Authentication system

• US 20060015730A1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yuhara, Masahiro
• Application Number:
  US10/532,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20060015730A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/175
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers

Abstract

Herein disclosed is a certification system including a plurality of storage devices each storing therein identification information and a certification apparatus including certification unit for certifying whether or not each of the storage devices is an authorized device authorized to use components mounted on a vehicle. The storage devices include an authorized storage device to be certified as being the authorized device, and a master storage device to be used to certify the authorized storage device as being the authorized device. The certification apparatus includes an obtaining unit for obtaining the identification information stored in each of the storage devices, a storage unit for storing therein information, and a storage control unit for controlling the storage unit to have the storage unit store therein the information. The certification unit is operative to certify whether or not each of the storage devices is the authorized device on the basis of the identification information of each of the storage devices obtained by the obtaining unit and the information stored in the storage unit, and the certification unit is operative to certify that the master storage device is not the authorized device under the condition that the storage unit has already stored therein the identification information of the one of the authorized storage devices, and the storage control unit is operative to control the storage unit to have the storage unit store therein the identification information of the authorized storage device obtained by the obtaining unit only under the condition that the certification unit certifies the master storage device as being the authorized device.

Claims

1. A certification system comprising:

a plurality of storage devices each storing therein identification information; and

a certification apparatus including certification means for certifying whether or not each of said storage devices is an authorized device authorized to use components mounted on a vehicle, and in which

said storage devices includes an authorized storage device to be certified as being said authorized device, and a master storage device to be used to certify said authorized storage device as being said authorized device,

said certification apparatus includes obtaining means for obtaining said identification information stored in each of said storage devices,

storage means for storing therein information, and

storage control means for controlling said storage means,

said certification means is operative to certify whether or not each of said storage devices is said authorized device on the basis of said identification information of each of said storage devices obtained by said obtaining means and said information stored in said storage means,

said certification means is operative to certify that said master storage device is not said authorized device under the condition that said storage means has already stored therein said identification information of said authorized storage device, and

said storage control means is operative to control said storage means to have said storage means store therein said identification information of said authorized storage device obtained by said obtaining means only under the condition that said certification means certifies said master storage device as being said authorized device.

7. A certification system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said storage control means is operative to control said storage means to have said storage means delete said identification information of said authorized storage device only under the condition that said certification means certifies said authorized storage device as being said authorized device.

8. A certification system as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting said identification information to be stored in said storage means to the exterior thereof when said identification information is stored in said storage means.

10. A certification system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said authorized storage device is constituted by a driving license.

2. A certification system comprising:

a plurality of storage devices each storing therein identification information; and

a certification apparatus including certification means for certifying whether or not each of said storage devices is an authorized device authorized to use components mounted on a vehicle, and in which

said storage devices includes first and second authorized storage devices each to be certified as being said authorized device, and a master storage device to be used to certify said first authorized storage device as being said authorized device,

said certification apparatus includes obtaining means for obtaining said identification information stored in each of said storage devices,

storage means for storing therein information, and

storage control means for controlling said storage means,

said certification means is operative to certify whether or not each of said storage devices is said authorized device on the basis of said identification information of each of said storage devices obtained by said obtaining means and said information stored in said storage means,

said certification means is operative to certify that said master storage device is not said authorized device under the condition that said storage means has already stored therein said identification information of said first authorized storage device obtained by said obtaining means,

said storage control means is operative to control said storage means to have said storage means store therein said identification information of said first authorized storage device obtained by said obtaining means only under the condition that said certification means certifies said master storage device as being said authorized device, and

said storage control means is operative to control said storage means to have said storage means store therein said identification information of said second authorized storage device obtained by said obtaining means only under the condition that said certification means certifies said first authorized storage device as being said authorized device.

3. A certification system as set forth in claim 2, in which

components mounted on said vehicle which said first authorized storage device are to be authorized to use include one or more components mounted on said vehicle other than components mounted on said vehicle which said second authorized storage device are to be authorized to use.

4. A certification system as set forth in claim 2, in which

said storage control means is operative to control said storage means to have said storage means delete said identification information of said second authorized storage device therefrom only under the condition that said certification means certifies said first authorized storage device as being said authorized device.

5. A certification system as set forth in claim 2, in which

said storage control means is operative to control said storage means to have said storage means delete said identification information of said first authorized storage device therefrom only under the condition that said storage means has not stored therein said identification information of said second authorized storage device and said certification means certifies said first authorized storage device as being said authorized device.

6. A certification system as set forth in claim 2, in which

said storage control means is operative to control said storage means to have said storage means delete said identification information of said first authorized storage device therefrom only under the condition that said storage means has not stored therein said identification information of said second authorized storage device and said certification means certifies said first authorized storage device as being said authorized device, and said master storage device becomes said authorized device when said storage control means controls said storage means to have said storage means delete said identification information of said first authorized storage device therefrom.

