Communication device, communication system, and authority key management method

Abstract

A device (3) in which a function that can be performed with each user authority, including at least a first user authority and a second user authority, is determined in advance, comprises: a communication means for performing ad hoc communication with an operation terminal; an issuance condition storage unit (331) that stores information indicating an issuance condition of an authority key for each user authority; an authority key issuance unit (302) that issues an authority key when the issuance condition is satisfied; an issued authority key storage unit (332) that stores the issued authority key; and a function performing unit (303) that, upon receiving a request to perform a function from the operation terminal, if an authority key presented by the operation terminal has already been issued and the requested function can be performed with the user authority of the presented authority key, performs the function. The authority key issuance unit (302) deletes the authority key of the second user authority from the issued authority key storage unit (332) when the ad hoc communication with the operation terminal is disconnected.

Description

Communication device, communication system, and authorization key management method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication device, a communication system, and an authorization key management method.

[0002] Conventionally, peripheral devices such as mice, keyboards, and speakers equipped with BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy) functionality have been widely known, but in recent years, so-called IoT (Internet of Things) devices equipped with wireless LAN communication functionality are also beginning to be equipped with BLE communication functionality. Such IoT devices equipped with BLE communication functionality can accept operations from users via an operating terminal such as a smartphone, such as setting up a connection to a router, turning operation on and off, and changing modes.

[0003] When using an IoT device via BLE communication as described above, for example, a specification is known in which an operating terminal, through user operation, reads information about the IoT device (hereinafter referred to as "device information") from a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark) printed on an information holder such as paper or plastic affixed to the housing of the IoT device, and when connected to the IoT device via BLE communication, the read device information is presented to the IoT device to receive authentication.

[0004] However, with the above specifications, the device information is fixed, so if the information is leaked, there is a security concern that a third party may easily use the IoT device illegally. Also, in addition to the end user who owns the IoT device, other users such as installers and repairers may use the operation terminal to operate the IoT device, and this may enable them to use the IoT device in the same way as the end user, which is an undesirable situation for the end user.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method in which a key management device issues a public key and a private key for each authority to users who use content, stores the private key in an IC card, distributes it to users with each authority, and makes the public key public using a web server or the like.

[0006] JP 2010-50760 A

[0007] The above-mentioned technology requires an IC card storing a private key or an authorization key when using content, which is inconvenient and unsuitable for use of IoT devices via BLE communication. From the viewpoint of user convenience, it is desirable that authorization for use of IoT devices be appropriately granted according to the situation at the time of use in the field, but the reality is that no significant proposal for such technology has yet been made.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and aims to provide a communication device, a communication system, and an authorization key management method that can appropriately grant users authority to use the device without compromising user convenience.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the communication device according to the present disclosure is a communication device in which functions that can be implemented for each user authority including at least a first user authority and a second user authority are predetermined, and comprises: a communication means for ad hoc communication with an operation terminal; an issuance condition storage means for storing information indicating the issuance conditions of an authorization key for each user authority; an authorization key issuance means for issuing an authorization key when the issuance conditions are met; an issued authorization key storage means for storing the issued authorization key; and a function implementation means for, when a request to implement a function is received from the operation terminal, implementing the function if the authorization key presented from the operation terminal is stored in the issued authorization key storage means and the requested function can be implemented with the user authority of the authorization key; and when the ad hoc communication with the operation terminal is disconnected, the authorization key issuance means deletes the authorization key of the second user authority from the issued authorization key storage means.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to appropriately grant users authority to use devices without impairing user convenience.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a communication system in an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a server in an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a device in an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of a control unit provided in a device in an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an operation terminal in an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an operation terminal in an embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an information holder in an embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining user authority in an embodiment.

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0013] 1 is a diagram illustrating the overall configuration of a communication system 1 according to the present embodiment. The communication system 1 is an example of a communication system according to the present disclosure, and includes a server 2, a device 3 installed in a residence H, an operation terminal 4 a, an operation terminal 4 b, and a router 5 installed in the residence H.

