Information processing equipment, printing system, printing method

Abstract

Improved security is desired for cloud printing services. [Solution] The information processing apparatus comprises: an authentication unit that performs user authentication; an authorization unit that presents a printing device associated with the authenticated user to the user, and acquires authorization information corresponding to the printing device when the user authorizes printing using the presented printing device; and a print control unit that requests the printing to the printing device corresponding to the authorization information using the authorization information, and does not request printing to the printing device for printing that is requested without using the authorization information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a printing system, and a printing method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as shown in Patent Document 1 for example, a cloud printing service that causes a printer to execute printing from a client terminal via a cloud server is known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Improvement in security in cloud printing services is desired.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] An information processing apparatus for solving the above problems includes an authentication unit that performs user authentication, a permission unit that presents a printing apparatus associated with an authenticated user to the user and acquires approval information corresponding to the printing apparatus when the user approves printing by the presented printing apparatus, and a printing control unit that requests the printing apparatus corresponding to the approval information to perform the requested printing using the approval information and does not request the printing apparatus to perform printing requested without using the approval information.

[0006] A printing system to solve the above problems comprises an information processing device and a printing device, wherein the information processing device includes an authentication unit that performs user authentication, an authorization unit that presents a printing device associated with the authenticated user to the user and acquires authorization information corresponding to the printing device when the user authorizes printing using the presented printing device, and a print control unit that requests the printing to the printing device corresponding to the authorization information using the authorization information, and does not request printing to the printing device for printing requested without using the authorization information, and the printing device executes the printing requested by the information processing device.

[0007] A printing method to solve the above problem includes: performing user authentication; presenting the user with a printing device associated with the authenticated user; obtaining authorization information corresponding to the printing device when the user authorizes printing using the presented printing device; using the authorization information to request printing from the printing device corresponding to the authorization information; and not requesting printing from the printing device for printing that is not requested using authorization information. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A block diagram showing the configuration of the printing system. [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of printer information stored in an information processing device. [Figure 3] A sequence diagram showing an example of an authorization sequence. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of screen transitions on a device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Here, embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following order. (1) Configuration of the printing system: (1-1) Printer configuration: (1-2) Server configuration: (2) Authorization sequence: (3) Other embodiments:

[0010] (1) Configuration of the printing system: Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration including a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The printing system includes a server 100 as an information processing device and a printer 200 as a printing device. The server 100 provides a printing service, i.e., a cloud printing service, which causes a designated printer to print print data via the server 100. The server 100 can communicate with printers 200 available for use with the cloud printing service via a network N such as the Internet.

[0011] In this embodiment, terminal 300 is a terminal operated by a user who owns the printer 200. Terminal 300 can communicate with server 100 via network N. Terminal 300 is a smartphone, PC, tablet, etc. Terminal 300 includes a communication unit for communicating with other devices, a UI unit for displaying various information to the user and accepting various user operations, a non-volatile memory for storing various programs and data, a processor, etc.

[0012] Terminal 300 can communicate with App Server 400, Server 100, etc., via Network N. Users use Terminal 300 when registering for the cloud printing service, registering printers to be used with the cloud printing service, etc. Users may own multiple printers that can be used with the cloud printing service. Figure 1 shows one of them.

[0013] App Server 400 is a server that provides various services using a cloud printing service. Examples of these services using the cloud printing service include a content distribution service. This content distribution service involves printing various content from App Server 400 to the user's printer 200. More specifically, it could be a service where a company that creates newspaper pages prints the data to a newspaper reader's printer. Alternatively, it could be a service where a cram school or educational content creation company prints assignment data for students to a student's printer.

[0014] To use a content distribution service that utilizes such a cloud printing service, users must first register with server 100 for the cloud printing service. During cloud printing service registration, users register their user identification information, password, and the identification information of their owned printer. Here, user identification information is, for example, an email address. If user registration is required for the content distribution service, users must also register with app server 400 in advance.

