Information processing device, information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To appropriately control a display module so as to use an external service.SOLUTION: An information processing device that has a function of displaying a display screen of an external service connected via a communication network includes: a control unit that generates a process of obtaining screen information of the display screen from the external service before a user uses the external service and deletes the generated process before a next user starts to use the external service; and a Web display unit that uses a display module for displaying the display screen in a predetermined display area by using the process.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] It is possible to set permissions for each user of the image forming apparatus, such as the services that can be used and the files that can be accessed. Furthermore, it is also possible to perform user authentication by displaying an authentication screen for an external service within the application screen of the image forming apparatus. Here, in the Android (trademark) OS (Operation System), when displaying a web screen within the application screen, a display module called Webview is used. Patent Document 1 also discloses a process for registering an IC card used for authenticating a user of the image forming apparatus from the image processing apparatus. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] However, the conventional technology has a problem in that the display module cannot be appropriately controlled in order to use an external service, and the technology of Patent Document 1 does not solve this problem.

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of an embodiment of the present invention is to appropriately control a display module in order to utilize an external service. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an information processing device having a function of displaying a display screen of an external service connected via a communication network, the information processing device including: a control unit that generates a process for acquiring screen information of the display screen from the external service before a user uses the external service, and deletes the generated process before a next user starts using the external service; and a Web display unit that uses a display module that displays the display screen in a predetermined display area using the process. The control unit generates the process before the user logs in to the external service, and deletes the generated process after the user logs in. The present invention is characterized by the above. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the display module can be appropriately controlled to utilize an external service. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic diagram of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus (MFP) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block diagram of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of an authentication screen according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an authentication screen displayed on the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a login process in the information processing system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a login screen according to an authentication setting according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a process in which a login screen (authentication screen) according to an embodiment of the present invention is omitted. [Figure 9]FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a method for executing a process to solve the problem of account information being retained according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a login process that solves a problem related to user authentication according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a process for displaying a screen of an external service at an appropriate magnification according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a script for changing the magnification of a screen display according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of an information processing device, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0009] [First embodiment] <System Overview> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic diagram of an information processing system 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The information processing system 5 includes an information processing device 6 such as an image forming device 9 and an authentication server 2, and is capable of communicating with an external Web service 4 and an authentication relay server 7 via a communication network 3. A user executes a login operation using an account of an external Web service 4 such as Office365 (trademark) from a touch panel 940a of the image forming device 9. Here, the touch panel 940a includes a device equipped with an Android (trademark) OS (Operation System). The image forming device 9 executes an application for authenticating a user with the authority granted to each user. The granted authority may include whether the user is a general user or a user with administrator authority, or may include service usage authority including external services such as copying, scanning, and file downloading in the image forming device 9, or access authority to shared files. In this application, a Web display module called Webview, which is used to display Web pages, is used. Webview is a function provided by the OS. When the external Web service 4 determines from the account information that the user belongs to the information processing system 5, it requests the authentication server 2 in the information processing system 5 to execute user authentication, and the authentication server 2 executes the user authentication. The authentication relay server acts as an intermediary for the external Web service 4 to provide an authentication screen to the information processing device 6. Based on information such as the user ID in the account information (such as the service used by the user), the authentication relay server 7 transmits to the requester of user authentication the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the redirect destination (such as the external Web service 4) where authentication will be executed.

[0010] In the following explanation, the email address, user ID, and password are account information, but the email address may be referred to as first authentication information, and the user ID and password as second authentication information. Additionally, the authentication screen and login screen are both examples of user authentication screens, but the screen for inputting the email address may be referred to as the authentication screen or the first authentication screen, and the screen for inputting the user ID and password may be referred to as the login screen or the second authentication screen. Additionally, both authentication and login are examples of user authentication processing, but the processing executed in the external Web service 4 based on the email address may be referred to as the authentication processing or the first authentication processing, and the processing executed in the authentication server 2 based on the user ID and password may be referred to as the login processing or the second authentication processing. Additionally, an external Web service may be referred to as an external service, but there is no difference between the two.

