Method and system for controlling information accessibility based on user location

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a processor, the processor functioning as a user position information obtaining unit that obtains user position information corresponding to a position of a user;

a storage unit that stores position rule-related information which includes position condition information indicating a distance between an input/output unit and the position of the user, and a rule to determine an access right for specific information based on the position condition information, and

an input/output availability control unit that controls an availability of information between the input/output unit and the storage unit disposed at a position away from the user based on the obtained user position information and the position rule-related information, the input/output unit being configured to receive information from the storage unit or being configured to output information to the storage unit,

wherein the position of the user is different from a position of the input/output unit, an input/output operation of the input/output unit is controlled based on the position condition information, the input/output availability control unit permits, based on the rule, the input/output unit to access first information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are within a first distance, permits the input/output unit to access second information when the position of user and the position of the input/output unit are within a second distance, prohibits the input/output unit from accessing the first information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are not within the first distance, and prohibits the input/output unit from accessing the second information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are not within the second distance.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the position of the user changes according to passage of time.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rule specifies at least one of information allowed to be input/output and information being disallowed to be input/output.

4. An information processing system comprising:

an input/output unit that is configured to receive information from a storage unit disposed at a position away from a user or that is configured to output information to the storage unit; and

an information processing apparatus that includes:

a processor, the processor functioning as a user position information obtaining unit that obtains user position information corresponding to a position of the user;

a storage unit that stores position rule-related information which includes position condition information indicating a distance between an input/output unit and the position of the user, and a rule to determine an access right for specific information based on the position condition information; and

an input/output availability control unit that controls an availability of information between the input/output unit and the storage unit based on the obtained user position information and the position-rule related information,

wherein the position of the user is different from a position of the input/output unit, an input/output operation of the input/output unit is controlled based on the position condition information, the input/output availability control unit permits, based on the rule, the input/output unit to access first information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are within a first distance, permits the input/output unit to access second information when the position of user and the position of the input/output unit are within a second distance, prohibits the input/output unit from accessing the first information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are not within the first distance, and prohibits the input/output unit from accessing the second information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are not within the second distance.

5. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores a software program causing a computer system to perform a process for controlling availability of information between an input/output unit and a storage unit, the process comprising:

obtaining user position information corresponding to a position of a user;

storing position rule-related information which includes position condition information indicating a distance between an input/output unit and the position of the user, and a rule to determine an access right for specific information based on the position condition information;

comparing the obtained user position information with a database that stores information of the position of the input/output unit;

determining a rule for controlling input/output availability according to the comparison result and the position-rule related information; and

controlling the availability based on the rule and the obtained user position information,

wherein the position of the user is different from a position of the input/output unit, and

wherein an input/output operation of the input/output unit is controlled based on the position condition information and the rule to permit the input/output unit to access first information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are within a first distance, permit the input/output unit to access second information when the position of user and the position of the input/output unit are within a second distance, prohibit the input/output unit from accessing the first information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are not within the first distance, and prohibit the input/output unit from accessing the second information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are not within the second distance.

6. A method for controlling availability of information, the method comprising:

obtaining user position information corresponding to a position of a user;

storing position rule-related information which includes position condition information indicating a distance between an input/output unit and the position of the user, and a rule to determine an access right for specific information based on the position condition information;

comparing the obtained user position information with a database that stores information of the position of the input/output unit;

determining a rule for controlling input/output availability according to the comparison result and the position-rule related information; and

controlling the availability based on the rule and the obtained user position information,

wherein the position of the user is different from a position of the input/output unit, and

wherein an input/output operation of the input/output unit is controlled based on the position condition information and the rule to permit the input/output unit to access first information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are within a first distance, permit the input/output unit to access second information when the position of user and the position of the input/output unit are within a second distance, prohibit the input/output unit from accessing the first information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are not within the first distance, and prohibit the input/output unit from accessing the second information when the position of the user and the position of the input/output unit are not within the second distance.