JP2011156761A - Notebook cover with locking function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure security against information leakage without impairing convenience of a paper notebook. <P>SOLUTION: The notebook cover with a locking function includes: a locking mechanism 110 which connects a face on the front cover 200 side and a face on the back cover 400 side so that the notebook 5 can not be opened; a locking state controller 1124 which electrically controls the locking state of the locking mechanism 110; an authentication information storing part 1122 for storing authentication information; and an authentication-object information acquiring part 1123 for acquiring authentication-object information to be collated with authentication information. The locking state controller 1124 collates the authentication-object information with the authentication information input from the authentication information storing part 1122 and, in accordance with the result of the collation, controls the locking state of the locking mechanism 110. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a notebook cover with a locking function, and more particularly to a technique for ensuring security against information leakage without impairing the convenience of a paper notebook.

  Due to the convenience of not having to worry about running out of batteries and having to learn complicated operations, there are still many people who regularly use paper notebooks for schedule management, etc., as the computerization continues. However, since the paper notebook is not provided with any countermeasure against the leakage of the written contents, ensuring safety in the case of loss or theft is a problem.

  For example, Patent Document 1 includes a cover that closes an opening of a case, locks the cover in a closed state, and fingerprints on the surface of the case or the cover. A case with a fingerprint authentication type key that performs fingerprint authentication by pattern recognition by collating with a user's fingerprint registered in advance based on the input fingerprint is disclosed.

JP 2003-74239 A

  The case with a fingerprint authentication type key described in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which the notebook is completely accommodated in the case, and the notebook has to be taken in and out of the case every time when the notebook is used. Further, when the paper notebook is taken out of the case, the case is separated from the notebook, so the case needs to be managed separately from the notebook. In addition, since the case must be managed separately, the probability of losing the case increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and an object thereof is to provide a notebook cover with a locking function capable of ensuring security against information leakage without impairing the convenience of a paper notebook.

One of the present invention for solving the above problems is
A notebook cover with a locking function that is used by attaching to a notebook,
A locking mechanism that combines the front cover side and the back cover side so that the notebook cannot be opened;
A locking state control unit for electrically controlling the locking state of the locking mechanism;
An authentication information storage unit for storing authentication information;
A to-be-authenticated information acquisition unit for acquiring the to-be-authenticated information to be verified with the authentication information
With
The lock state control unit compares the authentication information with the authentication information input from the authentication information storage unit, and controls the lock state of the lock mechanism according to the result of the check.

  As described above, in the present invention, the notebook cover that protects or decorates the paper notebook is provided with the locking mechanism that can control the locked state by inputting the authentication information such as fingerprint information. Security against information leakage can be ensured without impairing performance. Moreover, since it is a notebook cover, unlike the case described in Patent Document 1, it is not separated from the notebook when using the notebook, and is less likely to be lost.

  Another one of the present invention is the above notebook cover, comprising a radio signal transmitting unit configured to transmit a radio signal including an identifier set for each notebook cover and set to a predetermined transmission electric field strength. And

  For example, a device that outputs a warning (message, warning sound, etc.) to the owner of a notebook when it detects that the reception intensity of a wireless signal is below a preset threshold (for example, a mobile phone has such a function) ) Can be reliably prevented from being lost or stolen. Further, by including the identifier in the radio signal, it is possible to prevent malfunctions that may occur when a plurality of persons use the notebook cover at the same time.

  Another one of the present invention is the above notebook cover, which is a warning sound output unit for outputting a warning sound, a wireless signal receiving unit for receiving a specific wireless signal sent from the outside, and the wireless A signal strength measuring unit for measuring the electric field strength of the signal, and a warning sound from the warning sound output unit when the electric field strength of the radio signal measured by the signal strength measuring unit is less than or equal to a preset value. It is assumed that a notification control unit for outputting is provided.

  According to the present invention, for example, by allowing the owner of the notebook to carry the device that transmits the wireless signal to be received by the wireless signal receiving unit (for example, the mobile phone has such a function), Loss or theft can be reliably prevented.

  Another one of the present invention is the above notebook cover, which includes an IC card reading mechanism, and the authentication information storage unit acquires the authentication information from the IC card via the reading mechanism. Thus, if the information on the IC card can be used as authentication information (authenticated information), the convenience for the user can be further improved.

  Another one of the present invention is the above notebook cover, comprising an operation input unit that receives a user's operation input, and the authentication information storage unit receives the authentication information from the user via the operation input unit. get. In this way, authentication information (authenticated information) may be acquired from the user via the operation input unit.

  In addition, the subject which this application discloses, and its solution method are clarified by the column of the form for inventing, and drawing.

