Service providing apparatus and method that allow an apparatus to access unique information stored in transportable recording medium

• US 20060178996A1
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hideki Matsushima, Masayuki Kozuka
• Original Assignee: Hideki Matsushima, Masayuki Kozuka
• Inventors: Matsushima, Hideki, Kozuka, Masayuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6263 during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction

Abstract

A transportable recording medium includes an area for storing encrypted cookie information. The same cookie information is thus easy to use in different terminals and the cookie information becomes unique to respective users instead of respective terminals. A Web site reads the encrypted cookie information, decrypts the encrypted cookie information using a secret key stored in the Web site, customizes a requested service according to the decrypted cookie information, and provides the customized service to a terminal. If the Web site stores non-encrypted user information, the recording medium stores a media identification. The Web site stores the user information so that the user information of the user assigned to the recording medium is searched for according to the media identification. The Web site reads the media identification from the recording medium, searches for user information corresponding to the media identification, and customizes a requested service according to the user information.

Claims

1. A service providing method of providing a current user of a first apparatus with each service provided by one or more other apparatuses via a network, wherein the first apparatus is able to communicate with each of the one or more other apparatuses via the network and is locally connectable to a recording medium from among recording media that are uniquely assigned to users of the first apparatus, each recording medium has a media identifier as a unique identifier recorded thereon and is transportable, and each recording medium includes an area for storing encrypted user information which is generated by encrypting user information that is inherent to a user assigned thereto, said service providing method comprising:

a service requesting operation of the first apparatus requesting a second apparatus to provide a service desired by the current user, the second apparatus being one of the one or more other apparatuses;

a reading operation of, if a recording medium of the current user is locally connected to the first apparatus, the second apparatus reading the media identifier and the encrypted user information in the locally recording medium via the first apparatus and the network; and

a service providing operation of the second apparatus (i) generating a decryption key based on the media identifier read in said reading operation, (ii) generating user information by decrypting the encrypted user information read in said reading operation by using the generated decryption key, (iii) customizing the desired service according to the generated user information, and (iv) transmitting the customized service to the first apparatus.

2. The service providing method of claim 1, wherein:

in said reading operation, if encrypted user information is not stored in the locally connected recording medium or a recording medium is not locally connected to the first apparatus, the second apparatus does not read encrypted user information from anywhere; and

in said service providing operation, if encrypted user information has not been read in said reading operation, the second apparatus transmits the desired service to the first apparatus in an uncustomized state.

3. The service providing method of claim 1, further comprising a user information updating operation, which is performed after said reading operation, of the second apparatus, if the user information inherent to the current user needs to be updated, updating the user information and generating encrypted updated user information by encrypting updated user information, and overwriting the encrypted user information in the locally connected recording medium with the encrypted updated user information via the network and the first apparatus.

4. The service providing method of claim 3, wherein in said user information updating operation, which is performed after said reading operation, the second apparatus

generates updated decrypted user information by updating the decrypted user information,

generates encrypted updated user information by encrypting the updated decrypted user information such that the encrypted user information can be decrypted with use of the generated decryption key, and

overwrites the encrypted user information in the locally connected recording medium with the encrypted updated user information.

5. The service providing method of claim 4, wherein:

the network is the Internet;

the first apparatus is an Internet terminal operable to run a specialized Internet browser;

each of the one or more other apparatuses is a Web site;

the user information includes cookie information used through the Internet browser; and

each recording medium stores the cookie information as a file.

6. The service providing method of claim 1, wherein:

the user information stored in each recording medium includes the media identifier of the recording medium;

the second apparatus stores user information so that user information inherent to each user is associated with the media identifier of the recording medium assigned to the user; and

said service providing operation includes

a user information finding operation of the second apparatus finding user information associated with the media identifier that has been read in said reading operation, and

a customizing operation of the second apparatus customizing the desired service for the current user according to the user information found in said user information finding operation.

7. The service providing method of claim 1, further comprising a recording medium connection operation, which is performed before said service requesting operation, of locally connecting the first apparatus to the recording medium assigned to the current user.

8. The service providing method of claim 1, wherein:

each recording medium includes a secure data area; and

said reading operation includes

a device authentication operation of performing a device authentication between the first apparatus and the locally connected recording medium, and

a reading prohibition operation of, if the device authentication performed in said device authentication operation has ended in failure, prohibiting the second apparatus from reading the media identifier and data from the secure data area of the locally connected recording medium.

