JP2008015676A - Electronic data management device, method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce risk of leakage of electronic data when a user carries them out. <P>SOLUTION: This electronic data management device managing the electronic data stored in a memory is provided with a user authentication part 22 authenticating a user accessing the electronic data, a division part 26 dividing the electronic data into a plurality of divided electronic data and associating information of the respective users to a plurality of divided electronic data individually, and a transmission part 25 specifying the divided electronic data operable by the user accessing the electronic data by using the information for each user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a system for managing electronic data.

  In recent years, leakage of personal information and confidential information to the outside has become a problem. When electronic data including important information is securely shared by a specific user, there is a method of encrypting and protecting the entire electronic data using PKI (Public Key Infrastructure: technology using public key cryptography). However, for example, if the key for decrypting the electronic data is stolen or if the key is a key that anyone can conceive, the third party can decrypt the obtained electronic data and Information can be obtained. Thus, for example, when a user takes out electronic data on a secure internal network that is blocked from the outside, the risk of leakage of important information outside the company is that the electronic data and key of the user taking out the It was in a state that was influenced by handling.

As a conventional technique described in the publication for avoiding this risk, for example, a PKI key (public key) is divided by a secret sharing method, and if the divided information is not available, the divided key is decrypted to the original key. There is a technique for preventing this (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this patent document 1, secret information (for example, a common key divided by a secret sharing method) possessed by a secret sharing holder is used as a common key (for example, published by PKI) used for decrypting information (for example, entire electronic data). It has the meaning as the distributed secret information necessary for deriving the key. In other words, by providing a secure and highly reliable secret sharing method and an encryption method and a decryption method using the same, it is possible to prevent a part of the distributed secret information from leaking out important information as it is. Yes.
Here, the secret sharing method refers to a method in which secret information is divided into several pieces of shared information, and the secret information can be restored by collecting some of the information.

JP 11-317734 A (page 3-4, FIG. 1)

However, although the system of Patent Document 1 discloses that the secret information is divided into a plurality of pieces of shared information (encrypted information), the management form by the user of the plurality of pieces of shared information is disclosed. Not. Therefore, there may be a case where a plurality of pieces of encrypted information are managed by one user. In this case, when the electronic data (secret information) is taken out of a safe network that is blocked from the outside, for example, the user may take out the encrypted information necessary for restoring the electronic data alone. I can do it. This state is no different from a state in which one user has taken the electronic data itself outside the company. In this case, the purpose of dividing the electronic data by the secret sharing method or the like and evading the risk of the electronic data being leaked outside the company due to the handling of the user is lost. Therefore, it is necessary not to allow a single user to manage a plurality of encrypted information.
Further, in the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, even when electronic data is handled in a normal business, it is necessary to decrypt the encrypted electronic data by aligning encrypted information (common key divided by the secret sharing method). was there. This leads to a reduction in the risk of electronic data being leaked. However, convenience for users to share the electronic data has deteriorated.

The present invention has been made in order to cope with the above situation, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the risk of the electronic data being leaked in the process of taking out the electronic data by the user.
Another object is to ensure convenience when sharing electronic data while reducing the risk.

  For this purpose, according to the present invention, in an electronic data management apparatus for managing electronic data stored in a memory, a recognition means for recognizing a user accessing the electronic data and the electronic data are divided into a plurality of divided electronic data. Dividing means for creating the information, information associating means for associating information for each of the plurality of divided electronic data, and divided electronic data operable by the user accessing the electronic data using the information for each user And a specifying means for specifying.

  In addition, as a device for managing such electronic data, the dividing unit generates a plurality of divided electronic data according to a dividing operation of the electronic data by a user accessing the electronic data. it can.

Further, as an apparatus for managing such electronic data, the dividing means creates divided electronic data that can be operated by the user according to the dividing operation of the electronic data by the user accessing the electronic data, and The divided electronic data can be characterized by not overlapping each other.
And a receiving means for receiving a user operation for moving the display element from a shared area, which is an area for displaying the display element of the electronic data, to a personal area operated by the user accessing the electronic data, The dividing means may be characterized in that the electronic data is divided when the accepting means accepts a user operation to move the display element.

  Furthermore, as an apparatus for managing such electronic data, original data recognition means for recognizing that a plurality of divided electronic data stored in a memory is data divided based on specific electronic data; A restoring means for restoring the specific electronic data using the plurality of divided electronic data when the number of the plurality of divided electronic data satisfies a number necessary for restoring the specific electronic data; Furthermore, it can be characterized by comprising.

  The present invention can also be understood as a method in which an electronic data management apparatus processes, particularly divides or restores electronic data. In this case, the method of dividing the electronic data according to the present invention recognizes a user who accesses the electronic data stored in the memory, divides the electronic data to create a plurality of divided electronic data, and the plurality of divided electronic data. Information for each user is associated with each other, and the divided electronic data that can be operated by the user accessing the electronic data is specified using the information for each user.

  Furthermore, such a method for restoring electronic data recognizes that a plurality of divided electronic data stored in a memory is data divided in association with a user based on specific electronic data. When the number of the plurality of divided electronic data satisfies the number necessary for restoring the specific electronic data, the specific electronic data is restored using the plurality of divided electronic data.

