Abstract: A user who repeatedly purchases the same electronic content is entitled to receive a discount price for the additional purchases. This is accomplished by establishing an “Accounting History” of accounting information that is prepared when the electronic content is repurchased. The price of the repurchased electronic content is set to “Discount Price,” which is less than the original price at which the electronic content was purchased for the first time. Since accounts are settled based on the accounting information with “Accounting History” set to “Discount Price,” the user who is purchasing the same content again can buy it at a discount price.

Abstract: In a public key certificate using system, a template which serves as person identification data of a person requesting a public key certificate is obtained from a person identification certificate of the person, a person authentication is executed by comparing sampling information of the person against the template, and a public key certificate for the person is issued by a certificate authority on condition that the person authentication is established, thus reducing the load on the certificate authority for person authentication. The public key certificate issued to the user is deleted upon completion of a processing session involving use of the public key certificate, restricting the use of the public key certificate to the particular processing session.

Abstract: A person identification certificate link system forms a link between a person identification certificate which stores a template serving as person identification data and which is generated by a person identification certificate authority and a public key certificate which stores a public key, thereby specifying one certificate based on the other certificate. With this arrangement, a cryptographic key to the template stored in the person identification certificate can be specified. It is also possible to quickly obtain a combination of the person identification certificate and the public key certificate which are both utilized in transaction with a service provider, thereby improving the processing efficiency.

Abstract: Content data encrypted with a content key, the content key encrypted with an individual key specific to an information sending device, and the individual key encrypted with a distribution key that is updated in a predetermined cycle, and supplied are sent to an information receiving device, and the information receiving device decrypts the individual key with the distribution key, decrypts the content key with the individual key, and decrypts the content data with the content key. Thus, the information sending device does not have the distribution key, and accordingly piracy of content data can be prevented with a simple configuration. Also, the information receiving device sends the content key and a playback command to other apparatuses. Thus, other apparatuses can play back contents using the playback command and the content key. Furthermore, the information sending device decrypts the content key with the distribution key before being updated, and stores the same.

Abstract: A person authentication system, a person authentication method, an information processing apparatus, and a program providing medium authenticate a person who uses an information apparatus in data communication. A person authentication certificate storing a template which includes person authentication data is used in the person authentication system. A person authentication execution entity checks the validity of the certificate on the basis of a certificate expiration date, a certificate usage number limit, or a template expiration date in person authentication processing on the basis of the certificate. The person authentication is executed by comparing the template with sampling information input by a user if the validity is confirmed. A person identification certificate authority updates the certificate or the template according to the request of the entity or the authenticated person.

Abstract: An entity which executes person authentication such as a service provider (SP) and a user device (UC) receives a request for person authentication from an entity which requests person authentication. The entity which requests person authentication can vary in form. The entity which executes person authentication decrypts the template by using a person identification certificate that can be owned by the entity which executes person authentication or provided from the outside, compares the template with sampling information input by a user and notifies the entity which requests person authentication of the result of comparison. The data for person identification is provided as encrypted information that can be decrypted only by the entity which executes person authentication, thereby performing safe authentication in various locations or devices, while preventing the template information from leaking out.

Abstract: A public-key-encryption data-communication system includes a public-key-certificate issuer authority. The public-key-certificate issuer authority performs the issuance of a public key certificate and management operations, certification of a subject to be certificated, which is a certificate issuing request, and management such as registration processing are executed by a root registration authority or each registration authority. The public-key-certificate issuer authority performs processing for validating, invalidating, and deleting the certificate in accordance with a request from the root registration authority. The root registration authority accepts a request for issuing a public key certificate corresponding to the subject to be certificated which is under the control of a certificated registration authority, and transfers it to the public-key-certificate issuer authority in a form in which a signature is added to it.

Abstract: A content distribution is performed by a secure container including a content encrypted by a content key and container information set for a content transaction. The container information includes a person identification certificate identifiers list. Usage control status information including the list is generated and stored in a device during a secondary distribution among user devices after a primary distribution of the content. In the distribution among the user devices, identifying an identification certificate in reference to the list and performing a person authentication based on the identification certificate allows each of the user devices to use the transmitted content, when the authentication is affirmative.

Abstract: A content distribution is performed by a secure container including a content encrypted by a content key and container information set for a content transaction. The container information includes a person identification certificate identifiers list. Usage control status information including the list is generated and stored in a device during a secondary distribution among user devices after a primary distribution of the content. In the distribution among the user devices, identifying an identification certificate in reference to the list and performing a person authentication based on the identification certificate allows each of the user devices to use the transmitted content, when the authentication is affirmative.

Abstract: Disclosed is a private information management apparatus in which the information of high practical utility for a user in person may be acquired more efficiently and with higher responsiveness than is possible with a technique of keyword retrieval over the network.

