# US 2008/0189775 A1 · Control apparatus, communication system, control method, program, and computer-readable storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0189775 A1 - Document ID: US20080189775A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/008,944 - Filed: 2008-01-15 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-01-16 - Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Fusayuki Fujita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080189775A1 ## CPC - H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)} - G06F 21/34: involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards - G06F 21/608: {Secure printing} - G06F 21/83: input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof - G06F 2221/2105: Dual mode as a secondary aspect - G06F 2221/2129: Authenticate client device independently of the user - G06F 2221/2141: Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A communication system includes a multifunctional apparatus, an authentication information input device, an I/F converter, and a control server. The control server includes an authentication information input device driver for controlling the operation of the authentication information input device via the I/F converter over a network and a multifunctional apparatus control section for controlling operation of the multifunctional apparatus. The authentication information input device driver causes the authentication information input device to acquire authentication information from a user, and receives, via the network, the authentication information acquired by the authentication information input device. Moreover, in cases where an authenticating section of the control server performs an authentication process with use of the authentication information and authentication is completed successfully, the multifunctional apparatus control section permits the use of the multifunctional apparatus. This makes it possible to build a flexible authentication system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control apparatus capable of communicating via a network interface with (i) an imaging apparatus for executing a job including at least one of image formation and image processing and (ii) an authentication information acquisition device for acquiring, from a user, authentication information necessary for authentication, the control apparatus comprising: device driver means for controlling operation of the authentication information acquisition device via the network interface so that the authentication information acquisition device acquires authentication information; authentication information receiving means for receiving, from the authentication information acquisition device via the network interface, the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquisition device; and operation control means for controlling the imaging apparatus in accordance with the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the imaging apparatus and the authentication information acquisition device do not communicate with each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising authenticating means for authenticating the user in accordance with the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means, wherein the operation control means controls operation of the imaging apparatus in accordance with a result of authentication performed by the authenticating means. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: transmission destination storage section in which identification information for identifying the authentication information acquisition device and identification information for identifying an authentication server that authenticates the user in accordance with the authentication information are stored so as to be correlated with each other; device identifying means for identifying the authentication information acquisition device that has transmitted the authentication information to the authentication information receiving means; authentication information transmitting means (a) for acquiring, from the transmission destination storage section, the authentication server identification information corresponding to the identification information for identifying the authentication information acquisition device identified by the device identifying means, and (b) for transmitting, to the authentication sever indicated by the identification information thus acquired, the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means; and authentication result receiving means for receiving a result of authentication of the user from the authentication server, wherein the operation control means controls operation of the imaging apparatus in accordance with the result of authentication received by the authentication result receiving means. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a program storage section in which a plurality of device driver programs for controlling authentication information acquisition devices are stored; a driver correspondence storage section in which identification information for identifying the authentication information acquisition devices and identification information for identifying the device driver programs are stored with each other correlated; device identifying means for identifying the authentication information acquisition device that has transmitted the authentication information to the authentication information receiving means; and driver invoking means (i) for acquiring, from the driver correspondence storage section, the device driver program identification information corresponding to the identification information for identifying the authentication information acquisition device identified by the device identifying means, (ii) for invoking, from the program storage section, a device driver program indicated by the identification information thus acquired, and (iii) for causing a computer to execute the device driver program, thereby operating the computer as the device driver means, wherein the computer controls operation of the authentication information acquisition device by executing the device driver program invoked by the driver invoking means. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a control destination storage section in which identification information for identifying the authentication information acquisition device and identification information for identifying the imaging apparatus are stored with each other correlated; and device identifying means for identifying the authentication information acquisition device that has transmitted the authentication information to the authentication information receiving means, wherein the operation control means acquires, from the control destination storage section, the imaging apparatus identification information corresponding to the identification information for identifying the authentication information acquisition device identified by the device identifying means, and controls operation of the imaging apparatus indicated by the identification information thus acquired. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein: the authentication information acquisition device is capable of communicating with the control apparatus via an interface converter, the authentication information acquisition device and the interface converter being connected via a predetermined communication interface, the interface converter and the control apparatus being connected via the network interface; and the device driver means has (i) command generating means for generating first packet data describing, in accordance with a communication protocol of the predetermined communication interface, a control command for controlling operation of the authentication information acquisition device, (ii) packet converting means for creating second packet data by adding, to the first packet data, header information necessary for communication via the network interface, and (iii) command transmitting means for transmitting the second packet data to the interface converter; and the interface converter converts, into the first packet data, the second packet data received from the command transmitting means, and transmits the first packet data to the authentication information acquisition device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the operation control means limits, in accordance with the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means, whether or not the imaging apparatus executes the job. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein: the imaging apparatus is capable of executing a plurality of jobs different from each other; and the operation control means permits or prohibits, for each of the jobs in accordance with the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means, the imaging apparatus to execute or from executing the job. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the operation control means permits or prohibits, for each of a plurality of imaging apparatuses in accordance with the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means, the imaging apparatus to execute or from executing the job, and controls the imaging apparatus so that when the imaging apparatus is permitted to execute the job, the imaging apparatus notifies the user that the imaging apparatus is permitted to execute the job. