Data communication system and data processing method

Abstract

To provide a data communication system and a data processing method which can easily discriminate an apparatus located outside of a LAN if an apparatus in the LAN and so on transmits data to an apparatus located outside the LAN and connected to the LAN through VPN connection.SOLUTION: The present invention is directed to a data communication system having a first device 20 located outside a LAN capable of being connected to a LAN 1 through VPN connection, and a second device 10 located in the LAN or a second device 30 located outside the LAN capable of being connected to the LAN through VPN connection. Each of the second devices 10, 30 has acquiring means 101 for acquiring information relating to a user of the first device 20 from the first device connected to the LAN 1 through VPN connection, and control means 101 for adding the information relating to the user to a device name of the first device 20 or replacing the device name of the first device with the information relating to the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a data communication system including a first device connectable to a LAN via a VPN connection and a second device capable of communicating with the first device, and a data processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] It has been common practice to send data from an MFP or a personal computer (PC) connected to a LAN (Local area network), such as an internal LAN, to an external device (e.g., an MFP (Multi Function Peripherals)) connected to the internal LAN via a VPN (Virtual Private Network).

[0003] It is known that when an external device connects to a LAN via a VPN connection, the external device notifies an MFP or PC in the LAN of information about its own product name, that is, its device name.

[0004] However, there may be multiple external devices with the same device name, in which case it is not possible to identify the external device to which the data is being sent using only the device name. Also, in the case of a VPN connection, the IP (Internet Protocol) address of the external device changes each time the connection is made, so it is not possible to identify the external device using the IP address.

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a data processing device for displaying device-specific information set on the host side or device-specific information related to a network on the peripheral device side.

[0006] Specifically, the CPU 1 in the host computer 3000 is configured to create unique name information for identifying each peripheral device, including network-specific address information, in accordance with the identification information of the printer 1000, and to transmit the created unique name information to each peripheral device, including the printer 1000.

[0007] Patent document 2 discloses a printer that stores device information of a user's client PC, a list of printer names set by the user, etc. on a portable information storage medium, and by connecting this information storage medium to a printer, installs a printer driver from the printer to the client PC, and during installation, the printer identification name on the client PC is set by the user or automatically, and performs test printing if necessary.

[0008] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses an image output device that allows a user to specify a desired image output device even when there are multiple image output devices with the same name on a network.

[0009] Specifically, it is provided with a printer name recognition unit 108 which searches the network for an image output device with a name identical to its own image output device name, and a printer name change instruction unit 109 which, when the printer name recognition unit 108 finds an image output device with a name identical to its own laser beam printer 101 name, requests the host computer 100 to change the name of its own printer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-273243 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2010-113404 A [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 08-156371 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] As described above, in the case of a VPN connection, when sending data from a device within a LAN to a device outside the LAN, there is a problem in that the device to which the data is to be sent cannot be identified based on only the device name of the device outside the LAN.

[0012] The techniques described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 are techniques that allow users to distinguish their own devices, but cannot solve the problems that arise in the case of a VPN connection.