[0011] <Hardware configuration example> Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus 9 (MFP) according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 2, the MFP (Multifunction Peripheral / Product / Printer) includes a controller 910, a short-range communication circuit 920, an engine control unit 930, an operation panel 940, and a network I / F 950. The operation panel 940 also includes a touch panel 940a that receives input from the user, and a numeric keypad 940b that receives input from the user.

[0012] Of these, the controller 910 has a CPU 901 which is the main part of the computer, a system memory (MEM-P) 902, a north bridge (NB) 903, a south bridge (SB) 904, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 906, a local memory (MEM-C) 907 which is a storage unit, an HDD controller 908, and an HD 909 which is also a storage unit, and is configured such that the NB 903 and the ASIC 906 are connected by an AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) bus 921.

[0013] Of these, the CPU 901 is a control unit that performs overall control of the MFP 9. The NB 903 is a bridge for connecting the CPU 901 with the MEM-P 902, the SB 904, and the AGP bus 921, and includes a memory controller that controls reading and writing to the MEM-P 902, a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) master, and an AGP target.

[0014] The MEM-P 902 is composed of a ROM 902a which is a memory for storing programs and data for implementing the various functions of the controller 910, and a RAM 902b which is used for developing the programs and data, and as a drawing memory during memory printing, etc. The programs stored in the RAM 902b may be provided by being recorded in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, or DVD in the form of an installable or executable file.

[0015] The SB904 is a bridge for connecting the NB903 to a PCI device and a peripheral device. The ASIC906 is an IC (Integrated Circuit) for image processing purposes having hardware elements for image processing, and plays the role of a bridge connecting the AGP bus 921, the PCI bus 922, the HDD 908, and the MEM-C 907. The ASIC906 is composed of a PCI target and an AGP master, an arbiter (ARB) that is the core of the ASIC906, a memory controller that controls the MEM-C 907, a plurality of DMACs (Direct Memory Access Controllers) that rotate image data using hardware logic, and a PCI unit that transfers data between the scanner unit 931 and the printer unit 932 via the PCI bus 922. The ASIC906 may be connected to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 1394 (IEEE1394) interface.

[0016] <About the function> Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration diagram of functional blocks of an information processing system 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 3, the information processing system 5 includes, as devices having main functional blocks, an information processing device 6 such as an image forming device 9, and an authentication server 2. Each functional block is, for example, a function or means realized by a CPU 901 executing instructions included in one or more programs installed in the image forming device 9.

[0017] <Functions of information processing device> The information processing device 6 includes a control unit 10, an operation receiving unit 12, a display control unit 13, a first communication unit 14, and a Web display unit 15.

[0018] The control unit 10 transmits a display request for a login screen, an authentication screen, etc. to be displayed on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9 to the Web display unit 15. The control unit 10 also starts a Web display process executed by the Web display unit 15 to display the login screen and the authentication screen. Alternatively, the control unit 10 may transmit a start request for starting a process to the Web display unit 15, and the Web display unit 15 may start the process. The control unit 10 also transmits a request to the Web display unit 15 to execute a script for changing the display magnification of the authentication screen and the login screen of the external Web service 4 or the like.

[0019] The operation reception unit 12 receives operations such as login by a user on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9.

[0020] The display control unit 13 displays a menu screen, a login screen for the external Web service 4, and an authentication screen on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9.

[0021] The first communication unit 14 transmits and receives information to and from the external Web service 4, the authentication server 2, and the authentication relay server 7 via the communication network. The first communication unit 14 transmits information such as an account and a password used at the time of login by the user, which is received by the operation reception unit 12, to the authentication server 2 and the external Web service 4 via the communication network 3. The first communication unit 14 also receives information related to an authentication screen from the authentication server 2 and the external Web service 4 via the communication network 3. The first communication unit 14 also transmits a display request for the authentication screen to the authentication relay server 7, and receives information such as the URL of the external Web service 4 for displaying the authentication screen from the authentication relay server 7. The transmission and reception of information performed by the first communication unit 14 may be performed by the Web display unit 15.

