Authentication apparatus, authentication method, authentication system, and container system

• US 9,947,214 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Kohei, Niikura, Hideo, Hirabayashi, Takayuki, Kabasawa, Hidetoshi, Yajima, Masakazu, Honda, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): EUSTAQUIO, CAL J
• Application Number:
  US13/793,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20130241692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1437 Locking means requiring key or combination to open the container
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/02 in which the signal transmitted is magnitude of current or voltage G08C19/36, G08C19/38 take precedence

Abstract

An authentication apparatus includes an authentication unit configured to perform authentication processing according to power generation information from a power generation unit configured to generate electric power from ambient energy.

Claims

1. An authentication apparatus, comprising:

a power generation unit configured to generate power from an element selected from the group consisting of heat of a surface of a skin, a difference in ion concentration between a body site and another site or a body surface, sweat on the body surface, and combinations thereof;

an authentication unit configured to perform authentication by using power generation information of the power generation unit as electric power for performing the authentication and comparing the power generation information with predetermined power generation information, wherein the power generation information is selected from the group consisting of a waveform of a voltage generated by the power generation unit, a waveform level, a time interval between multiple waveforms, and combinations thereof; and

a memory configured to record the predetermined power generation information.

2. The authentication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to record timing of generating the power generation information by the power generation unit.

3. An authentication method for an authentication apparatus, comprising:

generating power by a power generation unit from an element selected from the group consisting of heat of a surface of a skin, a difference in ion concentration between a body site and another site or a body surface, sweat on the body surface, and combinations thereof

recording predetermined power generation information;

performing authentication by using power generation information from the power generation unit as electric power and comparing the predetermined power generation information with the power generation information, wherein the power generation information is selected from the group consisting of a waveform of a voltage generated by the power generation unit, a waveform level, a time interval between multiple waveforms, and combinations thereof.

4. An authentication system, comprising:

a power generation unit configured to generate power generation information selected from the group consisting of a waveform of a voltage generated by the power generation unit, a waveform level, a time interval between multiple waveforms, and combinations thereof wherein the power generation unit is configured to generate power from an element selected from the group consisting of heat of a surface of a skin, a difference in ion concentration between a body site and another site or a body surface, sweat on the body surface, and combinations thereof;

an authentication unit configured to perform authentication by using the power generation information as electric power and comparing the power generation information with predetermined power generation information; and

a memory configured to record the predetermined power generation information.

5. A container system, comprising:

a container unit configured to contain a predetermined object;

a power generation unit configured to generate power from an element selected from the group consisting of heat of a surface of a skin, a difference in ion concentration between a body site and another site or a body surface, sweat on the body surface, and combinations thereof;

an authentication unit configured to perform authentication using power generation information from the power generation unit as electric power and comparing the power generation information with predetermined power generation information, wherein the power generation information is selected from the group consisting of a waveform of a voltage, a time interval between multiple waveforms, and combinations thereof; and

a memory configured to record the predetermined power generation information.

6. The container system according to claim 5, configured to eject the predetermined object to an outside of the container unit if the authentication is successful.

7. The container system according to claim 5, configured to release the predetermined object to an outside of the container unit if the authentication is successful.

8. The container system according to claim 5, configured to discharge an appropriate amount of the predetermined object if the authentication is successful.

9. The container system according to claim 5, configured to provide information about the predetermined object if the authentication is successful.

10. The authentication method according to claim 5, wherein the authentication comprises:

requesting an ID;

reading a first ID from the memory;

sending an ID signal indicating a second ID;

determining whether the ID signal has been sent; and

determining whether the second ID matches the first ID.

11. The authentication method according to claim 5, further comprising:

generating an ID signal in a predetermined format;

determining whether an ID indicated by the ID signal is a desired ID; and

recording timing of generating the power generation information by the power generation unit when the ID indicated by the ID signal is the desired ID.