[0013] An object of the present invention is to provide a data communication system and a data processing method that can easily identify a device outside the LAN when data is sent from a device connected to a LAN to a device outside the LAN that is connected to the LAN via VPN. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The above object can be achieved by the following means. (1) A data communication system including a first device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN by a VPN connection, and a second device inside the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN by VPN, The second device comprises: An acquisition means for acquiring information about a user of a first device from a first device connected to the LAN via a VPN connection; A control means for adding information about the user to a device name of the first device or replacing the device name of the first device with information about the user; A data communication system comprising: (2) A data communication system comprising a first device outside a LAN that can be connected to the LAN by a VPN connection, a second device inside the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN by VPN, and a management server in the LAN, The management server includes: An acquisition means for acquiring information about a user of a first device from a first device connected to the LAN via a VPN connection; a control means for adding information about the user to a device name of the first device, or replacing the device name of the first device with information about the user, and broadcasting the information to the LAN; Equipped with A data communication system characterized in that the second device obtains information about the user based on the broadcast of the management server, and adds the information about the user to the device name of the first device, or replaces the device name of the first device with the information about the user. (3) A data communication system comprising: a first device outside a LAN that can be connected to the LAN by a VPN connection; a second device inside the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN by VPN; and an authentication means, The authentication means performs authentication based on information about a user of a first device acquired from the first device connected to the LAN via a VPN connection; A data communication system characterized in that, if the authentication is successful, the second device obtains information about the user of the first device, and adds the information about the user to the device name of the first device, or replaces the device name of the first device with the information about the user. (4) the first device designates an IP address of the second device and transmits information about the user of the first device; 4. A data communication system according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the second device acquires information about the user of the first device by receiving the transmitted information about the user of the first device. (5) the management server designates an IP address of the second device and transmits information about the user of the first device; 3. A data communication system according to claim 2, wherein the second device acquires information about the user of the first device by receiving the transmitted information about the user of the first device. (6) A data communication system according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, wherein the second device adds information about the user to the device name of the first device or replaces the device name of the first device with information about the user only when the user of the first device is logged in to the first device. (7) A data communication system as described in paragraph 3 above, wherein if the authentication fails, the first device is notified of failure to be authenticated. (8) A data communication system as described in paragraph 3 above, in which, if the authentication is successful, the first device is notified of information about a storage location where information about the user of the first device is stored, and the first device transmits the information about the storage location to the second device. (9) A data communication system described in any of paragraphs 1 to 3, wherein the second device adds information about the user to the device name of the first device, or replaces the device name of the first device with information about the user, when the first device is specified as the destination for data transmission. (10) In a data communication system including a first device outside a LAN that can be connected to the LAN by a VPN connection, and a second device inside the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN by VPN connection, the second device An acquisition step of acquiring information about a user of the first device; a control step of adding information about the user to a device name of the first device or replacing the device name of the first device with information about the user; A data processing method comprising the steps of: (11) A data communication system including a first device outside a LAN that can be connected to the LAN by a VPN connection, a second device inside the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN by VPN connection, and a management server in the LAN, an acquisition step of acquiring information about a user of a first device from a first device connected to the LAN via a VPN connection; a control step of adding information about the user to a device name of the first device, or replacing the device name of the first device with information about the user, and broadcasting the information to the LAN; Implemented the following: A data processing method characterized in that the second device obtains information about the user based on the broadcast of the management server, and adds the information about the user to the device name of the first device, or replaces the device name of the first device with the information about the user. (12) In a data communication system including a first device outside a LAN that can be connected to the LAN via a VPN connection, a second device inside the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN via VPN, and an authentication means within the LAN, the authentication means performs authentication based on information about a user of the first device acquired from the first device connected to the LAN via the VPN connection, A data processing method characterized in that, when the authentication is successful, the second device obtains information about the user of the first device, and adds the information about the user to the device name of the first device, or replaces the device name of the first device with the information about the user. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to this invention, a second device in a LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN via VPN acquires information about a user of a first device outside the LAN that can be connected to a LAN via VPN connection, and then adds the acquired information about the user to the device name of the first device, or replaces the device name of the first device with the information about the user.

