Patent Publication Number: US-2018054311-A1

Title: Authenticating device for performing user authentication by using password, and image forming apparatus

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-161003 filed on Aug. 19, 2016, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure is related to an authenticating device for performing user authentication by using a password, and an image forming apparatus. 
     In user authentication using a password, there are occasions when it is necessary to re-enter the password due to a mistake in entering the password or the like. Particularly, when entering a password using a software keyboard such as a touch panel and the like, often touch mistakes go unnoticed. Therefore, technology such as changing the display color of an operation button that is touch operated, enlarging the display of an operation button around the touch position, and the like has been proposed. Moreover, technology has been proposed in which on a re-entry screen for re-entering a password, characters such as asterisks “*” are displayed in the previously entered password for characters that are correctly entered so as to be unrecognizable, and characters that were mistakenly entered are displayed so as to be recognizable so that only re-entry of characters that were mistakenly entered is received. 
     SUMMARY 
     The authenticating device according to the present disclosure includes a touch panel, an authentication-processing unit, and a touch-mistake-detection unit. The touch panel displays a software keyboard on which plural input keys that indicate characters, numbers and symbols are arranged, and receives touch operations of input keys that correspond to touch positions on a display screen that displays the software keyboard. The authentication-processing unit executes user authentication by comparing an entered password that is entered via the touch panel and a set password. When the comparison result is that there is no match, the touch-mistake-detection unit detects a touch mistake in the entered password. When a touch mistake is detected, the authentication-processing unit authenticates the entered password as the set password being entered. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a function block diagram illustrating an overview of the configuration of an image forming apparatus of an embodiment according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an example of a password-entry screen that is displayed on the touch panel illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating the flow of a password authentication process of the image forming apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment described below, the same reference numbers will be used for configuration that illustrates the same function. 
     In referencing  FIG. 1 , the image forming apparatus  1  is a copier or MFP, and functions as an authenticating device. The image forming apparatus  1  includes an operation unit  11 , a document-reading unit  12 , a storage unit  13 , an image-processing unit  14 , a printing unit  15  and a control unit  16 . 
     The operation unit  11  includes a touch panel  111  and operation buttons  112 . The touch panel  111  is provided with transparent pressure-sensitive sensors on a display surface of a display unit that displays various operation keys and image forming status, and functions as a display unit and an input unit. The touch panel  111  detects the touch position on the display screen, and by outputting a signal that corresponds to the touch position, receives a touch operation of an operation key that is displayed on the display unit. 
     For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the touch panel  111  displays a software keyboard  84  on which plural input keys  83  that indicate characters, numbers or symbols are arranged, and receives touch operations of the input keys  83  that correspond to touch positions on the display screen that displays the software keyboard  84 . The operation buttons  112  include various keys such as a ten-key, reset key, stop key, start key and the like. The ten-key is used for entering numerical values such as the number of pages to print and the like. The reset key is used for entering an instruction to initialize setting information. The stop key is used for stopping a copying operation. The start key is used for entering an output instruction that starts a printing operation. 
     The document-reading unit  12  is a scanner that irradiates light onto a document that is supplied by a document-feeding apparatus, or onto a document that is placed on a platen glass by a user, receives the reflected light or the like, and reads the document image. 
     The storage unit  13  is a storage unit such as a semiconductor memory, HDD or the like, and stores image data and the like that is read by the document-reading unit  12 . Moreover, a preset set password  131  is stored in the storage unit  13 . The set password  131  is a password for comparing in a password authentication process whether an entered password  81  that is entered by a user was entered correctly. 
     The image-processing unit  14  performs specific image processing on image data. In the image-processing unit  14 , for example, enlargement or reduction processing, or image improvement processing such as density adjustment, tone adjustment and the like are performed. 
     The printing unit  15  prints image data that is stored in the storage unit  13 . The printing unit  15 , for example, forms a latent image on the surface of a photosensitive drum based on image data that is read from the storage unit  13 , performs image formation using toner to form the latent image into a toner image, transfers the toner image from the photosensitive drum to printing paper, fixes the toner image on the printing paper, and outputs the printed image. 