 According to the present invention, security against information leakage can be ensured without impairing the convenience of a paper notebook.

1 is an external view of a notebook cover 100. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a notebook cover 100. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an authentication device 112. FIG. It is a figure which shows the function with which the authentication apparatus 112 is provided. It is a flowchart explaining authentication information registration process S400. It is a flowchart explaining authentication process S500.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show a configuration of a notebook cover 100 that is used by being mounted on a paper notebook 5 described as an embodiment. 1A shows the appearance of the notebook cover 100, and FIG. 1B shows a more detailed configuration of the notebook cover. The notebook cover 100 is made of a sheet-like material such as cloth or resin.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the notebook cover 100 includes a locking mechanism 110, a front cover 200, a back cover 300, a back cover 400, a substantially rectangular belt 500, and a fingerprint information acquisition device 120 (operation input unit). . On the back surface of the front cover 200, a sleeve 201 to which the front cover of the notebook 5 is attached is provided. A sleeve 401 on which the back cover of the notebook 5 is mounted is provided on the back surface of the back cover 400.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the locking mechanism 110 includes a first connecting portion 110 (1) provided on the back surface side of the belt 500 and a second connecting portion 110 (2) provided on the front surface side of the front cover 200. ). The locking mechanism 110 joins the front cover side surface and the back cover side surface of the notebook 5 so that the notebook 5 cannot be opened and the contents of the notebook 5 can be looked into when the notebook 5 is closed. . More specifically, the locking mechanism 110 is a mechanical mechanism that can electrically control the locked state from the outside. For example, the locking mechanism 110 has a key-like portion on the first connecting portion 110 (1) side, and is connected to the second connecting portion. There is a key receiving part on the part 110 (2) side.

  The fingerprint information acquisition device 120 optically reads a user's fingerprint, converts the read information into a digital signal, and outputs the digital signal. The fingerprint information acquisition device 120 is provided at a position where the user can easily operate, for example, the front cover 200, the back cover 400, and the belt 500. In this embodiment, fingerprint authentication is used as a user authentication method. However, the authentication method may use another biometric authentication technique such as a palm shape, a retina, an iris, a blood vessel, or a voiceprint. The authentication method may be other than biometric authentication, such as a method using a user ID or password acquired from a keyboard or mouse, a method using personal information read from an IC card, or the like.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1B, the notebook cover 100 includes a secondary battery 131, a solar battery 132 (power generation device), an auxiliary battery 133, an output device 125, and an authentication device 112. These are configured by using, for example, a thin element or a circuit board, and are provided at a predetermined position on the surface or inside of the notebook cover 100 by bonding or sewing.

  As shown in the figure, the authentication device 112 is connected to the fingerprint information acquisition device 120, the first connection unit 110 (1), and the output device 125 via signal lines 141 to 143. Power supply for receiving the driving power from the secondary battery 131, the solar battery 132, or the auxiliary battery 133 to the authentication device 112, the fingerprint information acquisition device 120, the output device 125, and the first connection unit 110 (1). A line (not shown) is connected.

  The secondary battery 131 stores the electric power generated by the solar battery 132. The auxiliary battery 133 replaces the solar battery 132 when the power supplied to the solar battery 132 or the secondary battery 131 is insufficient, the authentication device 112, the fingerprint information acquisition device 120, the output device 125, and the first connection unit 110 (1 ) Is supplied with driving power. The output device 125 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL panel, a speaker, a vibrator, or the like.

  FIG. 2 shows a hardware configuration of the authentication device 112. The authentication device 112 controls the locking state of the locking mechanism 110 based on information input from the fingerprint information acquisition device 120. As shown in the figure, the authentication device 112 includes a processor 51, a memory 52, and a communication device 53. Among these, the processor 51 is configured using a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or the like. The memory 52 is configured using a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory). The communication device 53 communicates with the fingerprint information acquisition device 120 and the first connection unit 110 (1).

  FIG. 3 shows functions provided in the authentication device 112. As shown in the figure, the authentication device 112 includes functions of an authentication information registration unit 1121, an authentication information storage unit 1122, an authenticated information acquisition unit 1123, and a lock state control unit 1124. These functions are realized by the processor 51 reading and executing a program stored in the memory 52.

  The authentication information registration unit 1121 acquires authentication information input from the fingerprint information acquisition device 120 and stores it in the authentication information storage unit 1122. The authentication information is pre-registration information, and the user registers the authentication information in the notebook cover 100 in advance before the use of the notebook cover 100 is started. The authentication information storage unit 1122 stores the authentication information acquired by the authentication information registration unit 1121.

