Mobile terminal authentication method and a mobile terminal therefor

• US 20030051138A1
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Higuchi, Takeshi, Yazaki, Hidetoshi, Maeda, Fukiko
• Application Number:
  US10/176,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051138A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• 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 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• 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: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/48 Secure or trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements or encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0156 Secure and trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements, encryption, digital signature, codes or double check mechanisms to secure billing calculation and information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems

Abstract

A mobile terminal authentication method used for utilizing a service supplied from an information server to a mobile terminal is provided. The method authenticates the mobile terminal based on user information by which the information server identifies the mobile terminal. The method comprises an authentication step by the mobile terminal, carrying out an authentication using biometric information representing a user'"'"'s biometric characteristic and read by a reading device, and previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information; and a transmitting step by the mobile terminal, transmitting the user information to the information server when the biometric information read by the reading device coincides with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal authentication method used for utilizing a service supplied from an information server to a mobile terminal communicating with the information server via a radio path, the mobile terminal authentication method authenticating the mobile terminal based on user information by which the information server identifies the mobile terminal, the method comprising:

an authentication step by the mobile terminal, carrying out an authentication using biometric information representing a user'"'"'s biometric characteristic and read by a reading device, and previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information; and

a transmitting step by the mobile terminal, transmitting the user information to the information server when the biometric information read by the reading device coincides with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information.

2. The mobile terminal authentication method claimed in claim 1, wherein

the user information is information relating to a process of the biometric information authentication.

3. The mobile terminal authentication method claimed in claim 1, wherein

the user information includes at least either one of information relating to a process of the biometric information authentication and information representing a history of the process. (Note:

I do not see an antecedent for “

history”

in the Detailed Description.)

5. The mobile terminal authentication method claimed in claim 1, which further comprises:

a determining step by the mobile terminal, counting the number of the authentications carried out when the user'"'"'s biometric information read by the reading device coincides with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information, and determining whether the number of the authentications carried out exceeds a predetermined number; and

a collation step at the mobile terminal, inputting a personal identification number (PIN) when the number of the authentications carried out is determined to exceed the predetermined number, and collating the input PIN with a previously registered PIN.

7. The mobile terminal authentication method claimed in claim 1, wherein,

the mobile terminal previously registers a combination and sequence of a plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets as the user'"'"'s biometric information;

the mobile terminal carries out the authentication using the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information and a plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets read by the reading device; and

the mobile terminal considers the user to be an authorized user when the plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets read by the reading device are determined to coincide with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information.

11. The mobile terminal claimed in claim 9, wherein

the transmission unit transmits at least either one of information relating to a process of the biometric information authentication and information representing a history (see Note at claim 3 regarding “

history”

) of the process as the user information to the information server.

4. A mobile terminal authentication method used for utilizing a service supplied from an information server to a mobile terminal communicating with the information server via a radio path, the mobile terminal authentication method authenticating the mobile terminal based on a user'"'"'s biometric information by which the information server identifies the mobile terminal, the method comprising:

a registration step for previously registering the user'"'"'s biometric information in the mobile terminal and the information server;

an authentication step by the mobile terminal, carrying out an authentication using biometric information representing user'"'"'s biometric characteristic and read by a reading device, and the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information; and

a transmitting step by the mobile terminal, transmitting the user'"'"'s biometric information read by the reading device to the information server when the biometric information read by the reading device coincides with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information.

6. The mobile terminal authentication method claimed in claim 4, which further comprises:

a determining step by the mobile terminal, counting the number of the authentications carried out when the user'"'"'s biometric information read by the reading device coincides with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information, and determining whether the number of the authentications carried out exceeds a predetermined number; and

a collation step at the mobile terminal, inputting a personal identification number (PIN) when the number of the authentications carried out is determined to exceed the predetermined number, and collating the input PIN with a previously registered PIN.

8. The mobile terminal authentication method claimed in claim 4, wherein,

the mobile terminal previously registers a combination and sequence of a plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets as the user'"'"'s biometric information;

the mobile terminal carries out the authentication using the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information and a plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets read by the reading device; and

the mobile terminal considers the user to be an authorized user when the plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets read by the reading device are determined to coincide with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information.

9. A mobile terminal communicating with an information server via a radio path to utilize a service supplied from the information server, the mobile terminal being authenticated by the information server based on user information by which the information server identifies the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal comprising:

an individual authentication unit for carrying out an authentication using biometric information representing a user'"'"'s biometric characteristic and read by a reading device, and previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information; and

a transmission unit for transmitting the user information to the information server when the biometric information read by the reading device is considered to coincide with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information.

10. The mobile terminal claimed in claim 9, wherein

the transmission unit transmits information relating to a process of the biometric information authentication as the user information to the information server.

13. The mobile terminal claimed in claim 9, which further comprises:

an authentication number determining unit for counting the number of the authentications carried out when the user'"'"'s biometric information read by the reading device coincides with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information, and determining whether the number of the authentications carried out exceeds a predetermined number; and

a personal identification number(PIN) collation unit for receiving a PIN when the number of authentications carried out is determined to exceed the predetermined number, and collating the received PIN with a previously registered PIN.

15. The mobile terminal claimed in claim 9, which further comprises,

a biometric information registration unit for registering a combination and sequence of a plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets as the user'"'"'s biometric information;

a biometric information authentication unit for carrying out the authentication using the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information and a plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets read by the reading device; and

a biometric information determining unit for determining whether the plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets read by the reading device coincides with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information.

12. A mobile terminal communicating with an information server via a radio path to utilize a service supplied from the information server, the mobile terminal being authenticated by the information server based on a user'"'"'s biometric information by which the information server identifies the mobile terminal, the user'"'"'s biometric information being previously registered in the mobile terminal and the information server, the mobile terminal comprising:

an individual authentication unit for carrying out an authentication using user'"'"'s biometric information read by a reading device, and the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information; and

a transmission unit for transmitting the user'"'"'s biometric information read by the reading device to the information server when the user'"'"'s biometric information read by the reading device is considered to coincide with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information.

14. The mobile terminal claimed in claim 12, which further comprises:

an authentication number determining unit for counting the number of the authentication carried out when the user'"'"'s biometric information read by the reading device coincides with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information, and determining whether the number of the authentications carried out exceeds a predetermined number; and

a personal identification number (PIN) collation unit for receiving a PIN when the number of the authentications carried out was determined to exceed the predetermined number, and collating the received PIN with a previously registered PIN.

16. The mobile terminal claimed in claim 12, which further comprises,

a biometric information registration unit for registering a combination and sequence of a plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets as the user'"'"'s biometric information;

a biometric information authentication unit for carrying out the authentication using the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information and a plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets read by the reading device; and

a biometric information determining unit for determining whether the plurality of user'"'"'s biometric information sets read by the reading device coincides with the previously registered user'"'"'s biometric information.