U.S. patent application number 10/715834 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-09 for wireless communication print server.
This patent application is currently assigned to SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Gassho, Kazuhito, Shiohara, Susumu.
Application Number | 20040246913 10/715834 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32704609 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040246913 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gassho, Kazuhito ; et
al. |
December 9, 2004 |
Wireless communication print server
Abstract
An object of the present invention is to provide a wireless
communication print server 25 that makes a printer 20 connected the
wireless communication print server 25 unavailable if a parameter
50 is in the initial state. When the wireless communication print
server 25 receives a print request, determines whether or not the
parameter 50 is in the initial state, and then rejects the print
request if the parameter 50 is in the initial state. If the
parameter 50 that has been changed by a change unit 60 is not in
the initial state, the wireless communication print server makes
the printer 20 connected with the wireless communication print
server 25 available.
Inventors: |
Gassho, Kazuhito;
(Nagano-ken, JP) ; Shiohara, Susumu; (Nagano-ken,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE MION, PLLC
2100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20037
US
|
Assignee: |
SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
|
Family ID: |
32704609 |
Appl. No.: |
10/715834 |
Filed: |
November 19, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/254 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 88/04 20130101;
G06F 3/1292 20130101; H04W 12/08 20130101; G06F 3/1204 20130101;
G06F 3/1236 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/254 |
International
Class: |
H04L 012/28 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 26, 2002 |
JP |
2002-342583 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wireless communication print server for relaying a print
request received through wireless communications to a printer, said
wireless communication print server comprising: a retention unit
that retains a parameter for establishing wireless communications;
a determination unit that determines whether or not the setting of
said parameter is in the initial state; a rejection unit that
ignores said print request if the setting of said parameter is in
the initial state; and a change unit that receives a change
instruction for the setting of said parameter and changes the
setting of said parameter from the initial state based on the
change instruction.
2. A wireless communication print server according to claim 1,
wherein said retention unit retains a predetermined rejection flag
that indicates whether or not the setting of said parameter is in
the initial state, and said determination unit determines based on
said rejection flag, said wireless communication print server
further comprising: a release unit that changes said rejection flag
to a value indicating printing-availability when the setting of
said parameter is changed from the initial state.
3. A wireless communication print server according to claim 1,
further comprising: a protocol interpretation unit that interprets
based on a protocol the print request received through wireless
communications; and a single driver that receives and sends the
print request from a plurality of said protocol interpretation
units to the printer, wherein said rejection unit is included in
said driver.
4. Awireless communication print server according to claim 1,
wherein said rejection unit sends back a notification irrespective
of the actual operational state of said printer to indicate that
said printer is unavailable.
5. A method of controlling a wireless communication print server
for relaying a print request received through wireless
communications to a printer, wherein said wireless communication
print server comprises a retention unit that retains a parameter
for establishing wireless communications, said method comprising: a
determination step of determining whether or not the setting of
said parameter is in the initial state; a rejection step of
ignoring said print request if the setting of said parameter is in
the initial state; and a change step of receiving a change
instruction for the setting of said parameter and changing the
setting of said parameter from the initial state based on the
change instruction.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said retention unit
retains a predetermined rejection flag that indicates whether or
not the setting of said parameter is in the initial state, and said
determination step determines based on said rejection flag, said
method further comprising: a release step of changing said
rejection flag to a value indicating printing-availability when the
setting of said parameter is changed from the initial state.
7. A method according to claim 5, wherein said wireless
communication print server further comprises: a protocol
interpretation unit that interprets based on a protocol the print
request received through wireless communications; and a single
driver that receives and sends the print request from a plurality
of said protocol interpretation units to the printer, wherein said
rejection step is performed by said driver.
8. A method according to claim 5, wherein said rejection step sends
back a notification irrespective of the actual operational state of
said printer to indicate that said printer is unavailable.
