Authentication method, authentication system, semiconductor circuit and authentication module

• US 20020032859A1
• Filed: 09/10/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshizawa, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,131,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/159
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1025 Identification of user by a PIN code

Abstract

A method of authentication capable of avoiding an easy copying of a module used for personal authentication of an IC card or the like and thereby raising the reliability of the personal authentication, comprising having an electronic circuit having a hardware configuration corresponding to a predetermined authentication processing provided in an IC of an IC card carry out authentication processing using a PIN and data generated at an authentication apparatus at random and having the authentication apparatus similarly carry out the authentication processing, compare the processing result received from the IC card and the processing result obtained by itself, and, when they coincide, authenticating the user of the IC card as the legitimate user.

Claims

1. An authentication method for authenticating a legitimacy of a user of a first module by using a portable first module and a second module capable of communicating with said first module, comprising the steps of:

carrying out authentication processing by using first data input to said first module at an electronic circuit having a hardware configuration corresponding to predetermined authentication processing provided in said first module;

carrying out said authentication processing by using second data corresponding to said first module having said second module; and

comparing a result of said processing of said first module with the result of said processing of said second module to authenticate the legitimacy of the user of said first module.

2. An authentication method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electronic circuit has a unique hardware configuration.

3. An authentication method as set forth in claim 1, wherein, when said first data and said second data coincide, the result of said processing of said first module and the result of said processing of said second module coincide to authenticate the legitimacy of the user of the first module.

4. An authentication method as set forth in claim 1, comprising the steps of:

generating third data by one module between said first module and said second module;

transmitting said generated third data from said one module to the other module;

carrying out said authentication processing by using said first data and said third data by said first module; and

carrying out said authentication processing by using said second data and said third data by said second module.

5. An authentication method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said third data is generated at random.

6. An authentication method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second module carries out said authentication processing by running a software programmed with the process of said authentication processing.

7. An authentication method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said authentication processing is processing difficult to analyze in real time by using software.

8. An authentication method as set forth in claim 1, which authenticates the legitimacy of the user of said first module by comparing the result of said processing of said first module and the result of said processing of said second module.

9. An authentication method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first data and said second data are PINs of the user of said first module.

10. An authentication method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first module is an IC card.

11. An authentication system for authenticating a legitimacy of a user of a first module by using a portable first module and a second module capable of communicating with said first module, wherein

said first module has an electronic circuit having a hardware configuration corresponding to predetermined authentication processing and carries out said authentication processing by using first data input to the first module at the electronic circuit, and

said second module carries out said authentication processing by using second data corresponding to said first module and compares the result of said processing of said first module and the result of said processing of said second module to authenticate the legitimacy of the user of said first module.

12. An authentication system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said electronic circuit of said first module has a unique hardware configuration.

13. An authentication system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said second module authenticates that the result of said processing of said first module and the result of said processing of said second module coincide and the user of said first module is a legitimate person when said first data and said second data coincide.

14. An authentication system as set forth in claim 11, wherein;

one module between said first module and said second module generates third data and transmits the generated third data from said one module to the other module,

said first module carries out said authentication processing by using said first data and said third data, and

said second module carries out said authentication processing by using said second data and said third data.

15. An authentication system as set forth in claim 14, which generates said third data at random.

16. An authentication system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said first data and said second data are PINs of the user of said first module.

18. A semiconductor circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said electronic circuit has a unique hardware configuration.

19. A semiconductor circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein;

said inputting/outputting means receives as input predetermined data from the authentication apparatus, and

said authentication processing circuit carries out said authentication processing by further using the data input by said inputting/outputting means from said authentication apparatus.

20. A semiconductor circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said inputting/outputting means inputs a PIN of the user of the module as said authentication data.

17. A semiconductor circuit built into a portable module and used for authenticating the legitimacy of a user of said module, comprising:

an inputting/outputting means for inputting authentication data and outputting an authentication processing result; and

an authentication processing circuit having an electronic circuit having a hardware configuration corresponding to predetermined authentication processing and carrying out said authentication processing at the electronic circuit by using said input authentication data to generate said authentication processing result.

21. A portable authentication module built in with a semiconductor circuit used for authenticating the legitimacy of a user, wherein

said semiconductor circuit has at least

an inputting/outputting means for inputting authentication data and outputting an authentication processing result and

an authentication processing circuit having an electronic circuit having a hardware configuration corresponding to predetermined authentication processing and carrying out said authentication processing at the electronic circuit by using said input authentication data to generate said authentication processing result.

22. An authentication module as set forth in claim 21, wherein said electronic circuit has a unique hardware configuration.