Patent Publication Number: US-2013247088-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for the authentication of users of a hybrid terminal

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/019,632, filed on Feb. 2, 2011 which claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. DE102010007718.6, filed on Feb. 10, 2010, which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. The Field of the Invention 
     The present invention concerns a method and an apparatus for the authentication of users of a hybrid terminal. Methods of this kind are used for the registration and authentication of a user of television sets and satellite receivers which, apart from the actual receiving part for television programs, have an additional internet interface. 
     2. The Relevant Technology 
     Methods and apparatuses for the authentication of television users are known. 
     A single-sign-on method for the use of a set-top box with an internet interface and a broadband interface can be found in publication DE 10 2006 045 352 A1. By means of a logon and authentication function made available by a provider, user authentication takes place after a set-top box is switched on. If authentication of the user is successful, the provider sends authentication information to the set-top box. This authentication information is then used for registration with a service provider or several service providers. The logon and authentication function is invoked after the set-top box is switched on, and provided that authentication is successful, authentication information is sent to the set-top box. This authentication information is in turn sent by means of the set-top box to a service provider and in this way the set-top box is registered with this service provider. Then a comparison is made between the service provider and the provider of the logon and authentication function for the purpose of verification of the authentication information and, if necessary, forwarding of a corresponding acknowledgement from the provider of the authentication function to the service provider. 
     Publication US 2008/0141296 A1 shows a method for accessing an authentication server for a digital rental television system. As soon as the television, which has both an internet connection and a digital TV receiver, is switched on, it contacts an authentication server in order to determine whether the user is a subscriber to the auxiliary service. Only after clearance by the service provider by means of the authentication server can the user access the digital television supply. 
     A further method can be found in publication US 2008/0127254 A1, for example. In order to ascertain whether the user of a television is known to the television, i.e. whether there are identification data of the user in the television, data for identification of the user are transmitted to the television by a wireless communications device which is within the range of vision of the television. In this case the data required for identification of the user are already present or stored in the communications device. The data received are compared with storage user profiles in the television in order then to control the television accordingly. 
     The method has the drawback that the data required for identification and authentication of a user are stored in the wireless communications device, so that authentication of the user can always only be effected by means of the associated communications device. This is laborious to handle and expensive. If the wireless communications apparatus is used by third parties, the true user is not identified and authorized, but the user whose identification data are stored in the wireless communications device. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore the object of the present invention to propose a reliable method which simplifies the handling of authentication. Furthermore, it is the object of the invention to provide a corresponding apparatus for carrying out the method. 
     This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim  1 . The method according to the invention affords the advantage that the authentication of users of a hybrid terminal is effected without being linked to hardware, but by means of a registration code assigned to the respective user as well as a personal identification number. Further, the method according to the invention affords the advantage that only logging on once—hereinafter referred to as a single sign-on—is required on the part of the user of the hybrid terminal in order to identify himself to one of the service providers or to several of the service providers. After successful authentication of the user, not only can the latter access the user data or contents of one of the service providers, but he is basically also authorized for the forwarding of user data or access to contents of other service providers. 
     An appropriate embodiment of the invention is characterized in that carrying out the initial authentication comprises: entry of the registration code and the personal identification number by means of the hybrid terminal, forwarding of the registration code and the personal identification number to an authentication server of the authentication apparatus via the internet interface of the hybrid terminal, checking of the registration code and personal identification number in the authentication server of the authentication apparatus by comparison of the registration code and personal identification number with the user identification data of the users who are stored on the storage medium of the authentication apparatus, and in the event that checking shows that the registration code and personal identification number can be assigned to one of the users, establishing that this user is authorized to receive the user data from the service provider and/or to send the user data to the service provider. If the user is accessing the user data of one of the service providers for the first time, he must first prove his identity by means of the initial authentication for access to the user data of the service provider. Proof of whether the user is authorized to retrieve the user data from the service provider is provided by entry of the registration code and personal identification number. Initial authentication is thus set up in the form of two-factor authentication and consequently is a particularly secure method for initial authentication of the user. 
