JP4781135B2 - Authentication method and authentication system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an authentication method using a central device that performs authentication processing for a terminal device, and an authentication system to which the authentication method is applied, and more particularly to an authentication method and an authentication system that can improve security during authentication.

Commerce transactions using communications such as the Internet for performing economic transactions such as net banking after performing authentication processing such as verification of passwords stored by users have become widespread. Authentication for commercial transactions using communication is described in Patent Document 1, for example.
Special table 2003-534619 gazette

  However, since passwords may be leaked to third parties by methods such as spyware and phishing, or by stealing notes without going through a computer, the third party who obtained the passwords illegally has been illegal There is a safety issue that it may be used for secure transactions.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and uses a measurement value obtained by measuring the supply amount of supplies such as electricity, gas, and tap water as a one-time password, thereby improving safety during commercial transactions. It is an object of the present invention to provide an authentication method that can be used and an authentication system to which the authentication method is applied.

  The authentication method according to the first aspect of the present invention is an authentication method using a central device that performs authentication processing on a terminal device related to a consumer who receives supply of the supply, and measures the supply amount of the supply supplied to the consumer, Using the measurement device that transmits the obtained measurement value and the measurement value management device that receives the measurement value transmitted from the measurement device according to the supplier that supplies the supply, the terminal device transmits the measurement value. The measurement value request to be transmitted is transmitted to the measurement device, and the measurement device transmits the measurement value of the supply amount measured based on the received measurement value request to the terminal device, and the measurement value transmitted to the terminal device is Transmitted to the measurement value management device, the terminal device transmits the received measurement value to the central device, the central device, the measurement value received from the terminal device, and the measurement value management device from the measurement device Verification of received measurement values And performing an authentication process based on.

  In the present invention, by performing an authentication process using a measured value obtained by measuring the supply amount of electricity, gas, tap water, etc. whose value changes as a password, even if the password is leaked, the value always changes, so that it is illegal. It can be prevented from being used, and the safety of commercial transactions through communication such as the Internet can be improved.

  An authentication system according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a central device and a terminal device, and the central device is an authentication system that performs an authentication process on the terminal device, and means for measuring a supply amount of a supply and measurement obtained by measurement. A measurement device having a means for transmitting a value; and a measurement value management device for receiving a measurement value transmitted from the measurement device, wherein the terminal device sends a measurement value request for requesting a measurement value to the measurement device. Means for transmitting, and the measuring device transmits a measured value of the supply amount measured based on the received measured value request to the terminal device, and the measured value transmitted to the terminal device to the measured value management device. Means for transmitting, and the terminal device further comprises means for transmitting the received measurement value to the central device, the central device receiving the measurement value received from the terminal device, and the measurement value management. Location is characterized in that it comprises an authentication means for performing an authentication process based on the comparison result of the measured values received from the measuring device.

  In the present invention, by performing an authentication process using a measured value obtained by measuring the supply amount of electricity, gas, tap water, etc. whose value changes as a password, even if the password is leaked, the value always changes, so that it is illegal. It can be prevented from being used, and the safety of commercial transactions through communication such as the Internet can be improved.

  An authentication system according to a third aspect of the present invention further comprises an authentication device that communicates with the central device and the measurement value management device in the second invention, and the measurement value management device further authenticates the measurement value received from the measurement device. Means for transmitting to the apparatus, and the authentication means included in the central apparatus is configured to transmit an authentication request including the measurement value received from the terminal apparatus to the authentication apparatus, and the authentication apparatus includes the measurement Means for collating the measurement value received from the value management device and the measurement value included in the authentication request received from the terminal device, and means for transmitting the result of the collation to the central device as an authentication result for the authentication request. It is characterized by that.

  In the present invention, for example, when a trading entity that performs a commercial transaction manages a central device and a supply entity that supplies supplies manages a measurement value management device, a highly reliable authentication device managed by a certification authority is used. By performing authentication processing in this way, it is not necessary for the central device and the measurement value management device to directly exchange measurement values, so that it is possible to reduce the possibility that measurement values will flow out to the outside more than necessary.