[0015] (1-1) Printer configuration: In this embodiment, the printer 200 is a printing device that performs printing on a printing medium in response to a printing request from the server 100. The printer 200 includes a processor 210, a storage medium 220, a communication unit 230, a UI unit 240, and a printing unit 250. The printer 200 also includes a RAM and a ROM (not shown). The processor 210 controls the printer 200 by executing various programs stored in the ROM, the storage medium 220, etc. The processor 210 may be composed of a single chip or multiple chips. In this embodiment, the processor 210 is assumed to be a CPU, but it may be composed of an ASIC or the like, or may be composed of a CPU and an ASIC. When each device in this embodiment includes a processor, the processor can be realized in various forms similar to the processor 210.

[0016] The storage medium 220 stores various programs such as a control program for controlling the execution of printing and printing data transmitted from the server 100. The communication unit 230 includes a circuit used for communication according to various wired or wireless communication protocols with other devices. The UI unit 240 includes a touch panel display, keys, etc. for displaying various information to the user and inputting the user's operations.

[0017] The printing unit 250 includes an actuator, drive components, mechanical components, sensors, etc. for discharging ink onto the printing medium to execute printing. The processor 210 controls the printing unit 250 based on the printing data to execute printing.

[0018] (1-2) Configuration of the server: The server 100 includes a processor 110, a storage medium 120, and a communication unit 130. The processor 110 includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, etc. and can execute various programs stored in the storage medium 120. The programs that the processor 110 can execute include a cloud printing control program for realizing a cloud printing service.

[0019] The memory medium 120 stores a cloud printing control program (not shown) and printer information 121. In the printer information 121, as shown in FIG. 2, a mail address as user identification information and identification information of a printer owned by the user are associated with each other. Further, when an access token, which will be described later with respect to the printer, has been issued, the access token is stored in association with the identification information of the printer.

[0020] The communication unit 130 includes a communication interface for communicating with other devices based on various communication protocols. The server 100 can communicate with the App server 400, the terminal 300, and the printer 200 via the communication unit 130, respectively. Further, the server 100 can communicate with devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a display via the communication unit 130.

[0021] In a content distribution service using a cloud printing service, App Server 400 sends a print request to the user's printer 200 via Server 100. App Server 400 sends the print request using a Web API exposed by Server 100. When the user who owns the printer 200 authorizes App Server 400 to send a print request to their printer 200, authorization information is issued from Server 100 to App Server 400. In this embodiment, the authorization information is an access token. An access token is information generated to uniquely identify a printer, such as a combination of random alphanumeric characters, but it is generated separately from the printer's identification information. The access token is information assigned to the App Server that has the authority to execute printing on the user's printer. When App Server 400 uses the Web API for print requests, it specifies the access token and the print data. Server 100 identifies the printer associated with the access token and prints the print data to the identified printer. To realize this function, the processor 110 of Server 100 executes a cloud printing control program.

[0022] By executing the cloud printing control program, the processor 110 functions as an authentication unit 111, an authorization unit 112, a billing unit 113, and a print control unit 114. The authentication unit 111 performs user authentication. That is, the processor 110 performs authentication processing to determine whether the user attempting to register a printer for use with the cloud printing service is a legitimate user who has completed user registration. In this embodiment, the user's email address and password are managed by an ID provider (not shown). Therefore, the server 100 requests the ID provider to perform user authentication processing. In this embodiment, the server 100 cooperates with the App server 400, the ID provider (not shown), and the billing infrastructure (not shown), which will be described later. The terminal 300 operated by the user and the device that exchanges various data move between the App server 400, the server 100, the ID provider, and the billing infrastructure depending on the content of the processing. Here, various data refers to screen display data and data indicating the user's input and operation content.

[0023] If user authentication is successful, the processor 110, using the functions of the authorization unit 112, presents the user with a printer associated with the authenticated user, and if the user authorizes printing using the presented printer, it obtains an access token corresponding to the printer. In this embodiment, the processor 110 identifies the printer associated with the authenticated user's identification information by referring to the printer information 121 (see Figure 2). The processor 110 displays a list of identified printers on the terminal operated by the user and obtains an access token corresponding to the printer selected by the user from the list. The processor 110 displays a printer selection screen on the terminal 300 that lists the identification information of printers owned by the user, i.e., printers stored associated with the user's email address as identification information, and allows the user to select one of them. When the user selects one printer to be used with the cloud printing service from the list of printers, the processor 110 obtains the identification information of the selected printer from the terminal 300. Having obtained the identification information of the printer selected by the user, the processor 110 considers that the user has authorized the use of that printer with the cloud printing service. Thus, according to this embodiment, the user can select a printer to be used with the cloud printing service from among multiple printers owned by the user.

