JP4848949B2 - Authentication apparatus, authentication method, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention confirms the presence of each other by performing wireless transmission and reception periodically or irregularly between the wireless key and the main body side device, and when the wireless key and the main body side device exceed a predetermined communication range, The present invention relates to an authentication device and a program for limiting functions of a side device or generating an alarm.

  In recent years, security systems have been put into practical use in which an operation lock of an electronic device such as a mobile phone or a personal computer is wirelessly controlled in consideration of security.

  As one form of such a security system, in order to prevent the mobile phone from being stolen, a user of the mobile phone possesses an identification signal transmitter in the form of a card, and between the mobile phone and the identification signal transmitter. In some cases, the mobile phone can be used when the predetermined identification code is communicated with each other and the identification code can be confirmed by both parties (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In Patent Literature 1 of such a wireless bidirectional communication system, in a device (hereinafter referred to as a main body side device) mounted on the main body side such as an electronic device, a periodical change from a portable side device (hereinafter referred to as a wireless key) is performed. In other words, the operation for continuously detecting the signal emitted is continuously performed.

  The system has three modes: a search mode, an authentication mode, and an initial authentication mode that is an intermediate stage for shifting from the search mode to the authentication mode. The configuration enables operation of electronic devices in the authentication mode. A configuration for restricting the operation of the device is shown. The search mode and the authentication mode are identified based on the radio field intensity.

For example, when the signal strength is strong (the distance to the user with the wireless key is short), the electronic device can be used as an authentication mode, and when the signal strength is weak (the distance is long), the electronic device can be used as a search mode. To do.
JP 2004-143806 A

  However, in the conventional configuration, the authentication communication request signal transmitted from the wireless key to the main body side device in the authentication mode is received by the main body side device, and the response signal is transmitted to the wireless key. However, noise and electric field strength are weak. In some cases it may not arrive.

  In that case, since the wireless key normally cannot receive the response signal, the authentication communication request signal is retransmitted a predetermined number of times, and if the response signal is still not received, the wireless key shifts to the search mode.

  However, when the communication interval of the authentication communication performed to maintain the authentication mode is 30 seconds, for example, the authentication communication is performed every 30 seconds, and the wireless key cannot receive the response signal of the main body side device, so the authentication communication is established. When not (including retransmission), the wireless key shifts from the authentication mode to the search mode.

However, since the apparatus on the main body side can receive the request signal for authentication communication, the authentication mode continues. Then, since the authentication communication request signal cannot be received from the wireless key to the main body side device at the timing of the authentication communication 30 seconds later, the main body side device shifts to the search mode at this time. That is, a mode shift of less than 30 seconds occurs, and the convenience as an authentication device is poor.

  In addition, since the search communication request signal is transmitted from a wireless key that is normally driven by a battery with a small battery capacity, if the usage time in search mode is long, the battery consumption of the wireless key is large and the battery replacement frequency increases. User convenience is poor.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and is configured to transmit a request signal for search communication and authentication communication to the wireless key from the apparatus on the main body side, and influence of noise and electric field during the authentication mode Even when the situation is such that authentication communication is not established because the strength is weak and the wireless key response signal cannot be received, both modes are synchronized quickly, preventing an increase in power consumption due to the continued search mode time, It is another object of the present invention to provide an authentication device, an authentication method, and a program that enable multipurpose use.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the present invention confirms the presence of each other by transmitting and receiving radio between the wireless key and the main body side device periodically or irregularly, and the wireless key and the main body side When the device exceeds a predetermined communication range, the authentication device restricts the function of the main body side device or generates an alarm, and when the wireless key and the main body side device are out of the communication range, A search mode in which search communication continues to be transmitted for a certain period until the main body side apparatus receives the response of the wireless key, the main body side apparatus is within the predetermined communication range, and the main body side An authentication mode for performing authentication communication for authenticating whether the device is the registered wireless key, and the wireless key is sent from the main unit side device to the authentication mode. Authentication communication carrier sense means for carrier-sensing the communication channel and search communication carrier sense means for carrier-sensing the communication channel in the search mode, and at each time T synchronized in advance in the authentication mode After N-1 authentication communication carrier sense is performed by the authentication communication carrier sense means, the authentication communication carrier sense by the authentication communication carrier sense means and the search communication carrier sense by the search communication carrier sense means are performed at the last N times. The authentication apparatus to be configured is configured.