     A preferred development of the invention is distinguished in that carrying out the authentication comprises: transfer of the profile file which is filed on the hybrid terminal to the authentication server of the authentication apparatus via the internet interface of the hybrid terminal, checking of the profile file in the authentication server of the authentication apparatus by comparison of the profile file with the user identification data of the users who are stored on the storage medium of the authentication apparatus, and in the event that checking shows that the profile file can be assigned to one of the users, establishing that this user is authorized to receive the user data from the service provider and/or to send the user data to the service provider. This affords the advantage that, in case of repeated access by the user to one of the service providers or its user data, no further entry is required on the part of the user for authentication. Proof of identity of the user to the service provider is given by transfer and checking of the profile file. This procedure takes place covertly for the user during access to the user data of the service provider. Thus it is also possible to access the user data of other service providers without requesting the user to actively authenticate himself each time. 
     According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, carrying out the authentication comprises: entry of the personal identification number by means of the hybrid terminal, transfer of the profile file which is filed on the hybrid terminal and of the personal identification number to the authentication server of the authentication apparatus via the internet interface of the hybrid terminal, checking of the personal identification number and profile file in the authentication server of the authentication apparatus by comparison of the personal identification number and profile file with the user identification data of the users who are stored on the storage medium of the authentication apparatus, and in the event that checking shows that the personal identification number and profile file can be assigned to one of the users, establishing that this user is authorized to receive the user data from the service provider and/or to send the user data to the service provider. The additional entry of the personal identification number affords the advantage of increased security of authentication of the user. If for example the user accesses contents liable to a charge or contents which are used to process a purchase, the user&#39;s attention is on the one hand drawn to the fact that he may incur further costs subsequently by the request to enter the personal identification number. On the other hand it is ensured that the user does not accidentally access these special contents or make purchases accidentally. 
     A further appropriate embodiment of the invention is characterized in that communication between the internet-capable terminal and the authentication apparatus takes place via a secure internet connection by means of a secure hypertext transfer protocol. In this way, communication between the internet-capable terminal and the authentication apparatus is effectively protected against unwanted listening and spying by third parties. 
     According to a further preferred embodiment, the registration code comprises exclusively numerical characters. Thus the stock of characters for entry of the registration code by the user is limited only to the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, so that entry of the registration code is substantially facilitated due to the limited stock of characters. In a particularly preferred embodiment, entry of the registration code and personal identification number is effected by means of a remote control of the hybrid terminal. The registration code and personal identification number can therefore easily be entered via the number keys of the remote control. 
     A further appropriate embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the user data comprise at least substantially video data and/or audio data. As already described above, the user data further comprise other control data, namely, in addition to the actual audio and video data, additional data which ensure linking of the transmitted audio and video data to contents of the internet. According to a further embodiment, the user data comprise communications and clearance data which are used for processing a purchase, for example. If the user accesses contents of service providers which provide an online shop for the purchase of articles or services, processing of the purchase takes place by forwarding of corresponding communications and clearance data via the broadband interface. 
     The object is also achieved by an apparatus having the features of claim  11 . The resulting advantages have already been described in connection with the method. To avoid repetition, reference will therefore be made to the corresponding passages of the description. 
     Both for the method according to the invention and for the apparatus according to the invention, it may be advantageous that the hybrid terminal is designed as an HbbTV (hybrid broadcast broadband TV) terminal which is defined in more detail in the draft for technical specification TS 102 796 V1.1.1 (2009 December)—hereinafter referred to as the HbbTV standard for short—of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute in 2009. According to the HbbTV standard, a platform is fixed for signaling, transport and presentation of extended and interactive applications for running on hybrid terminals which have both a broadband interface and an internet interface. Hybrid terminals of this kind are preferably televisions sets, satellite receivers, cable television receivers, set-top boxes or the like. The hybrid terminal therefore communicates both via the internet interface and via the broadband interface. If the hybrid terminal is designed for example as an extended television set or set-top box, the hybrid terminal receives via the broadband interface, in addition to the user data in the form of audio and video data, additional information, for example in the form of an embedded internet address, which allows linking of the television signal to information and value-added offers which can be retrieved via the internet. By means of this additional information, it is possible to communicate with the internet via the internet interface of the hybrid terminal and to selectively access contents on the internet which are thus linked to the user data transmitted via the broadband interface. The user data are preferably transmitted unidirectionally, for example starting from a television transmitter to the hybrid terminal. The broadband interface is therefore preferably designed as a DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-T or DVB-C interface. However, the broadband interface is not limited exclusively to the reception of television signals according to the above-mentioned DVB standard, but basically also adapted and designed to receive television signals by other common television signal transmission methods. 
