking unit are provided in the security control apparatus, and the distance determining unit is provided in the mobile terminal,

wherein at least one of the security control apparatus and the information processing apparatus includes a wireless communication unit which performs a short-range wireless communication with a wireless communication unit of the mobile terminal,

wherein the distance determining unit determines whether an electric field strength of a signal communicated between the wireless communication unit of either of the security control apparatus and the information processing apparatus and the wireless communication unit of the mobile terminal is greater than a predetermined value to determine that the mobile terminal comes within the predetermined distance from the information processing apparatus when the electric field strength is greater than the predetermined value,

wherein the mobile terminal includes a notification unit which notifies that the mobile terminal comes within the predetermined distance from the information processing apparatus when the distance determining unit determines that the mobile terminal comes within the predetermined distance from the information processing apparatus, an operation unit that receives a predetermined operation in accordance with a notification by the notification unit, and an identification information transmission unit which transmits identification information,

wherein the authentication processing unit compares the identification information transmitted from the mobile terminal with identification information that is previously stored in the security control apparatus, to perform the authentication, and

wherein the unlocking unit outputs the unlock instruction signal to the information processing apparatus only when the predetermined operation is received by the mobile terminal and also the authentication processing unit succeeds in the authentication.

2. The security system according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit is an icon display unit, and the predetermined operation is an operation of an icon displayed in the icon display unit.

3. A security control apparatus adapted to be applied to a system for outputting an instruction of unlocking a locking mechanism provided in an information processing apparatus by using a mobile terminal and that is arranged in a vicinity of the information processing apparatus, the security control apparatus comprising:

a wireless communication unit which communicates with the mobile terminal via a short-range wireless communication; and

a processor including

an authentication processing unit which performs an authentication on whether the mobile terminal is permitted to output the unlock instruction, and

an unlocking unit which transmits an unlock instruction signal to the information processing apparatus,

wherein the wireless communication unit receives a first identification information from the mobile terminal,

wherein the authentication processing unit performs the authentication by comparing the first identification information transmitted from the mobile terminal with a second identification information that is previously stored in the security control apparatus, and

wherein the unlocking unit outputs the unlock instruction signal to the information processing apparatus provided that a predetermined operation is received by the mobile terminal in accordance with a notification when an electric field strength of a signal communicated between either of the security control apparatus and the information processing apparatus and the mobile terminal is greater than a predetermined value, and also that the authentication processing unit succeeds in the authentication.

4. A method of outputting, by a security system including a security control apparatus arranged in a vicinity of an information processing apparatus, and a mobile terminal, an unlock instruction to the information processing apparatus by using the mobile terminal, the method comprising:

performing, by the mobile terminal, a short-range wireless communication with at least one of the security control apparatus and the information processing apparatus;

determining, by the mobile terminal, whether an electric field strength of a signal communicated between the mobile terminal and either of the security control apparatus and the information processing apparatus is greater than a predetermined value;

determining, by the mobile terminal, that the mobile terminal comes within a predetermined distance from the information processing apparatus when the electric field strength is greater than the predetermined value;

notifying, by the mobile terminal, that the mobile terminal comes within the predetermined distance from the information processing apparatus when determining that the mobile terminal comes within the predetermined distance from the information processing apparatus;

receiving, by the mobile terminal, a predetermined operation in accordance with the notification;

transmitting, by the mobile terminal, identification information;

performing, by the security control apparatus, an authentication on whether the mobile terminal is permitted to output the unlock instruction, by comparing the identification information transmitted from the mobile terminal with identification information that is previously stored in the security control apparatus; and

outputting, by the security control apparatus, an unlock instruction signal to the information processing apparatus only when the predetermined operation is received by the mobile terminal and also the authentication is successfully done.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the notification is a display of an icon, and the predetermined operation is an operation of the displayed icon.