Electronic certificate issuance system, electronic certificate issuing device, communication device, and program therefor

• US 20070234043A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Miyazawa, Masafumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

An electronic certificate issuance system comprising at least one communication device, and an electronic certificate issuing device for issuing a set of an electronic certificate and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate as a certification set for each of the at least one communication device, is provided. The electronic certificate issuing device includes a first connecting interface, an obtaining system, which is adapted to obtain a node ID assigned to each of the at least one communication device, a generating system, and a writing system. The at least one communication device includes a second connecting interface, a judging system, and an installing system.

Claims

1. An electronic certificate issuance system comprising:

at least one communication device; and

an electronic certificate issuing device for issuing a set of an electronic certificate and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate as a certification set for each of the at least one communication device,

wherein the electronic certificate issuing device includes;

a first connecting interface, through which an external storage device can be removably connected to the electronic certificate issuing device;

an obtaining system, which is adapted to obtain a node ID assigned to each of the at least one communication device by requesting the at least one communication device for the node ID;

a generating system, which is adapted to generate the electronic certificate to include the node ID obtained by the obtaining system as owner ID information of the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate for each of the at least one communication device; and

a writing system, which is adapted to write the certification set including the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate generated for the at least one communication device into the external storage device connected to the first connecting interface, and

wherein the at least one communication device includes;

a second connecting interface, through which the external storage device can be removably connected to the communication device;

a judging system, which is adapted to judge as to whether the electronic certificate, of which node ID as the owner ID information included in the electronic certificate is identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device itself, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate are written in the external storage device when the external storage device is connected to the communication device through the second connecting interface; and

an installing system, which is adapted to install the electronic certificate having the node ID as the owner ID information identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device itself and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate into the communication device itself from the external storage device when it is determined that the electronic certificate, of which node ID as the owner ID information is identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device itself, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate are written in the external storage device.

2. The electronic certificate issuance system according to claim 1,

wherein a plurality of the at least one communication device are provided;

and

wherein the writing system collectively writes a plurality of certification sets, each of which includes the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate generated for each of the plurality of communication devices, into the external storage device connected to the first connecting interface in a batch when a plurality of certificate sets are issued for the plurality of communication devices by the electronic certificate issuing device.

3. The electronic certificate issuance system according to claim 2,

wherein the plurality of the at least one communication device and the electronic certificate issuing device are communicably connected to each other through a network;

and

wherein the obtaining system obtains the node ID assigned to each of the plurality of communication devices by broadcasting a request for the node ID to the each of the plurality of communication devices.

4. The electronic certificate issuance system according to claim 2,

wherein the electronic certificate issuing device includes a labeling system, which is adapted to assign an electronic label identifying the node ID included in the electronic certificate as the owner ID information of the electronic certificate to each of the plurality of certification sets having the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate generated by the generating system;

and

wherein the judging system judges as to whether the electronic certificate, of which node ID as the owner ID information is identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device itself, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate are written in the external storage device based on the electronic label assigned by the labeling system to the electronic certificate.

5. The electronic certificate issuance system according to claim 2,

wherein the electronic certificate issuing device includes a file creating system to create a plurality of data files, each of which contains a set of data representing the electronic certificate with the node ID as the owner ID information of the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate;

and

wherein the writing system is adapted to collectively write the plurality of data files in a batch into the external storage device connected to electronic certificate issuing device through the first connecting interface.

6. The electronic certificate issuance system according to claim 2,

wherein the electronic certificate issuing device includes a file creating system to create a plurality of data files, each of which has a file name and contains a set of data representing the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate issued by the electronic certificate issuing device;

wherein the file name of the data file is represented by the node ID as the owner ID information of the electronic certificate;

wherein the writing system is adapted to collectively write the plurality of data files in a batch into the external storage device connected to the electronic certificate issuing device through the first connecting interface;

wherein the judging system of each of the communication devices determines the electronic certificate, of which node ID as the owner ID information is identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device itself, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate are written in the external storage device when the data file created by the file creating system, of which file name represented by the node ID as the owner ID information is identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device itself, is stored in the external storage device; and

wherein the installing system of each of the communication devices installs the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate in the set of data contained in the data file into the communication device itself when the judging system determines the electronic certificate, of which node ID as the owner ID information is identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device itself, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate are written in the external storage device.