  The to-be-authenticated information acquisition unit 1123 monitors in real time whether or not the fingerprint information is input from the fingerprint information acquisition device 120, and the fingerprint information is input (for example, the optical reading portion of the fingerprint information acquisition device 120 is touched). Authenticated information is acquired when detected.

  The lock state control unit 1124 collates the authentication information acquired by the authenticated information acquisition unit 1123 with the authentication information registered in advance and stored in the authentication information storage unit 1122, and the locking mechanism 110 according to the result of the verification. Controls the locked state of.

= Description of processing =
<Registration of authentication information>
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a process (hereinafter referred to as an authentication information registration process S400) performed by the authentication device 112 when the user who uses the notebook cover 100 performs the above-described pre-registration. As shown in the figure, the authentication information registration unit 1121 first acquires authentication information from the fingerprint information acquisition device 120 (S401), and stores the authentication information in the authentication information storage unit 1122 (S402). This completes pre-registration.

<Control of locking / unlocking>
The user attaches the notebook cover 100 in which the authentication information is pre-registered to the paper notebook 5, puts the finger on the optical reading portion of the fingerprint information acquisition device 120, and inputs the fingerprint information (authenticated information). The locking state (locking / unlocking) of the locking mechanism 110 is operated.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining processing (hereinafter referred to as authentication processing S500) performed by the authentication device 112 when the user changes the locking state of the locking mechanism 110. The authentication process S500 will be described below with reference to FIG.

  The to-be-authenticated information acquisition unit 1123 monitors in real time whether or not the fingerprint information is input from the fingerprint information acquisition device 120 (S501). When the authentication information acquisition unit 1123 detects the input of fingerprint information, the authentication information acquisition unit 1123 acquires the input fingerprint information as authentication information and inputs it to the lock state control unit 1124 (S502).

  The lock state control unit 1124 collates the input authentication target information with the authentication information stored in the authentication information storage unit 1122 (S503). If the verification is successful (authenticated information = authentication information) (S503: YES), the process proceeds to S505. If the verification fails (authenticated information ≠ authentication information) (S503: NO), the lock state control unit 1124 outputs information (error message, warning sound, etc.) indicating that the authentication has failed from the output device 125 ( S504), and then returns to S501.

  In step S <b> 505, the locking state control unit 1124 determines whether the current locking state of the locking mechanism 110 is “locked” or “unlocked”. This determination is performed, for example, by storing the changed locking state in the memory 52 when the locking state is changed and acquiring the contents at the time of the determination. If the current locked state is “locked” (S505: locked), the process proceeds to S506, and if it is “unlocked” (S505: unlocked), the process proceeds to S507.

  In S <b> 506, the locking state control unit 1124 changes the locking state of the locking mechanism 110 to “unlocked”, and then proceeds to S <b> 508. On the other hand, in S507, the locking state control unit 1124 changes the locking state of the locking mechanism 110 to “locking”, and then proceeds to S508.

  In S508, the locking state control unit 1124 outputs information indicating that the locking state has been changed (message or control sound indicating that the locking state has been changed) from the output device 125, and then returns to S501.

  As described above, according to the notebook cover 100 of the present embodiment, the locked state can be controlled by a simple operation of inputting authentication information such as fingerprint information, and the user can open the notebook 5. It is possible to easily change between a state where it can be opened and a state where it cannot be opened. For this reason, security against information leakage can be ensured without impairing the original convenience of the paper notebook 5. Further, the notebook cover 100 of the present embodiment can be used only by being attached to the paper notebook 5, and even when the notebook 5 is used, it is not separated from the notebook 5, so there is little possibility of loss or the like.

  By the way, the embodiment described above is for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. The present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and the present invention includes the equivalents thereof.

  For example, the notebook cover 100 is provided with a wireless communication device (hereinafter referred to as a first wireless communication device), and the wireless communication device (hereinafter referred to as a second wireless communication device) separately possessed by the first wireless communication device and the user. When the second wireless communication apparatus detects that the received electric field strength of the wireless signal from the first wireless communication apparatus is equal to or lower than a preset threshold, a warning (message) Or a warning sound or the like may be output. If the function of the second wireless communication device is mounted on, for example, a mobile phone, it is convenient that there is no need to have a dedicated device separately.

  Further, by reversing the transmission / reception relationship with the above configuration, the first wireless communication device detects that the reception strength of the wireless signal from the second wireless communication device is equal to or lower than a preset threshold value, and outputs the output device 125. A warning (a message, a warning sound, etc.) may be output. In this way, loss or theft of the notebook 5 can be reliably prevented. In addition, misplacement of the notebook 5 can be prevented.

