Authentication system and an authentication method for authenticating mobile information terminals

• US 7,526,646 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2002
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Rekimoto, Junichi, Ihara, Keigo, Ayatsuka, Yuji, Matsushita, Nobuyuki, Fukuda, Junko, Sueyoshi, Takahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr.; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): HERRING, VIRGIL A
• Application Number:
  US10/145,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,540 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

An authentication system for authenticating a mobile information terminal is disclosed. The system includes elements for: issuing a user ID to the terminal upon program issuing receipt therefrom; generating a random number based on the user ID and a time of issuing request receipt; registering the random number and the time of receipt in conjunction with the user ID; generating a first program for creating a first image embedded with the user ID, in accordance with the random number, user ID and time of receipt; transmitting the first program to the terminal; picking up the first image displayed on the terminal; recognizing first information from the picked-up first image while extracting the user ID from the same image concurrently; retrieving the registered random number and time of receipt in keeping with the user ID; generating a second program for creating a second image based on the retrieved random number, time of receipt, and user ID; and authenticating the terminal by verifying a match between second information from the second image generated by execution of the second program on the one hand, and the recognized first information on the other hand.

Claims

1. An authentication system for authenticating a mobile information terminal having displaying means for displaying an image, said authentication system comprising:

issuing means for issuing a user ID to said mobile information terminal upon receipt of a request to issue a program from said mobile information terminal;

random number generating means for generating a random number based on said user ID issued by said issuing means and on a time of receipt of the issuing request;

registering means for registering said random number and said time of receipt in conjunction with said user ID;

first program generating means for generating a first program for creating a first image embedded with said user ID, in accordance with said random number generated by said random number generating means, with said user ID, and with said time of receipt;

transmitting means for transmitting said first program generated by said first program generating means to said mobile information terminal;

image pickup means for picking up said first image displayed on said displaying means of said mobile information terminal;

recognizing means for recognizing first information corresponding to said first image picked up by said image pickup means while extracting said user ID from said first image concurrently;

retrieving means for retrieving said random number and said time of receipt registered by said registering means, in accordance with said user ID recognized by said recognizing means;

second program generating means for generating a second program for creating a second image based on said random number, on said time of receipt retrieved by said retrieving means, and on said user ID; and

authenticating means for authenticating said mobile information terminal displaying said first image, by verifying a match between second information corresponding to said second image generated by execution of said second program generated by said second program generating means on the one hand, and said first information recognized by said recognizing means on the other hand.

2. An authentication system according to claim 1, wherein said authentication system and said mobile information terminal are interconnected via a network.

3. An authentication system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile information terminal generates said first image by executing said first program and causes said displaying means to display said first image thus generated.

4. An authentication system according to claim 1, wherein said first image displayed on said displaying means of said mobile information terminal is a two-dimensional code.

5. An authentication system according to claim 1, wherein said first information and said second information denote a code number each.

6. An authentication system according to claim 1, further comprising an information providing apparatus and an information authenticating apparatus interconnected via a network,

wherein said information providing apparatus comprises:

issuing means for issuing a user ID to said mobile information terminal upon receipt of a request to issue a program from said mobile information terminal;

random number generating means for generating a random number based on said user ID issued by said issuing means and on a time of receipt of the issuing request;

registering means for registering said random number and said time of receipt in conjunction with said user ID;

first program generating means for generating a first program for creating a first image embedded with said user ID, in accordance with said random number generated by said random number generating means, with said user ID, and with said time of receipt; and

transmitting means for transmitting said first program generated by said first program generating means to said mobile information terminal, and

wherein said information authenticating apparatus comprises;

image pickup means for picking up said first image displayed on said displaying means of said mobile information terminal;

recognizing means for recognizing first information corresponding to said first image picked up by said image pickup means while extracting said user ID from said first image concurrently;

retrieving means for retrieving said random number and said time of receipt registered by said registering means, in accordance with said user ID recognized by said recognizing means;

second program generating means for generating a second program for creating a second image based on said random number, on said time of receipt retrieved by said retrieving means, and on said user ID; and

authenticating means for authenticating said mobile information terminal displaying said first image, by verifying a match between second information corresponding to said second image generated by execution of said second program generated by said second program generating means on the one hand, and said first information recognized by said recognizing means on the other hand.

7. An authentication method for authenticating a mobile information terminal having displaying means for displaying an image, said authentication method comprising the steps of:

issuing a user ID to said mobile information terminal upon receipt of a request to issue a program from said mobile information terminal;

generating a random number based on said user ID issued in said issuing step and on a time of receipt of the issuing request;

registering said random number and said time of receipt in conjunction with said user ID;

generating a first program for creating a first image embedded with said user ID, in accordance with said random number generated in said random number generating step, with said user ID, and with said time of receipt;

transmitting said first program generated in said first program generating step to said mobile information terminal;

picking up said first image displayed on said displaying means of said mobile information terminal;

recognizing first information corresponding to said first image picked up in said image pickup step while extracting said user ID from said first image concurrently;

retrieving said random number and said time of receipt registered in said registering step, in accordance with said user ID recognized in said recognizing step;

generating a second program for creating a second image based on said random number, on said time of receipt retrieved in said retrieving step, and on said user ID; and

authenticating said mobile information terminal displaying said first image, by verifying a match between second information corresponding to said second image generated by execution of said second program generated in said second program generating step on the one hand, and said first information recognized in said recognizing step on the other hand.