7. The electronic certificate issuance system according to claim 5, wherein the file creating system is adapted to encrypt each of the plurality of data files.

8. The electronic certificate issuance system according to claim 5,

wherein each of the plurality of communication devices is adapted to generate an encryption key to encrypt the data file created by the file creating system;

wherein each of the plurality of communication devices is provided with an ID information transmitting system, which transmits the node ID assigned to the communication device itself and the generated encryption key to the electronic certificate issuing device through a network;

wherein the electronic certificate issuing device is communicably connected with the plurality of communication devices through the network;

wherein the obtaining system of the electronic certificate issuing device obtains the node ID assigned to each of the plurality of communication devices and the encryption key through the network from each of the plurality of communication devices for which the electronic certificate is issued; and

wherein the file creating system encrypts each of the plurality of data files by using the encryption key obtained by the obtaining system from the communication device having the node ID which is identical to the node ID as the owner ID information of the electronic certificate to be contained in the encrypted data file.

9. An electronic certificate issuance system comprising:

at least one communication device; and

an electronic certificate issuing device for issuing a set of an electronic certificate and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate as a certification set for each of the at least one communication device,

wherein the electronic certificate issuing device includes;

a first connecting interface, through which an external storage device can be removably connected to the electronic certificate issuing device;

an obtaining system, which is adapted to obtain node ID information indicating a node ID to be assigned to the at least one communication device;

a generating system, which is adapted to generate the certification set to include configuration data, which contains an instruction for the at least one communication device to set a node ID of the communication device itself as indicated in the node ID information, the electronic certificate, which includes a node ID being identical to the node ID indicated in the node ID information as owner ID information of the electronic certificate, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate; and

a writing system, which is adapted to write the certification set including the configuration data, the electronic certificate, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate generated for the at least one communication device, into the external storage device connected to the first connecting interface, and

wherein the at least one communication device includes;

a second connecting interface, through which the external storage device can be removably connected to the communication device;

a judging system, which is adapted to judge as to whether the certificate set is written in the external storage device when the external storage device is connected to the communication device through the second connecting interface; and

a configuration installing system, which is adapted to specify the certificate set written in the external storage device, sets the node ID of the communication device itself to the node ID indicated in the configuration data which is included in the specified certificate set, and install the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate included in the specified certificate set into the communication device itself.

10. The electronic certificate issuance system according to claim 9,

wherein a plurality of the at least one communication device are provided;

wherein the writing system collectively writes a plurality of certification sets, each of which includes the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate generated for each of the plurality of communication devices, into the external storage device connected to the first connecting interface in a batch when a plurality of certificate sets are issued for the plurality of communication devices by the electronic certificate issuing device;

wherein the judging system of each of the plurality of communication devices judges as to whether at least one of the certificate sets is written in the external storage device when the external storage device is connected to the communication device through the second connecting interface; and

wherein the configuration installing system of each of the plurality of communication devices arbitrarily selects one certificate set among the at least one of the certificate sets written in the external storage device, sets the node ID of the communication device itself to the node ID indicated in the configuration data which is included in the selected certificate set, and install the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate included in the selected certificate set into the communication device itself.

11. An electronic certificate issuance system comprising:

at least one communication device, which is communicably connected to a network; and

an electronic certificate issuing device, which is communicably connected with the at least one communication device through the network, for issuing an electronic certificate for the at least one communication device,

wherein the electronic certificate issuing device includes;

a first connecting interface, through which an external storage device can be removably connected to the electronic certificate issuing device;

an obtaining system, which obtains a node ID assigned to the at least one communication device and a public key corresponding to a private key generated in the at least one communication device by requesting the at least one communication device for the node ID through the network;

a generating system, which is adapted to generate an electronic certificate, which includes the node ID obtained from the at least one communication device by the obtaining system as owner ID information of the electronic certificate and certifies authenticity of the public key obtained from the communication device by the obtaining system;

a writing system, which is adapted to write the electronic certificate generated by the generating system into the external storage device connected to the first connecting interface,