[0024] Server 100 charges users who own printers as a fee for using the cloud printing service. Specifically, the billing unit 113 functions to cause the processor 110 to perform preparatory processing for billing the user when the user authorizes printing using the cloud printing service via the printer 200. Preparatory processing for billing is the process of making it possible to charge the user a fee at a predetermined time, and includes explaining the fee, obtaining payment information from the user, and authentication related to the payment information. Payment information is information for making a payment using the payment method selected by the user, for example, if the user chooses to pay by credit card, it includes the credit card number, cardholder name, expiration date, security code, etc. In this embodiment, Server 100 requests preparatory processing for billing from a billing infrastructure (not shown). In this embodiment, the billing infrastructure is a server that performs preparatory processing for billing and billing based on the payment information at a predetermined time after the preparatory processing. Once the preparatory processing for billing is performed, the processor 110, using the authorization unit 112 functions, obtains an access token and passes it to the App server 400. This prevents the access token from being obtained and sent to the App Server 400 before the billing preparation process is complete.

[0025] For example, in the case of a subscription contract, a fixed usage fee will be charged to the user at a predetermined time each month based on the user's payment information, according to the billing platform. The billing method for cloud printing services is not limited to subscriptions and can vary. It may be a pay-per-use model, or a pay-per-use model based on the amount of printing over a predetermined period. Here, the specified period is, for example, one month, but it may be any other period. Also, the print volume is, for example, the number of cut sheets printed, the length of the roll paper printed, the size of the print data, etc.

[0026] When the billing preparation process is completed, the processor 110 generates an access token as described above and stores it in the storage medium 120, associating it with the identification information of the printer selected by the user. The processor 110 also sends the access token to the App server 400. When the App server 400, having obtained the access token, makes a print request to the server 100 to print the print data on the user's printer, it does so by specifying the access token in the Web API for print requests provided by the server 100. In other words, the App server 400 sends the print request and the access token to the server 100.

[0027] The print control unit 114 functions such that the processor 110 requests printing from the printer corresponding to the access token requested using the access token, and does not request printing from the printer for printing requests made without the access token. In other words, the processor 110 compares the data specified as the access token in the Web API with the access token stored in the storage medium 120 and identifies the printer corresponding to the matching access token. The processor 110 converts the print data into a format suitable for printing on the identified printer, sends the print data to the printer, and requests printing. The printer that receives the request executes printing based on the print data. If the data specified as the access token in the Web API for the print request does not match the one stored in the storage medium 120, the processor 110 does not send a print request based on that print request to any printer.

[0028] As described above, according to this embodiment, an access token is obtained in accordance with the printer authorized by the authenticated user. The server 100 causes the printer to execute printing in response to a print request using the access token thus obtained, and does not cause the printer to execute printing in response to a print request that does not use the access token. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the printer from executing printing in response to a print request by a third party who cannot use the access token. As a result, security in the cloud printing service can be improved.

[0029] Furthermore, the authorization unit 112 allows the processor 110 to acquire location information indicating the user's location. If the location information indicates a predetermined region, the billing unit 113 allows the processor 110 to perform billing preparation processing. In this embodiment, the IP address of the access source to the server 100 is referenced as location information. The predetermined region is a region predetermined by the server 100 as a billing target region. Based on the access source IP address, the processor 110 identifies the region where the user's terminal 300 is located. If the region of the user's terminal is a predetermined region designated as a billing target region, the processor 110 performs billing preparation processing and acquires an access token after the preparation processing is complete. If the location information does not indicate a predetermined region, the processor 110 acquires an access token without performing billing preparation processing. In this way, the server 100 can enable users in the billing target region to print using the access token after billing preparation processing is complete. Furthermore, the server 100 can enable users not in the billing target region to print using the access token without performing billing preparation processing, i.e., free of charge. Here, "region" refers to a country. However, it is not limited to a country; a region may include multiple countries, or it may be an administrative division within a country.