[0016] As a result, when a user of the second device transmits data to the first device, the user can easily identify the destination based on the acquired information about the user of the first device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1]1 is a configuration diagram of a data communication system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of an in-house MFP which is a second device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a data processing sequence performed among an external MF as a first device, a VPN server 12, and an in-house MFP as a second device at the time of VPN connection in the data communication system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a data communication system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a data processing sequence performed among an external MFP, a VPN server, a management server, and an in-house MFP when a VPN connection is established in a data communication system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a data communication system according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a data processing sequence performed among an external MFP, a VPN server, a personnel DB server, an authentication server, and an in-house MFP when a VPN connection is established in a data communication system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13, showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention, is a diagram showing a data processing sequence carried out among an external MFP, a VPN server, and an internal MFP when connected via VPN. [Figure 9] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a destination setting screen on which registration contents in which information about a user is added to the device name of an external MFP are displayed. FIG. [Figure 10] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a destination setting screen on which registration contents are displayed in which the device name of the external MFP is replaced with information about the user. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of a destination setting screen on which registration contents are displayed in which the device name of the external MFP is replaced with information about the user. [Figure 12] 11 is a management table for determining whether or not a device name registration request is permitted. [Figure 13]FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a data communication system in which an external MFP transmits a device name registration request to another external device via an internal LAN and a VPN connection. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the LAN is an internal company LAN, a first device outside the LAN that can be connected to the internal company LAN via a VPN connection is an external MFP consisting of a multifunction multifunction device, and a second device within the LAN is an internal MFP consisting of a multifunction multifunction device. [First embodiment] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a data communication system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] This data communication system includes an in-house LAN 1 constructed within a company, multiple in-house MFPs 10 (four in this example), multiple personal computers (user PCs) 11 which are personally owned terminal devices, a VPN server 12 for connecting the external MFP 20 to the in-house LAN 1 via a VPN (Virtual Private Network), and the external MFP 20. The in-house MFP 10, the user PC 11, and the VPN server 12 are each connected to the in-house LAN 1.

[0021] On the other hand, the external MFP 20 is installed outside the company, for example, at an employee's home, etc. In this example, the device name of the external MFP 20 is "bizhub c3320i", and the user of the external MFP 20 is "Employee Number: 12345 Name: Yamada Taro".

[0022] 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the in-house MFP 10. This in-house MFP 10 is made up of a control unit 101, an image reading unit 102, an operation unit 103, an image forming unit 104, a ROM 105, a RAM 106, a non-volatile memory 107, and an input / output interface (I / F) unit 108, etc.

[0023] The control unit 101 cooperates with various control blocks constituting the MFP and controls the overall image formation. In particular, in this embodiment, the control unit 101 acquires information about the user of the external MFP 20 from the external MFP 20 or an internal management server (described later). After acquiring the information, the control unit 101 executes a process such as adding information about the user of the external MFP 20 to the device name of the external MFP 20, or replacing the device name of the external MFP 20 with information about the user of the external MFP 20. Details of the process will be described later.

[0024] The image reading unit 102 reads an original of an image to be formed, converts it into electronic data, and transfers the image data to the image forming unit 104 .

[0025] An operation unit 103 accepts operation inputs from a user of the MFP. The operation inputs include setting various operating conditions, starting up the MFP, and the like.

[0026] The image forming unit 104 receives image data from the image reading unit 102 or a print job from the user PC 11 via a network (the in-house LAN 1), and forms an image on a sheet of paper.

[0027] The ROM 105 holds the firmware of the MFP, etc. The RAM 106 holds the image data received by the image forming unit 104, the print job, etc. until printing is completed.

[0028] The non-volatile memory 107 stores various setting data and job data, particularly animation data for showing operation procedures, screen transition video data, setting tree display data, and the like.

[0029] The input / output interface unit 108 is an interface for connecting the in-house MFP 10 to a network and communicating with an external device via the network.

[0030] The configuration of the external MFP 20 is the same as that of the in-house MFP 10 shown in FIG. 2, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data processing sequence performed among the external MFP 20, the VPN server 12, and the in-house MFP 10 when a VPN connection is established in the data communication system according to the first embodiment.

[0032] When the user of the external MFP 20 turns on the power of the external MFP 20 (step S3-1), a start-up sequence of the external MFP 20 is executed and the external MFP 20 goes into an idle state (step S3-2).

[0033] Next, the external MFP 20 transmits a connection request to the VPN server 12 using the ID (identification information) and password (step S3-3). It is assumed that the ID and password for VPN connection are registered in the external MFP 20 in advance.