     The control unit  16  is connected to the operation unit  11 , the document-reading unit  12 , the storage unit  13 , the image-processing unit  14  and the printing unit  15 , respectively. The control unit  16  is an information-processing unit such as a microcomputer or the like that includes ROM, RAM and the like. The ROM stores a control program for performing operation control of the image forming apparatus  1 . The control unit  16  reads the control program that is stored in the ROM and by expanding the control program in the RAM, performs overall control of the image forming apparatus. Moreover, the control unit  16  causes the touch panel  111  to display a password-entry screen G 80  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , functions as a character-input unit  161 , comparison-processing unit  162 , a touch-mistake-detection unit  163 , and an authentication-processing unit  165 , and has a function for performing user authentication. 
     A password-entry area  82  in which the entered password  81  is entered, a software keyboard  84  that is used for entering the entered password  81 , and an OK button B 86  for authenticating that the entered password  81  is correct are provided on the password-entry screen G 80 . 
     The software keyboard  84  has plural input keys  83  that indicate characters, number or symbols (hereafter, referred to as “characters and the like”), and the plural input keys  83  are arranged in plural rows. The input keys  83  are touch operated, and are operation keys for entering pre-assigned characters and the like into the password-entry area  82 . 
     The character-input unit  161  has a function of, each time the touch panel  111  detects that an input key  83  has been touch operated, entering the character or the like that is indicated by the touch operated input key  83  in order into the password-entry area  82  as the nth character (n is a natural number) of the entered password  81 . In order to maintain security, the entered password  81  that is entered into the password-entry area  82  is displayed as a turned character such as an asterisk “*” or the like. 
     The comparison-processing unit  162  has a function of, each time an nth character of the entered password  81  is entered into the password-entry area  82  by the character-input unit  161 , comparing that nth character with a corresponding nth character of a set password  131 . 
     The touch-mistake-detection unit  163  has a function of, when the comparison result by the comparison-processing unit  162  indicates there is no match, detecting a touch mistake by the user for the nth character of the entered password  81  based on the arrangement position of the input key  83  that is touch operated on the software keyboard  84 . 
     The correction-processing unit  164  has a function of, when a touch mistake is detected by the touch-mistake-detection unit  163 , correcting the nth character of the entered password  81  to the nth character of the set password  131 . When the comparison result by the comparison-processing unit  162  indicates that there is a match, or when no touch mistake is detected by the touch-mistake-detection unit  163 , does not correct the nth character of the entered password  81 . 
     The authentication-processing unit  165 , by the OK button B 86  being pressed, has a function of comparing an entered password  81  that is entered in the password-entry area  82  with the set password  131 , determining that authentication is successful when there is a match, and determining that authentication failed when there is no match. When it is determined that authentication is successful, for example, login corresponding to the authenticated user, use of the image forming functions, and the like become possible, and when it is determined that authentication failed, re-entry of the entered password  81  is requested. 
     Next, the flow of the password-authentication process of the image forming apparatus  1  is explained with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
     The control unit  16  causes the operation unit  11  to display the password-entry screen G 80  (step S 11 ), and functions as the character-input unit  161 . The character-input unit  161  initializes the value of n that is a variable for counting the number of characters that have been entered as the entered password  81  to n=0 (step S 12 ). Continuing, the character-input unit  161  determines whether or not a touch operation of an input key  83  is detected by the touch panel  111  (step S 13 ). When an input key  83  has not been touch operated (step S 13 : NO), it is determined whether the OK button  86  has been pressed (Step S 20 ), and when the OK button  86  has not been pressed (step S 20 : NO), processing returns to step S 13 . 
     When a touch operation of an input key  83  is detected by the touch panel  111  (step S 13 : YES), the character-input unit  161  increments the value n (step S 14 ), and enters the character or the like that is indicated by the touch operated input key  83  into the password-entry area  82  as the nth character of the entered password  81  (step S 15 ). 
     When the nth character of the entered password  81  is entered by the character-input unit  161 , the comparison-processing unit  162  compares the nth character of the entered password  81  with the nth character of the set password  131  that is stored in the storage unit  13  (step S 16 ). 
     When the comparison result indicates that there is no match (step S 17 : NO), the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  detects a touch mistake of the nth character of the entered password  81  (step S 18 ). 