9. A recording medium that records a computer program for
controlling a wireless communication print server for relaying a
print request received through wireless communications to a
printer, wherein said wireless communication print server comprises
a retention unit that retains a parameter for establishing wireless
communications, said program comprising: a determination program
code for determining whether or not the setting of said parameter
is in the initial state; a rejection program code for ignoring said
print request if the setting of said parameter is in the initial
state; and a change program code for receiving a change instruction
for the setting of said parameter and changing the setting of said
parameter from the initial state based on the change
instruction.
10. A recording medium according to claim 9, wherein said retention
unit retains a predetermined rejection flag that indicates whether
or not the setting of said parameter is in the initial state, and
said determination program code determines based on said rejection
flag, said recording medium comprising: a release program code that
changes said rejection flag to a value indicating
printing-availability when the setting of said parameter is changed
from the initial state.
11. A recording medium according to claim 9, further comprising: a
protocol interpretation program code that interprets based on a
protocol the print request received through wireless
communications; and a single driver that receives and sends the
print request from a plurality of said protocol interpretation
units to the printer, wherein said rejection program code is
included in said driver.
12. A recording medium according to claim 9, wherein said rejection
program code sends back a notification irrespective of the actual
operational state of said printer to indicate that said printer is
unavailable.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a wireless communication
print server for relaying a print request received through wireless
communications to a printer.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In the prior art, a wireless communication print server has
been proposed that is connected with a terminal and a printer to
relay a print request between them via a wireless LAN (JAPANESE
PATENT LAID-OPEN GAZETTE No. 2002-7080). In order to establish
wireless communications in the wireless LAN, each device of the
wireless communication print server, the terminal, and the printer
must have identical parameters (hereinafter referred to as
"communication parameter"), which include "ESS-ID," "Communication
Mode," "Communication Channel," and "WEP key." In other words, it
is impossible to print through the wireless LAN if some of the
communication parameters differ among the devices.
[0005] It is a complicated task for the user to set the
communication parameters of each device. In the case of the devices
from an identical manufacturer, the communication parameters in the
initial setting may allow communications. Therefore, some users may
use such devices in the initial setting. However, the initial
setting results in unsatisfactory security. For example, a third
person can perform unauthorized access to the printer via the
wireless LAN intentionally or unintentionally.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides a wireless communication
print server that can prevent unauthorized access to a printer.
[0007] The wireless communication print server of the present
invention is directed to a wireless communication print server for
relaying a print request received through wireless communications
to a printer, the wireless communication print server comprising: a
retention unit that retains a parameter for establishing wireless
communications; a determination unit that determines whether or not
the setting of the parameter is in the initial state; a rejection
unit that ignores the print request if the setting of the parameter
is in the initial state; and a change unit that receives a change
instruction for the setting of the parameter and changes the
setting of the parameter from the initial state based on the change
instruction.
[0008] The present invention enables the printer connected with the
wireless communication print server to be made unavailable
irrespective of the user's intention if the parameter of the
wireless communication print server remains in the initial state.
Therefore, it can prevent unauthorized print by the aid of the
parameter in the initial state. However, the present invention
allows wireless communications for changing the setting to be
received, and thus enables the setting of the parameter to be
changed without wired connection. In this manner, the present
invention can prevent unauthorized access while ensuring the
convenience in changing the setting of the parameter.
[0009] The initial state includes a state when the wireless
communication print server is shipped from its manufacturing
factory, and a state when the setting of the wireless communication
print server is reset to the default. The print request can be
distinguished from other communications, for example, based on
whether or not a print protocol is used.
[0010] The wireless communication print server is further
characterized in that the retention unit retains a predetermined
rejection flag that indicates whether or not the setting of the
parameter is in the initial state, and the determination unit
determines based on the rejection flag, the wireless communication
print server further comprising: a release unit that changes the
rejection flag to a value indicating printing-availability when the
setting of the parameter is changed from the initial state.
[0011] This ensures easy determination of whether or not the
rejection flag is in the initial state based on only the value of
the rejection flag without checking the values of all
parameters.