[0022] The Web display unit 15 uses information received from the external Web service 4 or the like to display a Web screen (a display screen based on a communication protocol on the Internet called the World Wide Web) including an authentication screen or a login screen on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9. Alternatively, screen information of the Web screen to be displayed may be created, and the display control unit 13 may display the created screen information on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9. In the Android (trademark) OS, a Web display module called Webview realizes this function. Also, the Web display unit 15 accesses the external Web service 4, the authentication server 2, or the like to acquire information on the login screen or the authentication screen. Alternatively, the Web display unit 15 transmits a user authentication request together with user account information to the external Web service 4, the authentication server 2, or the like. Also, the Web display unit 15 executes a script for changing the display magnification requested by the control unit 10 to change the display magnification of the displayed Web screen. Also, a process for executing a process performed by the Web display unit 15 is called a Web display process.

[0023] <Authentication server function> The authentication unit 11 executes user authentication using the received account information (user ID and password).

[0024] The second communication unit 16 receives an authentication request, transmits an authentication result, and transmits a login screen or an authentication screen via the communication network 3 with the image forming apparatus 9 and the external Web service 4 .

[0025] <Authentication screen structure> Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an authentication screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 4, a login screen frame 101 that displays an authentication screen or a login screen is provided within a touch panel 100 of the image forming apparatus 9, and a Webview screen 102 displayed by a Webview, which is a Web display module, is provided within the login screen frame 101. Furthermore, an external Web service authentication screen 103 displayed by an external Web service 4 is provided within the Webview screen 102.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an authentication screen displayed on the image forming apparatus 9 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Based on the configuration of the authentication screen shown in FIG. 4, a copy button 114 and a scanner button 115 for specifying a menu of the image forming apparatus 9 are displayed in the touch panel 110. A Webview screen 112 displayed by the Webview, a language specification button 116 for specifying a language, and an administrator login button 117 for calling an administrator login screen are displayed in the login screen frame 111. An external Web service authentication screen 113 is displayed in the Webview screen 112. An account information input field 118 for inputting user account information and a login execution button 119 for executing a login request after inputting the account information are displayed in the external Web service authentication screen 113. Here, for example, an internal email address given to the user is used as the account information. The external Web service 4 determines that the user is a user in the information processing system 5 from the domain information of the email address, and requests the authentication server 2 in the information processing system 5 to authenticate the user.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing an example of authentication processing and login processing in the information processing system 5 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Using FIG. 6, processing executed by each functional block of the information processing system 5 when a user logs in to the image forming apparatus 9 will be described. Here, the control unit 10 and the Web display unit 15 are functions within the image forming apparatus 9, and the authentication unit 11 is a function in the authentication server 2, but processing by other functions shown in FIG. 3 will also be described as necessary. In addition, communication between the Web display unit 15 and the external Web service 4, and between the Web display unit 15 and the authentication unit 11 is performed by exchange of request messages and the like using protocols for displaying the Web, such as HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) and HTTPS (HTTP Secure), so that description of processing by the first communication unit 14 and the second communication unit 16 may be omitted.

[0028] Step S21: The operation reception unit 12 receives a request to display a login screen by a user operating the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9, and transmits the received display request to the control unit .

[0029] Step S22: The control unit 10 transmits a request to the Web display unit 15 to display the authentication screen of the external Web service 4.

[0030] Step S23: The Web display unit 15 transmits a display request for the authentication screen of the external Web service 4 to the external Web service 4.

[0031] Step S24: The external Web service 4 transmits information of the authentication screen of the external Web service 4 to the first communication unit 14 of the image forming apparatus 9. The first communication unit 14 receives the information of the external Web service authentication screen and transmits the received information to the display control unit 13. The display control unit 13 uses the received information to display the authentication screen of the external Web service 4 on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9. Note that the authentication screen has an input field for receiving input of an email address as account information. Alternatively, the process executed by the first communication unit 14 may be executed by the Web display unit 15.

[0032] Step S25: The operation reception unit 12 receives the email address input by the user as account information for user authentication of the external Web service 4, and transmits the received email address to the first communication unit 14. The first communication unit 14 transmits the received email address to the external Web service 4 via the communication network 3. Alternatively, the process executed by the first communication unit 14 may be executed by the Web display unit 15.

[0033] Step S26: The external Web service 4 determines based on the domain information of the received email address that user authentication will be performed by the authentication server 2 in the information processing system 5, and sends a request to the Web display unit 15 to redirect the user authentication to the authentication server 2. In other words, if there are multiple authentication servers 2, the external Web service 4 can identify the authentication server 2 to redirect to based on the domain information, and send a redirect request to the Web display unit 15.