[0014] <Server 2> The server 2 is a so-called cloud server operated by the manufacturer, sales company, etc. of the device 3, and is connected to a network N1, which is a wide area network such as the Internet. As shown in FIG. 2 , the server 2 includes, as its hardware configuration, a communication unit 20, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21, a ROM (Read-Only Memory) 22, a RAM (Random-Access Memory) 23, and an auxiliary storage device 24. These components are interconnected via a bus 25. The communication unit 20 is a communication interface including a communication driver IC (Integrated Circuit) and the like, and communicates with other devices via the network N1. The CPU 21 is a processor that performs overall control of the server 2.

[0015] The ROM 22 is a storage device that stores non-rewritable programs such as a basic input / output system (BIOS). The RAM 23 is a storage device used as a work area for the CPU 21. The auxiliary storage device 24 is a storage device configured with a readable / writable non-volatile semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), etc. Examples of the readable / writable non-volatile semiconductor memory include erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and flash memory. The auxiliary storage device 24 stores a server program including a program for remotely monitoring and remotely controlling an appliance (appliance 3 in this example) in a customer user's home (home H in this example), and data used when the server program is executed.

[0016] <Device 3> Device 3 is an example of a communication device according to the present disclosure. Device 3 is, for example, a home appliance known as an IoT device, an information appliance, a network appliance, or a smart appliance, such as an air conditioner, a television, a refrigerator, or a water heater. As shown in FIG. 3 , device 3 includes a first communication unit 30, a second communication unit 31, a control unit 32, an auxiliary storage device 33, and a main unit 34. The first communication unit 30 is a communication interface including a communication driver IC and the like, and performs wireless LAN communication (e.g., Wi-Fi (registered trademark) communication) with the router 5 according to instructions from the control unit 32. The second communication unit 31 is an example of a communication means according to the present disclosure. The second communication unit 31 is a communication interface including a communication driver IC and the like, and performs communication with the operation terminals 4a and 4b via an ad hoc network (hereinafter referred to as "ad hoc communication") according to instructions from the control unit 32. In the present embodiment, the second communication unit 31 performs BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy) communication with the operation terminals 4a and 4b.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 4 , the control unit 32 includes a CPU 320, a ROM 321, and a RAM 322, and performs overall control of the device 3. Details of the functions of the device 3 realized by the control unit 32 will be described later. The auxiliary storage device 33 is an example of a storage means according to the present disclosure, and is a storage device configured with a readable / writable nonvolatile semiconductor memory, an HDD, or the like. Examples of the readable / writable nonvolatile semiconductor memory include an EPROM, an EEPROM, and a flash memory. The auxiliary storage device 33 stores various programs, including a program related to processing during BLE communication (hereinafter referred to as a "BLE communication processing program"), and data used when these programs are executed. The device 3 can obtain the BLE communication processing program or an update program for updating the BLE communication processing program via communication from the server 2 or another server, terminal, or the like (not shown), and install the program on itself.

[0018] These programs can also be distributed by storing them on computer-readable recording media such as CD-ROMs (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory), DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), magneto-optical disks, USB (Universal Serial Bus) memories, HDDs, SSDs (Solid-State Drives), memory cards, etc. When such a recording medium is directly or indirectly attached to the device 3, the device 3 can read the BLE communication processing program or update program from the recording medium and install it on the device 3.

[0019] The main unit 34 is a component for realizing the original functions of the device 3. For example, if the device 3 is an indoor unit of an air conditioner, the main unit 34 includes actuators such as a fan and a solenoid valve, a heat exchanger, and sensors such as a temperature sensor, a thermal image sensor, and a refrigerant temperature sensor. If the device 3 is a television, the main unit 34 includes, for example, a television tuner, a liquid crystal or organic electroluminescence (EL) display, and a speaker.

[0020] <Operation Terminals 4a, 4b> The operation terminals 4a, 4b are examples of operation terminals according to the present disclosure. The operation terminal 4a is a smart device such as a smartphone or tablet terminal that is owned and used by a user (hereinafter referred to as the "first user") who is a resident of the house H and the owner of the device 3. The operation terminal 4b is a smart device such as a smartphone or tablet terminal that is owned and used by a user (hereinafter referred to as the "second user") who is a different user from the first user, for example, a worker such as an installer. Hereinafter, when describing the common aspects of the operation terminals 4a and 4b, they will be referred to as the operation terminal 4 without specifying the individual terminals.