9. A service providing method used by a first apparatus operable to receive each service provided by one or more other apparatuses via a network and provide the received service to a current user of the first apparatus, wherein the first apparatus is able to communicate with each of the one or more other apparatuses via the network and is locally connectable to a recording medium from among recording media that are uniquely assigned to users of the first apparatus, each recording medium has a media identifier as a unique identifier recorded thereon and is transportable, and each recording medium includes an area for storing encrypted user information which is generated by encrypting user information that is inherent to a user assigned thereto, said service providing method comprising:

a service requesting operation of the first apparatus requesting a second apparatus to provide a service desired by the current user, the second apparatus being one of the one or more other apparatuses;

a transmitting operation of, if a recording medium of the current user is locally connected to the first apparatus and stores encrypted user information, the first apparatus reading the media identifier and the encrypted user information in the locally connected recording medium and transmitting the read media identifier and encrypted user information to the second apparatus via the network; and

a service providing operation of the first apparatus receiving a service that has been customized by the second apparatus from the second apparatus and providing the received service to the current user, wherein the second apparatus generates the customized service by (i) generating a decryption key based on the media identifier that has been transmitted to the second apparatus in said transmitting operation, (ii) generating user information by decrypting, by using the generated decryption key, the encrypted user information that has been transmitted to the second apparatus, and (iii) customizing a desired service according to the generated user information.

10. The service providing method of claim 9, wherein:

in said transmitting operation, if encrypted user information is not stored in the locally connected recording medium or a recording medium is not locally connected to the first apparatus, the first apparatus does not read encrypted user information from anywhere; and

in said service providing operation, if encrypted user information is not transmitted in said transmitting operation, the first apparatus receives the desired service from the second apparatus in an uncustomized state and provides the received service to the current user.

11. The service providing method of claim 9, further comprising a user information updating operation, which is performed after said transmitting operation, of the first apparatus, if the user information inherent to the current user needs to be updated, receiving information based on updated user information from the second apparatus and overwriting the encrypted user information in the locally connected recording medium with the updated user information.

12. The service providing method of claim 11, wherein in said user information updating operation, the first apparatus receives encrypted user information that has been encrypted by the second apparatus such that the encrypted user information can be decrypted with use of the generated decryption key, and overwrites the encrypted user information in the locally connected recording medium with the received encrypted user information.

13. The service providing method of claim 12, wherein:

the network is the Internet;

the first apparatus is an Internet terminal operable to run a specialized Internet browser;

each of the one or more other apparatuses is a Web site;

the user information includes cookie information used through the Internet browser; and

each recording medium stores the cookie information as a file.

14. The service providing method of claim 9, wherein:

the second apparatus stores user information so that user information inherent to each user is associated with the media identifier of the recording medium assigned to the user; and

the customized service that is received and provided in said service providing operation is generated at the second apparatus by finding user information associated with the media identifier transmitted in said transmitting operation and customizing the desired service for the current user according to the found user information.

15. The service providing method of claim 9, further comprising a recording medium connection operation, which is performed before said service requesting operation, of locally connecting the first apparatus to the recording medium assigned to the current user.

16. The service providing method of claim 15, wherein:

each recording medium includes a secure data area;

the media identifier of each recording medium is stored in the secure data area of the recording medium; and

said transmitting operation includes

a device authentication operation of performing a device authentication between the first apparatus and the locally connected recording medium, and

a transmitting prohibition operation of, if the device authentication performed in said device authentication operation has ended in failure, prohibiting the first apparatus from transmitting the media identifier and data to the secure data area of the locally connected recording medium.

17. A service providing apparatus that receives each service provided by one or more other apparatuses via a network and provides the received service to a current user of the service providing apparatus, wherein said service providing apparatus is able to communicate with each of the one or more other apparatuses via the network and is locally connectable to a recording medium from among recording media that are uniquely assigned to users of said service providing apparatus, each recording medium has a media identifier as a unique identifier recorded thereon and is transportable, and each recording medium includes an area for storing encrypted user information which is generated by encrypting user information that is inherent to a user assigned thereto, said service providing apparatus comprising:

a service requesting unit operable to request a specific apparatus to provide a service desired by the current user, the specific apparatus being one of the one or more other apparatuses;

a transmitting unit operable to read, if a recording medium of the current user is locally connected to said service providing apparatus and stores encrypted user information, the media identifier and the encrypted user information in the locally connected recording medium and transmit the read media identifier and encrypted user information to the specific apparatus via the network; and

a service providing unit operable to receive a service that has been customized by the specific apparatus from the specific apparatus and provide the received service to the current user, wherein the specific apparatus is operable to generate the customized service by (i) generating a decryption key based on the media identifier that has been transmitted to the specific apparatus by said transmitting unit, (ii) generating user information by decrypting, by using the generated decryption key, the encrypted user information that has been transmitted to the specific apparatus, and (iii) customizing a desired service according to the generated user information.

