Authentication method, apparatus, and system

• US 20030084289A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Isao
• Granted Patent: US 7,434,063 B2
• 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: 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

Abstract

In an authentication apparatus, at least one authentication program corresponding to an authentication method of the user'"'"'s choice executes an authentication process based on data received from a sensor unit and personal feature data. An authentication determination program calculates a comprehensive authentication level value of such an authentication method on the basis of authentication evaluation data. When the calculated comprehensive authentication level value has exceeded the predetermined authentication level, the authentication determination program determines that authentication has succeeded; otherwise, the program determines that authentication has failed.

Claims

1. An authentication method using a plurality of authentication processes, which are respectively set with first values, comprising:

calculating a second value of the authentication method on the basis of the first value; and

determining whether the authentication is successful, based on the calculated second value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second value indicates a sum of the first values of the plurality of authentication processes.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising setting the first values of the plurality of authentication processes.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising setting a level of the second value required as a successful authentication condition.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the setting includes setting the level of the second value for each user.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising randomly selecting the plurality of authentication processes to obtain a combination in which the second value calculated based on the first value of the selected authentication processes exceeds a predetermined evaluation value.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising setting the predetermined evaluation value.

8. An authentication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of authentication units which are respectively set with first values;

a calculation unit configured to calculate a second value of an authentication process using the plurality of authentication units on the basis of the first value; and

a determination unit configured to determine whether the authentication process is successful, based on the second value calculated by the calculation unit.

9. Then apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an first value setting unit configured to set the first values of the plurality of authentication units.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a level setting unit configured to set a level of the second value required as a successful authentication condition.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the level setting unit sets the level of the second value for each user.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a selection unit configured to randomly select the plurality of authentication units to obtain a combination in which the second value calculated based on the first value of the selected authentication units exceeds a predetermined evaluation value.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a predetermined evaluation value setting unit configured to set the predetermined evaluation value.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined evaluation value setting unit sets the predetermined evaluation value for each user.

15. An authentication system which is applied to a network system formed by a server for offering various services, a terminal used to receive the services offered by the server, and an authentication apparatus for executing an authentication process for a user of the terminal in place of the server,

the terminal comprising:

a data acquisition unit configured to acquire data used in the authentication process; and

a data transmission unit configured to send one data acquired by the plurality of data acquisition unit to the authentication apparatus, and

the authentication apparatus comprising;

a plurality of authentication units which are respectively set with first values and executes an authentication process using the data sent from the terminal;

a calculation unit configured to calculate a second value of the authentication process using the plurality of authentication units on the basis of the first value;

a determination unit configured to determine whether authentication process is successful, based on the second value calculated by the calculation unit; and

an informing unit configured to inform the terminal of a determination result of the determination unit.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the authentication apparatus comprises a first value setting unit configured to set the first values of the plurality of authentication units.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the authentication apparatus comprises a selection unit configured to randomly select the plurality of authentication units to obtain a combination in which the second value calculated based on the first value of the selected authentication units exceeds a predetermined evaluation value.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein the server comprises a level setting unit configured to set a level of the second value required for the authentication apparatus as a successful authentication condition.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein the server comprises:

a level setting unit configured to set a level of the second value required for the authentication apparatus as a successful authentication condition for each user; and

a charging unit configured to determine a charge amount for a service to be offered in accordance with the level of the second value for each user of the terminal, which is set by the condition setting unit.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the charging unit increases the charge amount for the service to be offered when the level of the second value is low, and decreases the charge amount for the service to be offered when the level of the second value is high.