Terminal device, providing server, electronic-information using method, electronic-information providing method, terminal-device program, providing-server program, mediating program and storage medium

• US 20050289641A1
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Otani, Junichi, Masuda, Takafumi, Katsube, Tomohiro, Miura, Takayuki, Yuzawa, Keiji, Suzuki, Naoshi
• Application Number:
  US10/519,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20050289641A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

The present invention provides a device-authentication system capable of efficiently performing authentication before using a service through a network. A CE device (3) includes a browser (9) for accessing a service server (4) and an authentication module (7) for allowing an authentication server (5) to perform device authentication. A device-authentication plug-in (8) is a plug-in having a function of starting the authentication module (7). The device-authentication plug-in (8) can be specified by a predetermined MIME format, and the browser (9) starts the device-authentication plug-in (8) after receiving an EMBED tag having the MIME format.

Claims

1. A terminal device comprising display means;

mediating means; and

authentication-information transmitting means,

wherein the display means comprises a display function for displaying electronic information provided through a network so that a user can browse the information;

a specifying-information receiving function for receiving specifying information for specifying the mediating means; and

a specifying function for specifying the mediating means by using the received specifying information,

the mediating means is specified by the specifying function and starts the authentication-information transmitting means, and

the authentication-information transmitting means is started by the mediating means and transmits device-authentication information to an authentication server.

2. A terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising:

authentication-result receiving means for receiving an authentication result from the authentication server;

authentication-result transmitting means for transmitting the received authentication result to a providing server for providing electronic information; and

electronic-information receiving means for receiving electronic information transmitted from the providing server based on the transmitted authentication result.

3. A terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the mediating means comprises a using function for using electronic information received from the providing server.

4. A terminal device according to claim 2, further comprising:

requesting means for requesting electronic information to the providing server,

wherein the specifying-information receiving function receives specifying information which is transmitted from the providing server based on the request.

5. A terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the specifying-information receiving function receives specifying information including access information used for accessing the authentication server, and

the authentication-information transmitting means accesses the authentication server by using the received access information.

6. A terminal device according to claim 5, wherein the authentication server comprises a plurality of authentication servers, and the specifying-information receiving function receives specifying information including access information for each of the authentication servers ranked in an access precedence order.

7. A terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the specifying-information receiving function receives specifying information including access information used for accessing the providing server, and

the authentication-result transmitting means accesses the providing server by using the received access information.

8. A providing server for providing electronic information to the terminal device according to claim 2, comprising:

specifying-information transmitting means for transmitting specifying information used by the display means of the terminal device for specifying the mediating means which starts the authentication-information transmitting means;

authentication-result receiving means for receiving an authentication result from the terminal device; and

electronic-information transmitting means for transmitting electronic information based on the received authentication result.

10. An electronic-information providing method used in a providing server for providing electronic information to the terminal device according to claim 2,

wherein the providing server comprises specifying-information transmitting means;

authentication-result receiving means; and

electronic-information transmitting means, and

the electronic-information providing method comprises;

a specifying-information transmitting step of transmitting, by the specifying-information transmitting means, specifying information used by the display means of the terminal device for specifying the mediating means for starting the authentication-information transmitting means;

an authentication-result receiving step of receiving, by the authentication-result receiving means, an authentication result from the terminal device; and

an electronic-information transmitting step of transmitting, by the electronic-information transmitting means, electronic information based on the received authentication result.

12. A providing-server program for providing electronic information to the terminal device according to claim 2, the program realizes, in a computer:

a specifying-information transmitting function for transmitting specifying information used by the display function of the terminal device for specifying the mediating function which starts the authentication-information transmitting function;

an authentication-result receiving function for receiving an authentication result from the terminal device; and

an electronic-information transmitting function for transmitting electronic information based on the received authentication result.

14. A computer-readable storage medium storing a providing-server program for providing electronic information to the terminal device according to claim 2, the program realizes, in a computer:

a specifying-information transmitting function for transmitting specifying information used by the display function of the terminal device for specifying the mediating function which starts the authentication-information transmitting function;

an authentication-result receiving function for receiving an authentication result from the terminal device; and

an electronic-information transmitting function for transmitting electronic information based on the received authentication result.

