User authentication system and user authentication method used therefor

• US 20020157007A1
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Sashihara, Toshiyuki
• Application Number:
  US10/119,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20020157007A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/183
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide an access-point user authentication system which can implement a safer authentication scheme with an interface easy to use for general users. When the user of an unauthenticated terminal sends a packet to a wireless network and a wireless communications section in the access point receives the packet, a controller checks with reference to an authentication result storage means whether access by the user is permitted and passes the IP packet to a wired communications section to transmit it to the wired network if access is permitted, but discards the received packet if access is not permitted. If the controller verifies that the packet from the terminal contains the HTTP GET method, CGI execution means generates an HTML document for entering a user ID and password and sends it to the terminal via the wireless communications section.

Claims

1. A user authentication system containing an access point which serves as an entrance to a wired network for terminals which use a wireless network, wherein said access point comprises:

determining means for determining whether one of said terminals is permitted to access to said wired network when a packet is received from said terminal;

means for transmitting the packet to said wired network if said determining means determines that said access is permitted;

means for discarding the packet if said determining means determines that said access is not permitted; and

means for generating an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) document for user identification information and password entry and transmitting it to said terminal when a request for an authentication page is received from said terminal.

2. The user authentication system according to claim 1 comprising:

an authentication server for checking whether access to said wired network is permitted,

wherein said determining means asks said authentication server via said wired network to check whether said terminal is permitted to access to said wired network.

3. The user authentication system according to claim 1 wherein:

said access point contains an authentication server for checking whether access to said wired network is permitted;

said determining means asks said authentication server to check whether said terminal is permitted to access to said wired network.

4. The user authentication system according to claim 1 wherein said access point contains means for generating an HTML document which contains the result of said check by said authentication server and transmitting it to said terminal.

5. The user authentication system according to claim 1 wherein said means for generating an HTML document executes an authentication program written in a scripting language.

6. A user authentication method for a network containing an access point which serves as an entrance to a wired network for terminals which use a wireless network, comprising, in said access point:

a step of determining whether one of said terminals is permitted to access to said wired network when a packet is received from said terminal;

a step of transmitting the packet to said wired network if it is determined that said access is permitted;

a step of discarding the packet if it is determined that said access is not permitted; and

a step of generating an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) document for user identification information and password entry and transmitting it to said terminal when a request for an authentication page is received from said terminal.

7. The user authentication method according to claim 6 wherein:

said network contains an authentication server for checking whether access to said wired network is permitted; and

said step of determining whether access is permitted comprises asking said authentication server via said wired network to check whether said terminal is permitted to access to said wired network.

8. The user authentication method according to claim 6 wherein:

said access point contains an authentication server for checking whether access to said wired network is permitted;

said step of determining whether access is permitted comprises asking said authentication server to check whether said terminal is permitted to access to said wired network.

9. The user authentication method according to claim 6 wherein said access point contains a step of generating an HTML document which contains the result of said check by said authentication server and transmitting it to said terminal.

10. The user authentication method according to claim 6 wherein said step of generating an HTML document comprises executing an authentication program written in a scripting language.