[0034] Step S27: The Web display unit 15 transmits a request to display a login screen to the authentication unit 11 based on the received request.

[0035] Step S28: The second communication unit 16 of the authentication server 2 transmits screen information of the login screen to the first communication unit 14 of the image forming apparatus 9 via the communication network 3. The first communication unit 14 transmits the received screen information to the display control unit 13, and the display control unit 13 displays the login screen on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9. Note that the login screen has input fields for receiving input of a user ID and a password as account information.

[0036] Step S29: The operation reception unit 12 receives account information (login ID and password) from the user, and transmits the received account information to the first communication unit 14. The first communication unit 14 transmits the account information to the second communication unit 16 of the authentication server 2 via the communication network 3. The second communication unit 16 transmits the received account information to the authentication unit 11. Alternatively, the Web display unit 15 may transmit a user authentication request to the authentication unit 11 together with the user's account information.

[0037] Step S30: The authentication unit 11 executes user authentication based on the received account information. If the user authentication is successful, that is, the received account information (user ID and password) matches the account information held by the authentication unit 11.

[0038] Step S31: The authentication unit 11 transmits to the Web display unit 15 an authentication success notification indicating that the user authentication has been successful.

[0039] Step S32: The Web display unit 15 transmits the received authentication success notification to the control unit 10.

[0040] Step S33: The control unit 10 puts the image forming device 9 in a state in which the user can start using the external service with the permitted authority. The display control unit 13 displays a menu screen on the touch panel 940a of the image forming device 9. As the menu screen, a list screen of applications installed in the information processing device 6 can be displayed. The user can request the execution of a desired function, such as a copy function, a print function, a scan function, or a FAX function, by operating an application icon displayed on the menu screen.

[0041] The above describes the processes executed by each functional block of the information processing system 5 when a user logs in to the image forming apparatus 9.

[0042] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an authentication screen and a login screen according to the authentication setting according to the embodiment of the present invention. The screen on the left side in FIG. 7 is the same as the authentication screen shown in FIG. 4, and corresponds to the authentication screen displayed in steps S22 to S24 in FIG. 6. The screens on the upper right and lower right in FIG. 7 correspond to the login screen displayed in steps S26 to S28 in FIG. 6, and respectively display a form authentication screen 104 and a basic authentication screen 105 (or an integrated OS authentication screen) in the Webview screen 102. In this way, the login screen is set so that a login screen of any one of form authentication, basic authentication, and integrated OS authentication is displayed depending on the authentication setting. Note that the integrated OS authentication is, for example, integrated Windows (commercial law) authentication, but will be referred to as integrated OS authentication hereinafter. In form authentication, account information (user ID and password) is input using a form input screen displayed on the Web, and session management is performed using Cookies. In basic authentication, authentication is performed using the HTTP protocol, also called HTTP authentication. In integrated OS authentication, authentication is performed using user account information in the OS.

[0043] <Issue of user authentication omitted> 8 is a diagram showing an example of a process in which a login screen (authentication screen) according to an embodiment of the present invention is omitted. A problem in which user authentication is omitted will be described with reference to FIG.

[0044] Step S120: To log in to the image forming apparatus 9, user A inputs an email address on the authentication screen of the external Web service 4. The external Web service 4 requests the authentication server 2 to execute authentication processing based on the received email address. (The received request is redirected to the authentication server 2 by returning the URL of the authentication server 2.)

[0045] Step S121: In the user authentication process by the authentication server 2, since BASIC authentication or integrated OS authentication is set as the authentication setting, a BASIC authentication screen or integrated OS authentication screen (login screen for BASIC authentication or integrated OS authentication) is displayed. User A inputs his / her user ID and password on the BASIC authentication screen or integrated OS authentication screen.

[0046] Step S122: User A is successfully authenticated, and the menu screen of the image forming apparatus 9 is displayed.

[0047] Step S 123 : User A logs out from the image forming apparatus 9 .

[0048] Step S 124 : User B enters an email address on the authentication screen of the external Web service 4 to log in to the image forming apparatus 9 .

[0049] Step S125: User authentication for user B (displaying the login screen and executing the user authentication process) is omitted.