  An authentication system according to a fourth invention is based on the second invention or the third invention, wherein the measurement value management device is further based on means for recording the measurement value, the received measurement value, and the measurement value already recorded. And means for determining the validity of the received measurement value.

  In the present invention, illegal measurement is performed by determining the validity of the measurement value for authentication using the measurement value periodically collected and managed by the measurement value management device for the purpose of charging the supply. Since unauthorized access by value can be prevented, safety can be further improved.

  An authentication system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the measurement system according to any one of the second to fourth aspects, comprising a plurality of measurement devices and measurement value management devices, wherein each measurement device measures a supply amount of a different supply. It is configured to transmit values to different measurement value management devices, and the authentication means provided in the central device is configured to perform authentication processing based on the collation result of all measurement values. To do.

  In the present invention, the number of passwords required for authentication is increased by using a plurality of measuring devices, and the validity of the password can be determined by a plurality of different organizations by transmitting to different measured value management devices. Therefore, safety can be further enhanced.

  The authentication method and the authentication system according to the present invention measure the supply amount of supplies such as electricity, gas, and tap water supplied to consumers, and supply the measured values obtained by the measurement from the measuring device. A load survey system that automatically manages a measurement value to be charged by transmitting it to a measurement value management device managed by the supplying business entity is used for authentication related to a commercial transaction through communication such as the Internet. Specifically, a measurement value request for requesting a measurement value is transmitted from the terminal device managed by the consumer to the measurement device, and the measurement device transmits the measurement value of the supply amount measured based on the received measurement value request to the terminal device. The terminal device transmits the measurement value to the central device managed by the trading entity that is the counterparty. Then, the central device performs authentication processing based on the measurement value received from the terminal device and the collation result of the measurement value received from the measurement device by the measurement value management device.

  With this configuration, in the present invention, authentication processing is performed using the measurement value obtained by measuring the supply amount of the supply whose value changes as a password, so the value always changes even if the measurement value used as the password leaks. Therefore, it is possible to prevent illegal use and to improve the safety of commercial transactions through communication, and so on, and so on.

  Further, the present invention uses a highly reliable authentication device managed by a certification authority, and in the authentication device, by comparing the measurement value received by the measurement value management device and the measurement value received by the central device, Since it is not necessary for the measurement value management device to directly exchange measurement values, it is possible to reduce the possibility that measurement values will flow out to the outside more than necessary.

  Furthermore, the present invention uses a measurement value periodically collected and managed by a measurement value management device for the purpose of charging for a supply, and determines the validity of the measurement value for authentication. Since it is possible to prevent unauthorized access due to the measurement value, it is possible to further improve the safety and the like.

  And this invention measures the supply amount of each different supply using a some measuring device, transmits the measured value obtained by measurement to a different measured value management apparatus, and uses it for authentication, It requires for authentication Since the number of passwords (measurement values) can be increased, and the validity of the password can be determined by a plurality of different institutions, it is possible to further improve safety and the like.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings illustrating embodiments thereof.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing an authentication system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a measuring device using a billing meter disposed in a consumer's residence to measure the supply amount of supplies such as electricity, gas, and tap water supplied to the consumer. Reference numeral 1 denotes a first communication network 101 connected to a measurement value management device 2 such as a server computer managed by a supply entity that supplies supplies. The first communication network 101 may be a communication network such as the Internet, but may be a dedicated communication network such as a PLC (Power Line Communication) network using a power line. The measurement device 1 periodically transmits the measurement value obtained by measuring the supply amount together with the measurement time to the measurement value management device 2, and the measurement value management device 2 performs billing processing based on the received measurement value, the supply amount A load survey system that performs processing such as management processing is realized.

