Authentication method, authentication system and recording medium

• US 6,731,731 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: COMSQUARE Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: COMSQUARE Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ueshima, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/806,350
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 379/189, 379/191, 379/196, 379/197, 379/198, 379/114.02, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202
• US Class Current: 379/196
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/313 using a call-back technique via a telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements

Abstract

When a service provider authenticates a preliminarily registered user, a telephone number of a telephone of the user is registered prior to the authentication and the user calls a CTI (computer telephony integration) server by the use of the telephone. The CTI server authenticates the user with reference to the telephone number of the call received. A password is generated by an information processing device such as the CTI server and is transmitted to both the user and the service provider. The service provider compares the received password and a password inputted by the user and provides the user with service upon coincidence between both passwords.

Claims

1. A user authentication method of authenticating a preliminarily registered user by a device for providing service (hereinafter referred to as a service provider), characterized by the steps:

(1) a telephone number of a telephone of a user is registered prior to authentication;

(2) the user calls a CTI (computer telephony integration) server by using the telephone thus registered;

(3) the CTI server authenticates the user with reference to the telephone number received;

(4) the CTI server or another information processing device operable in cooperation with the CTI server generates a password;

(5) the password thus generated is transmitted to both the user and the service provider;

(6) the user inputs the password which he has received to a device (hereinafter referred to as a service access authentication device) for authenticating the access to the service provider;

(7) the service access authentication device compares the password received in the step (5) and the password inputted in the step (6) and, upon coincidence between the both passwords, allows the user to access to the service provider; and

(8) the password which has been used for the authentication is invalidated.

2. A user authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a password is invalidated, even if the user has not yet been authenticated by the use of the password, in case where a predetermined time period has lapsed after the password is generated.

3. A user authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the telephone whose telephone number is registered in the step (1) is a portable mobile communication terminal.

4. A user authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the destination of the password to be transmitted to the user in the step (5) and a data format thereof are determined by the user.

5. A user authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the password transmitted to the user in the step (5) is transmitted as character data to a pager having a preliminarily registered telephone number.

6. A user authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the password transmitted to the user in the step (5) is transmitted as image data to a facsimile apparatus having a preliminarily registered telephone number.

7. A user authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the password transmitted to the user in the step (5) is transmitted as a speech produced by a speech synthesizer to the telephone which is registered in the step (1).

8. A user authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the telephone which is registered in the step (1) comprises image display means, the password transmitted to the user in the step (5) being transmitted as character data to the telephone which is registered in the step (1).

9. A user authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the password transmitted to the user in the step (5) is transmitted as an electronic mail to a mail address specified by the user.

10. A user authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the password transmitted to the user in the step (5) is binary data.

11. A user authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the telephone registered in the step (1) comprises radio communication means and the input of the password to the service access authentication system in the step (6) is carried out via the radio communication means.

12. A user authentication system comprising one or a plurality of information processing devices operable in cooperation through mutual data communication and a telephone assigned to each user, wherein any one of the information processing devices includes:

line connection means to be connected to a telephone through a telephone line;

caller'"'"'s number identifying means for identifying a caller'"'"'s telephone number of a call received at the line connection means;

a first recording medium for storing, as user information associated with each user, information relating to each user and including a telephone number of the telephone assigned to the user;

telephone number searching means for searching, by referring to the first recording medium, the telephone numbers given to the telephones assigned to the respective users and contained in the user information to find whether or not the telephone number identified by the caller'"'"'s number identifying means is present;

password generating means for generating a password;

a second recording medium for storing the password generated by the password generating means in association with the user information stored in the first recording medium;

password notifying means for notifying the password to an appropriate destination by referring to, as a destination, the telephone number searched by the telephone number searching means or the user information associated with the telephone number;

password input means for receiving an input password inputted by the user;

authentication means for comparing the password stored in the second recording medium and the input password supplied through the password input means and authenticating the user upon coincidence between both passwords; and

means for deleting from the second recording medium or invalidating a particular password which satisfies a predetermined condition.

13. A user authentication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the telephone assigned to each user is a portable mobile communication terminal.

14. A user authentication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

any one of the information processing devices further comprises speech synthesizing means for synthesizing a speech corresponding to the password generated by the password generating means;

the password notifying means transmitting the speech synthesized by the speech synthesizing means through the telephone line.