  Then, when a request signal for authentication communication transmitted from the main unit side at time T1 intervals is received by the wireless key, and the response signal cannot be received due to noise or weak electric field strength, authentication cannot be established. The carrier sense of the N-1 authentication communication channel is performed every time T2 (T2 <T1) of the arbitrary communication timing, and the carrier sense of the search communication channel is added to the authentication communication channel in the last N times. By doing so, only the main body side device can receive the radio wave of the channel of the search communication transmitted from the main body side device when shifting to the search mode. If both are within a communicable distance, the transition to the search mode is synchronized without waiting for the next authentication communication timing (after T1 time), the search communication is quickly established, and the authentication mode is shifted to. Shorten search mode time with high power consumption.

  In addition, since a request signal for search communication is transmitted from the main unit side device, the power consumption of the wireless key equipped with a battery with a small normal power capacity is reduced, the frequency of battery replacement of the wireless key is reduced, and the convenience is improved.

The synchronization communication timing of the carrier sense of the channel for authentication communication and the carrier sense of the channel for authentication communication + carrier sense of the channel for search communication is defined as time T.
The authentication communication request signal can be retransmitted, communication signals for other purposes (for example, mail arrival information, etc.) can be transmitted, and synchronization timing can be used for multiple purposes. Will be available. In addition, by providing the timing of retransmission communication for authentication communication individually, an increase in current due to an increase in both transmission and reception timings can be suppressed, and a low-power authentication device can be realized.

  According to the present invention, even when authentication communication is not established and the main body side device shifts to the search mode, the wireless key also immediately shifts to the search mode and synchronizes the mode. Establishing and shifting to the authentication mode has an effect of suppressing power consumption.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, the wireless key and the device on the main body side confirm each other's existence by performing radio transmission and reception periodically or irregularly, and the wireless key and the device on the main body side have a predetermined communication range. An authentication device that restricts the function of the main body side device or generates an alarm when the wireless key exceeds the wireless key and the main body side device is out of a communication range. A search mode in which search communication continues to be transmitted for a certain period of time until a response is received, and the wireless key in which the main body side device is within a predetermined communication range and the main body side device is registered An authentication mode for performing authentication communication for authenticating whether the wireless key is a communication channel of the authentication mode from the main body side device as a carrier Authentication communication carrier sense means, and search communication carrier sense means for carrier sensing the communication channel in the search mode, and the authentication communication carrier sense means for each time T synchronized in advance in the authentication mode. After the N-1 authentication communication carrier sense, the authentication communication carrier sense by the authentication communication carrier sense means and the authentication communication carrier sense by the search communication carrier sense means are configured in the last N times. It is a thing.

  When the main body side device is shifted to the search mode during the authentication mode, the authentication communication carrier sense is performed N-1 times for every time T synchronized in advance, and then authentication is performed for the last N times. Since communication carrier sense is performed and search communication carrier sense of the search communication channel is performed, search communication is quickly established and shifts to authentication mode when they are within the communication range of each other. By shortening the time, the power consumption of the authentication device can be suppressed.

  In addition, since a request signal for search communication is transmitted from the main unit side device, the power consumption of the wireless key equipped with a battery with a small normal power capacity is reduced, the frequency of battery replacement of the wireless key is reduced, and the convenience is improved.

  Furthermore, by setting the synchronization communication timing of the carrier sense of the channel of authentication communication and the carrier sense of the channel of authentication communication + carrier sense of the channel of search communication as time T, and making it a certain time in the interval of the timing of authentication communication, The authentication communication request signal can be retransmitted, communication signals for other purposes (for example, incoming mail information, etc.) can be transmitted, and the synchronization timing can be used for multiple purposes. By providing them individually, an increase in current due to an increase in both transmission and reception timings can be suppressed, and a low-power authentication device can be achieved.

