Patent Publication Number: US-2013246281-A1

Title: Service providing system and unit device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation Application of PCT Application No. PCT/JP2011/075911, filed Nov. 10, 2011 and based upon and claiming the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-252331, filed Nov. 10, 2010, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to a service providing system and a unit device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In general, when a user receives a service from a service provider, a credit-card settlement based on a credit card of the user may be used. In the credit-card settlement of this kind, it is considered that a person having a credit card is identified by his/her signature. In deposit withdrawals or transfers in a bank, it is considered that a person having a bank card is identified by matching his/her personal identification number on the basis of the bank card number. 
     In this way, in the credit-card settlement and the deposit withdrawals or transfers, authentication by the signature or personal identification number is used in either real transactions in stores or in on-line virtual transactions. 
     However, in the credit-card settlement and the deposit withdrawals or transfers described above, it is impossible to identify the user of the credit card number or the bank card number and the personal identification number as the owner of the card. Therefore, the problem caused in the event of the leakage of service user identification information such as the credit card number or the bank card number and the personal identification number is that it is impossible to prevent the other person from pretending to be the owner of the card. 
     In real transactions in stores, it is necessary to carry and present a card such as the credit card or the bank card having service user identification information therein. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a service providing system and a unit device which eliminate the necessity of carrying and presenting a card having service user identification information therein and which can reduce the possibility of the leakage of the service user identification information and which enables the identification of a user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a service providing system according to a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a service process according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating a storage unit  23  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a unit integrating device  30  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating a device information storage unit  33  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram showing the configurations of unit devices  40  and  50  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram illustrating an equipment certificate storage unit  44  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram illustrating an equipment certificate storage unit  54  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram illustrating user unique information  55   a  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram illustrating a first authentication context c 1  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram illustrating a second authentication context c 2  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram illustrating first authentication constituting process result information b 1  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram illustrating second authentication constituting process result information b 2  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram illustrating authentication processing result information b according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 15  is a schematic diagram illustrating a storage unit  63  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 16  is a flowchart illustrating operations in steps ST 1  to ST 7  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 17  is a flowchart illustrating operations in steps ST 8  to ST 16  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 18  is a flowchart illustrating operations in steps ST 17  to ST 26  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 19  is a flowchart illustrating operations in steps ST 27  to ST 40  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 20  is a flowchart illustrating operations in steps ST 41  to ST 47  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 21  is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a service providing system according to a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 22  is a schematic diagram illustrating a device information storage unit  33  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 23  is a schematic diagram illustrating a storage unit  23  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 24  is a schematic diagram illustrating a storage unit  63  according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 25  is a schematic diagram illustrating authentication processing result information b according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 26  is a flowchart illustrating operations according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 27  is a schematic diagram illustrating a storage unit  63  according to a third embodiment; 
         FIG. 28  is a schematic diagram illustrating a storage unit  23  according to the embodiment; and 
         FIG. 29  is a flowchart illustrating operations in steps ST 40  to ST 47  according to the embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In general, according to one embodiment, a service providing system comprises a plurality of unit devices, a unit integrating device, a user terminal, a verifying device, and a service providing device. 
     The unit devices independently execute authentication constituting processes constituting authentication processing that uses biometric authentication. The unit integrating device has each of the unit devices provided therein or externally connected thereto to communicate with each of the unit devices. The user terminal has the unit integrating device provided therein or externally connected thereto to communicate with the unit integrating device. The verifying device verifies the execution contents of each of the authentication constituting processes in accordance with an authenticator. The service providing device communicates with the user terminal and the verifying device. 
     Each of the unit devices comprises an equipment certificate storage module, an evaluation report storage module, a secret information storage module, an authentication constituting process executing module, an authenticator generating module, an authentication context generating module, an authentication constituting process result information generating module, and a result information sending module. 
     The equipment certificate storage module stores an equipment certificate issued to each of the unit devices by an equipment certificate issuer in accordance with a public key encryption method. The equipment certificate includes an equipment certificate body and a digital signature generated for the equipment certificate body by a secret key to the equipment certificate issuer. The equipment certificate body includes identification information for a public key of or for secret information to generate a message authentication code of the unit device to which the authentication constituting process belongs, unit device specifying information to specify the unit device to which the authentication constituting process belongs, and equipment certificate issuer information to specify the equipment certificate issuer. 