  On the other hand, the present invention can also be understood as an electronic data management program for processing, in particular, dividing or restoring electronic data. In that case, the computer has a function of recognizing a user who accesses the electronic data stored in the memory, a function of dividing the electronic data to create a plurality of divided electronic data, and a user for each of the divided electronic data. A function of associating information for each user and a function of specifying divided electronic data that can be operated by a user accessing the electronic data using the information for each user can be realized.

  In addition, as a program for processing such electronic data, the function of creating a plurality of divided electronic data is to convert the plurality of divided electronic data according to a dividing operation of the electronic data by a user accessing the electronic data. It can be characterized by creating.

Furthermore, as a program for processing such electronic data, the function of creating a plurality of divided electronic data is a division that can be operated by the user in accordance with the dividing operation of the electronic data by the user accessing the electronic data. Electronic data is created, and the plurality of divided electronic data are not overlapped with each other.
The computer further has a function of accepting a user's operation for moving the display element from a shared area, which is an area for displaying the electronic data display element, to a personal area operated by the user accessing the electronic data. The function of creating and generating the divided electronic data may be characterized in that the electronic data is divided when the function of accepting the operation of the user who moves the display element accepts the operation.

  Furthermore, as a program for processing such electronic data, the computer recognizes that the plurality of divided electronic data stored in the memory is data divided in association with the user based on the specific electronic data. A function to restore the specific electronic data using the plurality of divided electronic data when the number of the plurality of divided electronic data satisfies a number necessary for the restoration of the specific electronic data; Can be realized.

  According to the present invention configured as described above, it is possible to reduce the risk of the electronic data being leaked in the process of taking out the electronic data by the user.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as “embodiment”) will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(About embodiment which divides | segments electronic data)
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a hardware configuration including a client 100 and a server 200 to which the present embodiment is applied. The client 100 is realized by a computer device such as a PC (personal computer).
The client 100 includes a CPU 101 that executes various software and controls the whole, and a ROM 103 that stores various programs such as an image processing program. A display 106 that displays electronic data and a display driver 105 that controls display on the display 106 are provided.

  Further, a RAM 102 that is a working memory and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 104 are provided. In addition, hardware such as a mouse 109 that is a pointing device, a keyboard 108 that is an input device, and an input interface (hereinafter referred to as “I / F”) 107 that transmits user operation information using these to a program are provided. ing. Further, hardware such as a network I / F 110 connected to the server 200 via the intranet 150 is provided. Here, the intranet 150 is a safe network that is configured only within the company and is disconnected from the outside.

The server 200 is also realized by a computer device such as a PC (personal computer).
The server 200 includes a CPU 202 that executes various software such as an OS (operating system) having a WEB server function and controls the whole, and a ROM 203 that stores various programs such as a loader.

Further, a RAM 204 which is a working memory and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 205 are provided. Furthermore, hardware such as a network I / F 201 connected to the client 100 via the intranet 150 is provided.
In the present embodiment, such a hardware configuration is provided, and electronic data is managed by a system executed using these hardware configurations. Note that “electronic data” indicates digitized data such as text data, image data, music data, and the like.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional block configuration of the client 100 and the server 200 to which the embodiment for dividing the electronic data is applied. FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating a functional block configuration of the client 100. FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a functional block configuration of the server 200.

  The client 100 includes an operation determination unit 11 that determines user operation information, and a communication unit 12 that transmits and receives information to and from the server 200. Furthermore, a user recognition unit 13 that recognizes a user who operates the client 100 is provided. A display unit 14 for displaying “personal workspace” or “shared workspace” for displaying display elements (thumbnail or the like) such as electronic data in the display area of the client 100 is provided.

  Here, the work space (hereinafter referred to as WS) is an area for displaying a thumbnail, and indicates an area where the user can operate the thumbnail. “Personal WS” is displayed by the client 100 and displays a display element such as electronic data stored in an electronic data storage unit 16 (described later) of the client 100. “Shared WS” is displayed by the client 100 and displays a display element such as electronic data stored in an electronic data storage unit 24 (described later) of the server 200. The “shared WS” is a display area corresponding to a link folder, for example, and the electronic data displayed here is not stored in the electronic data storage unit 16 of the client 100. Here, the link folder is different from the user folder created under the management of the document handling software, for example, and a link to an existing folder that is not under the management of the software can be generated and handled by the software. Indicates a folder. Here, the existing folder linked to the link folder exists in the server 200.

The client 100 includes a display element storage unit 15 that stores the display elements and an electronic data storage unit 16 that stores electronic data acquired by the client 100.
The operation determination unit 11 determines a request to connect to an existing folder existing in the server 200, or determines a request to read electronic data.
The communication unit 12 receives information on a user operation for connecting to an existing folder existing in the server 200 from the operation determination unit 11. Then, the communication unit 12 reads “user information” recognized by the user recognition unit 13 and sends the “user information” to the server 200 via the intranet 150 (see FIG. 1). The communication unit 12 receives information sent from the server 200 and sends the information to the display unit 14.