  In the second aspect of the invention, in the last Nth time, after first performing an authentication communication carrier sense, an authentication apparatus that performs a search communication carrier sense next is configured.

  And by performing carrier sense in the order of carrier sense of authentication communication channel and carrier sense of search communication, the authentication communication channel is always waited at the timing of every time T, so arbitrary communication is performed using the authentication communication channel. However, since the authentication device can receive the search communication signal at the timing of T × N time, power consumption is suppressed while improving the convenience of the authentication device.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the wireless key and the main unit side apparatus confirm each other's existence by performing radio transmission / reception periodically or irregularly, and the wireless key and the main body side apparatus exceed a predetermined communication range. An authentication method that restricts the function of the main body side device or generates an alarm when the wireless key and the main body side device are out of the communication range. A search mode in which search communication continues to be transmitted for a certain period until a response is received, and the wireless key with which the main body side device is within a predetermined communication range and the main body side device is registered with the wireless key An authentication mode for performing authentication communication for authenticating whether or not there is an authentication mode, and during the authentication mode, N−1 times of authentication communication is performed for each carrier T at a time T synchronized in advance. A step of scan, the last N-th is an authentication method with the authentication communication carrier sense, and a step of performing carrier sense of the search communication, the.

  When the main body side device is shifted to the search mode during the authentication mode, the authentication communication carrier sense is performed N-1 times for every time T synchronized in advance, and then authentication is performed for the last N times. Since communication carrier sense is performed and search communication carrier sense of the search communication channel is performed, search communication is quickly established and shifts to authentication mode when they are within the communication range of each other. Power consumption can be suppressed by shortening the time.

  In addition, since a request signal for search communication is transmitted from the main unit side device, the power consumption of the wireless key equipped with a battery with a small normal power capacity is reduced, the frequency of battery replacement of the wireless key is reduced, and the convenience is improved.

  Furthermore, by setting the synchronization communication timing of the carrier sense of the channel of authentication communication and the carrier sense of the channel of authentication communication + carrier sense of the channel of search communication as time T, and making it a certain time in the interval of the timing of authentication communication, The authentication communication request signal can be retransmitted, communication signals for other purposes (for example, incoming mail information, etc.) can be transmitted, and the synchronization timing can be used for multiple purposes. By providing them individually, an increase in current due to an increase in both transmission and reception timings can be suppressed, and low power can be achieved.

  A fourth invention is a program for causing a computer to realize at least a part of the authentication device. Since it is a program, at least a part of the present invention can be realized with simple hardware by cooperating hardware resources such as an electric / information device and a computer. In addition, the program can be distributed / updated and installed easily by recording on a recording medium or distributing the program using a communication line.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an authentication apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a cellular phone 101 includes a first antenna 1, a first terminal device 102, and a first terminal
The transmission / reception means 2 is comprised.

  The wireless key 103 includes a second antenna 3, a second transmission / reception unit 4, an authentication communication carrier sense unit 5, a search communication carrier sense unit 6, a reception information determination unit 7, and a response unit 8.

  In the present embodiment, the main body side terminal device 102 is described as being incorporated in the mobile phone 101, but it can also be incorporated in an electronic device such as a notebook personal computer. The wireless key 103 and the main body side device 102 constitute an authentication device.

  An authentication method between the main device 102 and the wireless key 103 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The authentication request signal 11 is transmitted from the main body side device 102 in a short time. When the wireless key 103 receives the authentication request signal 11, it transmits an authentication response signal 12. The authentication request signal 11 and the authentication response signal 12 include an identification signal, and authenticate that they are linked with each other by detecting the identification code.

  For example, authentication request signals 11 and 13 are sequentially transmitted from the main unit 102 every 8 seconds, and responses 12 and 14 are returned from the wireless key 103 when the identification code is detected and authenticated. By repeating this, mutual authentication is maintained.

  The state in which the authentication response signal is sent back in response to the authentication request signal in this way is the authentication mode, and during this authentication mode, the electronic device such as the mobile phone 101 in which the main unit 102 is incorporated No function restriction or alarm from the wireless key 103 is performed.