[0021] 5 , the operation terminal 4 includes a display 40, an operation reception unit 41, a first communication unit 42, a second communication unit 43, a third communication unit 44, a camera 45, a CPU 46, a ROM 47, a RAM 48, and an auxiliary storage device 49. These components are connected to each other via a bus 50. The display 40 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. Under the control of the CPU 46, the display 40 displays various screens and the like in response to user operations. The operation reception unit 41 includes one or more input devices such as a push button, a touch panel, or a touch pad, receives operation input from the user, and outputs a signal related to the received operation to the CPU 46.

[0022] The first communication unit 42 is a communication interface including a communication driver IC and the like, and performs wireless LAN communication (e.g., Wi-Fi (registered trademark) communication) with the router 5 according to instructions from the CPU 46. The second communication unit 43 is a communication interface including a communication driver IC and the like, and performs ad hoc communication (BLE communication in this embodiment) with the device 3 according to instructions from the CPU 46. The third communication unit 44 is a communication interface including a communication driver IC and the like, and communicates with the server 2 by a cellular system (e.g., LTE (Long-Term Evolution), LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), etc.) according to instructions from the CPU 46. The camera 45 is composed of an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), and captures an image of a subject and outputs image data obtained by the capture to the CPU 46.

[0023] The CPU 46 is a processor that performs overall control of the operation terminal 4. Details of the functions of the operation terminal 4 realized by the CPU 46 will be described later. The ROM 47 is a storage device that stores programs that do not need to be rewritten, such as the BIOS. The RAM 48 is a storage device used as a work area for the CPU 46. The auxiliary storage device 49 is a storage device configured of a readable / writable non-volatile semiconductor memory. Examples of the readable / writable non-volatile semiconductor memory include an EPROM, an EEPROM, and a flash memory. The auxiliary storage device 49 stores a device operation app, which is an application program for operating the device 3 via BLE communication, and data used when the device operation app is executed.

[0024] The same device operation app may be installed on the operation terminal 4a and the operation terminal 4b, or a device operation app for a first user, in other words, a device operation app for an end user, may be installed on the operation terminal 4a, and a device operation app for a second user, in other words, a device operation app for a worker such as an installer, may be installed on the operation terminal 4b.

[0025] <Router 5> The router 5 is a broadband router that establishes the network N2, which is a wireless LAN, in the house H. The router 5 transmits frames addressed to the server 2 received from the device 3 via the network N2 via the network N1 to the server 2, and also transmits frames addressed to the device 3 received from the server 2 via the network N1 to the device 3 via the network N2. Similarly, the router 5 transmits frames addressed to the server 2 received from the operation terminal 4 via the network N2 to the server 2 via the network N1, and also transmits frames addressed to the operation terminal 4 received from the server 2 via the network N1 to the operation terminal 4 via the network N2.

[0026] <Functional Configuration of Operation Terminal 4> As shown in FIG. 6 , the operation terminal 4 includes, as characteristic functions according to the present disclosure, a device information acquisition unit 400, a device connection unit 401, an authorization key acquisition unit 402, and an implementation request unit 403. These functional units are realized by the CPU 46 of the operation terminal 4 executing the above-mentioned device operation app stored in the auxiliary storage device 49. The device information acquisition unit 400 acquires device information of the device 3. The device information is information including identification information of the device 3 and authentication information required when requesting the device 3 to issue an authorization key, which will be described later. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7 , an information holder 35 made of paper, plastic, or the like, on the surface of the housing of the device 3, is attached. The information holder 35 has a matrix-type two-dimensional code 350 printed thereon, the matrix-type two-dimensional code 350 including device information of the device 3.

[0027] The device information acquisition unit 400 acquires device information by decoding the two-dimensional code 350 captured by the camera 45. The device information acquisition unit 400 stores the acquired device information in the device information storage unit 490. The device information storage unit 490 is a memory area provided by the auxiliary storage device 49.