The display unit 14 reads the received information, for example, the display element of the electronic data belonging to the existing folder existing in the server 200 from the display element storage unit 15 (described later) and displays it on “Shared WS”. Further, the display unit 14 sends or reads the electronic data acquired from the server 200 to the electronic data storage unit 16 according to a command from the operation determination unit 11 and displays the electronic data.
Here, the display unit 14 functions as a part of the display means.
The display element storage unit 15 stores display elements displayed on the display unit 14. The electronic data storage unit 16 stores electronic data acquired by the client 100.

  The server 200 includes a communication unit 21 that transmits / receives information to / from the client 100 and a user authentication unit 22 that authenticates user access of the client 100. In addition, a user information storage unit 23 that stores “connectable user information” and an electronic data storage unit 24 that stores electronic data are provided. Furthermore, a transmission unit 25 for transmitting information and a dividing unit 26 for dividing electronic data are provided. And the division | segmentation electronic data memory | storage part 27 which memorize | stores the divided | segmented electronic data (henceforth "divided electronic data") is provided. Here, the “connectable user information” can be connected to, for example, a “shared area” (for example, “shared WS”: see FIG. 8 described later) of the server 200 of the user who uses the client 100. Information regarding the presence or absence of rights.

The communication unit 21 receives “user information” sent from the client 100 via the intranet 150, and sends this “user information” to the user authentication unit 22. The user authentication unit 22 compares the “user information” with the “connectable user information” read from the user information storage unit 23 and determines whether or not the connection to the “shared WS” is possible. When the user authentication unit 22 determines that “connection is possible”, the user is permitted to connect a transmission unit 25 (described later) and a dividing unit 26 (described later).
Here, the user authentication unit 22 functions as a part of the recognition unit.

The electronic data storage unit 24 stores electronic data belonging to “shared WS”. The transmission unit 25 reads the electronic data from the electronic data storage unit 24 and sends to the communication unit 21 that the connection to the electronic data is permitted from the client 100. Here, the transmission unit 25 does not send this electronic data to the client 100. This is to prevent the electronic data itself from being leaked from the server 200. Further, the transmission unit 25 reads out the divided electronic data corresponding to the user authenticated by the user authentication unit 22 from the divided electronic data storage unit 27 (described later), and sends the divided electronic data to the client 100.
Here, the transmission unit 25 functions as a part of the specifying unit.

The dividing unit 26 reads predetermined electronic data from the electronic data storage unit 24 in response to a user operation of the client 100, and divides the electronic data (creation of divided electronic data). The dividing unit 26 associates “divided electronic data information” (see FIG. 5 described later) with the created divided electronic data, and sends the divided electronic data to the divided electronic data storage unit 27.
Here, the dividing unit 26 functions as a part of a dividing unit, an information association unit, and a receiving unit.
Then, the divided electronic data storage unit 27 stores the transmitted divided electronic data.

Next, the flow in which the server 200 (see FIG. 2B) divides the electronic data will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of electronic data division executed by the server 200.
First, the communication unit 21 acquires a request for reading electronic data determined by the operation determination unit 11 (see FIG. 2A) of the client 100 from the communication unit 12 (see FIG. 2A) of the client 100 (see FIG. 2A). Step 101). Next, the communication unit 21 receives the “user information” read from the user recognition unit 13 (see FIG. 2A) of the client 100 from the communication unit 12 and sends it to the user authentication unit 22 (step 102). The user authentication unit 22 of the server 200 determines whether the user of the client 100 can connect to the “shared WS” using the “user information” (step 103). If the user cannot connect, the process ends. If the user can connect, the process proceeds to step 104 (described later).

  When the connection is possible, the user authentication unit 22 displays the display of “shared WS” on the transmission unit 25 and the display of the electronic data stored in the electronic data storage unit 24 (see FIG. 2A). (Step 104). Thereafter, the operation determination unit 11 of the client 100 recognizes a request for dragging and dropping a thumbnail of predetermined electronic data from “shared WS” to “personal WS” (displayed by the display unit 14). And the communication part 21 acquires the information by this recognition from the communication part 12 of the client 100 (step 105). Then, the dividing unit 26 divides the electronic data corresponding to the dragged and dropped thumbnail into the predetermined number of users who can connect to the “shared WS” by, for example, “secret sharing method” or the like, and divides the divided electronic data. Create (step 106).

  Thereafter, the transmission unit 25 sends predetermined divided electronic data to the client 100 via the communication unit 21 (step 107). Accordingly, the user can read the divided electronic data sent to the client 100 from the electronic data storage unit 16 to an external memory (not shown) (for example, a USB memory or a flexible disk) and take it to the destination.

(First operation example for creating divided electronic data)
Next, a first operation example of the process of creating divided electronic data (step 106: see FIG. 3) will be described.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for creating divided electronic data to which the first operation example is applied.

  First, the dividing unit 26 reads out electronic data corresponding to the thumbnail from the electronic data storage unit 24 in accordance with the information that the thumbnail is dragged and dropped, which is acquired by the communication unit 21 in step 105 (see FIG. 3). (Step 201). Next, the dividing unit 26 grasps the number of pieces of divided electronic data to be created (Step 202). This number is, for example, the number of “connectable users” in “unique information” (see FIG. 5 described later) of the electronic data read in step 201. Further, according to the user operation of the client 100, the server 200 may grasp an arbitrary number of people up to the number of “connectable users”. At this time, the server 200 also grasps “user information” of the user of the connected client 100.