  Further, the consumer manages the terminal device 3 such as a personal computer, and the terminal device 3 is connected to the measuring device 1 via a second communication network 102 such as a home LAN, serial cable, wireless, PLC network or the like. Yes. The terminal device 3 can be connected to a third communication network 103 such as the Internet, and accesses the central device 4 managed by a transaction business entity such as a financial institution or a mail order dealer via the third communication network 103. It is possible. Further, the measured value management device 2 and the central device 4 are connected by a fourth communication network 104 such as a VAN (Value Added Network), a dedicated network, or the Internet.

  Although FIG. 1 shows a configuration in which each device is configured as one device, the measuring device 1 may be configured as a device in which a communication device is connected to a measuring device, and measurement value management is performed. The device 2 and the central device 4 may be configured using a plurality of devices.

  2 and 3 are block diagrams showing the configuration of the authentication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 mainly shows the measurement device 1 and the measurement value management device 2, and FIG. 3 mainly shows the terminal device. 3 and the central device 4 are shown. The measuring apparatus 1 includes a control means 10 such as a CPU for controlling the entire apparatus, a recording means 11 such as a ROM for recording various computer programs and data, and a RAM for storing data temporarily generated based on the execution of the computer program. Connected to the second communication network 102, a measuring means 13 for measuring the supply amount of the supply, a clock means 14 for indicating the time, a first communication means 15 connected to the first communication network 101, and the like. Second communication means 16. The recording means 11 records identification information such as a customer number assigned to the customer and a device ID for identifying the device. The measuring device 1 measures the supply amount by the measuring means 13 at predetermined time intervals, reads the measured time from the clock means 14, and corresponds the measured value obtained by the measurement and the measured time read from the clock means 14. In addition, the data is stored in the storage unit 12 and transmitted from the first communication unit 15 to the measurement value management apparatus 2 via the first communication network 101 in a predetermined cycle. Various information such as identification information and attribute information indicating attributes such as periodic collection are given to the measurement value and the measurement time transmitted from the measurement device 1 to the measurement value management device 2.

  The measurement value management apparatus 2 includes a control unit 20, a recording unit 21 such as a hard disk that records information such as various computer programs and data, a storage unit 22, a clock unit 23, and a first communication network 101. 1 communication means 24 and second communication means 25 connected to the fourth communication network 104. A part of the recording area of the recording unit 21 is used as a database 21a that records the measurement values received from the measurement device 1 in association with the identification information and the measurement time. When the measurement value management apparatus 2 receives a measurement value whose attribute information is a periodic collection from the measurement apparatus 1, the measurement value management apparatus 2 records the received measurement value in the database 21a in association with the identification information and the measurement time. Based on the recorded measurement value, a billing process is performed for the consumer related to the associated identification information.

  The terminal device 3 includes a control means 30, a recording means 31 such as a hard disk, a storage means 32, a clock means 33, an input means 34 such as a mouse and a keyboard, an output means 35 such as a monitor, and a second communication network. 102, and a second communication unit 37 connected to the third communication network 103. The recording unit 31 stores various computer programs and data such as a web browser. Yes.

  The central device 4 is connected to the control means 40, the recording means 41 such as a hard disk, the storage means 42, the clock means 43, the first communication means 44 connected to the third communication network 103, and the fourth communication network 104. And the second communication means 45. Various information such as information about the customer is recorded in the recording means 42.

  Next, processing of various devices will be described. A consumer who desires a transaction operates the terminal device 3 to start a web browser and access a web page provided by the central device 4. The central device 4 requests the transmission from the terminal device 3 to transmit authentication information such as ID and password required for login. The request for authentication information is performed, for example, as a display in an input column for ID and password. In response to a request for transmitting authentication information, the consumer inputs authentication information to the terminal device 3 and performs an operation of transmitting the authentication information. The terminal device 3 accepts input of authentication information and transmits the accepted authentication information to the central device 4. When the central device 4 receives the authentication information and confirms the validity of the received authentication information, the central device 4 determines whether or not the authentication system of the present invention can be used based on the authentication information. Requests transmission of measured values used as authentication information according to the authentication system of the invention. Since the measurement value is not data input by the consumer, the request for transmission of the measurement value is shown as an option such as a radio button for accepting an input of whether or not to permit transmission of the measurement value. And a consumer performs the input which permits transmission of a measured value.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing of various devices of the authentication system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The terminal device 3 that has received an input permitting transmission of the measurement value makes a measurement value request for requesting a measurement value from the first communication unit 36 via the second communication network 102 under the control of the control unit 30. (S101).

