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

Abstract

To allow an information processing device to generate license information for using an application without connecting to a communication network.SOLUTION: An information processing device capable of reading information from a storage medium and storing information in the storage medium includes: a reading unit that reads identification information on an application and a program of the application from the storage medium; a generation unit that generates license information for using the application, by using unique information assigned to the information processing device, the identification information, and the program; and a storage unit that stores the generated license information in the storage medium.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] License management is carried out by issuing a license to an application in an electronic device such as an image forming device or an information processing device, and performing license authentication when the application is used. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which an image forming device acquires license information created by a license server connected to a communication network. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] However, in the conventional technology, an information processing device that is not connected to a communication network cannot obtain license information for using an application, and therefore, in order to obtain the license information, the information processing device must be connected to a communication network.

[0004] In view of the above-described problems, an embodiment of the present invention has an object to enable an information processing device to generate license information for using an application without connecting to a communication network. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an information processing device capable of reading information from a storage medium and storing the information in the storage medium, the information processing device including a reading unit that reads identification information of an application and a program of the application from the storage medium, and a reading unit that reads unique information assigned to the information processing device, the identification information, and the program. The output data obtained by inputting it into a hash function is encrypted using a private key in a public key cryptosystem.The application software is characterized by comprising a generating unit that generates license information for using the application, and a storage unit that stores the generated license information in the storage medium. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an information processing device can generate license information for using an application without connecting to a communication network. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart relating to a license information generation process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a license information generation screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart relating to a license authentication process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a license authentication screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of an information processing device, an image processing device, 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 illustrating an example of a schematic diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 has basic functions such as copying, printing, and scanning, and can also incorporate various additional functions as optional functions according to user needs. Additional functions include, for example, optical character recognition (OCR), which recognizes characters contained in scanned images. These functions are realized by executing applications installed on the image forming apparatus 9 to realize the respective functions. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 has unique information assigned to each apparatus and is capable of reading and writing application programs, license information, and the like from and to a storage medium 3, such as a flash memory. Furthermore, each application has identification information for identifying the application that realizes a different function.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the image forming apparatus 1 generates license information using its own unique information, application identification information, and the application program, and stores the generated license information as an electronic file on the storage medium 3. Here, using the application program to generate license information means using binary data obtained by reading the executable program's electronic file as information. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 performs license authentication using the generated license information, such as when using the application for the first time. Here, the image forming apparatus 1 does not need to connect to a communication network and communicate with a license server or the like when generating license information and performing license authentication. However, the image forming apparatus 1 may also have the function of connecting to a communication network and communicating. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 may be a device having only a print function or a scan function, or may be an electronic device or image processing device such as a personal computer, smartphone, electronic whiteboard, or projector. Hereinafter, devices or electronic devices such as the image forming apparatus 9 in this embodiment may be collectively referred to as an information processing device. Furthermore, the license information may be referred to as signature information, and the license information stored on the storage medium 3 may be referred to as a license file or a signature file.

[0011] <Hardware configuration example> 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus 9 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 9 (also called an 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.

[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, an HDD controller 908, and an HD 909, 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 controls the entire image forming apparatus 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 comprises a ROM 902a, which is memory for storing programs and data that realize the functions of the controller 910, and a RAM 902b, which is used for expanding the programs and data and as a drawing memory during memory printing. The programs stored in the RAM 902b may be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable file format on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, or DVD.

[0015] The SB 904 is a bridge for connecting the NB 903 with PCI devices and peripheral devices. The ASIC 906 is an integrated circuit (IC) for image processing applications that has hardware elements for image processing and functions as a bridge connecting the AGP bus 921, PCI bus 922, HDD 908, and MEM-C 907. The ASIC 906 includes a PCI target and AGP master, an arbiter (ARB) that forms the core of the ASIC 906, a memory controller that controls the MEM-C 907, multiple direct memory access controllers (DMACs) that perform image data rotation using hardware logic, and a PCI unit that transfers data between the scanner unit 931 and printer unit 932 via the PCI bus 922. A USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface or an IEEE 1394 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) interface may also be connected to the ASIC 906.

[0016] The short-distance communication circuit 920 has a card reader 920a for reading user authentication information stored on an IC card or the like.

