Authorization device that grants authority to guest users

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10409969-B2
Application number	US-201815976018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2018
Priority date	May 11, 2017
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

The image forming apparatus is an authorization device that gives authority to use of the image forming apparatus. To the host user, the authority to use of the image forming apparatus is given. The image forming apparatus evaluates depth of a relationship between a host user and a guest user different from the host user, on a service used by a plurality of users. Based on the evaluation results, the image forming apparatus gives the authority to use of the image forming apparatus to the guest user. This makes it possible to provide an authorization device capable of improving convenience while securing security.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An authorization device comprising a hardware processor, to grant authority wherein
the hardware processor evaluates a depth of a social relationship on a social networking service used by a plurality of users, between a host user to whom an authority for using a device was given and a guest user different from the host user,
wherein the depth of the social relationship is determined based on a type of relationship defined on the social network service and at least one of a number of mutual friends, and interactions between the host user and guest user, and
the hardware processor grants an authority to the guest user to use the device, based on the evaluation result, wherein the authority granted to the guest user is the same authority given to the host user.

2. The authorization device according to claim 1 , wherein
the hardware processor evaluates that the relationship between the host user and the guest user on the service is deep, when the host user and the guest user have a predetermined cooperative relationship on the service.

3. The authorization device according to claim 1 , wherein
the hardware processor evaluates that the relationship between the host user and the guest user on the service is deep, when the host user and the guest user have exchanged messages on the service.

4. The authorization device according to claim 1 , wherein
the hardware processor evaluates presence or absence of a predetermined behavior on the service of the guest user,
the hardware processor does not grant the authority to the guest user irrespective of the evaluation result of the depth of relationship, if it is evaluated that there is the predetermined behavior on the service of the guest user, and
the hardware processor grants the authority to the guest user based on the evaluation result of the depth of relationship, if it is evaluated that there is not the predetermined behavior on the service of the guest user.

5. The authorization device according to claim 4 , wherein
the hardware processor evaluates that there is a predetermined behavior on the service of the guest user, when the guest user has exchanged a message with a predetermined user on the service.

6. The authorization device according to claim 4 , wherein
the hardware processor evaluates that there is a predetermined behavior on the service of the guest user, when the guest user is participating in a predetermined group on the service.

7. The authorization device according to claim 4 , wherein
the hardware processor evaluates that there is a predetermined behavior on the service of the guest user, when the guest user discloses a predetermined keyword on the service.

8. The authorization device according to claim 4 , wherein
the hardware processor evaluates that there is a predetermined behavior on the service of the guest user, when the guest user does not follow predetermined security policy on the service.

9. The authorization device according to claim 1 , wherein
there are a plurality of host users evaluated that the relationship with the guest user on the service is deep, and
the hardware processor determines the authority granted to the guest user, based on an authority assigned to the host user having the greatest relation to the guest user among the plurality of host users, when granting an authority to the guest user based on the evaluation result of the depth of relationship.

10. The authorization device according to claim 9 , further comprising
an order storing unit for storing depth order of the relationship between each of the plurality of host users and the guest user, wherein
the hardware processor corrects the authority granted to the guest user, based on the authority assigned to the host user who is second in the order stored in the order storing unit, in a case where the host user who is most closely related to the guest user has lost the granted authority after granting the authority to the guest user.

11. The authorization device according to claim 1 , wherein
there are a plurality of host users evaluated that the relationship with the guest user on the service is deep, and
the hardware processor determines the authority granted to the guest user, based on the authority of the host user who is granted the most authority among the plurality of host users, when granting an authority to the guest user based on the evaluation result of the depth of relationship.

12. The authorization device according to claim 1 , wherein
there are a plurality of host users evaluated that the relationship with the guest user on the service is deep, and
the hardware processor determines the authority granted to the guest user, based on authority commonly assigned to all of the plurality of the host users, when granting an authority to the guest user based on the evaluation result of the depth of relationship.

13. The authorization device according to claim 1 , wherein
the hardware processor can evaluate the depth of the relationship between the host user and the guest user on each of a plurality of services.

14. The authorization device according to claim 1 , wherein
the hardware processor accepts input of information of an account of the guest user in the service,
the hardware processor acquires information registered in the service of the guest user from a server by transmitting the information of the account to the server that provides the service, and
the hardware processor evaluates the depth of the relationship between the host user and the guest user on the service, based on the information acquired.

15. The authorization device according to claim 14 , wherein
the hardware processor acquires information registered in the service of the guest user from the server, by transmitting the information of the account to the server providing the service, after granting the authority to the guest user, and
the hardware processor corrects the evaluation result of the relationship depth, based on the acquired information.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a controlling program for an authorization device to grant authority, wherein the program causes a computer to execute the steps of:
evaluating depth of a social relationship on a social networking service used by a plurality of users, between a host user to whom an authority for using a device is given and a guest user different from the host user,
wherein the depth of the social relationship is determined based on a type of relationship defined on the social networking service, and at least one of a number of mutual friends, and interactions between the host user and guest user, and
granting an authority to the guest user to use the device, based on the evaluation result, wherein the authority granted to the guest user is the same authority given to the host user.

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Hase Junichi
• Asai Yuki

Classifications

• G06F3/1204

  resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data · CPC title

• H04L67/10

  in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) · CPC title

• G06F3/1285

  Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server · CPC title

• G06F21/31 Primary

  User authentication · CPC title

• G06F3/1238 Primary

  Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs · CPC title