  The authentication request signals 11 and 13 and the authentication response signals 12 and 14 are transmitted and received by the first transmission / reception means 2 and the second transmission / reception means 4 in FIG.

  When the first transmission / reception means 2 or the second transmission / reception means 4 receives the radio waves of the authentication request signals 11 and 13 and the authentication response signals 12 and 14, the reception level is detected although not shown. If it is determined that the reception level is equal to or higher than the predetermined reception level A, the authentication mode is maintained and the above authentication procedure is repeated.

  Next, a case will be described in which the distance between the wireless key 103 and the main device 102 is increased and the reception levels of the authentication response signals 12 and 14 detected by the main device 102 are equal to or lower than a predetermined reception level A.

  In FIG. 2, the radio key 103 cannot receive the radio wave of the authentication request signal 15 from the main body side device 102 and the authentication response signal 16 is not returned, or the authentication response signal 16 is received by the main body side device 102. When it cannot, the main body apparatus 102 shifts to the search mode.

  When the search mode is entered, the function of an electronic device such as a mobile phone in which the main unit 102 is mounted is limited.

  Here, the function restriction is, for example, in the case of a cellular phone, by prohibiting key operations so that address information cannot be seen, by prohibiting electronic money functions, or by prohibiting outgoing calls. To disable some or all of the functions.

On the other hand, the wireless key 103 shifts to the search mode when the authentication request signal 15 cannot be received. Although not shown in the figure, a buzzer is sounded to notify the user of misplacement. If it can be received, the authentication mode is continued.

  When shifting to the search mode, the main unit 102 transmits a search request signal with the search request signals 17 and 18 every 0.2 seconds, and after 48 hours, the wireless key 103 is stopped.

  Next, referring to FIG. 3, retransmission processing when the authentication response signal 20 for the authentication request signal 19 of the main body side device 102 cannot be received by the main body side device 102 and the wireless key 103 [authentication communication carrier sense + search communication carrier Sense] The operation / action of the process will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the carrier sense processing operation of the wireless key 103 when the authentication response signal 20 to the authentication request signal 19 of the first embodiment cannot be received.

  Normally, when the distance between the wireless key 103, which is the authentication device, and the mobile phone equipped with the main body side device 102 is increased, the response message for the authentication request signal (15 in FIG. 2) from the main body side device 102 is not returned. Migrate to At this time, the search request signals (17 and 18 in FIG. 2) are repeatedly transmitted at intervals of 0.2 seconds, for example, and wait for whether or not the search response signal from the wireless key 103 can be received, and the search response signal is received. If not, the search request signal is continuously transmitted for a certain time, for example, 48 hours. Although not shown, the interval for transmitting the search request signal may be changed within the fixed time 48 hours.

  However, when the user who holds the authentication device of the wireless key 103 and the main body side device 102 is in a crowded city or on a crowded train, another user who holds the authentication device of the same system that causes noise in the surroundings. When there is a user, the authentication request signal 19 can be received by the wireless key 103, but when the radio wave of the authentication device used by another user becomes noise and the authentication response signal 20 is obstructed and cannot be received by the main device 102 (Since there is a possibility that the same channel of the same radio wave band 426 MHz is used).

  In the first embodiment, radio wave channels are randomly used as channel 4 in the search mode (hereinafter referred to as CH4) and CH1 through CH3 in the authentication mode.

  When the user authentication device is performing authentication communication using CH1 in the authentication mode, if another user authentication device also uses CH1 in the same manner and approaches the authentication response signal 20 as described above. There is a case in which the main body side apparatus 102 cannot receive the authentication response signal 20 due to interference.

  In that case, the main body side apparatus 102 cannot receive the authentication response signal 20, and therefore, the main body side apparatus 102 and the wireless key 103 retransmit the authentication request signal at the next timing of synchronous transmission / reception (FIG. 3). 21).

  The timing of authentication communication in the authentication mode is T1 = 8 seconds at which the main body side apparatus 102 and the wireless key 103 perform authentication communication, and the main body side apparatus 102 transmits an authentication request signal to the wireless key 103 every 8 seconds for authentication. Processing is performed and transmission / reception timing is synchronized.

