Authentication system, image forming apparatus, and authentication server

Abstract

An authentication system includes an authentication information input device to which a user inputs authentication information, an authentication server, and at least one image forming apparatus, all connected via a network. The authentication server acquires the authentication information input via the authentication information input device and performs user authentication based on the authentication information. The authentication server includes a transmitter to transmit a result of the user authentication indicating whether or not the user authentication is successful and information of the user identified by the authentication information to at least one of the image forming apparatuses. The image forming apparatus includes a receiver to receive the result of the user authentication and the user information transmitted from the authentication server, and an apparatus controller to switch the image forming apparatus from an unusable state to a usable state according to the result of the user authentication and the user information.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This patent specification claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-199912, filed on Jul. 31, 2007 in the Japan Patent Office, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention generally relates to an authentication system, an authentication control method, an image forming apparatus, and an authentication server.[0004]2. Discussion of the Background Art[0005]Integrated circuit (IC) cards are widely used. For example, many identification cards (IDs), such as employee IDs and student IDs, used to identify individuals are IC cards. Further, restriction of use of computers, etc., using IC cards has been realized.[0006]Many offices use image forming apparatuses such as copiers, facsimile machines, printers, and multifunction apparatuses capable of two or more of those functions, and a method to authenticate users of suc...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In order to correspond to various types of user authentication methods requested by users, the image forming apparatus should control various types of authentication devices, which requires implementation of programs to control various types of authentication devices and increases development cost.

In particular, it is difficult to change firmware of the image forming apparatus that is an embedded device, and work required to maintain quality increases when the firmware is changed.

Thus, it is difficult to change the firmware of each image forming apparatus in order to correspond to various types of user authentication methods.

Because a heavier load is required to execute such information processing by using software, the image forming apparatus does not have sufficient capacity, and consequently it takes a relatively long time to authenticate the user.