Device authentication system

• US 20060126846A1
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Willcom Incorporated (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Asia Pacific System Research Co., Ltd. (Canon Inc.), Willcom Incorporated (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Hideyuki, Araki, Kenkichi
• Application Number:
  US10/559,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20060126846A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/277
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint

Abstract

A device authentication system comprises a terminal device, a data communications device connected to the terminal device, and a service provider. Device information stored in the terminal device is encrypted in order to produce authentication information. Transmission is carried out with respect to user information of the data communications device and the encrypted device information. The service provider decodes the encrypted device information using a device authentication server and identifies whether or not the terminal device is a terminal device suitable to service contents which is provided by the service provider, in accordance with the decoded device information. On the basis of an authentication result, the service provider determines whether or not the user information is transmitted to a user authentication server.

Claims

1. A device authentication system comprising:

a terminal device having a transmission unit for transmitting device information;

a data communications device connected to said terminal device; and

at least one device authentication server which receives said device information and which has a device information authenticating unit for identifying whether or not said terminal device is suitable to be provided service contents, based on said device information.

4. A device authentication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:

said device authentication system further comprises at least one user authentication server for authenticating a user of said data communications device;

said transmission unit transmits user information of said data communications device; and

said device authentication server comprises an authentication control unit for controlling whether or not said user information is transmitted to said user authentication server in accordance with an authentication result supplied from said device information authentication unit.

6. A device authentication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said device information has a device identification number specific to said terminal device.

7. A device authentication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said device authentication server transmits a confirmation message to said terminal device when said device authentication server does not receive the device authentication information from said terminal device.

8. A device authentication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said terminal device further comprising a message control unit for retransmitting said device authentication information to said device authentication server when said terminal device receives said confirmation message from said device authentication server.

9. A device authentication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:

said terminal device comprises;

an operating system; and

a connection monitoring unit for monitoring whether or not an external device is connected to said terminal device,

wherein said connection monitoring unit disconnects an interconnection between said external device and said terminal device when said connection monitoring unit detects that said external device is connected to said terminal device on the basis of information in said operating system.

10. A device authentication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:

said terminal device comprises;

an operating system; and

a connection monitoring unit for monitoring whether or not an external device is connected to said terminal device,

wherein said connection monitoring unit disconnects communication between said data communications device and a data server when said connection monitoring unit detects that said external device is connected to said terminal device on the basis of information in said operating system.

11. A device authentication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein device authentication is carried out by Point to Point Protocol (PPP) in said device authentication unit.

2. A device authentication system comprising:

a terminal device having a transmission unit for transmitting device information;

a data communications device connected to said terminal device; and

at least one device authentication server which receives said device information and which has a device information authentication unit for identifying whether or not said terminal device is suitable to be provided service contents based on the received device information;

said terminal device comprising;

a device information memory unit for storing said device information; and

an authentication information production unit for encrypting said device information to produce authentication information,

wherein said device information authentication unit carries out authentication of said terminal device based on the encrypted device information.

5. A device authentication system as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein said terminal device comprises a selection unit for selecting whether or not transmission is carried out with respect to said encrypted device information.

3. A device authentication system comprising:

a terminal device having a transmission unit for transmitting device information;

a data communications device connected to said terminal device;

at least one device authentication server which receives said device information and which has a device information authentication unit for identifying whether or not said terminal device is suitable to be provided service contents, based on said device information; and

a key management server for producing an encryption key specific to said terminal device;

said terminal device comprising;

a device information memory unit for storing said device information; and

an authentication information production unit for encrypting said device information based on said encryption key specific to said terminal device to produce authentication information,

wherein said device information authentication unit carries out authentication of the device in accordance with the encrypted device information;

said device information authentication unit requests said key management server to produce the encryption key when said device information does not have the encryption key specific to said terminal device, on first receiving said device information from said terminal device at said device information authentication unit; and

said device information authentication unit transmits the produced encryption key to said terminal device; and

wherein said authentication information production unit memorizes the transmitted encryption key therein to encrypt said device information by using the memorized encryption key from then on.