[0012] The wireless communication print server may further
comprise: a protocol interpretation unit that interprets based on a
protocol the print request received through wireless
communications; and a single driver that receives and sends the
print request from a plurality of the protocol interpretation units
to the printer, wherein the rejection unit may be included in the
driver.
[0013] The print request is sent to the wireless communication
print server under a variety of protocols. Any print request
interpreted by each protocol interpretation unit is sent to the
printer via the driver. Therefore, the above configuration enables
the single rejection unit included in the driver to deal with any
print request without providing a separate rejection unit for each
protocol interpretation unit, and thereby simplifying the
configuration.
[0014] The rejection unit may send back a notification irrespective
of the actual operational state of the printer to indicate that the
printer is unavailable.
[0015] The terminal that has received the notification indicating
printing-unavailability can know that it cannot print. When the
original user of the wireless communication print server receives
this notification, he or she knows that the parameter should be
changed. The notification that the printer is unavailable enables
the print request to be rejected even if the printer functions
normally and thus is actually available.
[0016] This notification includes a "busy notification." The "busy
notification" indicates that the printer is printing. This is
convenient since an additional module need not be provided for
rejection.
[0017] In the present invention, the various features described
above may be combined or partly omitted according to the
requirements. The present invention is not limited to the above
wireless communication print server but may be configured as a
variety of aspects such as a control method of controlling the
operation of the wireless communication print server. The features
described above may be applied to any of the aspects according to
the requirements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a wireless
communication print server 25;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a process performed when the
wireless communication print server 25 receives a print request;
and
[0020] FIG. 3 is a flowchart that shows a process for changing a
parameter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A. Embodiments
[0021] A1. Functional Blocks
[0022] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a wireless
communication print server 25. The wireless communication print
server 25 receives a print request from a terminal 30 through
wireless communications and then sends it to a printer 20. The
wireless communication print server 25 may be incorporated within
the printer 20 or be an external one.
[0023] A protocol interpretation unit 65 interprets protocols for
communications or print requests. The communication protocols
include TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, AppleTalk, and the like, and thus the
protocol interpretation unit 65 includes functional parts for
interpreting the respective protocols in order to deal with a print
request represented under each of the protocols. In addition, an
upper layer of TCP/IP includes functional parts for interpreting
print protocols such as LPR and IPP.
[0024] A retention unit 45 has parameters 50 and a rejection flag
55, which are required for establishing the wireless
communications. The parameters 50 include "ESS-ID," "Mode,"
"Channel," and "WEP."
[0025] If both sides that desire to perform the wireless
communications do not have an identical "ESS-ID," the network is
not recognized.
[0026] The "Mode" represents a communication mode, which includes
Adhoc Mode and Infrastructure Mode in the wireless communications.
The Adhoc Mode enables terminals to have one-on-one connection such
as peer-to-peer connection, and the Infrastructure Mode provides
communications via a repeater (so-called access point). If the both
sides that desire to perform the wireless communications do not
have an identical "Mode," they cannot also communicate.
[0027] The "Channel" represents a number allocated to each of radio
wave bands into which the entire radio wave band is divided. If the
both sides that desire to perform the wireless communications do
not have an identical "Channel," they cannot also communicate.
[0028] The "WEP" is a RC4 encryption function that is optionally
implemented in IEEE802.11, and uses an encryption key having a
maximum of 40-bit encryption strength to encode and thus protect
data to be sent and received. If the both sides that desire to
perform the wireless communications do not have an identical
encryption key, they cannot communicate. However, the encryption
key is not set up in the initial state.
[0029] The rejection flag 55, which indicates whether or not the
parameters 50 are in the initial state, takes the value "1" if they
are in the initial state and otherwise takes the value "0." The
parameters 50 are in the initial state if the wireless
communication print server 25 has its setting unchanged after it
was shipped from its manufacturing factory or if the user of the
wireless communication print server 25 has performed a process for
resetting the setting of the wireless communication print server 25
to the default.