[0030] (2) Authorization sequence: Figure 3 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the general sequence when a user authorizes printing to their own printer 200 using an application on the App server 400. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the general screen transitions on terminal 300 in the sequence shown in Figure 3.

[0031] Screen g1 is an example of a screen that prompts the user to register a printer in the cloud printing service provided by server 100, as part of the content distribution service provided by app server 400. Screen g1 is displayed on terminal 300 based on display data generated by app server 400.

[0032] App server 400 sends display data for screen g1, which prompts the user to register a printer to connect with the cloud printing service, to terminal 300 for display (step S100). When the printer registration button b1 is pressed on screen g1, terminal 300 sends information to App server 400 indicating that the printer registration button b1 has been pressed. Upon receiving this information, App server 400 sends an authorization processing request to server 100 (step S102). When server 100's processor 110 receives the authorization processing request from App server 400, the authentication unit 111 requests authentication processing from the ID provider (step S105). Upon receiving the authentication processing request, the ID provider displays a login screen, as shown in screen g2, on terminal 300 and performs authentication processing (step S110). That is, the ID provider sends display data to terminal 300 to display screen g2. Upon receiving this display data, terminal 300 displays screen g2.

[0033] Screen g2 includes an email address input field f1, a password input field f2, and a login button b2. When a user enters the email address and password they registered when registering for the cloud printing service into the email address input field f1 and password input field f2, respectively, and presses the login button b2, terminal 300 sends the entered email address and password to the ID provider. The IP provider compares the email address and password sent from terminal 300 with the email address and password combination stored on the storage medium and performs user authentication. If authentication is successful, the ID provider notifies the server 100 of the successful authentication (step S115).

[0034] Upon receiving notification of successful authentication, the processor 110, using the functions of the authorization unit 112, searches for the user's owned printer, displays screen g3, and accepts the printer selection (step S120). That is, the processor 110 identifies the printer associated with the user who was successfully authenticated in step S115 by referring to the printer information 121 (see Figure 2). The processor 110 then sends display data to the terminal 300 to display the printer selection screen g3, which contains information indicating the identified printer.

[0035] Screen g3 displays a list of printers associated with the authenticated user, along with radio buttons br and an OK button b3 corresponding to each printer. When the user selects one printer from the list using the radio buttons br and presses the OK button b3, terminal 300 sends information indicating the selected printer to server 100. In Figure 4, screen g3 shows that printer C has been selected.

[0036] Upon obtaining information indicating the selected printer, the processor 110, using the functions of the authorization unit 112, obtains the access source's regional information, i.e., location information (step S125). Specifically, the processor 110 obtains the access source information, such as the IP address, used when the terminal 300 communicates with the server 100, as the user's location information. If the access source is within a billing area, i.e., corresponds to a predetermined area, the processor 110 sends a billing preparation processing request to the billing infrastructure (step S130). Before S130, the processor 110 may perform the process in step S130 if it has obtained from the terminal 300 that it has displayed an explanation of the contract details, such as charges and billing dates, on the user's terminal 300 and obtained the user's consent.

[0037] Upon receiving a billing preparation processing request, the billing infrastructure performs the billing preparation processing (step S135). Specifically, the billing infrastructure sends display data to the terminal 300 to display screen g4. Screen g4 includes buttons for selecting a payment method, a payment information input section, and a confirmation button b4. An example of screen g4 shows a state where a credit card has been selected as the payment method, and the card number, expiration date, and security code have been entered. When the confirmation button b4 on screen g4 is selected, the terminal 300 sends this information to the billing infrastructure. The billing infrastructure authenticates the user's payment information sent, saves the payment information to a storage medium, and notifies the server 100 that the billing preparation processing is complete (step S140).

