Authentication System, Information Processing Apparatus and Method, Program, and Recording Medium

• US 20080209545A1
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: ASANO, Tomoyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3273 for mutual authentication network architectures or network communication protocols for achieving mutual authentication in a packet data network H04L63/0869
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

An authentication system includes a mobile device carried by a user and a sensor sensing the user'"'"'s biometric information. The mobile device includes a template storage unit storing the user'"'"'s biometric information as a template, a first mutual authentication unit performing mutual authentication with the sensor via the user'"'"'s body, and a template transmitter transmitting the stored template to the sensor via the user'"'"'s body when the sensor is verified as valid. The sensor includes a second mutual authentication unit performing mutual authentication with the mobile device via the user'"'"'s body, a sensing unit sensing the user'"'"'s biometric information, a degree-of-match determining unit determining whether the biometric information matches the template, and a control-signal output unit outputting a preset control signal when the mobile device is verified as valid and when the biometric information and the template are determined to match each other.

Claims

1. An authentication system comprising:

a mobile device carried by a user; and

a sensor configured to sense biometric information of the user, the mobile device and the sensor communicating with each other via a human body as a communication medium,

wherein the mobile device includes

template storage means for storing the biometric information of the user as a template,

first mutual authentication means for performing mutual authentication with the sensor by performing communication via the body of the user as a communication medium, and

template transmitting means for transmitting the template stored in the template storage means to the sensor via the body of the user in a case where the sensor is verified as a valid sensor based on a mutual authentication result obtained by the first mutual authentication means, and

wherein the sensor includes

second mutual authentication means for performing mutual authentication with the mobile device by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium,

sensing means for sensing the biometric information of the user,

degree-of-match determining means for determining whether the biometric information of the user sensed by the sensing means matches the template transmitted from the mobile device via the body of the user based on information obtained by comparing the biometric information with the template, and

control-signal output means for outputting a preset control signal in a case where the mobile device is verified as a valid mobile device based on a mutual authentication result obtained by the second mutual authentication means and in a case where the degree-of-match determining means determines that the biometric information and the template match each other.

2. An information processing apparatus that is carried by a user and that performs communication via the body of the user as a communication medium with a sensor that senses biometric information of the user, comprising:

template storage means for storing the biometric information of the user as a template;

mutual authentication means for performing mutual authentication with the sensor by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium; and

template transmitting means for transmitting the template stored in the template storage means to the sensor via the body of the user in a case where the sensor is verified as a valid sensor based on a mutual authentication result obtained by the mutual authentication means.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the mutual authentication performed by the mutual authentication means is based on public-key cryptography, and a cryptographic key of the public-key cryptography is managed based on a public key infrastructure.

4. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus that is carried by a user and that performs communication via the body of the user as a communication medium with a sensor that senses biometric information of the user, comprising the steps of:

performing mutual authentication with the sensor by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium; and

transmitting a template that is pre-stored biometric information of the user to the sensor via the body of the user in a case where the sensor is verified as a valid sensor based on a mutual authentication result.

5. A computer-readable program that allows an information processing apparatus that is carried by a user and that performs communication via the body of the user as a communication medium with a sensor that senses biometric information of the user to perform information processing, the information processing comprising the steps of:

controlling performing mutual authentication with the sensor by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium; and

controlling transmitting a template that is pre-stored biometric information of the user to the sensor via the body of the user in a case where the sensor is verified as a valid sensor based on a mutual authentication result.

6. An information processing apparatus that is carried by a user and that performs communication via the body of the user as a communication medium with a sensor that senses biometric information of the user, comprising:

template storage means for storing the biometric information of the user as a template;

mutual authentication means for performing mutual authentication with the sensor by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

degree-of-match determining means for determining whether the biometric information of the user transmitted from the sensor via the body of the user matches the template based on information obtained by comparing the biometric information with the template; and

determination-result transmitting means for transmitting information indicating a determination result obtained by the degree-of-match determining means to the sensor via the body of the user.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the mutual authentication performed by the mutual authentication means is based on public-key cryptography, and a cryptographic key of the public-key cryptography is managed based on a public key infrastructure.

8. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus that is carried by a user and that performs communication via the body of the user as a communication medium with a sensor that senses biometric information of the user, comprising the steps of:

performing mutual authentication with the sensor by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

determining whether the biometric information of the user transmitted from the sensor via the body of the user matches a template that is pre-stored biometric information of the user based on information obtained by comparing the biometric information with the template; and

transmitting information indicating a determination result to the sensor via the body of the user.

9. A computer-readable program that allows an information processing apparatus that is carried by a user and that performs communication via the body of the user as a communication medium with a sensor that senses biometric information of the user to perform information processing, the information processing comprising the steps of:

controlling performing mutual authentication with the sensor by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

controlling determining whether the biometric information of the user transmitted from the sensor via the body of the user matches a template that is pre-stored biometric information of the user based on information obtained by comparing the biometric information with the template; and

controlling transmitting information indicating a determination result to the sensor via the body of the user.

10. An information processing apparatus for performing communication with a mobile device that is carried by a user and that stores in advance biometric information of the user as a template via the body of the user as a communication medium, comprising:

mutual authentication means for performing mutual authentication with the mobile device by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

sensing means for sensing the biometric information of the user;

degree-of-match determining means for determining whether the biometric information of the user sensed by the sensing means matches the template transmitted from the mobile device via the body of the user based on information obtained by comparing the biometric information with the template; and

control-signal output means for outputting a preset control signal in a case where the mobile device is verified as a valid mobile device based on a mutual authentication result obtained by the mutual authentication means and in a case where the degree-of-match determining means determines that the biometric information and the template match each other.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the mutual authentication performed by the mutual authentication means is based on public-key cryptography, and a cryptographic key of the public-key cryptography is managed based on a public key infrastructure.

12. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus for performing communication with a mobile device that is carried by a user and that stores in advance biometric information of the user as a template via the body of the user as a communication medium, comprising the steps of:

performing mutual authentication with the mobile device by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

sensing the biometric information of the user;

determining whether the sensed biometric information of the user matches the template transmitted from the mobile device via the body of the user based on information obtained by comparing the biometric information with the template; and

outputting a preset control signal in a case where the mobile device is verified as a valid mobile device based on a mutual authentication result and in a case where it is determined that the biometric information and the template match each other.

13. A computer-readable program that allows an information processing apparatus for performing communication with a mobile device that is carried by a user and that stores in advance biometric information of the user as a template via the body of the user as a communication medium to perform information processing, the information processing comprising the steps of:

controlling performing mutual authentication with the mobile device by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

controlling sensing the biometric information of the user;

controlling determining whether the sensed biometric information of the user matches the template transmitted from the mobile device via the body of the user based on information obtained by comparing the biometric information with the template; and

controlling outputting a preset control signal in a case where the mobile device is verified as a valid mobile device based on a mutual authentication result and in a case where it is determined that the biometric information and the template match each other.

18. A recording medium having the program according to claim 5, 9, 13, or 17 recorded thereon.

14. An information processing apparatus for performing communication with a mobile device that is carried by a user and that stores in advance biometric information of the user as a template via the body of the user as a communication medium, comprising:

mutual authentication means for performing mutual authentication with the mobile device by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

sensing means for sensing the biometric information of the user;

biometric-information transmitting means for transmitting the biometric information of the user sensed by the sensing means via the body of the user; and

control-signal output means for outputting a preset control signal in a case where the mobile device is verified as a valid mobile device based on a mutual authentication result obtained by the mutual authentication means and in a case where the mobile device, which has received the biometric information of the user transmitted from the biometric-information transmitting means, receives via the body of the user information indicating a determination result that the biometric information and the template are determined to match each other.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the mutual authentication performed by the mutual authentication means is based on public-key cryptography, and a cryptographic key of the public-key cryptography is managed based on a public key infrastructure.

16. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus for performing communication with a mobile device that is carried by a user and that stores in advance biometric information of the user as a template via the body of the user as a communication medium, comprising the steps of:

performing mutual authentication with the mobile device by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

sensing the biometric information of the user and transmitting the sensed biometric information of the user via the body of the user; and

outputting a preset control signal in a case where the mobile device is verified as a valid mobile device based on a mutual authentication result and in a case where the mobile device, which has received the transmitted biometric information of the user, receives via the body of the user information indicating a determination result that the biometric information and the template are determined to match each other.

