JP5308993B2 - How to register device information - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for identifying or authenticating a device and providing a service via a communication network.

  Various information services such as a content distribution service are provided via a communication network such as the Internet, and these services are used not only from a personal computer but also from various devices such as a television and a game machine. In the future, it is expected that various services such as electronic application / notification services, financial institution net banking, and telemedicine services will be available from various devices.

  When using these various devices, the user of the device uses information for identifying the device individually (for example, a product serial number, etc., hereinafter referred to as “device ID”), and model information of the device ( For example, the product model number is registered with the service provider. The service provider uses the registered device ID to identify or authenticate the device, or uses the registered model information to grasp the specifications of the device (hereinafter referred to as “spec”). It is possible to provide a suitable service.

  Patent Document 1 describes that user information and device ID are registered in a server in association with each other in order to perform user authentication and device authentication. It carries out against.

JP 2009-043271 A

  When the user performs the registration process for each service provider as in Patent Document 1, the model registration process may become a burden on the user when a variety of services are provided in the future. In order to receive a service according to the specifications of the device to be used, the user needs to register the model information of the device for each service, and this processing may become a burden when there are many services. .

  On the service provider side, it is necessary to manage model information of a plurality of devices of a plurality of manufacturers and information of specifications corresponding thereto in each service. Every time a new model is manufactured, the manufacturer that manufactures the device needs to communicate the model information and specifications information of the new model to many services, which may complicate the operation of the manufacturer and service. is there.

  The present invention reduces the load of the model information registration process performed by the user when using various services from various devices, and reduces the management work of model information and spec information on the service provider side And a technology for reducing the work of communicating model information to a plurality of service providers in a manufacturer on the device provider side such as manufacturing devices.

  Specifically, this specification includes a gateway device (hereinafter referred to as “GW”) that manages devices in a home or company, a device ID management server that manages various devices in cooperation with the GW, and each manufacturer. Discloses a device authentication system in which a device management server that manages device IDs and model information of the company and specifications corresponding to them is disclosed.

  In the device authentication system disclosed in this specification, a device ID registration step and a service use step are performed in order for the service provider side device to provide a service that meets the device specifications.

  First, the device ID registration step will be described. The user registers the device ID assigned to each of the devices in the GW such as the home at the timing when the user installs his device at the home. In the device management table of the GW, a device ID is registered in association with the IP address of the device. The IP address is acquired when the GW receives a device ID registration request.

  Once registered, the registered IP address and device ID are referenced from the next time onward, so the registration process may be performed once when it is first used in a location where the IP address is not registered.

  When a new device ID is registered in the GW, the GW registers the device ID and the IP address of the device in the device ID management server. In the device ID management server, one or more IP addresses are registered for one device ID. The device ID includes information for identifying a manufacturer that manages the specifications of the device.

  Next, the service use step will be described. The user uses his / her device to make an access request to the service provider side device. Alternatively, the device may make an access request to the service provider side device according to the set contents. The service provider apparatus inquires of the device ID management server about the device ID of the device, using the IP address of the requesting device as an argument. The device management server searches the device ID repository, acquires a device ID corresponding to the inquired IP address, and returns the acquired device ID to the service provider side device. The service provider side apparatus identifies a specification manager such as the manufacturer of the device from the device ID, and inquires of the model management server of the administrator about the specification of the device. The model management server determines the model from the inquired device ID, and responds with the specification information of the device. The service provider side device provides a corresponding service to the device based on the acquired specifications.

  The service provider side device may perform user authentication when providing the service. A user registers in advance in an authentication server (hereinafter referred to as “IDP”) and acquires an ID, a password, and the like. After the user makes an access request to the service provider side device in his / her device, the user is redirected to IDP and inputs the ID and password. When the authentication is successful, the service provider side device may authenticate the user by sending an authentication result from the IDP to the service provider side device, and then perform the service use step.

  According to the above aspect, even when the number of services becomes enormous, when a user uses a device for the first time at a place where an IP address is not registered, the user may register the device ID once. . For this reason, the load in the device registration process by the user is reduced, and convenience can be improved.

