Authentication system

• US 20050108309A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Daio, Fumio, Tsuboka, Eiichi, Kaiya, Hideo
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 708/250
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs

Abstract

An authentication system is provided, which prevents any glitches or accidents caused by a counterfeit ineligible unit being installed in a main device. When connected with a battery pack (an authenticated unit), a notebook PC (an authenticating device) allows a random number and a function determination signal to be generated and then combined by a signal combining unit to be transmitted to the battery pack. Meanwhile, a first function calculation unit calculates the function of the random number. The battery pack allows a signal separation unit to separate the combined signal into the random number and function determination signal, and a second function calculation unit to calculate the function of the random number for transmitting back to the notebook PC. A comparison unit compares the calculation results by the first and second function calculation units to determine whether the connected battery pack is an authorized one. If the pack is an authorized one, a connection determination unit permits the connection. If the pack is an unauthorized one, the connection of the pack is rejected.

Claims

1. An authentication system for authentically determining whether an authenticated unit, connected to a main device serving as an authenticating device, has an authorized function, wherein

when the authenticating device is connected with the authenticated unit, the authenticating device allows random number generation means to generate a random number, function determination signal generation means to generate a function determination signal for determining a function form, signal combining means to combine the function determination signal and the random number for transmitting to the authenticated unit, and first function calculation means to calculate a function of the random number as a first calculation result using a determined function form,

the authenticated unit allows signal separation means to separate the received combined signal into the function determination signal and the random number, and second function calculation means to calculate a function of the random number as a second calculation result using a determined function form for transmitting the second calculation result back to the authenticating device, and

the authenticating device compares the first calculation result and the calculation result by the second function calculation means to permit the connection of the authenticated unit if it is detected that [the first calculation result=the second calculation result] or to reject the connection of the authenticated unit if it is detected that [the first calculation result≠

the second calculation result].

2. An authentication system for authentically determining whether an authenticated unit connected to a main device serving as an authenticating device has an authorized function, wherein

when the authenticating device is connected with the authenticated unit, the authenticating device allows random number generation means to generate a random number to store the random number and transmit the random number to the authenticated unit,

the authenticated unit allows function determination signal generation means to generate a function determination signal for determining a function form, second function calculation means to calculate a function of the received random number as a second calculation result using a determined function form, and signal combining means to combine the second calculation result and the function determination signal into a combined signal for transmitting back to the authenticating device, and

the authenticating device allows signal separation means to separate the received combined signal into the second calculation result and the function determination signal and first function calculation means to calculate a function of the stored random number as a first calculation result using the determined function form, and then permits the connection of the authenticated unit if it is detected that [the first calculation result=the second calculation result] or rejects the connection of the authenticated unit if it is detected that [the first calculation result≠

the second calculation result].

3. An authentication system for authentically determining whether an authenticated unit connected to a main device serving as an authenticating device has an authorized function, wherein

when the authenticating device is connected with the authenticated unit, the authenticating device allows random number generation means to generate a random number and function determination signal generation means to generate a function determination signal for determining a function form to store the random number and the function determination signal, and allows signal combining means to combine the function determination signal and the random number for transmitting to the authenticated unit,

the authenticated unit allows signal separation means to separate the received combined signal into the function determination signal and the random number, and second function calculation means to calculate a function of the random number as a second calculation result using a determined function form for transmitting the second calculation result back to the authenticating device, and

the authenticating device allows inverse-function calculation means to calculate an inverse function of the received second calculation result using a function form determined by the stored function determination signal to compare the stored random number with the inverse function calculation result, and permits the connection of the authenticated unit if it is detected that [the random number=the inverse-function calculation result] or rejects the connection of the authenticated unit if it is detected that [the random number≠

the inverse-function calculation result].

4. An authentication system for authentically determining whether an authenticated unit connected to a main device serving as an authenticating device has an authorized function, wherein

when the authenticating device is connected with the authenticated unit, the authenticating device allows random number generation means to generate a random number to store the random number and transmit the random number to the authenticated unit,

the authenticated unit allows function determination signal generation means to generate a function determination signal for determining a function form, second function calculation means to calculate a function of the received random number as a second calculation result using a determined function form, and signal combining means to combine the second calculation result and the function determination signal into a combined signal for transmitting back to the authenticating device, and

the authenticating device allows signal separation means to separate the received combined signal into the second calculation result and the function determination signal and inverse-function calculation means to calculate an inverse function of the received second calculation result using a function form determined by the separated function determination signal, and then permits the connection of the authenticated unit if it is detected that [the random number=the inverse-function calculation result] or rejects the connection of the authenticated unit if it is detected that [the random number≠

the inverse-function calculation result].