[0050] Step S126: Login is successful not as user B but as user A, and the menu screen of the image forming apparatus 9 is displayed.

[0051] As described above, when BASIC authentication or integrated OS authentication is set as the authentication setting, a problem occurs in which user authentication for User B is not performed and login is successful as the previously used User A. This problem is caused by the following process of Webview, the web display module that displays the BASIC authentication screen or integrated OS authentication screen.

[0052] The webview handling that causes this is: When User A logs in, the account information (user ID and password) is cached. When user B logs in, the user authentication process is executed using the account information of user A that has been retained, without presenting a login screen to user B, thus successfully logging in as user A.

[0053] Since the Webview does not have an API or the like for deleting the account information retained in the cache, it cannot be intentionally deleted. On the other hand, as an authentication setting, when form authentication is set, by deleting the Cookie, information regarding user A is not retained, so such a problem does not occur.

[0054] <Method for Deleting Account Information Retained by Webview> FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a method of executing a process for solving the problem of account information being retained according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 shows a process that is newly generated and executed by an image forming apparatus 9. The process 130 shown on the left includes both processes other than Webview-related processes and Webview-related processes. On the other hand, in the process shown on the right, process 131 includes processes other than Webview-related processes, and process 132 includes only Webview-related processes. Here, the process 131 including processes other than Webview-related processes is an example of a first process, and is, for example, a process related to the display of a Webview screen 102 and an external Web service authentication screen 103, corresponding to a Web display process. Also, the process 132 including only Webview-related processes is an example of a second process, and is, for example, a process related to the display of the login screen frame 101 other than the Webview screen 102 and the external Web service authentication screen 103. By splitting the process in this way and deleting (stopping, KILLing) the process 132 including only Webview-related processes, it becomes possible to delete the account information retained in the cache by the Webview and execute the login process for the next user without omitting it. If the process 130 that is not split is deleted (stopped, KILLed), the processing of the system itself stops, so the next user authentication process cannot be executed.

[0055] <Process to avoid the problem of user authentication being omitted> Fig. 10 is a sequence diagram showing an example of login processing that solves the problem related to user authentication according to the embodiment of the present invention. With reference to Fig. 10, a process that solves the problem of omitting user authentication due to the Webview holding account information described above will be described. When the image forming apparatus 9 is started, a process having processing other than Webview-related processing is started, and the process of Webview-related processing is started as a separate process for each user before starting the login processing.

[0056] Step S41: The operation reception unit 12 receives a request to display a login screen by the user A operating the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9, and transmits the received display request to the control unit .

[0057] Step S42: The control unit 10 generates (or starts) a Web display process A17 for login processing of the user A. Note that the control unit 10 generates a process including processing other than Webview-related processing, and may generate the process simultaneously with the generation of the Web display process A17 or may generate the process before the generation of the Web display process A17.

[0058] Step S43: The control unit 10 transmits a display request for the external Web service authentication screen to the Web display process A17 of the Web display unit 15.

[0059] Step S44: The Web display process A17 of the Web display unit 15 sends a request to the external Web service 4 to send a display request for the external Web service authentication screen to the external Web service 4.

[0060] Step S45: The external Web service 4 transmits information of the external Web service authentication screen to the first communication unit 14 of the image forming apparatus 9. The first communication unit 14 receives the information of the external Web service authentication screen and transmits the received information to the display control unit 13. The display control unit 13 uses the received information to display the external Web service authentication screen on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9. Alternatively, the process executed by the first communication unit 14 may be executed by the Web display unit 15.

[0061] Step S46: The operation reception unit 12 receives the email address input by the user A as account information for external Web service authentication, and transmits the received email address to the first communication unit 14. The first communication unit 14 transmits the received email address to the external Web service 4 via the communication network 3. Alternatively, the process performed by the first communication unit 14 may be performed by the Web display unit 15.

[0062] Step S47: Based on the domain information of the received email address, the external Web service 4 determines that user authentication will be performed by the authentication server 2 in the information processing system 5, and requests the Web display process A17 of the Web display unit 15 to redirect user authentication to the authentication server 2.

[0063] Step S48: The Web display process A17 of the Web display unit 15 transmits a request to display the login screen to the authentication unit 11 based on the received request.