  Further, if a user interface for adjusting the signal strength (transmission electric field strength) of the wireless signal is provided in the first wireless communication device or the second wireless communication device, the distance that the user wants to be notified of the warning (notebook) The distance between the cover 100 and itself can be arbitrarily set. In addition, if an identifier for each notebook cover 100 is included in the radio signal so that the notebook cover 100 can be specified, malfunction can be reliably prevented even when a plurality of persons use the notebook cover 100 in close proximity. it can. A communication mechanism between the IC tag and its reader device may be used as a wireless communication mechanism between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device.

  In the embodiment described above, biometric information or the like is used as authentication information (or information to be authenticated). For example, an IC card (cash card, credit card, electronic money, commuter pass, etc.) is read on the notebook cover 100. A device may be provided so that authentication target information recorded on the IC card is read by a reading device, and the read authentication target information may be compared and verified with authentication information stored in the memory 52 in advance. In this case, information (balance, receipt / collection history, boarding history, etc.) recorded on the IC card may be appropriately referred to via the hardware provided in the notebook cover 100. In this way, various functions can be integrated into the notebook cover 100 and utilized for multiple purposes, and user convenience can be further improved.

  The configuration of the locking mechanism 110 is not limited to that described above. For example, it is possible to employ a mechanism in which the first connecting portion 110 (1) and the second connecting portion 110 (2) are firmly coupled using the action of an electromagnet.

  Further, in order to prevent a third party from forcing the notebook cover 100 and peeking at the notebook 5 from the side, a frame made of a material having high rigidity is provided on the periphery of the front cover 200, the back cover 300, and the back cover 400. A mechanism for preventing peeping may be provided.

  A wireless communication device that can be connected to a public wireless communication line is provided in the notebook cover 100, and when a verification failure (S503: NO in FIG. 5) is continuously performed a plurality of times, a signal or message (e-mail) indicating that fact Etc.) may be transmitted to a preset destination. By doing so, it is possible to notify the owner of the notebook 5 that a third party is performing an illegal operation on the notebook cover 100 when it is lost. In this case, for example, if the identifier of the base station of the public wireless communication line that has received the radio signal from the notebook cover 100 is added to the notification signal, the user can specify the location of the lost notebook cover 100. it can.

5 Notebook 51 Processor 52 Memory 53 Communication Device 100 Notebook Cover 110 Locking Mechanism 110 (1) First Link 110 (2) Second Link 112 Authentication Device 120 Fingerprint Information Acquisition Device 125 Output Device 131 Secondary Battery 132 Solar Cell 133 Auxiliary batteries 141 to 143 Signal line 200 Front cover 201 Sleeve 300 Back cover 400 Back cover 401 Sleeve 500 Belt 1121 Authentication information registration unit 1122 Authentication information storage unit 1123 Authentication information acquisition unit 1124 Locked state control unit

Claims (5)

A notebook cover with a locking function that is used by attaching to a notebook,
A locking mechanism that combines the front cover side and the back cover side so that the notebook cannot be opened;
A locking state control unit for electrically controlling the locking state of the locking mechanism;
An authentication information storage unit for storing authentication information;
A to-be-authenticated information acquisition unit for acquiring the to-be-authenticated information to be verified with the authentication information;
With
The locking state control unit compares the authentication target information with the authentication information input from the authentication information storage unit, and controls the locking state of the locking mechanism according to a result of the comparison. Notebook cover with locking function. A notebook cover with a locking function according to claim 1,
A notebook cover with a locking function, comprising: a radio signal transmitting unit configured to transmit a radio signal including an identifier assigned to each notebook cover, set to a predetermined transmission electric field strength. A notebook cover with a locking function according to claim 1,
A warning sound output unit for outputting a warning sound;
A radio signal receiver that receives a specific radio signal sent from the outside;
A signal strength measuring unit for measuring the electric field strength of the radio signal;
A notification control unit that outputs a warning sound from the warning sound output unit when the electric field strength of the wireless signal measured by the signal strength measurement unit is equal to or lower than a preset value. Notebook cover with locking function. A notebook cover with a locking function according to claim 1,
Equipped with IC card reading mechanism,
The said authentication information storage part acquires the said authentication information from an IC card via the said reading mechanism. The notebook cover with a locking function characterized by the above-mentioned. A notebook cover with a locking function according to claim 1,
An operation input unit that receives user input is provided.
The said authentication information memory | storage part acquires the said authentication information from a user via the said operation input part. The notebook cover with a locking function characterized by the above-mentioned.

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