     These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only illustrated embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates schematically the process of a first registration step; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates schematically carrying out an initial authentication; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates schematically carrying out an authentication; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a basic diagram of the apparatus according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows schematically the process of the first registration step. A user of a hybrid terminal  10  first enters his user identification data  14  by means of an internet-capable terminal  11 . Any ordinary internet-capable terminal is suitable for entry of the user identification data  14 , for example a laptop, a desktop computer, a PDA, an internet-capable mobile telephone or the like. Entry of the user identification data  14 , which are for example personal data such as name, address, bank or credit card data of the user, are forwarded from the internet-capable terminal  11  via a first internet connection  12  to a registration server of an authentication apparatus  13 . To ensure that the first internet connection  12  is safe from eavesdropping and protected against intervention from outside, communication between the internet-capable terminal  11  and the authentication device  13  is effected advantageously via a secured internet connection by means of a secure hypertext transfer protocol (https protocol). Alternatively, communication between the internet-capable terminal  11  and the authentication apparatus  13  may also be unsecured or by other encryption methods. 
     Further, the user is asked to enter a personal identification number  16 . The personal identification number  16  may be freely chosen by the user, i.e. the user can stipulate the personal identification number  16  as desired. The personal identification number  16  is also entered by means of the internet-capable terminal  11 . Here, the user has the choice of whether he would like to choose the personal identification number  16  himself. If the user complies with the request to enter the personal identification number  16 , after entry the personal identification number  16  is forwarded from the internet-capable terminal  11  to the registration server of the authentication apparatus  13  via the first internet connection. If, on the other hand, the user does not comply with the request to enter the personal identification number  16 , the personal identification number  16  is generated in a step described below. In other words, in the event that the user stipulates the personal identification number  16  himself and enters it by means of the internet-capable terminal  11 , the personal identification number  16  as well as the user identification data  14  are forwarded from the internet-capable terminal  11  via a first internet connection  12  to the registration server of the authentication apparatus  13 . If the user does not enter a personal identification number  16 , only forwarding of the user identification data  14  takes place. The personal identification number  16  is only then generated in the authentication apparatus  13 . 
     The user identification data  14  are then validated by comparing the user identification data  14  with a predetermined user reference data record. The user reference data record comprises information which is suitable for checking the identity of the user with the aid of the user identification data  14  present on the registration server. In other words, the user reference data record is adapted to the user identification data  14  to be checked. For instance, for checking account data this record comprises information on the creditworthiness of the user, and for checking credit card data it comprises corresponding control data which are necessary to establish whether the user identification data  14  available correspond to a valid credit card. Naturally, the user reference data record can also be used for verification of age or simply to establish the actual identity of the user. 
     In the event that the user identification data  14  correspond to one of the predetermined user reference data records, the user identification data  14  of the user are stored on a storage medium of the authentication apparatus  13 . The user identification data  14  are therefore permanently secured and can be retrieved at any time in the authentication apparatus  13 . All the usual known storage technologies are used as the storage medium. 
     In the event that the user has not entered a personal identification number  16  beforehand, generation of a registration code  15  and the personal identification number  16  then takes place. If the user has already stipulated and entered the personal identification number  16  beforehand, only generation of the registration code  15  takes place. 
     With the aid of the registration code  15  and the personal identification number  16  the user can be identified uniquely, i.e. the registration code  15  and/or the personal identification number  16  are assigned to the user. Preferably the registration code  15  comprises a 16-digit numerical hash value which is generated on the basis of the user identification data  14 . Generation of the hash value allows a plausibility check to be carried out later in order to be able to check the correctness of the registration code  15 . Naturally, the registration code  15  is not exclusively limited to 16-digit numerical hash values, but may have any registration code length. 
