Verification system, server, and electronic instrument

Abstract

The verification system of this invention comprises an image forming apparatus 1 having verification function and a card reader 2 for reading a user ID from a card. The image forming apparatus 1 is capable of performing short-range radio communication with a portable instrument 3 . The portable instrument 3 receives a polling command transmitted by the image forming apparatus 1 and sends back its own identification code if it is located near the image forming apparatus 1 . The image forming apparatus 1 permits usage of all the functions thereof if it verifies that user is an officially permitted person according to user ID read by the card reader 2 and the identification code sent back from the portable instrument 3 . Consequently, there is provided a verification system having a high security level and convenient for use or a verification system which permits usage of its apparatus and other related devices within an appropriate range depending on the security level of a verified method.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A verification system consisting of an identification information receiving apparatus for receiving user's identification information, a server for receiving user's positioning information transmitted from an external instrument in a form of radio wave, and an electronic instrument, the verification system comprising: 
 a first verification section for verifying a user based on user's identification information that the identification information receiving apparatus has received;    a second verification section for verifying a user based on user's positioning information that the server has received from an external instrument; and    permission giving section for permitting a user to use the electronic instrument in case both a verification result of the first verification section and that of the second verification section are no problem.    
     
     
         2 . A verification system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic instrument is an image processing apparatus which has at least two of following items: a scanner that scans a document to obtain image data thereon; a printer that forms an image based on image data; and an image transmitting apparatus that transmits image data to other apparatus.  
     
     
         3 . A verification system according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification information receiving apparatus reads out user's identification information from a recording medium on which user's identification information are recorded in advance.  
     
     
         4 . A verification system according to  claim 1 , wherein the server is capable of receiving information from an external instrument in case the external instrument exists within a predetermined short range, and treats presence/absence of a response from the external instrument as positioning information that indicates presence/absence of the external instrument within the predetermined short range.  
     
     
         5 . A verification system according to  claim 1 , wherein the server makes use of a portable terminal carried by a user and receiving its positioning information through communication with outside as an external instrument, and receives positioning information that the portable terminal has received through communication with outside.  
     
     
         6 . A verification system according to  claim 4 , wherein the server makes use of a portable terminal carried by a user and receiving its positioning information through communication with outside as an external instrument, receives positioning information that the portable terminal has received through communication with outside, and treats presence/absence of a response from the portable terminal as positioning information that indicates presence/absence of the user within the predetermined short range.  
     
     
         7 . A verification system according to  claim 6 , wherein a response from a portable terminal used by the server is in a form of trigger automatically generated by the portable terminal while power is on.  
     
     
         8 . A server for receiving user's identification information and receiving user's positioning information transmitted from an external instrument in a form of radio wave, and determining to permit/not to permit the user to use an electronic instrument, the server comprising: 
 a first verification section for verifying a user based on obtained user's identification information;    a second verification section for verifying a user based on user's positioning information received from an external instrument; and    permission giving section for permitting a user to use an electronic instrument in case both a verification result of the first verification section and that of the second verification section are no problem.    
     
     
         9 . A server according to  claim 8 , wherein the server is capable of receiving information from an external instrument in case the external instrument exists within a predetermined short range, and treats presence/absence of a response from the external instrument as positioning information that indicates presence/absence of the external instrument within the predetermined short range.  
     
     
         10 . A server according to  claim 8 , wherein the server makes use of a portable terminal receiving its positioning information through communication with outside as an external instrument, and, receives positioning information that the portable terminal has received through communication with outside.  
     
     
         11 . An electronic instrument for receiving user's identification information and receiving user's positioning information transmitted from an external instrument in a form of radio wave, the electronic instrument comprising: 
 a first verification section for verifying a user based on obtained user's identification information;    a second verification section for verifying a user based on user's positioning information received from an external instrument; and    permission giving section for permitting a user to use the electronic instrument in case both a verification result of the first verification section and that of the second verification section are no problem.    
     
     
         12 . An electronic instrument according to  claim 11 , wherein the electronic instrument is an image processing apparatus which has at least two of following items: a scanner that scans a document to obtain image data thereon; a printer that forms an image based on image data; and an image transmitting apparatus that transmits image data to other apparatus.  
     