[0017] The operation panel 940 has a touch panel 940a and a numeric keypad 940b that accept inputs from a user. The touch panel 940a displays an application screen executed by the image forming apparatus 9, etc.

[0018] A media I / F 916 controls reading and writing (storing) of data from and to a recording medium 915 such as a flash memory.

[0019] <About the function> 3 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus 9 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 9 has a reading unit 10, an acquiring unit 11, an executing unit 12, a generating unit 13, a discriminating unit 14, an encryption processing unit 15, an authenticating unit 16, a display control unit 17, and an operation accepting unit 18. Each of these units is a function or means realized by a CPU 901 executing instructions contained in one or more programs installed in the image forming apparatus 9. The storage unit 19 can be realized by a storage device including, for example, a media I / F 916 and a recording medium 915 included in the image forming apparatus 9. Each functional unit will be described below.

[0020] The reading unit 10 reads, from the storage medium 3 inserted into the reading device of the storage medium 3 in the image forming device 9, a program for generating license information and performing license authentication, identification information of an application to be used in the image forming device 9, and the application program. Furthermore, the reading unit 10 reads the license information and the like stored in the storage medium 3 by the storage unit 19 .

[0021] The acquisition unit 11 acquires the unique information of the image forming apparatus 9 stored in the image forming apparatus 9. The unique information is information uniquely assigned to each apparatus, and different unique information is assigned to different apparatuses.

[0022] The execution unit 12 executes a license information generation program for generating license information and a license authentication program for performing license authentication.

[0023] The generation unit 13 generates a message digest for generating license information using the unique information of the image forming device 9, the identification information of the application, and the program of the application. Details of the method for generating the message digest will be described later. The generation unit 13 also generates the license information by encrypting the generated message digest. The generation unit 13 also generates the message digest by decrypting the encrypted license information.

[0024] The determination unit 14 determines the validity of the application identification information. The determination method will be described in detail later.

[0025] The encryption processing unit 15 generates an encryption key for encrypting the message digest generated by the generation unit 13, and an encryption key for decrypting the encryption.

[0026] The authentication unit 16 performs license authentication using the message digest generated by the generation unit 13 and a message digest generated from the license information read from the storage medium 3. The method for performing license authentication will be described in detail later.

[0027] The display control unit 17 displays a license information generation screen, a license authentication screen, and the like on the image forming apparatus 9.

[0028] The operation receiving unit 18 receives an operation such as pressing a confirmation button by a user via the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9 or the like.

[0029] The storage unit 19 stores the license information generated by the generation unit 13 in the storage medium 3. The storage unit 19 also stores the application identification information and application program read from the storage medium 3 in the storage device of the image forming device 9.

[0030] <License information generation process> FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a sequence related to license information generation processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this sequence, the image forming apparatus 9 generates license information using the image forming apparatus 9's unique information, application identification information, and the application program, and stores the generated license information in the storage medium 3. Here, the image forming apparatus 9 reads the application identification information and application program from the storage medium 3. The image forming apparatus 9 also stores unique information assigned to each apparatus, and the image forming apparatus 9 acquires the unique information as needed. The license information generation program executed when generating license information is assumed to be stored in the storage device of the image forming apparatus 9. The processing of each step in FIG. 4 will be described below.

[0031] Step S20: The display control unit 17 of the image forming apparatus 9 displays a screen on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9, for example, to accept an operation by the user to start generating license information. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a license information generation screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. The license information generation screen 40 shown in FIG. 5 displays a message prompting the user to insert the storage medium 3 storing the application program into the reading device of the image forming apparatus 9 and then press the execute button 41 in order to generate license information for using the application. The operation accepting unit 18 of the image forming apparatus 9 accepts the user's operation of pressing the execute button 41. The execution unit 12 of the image forming apparatus 9 executes a license information generation program for generating license information. Returning to FIG. 4, the following description will be given.

[0032] Step S21: The reading unit 10 of the image forming device 9 reads the application identification information and the application program from the storage medium 3. The storage unit 19 of the image forming device 9 stores the read application identification information and the application program in the storage device of the image forming device 9.