  The measuring device 1 receives the measurement value request by the second communication unit 16 under the control of the control unit 10 (S102), and measures the supply amount of the supply by the measurement unit 13 based on the received measurement value request ( S103), the measurement value obtained by the measurement and the measurement time indicating the measured time are stored in the storage unit 12. Then, under the control of the control means 10, the measurement apparatus 1 transmits the stored measurement value and measurement time from the second communication means 16 to the terminal device 3 via the second communication network 102 (S104). The measurement time is transmitted from the first communication means 15 to the measurement value management apparatus 2 via the first communication network 101 (S105). Identification information and attribute information are given to the measurement value and measurement time transmitted from the measurement device 1 to the measurement value management device 2, and the attribute information includes transmission of the measurement value and measurement time for the purpose of authentication processing. Information indicating that it is.

  The terminal device 3 receives the measurement value and the measurement time by the first communication unit 36 under the control of the control unit 10 (S106), and sends the received measurement value and measurement time from the second communication unit 37 to the third communication network. It transmits to the central apparatus 4 via 103 (S107).

  In addition, the measurement value management apparatus 2 receives the measurement value and the measurement time by the first communication unit 24 under the control of the control unit 20 (S108), and the measurement value and the measurement time are authenticated by the assigned attribute information. The measured value and measurement received are detected based on the measured value and the measurement time that are already recorded in the database 21a in association with the same identification information as the assigned identification information. The validity of the time is determined (S109). In step S109, the validity is determined by comparing the received measurement value and measurement time with the measurement value and measurement time periodically collected for the accounting process recorded in the database 21a. And it is judged whether it is valid from the magnitude relation of the measured value. Since the measurement value increases with time, if the received measurement value is greater than or equal to the measurement value that has been previously measured and already recorded, it is determined that the received measurement value is valid. Further, in order to further improve the determination accuracy, after receiving the measurement value for authentication, the measurement apparatus 1 is further requested to measure and transmit the measurement value, and the received measurement value and the measurement time are compared with the context and magnitude relationship. You may do it.

  Then, the measurement value management device 2 records the measurement value and the measurement time determined to be valid in the recording unit 21 under the control of the control unit 20, and the measurement value and the measurement time transmitted from the central device 4 as described later. When the transmission request is received, the received measurement value and measurement time are transmitted from the second communication means 25 to the central device 4 via the fourth communication network 104 (S110). When it is determined that the validity is not valid in the determination of the validity in step S109, a process for notifying that the measurement value and the measurement time are invalid is performed in response to the request from the central apparatus 4.

  The central device 4 receives the measurement value and the measurement time from the terminal device 3 by the first communication unit 44 under the control of the control unit 40 (S111), and transmits the measurement value and the measurement time to the measurement value management device 2. The measurement value and measurement time transmitted from the measurement value management device 2 in response to the request are received by the second communication means 45 (S112), and the measurement value and measurement time received from the terminal device 3 and the measurement are received. The measurement value and measurement time received from the value management device 2 are collated (S113), and if the result of the collation is that they match, an authentication process is performed to determine that the authentication is successful (S114).

