Patent ID: 7607140
Filing Date: 2009-10-20
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A device management system used to provide a user with permission to control a device, through a network, by receiving authentication to control the device, the device management system comprising: a first server comprising: a client computer A comprising: an authentication server comprising: a client computer B comprising: wherein the device management means, upon receiving a control request for the device, sends data regarding the device received from the device driver, to the authentication server, and the authentication server registers the data regarding the device to the device information table, and the virtual device management means, upon receiving the control request from the client computer A, obtains information regarding the device from the device information table in the authentication server, and manages the usage status of the device based on the obtained information regarding the device, and upon receipt of the usage status information of the client computer A, sends the user information to the authentication server, and the authentication server upon receipt of the user information by the virtual device management means, updates the device information table and extracts device information regarding a permissible device that has permission to be used, by the user of the client computer A, from the updated device information table, and the first server receives information regarding the permissible device, and establishes a communication path, for using the device through the network, from the information regarding the permissible device; wherein if the permissible device requires exclusive control, the usage status in the device information table indicates that the communication path is to be exclusively used by the user of the client computer A, and the device management means of the client computer B sends information regarding the usage status of the permissible device to the authentication server; and the authentication server updates the device information table based on the usage status of the permissible device.