[0030] A change unit 60 has a function of changing the parameters
50 and the rejection flag 55.
[0031] A driver 35 sends the print request interpreted by the
protocol interpretation unit 65 to the printer 20. However, a
determination unit 42 works prior to the print request being sent.
The determination unit 42 determines based on the rejection flag 55
whether or not the parameters 50 are in the initial state. If it is
determined that the parameters 50 are in the initial state, a
rejection unit 40 instructs to send a "busy notification"
indicating printing-unavailability, and does not send the print
request to the printer 20. If it is determined that the parameters
50 are not in the initial state, the print request is sent to the
printer 20.
[0032] A2. Processes
[0033] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a process performed when the
wireless communication print server 25 receives the print request.
When the wireless communication print server 25 receives the print
request from the terminal 30 (step S20), it uses the protocol
interpretation unit 65 to interpret the protocol (step S25). The
determination on whether or not the received request is a print
request can be based on whether or not a print protocol is used for
the received request.
[0034] The protocol-interpreted print request is sent to a driver
35. When the determination unit 42 of the driver 35 receives the
print request, it refers to the rejection flag 55 included within
the retention unit 45. If the rejection flag 55 is equal to 1 (step
S30), the rejection unit 40 sends a "busy notification" to the
terminal 30 (step S35). If the rejection flag 55 is equal to 0
(step S30), the print content is sent to the printer 20 (step
S40).
[0035] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process for changing a
parameter. The user of the wireless communication print server 25
changes the parameter after the purchase of the wireless
communication print server 25 in order to print through the
wireless communication print server 25. The user may change a
parameter according to an environment.
[0036] When the wireless communication print server 25 receives a
parameter change request from the terminal 30 (step S50), it uses
the change unit 60 to change the parameter 50 (step S55). If this
change causes the parameter 50 not to be in the initial state (step
S57), the rejection flag 55 is set to 0 (step S60). This process
ensures the print through the wireless communication print server
25.
[0037] On the contrary, if the change of the parameter 50 causes
the parameter 50 to be in the initial state (step S57), the
rejection flag 55 is set to 1 (step S65). This process enables the
print through the wireless communication print server 25 to be
rejected.
[0038] A3. Effects
[0039] The wireless communication print server 25 described above
enables the printer 20 connected with the wireless communication
print server 25 to be made unavailable if the parameters 50 of the
wireless communication print server 25 remain in the initial state.
That is, it can prevent unauthorized print since it is impossible
to perform the unauthorized print by matching the parameters 50 of
the terminal 30 with the parameters 50 of the wireless
communication print server 25 in the initial state.
[0040] In addition, even if the parameters 50 of the wireless
communication print server 25 remain in the initial state and
accidentally corresponds to those of the terminal 30 that does not
intend unauthorized print, the wireless communication print server
25 can reject the print from the terminal 30.
[0041] B. Modifications
[0042] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been
described, it should be noted that the present invention is not
limited to the above embodiments and may implement various aspects
without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0043] For example, the rejection flag 55 may remain equal to 0
when the parameters 50 are reset to the initial state except for
the time of factory shipment. This is effective in the case that
some processes are to be performed on the wireless communication
print server 25 whose parameters 50 are in the initial state.
[0044] Alternatively, the rejection flag 55 is not necessarily
provided, and thus the determination unit 42 may directly check
whether or not all or part of the parameters 50 are in the initial
state. Furthermore, the determination unit 42 and the rejection
unit 40 may be included within the protocol interpretation unit 65.
This enables the determination at an earlier stage after the
reception of the print request to be made on whether or not the
printer 20 is available.
[0045] The notification sent in the case of the printer 20 being
unavailable is not limited to the "busy notification," but may
indicate that the print is rejected since the parameters 50 are in
the initial state. This enables the sender of the print request to
know why the print is rejected.
* * * * *