  Further, the service provider side device does not need to manage the model and the specification information corresponding to the model, and may manage the access destination of each manufacturer's model management server. For this reason, the management work of the specification information in the service provider side apparatus is reduced, and the operability can be improved.

  Furthermore, when a manufacturer that manufactures a device newly manufactures the device, it is not necessary to register it in many service provider side devices, and it is only necessary to register it in the model management server managed by each manufacturer. For this reason, the management work of the specification information in a maker is reduced and operability can be improved.

  According to the present invention, for the user, the load in the device registration process is reduced, and convenience is improved. In addition, for service providers and device providers, management of spec information is reduced and operability is improved.

The structure of the apparatus authentication system in each embodiment is illustrated. The structure of the apparatus 11 is illustrated. The structure of GW12 is illustrated. The configuration of the device ID management server 13 is illustrated. The structure of the service provider side apparatus 14 is illustrated. The configuration of the model management server 15 is exemplified. The hardware configuration of each of the device, GW, device ID management server, service, and model management server shown in FIGS. The procedure of the apparatus ID registration step in Embodiment 1 is illustrated. The structure of the apparatus ID management table 34 which GW manages in Embodiment 1 is illustrated. The configuration of the device ID repository 44 managed by the device ID management server 13 in the first embodiment is illustrated. The procedure of the Example service utilization step in Embodiment 1 is illustrated. The procedure of the apparatus ID registration step in Embodiment 2 is illustrated. The structure of the apparatus ID management table 34 which GW manages in Embodiment 2 is illustrated. The procedure of the Example service utilization step in Embodiment 2 is illustrated.

  Below, 1st embodiment of this invention is described using FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a device authentication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The device authentication system of this embodiment includes devices 111 to 11L (collectively referred to as “device 11”) such as personal computers and televisions used by users, and GW 121 to GW 12M (“ GW12 ”), a device ID management server 13 that manages various devices in cooperation with the GW12, a service provider side device 141 that provides services to users through the device 11, and a service provider side device 14O ( "General name" service provider side device 14 "), each manufacturer's own device ID and model information, and model management server 151 to model management server 15P (" model management server 15 ") that manage the specifications corresponding to them. And a network 16 such as the Internet for connecting them.

  Next, each device constituting the device authentication system of FIG. 1 will be described.

  First, the device 11 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The device 11 includes a processing unit 20a, a storage unit 20b, an input / output unit 20c that receives an instruction from a user of the device 11, a communication unit 20d that communicates with other devices via the network 16, Have

  The processing unit 20a includes a device ID registration unit 21 that performs registration processing of the device ID of the device 11 with respect to the GW 12, and a service use unit 22 that performs processing for accessing the service provider side device and receiving service provision. And a control unit 23 that comprehensively controls each unit of the device 11.

  The storage unit 20 b includes a device ID holding unit 24 that holds the device ID of the device 11 and an IP address holding unit 25 that holds settings necessary for communication such as the IP address of the device 11.

  Next, the GW 12 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The GW 12 includes a processing unit 30a, a storage unit 30b, an input / output unit 30c that receives an instruction from an administrator of the GW 12, and a communication unit 30d that communicates with other devices via the network 16. .

  In response to a request from the device 11, the processing unit 30 a performs a device ID management unit 31 that performs processing for registering the device ID of the device 11 in the GW and a device that performs device ID management processing with the device ID management server 13. An ID management server communication processing unit 32 and a control unit 33 that comprehensively controls each unit of the GW 12 are included.

  The storage unit 30b includes a device ID management table 34 that holds a list of device IDs managed by the GW 12, and an IP address etc. holding unit 35 that holds settings necessary for communication such as the IP address of the GW 12.

  Next, the device ID management server 13 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The device ID management server 13 communicates with other devices via the network 16 and the processing unit 40a, the storage unit 40b, the input / output unit 40c that receives an instruction from the administrator of the device ID management server 13, and the like. Communication section 40d.

  The processing unit 40a includes a device ID management unit 41 that manages device IDs in cooperation with the GW 12, a device ID response unit 42 that performs device ID acquisition and response processing in response to an inquiry from a service, and a device ID management server. And a control unit 43 that comprehensively controls each of the 13 units.

