Patent ID: 9380055
Filing Date: 2016-06-28
CPC Classification: G06F,H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method for controlling a target device in a device management system including i) an in-house server apparatus connectable to the target device, ii) an information device which outputs an instruction command to control the target device, and iii) an out-of-house server apparatus which receives the instruction command from the information device and which transmits the instruction command to the in-house server apparatus to control the target device, the method comprising: receiving, from the information device via an out-of-house network, a first request for providing the information device with a setting screen for a communication using the in-house server apparatus, by using access information which is provided by the in-house server apparatus and which includes a device ID of the in-house server apparatus; receiving, from the information device via the out-of-house network, a user ID and a user password which are input at the information device using the setting screen; receiving, from the information device via the out-of-house network, a device password which is used for controlling the target device via the in-house server apparatus and which is input at the information device using the setting screen; managing the device ID, the user ID, and the device password in association with one another; transmitting the device password to the in-house server apparatus to cause the in-house server apparatus to manage the device password and the device ID of the in-house server apparatus in association with each other, whereafter a communication corresponding to the first request is completed; receiving, from the information device via the out-of-house network, a second request for logging in the out-of-house server with the user ID and the user password, using a login screen for controlling the target device at the information device; transmitting, when the login is authenticated in the device management system, an authentication screen to the information device via the out-of-house network; receiving, from the information device via the out-of-house network, an input password which is input at the information device using the authentication screen; approving a control of the target device by the information device and transmitting an operation screen for controlling the target device to the information device, when the received input password is identical to the device password associated with the user ID; receiving from the information device the instruction command to the target device, via the operation screen for controlling the target device; and transmitting the instruction command to the in-house server apparatus to control the target device via the in-house server apparatus wherein the control of the target device by the information device is approved for a session time limit.