     For example, when the comparison results show that the non-matching input key  83  (touch operated input key  83 ) that indicates the nth character of the entered password  81  is adjacent on the software keyboard  84  to the input key  83  that indicates the nth character of the corresponding set password  131 , the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  detects as a touch mistake. 
     More specifically, when the first character of the entered password  81  is taken to be “a” and the first character of the set password  131  is taken to be “s”, and when both are compared by the comparison-processing unit  162 , it is determined that there is no match. The comparison result indicates that there is no match, so the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  identifies the arrangement position of the input key  83  that indicates “a” on the software keyboard  84  in  FIG. 2 , and identifies the arrangement position of the input character that indicates “s” on the software keyboard  84  in  FIG. 2 , and determines whether or not the input key  83  that indicates “a” is adjacent to the input key  83  that indicates “s”. In this case, the input key  83  that indicates “a” and the input key  83  that indicates “s” are adjacent, so the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  detects this as a touch mistake. When the keys are not adjacent, the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  does not detect a touch mistake. 
     Moreover, the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  sets a touch-mistake range  85  on the software keyboard  84  in which touch mistakes are allowed, with the input key  83  that indicates the nth character of the set password  131  that corresponds to the input key  83  that indicates the nth character of the entered password  81  for which the comparison result indicated that there is no match as the center. Then, when the touch position of the input key  83  that indicates the non-matching nth character of the entered password  81  is included in the set touch-mistake range  85 , this may be detected as a touch mistake. 
     In this case, the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  sets a touch-mistake range  85  on the software keyboard  84  that allows a touch mistake, with the input key  83  that indicates the nth character of the set password  131  (for example, “s”) as the center. The touch-mistake range  85  illustrated in  FIG. 2  is set as a rectangular shape having a size that includes parts of each of the key areas (display areas for keys  83 ) for the input keys  83  (“a”, “w”, “e”, “d”, “x”, “z”) that are adjacent to the input key  83  that indicates the nth character (“s”) of the set password  131 . Moreover, the touch-mistake area  85  is set so as to diagonally cover the input key  83  that indicates the nth character (“s”) of the set password  131 . 
     Continuing, the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  obtains from the touch panel  111  the touch position for which touching was performed of an input key  83  that indicates the nth character (for example, “a”) of the entered password  81 , and determines whether or not the touch position is included in the touch-mistake range  85 . When the touch position is included in the range, the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  detects the touch position as a touch mistake, and when the touch position is not included in the range, does not detect the touch position as a touch mistake. In other words, this is a case in which the input key  83  that indicates the nth character of the entered password  81  is adjacent to the input key  83  that indicates the nth character of the set password  131 . In addition, this is a case in which the touch position of the input key  83  that indicates the nth character of the entered password  81  is near the input key  83  that indicates the nth character of the set password  131 . That is, this is a case in which the touch position is included in the touch-mistake range  85 . In these cases, the touch operation is detected as a touch mistake. 
     As a result, the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  is able to detect a case in which an input key  83  that is near the input key  83  that indicates the nth character of the set password  131  is touch operated as a touch mistake. 
     When a touch mistake is detected (step S 18 : YES), the correction-processing unit  164  automatically corrects the nth character of the entered password  81  to the nth character of the set password  131  (step S 19 ). As a result, the entered password  81  that was mistakenly entered by the user with a touch mistake is automatically corrected as if the correct entered password  81  had been entered. 
     However, when a touch mistake is not detected by the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  (step S 18 : NO), or when the comparison result indicates that there is a match (step S 17 : YES), the correction-processing unit  164  does not perform correction of the nth character of the entered password  81 , and processing advances to step S 20 . 
     Continuing, the authentication-processing unit  165  determines whether or not a touch operation of the OK button B 86  is detected by the touch panel  111  (whether or not the OK button B 86  has been pressed) (step S 20 ). When the OK button B 86  has not been pressed (step S 20 : NO), processing returns to step S 13 . Therefore, every time a user enters character or the like of the entered password  81  using the software keyboard  84 , whether or not there is touch mistake is detected, and when a touch mistake is detected, the entered character or the like is automatically corrected to the correct character and the like. 
     The user finishes entering the entered password  81  and then presses the OK button B 86 . When the OK button B 86  is pressed (step S 20 : YES), the authentication-processing unit  165  compares the entered password  81  that is entered in the password-entry area  82  with the set password  131  (step S 21 ). 
