Network authentication system using individual services providers and an authentication server

• US 7,673,328 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1999
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kojima Company Limited (BIC Camera Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kojima Company Limited (BIC Camera Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kojima, Akitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moorthy; Aravind K
• Application Number:
  US09/555,233
• Time in Patent Office: 3,808 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201, 713/202
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers

Abstract

A network system includes a plurality of individual Internet service providers each having access points, and a parallel Internet service provider connected to the plurality of individual Internet service providers, the individual Internet service providers and the parallel Internet service provider each include an authentication server. When the access point of a provider receives a connection request from a user who contracts with the parallel service provider, the provider transfers a connection ID and a password to an authentication server of the parallel Internet service provider to perform user authentication. When a result of the authentication is good, the user terminal is connected to the user terminal through the access point.

Claims

1. A network system comprising:

individual service provider devices (14A, 14B, 14C) each having a first authentication server (22) and access point terminals (20A, 20B, 20C) to which user terminals (50, 52) of users who contract a corresponding one of the individual service provider devices are connected, the access point terminals connecting the user terminal to a network;

a parallel service provider device (16) connected to the network and the individual service provider devices (14A, 14B, 14C), the parallel service provider device having a roaming contract with the individual service provider devices and including a second authentication server (32) and no access point terminal;

wherein each of the individual service provider devices (14A, 14B, 14C) comprises;

determining means for determining (S6) whether a user who issues a connection request from a user terminal connected to one of the access point terminals is a contracted member of the parallel service provider device;

transmitting means for transmitting (S14) the connection request to the parallel service provider device (16) to cause the second authentication server (32) of the parallel services provider device (16) to perform user authentication when the user is the contracted member;

authentication means for causing the first authentication server (22) of the individual service provider devices (14A, 14B, 14C) to perform user authentication (S8) when the user is not the contracted member;

connecting means for connecting the user terminal connected to one of the access point terminals to the network and charging the user for connection when a result of user authentication is good (S10, S18), said parallel service provider device comprising;

receiving means for receiving a user name for a user terminal of a user who requests a signup; and

further determining means for determining whether e-mail addresses including a combination of the input user name and sub-domains of the parallel service provider device has been registered so as to register one of non-registered e-mail addresses.

2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein

the connection request comprises an e-mail address including a domain name of the parallel service provider device, and

the determining means determines whether the user is a contracted member based on the presence or absence of the domain name of the parallel service provider device in the connection request.

3. The network'"'"'s system according to claim 1, wherein the parallel service provider device is connected to the individual service provider devices through an exclusive line.

4. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the individual service provider devices send respective user connection logs to the parallel service provider device.