[0028] The device connection unit 401 connects to the device 3 by transmitting a connection request via ad hoc communication (i.e., BLE communication) to a device (in this example, device 3) that is transmitting an advertisement that matches the identification information included in the device information acquired by the device information acquisition unit 400. The authority key acquisition unit 402 acquires an authority key from the device 3 connected via BLE communication. The authority key is a key that indicates the user authority of the device 3 via BLE communication. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8 , there are three types of user authority: owner authority, temporary user authority, and special user authority, and the functions of the device 3 that can be performed are determined according to each user authority.

[0029] The owner authority is an example of a first user authority according to the present disclosure. The owner authority is an authority intended to be granted to the owner of the device 3, i.e., an end user who permanently uses the device 3. A user who has an authority key for the owner authority can use the device setting, reset, operation, and status display functions of the device 3. The temporary user authority is an example of a second user authority according to the present disclosure. The temporary user authority is an authority intended to be granted to a user who temporarily uses the device 3, such as an installer. A user who has an authority key for the temporary user authority can use the device setting, reset, and status display functions of the device 3. The special user authority is an authority intended to be granted to a special user, such as a technical staff member of the manufacturer of the device 3. A user who has an authority key for the special user authority can use the inspection support function of the device 3.

[0030] Here, we will explain each function of the device 3 that can be implemented by BLE communication. The device setting function is a function that accepts settings for connecting to the router 5, etc. The reset function is a function that resets the issuance history of the authorization key, etc. The operation function is a function that switches operation on and off, changes the mode, etc. The status display function is a function that displays the connection status with the router 5, etc. The inspection support function is a function that is implemented when inspecting the device 3 in detail, such as outputting debug information.

[0031] The authority key acquisition unit 402 requests the device 3 to issue an authority key for owner authority or temporary user authority in response to a user operation. If an authority key for owner authority corresponding to the device 3 is stored in the authority key storage unit 491, the authority key acquisition unit 402 does not request the device 3 to issue an authority key for owner authority. The authority key storage unit 491 is a memory area provided by the auxiliary storage device 49. Furthermore, since the authority key for special user authority is pre-stored in the authority key storage unit 491 of the operation terminal 4 held by a special user such as a technical person at the manufacturer of the device 3, the authority key acquisition unit 402 does not request the device 3 to issue the authority key.

[0032] After requesting issuance of an authorization key, when a request to transmit authentication information is received from device 3, the authorization key acquisition unit 402 reads out the authentication information included in the device information of device 3 stored in the device information storage unit 490 and transmits it to device 3. Thereafter, when the requested authorization key is issued by device 3, the authorization key acquisition unit 402 associates the issued authorization key with the identification information of device 3 and stores it in the authorization key storage unit 491. Note that when the connection with device 3 is disconnected, the authorization key for temporary user authority is deleted from the authorization key storage unit 491 by the authorization key acquisition unit 402.

[0033] In response to a user operation, the execution request unit 403 requests the device 3 to execute a function. At that time, the execution request unit 403 transmits the request content together with the authorization key stored in the authorization key storage unit 491 to the device 3.

[0034] <Functional Configuration of Device 3> As shown in FIG. 9 , device 3 includes, as characteristic functions according to the present disclosure, an advertisement transmitter 300, a connection establishment unit 301, an authorization key issuing unit 302, and a function implementation unit 303. These functional units are realized by the control unit 32 of device 3 executing the above-mentioned BLE communication processing program stored in the auxiliary storage device 33. The advertisement transmitter 300 periodically broadcasts an advertisement including its own (i.e., device 3) identification information. The communication cycle in this case is, for example, 50 ms. The identification information is composed of, for example, a manufacturer code indicating the manufacturer and an identifier (such as model name and serial number) that identifies device 3 within the manufacturer. Device information (identification information and authentication information) of device 3 is stored in a device information storage unit 330. The device information storage unit 330 is a memory area provided by the auxiliary storage device 33.