15. A user authentication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

any one of the information processing devices further comprises facsimile image data generating means for generating facsimile image data corresponding to the password generated by the password generating means;

the password notifying means transmitting the facsimile image data generated by the facsimile image data generating means through the telephone line.

16. A user authentication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

any one of the information processing devices further comprises pager data generating means for generating data for a pager to display the password generated by the password generating means;

the password notifying means transmitting the data generated by the pager data generating means through the telephone line.

17. A user authentication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

any one of the information processing devices further comprises electronic mail generating means for generating an electronic mail indicating the password generated by the password generating means and means for establishing connection to the Internet;

the password notifying means transmitting the electronic mail generated by the electronic mail generating means through the Internet.

18. A user authentication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the predetermined condition is any one of the cases:

where a predetermined time period has lapsed after the password is generated by the password generating means;

where a preselected time period has lapsed after the latest authentication was carried out by the use of the password; and

where the password has been used for authentication a predetermined number of times.

19. A user authentication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the authentication means authenticates the access to contents on the network.

20. A user authentication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the authentication means is connected to a device for controlling an electronic lock and allows the electronic lock to be unlocked.

21. A user authentication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the authentication means authenticates the user of an automatic financing device.

22. A recording medium which is a machine-readable recording medium storing a program to be executed by one or a plurality of information processing devices and operable in cooperation through mutual data communication, wherein the program make the information processing device execute:

an operation of generating a first table storing, as user information associated with each user, information relating to each user and including a telephone number of a telephone assigned to the user;

a caller'"'"'s number identifying operation of identifying a caller'"'"'s telephone number of a call received through a telephone line;

a telephone number searching operation of searching, by referring to the first table, the telephone numbers given to the telephones assigned to the respective users and contained in the user information to find the telephone number identified by the caller'"'"'s number identifying operation;

a password generating operation of generating a password;

an operation of generating a second table storing the password generated by the password generating operation in association with the user information stored in the first table;

a password notifying operation of notifying the password to an appropriate destination by referring to, as a destination, the telephone number found by the telephone number searching operation or the user information associated with the telephone number;

a password input operation of receiving an input password inputted by the user;

an authenticating operation of comparing the password stored in the second table and the input password supplied by the password input operation and authenticating the user upon coincidence between both passwords; and

an operation of deleting from the second table or invalidating a particular password which satisfies a predetermined condition.

23. A recording medium as claimed in claim 22, wherein:

the program further includes a speech synthesizing operation of synthesizing a speech corresponding to the password generated by the password generating operation;

the password notifying operation making the information processing device execute an operation of transmitting the speech synthesized by the speech synthesizing operation through the telephone line.

24. A recording medium as claimed in claim 22, wherein:

the program further includes a facsimile image data generating operation of generating facsimile image data corresponding to the password generated by the password generating operation;

the password notifying operation makes the information processing device execute an operation of transmitting the facsimile image data generated by the facsimile image data generating operation through the telephone line.

25. A recording medium as claimed in claim 22, wherein:

the program further includes a pager data generating operation of generating data for a pager to display the password generated by the password generating operation;

the password notifying operation making the information processing device execute an operation of transmitting the data generated by the pager data generating operation through the telephone line.

26. A recording medium as claimed in claim 22, wherein:

the program further includes an electronic mail generating operation of generating an electronic mail indicating the password generated by the password generating operation and an operation of establishing connection to the Internet;

the password notifying operation making the information processing device execute an operation of transmitting the electronic mail generated by the electronic mail generating operation through the Internet.

27. A recording medium as claimed in claim 22, wherein the predetermined condition is any one of the cases:

where a predetermined time period has lapsed after the password is generated by the password generating means;

where a preselected time period has lapsed after the latest authentication was carried out by the use of the password; and

where the password has been used for authentication a predetermined number of times.

28. A recording medium as claimed in claim 22, wherein the authenticating operation makes the information processing device execute an operation of authenticating the access to contents on the network.

29. A recording medium as claimed in claim 22, wherein the authenticating operation makes the information processing device execute an operation of allowing an electronic lock to be unlocked.

30. A recording medium as claimed in claim 22, wherein the authenticating operation makes the information processing device execute an operation of authenticating the user of an automatic financing device.