17. A computer-readable program that allows an information processing apparatus for performing communication with a mobile device that is carried by a user and that stores in advance biometric information of the user as a template via the body of the user as a communication medium to perform information processing, the information processing comprising the steps of:

controlling performing mutual authentication with the mobile device by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

controlling sensing the biometric information of the user and transmitting the sensed biometric information of the user via the body of the user; and

controlling outputting a preset control signal in a case where the mobile device is verified as a valid mobile device based on a mutual authentication result and in a case where the mobile device, which has received the transmitted biometric information of the user, receives via the body of the user information indicating a determination result that the biometric information and the template are determined to match each other.

19. An authentication system comprising:

a mobile device carried by a user; and

a sensor configured to sense biometric information of the user, the mobile device and the sensor communicating with each other via a human body as a communication medium,

wherein the mobile device includes

a template storage unit configured to store the biometric information of the user as a template,

a first mutual authentication unit configured to perform mutual authentication with the sensor by performing communication via the body of the user as a communication medium, and

a template transmitter configured to transmitting the template stored in the template storage unit to the sensor via the body of the user in a case where the sensor is verified as a valid sensor based on a mutual authentication result obtained by the first mutual authentication unit, and

wherein the sensor includes

a second mutual authentication unit configured to perform mutual authentication with the mobile device by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium,

a sensing unit configured to sense the biometric information of the user,

a degree-of-match determining unit configured to determine whether the biometric information of the user sensed by the sensing unit matches the template transmitted from the mobile device via the body of the user based on information obtained by comparing the biometric information with the template, and

a control-signal output unit configured to output a preset control signal in a case where the mobile device is verified as a valid mobile device based on a mutual authentication result obtained by the second mutual authentication unit and in a case where the degree-of-match determining means determines that the biometric information and the template match each other.

20. An information processing apparatus that is carried by a user and that performs communication via the body of the user as a communication medium with a sensor that senses biometric information of the user, comprising:

a template storage unit configured to store the biometric information of the user as a template;

a mutual authentication unit configured to perform mutual authentication with the sensor by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium; and

a template transmitter configured to transmit the template stored in the template storage unit to the sensor via the body of the user in a case where the sensor is verified as a valid sensor based on a mutual authentication result obtained by the mutual authentication unit.

21. An information processing apparatus that is carried by a user and that performs communication via the body of the user as a communication medium with a sensor that senses biometric information of the user, comprising:

a template storage unit configured to store the biometric information of the user as a template;

a mutual authentication unit configured to perform mutual authentication with the sensor by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

a degree-of-match determining unit configured to determine whether the biometric information of the user transmitted from the sensor via the body of the user matches the template based on information obtained by comparing the biometric information with the template; and

a determination-result transmitter configured to transmit information indicating a determination result obtained by the degree-of-match determining unit to the sensor via the body of the user.

22. An information processing apparatus for performing communication with a mobile device that is carried by a user and that stores in advance biometric information of the user as a template via the body of the user as a communication medium, comprising:

a mutual authentication unit configured to perform mutual authentication with the mobile device by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

a sensing unit configured to sense the biometric information of the user;

a degree-of-match determining unit configured to determine whether the biometric information of the user sensed by the sensing unit matches the template transmitted from the mobile device via the body of the user based on information obtained by comparing the biometric information with the template; and

a control-signal output unit configured to output a preset control signal in a case where the mobile device is verified as a valid mobile device based on a mutual authentication result obtained by the mutual authentication unit and in a case where the degree-of-match determining means determines that the biometric information and the template match each other.

23. An information processing apparatus for performing communication with a mobile device that is carried by a user and that stores in advance biometric information of the user as a template via the body of the user as a communication medium, comprising:

a mutual authentication unit configured to perform mutual authentication with the mobile device by performing communication via the body of the user as the communication medium;

a sensing unit configured to sense the biometric information of the user;

a biometric-information transmitter configured to transmit the biometric information of the user sensed by the sensing unit via the body of the user; and

a control-signal output unit configured to output a preset control signal in a case where the mobile device is verified as a valid mobile device based on a mutual authentication result obtained by the mutual authentication unit and in a case where the mobile device, which has received the biometric information of the user transmitted from the biometric-information transmitter, receives via the body of the user information indicating a determination result that the biometric information and the template are determined to match each other.