US-12619706-B2 - Server, non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable instructions for server and control method for server

US12619706B2US 12619706 B2US12619706 B2US 12619706B2US-12619706-B2

Abstract

A server may comprise a memory configured to store account information and identification information identifying a device, the account information and the identification information being in association with each other; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to: in a case where a changing operation is performed on the device, receive a predetermined signal from the device, the changing operation being for changing a password currently set for the device; and in a case where a specific condition is fulfilled, send the device a permission signal for permitting a change of the password, wherein the specific condition is that the predetermined signal is received from the device and a terminal device different from the device is logged in to the server by using the account information stored in association with the identification information identifying the device.

Inventors

Kentaro Arai

Assignees

BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240103
Priority Date: 20230106

Claims (15)

1 . A server comprising: a memory configured to store account information and identification information identifying a device, the account information and the identification information being in association with each other; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to: in a case where a changing operation is performed on the device, receive a predetermined signal from the device, the changing operation being for changing a password currently set for the device; and in a case where a specific condition is fulfilled, send the device a permission signal for permitting a change of the password, wherein the specific condition is that the predetermined signal is received from the device and login authentication executed by the server is successful, wherein the login authentication is a process for a terminal device different from the device to log in to the server by using the account information stored in association with the identification information identifying the device.
2 . The server according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in a case where the predetermined signal is received from the device, send the terminal device a message that prompts login to the server.
3 . The server according to claim 2 , wherein the controller sends the terminal device the message in a case where the predetermined signal is received from the device under a situation where the terminal device is not logged in to the server by using the account information, and the controller is further configured to, in a case where the predetermined signal is received from the device under a situation where the terminal device is logged in to the server by using the account information, send the terminal device screen data that corresponds to a screen indicating that the changing operation has been performed on the device.
4 . The server according to claim 2 , wherein the message includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for displaying a login screen for login to the server.
5 . The server according to claim 1 , wherein the specific condition is fulfilled by receiving the predetermined signal from the device under a situation where the terminal device is logged in to the server by using the account information.
6 . The server according to claim 1 , wherein the controller receives the predetermined signal from each of two or more devices including the device, the controller is further configured to, in a case where the predetermined signal is received from each of the two or more devices, send selection screen data to the terminal device, the selection screen data corresponding to a selection screen for selecting a specific device from among the two or more devices, and the controller sends the permission signal to the specific device selected on the selection screen.
7 . The server according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in a case where the predetermined signal is received from the device, send permission screen data to the terminal device, the specific condition is that the predetermined signal is received from the device, the terminal device is logged in to the server by using the account information, and an instruction to permit a change of the password is inputted on a permission screen corresponding to the permission screen data, and the specific condition is not fulfilled in a case where an instruction not to permit a change of the password is inputted on the permission screen.
8 . The server according to claim 1 , wherein the permission signal is a signal that permits a reset of the password currently set for the device to an initial password.
9 . The server according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to: receive a registration request from an external device, the registration request including specific information for specifying the account information and the identification information; and in a case where the registration request is received from the external device, store the identification information in association with the account information specified by the specific information.
10 . The server according to claim 1 , wherein the memory is further configured to store a setting value that indicates either one of a first value for permitting a change of the password using the permission signal and a second value for not permitting a change of the password using the permission signal.
11 . The server according to claim 1 , wherein the account information includes a server password different from the password set for the device, and in the login authentication, the server password in the account information is used.
12 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable instructions for a server, wherein the server comprises: a memory configured to store account information and identification information identifying a device, the account information and the identification information being in association with each other; and a processor, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when the processor, cause the server to: in a case where a changing operation is performed on the device, receive a predetermined signal from the device, the changing operation being for changing a password currently set for the device; and in a case where a specific condition is fulfilled, send the device a permission signal for permitting a change of the password, wherein the specific condition is that the predetermined signal is received from the device and login authentication executed by the server is successful, wherein the login authentication is a process for a terminal device different from the device to log in to the server by using the account information stored in association with the identification information identifying the device.
13 . A control method for a server, wherein the server comprises a memory configured to store account information and identification information identifying a device, the account information and the identification information being in association with each other, wherein the control method comprises: in a case where a changing operation is performed on the device, receiving a predetermined signal from the device, the changing operation being for changing a password currently set for the device; and in a case where a specific condition is fulfilled, sending the device a permission signal for permitting a change of the password, wherein the specific condition is that the predetermined signal is received from the device and login authentication executed by the server is successful, wherein the login authentication is a process for a terminal device different from the device to log in to the server by using the account information stored in association with the identification information identifying the device.
