Server Apparatus and Communication System Comprising Server Apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017093583-A1
Application number	US-201615198348-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 30, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Mar 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A server apparatus receives unique information, encrypted information and user information from an information processing apparatus via a network interface, the unique information being information which is uniquely assigned to an image processing apparatus, the encrypted information being information into which the unique information is encrypted using a first key, and the user information being information related to a user of the image processing apparatus; decrypts the received encrypted information using a second key corresponding to the first key so as to obtain decrypted information; determines whether the decrypted information and the received unique information represent same information; and stores, in the memory, the received user information and the received unique information in association in a case where it is determined that the decrypted information and the received unique information represent the same information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A server apparatus comprising:
a network interface configured to execute a communication with an information processing apparatus and an image processing apparatus; a processor; and a memory storing computer-readable instructions therein, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the server apparatus to perform: receiving unique information, encrypted information and user information from the information processing apparatus via the network interface, the unique information being information which is uniquely assigned to the image processing apparatus, the encrypted information being information into which the unique information is encrypted using a first key, and the user information being information related to a user of the image processing apparatus; decrypting the received encrypted information using a second key corresponding to the first key so as to obtain decrypted information; determining whether the decrypted information and the received unique information represent same information; and storing, in the memory, the received user information and the received unique information in association in a case where it is determined that the decrypted information and the received unique information represent the same information.

2 . The server apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the server apparatus to further perform: sending the received encrypted information to the information processing apparatus in a case where it is determined that the decrypted information and the received unique information do not represent the same information.

3 . The server apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein
the first key is a secret key, and the second key is a public key.

4 . The server apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein
the first key and the second key are common keys.

5 . The server apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the server apparatus to further perform: receiving the unique information from the image processing apparatus via the network interface in response to satisfaction of a predetermined condition; determining whether same information as the unique information received from the image processing apparatus is stored in the memory; and receiving target information from the image processing apparatus via the network interface in a case where it is determined that the same information as the unique information received from the image processing apparatus is stored in the memory, the target information being information indicating a status of the image processing apparatus.

6 . The server apparatus as in claim 5 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the server apparatus to further perform in a case where it is determined that the same information as the unique information received from the image processing apparatus is not stored in the memory, sending, to the image processing apparatus, information indicating that the same information as the unique information received from the image processing apparatus is not stored in the memory.

7 . The server apparatus as in claim 5 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the server apparatus to further perform executing a target process in accordance with the received target information.

8 . The server apparatus as in claim 7 , wherein
the target information is information indicating a remaining quantity of a consumable item with which the image processing apparatus is provided, and the target process is sending, to an external apparatus, information for instructing the user to order the consumable item.

9 . The server apparatus as in claim 5 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the server apparatus to further perform sending an access token to the image processing apparatus in the case where it is determined that the same information as the unique information received from the image processing apparatus is stored in the memory, and the target information is sent from the image processing apparatus based on the sent access token.

10 . The server apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein
the memory is configured to store the first key, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the server apparatus to further perform: receiving the unique information and an electronic certificate via the network interface from the image processing apparatus, the electronic certificate being information stored in the image processing apparatus by a manufacturer of the image processing apparatus and information for certificating that the image processing apparatus is provided by the manufacturer, encrypting the received unique information into the encrypted information using the first key in response to receiving the unique information and the electronic certificate; and sending the encrypted information to the image processing apparatus via the network interface.

11 . A server apparatus comprising:
a network interface configured to execute a communication with an information processing apparatus and an image processing apparatus; a processor; and a memory storing computer-readable instructions therein, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the server apparatus to perform: receiving encrypted information and user information from the information processing apparatus via the network interface, the encrypted information being information into which unique information and additional information are encrypted using a first key, the unique information being information which is uniquely assigned to the image processing apparatus, and the user information being information related to a user of the image processing apparatus; decrypting the received encrypted information using a second key corresponding to the first key so as to obtain the unique information and the additional information; determining whether the decrypted unique information and the decrypted additional information represent same information; and storing, in the memory, the received user information and the decrypted unique information in association in a case where it is determined that the decrypted unique information and the decrypted additional information represent the same information.

12 . The server apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein
the additional information is a hash value into which the unique information is hashed by a hash algorithm, and the determining is performed by determining whether a hash value indicating the decrypted additional information and a hash value into which the decrypted unique information is hashed are identical.

13 . The server apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the server apparatus to further perform sending the received encrypted information to the information processing apparatus in a case where it is determined that the decrypted unique information and the decrypted additional information do not represent the same information.

14 . The server apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein
the first key is a secret key, and the second key is a public key.

15 . The server apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein
the first key and the second key are common keys.

16 . The server apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein
the computer-readable instruction

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Ohara Kiyotaka

Classifications

• H04L9/3236

  using cryptographic hash functions · CPC title

• H04L63/0442

  wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30) · CPC title

• H04L63/123

  received data contents, e.g. message integrity · CPC title

• H04L63/0823

  using certificates (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263) · CPC title

• H04L9/3263 Primary

  involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823) · CPC title