Information processing apparatus capable of authentication processing with improved user convenience, control program for information processing apparatus, and recording medium having control program for information processing apparatus recorded thereon

1. An information processing apparatus comprising a controller for executing an authentication process in response to access from each of a plurality of different kinds of operation devices each accepting an operation from a user,

each said operation device including a display for displaying information,

said controller being configured to:

i) determine an order of priority of a plurality of authentication methods having respective different authentication manners, depending on whether said operation device that makes access possesses a hardware keyboard,

ii) display an authentication screen on said display of said operation device according to one of the authentication methods in accordance with the determined order of priority when the operation device does not possess a hardware keyboard, the authentication screen displaying a plurality of individually selectable images including an authentication image; and

iii) display a different authentication screen on said display of said operation device according to a different one of the authentication methods in accordance with the determined order of priority when the operation device possesses a hardware keyboard.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a printer for forming an image in accordance with an instruction from said controller; and

a scanner for scanning an image in accordance with an instruction from said controller.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a memory in which personal data of a user is stored,

wherein said controller executes an authentication process at a time of access to said memory.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said operation device is any of an operation panel, a personal computer, and a portable information device.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said controller accepts user data of a user operating from said operation device and at least one input of authentication password data and image data.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of authentication methods includes a password authentication method and an image authentication method.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein when it is determined that an authentication process by said image authentication method is failed, said controller executes an authentication process by said password authentication method.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein when it is determined that an authentication process by said password authentication method is successful, said controller displays on said display of said operation device an authentication image that would be a correct answer when an authentication process is executed next time by said image authentication method.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a valid period during which said authentication image is available is set.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein when it is determined that an authentication process by said password authentication method is successful, said controller displays on said display of said operation device an authentication image that would be a correct answer when an authentication process is executed next time by said image authentication method in accordance with an attribute of said operation device.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said controller generates an authentication image that would be a correct answer when an authentication process is executed by said image authentication method in accordance with attribute information of said operation device.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said attribute information is information of a display size in said display of said operation device.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said attribute information is information of colored display or monochrome display in said display of said operation device.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said attribute information is information concerning gray scale of said display of said operation device.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a memory for storing an authentication image according to said image authentication method,

wherein said controller determines an order of priority of said plurality of authentication methods, based on attribute information of said operation device that makes access and attribute information of an authentication image stored in said memory.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

said information processing apparatus is connected to another information processing apparatus capable of executing an authentication process, when access is made from one of said plurality of operation devices,

said information processing apparatus further comprises a memory for storing a plurality of authentication information respectively corresponding to said different kinds of operation devices, and

said controller verifies characteristics of connected said another information processing apparatus, edits said plurality of authentication information stored in said memory in accordance with the characteristics of said another information processing apparatus, based on a result of the verification, and sends to said another information processing apparatus said edited plurality of authentication information stored in said memory for use in an authentication process in said another information processing apparatus.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the operation devices is external to the information processing apparatus and communicable with the information processing apparatus over a network.

18. A control method for an information processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

accepting input of access from each of a plurality of different kinds of operation devices each accepting an operation from a user; and

executing an authentication process in response to said input of access,

wherein each said operation device is provided with a display for displaying information,

said step of executing an authentication process including the steps of:

determining an order of priority of a plurality of authentication methods having respective different authentication manners, depending on whether said operation device that makes access possesses a hardware keyboard;

displaying an authentication screen on said display of said operation device according to one of the authentication methods in accordance with the determined order of priority when the operation device does not possess a hardware keyboard, the authentication screen displaying a plurality of individually selectable images including an authentication image; and

displaying a different authentication screen on said display of said operation device according to a different one of the authentication methods in accordance with the determined order priority when the operation device possesses a hardware keyboard.

19. The control method according to claim 18 , wherein at least one of the operation devices is external to the information processing apparatus and communicable with the information processing apparatus over a network.

20. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having a control program recorded thereon to be executed in a computer of an information processing apparatus, said control program allowing said computer to execute processing including the steps of:

accepting input of access from each of a plurality of different kinds of operation devices each accepting an operation from a user; and

executing an authentication process in response to said input of access,

wherein each said operation device is provided with a display for displaying information,

said step of executing an authentication process including the steps of:

determining an order of priority of a plurality of authentication methods having respective different authentication manners, depending on whether said operation device that makes access possesses a hardware keyboard;

displaying an authentication screen on said display of said operation device according to one of the authentication methods in accordance with the determined order of priority when the operation device does not possess a hardware keyboard, the authentication screen displaying a plurality of individually selectable images including an authentication image; and

displaying a different authentication screen on said display of said operation device according to a different one of the authentication methods in accordance with the determined order priority when the operation device possesses a hardware keyboard.

21. The control program according to claim 20 , wherein at least one of the operation devices is external to the information processing apparatus and communicable with the information processing apparatus over a network.