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the operation control means controls the imaging apparatus so that a display section of the imaging apparatus displays the result obtained by authenticating the user in accordance with the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the operation control means controls the imaging apparatus so that a display section of the imaging apparatus displays the result obtained by authenticating the user in accordance with the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein the operation control means creates screen data of a display screen on which the result of authentication is displayed, and transmits the screen data to the imaging apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The control apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein the operation control means creates screen data of a display screen on which the result of authentication is displayed, and transmits the screen data to the imaging apparatus. ### Claim 15 A communication system including an imaging apparatus for executing a job including at least one of image formation and image processing; an authentication information acquisition device for acquiring, from a user, authentication information necessary for authentication, and a control apparatus capable of communicating with the imaging apparatus and the authentication information acquisition device via a network interface, the control apparatus comprising: device driver means for controlling operation of the authentication information acquisition device via the network interface so that the authentication information acquisition device acquires authentication information; authentication information receiving means for receiving, from the authentication information acquisition device via the network interface, the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquisition device; and operation control means for controlling the imaging apparatus in accordance with the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The communication system as set forth in claim 15, wherein: the imaging apparatus includes (i) elemental job executing means for executing an elemental job including at least one of the image formation and the image processing, (ii) execution instruction receiving means for receiving, from the control apparatus, an instruction to execute a cooperation job obtained by combining elemental jobs that are executed by the elemental job executing means, (iii) first control command output means for outputting a first control command corresponding to the execution instruction received by the execution instruction receiving means, (iv) a command correspondence information storage section in which command correspondence information is stored so as to indicate a correspondence relationship between a first control command that is outputted by the first control command output means and a second control command receivable by the elemental job executing means, and (v) control command converting means for specifying, in accordance with the command correspondence information, a second control command corresponding to a first control command outputted from the first control command output means, and for outputting the specified second control command to the elemental job executing means; and the control apparatus includes execution instruction transmitting means for transmitting the execution instruction to the execution instruction receiving means of the imaging apparatus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The communication system as set forth in claim 15, wherein: the operation control means of the control apparatus creates screen data of a display screen that shows a result obtained by authenticating the user in accordance with the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means, and transmits the screen data to the imaging apparatus; and the imaging apparatus includes (i) a display section and (ii) UI control means for receiving the screen data from the operation control means of the control apparatus, and for causing the display section to display the display screen corresponding to the screen data thus received. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The communication system as set forth in claim 15, further comprising an authentication server for authenticating the user in accordance with the authentication information, wherein: the control apparatus further includes (i) transmission destination storage section in which identification information for identifying the authentication information acquisition device and identification information for identifying the authentication server are stored so as to be correlated with each other, (ii) device identifying means for identifying the authentication information acquisition device that has transmitted the authentication information to the authentication information receiving means, (iii) authentication information transmitting means (a) for acquiring, from the transmission destination storage section, the authentication server identification information corresponding to the identification information for identifying the authentication information acquisition device identified by the device identifying means, and (b) for transmitting, to the authentication sever indicated by the identification information thus acquired, the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means, and (iv) authentication result receiving means for receiving a result of authentication of the user from the authentication server; and the operation control means controls operation of the imaging apparatus in accordance with the result of authentication received by the authentication result receiving means. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The communication system as set forth in claim 15, further comprising an interface converter, wherein: the authentication information acquisition device is capable of communicating with the control apparatus via the interface converter, the authentication information acquisition device and the interface converter being connected via a predetermined communication interface, the interface converter and the control apparatus being connected via the network interface; and the device driver means has (i) command generating means for generating first packet data describing, in accordance with a communication protocol of the predetermined communication interface, a control command for controlling operation of the authentication information acquisition device, (ii) packet converting means for creating second packet data by adding, to the first packet data, header information necessary for communication via the network interface, and (iii) command transmitting means for transmitting the second packet data to the interface converter; and the interface converter converts, into the first packet data, the second packet data received from the command transmitting means, and transmits the first packet data to the authentication information acquisition device. ### Claim 20 A communication system including an imaging apparatus for executing a job including at least one of image formation and image processing, an authentication information acquisition device for acquiring, from a user, authentication information necessary for authentication, an authentication server capable of communicating with the imaging apparatus via a network interface, and a control apparatus capable of communicating with the authentication information acquisition device and the authentication server via the network interface, the control apparatus comprising: device driver means for controlling operation of the authentication information acquisition device via the network interface so that the authentication information acquisition device acquires authentication information; authentication information receiving means for receiving, from the authentication information acquisition device via the network interface, the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquisition device; and authentication information transmitting means for transmitting, to the authentication server, the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means, the authentication server comprising: authenticating means for authenticating the user in accordance with the authentication information received from the control apparatus; and operation control means for controlling the imaging apparatus in accordance with a result of authentication performed by the authenticating means. ### Claim 21 A method for controlling, via an network interface, an imaging apparatus for executing a job including at least one of image formation and image processing and an authentication information acquisition device for acquiring, from a user, authentication information necessary for authentication, the method comprising: a device driver step of controlling operation of the authentication information acquisition device via the network interface so that the authentication information acquisition device acquires authentication information; an authentication information receiving step of receiving, from the authentication information acquisition device via the network interface, the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquisition device; and an operation control step of controlling the imaging apparatus in accordance with the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means. ### Claim 22 A computer-readable storage medium for storing a program for operating a computer as means of a control apparatus capable of communicating via a network interface with (i) an imaging apparatus for executing a job including at least one of image formation and image processing and (ii) an authentication information acquisition device for acquiring, from a user, authentication information necessary for authentication, the control apparatus including: device driver means for controlling operation of the authentication information acquisition device via the network interface so that the authentication information acquisition device acquires authentication information; authentication information receiving means for receiving, from the authentication information acquisition device via the network interface, the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquisition device; and operation control means for controlling the imaging apparatus in accordance with the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving means.