  In addition, after transmitting the authentication request signal 19, the wireless key 103 waits for reception at CH1 every T2 = 1 second.

The reception standby is carrier sense of the channel in the authentication mode (CH1 in this embodiment). In this case, the carrier sense of CH1 is performed every T2 = 1 second, and it waits for a desired radio wave from the main unit 102 (29, 30, 31 in FIG. 3).
.

  The carrier sense of CH1 every T2 = 1 second is a synchronization timing for transmitting / receiving an arbitrary request signal other than the processing of the authentication request signal every T1 = 8 seconds. , A sense signal to the wireless key 101 is carrier sensed, and when there is a carrier, reception is performed and a response signal is transmitted to the apparatus 102 on the main body side.

  The carrier sense in the authentication mode is received by the second transmission / reception means of the wireless key 103 and is performed by the authentication communication carrier sense means 5. When there is a carrier, the received signal is transferred from the second transmission / reception means 4 to the reception information determination means 7 to determine the content of the signal. When the content of the signal is determined, a response signal is created by the response means 8 and transmitted from the second transmission / reception means 4 to the main body side device 102.

  The main body apparatus 102 retransmits the authentication request signals 21 and 23 at most twice and transmits three authentication requests including the initial transmission of the authentication request signal 19 transmitted at a timing of T1 = 8 seconds.

  If the authentication response signals 20, 22, and 24 cannot be received three times, the main body apparatus 102 shifts to the search mode. At this time, since the wireless key 103 has received one of the authentication request signals 19, 21, and 23, the authentication mode is continued and a mode deviation occurs from the main body side device 102.

  Next, when the main body apparatus 102 shifts to the search mode, it transmits the search request signal 25 continuously at intervals of 1 second for 0.1 second. In the first embodiment, the main unit 102 enters the search mode at the next timing (T2 = 1 second later) of T2 (1 second) × 2 times = 2 seconds from the timing at which the authentication request signal 19 is transmitted. Since there is a possibility of transition, [authentication communication carrier sense] + [search communication carrier sense] (32 in FIG. 3) is performed.

  Since search communication in search mode uses CH4, in search communication carrier sense, CH4 is carrier-sensed by the search communication carrier sense means 5 of the wireless key 103. That is, three seconds after the authentication request signal 19 is transmitted (T2 × 3 times), CH1 of the authentication mode radio wave and CH4 of the search mode radio wave are received.

  In addition, since an arbitrary request signal may be transmitted from the main body side device 102, the radio wave of the authentication request signal is always carrier sensed, and then the radio wave of the search request signal is carrier sensed, and the desired radio wave is received. I am doing so.

  When the search request signal 25 is carrier sensed and received at the timing of [authentication communication carrier sense] + [search communication carrier sense] (32 in FIG. 3), the wireless key 103 returns the search response signal 26, and from the search mode to the middle Transition to a stage initial authentication mode (not shown). When the initial authentication is further confirmed, the mode returns to the authentication mode. When returning to the authentication mode, an authentication request signal is transmitted from the main body side device 102 to the wireless key 103, and when the authentication response signal is received, the authentication mode is continued.

  It should be noted that the authentication request signal interval T1 = 8 seconds, the arbitrary request signal interval T2 = 1 second, the search request signal transmission interval, etc. are merely examples and are not limited thereto.

  In the first embodiment, the authentication device provided with the main body device 102 in the mobile phone 101 has been described. However, the same effect may be obtained with a notebook PC or other electronic device, not necessarily a mobile phone.

  Further, although the specific low-power radio band 426 MHz has been described as the radio wave band used by the authentication device, it does not depend on the radio wave frequency band.

  With this configuration, when the authentication request is not established during the authentication mode and the main body side device shifts to the search mode, N−1 authentication communication is performed every time T synchronized in advance. After the carrier sense, since the search communication carrier sense of the search communication channel is performed in addition to the authentication communication carrier sense in the last N times, the search communication is quickly established if the communication communication range is established, and the authentication mode is established. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the power consumption of the authentication device by shortening the time of the search mode with a large power consumption.