     The registration code  15  is then forwarded from the registration server of the authentication apparatus  13  to the internet-capable terminal  11  via the first internet connection  12 . The user can have the registration code  15  outputted or displayed to him on the internet-capable terminal  11  and note it for subsequent use, if need be. 
     In the event that the personal identification number  16  has not been entered by the user, and therefore the personal identification number  16  has been generated in the authentication apparatus  13 , the personal identification number  16  is forwarded from the registration server to the user or to the internet-capable terminal  11  on a separate path. For example, the personal identification number  16  is forwarded to the user by e-mail or SMS. Also it is possible to forward the personal identification number  16  not electronically, but by post. In any case, forwarding of the personal identification number  16  does not take place within a message via the first internet connection  12 . Consequently it is also possible to forward both the personal identification number  16  and the registration code  15  exclusively via the first internet connection  12 . Forwarding in this way, however, takes place with a time lag such that, when listening into the first internet connection  12 , an unauthorized third party does not gain knowledge of either the registration code  15  or the personal identification number  16 . Thus unauthorized third parties are prevented from gaining knowledge of either the registration code  15  or the personal identification number  16 . Hence the possibility of abuse by unauthorized third parties is to a very large extent excluded. 
     As soon as the user would like to access a service provider  17 ,  18 , and therefore the user wishes to obtain user data from a service provider  17 ,  18  or would like to use services of a service provider  17 ,  18 , it is first established whether the user is authorized to access the service provider  17 ,  18 . This check is done in the authentication step described below. 
     For this purpose it is checked whether a profile file  19  assigned to the user is present on the hybrid terminal  10 , wherein the hybrid terminal  10  communicates via the internet interface with an application server of the authentication apparatus  13 . If the user tries to access a service provider  17 ,  18 , the application server begins with checking whether a profile file  19  assigned to the user is present on the hybrid terminal. Thus it is established whether the user has already previously accessed a service provider  17 ,  18  liable to authentication. The profile file  19  is designed as a cookie or as a client/server certificate, so that the user can be identified uniquely with the aid of the profile file  19 . 
     In the event that the profile file  19  assigned to the user is present on the hybrid terminal  10 , an authentication is carried out in order to establish whether the user is authorized to receive user data from the service provider  17 ,  18 . Authorization of the user presupposes that the latter has been identified in the registration step and the user has been assigned a registration code  15  generated for unique identification as well as a personal identification number  16 . If there is no profile file  19  assigned to the user on the hybrid terminal  10 , the initial authentication is carried out in order to establish whether the user is authorized to receive the user data from the service provider  17 ,  18  and/or to send the user data to the service provider  17 ,  18 . If the initial authentication shows that the user is entitled, i.e. authorized to receive the user data from the service provider  17 ,  18  and/or to send the user data to the service provider, the profile file  19  assigned to the user is generated. The profile file  19  is transferred from the authentication server of the authentication apparatus  13  to the hybrid terminal  10  and filed on the hybrid terminal  10 , i.e. stored permanently on the hybrid terminal  10 . The profile file  19  is also preserved after a restart of the hybrid terminal  10  and over longer phases without power. In other words, by the presence or absence of the profile file  19  on the hybrid terminal  10  it is detected whether the user has already previously accessed a service provider  17 ,  18  as an authorized user, or whether this is the first access to one of the service providers  17 ,  18 . 
     After authentication or initial authentication and establishment that the user is an authorized user, a clearance message is transmitted to one or more service providers  17 ,  18 . By means of the clearance message, it is signaled to the service provider  17 ,  18  that the user has been authenticated as an authorized user for access to the services of the service provider  17 ,  18 . The clearance message is in this case transmitted via the second internet connection  20  from the authentication apparatus  13  to the service providers  17 ,  18 . In return, the user data are forwarded from the service provider  17 ,  18  via the broadband interface to the hybrid terminal  10 . The forwarding of user data is here not limited only to forwarding of user data from the service provider  17 ,  18  to the hybrid terminal  10 . Alternatively, forwarding also includes the transmission of data or user data from the hybrid terminal  10  to the service provider  17 ,  18 . This is the case, for example, when the user uses services liable to a charge through the service provider  17 ,  18 , e.g. when purchasing goods through the service provider  17 ,  18 . 