  The storage unit 40 b includes a device ID repository 44 that holds a list of device IDs managed by the device ID management server 13.

  Next, the service provider side device 14 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The service provider side device 14 communicates with other devices via the processing unit 50 a, the storage unit 50 b, the input / output unit 50 c that receives an instruction from the administrator of the service provider side device 14, and the network 16. And a communication unit 50d for performing.

  The processing unit 50a comprehensively controls each unit of the device authentication unit 51 that acquires the device ID and specifications of the access source device, the service providing unit 52 that provides a service to the device, and the service provider side device 14. And a control unit 53.

  The storage unit 50b includes a model management server access destination holding unit 54 that holds an access destination of the model management server of each manufacturer.

  Next, the model management server 15 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The model management server 15 includes a processing unit 60 a, a storage unit 60 b, an input / output unit 60 c that receives an instruction from an administrator of the model management server 15, and communication for communicating with other devices via the network 16. 60d.

  The processing unit 60a includes a specification management unit 61 that performs specification inquiry processing from a service, and a control unit 62 that controls each unit of the model management server 15 in an integrated manner.

  The storage unit 60b includes a specification holding unit 63 that manages the specifications of the device in association with the device ID and model information of each manufacturer.

  2 to 6, each of the device 11, the GW 12, the device ID management server 13, the service provider side device 14, and the model management server 15 includes, for example, a CPU 71, a memory 72, and An external storage device 73 such as a hard disk, a reading device 74 for reading information from a portable storage medium 79 such as a CD-ROM, a communication device 75 for communicating with other devices via the network 16, and a keyboard Built on a general electronic computer 70 having an input device 76 such as a mouse, an output device 77 such as a monitor or a printer, and an internal communication line 78 such as a bus for transmitting and receiving data between these devices. it can.

  Then, when the CPU 71 executes a predetermined program loaded on the memory 72 from the external storage device 73, the above-described processing units can be realized. That is, the communication units 20 c, 30 c, 40 c, 50 c, and 60 c use the communication device 75 by the CPU 71, and the input / output units 20 c, 30 c, 40 c, 50 c, and 50 c have the CPU 71 that uses the input device 76 and the output device 77. The storage units 20b, 30b, 40b, 50b, and 50b are realized by the CPU 71 using the memory 72 and the external storage device 73. The processing units 20a, 30a, 40a, 50a, and 60a are realized as processes of the CPU 71.

  The predetermined program may be stored in advance in the external storage device 73, or is stored in the storage medium 79 that can be used by the electronic computer, and is read out as necessary via the reading device 74. Alternatively, it may be downloaded from the network 16 that is a communication medium that can be used by the electronic computer or another device connected to the communication device 75 that uses a carrier wave or a digital signal propagating on the network 16 as necessary, It may be introduced into the external storage device 73.

  Next, the operation of the device authentication system having the above configuration will be described.

  The operation of the device authentication system of this embodiment is divided into a device ID registration step and a service use step.

  First, the operation of the device ID registration step will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the device ID registration operation of the present embodiment.

  The device ID registration unit 21 of the device 11 sends a request for registration of a device ID including the device ID to the GW 12 at the timing when an instruction from the user is received or when the device 11 is installed at home (step S1001). ). Once registered, the registered IP address and device ID are referenced from the next time onward, so the registration process may be performed once when it is used for the first time at a location where the IP address is not registered.

  Upon receiving the device ID registration request from the device 11, the device ID management unit 31 of the GW 12 registers the device ID and IP address of the device in association with the device ID management table 34 of the GW 12 (step S1002). If the same device ID is already registered in the device ID management table 34, a response indicating that it has already been registered is sent to the device 11. The specific contents of the device ID management table 34 are shown in FIG. The device ID 82 of the device is registered in association with the IP address 81 of the device. The IP address 81 is acquired from the transmission source IP address of the above-described device ID registration request.

  The device ID management unit 31 of the GW 12 sends a device ID registration request for the newly registered device 11 to the device ID management server 13 (step S1003). The device ID registration request includes the device ID of the device 11 and the corresponding IP address of the device 11.