[0064] Step S49: The second communication unit 16 of the authentication server 2 transmits screen information of the login screen to the first communication unit 14 of the image forming apparatus 9 via the communication network 3. The first communication unit 14 transmits the received screen information to the display control unit 13, and the display control unit 13 displays the login screen on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9.

[0065] Step S50: The operation reception unit 12 receives account information (login ID and password) from user A, and transmits the received account information to the first communication unit 14. The first communication unit 14 transmits the account information to the second communication unit 16 of the authentication server 2 via the communication network 3. Alternatively, the Web display unit 15 may transmit a user authentication request to the authentication unit 11 together with the user's account information.

[0066] Step S51: The second communication unit 16 transmits the received account information to the authentication unit 11, and the authentication unit 11 executes user authentication based on the received account information. Here, it is assumed that the user authentication is successful, that is, the received account information (user ID and password) matches the account information held by the authentication unit 11.

[0067] Step S52: The authentication unit 11 transmits an authentication success notification to the Web display process A17 of the Web display unit 15, indicating that the user authentication has been successful.

[0068] Step S53: The Web display process A17 of the Web display unit 15 transmits the received authentication success notification to the control unit 10.

[0069] Step S54: The control unit 10 puts the image forming apparatus 9 in a state in which the user A can start using the external service with the permitted authority. The display control unit 13 displays the menu screen on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9.

[0070] Step S55: The control unit 10 deletes (or stops, KILLs) the Web display process A17. This process deletes the account information of user A held in the Web display process A17. At this time, the control unit 10 can leave processes including processes other than those related to Webview without deleting them. Note that the timing for deleting the Web display process A17 is not limited to this. The Web display process A17 may be deleted before the Web display process B18 is started. For example, the Web display process A17 may be deleted when user A logs out from the image forming apparatus 9, when the image forming apparatus 9 transitions to or returns from a power saving state, or when a request to display a login screen is received from user B.

[0071] Step S56: User A uses the functions of the image forming device 9.

[0072] Step S57: User A logs out from the image forming apparatus 9. For example, a logout request is received from User A via the touch panel 94a. Alternatively, if no operation is performed on the touch panel 94a for a certain period of time, the user may be automatically logged out.

[0073] Step S58 : The operation reception unit 12 receives a request to display the login screen by the user B operating the touch panel 940 a of the image forming apparatus 9 , and transmits the received display request to the control unit 10 .

[0074] Step S59: The control unit 10 starts the Web display process B18 for login processing of the user B. The Web display process B18 is a second Web display process that is generated after the Web display process A17 is deleted.

[0075] Thereafter, in steps S60 to S74, the same processes as those in steps S43 to S57 are executed for user B using the Web display process B18, so that the login process for user B is executed without being omitted, and user B logs in as user B.

[0076] If the Web display process A17 used during authentication of user A is not deleted and is instead continued to be used during authentication of user B, the following process will be executed in step S65, and user authentication of user B will be omitted.

[0077] Step S65: The Web display unit 15 completes the authentication process using the account information of user A stored in the cache without making a request to the authentication server 2 to display the login screen, and allows user A to successfully log in.

[0078] Through the above process, when user A finishes using the external service and before the next user, user B, starts using the external service, the information processing system 5 deletes the process related to the Webview, thereby deleting the user's account information stored in the Webview. In this way, by appropriately controlling the display module for using the external service in response to the switching of users, user authentication is executed without being omitted, and the problem of user authentication being omitted can be solved. Here, the "next user" may be the same user or a different user.

[0079] [Second embodiment] <Process to avoid layout issues on authentication screen> The screen layout of a user authentication screen (authentication screen) by an external Web service 4 such as Office365 (trademark) is usually designed on the assumption that it will be displayed on a browser of a PC (Personal Computer). Therefore, when the screen is displayed on a device other than a PC, such as a tablet terminal using the Android (trademark) OS or the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9, a problem may occur in which part of the screen is cut off due to differences in the size and aspect ratio of the display screen. Therefore, when an application that displays the authentication screen of the external Web service 4 is developed on the client side, it is possible to specify a display magnification that matches the device on which the screen is displayed by specifying a value indicated by the viewport tag of HTML. However, since the client side application can also handle account information (such as a user ID and password) of the external Web service 4, there is a possibility that this information may be illegally obtained and misused. Therefore, from the viewpoint of security, it is desirable for the client side to simply transition to the URL of the authentication screen of the external Web service 4 and only display the login screen (receiving only the authentication result without receiving account information).