  Then, the dividing unit 26 determines whether or not the creation of the divided electronic data corresponding to the plurality of users is “first” (step 203). Specifically, if the divided electronic data obtained by dividing the “identical” electronic data for a plurality of “identical” users is not stored in the divided electronic data storage unit 27, the dividing unit 26 is “first”. Judge that there is. When it is determined that it is “first”, the process proceeds to step 204 (described later), and when it is determined that it is not “first”, the process proceeds to step 207 (described later).

  Thereafter, when it is determined that it is the “first”, divided electronic data of the number of divisions grasped in step 202 is created (step 204). Then, “user information” (for example, user name) of each user grasped in step 202 is associated with each created divided electronic data (step 205). These divided electronic data are stored in the divided electronic data storage unit 27 (step 206).

If it is determined in step 203 that it is not the “first”, the divided electronic data stored in the divided electronic data storage unit 27 is referred to (step 207). If it is not “first”, the divided electronic data to be referred to is already stored in the divided electronic data storage unit 27 in step 206.
Thereafter, the transmission unit 25 uses the “user information” received from the user authentication unit 22 to identify the divided electronic data corresponding to the “user information” from the divided electronic data stored in the divided electronic data storage unit 27. (Step 208).

  FIG. 5 shows an example of “unique information” of the electronic data and “unique information” associated with the divided electronic data in step 205 (see FIG. 4) as a table. These “unique information” are, for example, information that is added to and managed by electronic data or divided electronic data.

In the table shown in FIG. 5A, only one line of “unique information” of electronic data is described. This is because it is normal electronic data that is neither divided nor restored. First, “document file 1” is stored as “original electronic data name” of electronic data. As a part of the “divided electronic data information”, it is stored that there are three users “A, B, C” that can connect to “document file 1”. Further, “number”, “user name”, and “divided electronic data name”, which are a part of “divided electronic data information”, are “NULL” because no information is stored.
Here, “number” is an identification number used to prevent duplication of divided electronic data. “User name” is identification information used by the transmission unit 25 (see FIG. 2) to specify the divided electronic data in step 208 (see FIG. 4).

  The table shown in FIG. 5B shows the divided electronic data associated with the user “A”. First, as in FIG. 5A, “document file 1” is stored as the name (“original electronic data name”) of the electronic data that created the divided electronic data. The identification number “1” is described in the “number” column, and “A, B, C” is described in the “connectable users” column. These three names correspond to users who take out the divided electronic data outside the server 200 (see FIG. 2). The column “user name” describes that the electronic data is divided electronic data associated with the user “A”. Furthermore, the column of “divided electronic data name” describes that the name of the divided electronic data is “A / ABC”. This description clarifies that the electronic data is divided for each of the users A, B, and C, and is divided electronic data associated with the user “A” therein.

The table shown in FIG. 5C shows the divided electronic data associated with the user “B”. The table shown in FIG. 5D shows the divided electronic data associated with the user “C”. The contents of each column constituting “divided electronic data information” are the same as those described with reference to FIG. Thereby, the transmission part 25 can specify the division | segmentation electronic data which do not mutually overlap at step 208 (refer FIG. 4) for every user.
Further, here, there is no need to include items (“number”, “user name”, “divided electronic data name”) that are not described in FIG. This is because these items are necessary information for the divided electronic data and are not necessary for the electronic data itself.

(Second operation example for creating divided electronic data)
In the first operation example, in response to an operation for creating divided electronic data of a certain user, divided electronic data of other users are also created at one time and stored in the divided electronic data storage unit 27 (see FIG. 2). It was. In this second operation example, the divided electronic data is not stored in the divided electronic data storage unit 27, and each user creates his / her own divided electronic data.
The same functions as those in the first operation example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted here.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for creating divided electronic data to which the second operation example is applied.
Since step 301 is the same as step 201 (see FIG. 4), description thereof is omitted. Step 302 is similar to step 202 (see FIG. 4), and the description thereof is omitted to grasp the number of “connectable users” (see FIG. 5A). Step 303 is also the same as step 204 (see FIG. 4), and the description thereof is omitted.

  First, the transmission unit 25 (see FIG. 2) specifies one of the plurality of divided electronic data sent from the dividing unit 26 (step 304). Then, the dividing unit 26 reads information related to the divided electronic data from the divided electronic data storage unit 27 (step 305). Here, the information is, for example, “history of divided electronic data” (see FIG. 7 described later). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the divided electronic data specified in step 304 has already been specified and moved (step 306). Here, for example, “history of divided electronic data” is used for the determination. If it is determined that there is no record indicating that the divided electronic data has been moved in the “divided electronic data history” or there is no “divided electronic data history” to be read in step 305, step 307 (described later) Proceed to If it is determined that there is a record that the divided electronic data has been moved, the process returns to step 304. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the divided electronic data created by each user from overlapping each other.