9. An electronic-information using method performed in a computer comprising display means;

mediating means; and

authentication-information transmitting means, the method comprising;

a display step of realizing, by the display means, a display function for displaying electronic information provided through a network so that a user can browse the information, a specifying-information receiving function for receiving specifying information for specifying the mediating means, and a specifying function for specifying the mediating means by using the received specifying information;

a mediating step of specifying the mediating means by the specifying function in the display step and allowing the mediating means to start the authentication-information transmitting means; and

an authentication-information transmitting step of transmitting device-authentication information to an authentication server by starting the authentication-information transmitting means in the mediating step.

11. A terminal-device program for realizing, in a computer, a display function;

a mediating function; and

an authentication-information transmitting function,

wherein the display function comprises a display function for displaying electronic information provided through a network so that a user can browse the information;

a specifying-information receiving function for receiving specifying information for specifying the mediating function; and

a specifying function for specifying the mediating function by using the received specifying information,

the mediating function is specified by the specifying function and starts the authentication-information transmitting function, and

the authentication-information transmitting function is started by the mediating function and transmits device-authentication information to an authentication server.

13. A computer-readable storage medium storing a terminal-device program for realizing, in a computer, a display function;

a mediating function; and

an authentication-information transmitting function,

wherein the display function comprises a display function for displaying electronic information provided through a network so that a user can browse the information;

a specifying-information receiving function for receiving specifying information for specifying the mediating function; and

a specifying function for specifying the mediating function by using the received specifying information,

the mediating function is specified by the specifying function and starts the authentication-information transmitting function, and

the authentication-information transmitting function is started by the mediating function and transmits device-authentication information to an authentication server.

15. A terminal device comprising information communication means;

electronic-information using means; and

authentication-information management means,

wherein the information communication means comprises a function for receiving authentication-trigger information required for using electronic information provided through a network;

a function for analyzing specifying information for specifying the electronic-information using means based on the authentication-trigger information; and

a specifying function for specifying the electronic-information using means based on the specifying information,

the electronic-information using means is specified by the specifying function and starts the authentication-information management means, and

the authentication-information management means is started by the electronic-information using means, reads device-authentication information, and transmits the information to an authentication server.

16. A terminal device according to claim 15,

wherein the authentication-information management means receives an authentication result from the authentication server,

the electronic-information using means transmits the authentication result to a providing server which provides electronic information, and

the information communication means receives electronic information transmitted from the providing server based on the authentication result.

17. A terminal device according to claim 16, wherein the electronic-information-using means comprises a using function for using electronic information received from the providing server.

18. A terminal device according to claim 17, wherein the electronic-information using means allows a user to browse electronic information, plays back electronic information as music content, or plays back electronic information as moving-picture content.

19. A terminal device according to claim 15, wherein the authentication-trigger information includes authentication-server access information used for accessing the authentication server.

20. A terminal device according to claim 19, wherein the authentication-trigger information includes authentication-server access information for each of the authentication servers ranked in an access precedence order.

21. A terminal device according to claim 16, wherein the authentication-trigger information includes providing-server access information used for accessing the providing server, and the authentication result is transmitted to the providing server by using the providing-server access information.

22. A providing server for providing electronic information requiring authentication to a terminal device, comprising:

authentication-trigger-information transmitting means for transmitting, to the terminal device, authentication-trigger information including specifying information for specifying electronic-information using means which starts authentication-information management means;

authentication-result receiving means for receiving, from the terminal device, an authentication result of the terminal device generated in an authentication server; and

electronic-information providing means for providing electronic information based on the received authentication result.