9. A certification system as set forth in any one of claim 4 through claim 7, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting said identification information to be deleted from said storage means to the exterior thereof when said identification information is deleted from the storage means.

11. A certification system as set forth in claim 2, in which

at least one of said first authorized storage device and said second authorized storage device is constituted by a driving license.

12. A certification method comprising the steps of:

a certification step of certifying whether or not each of a plurality of storage devices each storing therein identification information is an authorized device authorized to use components mounted on a vehicle,

an obtaining step of obtaining said identification information stored in each of said storage devices,

a storage step of storing information, and

a storage control step of controlling said storage step of storing said information, and in which

said storage devices includes an authorized storage device to be certified as being said authorized device, and a master storage device to be used to certify said authorized storage device as being said authorized device,

said certification step has a step of certifying whether or not each of said storage devices is said authorized device on the basis of said identification information of each of said storage devices obtained in said obtaining step and said information stored in said storage step,

said certification step has a step of certifying that said master storage device is not said authorized device under the condition that said identification information of said authorized storage device has already been stored in said storage step, and

said storage control step has a step of controlling said storage step to have said storage step has a step of storing said identification information of said authorized storage device obtained in said obtaining step only under the condition that said certification step has a step of certifying said master storage device as being said authorized device.

13. A certification method comprising the steps of:

a certification step of certifying whether or not each of a plurality of storage devices each storing therein identification information is an authorized device authorized to use components mounted on a vehicle,

an obtaining step of obtaining said identification information stored in each of said storage devices,

a storage step of storing information, and

storage control step of controlling said storage step, and in which

said storage devices includes first and second authorized storage devices each to be certified as being said authorized device, and a master storage device to be used to certify said first authorized storage device as being said authorized device,

said certification step has a step of certifying whether or not each of said storage devices is said authorized device on the basis of said identification information of each of said storage devices obtained in said obtaining step and said information stored in said storage step,

said certification step has a step of certifying that said master storage device is not said authorized device under the condition that said identification information of said first authorized storage device obtained in said obtaining step is already stored in said storage step,

said storage control step has a step of controlling said storage step to have said storage step has a step of storing said identification information of said first authorized storage device obtained in said obtaining step only under the condition that said certification step has a step of certifying said master storage device as being said authorized device, and

said storage control step has a step of controlling said storage step to have a step of storing therein said identification information of said second authorized storage device obtained in said obtaining step only under the condition that said certification step has a step of certifying said first authorized storage device as being said authorized device.

14. A certification apparatus comprising:

certification means for certifying whether or not each of a plurality of storage devices each storing therein identification information is an authorized device authorized to use components mounted on a vehicle;

obtaining means for obtaining said identification information stored in each of said storage devices;

storage means for storing therein information; and

storage control means for controlling said storage means, and in which

said storage devices includes an authorized storage device to be certified as being said authorized device, and a master storage device to be used to certify said authorized storage device as being said authorized device,

said certification apparatus includes obtaining means for obtaining said identification information stored in each of said storage devices,

said certification means is operative to certify whether or not each of said storage devices is said authorized device on the basis of said identification information of each of said storage devices obtained by said obtaining means and said information stored in said storage means,

said certification means is operative to certify that said master storage device is not said authorized device under the condition that said storage means has already stored therein said identification information of said authorized storage device, and

said storage control means is operative to control said storage means to have said storage means store therein said identification information of said authorized storage device obtained by said obtaining means only under the condition that said certification means certifies said master storage device as being said authorized device.

15. A certification apparatus comprising:

certification means for certifying whether or not each of a plurality of storage devices each storing therein identification information is an authorized device authorized to use components mounted on a vehicle;

obtaining means for obtaining said identification information stored in each of said storage devices;

storage means for storing therein information; and

storage control means for controlling said storage means, and in which

said storage devices includes first and second authorized storage devices each to be certified as being said authorized device, and a master storage device to be used to certify said first authorized storage device as being said authorized device,

said certification means is operative to certify whether or not each of said storage devices is said authorized device on the basis of said identification information of each of said storage devices obtained by said obtaining means and said information stored in said storage means,

said certification means is operative to certify that said master storage device is not said authorized device under the condition that said storage means has already stored therein said identification information of said first authorized storage device obtained by said obtaining means,

said storage control means is operative to control said storage means to have said storage means store therein said identification information of said first authorized storage device obtained by said obtaining means only under the condition that said certification means certifies said master storage device as being said authorized device, and

said storage control means is operative to control said storage means to have said storage means store therein said identification information of said second authorized storage device obtained by said obtaining means only under the condition that said certification means certifies said first authorized storage device as being said authorized device.