  Then, the dividing unit 26 associates the “user information” of the user authenticated by the user authentication unit 22 with the divided electronic data specified in step 304 (step 307). Further, the dividing unit 26 adds information indicating that the divided electronic data has been specified to the information related to the divided electronic data, and sends this to the divided electronic data storage unit 27 (step 308). Here, the information regarding the divided electronic data is, for example, “history of divided electronic data”. Thereafter, the dividing unit 26 sends the divided electronic data to the transmitting unit 25. Here, the “unique information” of the divided electronic data is, for example, the user “A” in FIG. 5B, the user “B” in FIG. 5C, and the user “C”. On the other hand, the contents shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the contents of “divided electronic data history” as a table.
FIG. 7A shows the contents when the divided electronic data is created for the first time in step 303 (see FIG. 6). In this table, the history in which the electronic data is divided into three at step 303 (see FIG. 6) is described. This is because “users who can connect to“ document file 1 ”are“ A, B, C ”. Further, “number”, “user name”, and “divided electronic data name”, which are a part of “divided electronic data history”, are “NULL” because no information is stored.
Here, the “number” is an identification number used to prevent the divided electronic data from being assigned to the user in duplicate. “User name” is identification information used by the transmission unit 25 (see FIG. 2) to transmit the divided electronic data to the client 100 operated by a specific user in step 107 (see FIG. 3).

  FIG. 7B shows contents obtained by adding the history of the divided electronic data specified by the user “A” in step 308 (see FIG. 6). Here, a history in which the divided electronic data whose “number” is “1” is specified for the user “A” is shown. Therefore, “A” is described in the “user name” column, and “A / ABC” is described in the “divided electronic data name” column. In addition, since “connectable users” other than the user “A” have not yet performed the creation operation of the divided electronic data, the “user name” and the “divided electronic” in the rows where the “number” is “2” and “3”. The content of the “data name” column is “NULL”.

FIG. 7C shows contents obtained by adding the history of the divided electronic data specified by the user C in step 308. Here, a history in which the divided electronic data whose “number” is “3” is further specified for the user “C” is shown. Therefore, “C” is described in the “user name” column, and “C / ABC” is described in the “divided electronic data name” column. In addition, since the user “B” has not yet created the divided electronic data, the contents of the “user name” and “divided electronic data name” columns in the row where the “number” is “2” are “NULL”. It has become.
By managing the “history of divided electronic data”, particularly “numbers” in this way, it is possible to prevent the divided electronic data from being specified redundantly for each user.

Next, a display example of thumbnails of electronic data and divided electronic data will be described. These thumbnails are displayed in “Shared WS” or “Individual WS”. These WSs are displayed on the display unit 14 (see FIG. 2) of the client 100. Here, “shared WS” is a display area corresponding to a link folder, for example, and “personal WS” is a display area corresponding to a user folder, for example.
FIG. 8 shows “shared WS” displayed on the display unit 14 (see FIG. 2) and “A dedicated personal WS” that can be used only by the user “A”. FIG. 8A shows a state before the electronic data (document file 1) displayed by the thumbnail 80 is divided. FIG. 8B shows a state in which the thumbnail 80 is dragged and dropped from the “shared WS” to the “A personal WS”. FIG. 8C shows that the thumbnail 81 (A / ABC) of the divided electronic data is displayed on “A personal WS”.

  When the thumbnail 80 is dragged from the “shared WS” to the “A private WS” as shown in FIG. 8B from the state shown in FIG. 8A, the thumbnail 80 is switched to the thumbnail 81 of the divided electronic data. Recognizing this operation (drag) request by the dividing unit 26 (see FIG. 2) is a trigger for dividing the electronic data displayed in the thumbnail 80. This corresponds to step 105 (see FIG. 3). Thereafter, when the thumbnail 81 is dropped on the “A personal WS”, the thumbnail 81 is displayed on the “A personal WS” in step 107. Since this thumbnail 81 is associated with the user “A”, it has the information described in FIG. 5B as “unique information”. Therefore, the name of the thumbnail 81 is “A / ABC”.

  In FIG. 8C, the divided electronic data (B / ABC) associated with the user B and the divided electronic data (C / ABC) associated with the user C are not displayed. This is because “A private WS” is shown in FIG. Since the original electronic data does not move (disappear) from the “shared WS”, the thumbnail 80 of the electronic data is displayed in the same state on the “shared WS” from FIGS. 8A to 8C. .

  As described above, according to the embodiment in which the electronic data is divided, the electronic data managed by a secure network (for example, an intranet) that is blocked from the outside can be divided into divided electronic data. Then, the user cannot take anything other than the divided electronic data associated with the user to the destination. Thereby, when taking out electronic data, the danger that the electronic data itself leaks outside can be reduced.

  By the way, although the dragging of “thumbnail 80” (see FIG. 8) by the user is used as the trigger for division, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, after selecting the thumbnail 80, the communication unit 21 (see FIG. 2B) receives information related to the pressing operation of the “button” or “tag” instructing division, and the division unit 26 (FIG. 2) according to this information. (See (b)) may create divided electronic data. In this case, the display unit 14 (see FIG. 2A) displays thumbnails (for example, thumbnails 81) of a plurality of divided electronic data created on the “shared WS” (see FIG. 8), and one of the thumbnails is displayed. Move the thumbnail to “Personal WS” (drag and drop). In this case, for example, the thumbnail 81 associated with the user “A” can be moved to “A dedicated personal WS” and cannot be dragged and dropped to “B dedicated personal WS” and “C dedicated personal WS”. Then, by deleting the thumbnail of the divided electronic data dragged and dropped on the “personal WS”, the user who performs the same operation later selects the divided electronic data that has been transmitted from the server 200 to the client 100 again. Can be prevented.