[0035] When the connection establishment unit 301 receives a connection request from the operation terminal 4 via BLE communication, it establishes a connection with the operation terminal 4. The authorization key issuance unit 302 is an example of an authorization key issuing means according to the present disclosure. The authorization key issuance unit 302 issues the authorization key requested by the operation terminal 4. Specifically, after the connection is established, when the authorization key issuance unit 302 receives a request for issuance of an authorization key from the operation terminal 4, it requests transmission of authentication information. When receiving the authentication information from the operation terminal 4, the authorization key issuance unit 302 compares the received authentication information with the authentication information stored in the device information storage unit 330. If the two match, the authorization key issuance unit 302 further refers to the issuance condition storage unit 331 to determine whether the issuance conditions for the requested authorization key are met. On the other hand, if the received authentication information does not match its own authentication information, the authorization key issuance unit 302 notifies the operation terminal 4 of an error response indicating that the authorization key cannot be issued.

[0036] The issuance condition storage unit 331 is an example of an issuance condition storage means according to the present disclosure. The issuance condition storage unit 331 is a memory area provided by the auxiliary storage device 33 and stores information indicating the issuance conditions of an authorization key. As shown in FIG. 10 , the issuance conditions of an authorization key are predetermined for each user authority. For example, when a request for issuance of an authorization key for owner authority is received, the authorization key issuing unit 302 determines whether the issuance conditions of the authorization key for owner authority are met by determining whether an authorization key for owner authority has already been issued. The authorization key issuing unit 302 determines whether an authorization key for owner authority has already been issued by referring to the issued authorization key storage unit 332. The issued authorization key storage unit 332 is an example of an issued authorization key storage means according to the present disclosure. The issued authorization key storage unit 332 is a memory area provided by the auxiliary storage device 33 and stores issued authorization keys.

[0037] If the authority key for owner authority has not yet been issued, the authority key issuing unit 302 determines that the issuance conditions for the authority key for owner authority are met. On the other hand, if the authority key for owner authority has already been issued, the authority key issuing unit 302 determines that the issuance conditions for the authority key for owner authority are not met. If the authority key issuing unit 302 determines that the issuance conditions for the authority key for owner authority are met, it generates an authority key for owner authority and issues the generated authority key to the operation terminal 4. In addition, the authority key issuing unit 302 stores the issued authority key for owner authority in the issued authority key storage unit 332. On the other hand, if it determines that the issuance conditions for the authority key for owner authority are not met, the authority key issuing unit 302 notifies the operation terminal 4 of an error response indicating that the authority key for owner authority cannot be issued.

[0038] Furthermore, when a request for issuing an authorization key for temporary user authority is received, the authorization key issuing unit 302 determines whether the conditions for issuing an authorization key for temporary user authority are met by determining whether the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) at the time the issuance request is received exceeds a predetermined value. If the RSSI exceeds the predetermined value, the authorization key issuing unit 302 determines that the conditions for issuing an authorization key for temporary user authority are met. On the other hand, if the RSSI does not exceed the predetermined value, the authorization key issuing unit 302 determines that the conditions for issuing an authorization key for temporary user authority are not met.

[0039] If the authorization key issuing unit 302 determines that the issuance conditions for an authorization key for temporary user authority are met, it generates an authorization key for temporary user authority and issues the generated authorization key to the operation terminal 4. The authorization key issuing unit 302 also stores the issued authorization key for temporary user authority in the issued authorization key storage unit 332. On the other hand, if it determines that the issuance conditions for an authorization key for temporary user authority are not met, the authorization key issuing unit 302 notifies the operation terminal 4 of an error response indicating that the authorization key for temporary user authority cannot be issued. If the authorization key issuing unit 302 has issued an authorization key for temporary user authority, when the connection with the operation terminal 4 is severed, the authorization key issuing unit 302 deletes the authorization key from the issued authorization key storage unit 332.

[0040] The device 3 does not issue an authority key for the special user authority. The authority key for the special user authority is stored in advance in the issued authority key storage unit 332.

