Personal authentication system, and personal authentication method and program used therefor

• US 20010037310A1
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Saeki, Tomoya
• Granted Patent: US 7,028,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

To provide a personal authentication system that enables a client to receive services even if he fails to carry his card or the like with him or loses it, thus preventing the abuse of the card or the like by a third person and the leakage of the personal information. When data identifying a client are transferred to an authentication server using an authentication terminal, the authentication server collates the sent data against personal authentication data registered previously in a database to identify the client and sends the results of the identification to the authentication terminal. After the authentication, when the authentication terminal requests the payment of charges from a settling account registered previously in the database, the read and modification of personal data, or the like, the authentication server executes a process based on the sent request.

Claims

1. A personal authentication system for connecting, via a communication line, an authentication server for authenticating a client to identify the client to an authentication terminal for inputting authentication information required for said personal authentication, wherein:

the system has a database for storing at least personal authentication data required for said personal authentication and previously registered, settling account information required to process charges, and data required to receive various services, and

said authentication server has a function of collating said authentication information input from said authentication terminal via said communication terminal, against said personal authentication data stored in said database, a function of processing charges based on said settling account information registered in said database based on a request from said authentication terminal when the client is authenticated during said identification, and a function of providing, registering, and managing personal data registered beforehand in said data base based on a request from said authentication terminal when the client is authenticated during said identification and periodically communicating a collation history, a personal data usage history, and a charge process history.

2. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein said authentication server includes a function of communicating permission for said various services based on a request from said authentication terminal when the client is authenticated during said identification.

3. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein said personal authentication data are at least one of the client'"'"'s fingerprint, the client'"'"'s voiceprint, the client'"'"'s iris pattern, and a preset password.

4. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein the function of communicating said collation history, said personal data usage history, and said charge process history is configured to communicate these information by electronic mail.

5. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein the function of communicating said collation history, said personal data usage history, and said charge process history is configured to show these information on a home page.

6. The personal authentication system according to

claim 5

, wherein only previously registered clients are allowed to view said home page.

7. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed in a store and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when at least one of a commodity and a service is to be provided and to request said authentication server to pay a consideration for the provided commodity and service from said settling account when the client is authenticated during said identification.

8. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a ticket gate of a public transportation facility and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said public transportation facility is utilized and to request said authentication server to pay from said settling account a price corresponding to a traveling section for said public transportation facility when the client is authenticated during said identification.

9. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein the functions of said authentication terminal are added to a public telephone and are configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said public telephone is utilized and to request said authentication server to pay a telephone call charge for said public telephone from said settling account when the client is authenticated during said identification.

10. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a hospital clerk'"'"'s window and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when the client visits said hospital and to request said authentication server to extract personal information including a medical sheet and various examination data of the client who is authenticated during said identification and pay said hospital medical expenses from said settling account.

11. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a government officer'"'"'s window for various procedures and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said procedure is utilized and to request said authentication server to receive an application for said procedure when the client is authenticated during said identification and pay a fee from said settling account.

12. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed in various service-providing facilities and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said service-providing facility is utilized and to request said authentication server to permit utilization of said service-providing facility when the client is authenticated during said identification and pay a service charge for the service-providing facility from said settling account.

13. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at an entrance or exit of a facility for which entries or exits are limited and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said facility is utilized, in order to permit and manage the entry or exit when the client is authenticated during said identification.

14. The personal authentication system according to

claim 1

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a window where a certificate is issued and a relevant registration is carried out and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said certificate is issued and when the relevant registration is carried out and to request said authentication server to permit the issuance of said certificate and the relevant registration when the client is authenticated during said identification and pay a fee from said settling account.

15. A personal authentication method for a personal authentication system for connecting, via a communication line, an authentication server for authenticating a client to identify the client to an authentication terminal for inputting authentication information required for said personal authentication, wherein:

the system has a database for storing at least personal authentication data required for said personal authentication and previously registered, settling account information required to process charges, and data required to receive various services, and

said authentication server has a step of collating said authentication information input from said authentication terminal via said communication terminal, against said personal authentication data stored in said database, a step of processing charges based on said settling account information registered in said database based on a request from said authentication terminal when the client is authenticated during said identification, and a step of providing, registering, and managing personal data registered beforehand in said database based on a request from said authentication terminal when the client is authenticated during said identification and periodically communicating a collation history, a personal data usage history, and a charge process history.

16. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein said authentication server includes a step of communicating permission for said various services based on a request from said authentication terminal when the client is authenticated during said identification.

17. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein said personal authentication data are at least one of the client'"'"'s fingerprint, the client'"'"'s voiceprint, the client'"'"'s iris pattern, and a preset password.

18. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein the step of communicating said collation history, said personal data usage history, and said charge process history is configured to communicate these information by electronic mail.

19. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein the step of communicating said collation history, said personal data usage history, and said charge process history is configured to show these information on a home page.

20. The personal authentication method according to

claim 19

, wherein only previously registered clients are allowed to view said home page.

21. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed in a store and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when at least one of a commodity and a service is to be provided and to request said authentication server to pay a consideration for the provided commodity and service from said settling account when the client is authenticated during said identification.

22. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a ticket gate of a public transportation facility and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said public transportation facility is utilized and to request said authentication server to pay from said settling account a price corresponding to a traveling section for said public transportation facility when the client is authenticated during said identification.

23. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein the functions of said authentication terminal are added to a public telephone and are configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said public telephone is utilized and to request said authentication server to pay a telephone call charge for said public telephone from said settling account when the client is authenticated during said identification.

24. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a hospital clerk'"'"'s window and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when the client visits said hospital and to request said authentication server to extract personal information including a medical sheet and various examination data of the client who is authenticated during said identification and pay said hospital medical expenses from said settling account.

25. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a government officer'"'"'s window for various procedures and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said procedure is utilized and to request said authentication server to receive an application for said procedure when the client is authenticated during said identification and pay a fee from said settling account.

26. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed in various service-providing facilities and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said service-providing facility is utilized and to request said authentication server to permit utilization of said service-providing facility when the client is authenticated during said identification and pay a service charge for the service-providing facility from said settling account.

27. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at an entrance or exit of a facility for which entries or exits are limited and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said facility is utilized, in order to permit and manage the entry or exit when the client is authenticated during said identification.

28. The personal authentication method according to

claim 15

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a window where a certificate is issued and a relevant registration is carried out and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said certificate is issued and when the relevant registration is carried out and to request said authentication server to permit the issuance of said certificate and the relevant registration when the client is authenticated during said identification and pay a fee from said settling account.

29. A personal authentication program for a personal authentication system for connecting, via a communication line, an authentication server for authenticating a client to identify the client to an authentication terminal for inputting authentication information required for said personal authentication, wherein:

the system has a database for storing at least personal authentication data required for said personal authentication and previously registered, settling account information required to process charges, and data required to receive various services, and

said authentication server has a step of collating said authentication information input from said authentication terminal via said communication terminal, against said personal authentication data stored in said database, a step of processing charges based on said settling account information registered in said database based on a request from said authentication terminal when the client is authenticated during said identification, and a step of providing, registering, and managing personal data registered beforehand in said database based on a request from said authentication terminal when the client is authenticated during said identification and periodically communicating a collation history, a personal data usage history, and a charge process history.

30. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein said authentication server includes a step of communicating permission for said various services based on a request from said authentication terminal when the client is authenticated during said identification.

31. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein said personal authentication data are at least one of the client'"'"'s fingerprint, the client'"'"'s voiceprint, the client'"'"'s iris pattern, and a preset password.

32. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein the step of communicating said collation history, said personal data usage history, and said charge process history is configured to communicate these information by electronic mail.

33. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein the step of communicating said collation history, said personal data usage history, and said charge process history is configured to show these information on a home page.

34. The personal authentication program according to

claim 33

, wherein only previously registered clients are allowed to view said home page.

35. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed in a store and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when at least one of a commodity and a service is to be provided and to request said authentication server to pay a consideration for the provided commodity and service from said settling account when the client is authenticated during said identification.

36. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a ticket gate of a public transportation facility and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said public transportation facility is utilized and to request said authentication server to pay from said settling account a price corresponding to a traveling section for said public transportation facility when the client is authenticated during said identification.

37. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein the functions of said authentication terminal are added to a public telephone and are configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said public telephone is utilized and to request said authentication server to pay a telephone call charge for said public telephone from said settling account when the client is authenticated during said identification.

38. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a hospital clerk'"'"'s window and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when the client visits said hospital and to request said authentication server to extract personal information including a medical sheet and various examination data of the client who is authenticated during said identification and pay said hospital medical expenses from said settling account.

39. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a government officer'"'"'s window for various procedures and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said procedure is utilized and to request said authentication server to receive an application for said procedure when the client is authenticated during said identification and pay a fee from said settling account.

40. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed in various service-providing facilities and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said service-providing facility is utilized and to request said authentication server to permit utilization of said service-providing facility when the client is authenticated during said identification and pay a service charge for the service-providing facility from said settling account.

41. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at an entrance or exit of a facility for which entries or exits are limited and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said facility is utilized, in order to permit and manage the entry or exit when the client is authenticated during said identification.

42. The personal authentication program according to

claim 29

, wherein said authentication terminal is installed at a window where a certificate is issued and a relevant registration is carried out and is configured to request said authentication server to execute said identification when said certificate is issued and when the relevant registration is carried out and to request said authentication server to permit the issuance of said certificate and the relevant registration when the client is authenticated during said identification and pay a fee from said settling account.