Verifying the ownership of an owner's authority in terms of product and service

• US 20060143452A1
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Numao, Masayuki, Ishigaki, Yoshinobu, Watanabe, Yuji
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,740 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for verifying the authority of an owner, in terms of an identifier of a product, the first verification information for verifying the authority held at a terminal for an owner with the authority involving the product, and the second verification information for verifying the authority concerning the identifier of the product stored in a product database. The apparatus comprises means for receiving the identifier and the first verification information, means for acquiring the second verification information from the product DB, and means for determining whether or not there is the authority from the first verification information and the second verification information. A hash value acquired from a one-way hash function is employed as a verification key of the verification information.

Claims

1. ) An apparatus for verifying authority of at least one owner comprising:

means for receiving an identifier of a product and first verification information, said apparatus for verifying the authority in terms of the identifier of a product, first verification information for verifying the authority held at a terminal for the owner with the authority involving said product, and second verification information for verifying the authority concerning the identifier of said product stored in a product database,

means for acquiring said second verification information from said product database; and

means for determining whether or not there is the authority from said first verification information and said second verification information.

2. ) The apparatus for verifying the authority according to claim 1, wherein said means for determining comprises determination means by using a hash value acquired by applying a one-way hash function to a number acquired by a predetermined method by t (an integer of 1 or more) times as a verification key for verifying information, and by using a hash value acquired by applying said one-way hash function to said number by t−

1 times as a verification key for verifying information for the next verification.

3. ) The apparatus for verifying the authority according to claim 2, further comprising means for encrypting by using said hash value acquired by applying the hash function to the number by t−

1 times as an encryption key when verifying information for verifying said authority is received from said terminal.

4. ) The apparatus for verifying the authority according to claim 3, wherein said encryption is performed by acquiring an exclusive OR of said verification key and said hash value acquired by applying the hash function to the number by t−

1 times.

5. ) The apparatus for verifying the authority according to claim 1, wherein said terminal of an owner with the authority saves said identifier of the product.

6. ) The apparatus for verifying the authority according to claim 1, wherein said terminal of an owner with the authority comprises means for reading said identifier of the product.

7. ) The apparatus for verifying the authority according to claim 1, further comprising means for saving a list showing that a product has a plurality of owners and a verification key for each of the owners of the authority.

12. ) The apparatus for verifying the authority according to claim 1, wherein said product is a service ticket for a user to receive a service.

37. ) A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a verification of authority of at least one owner, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of claim 1.

8. ) An apparatus for verifying the authority in terms of an identifier of a product, a verification key for verifying the authority held at a terminal for an assignor of the authority involving said product, and the verification information of the assignor concerning the identifier of said product stored in a product database, comprising:

means for receiving a verification key of an assignee with said authority and the verification key of the assignor with the authority held at said terminal;

means for acquiring the verification key of said assignor from said product database;

means for verifying the verification key of said assignor in terms of the verification information involving said product; and

means for storing the verification key of said assignee as said verification information of said product database under the condition that said verification is successful.

9. ) The apparatus for verifying the authority according to claim 8, wherein said verification means further comprises means for using a hash value acquired by applying a one-way hash function to the number acquired by a predetermined method in a terminal of said assignee by t (an integer of 1 or more) times as a verification key for said verifying information, and using a hash value acquired by applying said one-way hash function by u (an integer of 1 or more) times to the number acquired by a predetermined method in the terminal of said assignee as a verification key for the next verification.

10. ) The apparatus for verifying the authority according to claim 9, further comprising means for encrypting by using the hash value acquired by applying the hash function to the number acquired by a predetermined method in a terminal of said assignee by t−

1 times as an encryption key when said verifying information is received from a terminal of said owner with the authority.

11. ) The apparatus for verifying the authority according to claim 10, wherein said encryption is performed by acquiring an exclusive OR of said verification key and said hash value acquired by applying the hash function to the number by t−

1 times.

13. ) A terminal for managing the information regarding the authority of at least one owner involving a product, comprising:

means for storing the first verification information managed separately from an identifier of the product; and

means for creating a one-time verification key from the first verification information that is used for verification in an apparatus for verifying the authority in terms of the second verification information involving said product stored in a product database.

14. ) The terminal for saving information for verifying the authority in terms of a product according to claim 13, wherein said one-time verification key uses a hash value acquired by applying a one-way hash function to the number acquired by a predetermined method by t (an integer of 1 or more) times as a verification key for verifying information, and uses a hash value acquired by applying said one-way hash function to said number by t−

1 times as a verification key for the next verification.

15. ) The terminal for saving information for verifying the authority in terms of a product according to claim 14, further comprising means for encrypting said verification key by using said hash value acquired by applying the hash function to the number by t−

1 times as an encryption key.