[0034] The VPN server 12 that has received the connection request checks the received ID and password (step S3-4), and if they are correct, returns a VPN connection permission response to the external MFP 20 (step S3-5). If the ID or password does not match, a response that does not permit the VPN connection is returned.

[0035] After receiving the VPN connection permission response, the external MFP 20 connects to the internal LAN 1 via VPN and then broadcasts a device name registration request including its own device name registered in advance and the IP address acquired from the VPN server 12 to the internal LAN 1 (step S3-6). The device name registration request includes information about the user of the external MFP 20 (in this example, "Yamada Taro"). Alternatively, if the destination IP address has been set in advance in the external MFP 20, broadcasting is also performed, but the device name registration request is sent only to that IP address.

[0036] The in-house MFP 10 that has received the device name registration request performs destination registration for selecting a data transmission destination based on the device name included in the device name registration request and the IP address of the external MFP 20 (step S3-7). The in-house MFP 10 performs this destination registration with the device name of the external MFP 20 plus the information of the user of the external MFP 20, as shown in Fig. 9. Alternatively, the in-house MFP 10 may perform destination registration with the device name of the external MFP 20 replaced with the information of the user of the external MFP 20, as shown in Fig. 10. When destination registration is performed, if destination registration of the external MFP 20 has already been performed, the in-house MFP 10 updates only the IP address of the external MFP 20 (step S3-7). Note that a different IP address is assigned to the external MFP 20 by the VPN server 12 every time a VPN connection is established.

[0037] After completing or updating the destination registration, the in-house MFP 10 returns a registration update completion response to the external MFP 20 (step S3-8).

[0038] In this embodiment, the external MFP 20 connected to the internal LAN 10 by the VPN connection transmits information on the user of the external MFP 20. As a result, the internal MFP 10 acquires information on the user of the external MFP 20. Then, the external MFP 20 is registered by adding information on the user to the device name of the external MFP 20, or the device name of the external MFP 20 is replaced with information on the user and registered. When the external MFP 20 is designated as a destination to transmit data from the internal MFP 10 by this registration, the registered content in which the device name of the external MFP 20 is added with information on the user is displayed as a destination setting screen on the operation unit 103 as shown in FIG. 9. Alternatively, the registered content in which the device name of the external MFP 20 is replaced with information on the user is displayed as a destination setting screen on the operation unit 103 as shown in FIG. 10. Therefore, the destination can be easily identified. [Second embodiment] FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a data communication system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] In this embodiment, similar to the data communication system shown in FIG. 1, there is an in-house LAN 1, to which are connected multiple in-house MFPs (three in this example) 10, multiple user PCs 11, a VPN server 12, and a management server 13.

[0040] The management server 13 plays a role of receiving a device name registration request from the external MFP 20 that is VPN-connected to the internal LAN 1, and making a device name registration request by broadcast or the like to the internal MFP 10. This point will be described later.

[0041] The external MFP 20 is installed outside the company, for example, at an employee's home, as in the first embodiment. The device name of the external MFP 20 and the user of the external MFP 20 are also the same as in the first embodiment. The configurations of the internal MFP 10 and the external MFP 20 are also the same as in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a data processing sequence performed among the external MFP 20, the VPN server 12, the management server 13, and the in-house MFP 10 when connected via VPN in the data communication system according to the second embodiment.

[0043] When the user of the external MFP 20 turns on the power of the external MFP 20 (step S5-1), a start-up sequence of the external MFP 20 is executed and the external MFP 20 goes into an idle state (step S5-2).

[0044] Next, the external MFP 20 transmits a connection request to the VPN server 12 using the ID and password (step S5-3). The VPN server 12 that receives the connection request checks the received ID and password (step S5-4), and if they are correct, returns a VPN connection permission response to the external MFP 20 (step S5-5). If the ID or password does not match, a response not permitting the VPN connection is returned.

