Information processing system and information processing apparatus

• US 7,994,915 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Quang
• Application Number:
  US10/596,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20080191839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,112 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/825.3, 340/825.31, 340/825.33, 340/825.34, 340/5.52, 380/23, 380/24, 380/283, 380/284, 380/285, 713/159, 713/186, 713/169, 713/171
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07762 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1382 Detecting the live character of the finger, i.e. distinguishing from a fake or cadaver finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/14 Vascular patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes an equipment means equipped on a predetermined portion of a living body and has a storage means which a first biological identification data associated with the predetermined portion of the living body, and a communication means which is held by the equipment means and transmits the first biological identification data to a communication target to which the predetermined position equipped with the equipment means is brought close. A biological authentication means which performs biological authentication, based on the first biological identification data and on a second biological identification data, said second biological identification data being extracted from biological information detected by a biological sensor.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

a first information processing apparatus and an authentication device comprising a second information processing apparatus,

said first information processing apparatus comprising;

a storage means which stores a first biological identification data associated with a predetermined portion of a subject'"'"'s living body, and

a first communication means for performing communication when held proximate to the predetermined portion of the subject'"'"'s living body,

said authentication device comprising;

a biological sensor which detects biological information from the subject'"'"'s living body;

a second communication means connected to the second information processing apparatus and which communicates with the first communication means;

said second information processing apparatus comprising;

an extraction means which extracts a second biological identification data from the biological information detected by the biological sensor while the first communication means transmits the first biological identification data to the second communication means; and

a biological authentication means which performs biological authentication, based on the second biological identification data and on the first biological identification data;

a network connected to the second information processing apparatus;

the authentication device connected to the network that performs mutual authentication between the first information processing apparatus and a management server using the second information processing apparatus connecting to a management server via the network,

wherein,

if mutual authentication between the first information processing apparatus and the management server is confirmed by the authentication device, the first information processing apparatus and the second information processing apparatus exchange information for encrypting and decrypting the first biological information.

2. An authentication device comprising:

a biological sensor which detects biological information from a living body when held proximate to a predetermined position of the living body;

a communication target which stores biological identification data;

a near-distance communication means which communicates with the communication target;

an extraction means which extracts biological identification data from the biological information detected by the biological sensor while the communication target transmits the stored biological identification data to the near-distance communication means;

a biological authentication means which compares the stored biological identification data with the detected biological identification data;

a network connected to the near distance communication means; and

an authentication processing unit connected to the network that performs mutual authentication between the communication target and a management server via the near-distance communication means and the network connected to the management server,

wherein,

if mutual authentication between the communication target and the management server is confirmed by the authentication processing unit, the communication target and the near distance communication exchange information for encrypting and decrypting the stored biological identification data.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising network communication means which communicates with a management server which manages the biological identification data registered in the communication target, establishing a correspondence thereof,

wherein,

the biological authentication means compares mutually one another of the biological data at the predetermined portion, extracted by the extraction means, the biological identification data obtained from the management server via the network communication means, and the biological identification data obtained from the communication target via the near-distance communication means.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising network communication means which communicates with a management server via a predetermined network, the management server managing the biological identification data registered in the communication target and compressed data by use of data obtained in a process up to generation of the biological identification data, with a correspondence established between the biological identification data and a compressed data, wherein:

the extraction means generates the compressed data by use of data obtained in a process up to extraction of the biological data at the predetermined portion from the biological data detected by the biological sensor; and

the biological authentication means compares the compressed data generated by the extraction means with the compressed data obtained from the management server via the network communication means.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the biological authentication means compares the compressed data generated by the extraction means with the compressed data obtained from the management server via the network communication means, as well as the biological data at the predetermined portion, extracted by the extraction means, with the biological identification data obtained from the communication target via the near-distance communication means.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the communication target is provided with a light source;

the information processing apparatus further comprises (a) generation means which generates a flicker pattern to control a flickering state of the light source, and (b) encryption means which encrypts the flicker pattern generated by the generation means; and

the biological authentication means compares the flicker pattern with a luminance pattern of the biological data, which is detected by the biological sensor through the living body brought close to the predetermined position and emitted with light flickered in accordance with the flicker pattern from the light source in the communication target brought close to the predetermined position.

7. An information processing system comprising:

equipment means which is equipped on a predetermined portion of a living body and has (1) a storage means which stores a first biological identification data associated with the predetermined portion of the living body; and

(2) a communication means which is held by the equipment means and transmits the first biological identification data directly to a communication target to which the predetermined portion equipped with the equipment means is brought close;

a biological authentication means which performs biological authentication, based on the first biological identification data and on a second biological identification data, said second biological identification data being extracted from biological information detected by a biological sensor while the communication means transmits the first biological identification data to the communication target;

a network connected to the biological authentication means; and

an authentication processing unit connected to the network that performs mutual authentication between the equipment means and a management server via the biological authentication means connecting to the management server via the network,

wherein,

if mutual authentication between the equipment and the management server is confirmed by the authentication processing unit, the equipment means and the biological authentication means exchange information for encrypting and decrypting the first biological identification data.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising voltage accumulation means which accumulates a voltage induced in response to reception of a signal supplied from the communication target, wherein

the communication means transmits the biological identification data to the communication target, using the voltage accumulated by the voltage accumulation means as an electromotive force.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the equipment means is constituted by (a) a circular ring portion, and (b) a light source which is provided on the ring portion and emits imaging light on the identification target at the predetermined portion; and

the imaging light is guided to an imaging element provided on the communication target, through the living body brought close to the communication target.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the imaging light is flickered in accordance with a flicker pattern supplied from the communication target; and

the flicker pattern is compared with a luminance pattern of images sequentially generated on the basis of the imaging light.