[0080] In the following, a process of displaying an authentication screen of the external Web service 4 in a layout suited to the device by loading a script for changing the display magnification will be described. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a process of displaying an external service screen at an appropriate magnification according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, the system configuration and the configuration of the functional blocks are the same as those described in the first embodiment using FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. Communication between the Web display unit 15 and the external Web service 4, and between the Web display unit 15 and the authentication relay server 7 involves the exchange of request messages and the like using protocols for displaying the Web such as HTTP and HTTPS, and therefore a description of the processing of the first communication unit 14 and the second communication unit 16 will be omitted.

[0081] Step S81: When the user starts the image forming apparatus 9, an application for performing user authentication is executed. Note that the operation reception unit 12 may receive a request to display a login screen by the user operating the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9, and transmit the received display request to the control unit 10.

[0082] Step S82: The control unit 10 of the image forming apparatus 9 transmits a display request for the authentication screen to the Web display unit 15 as a read request for the Web page (top page) to be displayed within the application screen.

[0083] Step S83: The Web display unit 15 reads the top page information (HTML and Javascript), analyzes the contents of the information, and executes it. The top page information includes a code for requesting the external Web service 4 to display a login screen.

[0084] Step S84: The Web display unit 15 transmits to the authentication relay server 7 a request to display the login screen, which is included in the top page information (HTML).

[0085] Step S85: The authentication relay server 7 transmits to the Web display unit 15 the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the external Web service that is the redirect destination.

[0086] Step S86: The Web display unit 15 accesses the received URL, and sends a message to the external Web service 4 requesting screen information for the authentication screen.

[0087] Step S87: The external Web service 4 transmits screen information (HTML) of the authentication screen to the Web display unit 15.

[0088] Step S88: The Web display unit 15 reads the received screen information (HTML), and transmits a read completion notice to the control unit 10 to inform that the reading has been completed.

[0089] Step S89: The control unit 10 transmits a request to execute a script (Javascript) for changing the display magnification to the Web display unit 15. In the script, a display magnification is specified by a viewport tag according to the size (or width, size, width, height, etc.) of the area in which the Web screen is displayed in the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9 (for example, the Webview screen 102 shown in FIG. 4). FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a script for changing the magnification of the screen display according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is an example of a script for resetting the value of the viewport using the value of the viewport included in the screen information of the authentication screen received from the external Web service 4 in step S87 and information on the display area of ​​the device (the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9). WEBVIEW_WIDTH indicates the display area width of the device, and VIEWPORT_WIDTH indicates the width of the authentication screen of the external Web service 4 before the change included in the received screen information. By calculating and specifying the value of the ratio of WEBVIEW_WIDTH / VIEWPORT_WIDTH to initial-scale indicating the display magnification, it is possible to change the display magnification to one that matches the display area width of the device. Alternatively, the application that executes the authentication may read out the value of the display magnification or the values ​​of WEBVIEW_WIDTH and VIEWPORT_WIDTH that were set and stored in advance in the design stage of the image forming device 9, and include them in the script. Alternatively, the application that executes the authentication may determine the display magnification by calculating the value of WEBVIEW_WIDTH / VIEWPORT_WIDTH based on device information (such as information on the screen size and aspect ratio of the touch panel 940a of the image forming device 9) stored on the image forming device 9 or the cloud.

[0090] Returning to Fig. 11, the explanation will be given below. Step S90: The Web display unit 15 executes the magnification change script based on the request received from the control unit 10.

[0091] Step S91: The Web display unit 15 changes the display magnification of the authentication screen received from the external Web service 4 based on the execution result of the magnification change script.

[0092] Step S92: The Web display unit 15 transmits an execution completion notification to the control unit 10 to notify that the execution of the magnification change script has been completed.

[0093] Step S93: The display control unit 13 displays on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9 the authentication screen for the external Web service with the display magnification changed.