     When a touch mistake is detected in the entered password  81  by the touch-mistake-detection unit  163 , and the entered password  81  is corrected by the correction-processing unit  164 , the authentication-processing unit  165  performs authentication by comparing the corrected entered password  81  and the set password  131 . In other words, when a touch mistake in the entered password  81  is detected by the touch-mistake-detection unit  163 , the authentication-processing unit  165  authenticates the entered password  81  as the set password  131  being entered. 
     When the comparison result indicates there is a match (step S 22 : YES), the authentication-processing unit  165  determines that authentication is successful (step S 23 ), and when the comparison result indicates there is no match (step S 22 : NO), the authentication-processing unit  165  determines that authentication failed (step S 24 ), and ends this process. 
     In this way, the image forming apparatus  1  that functions as the authenticating device includes a touch panel  111 , an authentication-processing unit  165  and a touch-mistake-detection unit  163 . The touch panel  111  displays a software keyboard  84  on which plural input keys  83  that indicate characters, numbers or symbols are arranged, and receives touch operations of input keys  83  that correspond to touch positions on the display screen that displays the software keyboard  84 . The authentication-processing unit  165  executes user authentication by comparing an entered password  81  that is entered via the touch panel  111  and a set password  131 . When the comparison results indicate that there is no match, the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  detects a touch mistake in the entered password  81 . When a touch mistake is detected, the authentication-processing unit  165  authenticates the entered password  81  as the set password  131  being entered. In this way, when a touch mistake is detected in an entered password  81 , the entered password  81  is authenticated as the set password  131  being entered, so an entry error of the entered password  81  due to a touch mistake is deleted, and it is possible to reduce re-entry of the entered password  81 . 
     The touch-mistake-detection unit  163  may obtain the tendency of touch mistakes by a user based on the touch position of an nth character of an entered password  81  in which a touch mistake is detected and the arrangement position on the software keyboard  84  of an input key  83  that indicates the nth character of a set password  131 , and may store that tendency in RAM, the storage unit  13  or the like. For example, the direction or distance of the touch position from the input key  83  that indicates the nth character of the set password  131  may be taken to be the touch-mistake tendency of the user. When a touch mistake is detected, the correction-processing unit  164  determines whether or not the current touch-mistake tendency is the same as the previous touch-mistake tendency. Then, when the touch-mistake tendency is the same, the nth character of the entered password  81  may be automatically corrected to the nth character of the set password  131 . In this way, when the user makes the same touch mistake as in the previous time, the authentication-processing unit  165  authenticates the entered password  81  as the set password  131  being entered, so it is possible to increase security. When a current touch-mistake tendency is within a range of plural previous touch-mistake tendencies that are stored in RAM or the storage unit  13 , the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  may determine that the touch-mistake tendency is the same. 
     In the embodiment described above, every time a nth character of an entered password  81  is entered, the nth character of the entered password  81  is compared with the nth character of the set password  131 , and when the comparison result indicates that there is no match, whether or not there is a touch mistake is detected, however, this may be executed at the timing when the OK button B 86  is pressed. In other words, in the process by the authentication-processing unit  165  for comparing the entered password  81  with the set password  131 , when there is a non-matching character between the entered password  81  and the set password  131 , the touch-mistake-detection unit  163  may detect whether or not there is a touch mistake for that character. When a touch mistake is detected, the authentication-processing unit  165  may authenticate the entered password  81  as the set password  131  being entered in a state in which the correction-processing unit  164  has properly corrected the entered password  81 . Moreover, when a touch mistake is detected, the authentication-processing unit  165  may also authenticate the entered password  81  as the set password  131  being entered even when the correction-processing unit  164  does not correct the entered password  81 . 
     In one of the typical technologies described above, there is a problem with security in that characters that are entered as a password are noticeably displayed. Moreover, in another of the typical technologies described above, there is a problem in that by displaying only the characters that are correctly entered so as to be unrecognizable, it is known which number position of the characters of the mistakenly entered password are correct, and a third party that does not know the password may arrive at the correct password by repeatedly entering the password many times. 
     According to the present disclosure, in a state of maintaining security, it is possible to reduce errors in entering a password due to touch mistakes. 
     The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and needless to say various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.