14 . A server comprising: a memory configured to store account information and identification information identifying a device, the account information and the identification information being in association with each other; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to: under the situation where a terminal device different from the device is logged in to the server by using the account information stored in association with the identification information identifying the device, receive a first request that requests a change of a password from the terminal device; in a case where the first request is received from the terminal device, send the device a second request that requests a changing operation to be performed, wherein the changing operation is for changing a password currently set for the device and the device displays a screen that prompts the changing operation according to the second request; in a case where the changing operation is performed on the device, receive a predetermined signal from the device; and in a case where a specific condition is fulfilled, send the device a permission signal for permitting a change of the password, wherein the specific condition is that the predetermined signal is received from the device under a situation where the terminal device is logged in to the server by using the account information stored in association with the identification information identifying the device.
15 . A server comprising: a memory configured to store account information and identification information identifying a device, the account information and the identification information being in association with each other; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to: in a case where a changing operation is performed on the device, receive a predetermined signal from the device, the changing operation being for changing a password currently set for the device; in a case where the predetermined signal is received from the device, send permission screen data to the terminal device; in the case where the predetermined signal is received from the device, store device information that indicates the device for which the password is to be changed in the memory; in a case where a specific condition is fulfilled, send the device a permission signal for permitting a change of the password, wherein the specific condition is that the predetermined signal is received from the device, a terminal device different from the device is logged in to the server by using the account information stored in association with the identification information identifying the device, and an instruction to permit a change of the password is inputted on a permission screen corresponding to the permission screen data, wherein the specific condition is not fulfilled in a case where an instruction not to permit a change of the password is inputted on the permission screen; and in the case where the instruction not to permit a change of the password is inputted on the permission screen, delete the device information from the memory.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-001226 filed on Jan. 6, 2023. The entire content of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND ART A technology for changing a passcode to use a multi-function peripheral (MFP) is known. In this technology, the MFP executes a process for changing a passcode when accepting input of a wrong passcode from a user. DESCRIPTION The disclosure herein provides a technology that allows a password of a device to be securely changed. A server disclosed herein may comprise a memory configured to store account information and identification information identifying a device, the account information and the identification information being in association with each other; and a controller. The controller may be configured to: in a case where a changing operation is performed on the device, receive a predetermined signal from the device, the changing operation being for changing a password currently set for the device; and in a case where a specific condition is fulfilled, send the device a permission signal for permitting a change of the password, wherein the specific condition is that the predetermined signal is received from the device and a terminal device different from the device is logged in the server by using the account information stored in association with the identification information identifying the device. According to the configuration above, the permission signal is not sent from the server to the device even when a third party performed the changing operation on the device unless a user who knows the account information makes the terminal device log in to the server. The password of the device can thus be changed securely. Computer-readable instructions for realizing the above server and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing the computer-readable instructions are also novel and useful. Further, a control method for the above server is also novel and useful. Further, a communication system comprising the above server, the above device, and the above terminal device is also novel and useful. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication system. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of a printer registration process. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram continued from FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram of password reset process. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of password reset process. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram of password reset process. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram of password reset process. FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of password reset process. FIRST EMBODIMENT Configuration of Communication System 2; FIG. 1 As shown in FIG. 1, a communication system 2 comprises a terminal 10, a printer 100, a printer 150, and a mediation server 200. The terminal 10, the printer 100, and the printer 150 are connected to a local area network (LAN) 4 and can communicate with each other via the LAN 4. The LAN 4 is connected to the internet 6, and the mediation server 200 is set up on the internet 6. Thus, the terminal 10, the printer 100, and the printer 150 can communicate with the mediation server 200 via the internet 6. Hereinafter, the mediation server 200 will be referred to as “server 200”. The number of printers connected to the LAN 4 is not limited to two, but may be one or three or more. Passwords are set for the printers 100 and 150. An administrator inputs the password of the printer 100 to the printer 100 in order to change settings (e.g., network configuration) of the printer 100. The printer 100 permits the settings to be changed if authentication for the password inputted by the administrator succeeds. The disclosure herein provides a technology that allows the password set for the printer 100 or 150 to be changed when the administrator does not remember the password. Configuration of Terminal 10 The terminal 10 may be a portable terminal device such as a smartphone, a notebook PC, a tablet PC, or the like, or may be a stationary terminal device such as a desktop PC or the like. The terminal 10 is used by the administrator who manages the printers 100 and 150. The terminal 10 comprises an operation unit 12, a display unit 14, a communication interface 20, and a controller 30. Hereinafter, interface will be abbreviated as “I/F”. The operation unit 12 is a plurality of buttons, a touch screen, or the like configured to be operated by the user. The user can input various instructions to the terminal 10 by operating the operation unit 12. The display unit 14 is a display configured to display various information. The communication I/F 20 is connected to the LAN 4. The controller 30 comprises a CPU 32 and a memory 34. The CPU 32 executes various processes according to an operating system (OS) program 40 stored in the memory 34. The memory 34 is configured of a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, etc. The OS program 40 is a program for implementing basic operations of the