In addition, when electronic data is divided, divided electronic data for a predetermined number of people grasped in advance is created, but the present invention is not limited to this. Regardless of the predetermined number of people grasped prior to the division, divided electronic data for the number of people or more may be created. For example, when the predetermined number of people is two, ten pieces of divided electronic data may be created. In this case, for example, one piece of “user information” may be associated with seven pieces of divided electronic data, and the other piece of “user information” may be associated with the remaining three pieces of divided electronic data. As a result, one user cannot manage all the divided electronic data.
In addition, a plurality of users may be associated with one divided electronic data as long as one user cannot manage all the divided electronic data. For example, when 10 pieces of electronic data are created by two predetermined persons, one piece of “user information” is associated with 6 pieces of divided electronic data, and a total of 6 pieces of 2 pieces overlapped with the remaining 4 pieces. The other “user information” may be associated with the electronic data. As a result, both pieces of “user information” are associated with the two pieces of divided electronic data, but one user cannot manage all of the divided electronic data.

(About embodiment which restores electronic data)
In the embodiment of dividing the electronic data, the electronic data is divided into the number of users who can access the electronic data (creation of divided electronic data). In the embodiment for restoring electronic data, the original electronic data is restored using these divided electronic data. Then, by using “unique information” (divided electronic data information: see FIG. 5) of the divided electronic data, it is determined whether or not the original electronic data can be restored.
In addition, about the function similar to embodiment which divides | segments electronic data, the same code | symbol is used and the detailed description here is abbreviate | omitted.

  The hardware configuration of the client 100 to which this embodiment is applied differs from the hardware configuration of the client 100 shown in FIG. The difference is that the network I / F 110 is connected to the server 200 (see FIG. 1) in the embodiment for dividing electronic data, but is connected to a USB memory or a flexible disk in the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a functional block configuration of a computer apparatus to which an embodiment for restoring electronic data is applied.
The client 100 includes an external data receiving unit 90 that receives “external data” (divided electronic data), and an information recognition unit 91 that recognizes “unique information” of the “external data”. A restoration unit 92 that restores the original electronic data using “external data” is provided. The external memory A93, the external memory B94, and the external memory C95 are external memories (for example, a USB memory and a flexible disk) that store divided electronic data and are taken out by the user. Furthermore, the electronic data storage unit 96 stores “external data” received by the external data receiving unit 90.
Then, the operation determination unit 11 transmits the processing contents performed by the client 100 to the display unit 14, the external data reception unit 90, and the restoration unit 92.

  The external data receiving unit 90 receives from the operation determination unit 11 a user operation request for reading the divided electronic data from the external memory A93, the external memory B94, and the external memory C95. Then, the external data receiving unit 90 sends the divided electronic data read into the electronic data storage unit 96. The information recognition unit 91 reads the divided electronic data. The display unit 14 reads out these display elements (such as thumbnails) from the display element storage unit 15 and displays them.

The display unit 14 receives a request for selecting these display elements from the operation determination unit 11 and sends the request to the information recognition unit 91. In response to this request, the information recognition unit 91 recognizes the “unique information” (see FIG. 5) of the divided electronic data and determines whether or not the original electronic data can be restored using these “unique information”. to decide. If the information can be restored, the information recognition unit 91 sends these “unique information” to the restoration unit 92. The restoration unit 92 receives a request for restoration operation from the operation determination unit 11 and restores the original electronic data. The electronic data storage unit 96 receives the original electronic data from the restoration unit 92 and stores it.
Here, the information recognition unit 91 functions as part of the original data recognition unit, and the restoration unit 92 functions as part of the restoration unit.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a flow of electronic data restoration executed by the client 100.
First, the operation determination unit 11 of the client 100 acquires a request for reading the divided electronic data used for restoration made by the user from the electronic data storage unit 96 (step 401). Next, the information recognizing unit 91 reads “unique information” from the electronic data storage unit 96, and a plurality of pieces of divided electronic data read using the “unique information” are converted into specific electronic data (original electronic data). ) To determine whether the data is divided based on (step 402).

If the “original electronic data” of the divided electronic data is not the same, the process proceeds to step 403 (described later), and if the same, the process proceeds to step 404 (described later). Since the original electronic data of the divided electronic data cannot be restored to the “original electronic data” unless the original electronic data is the same, the information recognition unit 91 displays on the display unit 14 that the display element (thumbnail) of the divided electronic data cannot be displayed. (Step 403). Then, the process is finished as it is. If the “original electronic data” of the divided electronic data is the same, the information recognizing unit 91 displays the display element (thumbnail) of the divided electronic data on the display unit 14 as “common WS” (hereinafter ““ restoration WS ”). (Step 404).
A specific determination method in step 402 will be described later.