[0038] If the access source region information in step S125 does not indicate a billing region, the processing in steps S130 to S140 is skipped. Therefore, after the completion of step S125 or step S140, the processor 110 notifies the App server 400 of the completion of the authorization process using the function of the authorization unit 112 (step S145).

[0039] Upon receiving notification that the authorization process is complete, the App server 400 sends an access token request to the server 100 for the authorized printer (step S150). Upon receiving the access token request, the processor 110 of the server 100 generates an access token for the authorized printer using the function of the authorization unit 112 and stores it in the storage medium 120 in association with the printer's identification information (step S155). The processor 110 then sends the generated access token to the App server 400 (step S160). Upon receiving the access token from the server 100, the App server 400 sends the display data for screen g5 to the terminal 300 and displays screen g5 (step S165).

[0040] As described above, server 100 can issue access tokens to App server 400 that are associated with individual printers that the user has authorized to use with the cloud printing service. App server 400 stores the issued access tokens in association with the user. In step S160, a refresh token used to refresh the access token may also be issued. In that case, the refresh token is also stored in App server 400 in association with the user along with the access token.

[0041] When the App server 400 sends a print request to a user's printer using the Web API, it specifies the printer's access token, the print data to be printed, and the print settings. The processor 110 of the server 100 identifies the printer recorded on the storage medium 120 in association with the specified access token. If the printer associated with the specified access token is identified, the processor 110, using the functions of the print control unit 114, converts the print data so that it can be printed on the identified printer according to the print settings, and sends a print request for the converted print data to the printer 200.

[0042] The printer 200's processor 210 controls the printing unit 250 based on the print data received from the server 100 and executes printing. When printing is complete, the printer 200 sends a print completion notification to the server 100. Upon receiving the print completion notification from the printer 200, the server 100 sends a print completion notification to the App server 400.

[0043] If the printer associated with the access token specified to the App server 400 cannot be identified, the processor 110, through the function of the print control unit 114, will not send a print request for print data to any printer. Therefore, printing will not be performed on the user's printer in response to a print request from the App server 400.

[0044] (3) Other embodiments: The embodiments described above are merely examples for carrying out the present invention, and various other embodiments can be adopted. For example, the server 100 may be composed of multiple server computers, and each of the following parts may be implemented on a different server computer: for example, the authentication unit 111, the authorization unit 112, the billing unit 113, and the print control unit 114. Also, the processing performed by the ID provider and the billing infrastructure in the above embodiments may be performed on the server 100. Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiments, the server 100 was responsible for generating the access token, but it may be configured to request the generation from another server and then obtain the generated access token.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the App server 400 was operated by a user other than the user who owned the printer 200, but the printer 200 may be owned by the user who operates the App server 400.

[0046] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the configuration allowed users to select printers one by one for use with the cloud printing service. However, if a user owns multiple printers, the configuration may allow them to select multiple printers at once. In the case where a usage fee is charged for each printer used with the cloud printing service, the configuration may allow the billing preparation process for multiple selected printers to be performed collectively. Even when billing preparation processes for multiple printers are performed collectively, a different access token is associated with each printer.

[0047] Furthermore, the sequences and screen transitions described in the above embodiment are merely examples, and various other configurations may be envisioned. For example, in the case of pay-per-use billing, after user authentication via a login screen as shown in screen g2 of Figure 4, the system may be configured to transition to a screen for entering payment information as a preparatory process for billing, before selecting a printer for which an access token will be issued.

[0048] The authorization unit may be configured to invalidate the authorization information corresponding to a printer in response to receiving a request from an authenticated user to revoke authorization for that printer. That is, the processor may provide a user interface for a user to cancel the use of a printer that they had authorized for use with the cloud printing service. Specifically, for example, after user authentication with the server, the server displays a list of printers owned by the user on the user's terminal and displays a revoke authorization button for authorized printers. When the processor receives information from the terminal indicating that the user has operated the revoke authorization button for a printer they wish to revoke authorization for, it discards the access token that was stored in the storage medium associated with that printer. In this way, it is possible to prevent users from making print requests using authorization information for printers they do not intend to use with the cloud printing service. It is also possible to prevent unauthorized invalidation of authorization information by anyone other than the legitimate user who owns the printer.