  In addition, since a request signal for search communication is transmitted from the main unit side device, the power consumption of the wireless key equipped with a battery with a small normal power capacity is reduced, the frequency of battery replacement of the wireless key is reduced, and the convenience is improved.

  Furthermore, by setting the synchronization communication timing of the carrier sense of the channel of authentication communication and the carrier sense of the channel of authentication communication + carrier sense of the channel of search communication as time T, and making it a certain time in the interval of the timing of authentication communication, The authentication communication request signal can be retransmitted, communication signals for other purposes (for example, incoming mail information, etc.) can be transmitted, and the synchronization timing can be used for multiple purposes. By providing them individually, an increase in current due to an increase in both transmission and reception timings can be suppressed, and a low-power authentication device can be achieved.

  Also, by performing carrier sense in the order of carrier sense of the authentication communication channel and carrier sense of the search communication, the authentication communication channel is always awaited at the timing of every time T, so the convenience of performing arbitrary communication using the authentication communication channel Therefore, the authentication apparatus can receive the search communication signal at the timing of T × N time while ensuring the reliability, and thus both the convenience of the authentication apparatus and the power consumption can be reduced.

  Note that the means described in this embodiment causes hardware resources such as a CPU (or microcomputer), a RAM, a ROM, a storage / recording device, an electrical / information device including an I / O, a computer, a server, and the like to cooperate. You may implement with the form of a program. In the form of a program, new functions can be easily distributed / updated and installed by recording them on a recording medium such as magnetic media or optical media or distributing them via a communication line such as the Internet.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it can utilize for the security system using a wireless key provided with the search mode which is not communicating synchronously with a wireless key, and the authentication mode which is authenticated and performing synchronous communication. Moreover, it can be used not only for mobile phones but also for personal computers and PDAs.

Block diagram of authentication apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention The figure explaining the communication sequence of the authentication apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention The figure explaining the communication sequence of the authentication apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention

Explanation of symbols

2 First transmission / reception means 4 Second transmission / reception means 5 Authentication communication carrier sense means 6 Search communication carrier sense means 101 Mobile phone 102 Main unit side device 103 Wireless key

Claims (4)

When the wireless key and the main unit side device transmit or receive radio data periodically or irregularly to confirm the presence of each other, and the wireless key and the main unit side device exceed a predetermined communication range, the main unit An authentication device that restricts the function of the side device or generates an alarm,
A search mode in which when the wireless key and the main body side device are out of a communication range, the main body side device continues to transmit search communication for a certain period until the wireless key response is received; An authentication mode for performing authentication communication for authenticating whether the wireless key is within a predetermined communication range and the main body side device is the registered wireless key;
The wireless key comprises authentication communication carrier sense means for carrier sensing the communication channel in the authentication mode from the main unit side device, and search communication carrier sense means for carrier sensing the communication channel in the search mode.
The authentication communication carrier sense means performs N-1 authentication communication carrier sense at the authentication communication carrier sense means every time T synchronized in advance in the authentication mode, and then the authentication communication by the authentication communication carrier sense means at the last N times. An authentication device that performs carrier sense and search communication carrier sense by the search communication carrier sense means. The authentication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the last N-th time, authentication communication carrier sense is performed first, and then search communication carrier sense is performed. When the wireless key and the main body side device perform mutual wireless transmission / reception to confirm the presence of each other and the wireless key and the main body side device exceed a predetermined communication range, the main body side An authentication method for restricting the function of the device or generating an alarm, and when the wireless key and the main body side device are out of the communication range, the main body side device is constant until the wireless key response is received. Search mode for continuously transmitting search communication for a period of time, and authentication for authenticating whether the main unit side device is within the predetermined communication range and the main unit side device is the registered wireless key With an authentication mode for communication,
In the authentication mode, the carrier sense of N-1 authentication communication is carried out every time T previously synchronized in both, and the carrier sense of authentication communication and the carrier sense of search communication are performed at the last N times. And an authentication method comprising steps. The program for making a computer implement | achieve at least one part of the authentication apparatus of any one of Claim 1 or 2.

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