[0045] After receiving the VPN connection permission response, the external MFP 20 connects to the internal LAN 1 via VPN, and then transmits to the management server 13 a device name registration request including the device name of the external MFP 20 registered in advance and the IP address acquired from the VPN server 12 (step S5-6). The device name registration request includes information about the user of the external MFP 20 (in this example, "Yamada Taro"). If a destination IP address has been set in advance in the external MFP 20, this IP address is included in the device name registration request and transmitted to the management server 13.

[0046] When the management server 13 receives the device name registration request, it broadcasts the device name registration request to the in-house LAN 1. If the destination IP address is set in advance in the external MFP 20, the management server 13 checks whether destination registration permission is set to On for the in-house MFP 10 at the IP address destination in a management table managed by the management server 13. Then, the management server 13 sends a device name registration request only to the in-house MFP 10 at the IP address destination where the destination registration permission is set to On.

[0047] The management table is shown in Fig. 12. In the management table, the device name, IP address, and destination registration permission items of the in-house MFP 10 are recorded in association with each other. A device for which destination registration permission is set to On is an in-house MFP 10 for which destination registration is performed, and a device for which destination registration permission is set to Off is an in-house MFP 10 for which destination registration is not performed. The management server 13 refers to this management table and determines whether or not to send a device name registration request to the in-house MFP 10.

[0048] The in-house MFP 10 performs destination registration for selecting a data transmission destination based on the device name and the IP address of the external MFP 20 included in the received device name registration request (step S5-8). The in-house MFP 10 performs this destination registration with the device name of the external MFP 20 plus information on the user of the external MFP 20, as shown in Fig. 9. Alternatively, the in-house MFP 10 may perform destination registration with the device name of the external MFP 20 replaced with information on the user of the external MFP 20, as shown in Fig. 10. When destination registration is performed and the external MFP 20 has already been registered, the in-house MFP 20 updates only the IP address.

[0049] After completing or updating the destination registration, the in-house MFP 10 returns a response completion to the management server 13 (step S5-9). The management server 13, which has received this response completion, returns a registration update completion response to the external MFP 20 (step S5-10).

[0050] In this manner, according to this embodiment, information on the user of the external MFP 20 is transmitted from the external MFP 20 connected to the internal LAN 10 by a VPN connection via the management server 13. As a result, the internal MFP 10 acquires information on the user of the external MFP 20. Then, the external MFP 20 is registered by adding information on the user to the device name of the external MFP 20, or the device name of the external MFP 20 is replaced with information on the user and registered. By this registration, when the external MFP 20 is designated as a destination to transmit data from the internal MFP 10, the registered content in which the information on the user is added to the device name of the external MFP 20 is displayed as a destination setting screen on the operation unit 103 as shown in FIG. 9. Alternatively, the registered content in which the device name of the external MFP 20 is replaced with information on the user is displayed as a destination setting screen on the operation unit 103 as shown in FIG. 10. This makes it possible to easily identify the destination. [Third embodiment] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of a data communication system according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] In this embodiment, similar to the data communication system shown in FIG. 1, there is an in-house LAN 1, to which are connected multiple in-house MFPs 10, a user PC 11, a VPN server 12, and a management server 13, as well as a personnel database server (personnel DB server) 14 and an authentication server 15.

[0052] The personnel DB server 14 stores user information relating to users of the in-house MFP 10 and the external MFP 20, for example, detailed information such as name, employee number, department, contact information, etc., as shown in FIG.

[0053] The authentication server 15 performs user authentication of the external MFP 20 attempting to connect to the internal LAN 1 via VPN.

[0054] The external MFP 20 is installed outside the company, for example, at an employee's home, as in the first embodiment. The device name of the external MFP 20 and the user of the external MFP 20 are also the same as in the first embodiment. The configurations of the internal MFP 10 and the external MFP 20 are also the same as in the first embodiment shown in FIG.

[0055] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a data processing sequence performed among the external MFP 20, VPN server 12, personnel DB server 14, authentication server 15, and in-house MFP 10 during VPN connection in the data communication system according to the third embodiment.