  Upon receiving the device ID registration request, the device ID management unit 41 of the device ID management server 13 associates the device ID included in the device ID registration request with the IP address, and registers the device ID in the device ID repository 44 (step S1004). ). The specific contents of the device ID repository are shown in FIG. In the device ID repository 44, the IP address 92 of the device is registered in association with the device ID 91 of the device.

  The device ID management server sends the device ID registration result to the GW 12 (step S1005). The GW 12 sends the registration result of the device ID to the device 11 (step S1006).

  When the device 11 is used at a plurality of locations, the process of FIG. 8 is performed at each location. A plurality of IP addresses 92 of the device can be registered in the device ID repository 44 in association with the device ID 91 of the device. When registering the IP address in step S1004, if the same device ID as that device has already been registered, the IP address of the device at a plurality of locations is added by adding the IP address of the device to the row. Is registered in the device ID repository 44.

  Next, the service use step will be described.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the service use operation of the present embodiment.

  The service using unit 22 of the device 11 accesses the service provider side device 14 in order to use the service at the timing when the instruction from the user is received (step S2001).

  The device authentication unit 51 of the service provider side device 14 acquires the IP address of the device 11 from the access request from the device 11 (step S2002). Then, a request for acquiring the device ID of the device 11 is sent to the device ID management server 13 using the IP address as an argument (step S2003).

  The device ID response unit 42 of the device ID management server 13 searches the device ID repository 44 for a corresponding device ID based on the IP address included in the request (step S2004). If the device ID is detected as a result, it responds to the service provider side device 14 (step S2005).

  After acquiring the device ID from the device ID management server 13, the device authentication part 51 of the service provider side device 14 acquires the manufacturer information included in the device ID, and specifies the access destination of the model management server 15 of the corresponding manufacturer. Obtained from the model management server access destination holding unit 54 (step S2006). And the specification acquisition request regarding the said apparatus ID is sent with respect to the said model management server 15 (step S2007). The specification acquisition request includes a device ID.

  Upon receiving the specification acquisition request, the specification management unit 61 of the model management server 15 searches the specification holding unit 63 for model information corresponding to the device ID, and further acquires specifications from the detected model information (steps S2008 and S2009). ). Then, the acquired specification is returned to the service provider side device 14.

  The service providing unit 52 of the service provider side device 14 that has received the specification of the device 11 responds to the device 11 with a service corresponding to the specification (step S2011).

  The service use step is repeatedly performed every time the user uses the service.

  In this embodiment, since registration is performed in the device ID management server 13 via the GW 12, it is necessary for each device (or its user) to know the access destination of the device ID management server 13 if registered in the GW 12. No.

  The first embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is whether or not the GW 12 converts the IP address of the device 11. In the first embodiment, it is assumed that the IP address of the device 11 is not converted in the GW 12, whereas in the second embodiment, the IP address of the device 11 is converted in the GW 12. For example, the first embodiment includes a case where an IPv6 network is used, and the second embodiment includes a case where an IPv4 network is used.

  The operation of the device ID registration step and the service use step in this embodiment will be described.

  First, the operation of the device ID registration step in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  The device ID registration unit 21 of the device 11 connected to the GW 12 sends a request for registration of the device ID to the GW 12 at a timing when an instruction from the user is received (step S3001). Once registered, the registered IP address and device ID are referenced from the next time onward, so the registration process may be performed once when it is used for the first time at a location where the IP address is not registered.

  Upon receiving the device ID registration request from the device 11, the device ID management unit 31 of the GW 12 registers the device ID and the IP address of the device in association with each other in the device ID management table 34 of the GW 12 (step S3002). When the same device ID is already registered in the device ID management table 34, the device ID management unit 31 of the GW 12 responds to the device 11 that it has already been registered.

