Abstract: The present invention relates to a gateway system which relays a request from a user for a service provided by another system and to a recording medium therefor. An object of the present invention is to provide a desired information service with a single user ID and password entered on the side of each user by transmitting a request from each user received by a gateway to another desired information provider server or gateway with the user ID and password being converted and by returning a response to the request to the user through a reverse conversion process when the response is received.

Abstract: The random numbers generated in the user side apparatus 1 or the server side apparatus 2 are exchanged by enciphering with the common secret information (e.g., password or the like) which is co-owned by both sides, so that only in case the random numbers generated by its own and transmitted have been returned, the related parties are mutually authenticated to start restoring the compressed contents CC. By this step, it becomes possible to take such method that the electronic information (contents) per se is subjected to certain processing (e.g., compression) and previously distributed in a recording medium such as CD-ROM as heretofore, and the information for restoring the processed electronic information is transmitted through the communication line. Accordingly, it becomes possible to obviate the danger of sending/receiving through the communication line the electronic information which can be of enormous data amount.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a gateway system which relays a request from a user for a service provided by another system and to a recording medium therefor. An object of the present invention is to provide a desired information service with a single user ID and password entered on the side of each user by transmitting a request from each user received by a gateway to another desired information provider server or gateway with the user ID and password being converted and by returning a response to the request to the user through a reverse conversion process when the response is received.