Patent ID: 6724296
Filing Date: 2004-04-20
Classification: G06Q,G07C,G07F

Abstract:
A communications system having an authentication function comprising:a plurality of communications terminals communicating individually with external communications apparatuses; a central control apparatus controlling the communications terminals and exchanging data related to the communications terminals and the external communications apparatuses with the communications terminals; and a relaying apparatus composed of a switching portion selectively connecting one of the communications terminals to the central control apparatus and a central authentication circuit checking whether the individual communications terminals are authentic or not, wherein first the central authentication circuit of the relaying apparatus checks whether the communications terminals are authentic or not to prohibit whichever of the communications terminals is found unauthentic from being connected to the central control apparatus for communication therewith, then the relaying apparatus selects, as communications terminals to be connected to the central control apparatus, those of the communications terminals which have been found authentic by the central authentication circuit, and then the external communications apparatuses communicate with the central control apparatus through the communications terminals selected by the relaying apparatus and the relaying apparatus itself, and wherein the external communications apparatuses communicate with the central control apparatus through the communications terminals selected by the relaying apparatus and the relaying apparatus itself.