  The specific contents of the device ID management table 34 are shown in FIG. In the table, as the IP address of the device 11, an address before translation (referred to as a private IP address) A1 in a private network such as home, and an address after translation (referred to as a global IP address) in a network outside the GW such as the Internet A2 is managed in association with each other, and the device ID A3 of the device 11 is registered in association with these. The pre-translation address A1 and the post-translation address A2 are respectively composed of IP addresses A4 and A6 and port numbers A5 and A7. Of these, the IP address A6 of the post-change address A2 matches the IP address of the GW 12. . The generation of the post-conversion address A2 from the pre-conversion address A1 is performed by the device ID management unit 31 of the GW 12.

  The device ID management unit 31 of the GW 12 sends a registration result indicating the end of registration of the device ID to the device 11 (step S3003). There is no need to report the converted address A2.

  In this embodiment, since the device ID management server inquires the GW 12 in the service use step, it is not necessary to register in the device ID management server 13 in the device ID registration step.

  Next, the service use step will be described.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining the service use operation of the present embodiment.

  The service use unit 22 of the device 11 accesses the service provider side device 14 via the GW 12 in order to use the service at a timing when an instruction from the user is received (step S4001).

  Specifically, the GW 12 refers to the device ID management table 34, acquires the converted address A2 corresponding to the device ID included in the service request from the device 11, and includes the service request in the service request. To the side device 14.

  The device authentication unit 51 of the service provider side device 14 acquires the post-conversion address A2 of the device 11 from the access request from the device 11 (step S4002). Then, a request for acquiring the device ID of the device 11 is sent to the device ID management server 13 using the converted address A2 as an argument (step S4003).

  The device ID response unit 42 of the device ID management server 13 acquires the IP address A6 of the changed address A2 of the device 11 included in the acquisition request as the IP address of the GW 12 that manages the device 11 (step S4004). .

  The device ID response unit 42 of the device ID management server 13 sends a device ID acquisition request to the GW 12 having the IP address acquired in step S4004 (step 4005). This request includes the converted address A2 of the device 11 included in the device ID acquisition request received in step S4003.

  When the device ID management server communication processing unit 32 of the GW 12 receives the device ID acquisition request from the device ID management server 13, the converted address A2 (more specifically, the port number) of the device 11 included in the request is received. The device ID conversion table 34 is searched using A7) as a key, and the corresponding device ID A3 is detected (step S4006). Then, the detected device ID A3 is returned to the device ID management server 13 (step S4007).

  The device ID management server 13 returns the device ID A3 received from the GW 12 to the service provider side device 14 (step S4007).

  After acquiring the device ID A3 from the device ID management server 13, the device authentication unit 51 of the service provider side device 14 acquires the manufacturer information included in the device ID, and sets the access destination of the corresponding manufacturer's model management server 15 Obtained from the model management server access destination holding unit 54 (step S4009). And the specification acquisition request regarding the said apparatus ID is sent with respect to the said model management server 15 (step S4010). The specification acquisition request includes the device ID A3.

  The specification management unit 61 of the model management server 15 that has received the specification acquisition request searches the specification holding unit 63 to acquire model information corresponding to the device ID A3, and further acquires a specification from the acquired model information (step). S4011, S4012). Then, the acquired specification is returned to the service provider side device 14 (step S4013).

  The service providing unit 52 of the service provider side device 14 that has received the specification of the device 11 responds to the device 11 with a service corresponding to the specification (step S4014).

  The service use step is repeatedly performed every time the user uses the service.

  In the first embodiment, the IP address is not converted in the GW 12 (the global address is used). Therefore, each time the device ID is registered in the GW 12, the ID and the IP address are registered in the device ID management server 13. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the GW 12 converts the IP address, that is, converts a plurality of private addresses into global addresses using the IP address of one GW 12. The port number of the GW 12 is used to distinguish each private address while using one IP address of the GW 12. The port is assigned every time the device 11 starts a new session, and the same port is not always assigned to a certain private address. Therefore, the GW 12 is inquired each time without registering in the device ID registration server 13.

  The second embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

  According to each of the above embodiments, even when the number of services becomes enormous, the user must register the device ID once when using the device for the first time in a place where the IP address is not registered. That's fine. For this reason, the load in the device registration process by the user is reduced, and convenience can be improved.