Abstract: The events experienced are stored automatically, so that the information of higher utility for a user may be taken out with responsiveness and efficiency higher than with a technique of keyword retrieval over a network. An information registration unit 10 includes an information acquisition unit 11, for acquiring the experience information, a private information adding unit 12, for adding the private information, a data recognition processing unit 13, for recognizing the acquired information, a data definition processing unit 14, for classifying the recognized data in accordance with the preset definitions, and a data storage unit 15 for storage of the classified data.

Abstract: The events experienced are stored automatically, so that the information of higher utility for a user may be taken out with responsiveness and efficiency higher than is possible with a technique of keyword retrieval over a network. An information registration unit 10 includes an information acquisition unit 11, for acquiring the empirical information, a private information adding unit 12, for adding the private information, a data recognition processing unit 13, for recognizing the acquired information, a data definition processing unit 14, for classifying the recognized data in accordance with the preset definitions, a data storage unit 15 for storage of the classified data, and a data processing unit 22 for generating the predictive information inferable from the empirical information and the private information.

Abstract: It is envisaged to relieve the load imposed on the authentication processing as anonymity is maintained to prevent the leakage of the private information, such as taste information of a user. In an information acquisition system 1, a storage server 2 encrypts contents data and other information provided, in their entirety, using a common cipher key for data encryption DEK, and stores the encrypted information as encrypted data EN (DATA). The storage server 2 further encrypts the cipher key for data encryption DEK, as the key information of the encrypted data EN (DEK), using cipher key data KEK, and publicizes the encrypted data EN (DATA), encrypted with the cipher key for encryption DEK, and the encrypted key data EN (DEK), encrypted with the cipher key data KEK.

Abstract: Detection of fraud and circulation of money can be managed while no special apparatus is required, electronic cash can be securely utilized, and personal information and information on individual's purchase are not unnecessarily known. An account management unit 45 stores an amount of money utilized by a user based on information for identifying the user and previously deposited funds. A clearing unit 55 instructs a payment institution to make a settlement. The user management unit 35 manages the information for identifying the user, and an account number of the user in the payment institution encrypted with a public key of a settlement processing apparatus. A communication unit 37 instructs an account management apparatus to change the balance of the previously deposited funds of the user stored therein based on the information for identifying the user, and instructs the settlement apparatus to execute a settlement based on the account number in the payment institution.

Abstract: Detection of frauds and circulation of money can be managed while no special apparatus is required, electronic cash can be securely utilized, and personal information and information on individual's purchase are not unnecessarily known. An account management unit 45 stores an amount of money utilized by a user based on information for identifying the user and previously deposited funds. A clearing unit 55 instructs a payment institution to make a settlement. The user management unit 35 manages the information for identifying the user, and an account number of the user in the payment institution encrypted with a public key of a settlement processing apparatus. A communication unit 37 instructs an account management apparatus to change the balance of the previously deposited funds of the user stored therein based on the information for identifying the user, and instructs the settlement apparatus to execute a settlement based on the account number in the payment institution.

Abstract: MTID of a terminal apparatus is preliminarily registered into a database of an ISP. In step S2, when a power source of the terminal apparatus is turned on first, (MTID=B) is transmitted from the terminal apparatus to a router. A transmission signal is received by the router and (HGWID=A, MTID=B) is transmitted from the router to the ISP. If (HGWID=A, MTID=B) has been registered in the database, the ISP transmits a permission message in step S5. In step S6, an IP address for a new terminal apparatus is allocated and the new terminal apparatus can participate in a homenetwork. If (HGWID=A, MTID=B) is not registered, a refusal message is sent to the router.

Abstract: A remote access system includes target units to be accessed, a home gateway serving as an entrance of a home network to which the target units belong, and a portable unit carried by the user to access the target units. When the portable unit sends and presents an attribute certificate in which at least privilege with regard to a resource and information of the home gateway are described, to the target units through the home gateway, an access made by the portable unit to the resource is checked.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus managed by a management apparatus to decrypt encrypted information and use resultant decrypted information. An efficient scheme is implemented for registering users of the system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel configuration which allows devices capable of processing different signature algorithms to mutually verify public key certificates. In this configuration, public key certificates storing plural signatures based on different signature algorithms such as RSA and ECC are issued and each device selects a signature which can be processed (namely, verified) by itself and verifies the selected signature.

Abstract: Provided is a structure enabling dispersion of a load that is incurred by a public key certificate issuer authority or a registration authority. The structure has an issuer authority that issues a public key certificate and registration authorities each of which receives and examines a request for issuance of a public key certificate made by an end entity, wherein the registration authorities are hierarchically structured. Each of registration authorities of a hierarchical level manages registration authorities that rank immediately below or end entities. The registration authority receives a request for issuance of a public key certificate and examines it. This means that a load each registration authority must incur for processing is dispersed. One hierarchical structure of registration authorities is formed under any of various standards which stipulates a security policy, scalability, geographical classification, functional classification, or an organization.