23. An electronic-information using method performed in a terminal device comprising information communication means;

electronic-information using means; and

authentication-information management means, the method comprising;

an information communication step of processing, by the information communication means, a function for receiving authentication-trigger information required for using electronic information provided through a network, a function for analyzing specifying information for specifying the electronic-information using means based on the authentication-trigger information, and a specifying function for specifying the electronic-information using means based on the specifying information;

a starting step of starting the authentication-information management means by being specified by the specifying function in the information communication step; and

an authentication-information management step of starting the authentication-information management means in the starting step, reading device-authentication information, and transmitting the information to an authentication server.

24. An electronic-information using method according to claim 23,

wherein, in the authentication-information management step, the authentication-information management means receives an authentication result from the authentication server and transmits the authentication result to a providing server for providing electronic information, and

the information communication step comprises an electronic-information receiving step, in which the information communication means receives electronic information transmitted from the providing server based on the authentication result.

25. An electronic-information using method according to claim 24, further comprising an electronic-information using step, in which the electronic-information using means further comprises a using function for using electronic information received from the providing server.

26. An electronic-information using method according to claim 25, wherein the electronic-information using means allows a user to browse the electronic information, plays back electronic information as music content, or plays back electronic information as moving-picture content.

27. An electronic-information using method according to claim 23, wherein the authentication-trigger information includes authentication-server access information used for accessing the authentication server.

28. An electronic-information using method according to claim 27, wherein the authentication-trigger information includes authentication-server access information for each of the authentication servers ranked in an access precedence order.

29. An electronic-information using method according to claim 24, wherein the authentication-trigger information includes providing-server access information used for accessing the providing server, and, in the authentication-information management step, the authentication result is transmitted to the providing server by using the providing-server access information.

30. An electronic-information providing method performed in a providing server for providing electronic information requiring authentication to a terminal device, the method comprising:

an authentication-trigger-information transmitting step of transmitting, to the terminal device, authentication-trigger information including specifying information for specifying electronic-information using means for starting authentication-information management means;

an authentication-result receiving step of receiving, from the terminal device, an authentication result of the device generated in an authentication server; and

an electronic-information providing step of providing electronic information based on the received authentication result.

31. A terminal-device program comprising an information communication function;

an electronic-information using function; and

an authentication-information management function,

wherein the information communication function comprises a function for receiving authentication-trigger information required for using electronic information provided through a network, a function for analyzing specifying information for specifying the electronic-information using means based on the authentication-trigger information, and a specifying function for specifying the electronic-information using means based on the specifying information,

the electronic-information using means is specified by the specifying function and starts the authentication-information management means, and

the authentication-information management means is started by the electronic-information using means, reads device-authentication information, and transmits the information to an authentication server.

32. A terminal-device program according to claim 31, wherein the following functions are realized in a computer:

an authentication-result receiving function for receiving an authentication result from the authentication server;

an authentication-result transmitting function for transmitting the received authentication result to a providing server for providing electronic information; and

an electronic-information receiving function for receiving electronic information transmitted from the providing server based on the transmitted authentication result.

33. A terminal-device program according to claim 31, wherein the electronic-information using function comprises a using function for using electronic information received from the providing server.

34. A terminal-device program according to claim 33, wherein the electronic-information using function allows a user to browse the electronic information, plays back electronic information as music content, or plays back electronic information as moving-picture content.

35. A terminal-device program according to claim 31, wherein the authentication-trigger information includes authentication-server access information used for accessing the authentication server.

36. A terminal-device program according to claim 31, wherein the authentication server comprises a plurality of authentication servers, and the authentication-trigger information includes authentication-server access information for each of the authentication servers ranked in an access precedence order.

37. A terminal-device program according to claim 32, wherein the authentication-trigger information includes access information used for accessing the providing server, and the authentication result is transmitted to the providing server by using the providing-server access information.

38. A providing-server program performed in a providing server for providing electronic information requiring authentication to a terminal device, wherein the following functions are realized in a computer:

an authentication-trigger-information transmitting function for transmitting, to the terminal device, authentication-trigger information including specifying information for specifying electronic-information using means for starting authentication-information management means;

an authentication-result receiving function for receiving, from the terminal device, an authentication result of the device generated in an authentication server; and

an electronic-information providing function for providing electronic information based on the received authentication result.