[0049] Furthermore, authorization information is information assigned to an application that has the authority to perform printing on the user's printer, and may be configured to be information generated in such a way that the information processing device can uniquely identify the user's printer. As long as the above can be achieved, the system is not limited to using an access token mechanism.

[0050] Figure 2 shows that printer identification information and access tokens are managed in association. Furthermore, information about the recipient of the access token, such as the application or app server identification information, may also be stored in association. In addition, if a user authorizes printing from multiple different app servers or applications to a single printer, a different access token will be generated and stored for each app server or application, associated with the printer's identification information. For example, even if an access token has already been issued and is valid for a first application to a certain printer, if a user authorizes a second application to print to that printer, an access token for the second application will be issued unless a valid access token for the second application is stored associated with the printer.

[0051] Furthermore, the present invention is also applicable as a printing system comprising the above-described information processing device and printing device. The present invention is also applicable as a program executed by a computer and a printing method. The printing method includes user authentication, presenting the user with a printing device associated with the authenticated user, obtaining authorization information corresponding to the printing device when the user authorizes printing with the presented printing device, requesting the printing to be done using the authorization information from the printing device corresponding to the authorization information, and not requesting printing from the printing device for printing that is not done using authorization information.

[0052] Furthermore, the systems, programs, and methods described above may be implemented as a single device or by utilizing components from multiple devices, encompassing various forms. They can also be modified as needed, with some being software and others hardware. Moreover, the invention also functions as a recording medium for a program that controls the system. Of course, this recording medium could be a magnetic recording medium, a semiconductor memory, or any recording medium developed in the future; the same principle applies. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 100…Server, 110…Processor, 111…Authentication Unit, 112…Authorization Unit, 113…Billing Unit, 114…Print Control Unit, 120…Storage Medium, 121…Printer Information, 130…Communication Unit, 200…Printer, 210…Processor, 220…Storage Medium, 230…Communication Unit, 240…UI Unit, 250…Printing Unit, 300…Terminal, 400…App Server

Claims

1. The authentication unit performs user authentication, An authorization unit presents a printing device associated with an authenticated user to the user, and when the user authorizes printing using the presented printing device, it obtains authorization information corresponding to the printing device. A print control unit that requests printing using the authorization information to the printing device corresponding to the authorization information, and does not request printing from the printing device for printing requests that do not use the authorization information, An information processing device equipped with the following features.

2. The aforementioned approval department, A list of the printing devices associated with the authenticated user is displayed on the terminal operated by the user. The authorization information corresponding to the printing device selected by the user from the above list is obtained. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned approval department, Upon receiving a request from the authenticated user to revoke the authorization for the printing device, the authorization information corresponding to the printing device is invalidated. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The system includes a billing unit that, when the user authorizes printing by the printing device, performs preparatory processing to charge the user a fee for using the printing service, which involves having the printing device print the print data via an information processing device. The aforementioned approval department, When the aforementioned preparation process is performed, the authorization information is obtained. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned approval department, Obtain residence information indicating the location of the aforementioned user, The aforementioned billing section is, If the aforementioned residence information indicates a predetermined area, the preparation process is performed. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned approval department, The system obtains location information indicating the user's address, and if the location information does not indicate a predetermined area, it obtains the authorization information without performing the preparatory processing. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4.

7. A printing system comprising an information processing device and a printing device, The aforementioned information processing device is The authentication unit performs user authentication, An authorization unit presents the user with the printing device associated with the authenticated user, and when the user authorizes printing using the presented printing device, it obtains authorization information corresponding to the printing device. A print control unit that requests printing using the authorization information to the printing device corresponding to the authorization information, and does not request printing from the printing device for printing requests that do not use the authorization information, It has, The printing device performs the printing requested by the information processing device. Printing system.

8. Perform user authentication, The system presents the user with a printing device associated with the authenticated user, and when the user authorizes printing using the presented printing device, it obtains authorization information corresponding to the printing device. The system requests the printing device corresponding to the authorization information to print using the authorization information, and does not request the printing device to print without using the authorization information. A printing method that includes this.

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