     A preferred development of the invention is shown in  FIG. 2 , which shows the initial authentication being carried out schematically. For initial authentication, the user is asked to enter the registration code  15  and the personal identification number  16  by means of the hybrid terminal  10 . The registration code  15  and the personal identification number  16  are forwarded via the internet interface of the hybrid terminal  10  to an authentication server of the authentication apparatus  13 . The authentication server checks the registration code  15  in connection with the personal identification number  16  to see whether the registration code  15  and the personal identification number  16  can be assigned to one of the users. This is done by comparison of the registration code  15  and personal identification number  16  with the user identification data  14  which are stored on the storage medium of the authentication apparatus  13 . If the comparison shows that the registration code  15  and the personal identification number  16  can be assigned to one of the users, it is established that this user is authorized to receive the user data from the service provider  17 ,  18  and/or to send the user data to the service provider  17 ,  18 . Then the profile file  19  assigned to the user is transferred from the authentication server of the authentication apparatus  13  via the internet interface to the hybrid terminal  10  and filed on the hybrid terminal  10 . 
     According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, corresponding to carrying out an authentication which is shown schematically in  FIG. 3 , if a user would like to access a service provider  17 ,  18 , the profile file  19  filed on the hybrid terminal  10  is transferred to the authentication server of the authentication apparatus  13  via the internet interface of the hybrid terminal  10 . The profile file  19  is compared in the authentication server of the authentication apparatus  13  by comparison of the profile file  19  with the user identification data  14 . The user identification data  14  are stored on the storage medium of the authentication apparatus  13 . If the comparison or the check shows that the profile file  19  can be assigned to one of the users, this user is recognized as an authorized user and it is established that this user is authorized to receive the user data from the service provider  17 ,  18  and/or to send the user data to the service provider. In other words, the user is uniquely identified on the basis of the presence of the profile file  19  on the hybrid terminal  10  and recognized as an authorized user. Hence the user can be uniquely identified after a single access to a service provider  17 ,  18  including authentication having taken place, by the presence of the profile file  19 . This affords the advantage that the user is authenticated for all service providers  17 ,  18  for which the profile file shows the user as an authorized user. If the user accesses a further service provider  17 ,  18  in order to receive user data from the latter or send user data to the latter, the check to see whether the user is authorized for this access to the service provider  17 ,  18  is done via the presence of the profile file  19  on the hybrid terminal  10 . In other words, the single authentication by entry of the registration code  15  and personal identification number  16  is sufficient to be authenticated as an authorized user for a plurality of service providers  17 ,  18 , without having to enter the registration code  15  and personal identification number  16  again every time another service provider  17 ,  18  is accessed. 
     According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, apart from forwarding of the profile file  19 , in addition the entry and subsequent forwarding of the personal identification number  16  are effected. If user data requiring special care with respect to identification and authentication of the user are to be received from one of the service providers  17 ,  18  or sent to it, for example when accessing further contents liable to a charge or the online conclusion of purchase contracts, the user is asked to enter his personal identification number  16 . Both the profile file  19  and the personal identification number  16  are transmitted via the internet interface of the hybrid terminal  10  to the authentication server of the authentication apparatus  13 . If the check of the personal identification number  16  and profile file  19  shows that the latter can be assigned to one of the users, it is established that this user is authorized to receive the user data from the service provider  17 ,  18  and/or to send the user data to the service provider. The user&#39;s authorization is checked by comparison of the personal identification number  16  and the profile file  19  with the corresponding user identification data  14  which are stored on the storage medium of the authentication apparatus. 
     Preferably, the personal identification number  16  can be freely chosen by the user and comprises usually four numerical characters. In this way authentication is particularly convenient for the user, because only four numerical characters have to be entered. Alternatively, the personal identification number has more than four characters and further also comprises any desired non-numerical characters. 
     A further embodiment is distinguished in that entry of the registration code  15  and personal identification number  16  is effected by means of a remote control  21  of the hybrid device. In this way the user can very conveniently, with the remote control  21  which is required to operate the hybrid terminal  10  anyway, enter the registration code  15  and the personal identification number  16 . 