     
         13 . An electronic instrument according to  claim 11 , wherein the electronic instrument is capable of receiving information from an external instrument in case the external instrument exists within a predetermined short range, and treats presence/absence of a response from the external instrument as positioning information that indicates presence/absence of the external instrument within the predetermined short range.  
     
     
         14 . An electronic instrument according to  claim 11 , wherein the electronic instrument makes use of a portable terminal receiving its positioning information through communication with outside as an external instrument, and receives positioning information that the portable terminal has received through communication with outside.  
     
     
         15 . A verification method for a verification system consisting of an identification information receiving apparatus for receiving user's identification information, a server for receiving user's positioning information transmitted from an external instrument in a form of radio wave, and an electronic instrument, the verification method comprising: 
 a step to execute a first verification based on user's identification information that the identification information receiving apparatus has received;    a step to execute a second verification based on user's positioning information that the server has received from an external instrument; and    a step to permit a user to use the electronic instrument in case both a verification result of the first verification and that of the second verification are no problem.    
     
     
         16 . A verification method for an image processing apparatus having at least two of following items, a scanner that scans a document to obtain image data thereon, a printer that forms an image based on image data, and an image transmitting apparatus that transmits image data to other apparatus, the verification method comprising: 
 a step to obtain user's identification information and execute a first verification based on the user's identification information;    a step to obtain user's positioning information from an external instrument transmitting radio wave and execute a second verification based on the user's positioning information; and    a step to permit a user to use the image processing apparatus in case both a verification result of the first verification and that of the second verification are no problem.    
     
     
         17 . A verification system incorporating a first electronic instrument and a second electronic instrument both of which are permitted/not permitted to operate in accordance with two or more verification results based on two or more verification methods, 
 the verification system comprising a permission restricting section that restricts an operation permission for one of the first and second electronic instruments based on a single verification in accordance with either a first verification method or a second verification method in case an operation permission for other one of the first and second instruments has been made based on a double verification in accordance with both the first verification method and the second verification method,    wherein, under situation such that operation for the first electronic instrument has been permitted based on a single verification in accordance with either the first verification method or the second verification method, in case a double verification for the second electronic instrument is executed in accordance with both the first verification method and the second verification method including a verification content of which is same as the single verification by a first electronic instrument, the permission restricting section inhibits operation for the first electronic instrument.    
     
     
         18 . A verification system according to  claim 17 , wherein both the first electronic instrument and the second electronic instrument are image processing apparatuses each of which includes at least two of following items: a scanner that scans a document to obtain image data thereon; a printer that forms an image based on image data; and an image transmitting apparatus that transmits image data to other apparatus.  
     
     
         19 . A verification system according to  claim 17 , wherein a verification in accordance with a first verification method is executed by obtaining user's identification information.  
     
     
         20 . A verification system according to  claim 17 , wherein a verification in accordance with a second verification method is executed by obtaining a user's positioning information from a portable terminal carried by a user.  
     
     
         21 . A verification system according to  claim 20 , wherein user's positioning information from a portable terminal is obtained based on trigger automatically generated by the portable terminal while power is on.  
     
     
         22 . A verification system incorporating a first electronic instrument and second electronic instrument both of which are permitted/not permitted to operate in accordance with two or more verification methods, 
 the verification system comprising a permission restricting section that restricts an operation permission for one of the first and second electronic instruments based on a single verification in accordance with either a first verification method or a second verification method in case an operation permission for other one of the first and second instruments has been made based on a double verification in accordance with both the first verification method and the second verification method,    wherein, under situation such that operation for the first electronic instrument has been permitted based on a double verification in accordance with both the first verification method and the second verification method, in case a single verification for the second electronic instrument is executed in accordance with either the first verification method or the second verification method including a verification content of which is common to the verification for a first electronic instrument, the permission restricting section inhibits operation for the second electronic instrument.    
     
     
         23 . A verification system according to  claim 22 , wherein a verification in accordance with a first verification method is executed by obtaining user's identification information.  
     
     
         24 . A verification system according to  claim 22 , wherein a verification in accordance with a second verification method is executed by obtaining a user's positioning information from a portable terminal carried by a user.  
     