  The measurement value and the measurement time are transmitted from the central device 4 to the measurement value management device 2, and after collation is performed by the measurement value management device 2, the collation result is transmitted to the central device 4, and the central device 4 receives the collation result. You may make it perform an authentication process based on a collation result. The measurement value management device 2 may register the central device 4 in advance as a device to which the measurement value and the measurement time are transmitted, but the central device 4 communicates with the terminal device 3 through the communication network of the central device 4. The position information such as the IP address indicating the upper position is transmitted, and the position information is transmitted from the terminal device 3 to the measurement device 1. The measurement device 1 adds the position information to the measurement value and the measurement time, thereby obtaining the position information. You may make it notify to the measured value management apparatus 2. FIG. The central device 4 may be registered in advance as a request destination or a transmission destination device for transmission of the measurement value and measurement time, but the measurement value management device 2 via the terminal device 3 from the measurement device 1 You may make it acquire the positional information which shows a position.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
The second embodiment is a mode provided with an authentication device that performs the authentication process in the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing the authentication system in the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 5 denotes an authentication device using a server computer managed by a certification authority. The authentication device 5 is installed on the fourth communication network 104 and communicates with the measurement value management device 2 and the central device 4. It is possible. Since other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, the first embodiment will be referred to and the description thereof will be omitted.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of authentication apparatus 5 of the authentication system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The authentication device 5 includes a control unit 50, a recording unit 51 such as a hard disk, a storage unit 52, a clock unit 53, and a communication unit 54 connected to the fourth communication network 104. A part of the recording area of the recording means 51 is used as a database 51a that records measurement values and measurement times in association with identification information. Since the configuration of other devices is the same as that of the first embodiment, the first embodiment will be referred to and the description thereof will be omitted.

  Next, processing of various devices will be described. A measurement value request is transmitted from the central device 4 to the terminal device 3, and based on the measurement value request, a measurement value and a measurement time are transmitted from the measurement device 1 to the measurement value management device 2. Since the process until the measurement value and the measurement time are transmitted to is the same as in the first embodiment, the first embodiment is referred to and the description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing processing of various devices of the authentication system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. When the measurement value management apparatus 2 determines that the measurement value and measurement time received from the measurement apparatus 1 are valid under the control of the control unit 20 (S109), the measurement value management apparatus 2 sets the measurement value and measurement time to the second communication unit 25. To the authentication device 5 via the fourth communication network 104 (S201). Identification information is given to the measurement value and the measurement time transmitted in step S201.

  The authentication device 5 receives the measurement value and the measurement time by the communication unit 54 under the control of the control unit 50 (S202), and records the received measurement value and the measurement time in the database 51a in association with the identification information ( S203).

  The central device 4 receives the measurement value and the measurement time from the terminal device 3 under the control of the control unit 40 (S111), and transmits an authentication request from the second communication unit 45 to the authentication device 5 via the fourth communication network 104. (S204).

  The authentication device 5 receives the authentication request at the communication unit 54 under the control of the control unit 50 (S205), and obtains the measurement value and the measurement time corresponding to the measurement value and the measurement time included in the received authentication request from the database 51a. The extracted measurement value and measurement time included in the authentication request are collated with the measurement value and measurement time recorded in the database 51a (S206), and the collation result is used as an authentication result for the authentication request. It transmits to the central apparatus 4 via the 4th communication network 104 (S207). In step S206, if both the measurement values and the measurement time are matched by the collation, it is determined that the authentication is successful. If they do not match, or if the measurement value and the measurement time corresponding to the database 51a are not recorded, the authentication fails. Judge that

  The central device 4 receives the authentication result at the second communication unit 45 under the control of the control unit 40 (S208), and performs an authentication process based on the received authentication result (S209). The authentication process in step S209 is a process for handling the received authentication result as it is as a result of the authentication process. That is, in step S209, if the received authentication result indicates that the authentication is successful, it is determined that the authentication has been successful, and if it indicates failure, it is determined that the authentication has failed.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
Embodiment 3 is an embodiment in which there are a plurality of measurement devices and measurement value management devices 2 in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, respectively. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing the authentication system in the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 shows an embodiment in which a plurality of measurement devices 1 and measurement value management devices 2 are provided in the second embodiment of the present invention, and various devices and their configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment. Reference will be made to form 2 and description thereof will be omitted. In the third embodiment, the plurality of measuring devices 1, 1,... Measure the supply amounts of different supplies such as electricity, gas, and tap water, and the measurement values obtained by the measurement are different from each other. It is transmitted to the value management devices 2, 2,. In the authentication device 5, the plurality of measurement values transmitted to the central device 4 and the respective measurement values transmitted to the respective measurement value management devices 2, 2,... It is determined that the authentication is successful only when the above conditions are met.