[0041] The function implementation unit 303 is an example of a function implementation means according to the present disclosure. When the function implementation unit 303 receives a request to implement a function of the device 3 from the operation terminal 4, it compares the authorization key received from the operation terminal 4 together with the request with the authorization key stored in the issued authorization key storage unit 332. If an authorization key matching the received authorization key is stored in the issued authorization key storage unit 332, the function implementation unit 303 determines whether the function requested to be implemented is executable with the user authority indicated by the authorization key. If the requested function is executable with the user authority indicated by the authorization key, the function implementation unit 303 implements the function.

[0042] If an authorization key matching the received authorization key is not stored in the issued authorization key storage unit 332, or if the requested function is not a function that can be performed with the user authority indicated by the authorization key, the function execution unit 303 does not execute the function. In this case, the function execution unit 303 notifies the operation terminal 4 of an error response indicating that the function cannot be executed.

[0043] <BLE Communication Processing> FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure of BLE communication processing executed by the device 3 from the time a connection with the operation terminal 4 is established until the time the connection is terminated.

[0044] (Step S101) The device 3 determines whether or not it has received a request for issuing an authorization key from the operation terminal 4. If it has received a request for issuing an authorization key from the operation terminal 4 (Step S101; Yes), the process of the device 3 proceeds to Step S102. If it has not received a request for issuing an authorization key from the operation terminal 4 (Step S101; No), the process of the device 3 proceeds to Step S103.

[0045] (Step S102) The device 3 requests the operation terminal 4 to transmit authentication information. After that, the process of the device 3 returns to step S101.

[0046] (Step S103) The device 3 determines whether or not authentication information has been received from the operation terminal 4. If authentication information has been received from the operation terminal 4 (Step S103; Yes), the process of the device 3 proceeds to Step S104. If authentication information has not been received from the operation terminal 4 (Step S103; No), the process of the device 3 proceeds to Step S108.

[0047] (Step S104) The device 3 determines whether the received authentication information matches the authentication information stored in the device information storage unit 330. If they match (Step S104; Yes), the process of the device 3 proceeds to Step S105. If they do not match (Step S104; No), the process of the device 3 proceeds to Step S107.

[0048] (Step S105) The device 3 determines whether the conditions for issuing the requested authorization key are met. If the conditions for issuing the requested authorization key are met (Step S105; Yes), the process of the device 3 proceeds to Step S106. If the conditions for issuing the requested authorization key are not met (Step S105; No), the process of the device 3 proceeds to Step S107.

[0049] (Step S106) The device 3 generates an authority key for the requested user authority and issues it to the operation terminal 4. The device 3 also stores the issued authority key in the issued authority key storage unit 332. After that, the process of the device 3 returns to step S101.

[0050] (Step S107) The device 3 notifies the operation terminal 4 of an error response indicating that the authority key for the requested user authority cannot be issued. Thereafter, the process of the device 3 returns to step S101.

[0051] (Step S108) The device 3 determines whether or not a request to perform a function has been received from the operation terminal 4. If a request to perform a function has been received from the operation terminal 4 (Step S108; Yes), the process of the device 3 proceeds to Step S109. If a request to perform a function has not been received from the operation terminal 4 (Step S108; No), the process of the device 3 returns to Step S101.

[0052] (Step S109) The device 3 determines whether the following conditions are met: the authorization key received from the operation terminal 4 together with the request to perform the function matches the authorization key stored in the issued authorization key storage unit 332, and the requested function is a function that can be performed with the user authority indicated by the authorization key. If the conditions are met (Step S109; Yes), the process of the device 3 proceeds to Step S110. If the conditions are not met (Step S109; No), the process of the device 3 proceeds to Step S111.

[0053] (Step S110) The device 3 performs the requested function. After that, the process of the device 3 returns to step S101.

[0054] (Step S111) The device 3 notifies the operation terminal 4 of an error response indicating that the requested function cannot be performed. After that, the process of the device 3 returns to step S101.

