JP2008152757A - Authentication method and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that authentication cannot be completed by one key input operation in an authentication method by key input. <P>SOLUTION: In a key input authentication method, a plurality of keys simultaneously depressed are input for a user name or a password. Certain full keyboard usually used in a PC allows roll-over of a plurality of keys (simultaneous key input), authentication is carried out on the PC by using the full keyboard. Alternatively, a keyboard dedicated for simultaneous input of a plurality of keys may be used. A plurality of keys are displayed in an input panel position of an image forming apparatus, and a plurality of keys simultaneously input are used for user authentication or authentication for output of print data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  An authentication method related to a technique for performing authentication easily in a short time in an authentication method by key input.

  When performing conventional authentication, a method of performing key input of a predetermined password (refer to Patent Document 1), a method of using face data (refer to Patent Document 2), or a key input for inputting a password. There was a method of checking the timing in addition to the ID and password (see Patent Document 3).

  However, the method of Patent Document 1 has a problem that it takes time and trouble to input keys sequentially. The method of Patent Document 2 requires dedicated hardware for reading face data. The method of Patent Document 3 requires a certain amount of key input in order to use the key timing as collation data, and has a problem that the key input is more complicated and time-consuming than the method of Patent Document 1.

  In any of the above prior arts, password input cannot be performed by a single key input operation. Although it is possible to perform authentication by inputting a single character key, there is no choice but to secure safety.

  There has been a method of reading a fingerprint when an input key is pressed and using a password, a fingerprint and a finger information when inputting the password as authentication data (see Patent Document 4). Combining this method with a method in which a password is entered with a single key input makes it possible to perform faster and more secure authentication, but there is no such method.

JP-A-4-329730 JP 2002-132733 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-3454 JP 2006-85559 A

  The problem to be solved is that in the authentication method based on key input, it is not possible to perform authentication that ensures safety by a single key input operation.

  The authentication method of the present invention includes a simultaneous pressing step of simultaneously pressing a plurality of predetermined keys in an authentication method for performing authentication by comparing input authentication information by key input with recorded authentication information recorded in advance, The main feature is that simultaneous input information input in the simultaneous pressing step is at least a part of the input authentication information.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an input unit capable of simultaneous input of a plurality of keys and the pre-recording in an image forming apparatus that performs authentication by comparing input authentication information by key input with pre-recorded record authentication information. An authentication information holding unit that holds the recorded authentication information, and a user authentication unit that collates simultaneously input information of a plurality of keys simultaneously input from the input unit with the recorded authentication information as at least a part of the input authentication information. Having the most important feature.

  The authentication method of the present invention includes a simultaneous pressing step of simultaneously pressing a plurality of predetermined keys in an authentication method for performing authentication by comparing input authentication information by key input with recorded authentication information recorded in advance, Since the most important feature is that the simultaneous input information input by the simultaneous pressing step is at least a part of the input authentication information, it is possible to perform authentication while ensuring safety by a single key input operation. became.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an input unit capable of simultaneous input of a plurality of keys and the pre-recording in an image forming apparatus that performs authentication by comparing input authentication information by key input with pre-recorded record authentication information. An authentication information holding unit that holds the recorded authentication information, and a user authentication unit that collates simultaneously input information of a plurality of keys simultaneously input from the input unit with the recorded authentication information as at least a part of the input authentication information. Because it has the most important feature, it has become possible to perform authentication that ensures safety by a single key input operation.

  Using a keyboard that can input multiple keys at the same time, information obtained by simultaneously pressing multiple keys is used as authentication information.

[Constitution]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and a diagram of print data exchange with a PC (Personal Computer).

  The image forming apparatus 101 includes an interface 111, an authentication information holding unit 113, a control recording unit 115, a printing unit 117, a user authentication unit 119, and a touch panel 121 (input unit).

  The interface 111 is responsible for exchanging signals with the PC 201.

  The authentication information holding unit 113 records and holds user information, a plurality of key input data for authentication, and fingerprint information.

  The control recording unit 115 controls each functional block of the image forming apparatus 101 and records print data.

  The printing unit 117 performs printing.

  The user authentication unit 119 authenticates the user by collating the user's multiple key input data held by the authentication information holding unit 113 with the multiple input keys input on the touch panel 121. Further, the plurality of input key data added to the print data and the plurality of input keys input on the touch panel 121 are collated to authenticate whether the user who intends to output the print data is a valid user. Furthermore, it is possible to authenticate by adding information of the fingerprint reading unit of the touch panel unit.

  The touch panel 121 functions as an input unit and accepts input of a plurality of keys from a user for user authentication and confirmation of the validity of an output person of print data.

  The fingerprint reading unit 123 identifies which finger has pressed the key from the fingerprint information of each key pressed by a two-dimensional sensor attached to the upper surface of the touch panel unit that accepts key input.