[0094] Through the above process, the information processing system 5 can change the magnification of the screen information of the authentication screen acquired from the external Web service 4 so as to fit the display area of ​​the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9 and display it. In addition, both the process described in the first embodiment and the process described in the second embodiment may be executed. That is, the process of steps S81 to S93 can be executed in the authentication screen display described above in steps S41 to S45. Similarly, the screen information of the login screen acquired from the authentication unit 11 can be changed and displayed so as to fit the display area of ​​the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9. In this case, when the Web display unit 15 receives the screen information of the login screen from the authentication unit 11, it transmits a login screen reading completion notification to the control unit 10, and by receiving a display magnification change script execution request from the control unit 10, it can execute the display magnification change script to change the display magnification.

[0095] Although several forms for carrying out the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0096] For example, the example of the functional block configuration diagram in FIG. 3 is divided according to main functions to facilitate understanding of the processing by the image forming device 9, the information processing device 6, and the information processing system 5. The present invention is not limited by the manner in which the processing units are divided or the names of the processing units. The processing by the image forming device 9 and the information processing device 6 can be divided into more processing units depending on the processing contents. Also, it can be divided so that one processing unit includes more processes.

[0097] Each function of the above-described embodiments can be realized by one or more processing circuits. Here, the term "processing circuit" in this specification includes a processor programmed to execute each function by software, such as a processor implemented by an electronic circuit, and a device such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP (digital signal processor), an FPGA (field programmable gate array), or a conventional circuit module designed to execute each function described above.

[0098] Additionally, the described devices are merely one of several computing environments for implementing the embodiments disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the image forming device 9, the information processing device 6, and the information processing system 5 include a plurality of computing devices, such as a server cluster. The plurality of computing devices are configured to communicate with each other via any type of communication link, including a network, shared memory, and the like, and perform the processes disclosed herein.

[0099] The first communication unit 14 and the second communication unit 16 may also be simply referred to as communication units. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 2 Authentication Server 3. Communication Network 4 External Web Services 5. Information Processing Systems 6. Information processing equipment 7 Authentication relay server 9. Image forming device 10 Control section 11 Authentication Section 12 Operation reception section 13 Display control section 14 First Communications Department 15 Web display section 16 2nd Communications Department [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0101] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-012358 A

Claims

1. An information processing device having a function of displaying a display screen of an external service connected via a communication network, a control unit that generates a process for acquiring screen information of the display screen from the external service before a user uses the external service, and deletes the generated process before a next user starts using the external service; a Web display unit that uses a display module that displays the display screen in a predetermined display area using the process; having The information processing apparatus, wherein the control unit generates the process before a user logs in to the external service, and deletes the generated process after the user completes the login.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the Web display unit changes a display magnification at which the display screen is displayed in accordance with a size of the display area.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the Web display unit calculates the display magnification ratio using a ratio of a first display area width included in the display screen to a second display area width in the size of the display area.

4. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the Web display unit uses the display magnification that is set in advance.

5. An information processing system having an information processing device that displays a display screen of an external service connected via a communication network and an authentication server, The information processing device includes: a control unit that generates a process for acquiring screen information of the display screen from the external service before a user uses the external service, and deletes the generated process before a next user starts using the external service; a Web display unit that uses a display module that displays the display screen in a predetermined display area using the process; having The control unit generates the process before the user logs in to the external service, and deletes the generated process after the user logs in; The information processing system is characterized in that the authentication server performs authentication of a user who uses the external service.

6. An information processing method performed by an information processing device having a function of displaying a display screen of an external service connected via a communication network, comprising: generating a process for acquiring screen information of the display screen from the external service before a user uses the external service, and deleting the generated process before a next user starts using the external service; utilizing a display module to display said display screen in a predetermined display area using said process; creating the process before a user logs in to the external service, and deleting the created process after the user logs in; 13. An information processing method comprising:

7. An information processing device having a function of displaying a display screen of an external service connected via a communication network, generating a process for acquiring screen information of the display screen from the external service before a user uses the external service, and deleting the generated process before a next user starts using the external service; utilizing a display module to display said display screen in a predetermined display area using said process; creating the process before a user logs in to the external service, and deleting the created process after the user logs in; A program that executes the following.

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