  Thereafter, the operation determination unit 11 acquires a request to select the read divided electronic data using the display element (step 405). Then, the operation determination unit 11 acquires a request for restoring the “original electronic data” using the selected divided electronic data (step 406). Then, the information recognition unit 91 reads “unique information” of the plurality of divided electronic data selected from the electronic data storage unit 96, that is, “divided electronic data information” (see FIG. 5) (step 407). Next, the information recognizing unit 91 uses these “unique information” to determine whether or not the divided electronic data necessary for restoring the “original electronic data” is available (step 408).

If they are not aligned, the process proceeds to step 409 (described later), and if they are aligned, the process proceeds to step 410 (described later). If the divided electronic data is not available, it cannot be restored to “original electronic data”, and the information recognition unit 91 displays that fact on the display unit 14 (step 409). Then, the process is finished as it is. If they are ready, the information recognition unit 91 sends the divided electronic data to the restoration unit 92. Then, the restoration unit 92 restores “original electronic data” in accordance with an instruction from the operation determination unit 11 and stores the “original electronic data” in the electronic data storage unit 96 (step 410). Thereafter, the display unit 14 erases the display element of the divided electronic data used for the restoration, reads the “original electronic data” restored from the electronic data storage unit 96, and displays the display element (step 411). Then, the process ends.
A specific determination method in step 408 will be described later.

Next, a process (step 402) for determining whether or not the original data of the divided electronic data is the same will be described.
The information recognition unit 91 reads “unique information” of the divided electronic data from the electronic data storage unit 96. For example, the information recognizing unit 91 reads “original electronic data name” described in the tables shown in FIGS. 5B, 5C, and 5D. In this case, the information recognition unit 91 determines whether or not the original data is the same by comparing the “original electronic data names” with each other. In the case shown in FIG. 5, since the “original electronic data name” of each divided electronic data is the same in “document file 1”, the information recognition unit 91 can determine that “the original data is the same”.

In addition, a process (step 408) for determining whether or not the divided electronic data is available will be described.
Here, for example, the information recognizing unit 91 reads “divided electronic data information” described in the tables shown in FIGS. 5B, 5C, and 5D. In this case, the information recognizing unit 91 determines whether or not the divided electronic data is prepared by comparing the “divided electronic data information” with each other. In the case shown in FIG. 5, the “number” of each divided electronic data is different from “1, 2, 3”. Further, the number of divisions obtained in step 202 (see FIG. 4) is determined to be “3” because there are three “connectable users” in the divided electronic data. Therefore, the information recognizing unit 91 can determine that the divided electronic data necessary for restoration is prepared.

Next, a specific example of display of divided electronic data and thumbnails of “original electronic data” in the process of restoring to “original electronic data” will be described.
FIG. 11 shows “restoration WS” displayed on the display unit 14 (see FIG. 9). This “restoration WS” is a display area corresponding to a user folder, for example. FIG. 11A shows a state in which thumbnails of divided electronic data are displayed as thumbnails 81, thumbnails 82, and thumbnails 83. Here, since the thumbnail 81 is displayed by “unique information” (see FIG. 5A) associated with the user “A”, the “divided electronic data name” is “A / ABC”. Similarly, the thumbnail 82 is associated with the user “B”, and the thumbnail 83 is associated with the user “C”. This state corresponds to step 404 (see FIG. 10).

  FIG. 11B shows a state in which thumbnails 81 to 83 are selected by operating the mouse pointer 110. Since the thumbnails 81 to 83 are selected, these displays are in a state in which the thumbnail frame is emphasized. This state corresponds to step 405 (see FIG. 10). In FIG. 11C, the operation of the restore button 100 (see step 406) deletes the display of the thumbnails 81 to 83, and the thumbnail 80 of “document file 1” as “original electronic data” is displayed. Indicates the state. This state corresponds to step 411 (see FIG. 10).

As described above, according to the embodiment for restoring electronic data, it is possible to restore the “original electronic data” using the divided electronic data. By the way, here, the thumbnail of the divided electronic data is selected and then the “restore button” is operated to restore the “original electronic data”. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, “original electronic data” may be restored in response to an operation of dragging and dropping the thumbnail 82 and the thumbnail 83 onto the thumbnail 81 (see FIG. 11).
Further, here, when the “original electronic data” of each divided electronic data is the same, the thumbnail of each divided electronic data is displayed in “restoration WS” (see FIG. 11). However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, even if the “original electronic data” is different, the display elements of the divided electronic data once displayed in the “restoration WS” are displayed, and it is determined whether the “original electronic data” is the same at the stage of restoration. May be.

  By the way, in an embodiment for restoring such electronic data, each divided electronic data has “unique information” (see FIGS. 5B to 5D) as additional information, and these are used in the restoration. It was. However, these “unique information” are information used in the “embodiment for dividing electronic data” in which each piece of divided electronic data created from the electronic data can be operated according to the user. In the “embodiment for restoring electronic data”, the original electronic data can be restored if the divided electronic data necessary for restoration are prepared, so that “unique information” does not have to be used. Therefore, after each divided electronic data is moved to the client 100 corresponding to the user, the “unique information” may not be moved to the client 100 together with the divided electronic data.