  In the above embodiment, the description has been made on the assumption that the measurement device 1 and the measurement value management device 2 are connected via the first communication network 101, but the terminal device 3 periodically receives measurement values from the measurement device 1. The configuration may be such that the first communication network 101 is not included so that the measurement value is transferred to the measurement value management apparatus 2 via the third communication network 103. Of course, it goes without saying that the terminal device 3 may be provided with measuring means as the measuring device 1 has.

  Further, the above-described embodiment shows an example of innumerable forms for realizing the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the above-described example, and the measured value of the supply amount of the supply is used for authentication. For example, it can be developed into various forms.

It is explanatory drawing which shows notionally the authentication system in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the authentication system in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the authentication system in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the various apparatuses of the authentication system in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows notionally the authentication system in Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the authentication apparatus of the authentication system in Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the various apparatuses of the authentication system in Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows notionally the authentication system in Embodiment 3 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Measurement apparatus 2 Measurement value management apparatus 3 Terminal apparatus 4 Central apparatus 5 Authentication apparatus

Claims (5)

In an authentication method using a central device that performs authentication processing for a terminal device related to a consumer who receives supply of supplies,
A measuring device that measures the amount of supply supplied to the consumer and transmits the obtained measurement value;
Using a measurement value management device that receives a measurement value transmitted from the measurement device according to a supplier that supplies a supply,
The terminal device
A measurement value request for requesting a measurement value is transmitted to the measurement device;
The measuring device is
Send the measured value of the supply amount measured based on the received measurement value request to the terminal device,
Transmitting the measurement value transmitted to the terminal device to the measurement value management device;
The terminal device
Send the received measurement value to the central unit,
The central unit is
An authentication method comprising: performing an authentication process based on a measurement value received from the terminal device and a result of collation of the measurement value received from the measurement device by the measurement value management device. In an authentication system comprising a central device and a terminal device, the central device performs authentication processing on the terminal device,
A measuring device having means for measuring the supply amount of the supply and means for transmitting the measurement value obtained by the measurement;
A measurement value management device that receives a measurement value transmitted from the measurement device;
The terminal device
Means for transmitting a measurement value request for requesting a measurement value to the measurement device;
The measuring device is
Means for transmitting the measured value of the supply amount measured based on the received measured value request to the terminal device;
Means for transmitting the measurement value transmitted to the terminal device to the measurement value management device,
The terminal device further includes:
Means for transmitting the received measurement value to the central device;
The central unit is
An authentication system comprising: an authentication unit that performs an authentication process based on a measurement value received from the terminal device and a verification result of the measurement value received by the measurement value management device from the measurement device. An authentication device that communicates with the central device and the measurement value management device;
The measurement value management device further includes:
Means for transmitting the measurement value received from the measurement device to the authentication device;
The authentication means provided in the central device is:
An authentication request including a measurement value received from the terminal device is configured to be transmitted to the authentication device,
The authentication device
Means for collating the measurement value received from the measurement value management device and the measurement value included in the authentication request received from the terminal device;
The authentication system according to claim 2, further comprising: a unit that transmits a result of collation to the central apparatus as an authentication result for an authentication request. The measurement value management device further includes:
Means for recording the measured values;
The authentication system according to claim 2, further comprising: a unit that determines validity of the received measurement value based on the received measurement value and the already recorded measurement value. Provided with a plurality of measurement devices and measurement value management devices,
Each measuring device is configured to transmit a measured value obtained by measuring the supply amount of each different supply to a different measured value management device,
The authentication means provided in the central device is:
The authentication system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein an authentication process is performed based on a collation result of all measured values.

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