16. ) The terminal for saving information for verifying the authority in terms of a product according to claim 13, wherein a terminal that saves information for verifying the authority in terms of a product comprises means for reading an identifier for identifying said product.

17. ) The terminal for saving information for verifying the authority in terms of a product according to claim 13, wherein said product is a service ticket for a user to receive a service.

18. ) A method for verifying the authority of at least one owner in terms of an identifier of a product, the first verification information for verifying the authority held at a terminal for an owner with the authority involving said product, and the second verification information for verifying the authority concerning the identifier of said product stored in a product database, comprising:

a step of receiving said identifier and said first verification information;

a step of acquiring said second verification information from said product DB; and

a step of determining whether or not there is the authority from said first verification information and said second verification information.

19. ) The method for verifying the authority according to claim 18, wherein said step of determining comprises a step of determining by using a hash value acquired by applying a one-way hash function to a number acquired by a predetermined method by t (an integer of 1 or more) times as a verification key for verifying information, and by using a hash value acquired by applying said one-way hash function to said number by t−

1 times as a verification key for verifying information for the next verification.

20. ) The method for verifying the authority according to claim 19, further comprising a step of encrypting by using said hash value acquired by applying the hash function to the number by t−

1 times as an encryption key when verifying information for verifying said authority is received from said terminal.

21. ) The method for verifying the authority according to claim 20, wherein said encryption is performed by acquiring an exclusive OR of said verification key and said hash value acquired by applying the hash function to the number by t−

1 times.

22. ) The method for verifying the authority according to claim 18, wherein said terminal of an owner with the authority saves said identifier of the product.

23. ) The method for verifying the authority according to claim 18, wherein said terminal of an owner with the authority comprises a step of reading said identifier of the product.

24. ) The method for verifying the authority according to claim 18, further comprising a step of saving a list showing that a product has a plurality of owners and a verification key for each of the owners of the authority.

29. ) The method for verifying the authority according to claim 18, wherein said product is a service ticket for a user to receive a service.

35. ) A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for verifying authority of at least one owner, said method steps comprising the steps of claim 18.

25. ) A method for verifying the authority of at least one owner in terms of an identifier of a product, a verification key for verifying the authority held at a terminal for an assignor with the authority involving said product, and the verification information of the assignor concerning the identifier of said product stored in a product database, comprising:

a step of receiving a verification key of an assignee with said authority and said verification key of the assignor with the authority held at said terminal;

a step of acquiring said verification key of the assignor from said product DB;

a step of verifying the verification key of said assignor in terms of the verification information involving said product; and

a step of storing the verification key of said assignee as said verification information of said product DB under the condition that said verification is successful.

26. ) The method for verifying the authority according to claim 25, wherein said verification step further comprises a step of using a hash value acquired by applying a one-way hash function to the number acquired by a predetermined method in a terminal of said assignee by t (an integer of 1 or more) times as a verification key for said verifying information, and using a hash value acquired by applying said one-way hash function by u (an integer of 1 or more) times to the number acquired by a predetermined method in the terminal of said assignee as a verification key for the next verification.

27. ) The method for verifying the authority according to claim 26, further comprising a step of encrypting by using the hash value acquired by applying the hash function to the number acquired by a predetermined method in a terminal of said assignee by t−

1 times as an encryption key when said verifying information is received from a terminal of said owner with the authority.

28. ) The method for verifying the authority according to claim 27, wherein said encryption is performed by acquiring an exclusive OR of said verification key and said hash value acquired by applying the hash function to the number by t−

1 times.

36. ) A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for verifying authority of at least one owner, said method steps comprising the steps of claim 25.

30. ) A method for managing the information regarding the authority of at least one owner involving a product at a terminal, comprising:

a step of storing the first verification information managed separately from an identifier of the product; and

a step of creating a one-time verification key from the first verification information that is used for verification in an apparatus for verifying the authority in terms of the second verification information involving said product stored in a product database.

31. ) The method for managing information relating to the authority in terms of a product in a terminal according to claim 30, wherein said one-time verification key uses a hash value acquired by applying a one-way hash function to the number acquired by a predetermined method by t (an integer of 1 or more) times as a verification key for verifying information, and uses a hash value acquired by applying said one-way hash function to said number by t−

1 times as a verification key for the next verification.

32. ) The method for managing information relating to the authority in terms of a product in a terminal according to claim 31, further comprising a step of encrypting said verification key by using said hash value acquired by applying the hash function to the number by t−

1 times as an encryption key.

33. ) The method for managing information relating to the authority in terms of a product in a terminal according to claim 30, wherein a terminal device that saves information for verifying the authority in terms of a product comprises a step of reading an identifier for identifying said product.

34. ) The method for managing information relating to the authority in terms of a product in a terminal according to claim 30, wherein said product is a service ticket for a user to receive a service.