  As described above in detail, the electronic data can be divided to create divided electronic data, which can be used to restore the electronic data. As a result, it is possible to avoid the risk of the electronic data being leaked in the process from taking out the electronic data to the outside of the network that is blocked from the outside and restoring it. Moreover, since the divided electronic data is created in response to a request for taking out electronic data, it is possible to ensure convenience when the user shares the electronic data.

  Further, for example, a key used when decrypting encrypted electronic data, for example, a key based on PKI (public key) may be divided by applying such an embodiment. Further, such an embodiment may be applied to the electronic data itself and a key used for decrypting the electronic data. As a method for dividing and restoring electronic data, for example, a secret sharing method can be considered, but it goes without saying that any method can be used as long as it can achieve the contents described in detail in the present embodiment.

It is explanatory drawing of the hardware constitutions of this embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of the client to which the embodiment which divides | segments electronic data is applied, and a server. It is the flowchart which showed the flow of the division | segmentation of electronic data. It is the flowchart which showed the flow of the process which produces the division | segmentation electronic data with which 1st Embodiment is applied. It is a table | surface which shows an example of the "unique information" which electronic data and division | segmentation electronic data have. It is the flowchart which showed the flow of the process which produces the division | segmentation electronic data with which 2nd Embodiment is applied. It is a table | surface which shows an example of the content of the "history of division | segmentation electronic data". It is a specific example of the display of the display element of division | segmentation electronic data. It is the figure which showed the functional block structure of the computer apparatus with which embodiment which restore | restores electronic data is applied. It is the flowchart which showed the flow of restoration of electronic data. This is a specific example of display of divided electronic data and a display element of “original electronic data” in the process of restoring to “original electronic data”.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Client, 200 ... Server, 16 ... Electronic data storage part, 24 ... Electronic data storage part, 26 ... Division | segmentation part, 27 ... Divided electronic data storage part, 91 ... Information recognition part, 92 ... Restoration part, 96 ... Electronic data Storage

Claims (12)

In an electronic data management device for managing electronic data stored in a memory,
Recognition means for recognizing a user accessing the electronic data;
Dividing means for dividing the electronic data and creating a plurality of divided electronic data;
Information associating means for associating information for each user with each of the plurality of divided electronic data;
Using the information for each user, specifying means for specifying divided electronic data that can be operated by a user accessing the electronic data;
An electronic data management apparatus comprising:   2. The electronic data management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dividing unit creates the plurality of divided electronic data in accordance with a dividing operation of the electronic data by a user accessing the electronic data.   The dividing unit creates divided electronic data that can be operated by the user in response to a dividing operation of the electronic data by a user accessing the electronic data, so that the plurality of divided electronic data do not overlap each other. The electronic data management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: A receiving means for receiving the user's operation of moving the display element from a shared area, which is an area for displaying the display element of the electronic data, to a personal area operated by a user accessing the electronic data;
The electronic data management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dividing unit divides the electronic data when the receiving unit receives the operation. Original data recognition means for recognizing that the plurality of divided electronic data stored in the memory is data divided based on specific electronic data;
A restoring means for restoring the specific electronic data using the plurality of divided electronic data when the number of the plurality of divided electronic data satisfies a number necessary for restoring the specific electronic data;
The electronic data management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: Recognize users accessing electronic data stored in memory,
Dividing the electronic data to create a plurality of divided electronic data,
The information for each user is associated with each of the plurality of divided electronic data,
Using the information for each user, specify the divided electronic data that can be operated by the user accessing the electronic data.
Electronic data management method. Recognizing that the plurality of divided electronic data stored in the memory is data divided in association with a user based on specific electronic data,
When the number of the plurality of divided electronic data satisfies the number necessary for the restoration of the specific electronic data, the specific electronic data is restored using the plurality of divided electronic data.
Electronic data management method. On the computer,
A function for recognizing a user accessing electronic data stored in a memory;
A function of dividing the electronic data and creating a plurality of divided electronic data;
A function for associating information for each user with each of the plurality of divided electronic data;
Using the information for each user, a function for identifying divided electronic data that can be operated by a user accessing the electronic data;
An electronic data management program characterized by realizing the above.   9. The function of creating the plurality of divided electronic data creates the plurality of divided electronic data according to a dividing operation of the electronic data by a user accessing the electronic data. Electronic data management program.   The function of creating the plurality of divided electronic data is to create divided electronic data that can be operated by the user in accordance with a dividing operation of the electronic data by a user accessing the electronic data, and the plurality of divided electronic data 9. The electronic data management program according to claim 8, wherein the two do not overlap each other. In the computer,
Further realizing the function of accepting the user's operation of moving the display element from the shared area, which is an area for displaying the display element of the electronic data, to a personal area operated by the user accessing the electronic data,
9. The electronic data management program according to claim 8, wherein the function of creating the divided electronic data divides the electronic data when the function of accepting the operation accepts the operation. On the computer,
A function of recognizing that a plurality of divided electronic data stored in a memory is data divided in association with a user based on specific electronic data;
A function of restoring the specific electronic data using the plurality of divided electronic data when the number of the plurality of divided electronic data satisfies a number necessary for the restoration of the specific electronic data;
An electronic data management program characterized by realizing the above.

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