Communication system, authentication communication device, control apparatus, and communication method

• US 20030014649A1
• Filed: 06/26/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation Of America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Funahashi, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,065,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0023 with encription of the transmittted data signal
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communication system including: authentication communication means of a portable type for performing authentication processing on the basis of human body characteristics of a user and outputting a predetermined authentication signal to an exterior thereof only when a positive result is obtained; and control means disposed separately from the authentication communication means for receiving the authentication signal outputted from the authentication communication means and performing predetermined control processing on the basis of the authentication signal.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

an authentication communication device of a portable type for performing authentication processing on the basis of human body characteristics of a user and outputting a predetermined authentication signal to an exterior thereof only when a positive result is obtained; and

a control apparatus disposed separately from said authentication communication device for receiving said authentication signal outputted from said authentication communication device and performing predetermined control processing on the basis of said authentication signal.

2. A communication system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said authentication communication device creates a first public key and a first private key by public key cryptography and then supplies said first public key to said control apparatus, while said control apparatus creates a second public key and a second private key by said public key cryptography and then supplies said second public key to said authentication communication device;

said control apparatus encrypts predetermined information by said first public key on the basis of said authentication signal received from said authentication communication device, and then transmits the information to said authentication communication device;

said authentication communication device decrypts the information encrypted by said first public key by said first private key, and then encrypts the information by said second public key and transmits the information to said control apparatus; and

said control apparatus performs said control processing on the basis of the information encrypted by said second public key.

3. An authentication communication device of a portable type comprising:

authentication means for performing authentication processing on the basis of human body characteristics of a user; and

output means for outputting a predetermined authentication signal to an exterior thereof only when a positive result is obtained from said authentication means.

4. An authentication communication device as claimed in claim 3,

wherein said output means produces the output for short-distance communication.

5. An authentication communication device as claimed in claim 3, further including information processing means for creating a first public key and a first private key by public key cryptography and then supplying said first public key to an external apparatus to communicate with, and when said apparatus to communicate with encrypts predetermined information by said first public key on the basis of said authentication signal received from said output means and then transmits the information back to said authentication communication device, decrypting the information encrypted by said first public key by said first private key, and then encrypting the information by a second public key created by said public key cryptography by said apparatus to communicate with and transmitting the information to said apparatus to communicate with.

6. A control apparatus for communicating at a short distance with an authentication communication device for outputting an authentication signal on the basis of human body characteristics, said control apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving said authentication signal from said authentication communication device;

communication device authenticating means for performing communication device authenticating processing for authenticating said authentication communication device; and

processing means for performing predetermined processing when a positive result is obtained from said communication device authenticating means.

7. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said communication device authenticating means includes:

authentication transmitting means for transmitting a first information signal resulting from a first encryption to said authentication communication device; and

authentication receiving means for receiving second information resulting from a second encryption by said authentication communication device; and

said communication device authenticating means performs said authenticating processing on the basis of said first information and said second information.

8. A communication method comprising:

a first step for performing authentication processing on the basis of human body characteristics of a user; and

a second step for outputting a predetermined authentication signal to an exterior only when a positive result is obtained as a result of said authentication.

9. A communication method as claimed in claim 8, further including a third step for creating a first public key and a first private key by public key cryptography and then supplying said first public key to an external apparatus to communicate with, and when said apparatus to communicate with encrypts predetermined information by said first public key on the basis of said authentication signal received from output means and then sends back the information, decrypting the information encrypted by said first public key by said first private key, and then encrypting the information by a second public key created by said public key cryptography by said apparatus to communicate with and transmitting the information to said apparatus to communicate with.