IP Library Granted Patent US 9,330,244
Granted Patent B2
US 9,330,244 · App. 13/682,882 · Granted May 3, 2016

Controller and method of storage apparatus

Inventor: Toshiyuki Sato (Shizuoka-ken, JP)
Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G06F21/31
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,330,244
App. No.
13/682,882
Granted
May 3, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a controller for controlling a connected storage apparatus includes a storage unit and a control unit. The control unit acquires a password input by a user, judges whether or not the password is consistent with a password previously registered in the storage unit, cancels authentication data that is stored in the storage unit and enables reading and writing toward the storage apparatus of data and allows the formatting toward the storage apparatus in a condition that the password is consistent with the password previously registered in the storage unit, and disables reading and writing toward the storage apparatus of data and formatting toward the storage apparatus in a condition that the password is not consistent with the password previously registered in the storage unit.

Claims (34)

1. A controller for controlling a connected storage apparatus, comprising:

a storage unit; and

a controller configured to

specify a type of the storage apparatus;

in response to a determination that the storage apparatus corresponds to the type specified by the controller unit:

carry out an authentication of the storage apparatus by using authentication data that is stored in the storage unit and that enables reading of data from and writing of data to the storage apparatus; and

prohibit reading of data from and writing of data to the storage apparatus and allow formatting of the storage apparatus in response to a determination that the authentication is not consistent;

in response to a determination that the storage apparatus does not correspond to the type specified by the controller unit:

acquire a first password as an input from a user,

judge whether or not the first password is consistent with a second password previously registered in the storage unit,

in response to a determination that the first password is consistent with the second password previously registered in the storage unit:

delete the authentication data, and

allow formatting toward the storage apparatus, and

in response to a determination that the first password is not consistent with the second password previously registered in the storage unit:

prohibit reading of data from, writing of data to, and formatting of the storage apparatus.

2. The controller according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to display a screen for inputting the first password on a display and acquire the password in response to the determination that the storage apparatus does not correspond to the type specified by the controller unit.

3. The controller according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to allow reading of data from and writing of data to the storage apparatus in response to the determination that the storage apparatus corresponds to the type specified by the controller unit and a determination that the authentication is consistent.

4. The controller according to claim 1 , wherein the storage apparatus is a storage apparatus of an image forming apparatus.

5. A method for controlling a storage apparatus connected with an apparatus that comprises a processor and a storage unit, comprising:

in response to determining that the storage apparatus corresponds to a predefined type of storage apparatus:

performing an authentication of the storage apparatus by using authentication data that is stored in the storage unit and that enables reading of data from and writing of data to the storage apparatus; and

prohibiting reading of data from and writing of data to the storage apparatus and allowing the formatting in response to a determination that the authentication is not consistent;

in response to determining that the storage apparatus does not correspond to the predefined type specified by the controller unit:

acquiring a first password as an input from a user;

judging whether or not the first password is consistent with a second password previously registered in the storage unit;

in response to determining that the first password is consistent with the second password previously registered in the storage unit:

deleting the authentication data, and

allowing formatting of the storage apparatus; and

in response to determining that the first password is not consistent with the second password previously registered in the storage unit:

prohibiting reading of data from, writing of data to, and formatting of the storage apparatus.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising

in response to determining that the storage apparatus does not correspond to the predefined type, displaying a screen for inputting the first password on a display and acquiring the password.

7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising allowing reading of data from and writing of data to the storage apparatus in response to the determination that the storage apparatus corresponds to the type specified by the controller unit and a determination that the authentication is consistent.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the storage apparatus is a storage apparatus of an image forming apparatus.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 21, 2012
From: SATO, TOSHIYUKI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 029334/0955 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61570939 · Dec 15, 2011
Related Publication 20130160112A1 · Jun 20, 2013