18. The service providing apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

if encrypted user information is not stored in the locally connected recording medium or a recording medium is not locally connected to said service providing apparatus, said transmitting unit does not read encrypted user information from anywhere; and

if said transmitting unit has not transmitted encrypted user information, said service providing unit is operable to receive the desired service from the specific apparatus in an uncustomized state and provide the received service to the current user.

19. The service providing apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a user information updating unit operable to receive, if the user information inherent to the current user needs to be updated, updated user information from the specific apparatus and overwrite the user encrypted user information in the locally connected recording medium with the updated user information.

20. The service providing apparatus of claim 19, wherein said user information updating unit is operable to receive encrypted user information that has been encrypted by the specific apparatus such that the encrypted user information can be decrypted with use of the generated decryption key, and overwrite the encrypted user information in the locally connected recording medium with the received encrypted user information.

21. The service providing apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the network is the Internet;

the service providing apparatus is an Internet terminal operable to run a specialized Internet browser;

each of the one or more other apparatuses is a Web site;

the user information stored in each recording medium includes cookie information used through the Internet browser; and

each recording medium is operable to store the cookie information as a file.

22. The service providing apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the specific apparatus is operable to store user information so that user information inherent in each user is associated with the media identifier of the recording medium assigned to the user; and

the customized service that is received and provided by said service providing unit is generated at the specific apparatus by finding user information associated with the media identifier transmitted by said transmitting unit and customizing the desired service for the current user according to the found user information.

23. The service providing apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a recording medium connection unit operable to locally connect said service providing apparatus to the recording medium assigned to the current user.

24. The service providing apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

each recording medium includes a secure data area; and

the transmitting unit includes

a device authentication unit operable to perform a device authentication between the service providing apparatus and the locally connected recording medium; and

a transmitting prohibition unit operable to prohibit, if the device authentication has ended in failure, transmission of the media identifier and data in the secure data area of the locally connected recording medium.

25. A computer-readable recording medium which records a service providing program that has a first apparatus execute a procedure for receiving each service provided by one or more other apparatuses via a network and providing the received service to a current user of the first apparatus, wherein the first apparatus is able to communicate with each of the one or more other apparatuses via the network and is locally connectable to a recording medium from among recording media that are uniquely assigned to users of the first apparatus, each recording medium has a media identifier as a unique identifier recorded thereon and is transportable, and each recording medium includes an area for storing encrypted user information which is generated by encrypting user information that is inherent to a user assigned thereto, said service providing program causing a computer to execute:

a service requesting operation of the first apparatus requesting a second apparatus to provide a service desired by the current user, the second apparatus being one of the one or more other apparatuses;

a transmitting operation of, if a recording medium of the current user is locally connected to the first apparatus and stores encrypted user information, the first apparatus reading the media identifier and the encrypted user information in the locally connected recording medium and transmitting the read media identifier and encrypted user information to the second apparatus via the network; and

a service providing operation of the first apparatus receiving a service that has been customized by the second apparatus from the second apparatus and providing the received service to the current user, wherein the second apparatus generates the customized service by (i) generating a decryption key based on the media identifier that has been transmitted to the second apparatus in said transmitting operation, (ii) generating user information by decrypting, by using the generated decryption key, the encrypted user information that has been transmitted to the second apparatus, and (iii) customizing a desired service according to the generated user information.

26. A recording medium that is transportable and locally connectable to each Internet terminal, which runs a specialized Internet browser, and stores cookie information used through the Internet browser,

wherein if an Internet terminal is locally connected to said recording medium, a Web site that is connected to the Internet terminal via the Internet stores and reads cookie information into and from said recording medium through the Internet browser.

27. The recording medium of claim 26, wherein:

said recording medium has a media identifier as a unique identifier recorded thereon; and

the stored cookie information has been encrypted by using a key generated based on the media identifier.

28. The recording medium of claim 26 comprising:

a secure data area;

a device authentication unit operable to perform device authentication with the locally connected Internet terminal; and

a reading prohibition unit operable to prohibit the locally connected Internet terminal from reading the media identifier and data in the secure data area, if the device authentication has ended in failure.

29. The recording medium of claim 28, wherein the encrypted and stored cookie information is to be decrypted by using a decryption key generated from the media identifier and a user password designated by a user assigned said recording medium.