wherein the at least one communication device includes;

a second connecting interface, through which the external storage device can be removably connected to the communication device;

a key generating system, which generates the private key to be used in the communication device itself and the public key corresponding to the private key;

an ID information transmitting system, which transmits the public key generated by the key generating system and the node ID assigned to the communication device itself to the electronic certificate issuing device through the network;

a judging system, which is adapted to judge as to whether the electronic certificate issued for the communication device itself is written in the external storage device when the external storage device is connected to the communication device through the second connecting interface; and

an installing system, which installs the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate written in the external storage device into the communication device itself when the judging system determines the electronic certificate issued for the communication device itself is written in the external storage device.

12. The electronic certificate issuance system according to claim 11,

wherein a plurality of communication devices are communicably connected to the network;

and

wherein the writing system collectively writes a plurality of certification sets, each of which includes the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate issued for each of the plurality of communication devices, into the external storage device connected to the first connecting interface in a batch when a plurality of certificate sets are issued for the plurality of communication devices by the electronic certificate issuing device.

13. The electronic certificate issuance system according to claim 12,

wherein the obtaining system obtains the node ID assigned to each of the plurality of communication devices by broadcasting a request for the node ID to the each of the plurality of communication devices.

14. The electronic certificate issuance system according to claim 12,

wherein the judging system determines the electronic certificate issued for each of the plurality of communication devices itself is written in the external storage device by referring to the public key, of which authenticity is certified by the electronic certificate written in the external storage device, and determining the electronic certificate certifying the authenticity of the public key generated in the communication device itself is written in the external storage device.

15. An electronic certificate issuing device to issue an electronic certificate and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate for a communication device communicably connected to the electronic certificate issuing device, comprising:

a connecting interface, through which an external storage device can be removably connected to the electronic certificate issuing device;

an obtaining system, which is adapted to obtain information regarding a node ID of the communication device for which the electronic certificate is issued by the electronic certificate issuing device;

a generating system, which is adapted to generate the electronic certificate to include a node ID indicated in the information regarding the node ID of the communication device obtained by the obtaining system as owner ID information of the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate for the communication device; and

a writing system, which is adapted to write a certificate set including the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate issued for the communication device into the external storage device connected to the first connecting interface.

16. The electronic certificate issuing device according to claim 15,

whereto a plurality of the communication devices are communicably connected;

and

wherein the writing system collectively writes a plurality of the certification set, each of which includes the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate issued for each of the plurality of communication devices, into the external storage device connected to the connecting interface in a batch when the plurality of certificate sets are issued for the plurality of communication devices by the electronic certificate issuing device.

17. The electronic certificate issuance device according to claim 16, further comprising:

a file creating system to create a plurality of data files, each of which has a file name and contains a set of data representing the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate issued by the electronic certificate issuing device, for each of the node IDs obtained by the obtaining system;

wherein the file name of each of the data files is represented by the node ID as the owner ID information of the electronic certificate; and

wherein the writing system collectively writes the plurality of data files, each of which includes the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate, in a batch into the external storage device connected to the connecting interface.

18. The electronic certificate issuance device according to claim 16,

wherein the information regarding the node ID of the communication device indicates a node ID to be assigned to the at least one communication device,

wherein the obtaining system obtains the node ID to be assigned to the at least one communication device;

wherein the generating system generates the certification set to include configuration data, which contains an instruction for the at least one communication device to set a node ID of the communication device itself as indicated in the node ID information, the electronic certificate, which includes a node ID being identical to the node ID indicated in the node ID information as owner ID information of the electronic certificate, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate; and

wherein a writing system, which is adapted to write the certification set including the configuration data, the electronic certificate, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate generated for the at least one communication device, into the external storage device connected to the first connecting interface, is provided to the electronic certificate issuance device.

19. The electronic certificate issuing device according to claim 18,

whereto a plurality of the communication devices are communicably connected;

and

wherein the writing system collectively writes a plurality of the certification set, each of which includes the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate issued for each of the plurality of communication devices, into the external storage device connected to the connecting interface in a batch when the plurality of certificate sets are issued for the plurality of communication devices by the electronic certificate issuing device.