[0033] Step S22: The acquisition unit 11 of the image forming apparatus 9 acquires the unique information of the image forming apparatus 9 stored in the image forming apparatus 9.

[0034] Step S23: The determination unit 14 of the image forming device 9 determines the validity of the identification information of the application read in step S21. Here, the identification information of the application includes information such as the model name of the image forming device 9 on which the application runs. Therefore, the determination unit 14 determines the validity of the identification information, for example, by checking whether the model name of the image forming device 9 that executes the generation of license information matches the model name included in the identification information of the application.

[0035] Step S24: If the determination unit 14 of the image forming apparatus 9 determines that the application identification information is valid, it transitions the process to step S25; otherwise, it terminates the license information generation process according to this sequence.

[0036] Step S25: The generation unit 13 of the image forming device 9 generates a message digest using the image forming device 9's unique information, the application's identification information, and the application's program. The generation unit 13 inputs information combining the image forming device 9's unique information, the application's identification information, and the application's program into a hash function, and a message digest is generated as the output. Examples of hash functions include MD5 (Message Digest algorithm 5) and SHA (Secure Hash Algorithm)-256. SHA-256 outputs output data (hash value) with a size of 256 bits (32 bytes). That is, although the size of the application program is particularly large, the size of the output data is constant regardless of the size of the input data to the hash function.

[0037] Step S26: The encryption processing unit 15 of the image forming apparatus 9 generates an encryption key required to generate the license information. As the encryption key to be generated, the encryption processing unit 15 generates, for example, a private key and a public key used in a public key cryptosystem such as RSA.

[0038] Step S27: The generation unit 13 of the image forming apparatus 9 generates license information by encrypting the message digest generated in step S25 using the private key generated in step S26.

[0039] Step S28: The storage unit 19 of the image forming apparatus 9 stores the generated license information in the storage medium 3.

[0040] Through the above process, the image forming apparatus 9 can generate license information using the unique information of the image forming apparatus 9, the identification information of the application, and the program of the application, without connecting to a communication network.

[0041] <License authentication process> FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a sequence of license authentication processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this sequence, the image forming apparatus 9 performs license authentication using license information, unique information of the image forming apparatus 9, application identification information, and the application program stored in the storage medium 3. As in the license information generation processing shown in FIG. 4, the image forming apparatus 9 reads the application identification information and the application program from the storage medium 3. Alternatively, the image forming apparatus 9 may obtain the application identification information and the application program from a storage device of the image forming apparatus 9. The image forming apparatus 9 also obtains unique information of the image forming apparatus 9 assigned to each apparatus. License authentication is performed, for example, when an application is made available for use (also referred to as activation) on the image forming apparatus 9 or when the application is used for the first time. It is assumed that a license authentication program for performing license authentication is stored in the image forming apparatus 9. The processing of each step in FIG. 6 is described below.

[0042] Step S30: The display control unit 17 of the image forming apparatus 9 displays a screen on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9 or the like, which accepts an operation by the user to start license authentication. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a license authentication screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. The license authentication screen 42 shown in FIG. 7 displays a message to the user to insert the storage medium 3 storing the license information into the reading device of the image forming apparatus 9 and then press the execute button 41 when executing license authentication to use an application. The operation accepting unit 18 of the image forming apparatus 9 accepts an operation by the user to press the execute button 43. The execution unit 12 of the image forming apparatus 9 executes a license authentication program to execute license authentication. Returning to FIG. 6, the following explanation will be given.

[0043] Step S31: The reading unit 10 of the image forming device 9 reads the application identification information and the application program from the storage medium 3. Alternatively, the reading unit 10 of the image forming device 9 may read the application identification information and the application program stored in the storage device of the image forming device 9.

[0044] Step S32: The acquisition unit 11 of the image forming apparatus 9 acquires the unique information of the image forming apparatus 9 stored in the image forming apparatus 9.

[0045] Step S33: The generation unit 13 of the image forming device 9 generates a message digest (referred to as MD1) using the unique information of the image forming device 9, the identification information of the application, and the program of the application. The generation unit 13 generates the message digest in the same procedure as the method shown in step S25 of FIG.

[0046] Step S 34 : The reading unit 10 of the image forming apparatus 9 reads the license information from the storage medium 3 .