[User authentication operation, print data authentication operation]
The image forming apparatus 101 holds user information in association with data of a plurality of input keys (including fingerprint information) in the authentication information holding unit 113, and when the user uses the image forming apparatus, as shown in FIG. Numeric keys are displayed on the touch panel unit, and user authentication is performed by simultaneously pressing the plurality of keys.

  When sending print data from the PC 201, the print data is transmitted together with data of a plurality of input keys (S1), and the image forming apparatus 101 that has received the data holds the print data in the control recording unit 115, The multi-input key data is held by the authentication holding unit 113, and the user inputs a plurality of keys from the touch panel 121. The user authentication unit 119 is attached to the input multi-key data and the print data recorded by the authentication information holding unit. Whether or not the plurality of input key data is the same is collated, and if they are the same, the print data is transferred to the printing unit 117 for printing (S2).

  The fingerprint reading unit 123 reads the fingerprint when each key is pressed, identifies the finger, and verifies whether the combination of the key and the finger set in the pre-recorded record authentication information matches. As a result, the security of authentication can be further increased.

[Effect of Example]
The image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention can quickly perform user authentication and print data authentication by a simple method of simultaneous input of a plurality of keys.

  Furthermore, the security is improved by performing fingerprint authentication of the pressed key to identify the finger.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram when authentication is performed using the full keyboard according to the second embodiment related to the authentication method of the present invention.

  In general, a full keyboard connected to a PC or the like can be rolled over (simultaneous key input). Since ten human fingers are used, 10 keys can be simultaneously input by the authentication method of the present invention by using a keyboard capable of 10 rollover.

  If the number of rollovers is less than 10 due to keyboard limitations, a plurality of key inputs corresponding to the number of hardware rollovers are used.

  The security of authentication can be improved by combining not only a single simultaneous key input but also a method of performing different simultaneous key inputs a plurality of times or a normal sequential key input.

  Furthermore, a fingerprint reading unit 123 using a two-dimensional sensor is attached to the upper surface of each key (the surface on which the finger comes into contact), and the fingerprint when the key is pressed is read by the fingerprint reading unit 123 to identify the finger and recorded in advance. The security of authentication can be further improved by checking whether the combination of the key and the finger set in the recorded authentication information matches.

[Effect of Example]
By using this method, which is not used in general, which is the simultaneous input of multiple keys, a malicious password attacker cannot come up with the method of multiple simultaneous key input, and the security of authentication is It has risen.

  The security of authentication is further enhanced by identifying the finger by collating fingerprint information read by the fingerprint reading unit 123 attached to the upper surface of each key.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an image forming apparatus and a diagram of data exchange with a PC (first embodiment). (Example 1) at the time of implementation of the several key input by a ten keyboard. (Example 2) at the time of implementation of the several key input by a full keyboard.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Image forming apparatus 111 Interface 113 Authentication information holding part 115 Control recording part 117 Printing part 119 User authentication part 121 Touch panel (input part)
123 Fingerprint reader 201 PC (Personal Computer)
301 Print data

Claims (8)

In an authentication method for performing authentication by comparing input authentication information by key input with recorded authentication information recorded in advance,
A simultaneous pressing step of simultaneously pressing a plurality of predetermined keys;
The simultaneous input information input by the simultaneous pressing step is used as at least part of the input authentication information. The authentication method according to claim 1, comprising:
The simultaneous pressing step includes a plurality of steps. The authentication method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising:
A sequential pressing step of sequentially inputting a predetermined character string with keys;
The authentication method, wherein the input authentication information includes the sequential input information input in the sequential pressing step. The authentication method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The key includes fingerprint reading means for reading a fingerprint,
The simultaneous input authentication information includes fingerprint information of each key read by the fingerprint reading means. In an image forming apparatus that performs authentication by comparing input authentication information by key input with pre-recorded authentication information,
An input unit that allows simultaneous input of multiple keys;
An authentication information holding unit for holding the recorded authentication information recorded in advance;
A user authentication unit that collates simultaneously input information of a plurality of keys simultaneously input from the input unit with the recording authentication information as at least a part of the input authentication information;
An image forming apparatus comprising: The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
The input unit can sequentially input a plurality of keys,
Sequential input information of a plurality of keys sequentially input from the input unit is included in the input authentication information.
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:
The authentication information holding unit holds the recording authentication information included in the print data;
The image forming apparatus, wherein the user authentication unit permits printing of the print data when the input authentication information input from the input unit matches the recording authentication information. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7,
The key includes a fingerprint reading unit for reading a fingerprint,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the simultaneous input authentication information includes fingerprint information of each key read by the fingerprint reading unit.

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