20. A communication device with a node ID assigned thereto, comprising:

a connecting interface through which an external storage device containing at least one data set which includes data representing an electronic certificate and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate can be removably connected to the communication device;

a judging system, which is adapted to judge as to whether the electronic certificate, of which node ID as the owner ID information included in the electronic certificate is identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device itself, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate are written in the external storage device when the external storage device is connected to the communication device through the connecting interface; and

an installing system, which is adapted to install the electronic certificate having the node ID as the owner ID information identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device itself and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate into the communication device itself from the external storage device when it is determined that the electronic certificate, of which node ID as the owner ID information is identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device itself, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate are written in the external storage device.

21. The communication device according to claim 20,

wherein the data set contained in the external storage device consists of a data file having a file name, the file name being a node ID as the owner ID information of the electronic certificate;

wherein the judging system judges as to whether a data set as a data file which has a file name being identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device is written in the external storage device when the external device is connected to the communication device through the connecting interface; and

wherein the installing system installs the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate written in the external storage device into the communication device itself when the judging system determines the data file having a file name which is identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device itself is written in the external storage device.

22. A communication device comprising:

a connecting interface through which an external storage device can be removably connected;

a judging system for judging as to whether a data set including configuration data, which contains a node ID for the communication device and an instruction for the communication device to set the contained node ID to the communication device itself, an electronic certificate, which includes a node ID as owner ID information of the electronic certificate being identical to the node ID indicated in the configuration data, and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate, is written in the external storage device; and

a configuration installing system, which is adapted to specify the data set written in the external storage device, sets the node ID of the communication device itself to the node ID contained in the configuration data which is included in the specified certificate set, and install the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate included in the specified certificate set into the communication device itself.

23. A computer usable medium comprising computer readable instructions for controlling a computer, having a connecting interface through which an external storage device is connected to the computer, to issue an electronic certificate and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate for a communication device, by executing steps of:

obtaining a node ID of the communication device for which the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate are issued;

generating the electronic certificate to include the obtained node ID of the communication device as owner ID information of the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate; and

writing the generated electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate into the external storage device connected to the computer through the connecting interface.

24. A computer usable medium comprising computer readable instructions for controlling a computer, having a connecting interface through which an external storage device is connected to the computer, to issue an electronic certificate and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate for a communication device, by executing steps of:

obtaining node ID information indicating a node ID to be assigned to the communication device for which the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate; and

generating a certification set to include configuration data, which contains an instruction for the communication device to set a node ID of the communication device itself as indicated in the node ID information, the electronic certificate, which includes a node ID being identical to the node ID indicated in the node ID information as owner ID information of the electronic certificate, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate; and

writing the certification set including the configuration data, the electronic certificate, and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate generated for the communication device, into the external storage device connected to the communication device through the connecting interface.

25. A computer usable medium comprising computer readable instructions for controlling a computer, having a connecting interface through which an external storage device is connected to the computer itself, to have an electronic certificate and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate issued for the computer itself, by executing steps of:

judging as to whether the electronic certificate including a node ID as owner ID information of the electronic certificate being identical to a node ID assigned to the communication device and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate are written in the external storage device when the external storage device is connected to the computer through the connecting interface; and

installing the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate written in the external storage device into the communication device itself when the electronic certificate including a node ID as owner ID information of the electronic certificate being identical to the node ID assigned to the communication device and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate are written in the external storage device.

26. A computer usable medium comprising computer readable instructions for controlling a computer, having a connecting interface through which an external storage device is connected to the computer itself, to have an electronic certificate and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate issued for the computer itself, by executing steps of:

judging as to whether a data set including configuration data, which contains a node ID for the communication device and an instruction for the communication device to set the contained node ID to the communication device itself, an electronic certificate, which includes a node ID as owner ID information of the electronic certificate being identical to the node ID indicated in the configuration data, and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate, is written in the external storage device;

specifying the data set written in the external storage device;

setting the node ID of the communication device itself to the node ID contained in the configuration data which is included in the specified certificate set; and

installing the electronic certificate and the private key corresponding to the electronic certificate included in the specified certificate set into the communication device itself.