[0056] When the user of the external MFP 20 turns on the power of the external MFP 20 (step S7-1), a start-up sequence of the external MFP 20 is executed and the external MFP 20 goes into an idle state (step S7-2).

[0057] Next, the external MFP 20 transmits a connection request to the VPN server 12 using the ID and password (step S7-3). The VPN server 12 that receives the connection request checks the received ID and password (step S7-4), and if they are correct, returns a VPN connection permission response to the external MFP 20 (step S7-5). If the ID or password does not match, a response is returned that does not permit the VPN connection.

[0058] After receiving the VPN connection permission response, the external MFP 20 makes a request to the personnel DB server 14 to acquire user information about the user of the external MFP 20 stored in the personnel DB server 14, or to acquire information about the storage destination of the user information (user information storage destination information) (step S7-6). The acquisition request includes the user ID and password for authentication of the user of the external MFP 20.

[0059] The personnel DB server 14 verifies the user based on the user ID and password included in the received acquisition request (step S7-7), and transmits an authentication request to the authentication server 15 (step S7-8).

[0060] The authentication server 15 checks the received user ID and password and compares them with pre-stored registration information (step S7-9). If the user ID and password match the registration information, the authentication server 15 returns an authentication permission response to the personnel DB server 14 (step S7-10). If they do not match, the authentication server 15 returns an authentication denial response to the personnel DB server 14.

[0061] When the personnel DB server 14 receives the authentication permission response, it returns the authentication permission response and the user information stored in association with the user ID or the user information storage destination information to the external MFP 20 (step S7-11).

[0062] After receiving the user information or the user information storage destination information, the external MFP 20 broadcasts a device name registration request to the internal LAN (step S7-12). The device name registration request includes the received user information or user information storage destination information and the IP address acquired from the VPN server. If the destination IP address is set in advance in the external MFP 20, broadcasting is also performed, but the device name registration request is sent only to that IP address.

[0063] The in-house MFP 10 that has received the device name registration request performs destination registration for data transmission destination selection based on the device name included in the device name registration request and the IP address of the external MFP 20 (step S7-13). The in-house MFP 10 may replace the device name of the external MFP 20 with the user information included in the request as shown in Fig. 11. Alternatively, if the request includes user information storage destination information, the in-house MFP 10 may obtain user information from a personnel DB server based on this user information storage destination information and replace the user information. Alternatively, instead of replacing the user information, the user information shown in Fig. 11 may be added to the device name of the external MFP.

[0064] When registering a destination, if the destination registration of the external MFP 20 has already been performed, the in-house MFP 10 may update only the IP address of the external MFP 20 .

[0065] After completing or updating the destination registration, the in-house MFP 10 returns a registration update completion response to the external MFP 20 (step S7-14).

[0066] In this manner, according to this embodiment, the user information or the user information storage destination information is transmitted from the external MFP 20 connected to the internal LAN 1 by the VPN connection. As a result, the internal MFP 10 acquires information on the user of the external MFP 20 directly from the external MFP 20 or from the user information storage destination of the personnel DB server 14. Then, the internal MFP 10 registers the device name of the external MFP 20 with information on the user added thereto, or registers the device name of the external MFP 20 with information on the user replaced therewith. By this registration, when the external MFP 20 is designated as a destination to transmit data from the internal MFP 10, the registered contents in which the device name of the external MFP 20 with information on the user is added thereto are displayed as a destination setting screen on the operation unit 103. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 11, the registered contents in which the device name of the external MFP 20 is replaced with information on the user are displayed as a destination setting screen on the operation unit 103. This makes it possible to easily identify the destination.

[0067] In the third embodiment, the external MFP 20 transmits the user information or the user information storage destination information, but the management server 13 may transmit the information as in the second embodiment. [Fourth embodiment] FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram illustrating a data processing sequence performed among the external MFP 20, the VPN server 12, and the in-house MFP 10 when connected via VPN.