  In addition, the service provider side device does not need to manage information on the model and the specification corresponding thereto, and at least manages the access destination of the model management server of each manufacturer. For this reason, the management work of the specification information in the service provider side apparatus is reduced, and the operability can be improved.

  Furthermore, when a manufacturer that manufactures a device newly manufactures the device, it is not necessary to register it in a number of service provider side devices, and it is only necessary to register at least a model management server managed by each manufacturer. For this reason, the management work of the specification information in a maker is reduced and operability can be improved.

11: Device, 12: GW, 13: Device ID management server, 14: Service provider side device, 15: Model management server, 16: Network, 20a, 30a, 40a, 50a, 60a: Processing unit, 20b, 30b, 40b, 50b, 60b: storage unit, 20c, 30c, 40c, 50c, 60c: input / output unit, 20d, 30d, 40d, 50d, 60d: communication unit, 21: device ID registration unit, 22: service use unit, 23 33, 43, 53, 62: control unit, 24: device ID holding unit, 25: IP address etc. holding unit, 31: device ID management unit, 32: device ID management server communication processing unit, 34: device ID management Table: 35: IP address holding unit, 41: device ID management unit, 42: device ID response unit, 44: device ID repository, 51: device authentication unit, 52: service offer Unit: 54: model management server access destination holding unit, 61: specification management unit, 63: specification holding unit, 70: electronic computer, 71: CPU, 72: memory, 73: external storage device, 74: reading device, 75: Communication device 76: Input device 77: Output device 78: Internal communication line 79: Portable storage medium

Claims (5)

A method of registering device information in a system that provides services to users through devices ,
The system includes a gateway device to which the device is connected, a device ID management server, a model management server, and a service provider side device.
A device ID registration step for registering the device ID of the device;
The service provider device requested to provide a service has a specification acquisition step of acquiring the specifications of the device necessary for service provision from the model management server, and
The device ID registration step includes:
When the gateway device receives a registration request for the device ID of the device from the device, the device registers the device ID and the IP address of the device in association with each other in a device management table provided in the gateway device; ,
Transmitting a registration request for the device ID and the IP address of the device to the device ID management server;
The device ID management server, the device ID repository includes the device ID of the device that has received, and a step of registering in association with, and the IP address,
The spec acquisition step includes:
The service provider side device acquires an IP address of the device, and requests and acquires the device ID of the device from the device ID management server based on the acquired IP address;
The service provider side apparatus, based on the device ID acquired, the registration process of device information, characterized in that it comprises a step of acquiring specifications of the device from the model management server for managing the specification information of the device . A device information registration method according to claim 1,
The spec acquisition step includes:
The service provider side device acquires an access destination of a model management server that manages the specifications of the device from the device ID of the acquired device;
To the model management server that has acquired the access destination, it performs an acquisition request for specifications corresponding to the acquired a device ID, a method of registering a device information, characterized in that it comprises a step of acquiring specifications of the device . A device information registration method according to claim 1,
The device ID registration step includes:
When the gateway device receives a device ID registration request from the device, the device management table provided in the gateway device corresponds to the device's private IP address, global IP address, and device ID. A device information registration method comprising the step of: adding and registering . The device information registration method according to claim 3 ,
The spec acquisition step includes:
The service provider side requesting the device ID management server to acquire the device ID of the device;
The device ID management server acquires the address of the gateway device from the device ID acquisition request, requests the gateway device to acquire the device ID of the device, acquires the device ID, and sends the device ID to the service provider side device. Transmitting the acquired device ID of the device;
The service provider side device acquires an access destination of a model management server that manages the specifications of the device from the acquired device ID of the device, and acquires the acquired model management server for the model management server that acquired the access destination. performs an acquisition request for specifications corresponding to a device ID, a method of registering a device information, characterized in that it comprises a step of acquiring specifications of the device. The device information registration method according to claim 4 ,
The device ID acquisition request transmitted by the service provider side device to the device ID management server includes a global IP address of the device,
The global IP address includes an IP address of the gateway device,
The device ID management server, the IP address of the gateway apparatus as a destination registration process of device information and transmits the device ID acquisition request of the device.

Images