     
         25 . A verification system incorporating a first electronic instrument and second electronic instrument both of which are permitted/not permitted to operate in accordance with two or more verification methods, 
 the verification system comprising a permission restricting section that restricts an operation permission for one of the first and second electronic instruments based on a single verification in accordance with either a first verification method or a second verification method in case an operation permission for other one of the first and second instruments has been made based on a double verification in accordance with both the first verification method and the second verification method,    wherein, after an operation with a double verification in accordance with both the first verification method and the second verification method for the first electronic instrument finished, in case a single verification for the second electronic instrument in accordance with either the first verification method or the second verification method is made including a verification content common to verification for the first electronic apparatus, the permission restricting section determines to permit/not to permit the second apparatus to operate based on positioning information of the first and second electronic instruments and verification time information relating to the second electronic instrument.    
     
     
         26 . A verification apparatus comprising: 
 a first verification section for conducting verification in accordance with first verification method;    a second verification section for conducting verification in accordance with second verification method; and    an operation restricting section for restricting an operation based on verification results obtained by the first verification section and the second verification section,    wherein in case a single verification by either the first verification section or the second verification section is verified, the operation restricting section permits to operate with functions narrower than a case of an operation double verified by both the first verification section and the second verification section.    
     
     
         27 . An image processing apparatus having at least two of following items: a scanner that scans a document to obtain image data thereon; a printer that forms an image based on image data; and an image transmitting apparatus that transmits image data to other apparatus, 
 the image processing apparatus comprising: a first verification section for conducting verification in accordance with first verification method;    a second verification section for conducting verification in accordance with second verification method; and    an operation restricting section for restricting an operation based on verification results obtained by the first verification section and the second verification section,    wherein in case a single verification by either the first verification section or the second verification section is verified, the operation restricting section permits to operate with functions narrower than a case of an operation double verified by both the first verification section and the second verification section.    
     
     
         28 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein a verification in accordance with a first verification method is executed by obtaining user's identification information.  
     
     
         29 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein a verification in accordance with a second verification method is executed by obtaining a user's positioning information from a portable terminal carried by a user.  
     
     
         30 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein user's positioning information from a portable terminal is obtained based on trigger automatically generated by the portable terminal while power is on.  
     
     
         31 . An image forming apparatus for forming an image based on image data, the image forming apparatus comprising: 
 a first verification section for conducting verification in accordance with first verification method;    a second verification section for conducting verification in accordance with second verification method; and    an operation restricting section for restricting an operation based on verification results obtained by the first verification section and the second verification section,    wherein in case a single verification by either the first verification section or the second verification section is made, the operation restricting section inhibits at least one of following operations: 1-in-1 print; one-side print; print on unused paper; high-resolution print; multi-color print; plural numbers of print; and post processing after print.    
     
     
         32 . A server which is capable of communicating with a first verification section for conducting verification in accordance with first verification method and a second verification section for conducting verification in accordance with second verification method and, controls operation permission/inhibition of electronic instruments, the server comprising: 
 an operation restricting section for restricting an operation based on verification results of first verification method and second verification method,    wherein in case a single verification by first verification method or second verification method is verified, the operation restricting section permits to operate with functions narrower than a case of an operation double verified by both the first verification method and second verification method.    
     
     
         33 . A verification method for a verification system incorporating a first electronic instrument and a second electronic instrument both of which are permitted/not permitted to operate in accordance with two or more verification results based on two or more verification methods, 
 wherein, under situation such that operation for the first electronic instrument has been permitted based on a single verification in accordance with either the first verification method or the second verification method, in case a double verification for the second electronic instrument is executed in accordance with both the first verification method and the second verification method including a verification content of which is same as the single verification by a first electronic instrument, operation for the first electronic instrument is inhibited.    
     
     
         34 . A verification method for a verification system incorporating a first electronic instrument and a second electronic instrument both of which are permitted/not permitted to operate in accordance with two or more verification results based on two or more verification methods, 
 wherein, under situation such that operation for the first electronic instrument has been permitted based on a double verification in accordance with both the first verification method and the second verification method, in case a single verification for the second electronic instrument is executed in accordance with either the first verification method or the second verification method including a verification content of which is common to the verification for a first electronic instrument, operation for the second electronic instrument is inhibited.    
     
     
         35 . A verification method using a first verification method and a second verification method, wherein in case a single verification in accordance with either the first verification method or the second verification method is made, operation with functions narrower than a case of an operation double verified by both the first verification method and the second verification method is permitted.