[0055] As described above, the device 3 in the present embodiment has predetermined functions that can be implemented for each user authority including at least the owner authority and the temporary user authority, and includes: a second communication unit 31 for ad hoc communication (i.e., BLE communication) with the operation terminal 4; an issuance condition storage unit 331 that stores information indicating issuance conditions for an authorization key for each user authority; an authorization key issuance unit 302 that issues an authorization key when the issuance conditions are satisfied; an issued authorization key storage unit 332 that stores the issued authorization key; and a function implementation unit 303 that, when receiving a request to implement a function from the operation terminal 4, implements the function if the authorization key presented from the operation terminal 4 is stored in the issued authorization key storage unit 332 and the requested function can be implemented with the user authority of the authorization key. When the ad hoc communication with the operation terminal 4 is disconnected, the authorization key issuance unit 302 deletes the authorization key of the temporary user authority from the issued authorization key storage unit 332.

[0056] This makes it possible to appropriately grant users authority to use devices without impairing user convenience.

[0057] (Variation 1) In the above embodiment, the device 3 issues an owner authority authority key on the condition that the owner authority authority key has not already been issued. However, it is also possible to set an upper limit on the number of owner authority authority keys that can be issued, and issue a new owner authority authority authority key upon request if the upper limit has not been reached.

[0058] (Variation 2) A combination of the device information of the device 3 and the issued authorization key for the owner authority may be managed by the server 2 in association with a user ID (identifier), specifically, the user ID of the device operation app on the operation terminal 4. In this case, when another user (for example, a family member of the owner) logs in to another operation terminal 4 using the same user ID, the operation terminal 4 obtains from the server 2 the combination of the device information and the authorization key for the device 3 associated with the logged-in user ID. This allows the user to immediately use the functions of the device 3 with the owner authority.

[0059] The server 2 may also be able to manage a combination of the device information of the device 3 and the issued authority key of the owner authority in association with a plurality of user IDs.

[0060] (Modification 3) The two-dimensional code 350 may be displayed on the display of the device 3 (the display of the device 3 itself or a remote controller, etc.) by operating the device 3.

[0061] (Modification 4) Instead of the two-dimensional code 350, a character string indicating the device information of the device 3 may be displayed on the information holder 35.

[0062] (Variation 5) Instead of constantly and periodically transmitting advertisements, the device 3 may transmit advertisements via BLE communication for a certain period (for example, one minute) when a specific operation is performed by a user via an operation unit (including a remote control, etc.) (not shown) of the device 3. In this case, the operation terminal 4 transmits a connection request to the device 3 that is transmitting the advertisement.

[0063] (Variation 6) In the above embodiment, the condition for issuing the temporary user authority authorization key is that the RSSI exceeds a certain value when an issuance request is received from the operation terminal 4. However, this is not limited to this, and other conditions that indicate that the user is near the device 3, specifically, within the house H, may be used as the condition for issuing the temporary user authority authorization key. For example, the condition for issuing the temporary user authority authorization key may be satisfied when a specific operation is performed via an operation unit (including a remote control, etc.) not shown in the drawings of the device 3. Alternatively, the owner may register the location information of the device 3 in the server 2 in advance, and when the operation terminal 4 requests the issuance of the temporary user authority authorization key, the operation terminal 4 may transmit its own location information to the server 2. The server 2 may determine whether the two locations are within a certain distance, and if the two locations are within the certain distance, permit the issuance of the temporary user authority authorization key to the device 3.

[0064] Furthermore, if the device 3 is equipped with an output unit such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or buzzer (not shown), the device 3 that receives a request to issue an authorization key for temporary user authority may light up its LED in a random pattern or sound a buzzer, and the operation terminal 4 that made the issuance request may recognize the pattern and send it to the device 3. If the pattern that the device 3 itself outputs matches the pattern sent from the operation terminal 4, the device 3 may determine that the conditions for issuing an authorization key for temporary user authority are met and issue the authorization key.

[0065] (Variation 7) The condition for issuing an authorization key for temporary user authority may be the consent of the owner of the device 3. In this case, the owner registers an email address in advance with the server 2, and when the device 3 receives a request for issuing an authorization key for temporary user authority, it notifies the operation terminal number, etc., of the owner by email to the operation terminal 4, etc. of the owner via the server 2. The owner uses his / her operation terminal 4, etc. to send a notification indicating permission or denial to the device 3 via the server 2. If permission is received from the owner, the device 3 determines that the conditions for issuing an authorization key for temporary user authority are met, and issues the authorization key.

