User authentication method in network

• US 20040030935A1
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Inventors: Kai, Akinori
• Granted Patent: US 7,287,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/43 wireless channels
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• 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: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215

Abstract

When a network connection request is sent from a user'"'"'s personal computer (2) to a server (1) on the Internet (5), the server (1) sends an authentication confirmation number generated by a random number generating unit (13) to the personal computer (2) of the connection requester. The connection requester connects a portable telephone (3) to a modem (4) and enters the authentication confirmation number displayed on the personal computer (2) through operation of keys of the portable telephone (3). An authentication unit (16) authenticates the connection request of the connection requester to set up connection to the network if the telephone number of the portable telephone (3) stored in a user information storage unit (12) agrees with the telephone number sent to the modem (4) and if the authentication confirmation number entered through the portable telephone (3) is correct.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a user by which a server device of a service provider authenticates a service user on a network, the method comprising:

a confirmation information issuing step including receiving an authentication request from a first communication device of the service user, and then generating a confirmation information to be replied to the first communication device; and

an authentication step of judging whether or not the confirmation information replied to the first communication device agrees with the confirmation information sent from the service user by a second communication device using a communication path that is different from a communication path of the first communication device.

2. The method for authenticating a user according to claim 1, further comprising steps of:

obtaining first authentication requester information about a service user who makes the authentication request based on the information contained in the authentication request received from the first communication device; and

obtaining second authentication requester information about the service user when receiving confirmation information from the second communication device and judging whether or not the first authentication requester information agrees with the second authentication requester information.

3. The method for authenticating a user according to claim 2, wherein

the first communication device is a computer connected to the server device of the service provider via the Internet,

the second communication device is a telephone,

the first authentication requester information is a telephone number registered in advance in the server device by each service user, and

the second authentication requester information is a telephone number of the second communication device, and the telephone number is obtained from a calling telephone number notification service provided by a telephone network.

4. The method for authenticating a user according to claim 2, wherein

the first communication device is a computer connected to the server device of the service provider via the Internet,

the second communication device is a telephone,

the first authentication requester information is a user'"'"'s name registered in advance in the server device by each service user, and

the second authentication requester information is a user'"'"'s name of the second communication device registered in a telephone company.

5. The method for authenticating a user according to claim 4, wherein the second authentication requester information is obtained by performing an inquiry to the user management device of the telephone company providing the second communication device based on the telephone number of the second communication device obtained by the calling telephone number notification service provided by the telephone network.

6. The method for authenticating a user according to claim 4 or 5, wherein when it is judged that the first authentication requester information agrees with the second authentication requester information, a toll of the service used by the service user is collected from the service user'"'"'s bank account from which telephone charges are drawn.

7. The method for authenticating a user according to claim 6, wherein the server device of the service provider sends the confirmation information replied in the confirmation information issuing step to the user management device of the telephone company and allows the user management device of the telephone company to execute the authentication step.

8. The method for authenticating a user according to claim 1, wherein

the first communication device is a computer connected to the server device of the service provider via the Internet, and the second communication device is a telephone,

the method further comprises, in the authentication step after it is judged that the confirmation information replied to the first communication device agrees with the confirmation information sent from the service user by the second communication device, a step of receiving credit card information of the service user from the second communication device and charging the service user based on the received credit card information.

9. The method for authenticating a user according to claim 8, wherein the server device of the service provider sends the confirmation information replied in the confirmation information issuing step to the server device of a credit card company, and allowing the server device of the credit card company to execute the authentication step.

10. The method for authenticating a user according to claim 8, further comprising steps of:

obtaining a telephone number of the second communication device from the calling telephone number notification service provided by the telephone network;

obtaining a user'"'"'s name of the second communication device from the user management device of the telephone company based on the obtained telephoned number, and

judging whether or not the user'"'"'s name of the credit card obtained from the user management device of the credit card company agrees with the user'"'"'s name of the second communication device obtained by the user management device of the telephone company.

11. The method for authenticating a user according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein characters or numbers generated randomly or the combination thereof are used as the confirmation information.

12. An authentication device comprising:

an external connection unit for receiving an authentication request from a first communication device of a service user,

a confirmation information generating unit for generating confirmation information to be replied to the first communication device,

a confirmation information storage unit for storing the confirmation information replied to the first communication device,

a confirmation information receiving unit for receiving the confirmation information sent by the service user from the second communication device using a communication path that is different from a communication path of the first communication device, and

an authentication unit for judging whether or not the confirmation information received by the confirmation information receiving unit agrees with the confirmation information stored in the confirmation information storing unit.

13. The authentication device according to claim 12, further comprising

a first authentication requester information obtaining unit for obtaining a first authentication requester information about a service user who makes the authentication request based on the information contained in the authentication request received from the first communication device;

and

a second authentication requester information obtaining unit for obtaining the second authentication requester information about the service user when receiving the confirmation information from the second communication device,

wherein the authentication unit also judges whether or not the first authentication requester information agrees with the second authentication requester information.

14. The user authentication device according to claim 13, wherein

the first communication device is a computer connected to the server device of the service provider via the Internet, and the second communication device is a telephone;

the user authentication device further comprises a first authentication requester information registering unit for storing a telephone number of the telephone used by each service user as the second communication device as the first authentication requester information; and

the second authentication requester information is a telephone number of the second communication device, and the second authentication requester information obtaining unit obtains the second authentication requester information from a calling telephone number notification service provided by a telephone network.

15. The user authentication device according to claim 13, wherein

the first communication device is a computer connected to the server device of the service provider via the Internet, and the second communication device is a telephone;

the user authentication device further comprises

a first authentication requester information registering unit for storing a name of each service user as the first authentication requester information,

the second authentication requester information is the name of the user of the second communication device registered in the telephone company, and the second authentication requester information obtaining unit obtains the user'"'"'s name from the user management device of the telephone company.

16. The user authentication device according to claim 15, wherein the second authentication requester information obtaining unit obtains a telephone number of the second communication device from the calling telephone number notification service provided by the telephone network and performs inquiry to the user management device of the telephone company based on the obtained telephone number, thereby obtaining the second authentication requester information.

17. The user authentication device according to claim 12, wherein

the first communication device is a computer connected to the server device of the service provider via the Internet and the second communication device is a telephone;

and

the user authentication device further comprises

a credit information receiving unit for receiving credit card information of the service user from the second communication device, and

a billing unit for charging the service user based on the credit card information received by the credit information receiving unit after it is judged that, in the authentication step, the confirmation information replied to the first communication device agrees with the confirmation information sent from the service user by the second communication.

18. The authentication device according to claim 17, further comprising

a telephone number obtaining unit for obtaining a telephone number of the second communication device from the calling telephone number notification service provided by the telephone network;

and

a user'"'"'s name obtaining unit for obtaining the name of the user of the second communication device from the user management device of the telephone company based on the obtained telephone number, wherein

the authentication unit judges whether or not the user'"'"'s name of the credit card obtained from the user management device of the credit card company agrees with the user'"'"'s name of the second communication device obtained from the user management device of the telephone company.

19. The authentication device according to any one of claims 12 to 18, wherein characters or numbers generated randomly or the combination thereof are used as the confirmation information.