[0068] In this embodiment, only when a user of the external MFP 20 is logged in to the external MFP 20, the internal MFP 10 registers the device name of the external MFP 20 by adding information about the user to the device name, or registers the device name of the external MFP 20 by replacing it with information about the user.

[0069] The configuration of the data communication system is the same as that of the data communication system according to the first embodiment shown in FIG.

[0070] When the user of the external MFP 20 turns on the power of the external MFP 20P (step S8-1), a start-up sequence of the external MFP 20 is executed and the external MFP 20 goes into an idle state (step S8-2).

[0071] Next, the external MFP 20 transmits a connection request to the VPN server 12 using the ID and password (step S8-3).

[0072] The VPN server 12 that has received the connection request checks the received ID and password (step S8-4), and if they are correct, returns a VPN connection permission response to the external MFP 20 (step S8-5).

[0073] When the user of the external MFP 20 logs in to the external MFP 20 (step S8-6), the external MFP 20 performs a login process (step S8-7).

[0074] After logging in, the external MFP 20 broadcasts a device name registration request including the previously registered device name and the IP address acquired from the VPN server 12 to the internal LAN 1 (step S8-8). The device name registration request includes information about the user of the external MFP 20 (in this example, "Yamada Taro"). Alternatively, if a destination IP address has been set in advance in the external MFP 20, broadcasting is also performed, but the device name registration request is sent only to that IP address.

[0075] The in-house MFP 10 that has received the device name registration request performs destination registration for data transmission destination selection based on the device name and IP address included in the device name registration request (step S8-9). The in-house MFP 10 performs this destination registration with the device name of the external MFP 20 plus information on the user of the external MFP 20. Alternatively, the in-house MFP 10 may perform destination registration with the device name of the external MFP 20 replaced with information on the user of the external MFP 20. When destination registration is performed and the external MFP 20 has already been registered, the in-house MFP 20 updates only the IP address of the external MFP 20 (step S8-9).

[0076] After completing or updating the destination registration, the in-house MFP 10 returns a registration update completion response to the external MFP 20 (step S8-10).

[0077] When the user of the external MFP 20 logs off from the external MFP 20 (step S8-11), the external MFP 20 performs a logoff process (step S8-12).

[0078] After logging off, the external MFP 20 broadcasts a device name deletion request to the internal LAN 1 (step S8-13). If a destination IP address is set in advance in the external MFP 20, broadcasting is also performed, but the device name deletion request is sent only to that IP address.

[0079] The in-house MFP 10 that has received the device name deletion request performs a process of deleting the destination registration of the requested device name (step S8-14). After completing the deletion, the in-house MFP 10 transmits a deletion process completion response to the external MFP 20 (step S8-15).

[0080] In this way, the destination of the external MFP 20 is registered in the in-house MFP 10 only when the user of the external MFP 20 is logged in to the external MFP 10, and the registered contents are displayed when data is transmitted from the in-house MFP 10 to the external MFP 20.

[0081] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0082] For example, the case where the second device that performs destination registration of the external MFP 20, which is the first device, is the internal MFP 10 connected to the internal LAN 1 has been described. However, the second device is not limited to an internal device, and may be another external device 30 connected to the internal LAN 1 via VPN as shown in FIG. 13. In this case, the external MFP 20 transmits a device name registration request or a device name deletion request to the other external device 30 via the internal LAN 1 and the VPN connection. Alternatively, as in the second embodiment, the management server 13 may transmit a device name registration request to the other external device 30. Also, the device name registration request or the device name deletion request may be transmitted to both the internal MFP 10 connected to the internal LAN 1 and the other external device 30 connected to the internal LAN 1 via VPN.