[0066] (Variation 8) All or part of the functional units of the operation terminal 4 (see FIG. 6) may be realized by dedicated hardware, and all or part of the functional units of the device 3 (see FIG. 9) may be realized by dedicated hardware. The dedicated hardware may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof.

[0067] The technical ideas according to the above-described modifications may be realized independently or in appropriate combination.

[0068] The present disclosure allows various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are intended to explain the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and within the meaning of the disclosure equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0069] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-150714, filed on September 2, 2024. The entire specification, claims and drawings of that application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0070] The present disclosure can be suitably adopted in devices equipped with BLE communication functions.

[0071] 1 Communication system, 2 Server, 3 Device, 4, 4a, 4b Operation terminal, 5 Router, 20 Communication unit, 21, 46, 320 CPU, 22, 47, 321 ROM, 23, 48, 322 RAM, 24, 33, 49 Auxiliary storage device, 25, 50 Bus, 30, 42 First communication unit, 31, 43 Second communication unit, 32 Control unit, 34 Main unit, 35 Information holder, 40 Display, 41 Operation acceptance unit, 44 Third communication unit, 45 Camera, 300 Advertisement transmission unit, 301 Connection establishment unit, 302 Authorization key issuing unit, 303 Function implementation unit, 331 Issuance condition memory unit, 332 Issued authorization key memory unit, 350 Two-dimensional code, 400 Device information acquisition unit, 401 Device connection unit, 402 Authorization key acquisition unit, 403 implementation request unit, 330, 490 device information storage unit, 491 authorization key storage unit

Claims

1. A communications device in which functions that can be implemented for each user authority including at least a first user authority and a second user authority are predetermined, comprising: a communications means for ad hoc communication with an operating terminal; an issuance condition storage means for storing information indicating the issuance conditions of an authorization key for each user authority; an authorization key issuing means for issuing an authorization key when the issuance conditions are met; an issued authorization key storage means for storing the issued authorization key; and a function implementation means for, when a request to implement a function is received from the operating terminal, if the authorization key presented from the operating terminal is stored in the issued authorization key storage means and the requested function can be implemented with the user authority of the authorization key, implementing the function; wherein the authorization key issuing means deletes the authorization key of the second user authority from the issued authorization key storage means when the ad hoc communication with the operating terminal is disconnected.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the functions that can be performed with the first user authority and the second user authority include a function to delete the authorization key of the first user authority from the issued authorization key storage means.

3. A communication system comprising an operation terminal and a communication device in which functions that can be implemented for each user authority including at least a first user authority and a second user authority are predetermined, wherein the communication device comprises: a communication means for ad hoc communication with the operation terminal; an issuance condition storage means for storing information indicating the issuance conditions of an authorization key for each user authority; an authorization key issuance means for issuing an authorization key when the issuance conditions are met; an issued authorization key storage means for storing the issued authorization key; and a function implementation means for, when a function implementation request is received from the operation terminal, if the authorization key presented from the operation terminal is stored in the issued authorization key storage means and the requested function can be implemented with the user authority of the authorization key, implementing the function; wherein the authorization key issuance means deletes the authorization key of the second user authority from the issued authorization key storage means when the ad hoc communication with the operation terminal is disconnected.

4. An authorization key management method in which a communications device has predetermined functions that can be performed for each user authority, including at least a first user authority and a second user authority, and is equipped with a communications means for ad hoc communication with an operating terminal and a storage means for storing information indicating the issuance conditions for an authorization key for each user authority, the communications device: issues an authorization key when the issuance conditions are met; stores the issued authorization key in the storage means; when a request to perform a function is received from the operating terminal, if the authorization key presented from the operating terminal is stored in the storage means and the requested function can be performed with the user authority of the authorization key, performs the function; and when the ad hoc communication with the operating terminal is disconnected, deletes the authorization key for the second user authority from the storage means.

Images