[0047] Step S35: The generation unit 13 of the image forming apparatus 9 generates a message digest (referred to as MD2) by decrypting the encrypted license information read in step S34 using the public key generated in step S26 of FIG.

[0048] Step S36: The authentication unit 16 of the image forming device 9 performs license authentication by checking whether the message digests (MD1 and MD2) generated in steps S33 and S35 match. If the two message digests (MD1 and MD2) match, the authentication unit 16 of the image forming device 9 transitions the process to step S37; if not (they do not match), the authentication unit 16 transitions the process to step S38.

[0049] Step S37: The authentication unit 16 of the image forming apparatus 9 determines that the license authentication has been successful. The display control unit 17 of the image forming apparatus 9 may display a message indicating that the license authentication has been successful on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9 or the like.

[0050] Step S38: The authentication unit 16 of the image forming apparatus 9 determines that the license authentication has failed. The display control unit 17 of the image forming apparatus 9 may display a message indicating that the license authentication has failed on the touch panel 940a of the image forming apparatus 9, for example.

[0051] Through the above process, the image forming device 9 can perform license authentication using the license information, the unique information of the image forming device 9, the application identification information, and the application program without connecting to a communication network. Here, by using the unique information assigned to each device in the license authentication, it is possible to prevent the application from being used illegally on other devices.

[0052] 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.

[0053] For example, the example of the functional block configuration diagram in Figure 3 is divided according to main functions to make it easier to understand the processing by the image forming device 9 and the information processing device. The method of dividing the processing units and the names thereof do not limit the present invention. The processing by the image forming device 9 and the information processing device can be divided into more processing units depending on the processing content. Furthermore, it is also possible to divide the processing units so that one processing unit includes more processes.

[0054] Furthermore, 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 perform each function by software, such as a processor implemented by an electronic circuit, as well as devices such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and conventional circuit modules designed to perform each of the above-described functions.

[0055] Additionally, the described devices represent only one of several computing environments for implementing the embodiments disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the image forming device 9 and the information processing device include multiple computing devices, such as a server cluster. The multiple computing devices are configured to communicate with each other via any type of communication link, including a network, shared memory, etc., and perform the processes disclosed herein. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 3 Storage medium 9. Image forming device 10 Reading section 11 Acquisition Department 12 Executive Department 13 Generation part 14 Discrimination part 15 Encryption processing unit 16 Authentication Section 17 Display control unit 18 Operation reception section 19 Memory section [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0057] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-303210

Claims

1. An information processing device that can read information from a storage medium and store information in the storage medium, a reading unit that reads the application identification information and the application program from the storage medium; a generation unit that generates license information for using the application by encrypting output data obtained by inputting unique information assigned to the information processing device, the identification information, and the program into a hash function using a private key in a public key cryptosystem; a storage unit that stores the generated license information in the storage medium; An information processing device having the above.

2. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an authentication unit that performs license authentication using the license information, the unique information, the identification information, and the program.

3. 3. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the authentication unit performs the license authentication by confirming whether a first message digest generated using the license information read from the storage medium matches a second message digest generated using the unique information, the identification information, and the program.

4. An image processing device having an image processing function that can read information from a storage medium and store information in the storage medium, a reading unit that reads the application identification information and the application program from the storage medium; a generation unit that generates license information for using the application by encrypting output data obtained by inputting the unique information assigned to the image processing device, the identification information, and the program into a hash function using a private key in a public key cryptosystem; a storage unit that stores the generated license information in the storage medium; An image processing device having:

5. An information processing method executed by an information processing device that can read information from a storage medium and store information in the storage medium, comprising: reading application identification information and a program of the application from the storage medium; generating license information for using the application by encrypting output data obtained by inputting unique information assigned to the information processing device, the identification information, and the program into a hash function using a private key in a public key cryptosystem; storing the generated license information in the storage medium; An information processing method comprising:

6. An information processing device capable of reading information from a storage medium and storing information in the storage medium, reading application identification information and a program of the application from the storage medium; generating license information for using the application by encrypting output data obtained by inputting unique information assigned to the information processing device, the identification information, and the program into a hash function using a private key in a public key cryptosystem; storing the generated license information in the storage medium; A program that executes the following.

Images