[0083] Furthermore, the timing of performing the destination registration process in the in-house MFP 10 and the external MFP 30 is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, when information on the user of the external MFP 20 is acquired, this information may be stored, and the destination registration process may be performed when the corresponding external MFP 20 is designated as a destination for data transmission. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1. Internal LAN 10 In-house MFP 11 User PC 12 VPN Servers 13 Management Server 14. Personnel Database Server 15 Authentication Server 20 External MFP 30 Other external devices 101 Control section 102 Image reading unit 103 Operation section 104 Image forming section 105 ROM 106 RAM 107 Non-volatile memory 108 Input / Output Interface Section

Claims

1. A data communication system including a first device outside a LAN that can be connected to the LAN by a VPN connection, and a second device inside the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN by VPN, The second device comprises: An acquisition means for acquiring information about a user of a first device from a first device connected to the LAN via a VPN connection; a control means for adding information about the user to a device name of the first device or replacing the device name of the first device with information about the user; A data communication system comprising:

2. A data communication system comprising: a first device outside a LAN that can be connected to the LAN by a VPN connection; a second device inside the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN by VPN; and a management server in the LAN, The management server includes: An acquisition means for acquiring information about a user of a first device from a first device connected to the LAN via a VPN connection; a control means for adding information about the user to a device name of the first device, or replacing the device name of the first device with information about the user, and broadcasting the information to the LAN; Equipped with A data communication system characterized in that the second device obtains information about the user based on the broadcast of the management server, and adds the information about the user to the device name of the first device, or replaces the device name of the first device with the information about the user.

3. A data communication system comprising: a first device outside a LAN that can be connected to the LAN by a VPN connection; a second device inside the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN by VPN connection; and an authentication means, The authentication means performs authentication based on information about a user of a first device acquired from a first device connected to the LAN via a VPN connection; A data communication system characterized in that, if the authentication is successful, the second device obtains information about the user of the first device, and adds the information about the user to the device name of the first device, or replaces the device name of the first device with the information about the user.

4. The first device designates an IP address of the second device and transmits information about a user of the first device; 4. The data communication system according to claim 1, wherein the second device acquires information about the user of the first device by receiving information about the user of the first device transmitted thereto.

5. The management server designates an IP address of a second device and transmits information about a user of the first device; 3. The data communication system according to claim 2, wherein the second device acquires information about the user of the first device by receiving information about the user of the first device transmitted thereto.

6. A data communication system as described in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second device adds information about the user to the device name of the first device or replaces the device name of the first device with information about the user only when the user of the first device is logged in to the first device.

7. 4. The data communication system according to claim 3, wherein if the authentication fails, the first device is notified of failure to be authenticated.

8. A data communication system as described in claim 3, wherein if the authentication is successful, the first device is notified of information about a storage location where information about the user of the first device is stored, and the first device transmits the information about the storage location to the second device.

9. A data communication system as described in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second device adds information about the user to the device name of the first device, or replaces the device name of the first device with information about the user when the first device is specified as the destination for data transmission.

10. In a data communication system including a first device outside a LAN that can be connected to a LAN by a VPN connection, and a second device in the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN by VPN connection, acquiring information about a user of the first device; a control step of adding information about the user to a device name of the first device or replacing the device name of the first device with information about the user; A data processing method comprising the steps of:

11. A data communication system including a first device outside a LAN that can be connected to the LAN by a VPN connection, a second device inside the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN by VPN connection, and a management server in the LAN, an acquisition step of acquiring information about a user of a first device from a first device connected to the LAN via a VPN connection; a control step of adding information about the user to a device name of the first device, or replacing the device name of the first device with information about the user, and broadcasting the information to the LAN; Implemented the following: A data processing method characterized in that the second device obtains information about the user based on the broadcast of the management server, and adds the information about the user to the device name of the first device, or replaces the device name of the first device with the information about the user.

12. A data communication system including a first device outside a LAN that can be connected to the LAN via a VPN connection, a second device inside the LAN or a second device outside the LAN that can be connected to the LAN via VPN, and an authentication means within the LAN, the authentication means performing authentication based on information about a user of the first device acquired from the first device connected to the LAN via the VPN connection, A data processing method characterized in that, when the authentication is successful, the second device obtains information about the user of the first device, and adds the information about the user to the device name of the first device, or replaces the device name of the first device with the information about the user.

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