     According to a further preferred embodiment, the user data comprise at least essentially video data and/or audio data. Typically, the user data comprise digital television data. But the user data are not exclusively limited to television data, but include any form of audio and video data. Further, the user data include control data which are usually also transmitted for correct transmission of the audio and video data. 
     For linking the audio and video data, i.e. the contents forwarded by the service providers  17 ,  18 , the user data further comprise embedded internet addresses. Hence synchronization between the user data, for example a current television program, and ordinary HTML internet pages takes place. The user data therefore comprise trigger information as well as internet addresses which are evaluated by the hybrid terminal  10 . This allows the user to access corresponding contents on the internet which are assigned to the user data in time and contents. In this way the service providers can provide interactive applications and information which the user can access interactively. According to an alternative embodiment, the user data comprise communications and clearance data which are required to process online transactions between the user and the service provider  17 ,  18  via the broadband interface. 
       FIG. 4  shows a basic diagram of the apparatus according to the invention. The apparatus comprises the hybrid terminal  10  with at least one internet interface and at least one broadband interface, the authentication apparatus  13 , wherein the authentication apparatus  13  comprises the registration server, the application server, the authentication server and at least one storage medium. Alternatively, the registration and application servers and the authentication server are implemented on one server. The hybrid terminal  10  is connected via the internet interface to the authentication apparatus  13  and via the broadband interface to at least one service provider  17 ,  18 . The authentication apparatus  13  is connected via the second internet connection to at least one of the service providers  17 ,  18  and is designed in such a way that for example the clearance message can be transmitted from the authentication apparatus  13  to the service provider  17 ,  18 . 
     Further, the internet-capable terminal  11  is connected via the first internet connection  12  to the registration server of the authentication apparatus  13 . The registration server is in this case adapted to validate user identification data which are forwarded from the internet-capable terminal  11  to the registration server via the first internet connection  12 , by comparison of user identification data  14  with a predetermined user reference data record, and in the event that the user identification data  14  correspond to the predetermined user reference data record, to store the user identification data  14  of the user on the storage medium. 
     Further, the registration server is adapted to generate the registration code  15  and the personal identification number  16 , wherein the registration code  15  and/or the personal identification number  16  are assigned to the user, to forward the registration code  15  from the registration server of the authentication apparatus  13  to the internet-capable terminal  11  via the first internet connection  12 , and to forward the personal identification number  16  from the registration server via a separate connection to the user or to the internet-capable terminal  11 . Alternatively, the registration server is adapted to generate the registration code  15 , wherein the registration code  15  is assigned to the user, and to forward the registration code  15  from the registration server of the authentication apparatus  13  to the internet-capable terminal  11  via the first internet connection  12 . In this case there is no forwarding of the personal identification number  16  from the registration server to the user or to the internet-capable terminal  11 . This case occurs when the user has first stipulated the personal identification number  16  himself. 
     The registration server is further designed and adapted in such a way as to check whether the profile file  19  assigned to the user is present on the hybrid terminal  10 , wherein the hybrid terminal  10  is designed to communicate via the internet interface with the application server of the authentication apparatus  13 , and in the event that the profile file  19  assigned to the user is present on the hybrid terminal  10 , to carry out the authentication in order to establish whether the user is authorised to receive user data from the service provider  17 ,  18 , or otherwise to carry out the initial authentication in order to establish whether the user is authorised to receive the user data from the service provider  17 ,  18  and/or to send the user data to the service provider  17 ,  18 , to generate the profile file  19 , wherein the profile file  19  is assigned to the user, to transfer the profile file  19  from the authentication server of the authentication apparatus  13  via the internet interface to the hybrid terminal  10 , wherein the profile file  19  is filed on the hybrid terminal  10 , and after the initial authentication or the authentication, provided that the user has been authenticated as an authorised user, to transmit a clearance message to at least one of the service providers  17 ,  18  and to forward the user data from the service provider  17 ,  18  to which transmission of the clearance message has taken place, wherein the hybrid terminal  10  is adapted to communicate with the service provider for forwarding of the user data via the broadband interface. 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.