     The evaluation report storage module stores an evaluation report. The evaluation report includes the unit device specifying information, biometric authentication constituting process information to specify a biometric authentication constituting process including a biometric authentication algorithm used for the execution of the authentication constituting process, and biometric authentication accuracy indicating the accuracy of the biometric authentication by the biometric authentication algorithm. 
     The secret information storage module stores secret information to generate the authenticator. 
     The authentication constituting process executing module executes the authentication constituting process when each of the unit devices receives, from the unit integrating device, a random challenge value generated by the service providing device, and an authentication constituting process execution request to request the execution of the authentication constituting process. 
     The authenticator generating module generates the authenticator by the use of the secret information in accordance with the equipment certificate, the evaluation report, the challenge value, and the execution result. 
     The authentication context generating module generates an authentication context. The equipment certificate, the evaluation report, the challenge value, the execution result, and the authenticator are described in the authentication context in a specific format. 
     The authentication constituting process result information generating module generates authentication constituting process result information in which the authentication context and the execution result of the authentication constituting process are described in a specific format. 
     The result information sending module sends the authentication constituting process result information to the unit integrating device. 
     At least one of the unit devices further comprises user identification information certificate storage module. 
     The user identification information certificate storage module stores a user identification information certificate issued to a user of the user terminal by a third-party organization in accordance with a public key encryption method. The user identification information certificate includes a certificate body and a digital signature generated for the certificate body by a secret key to the third-party organization. The certificate body includes user identification information to identify the user, a hash value of biometric referential information for the user, and the third-party organization information to identify the third-party organization. 
     The authenticator generating module of at least one of the unit devices generates the authenticator by the use of the secret information in accordance with the equipment certificate, the evaluation report, the challenge value, the user identification information certificate, and the execution result. 
     The authentication context generating module of at least one of the unit devices generates an authentication context. The equipment certificate, the evaluation report, the challenge value, the user identification information certificate, the execution result, and the authenticator are described in the authentication context in a specific format. 
     The unit integrating device comprises a device information storage module, a first authentication constituting process execution request sending module, a second authentication constituting process execution request sending module, an authentication processing result information generating module, and an authentication processing result information sending module. 
     The device information storage module stores, in association with one another, unit device specifying information for each of the unit devices, a function name indicating a function in an authentication constituting process executed by each of the unit devices, and a processing order indicating the order of processing the functions. 
     The first authentication constituting process execution request sending module sends the challenge value and the authentication constituting process execution request to the unit device specified by the unit device specifying information in accordance with the processing order and the unit device specifying information in the device information storage module in response to an authentication processing execution request to request the execution of the authentication processing and the challenge value from the user terminal. 
     The second authentication constituting process execution request sending module sends the challenge value and the authentication constituting process execution request to the unit device subsequent to the sending destination unit device in the processing order in accordance with the processing order and the unit device specifying information in the device information storage module in response to the authentication constituting process result information from the unit device which is a sending destination of the authentication constituting process execution request. 
     The authentication processing result information generating module generates authentication processing result information in accordance with the processing order and the unit device specifying information in the unit device constituting information in response to the authentication constituting process result information from the unit device which is a sending destination of the authentication constituting process execution request when the sending destination unit device is the last unit device in the processing order. The authentication context in the authentication constituting process result information received from each of the unit devices and the execution result in the authentication constituting process result information received from the last unit device in the processing order are described in the authentication processing result information in a specific format. 
     The authentication processing result information sending module sends the authentication processing result information to the user terminal. 
     The user terminal comprises service request sending module, authentication processing execution request sending module, transfer module, and display. 
     The service request sending module sends, to the service providing device, a service request to request a service to the service providing device. 
     The authentication processing execution request sending module sends, to the unit integrating device, the challenge value and the authentication processing execution request in response to an authentication request which requests the user to perform the biometric authentication, and the challenge value from the service providing device. 
     The transfer module transfers, to the service providing device, authentication processing result information received from the unit integrating device. 
     The display module displays service information received from the service providing device. 
     The service providing device comprises a user information storage module, a service providing policy storage module, an authentication request sending module, a read module, and a service information sending module. 
     The user information storage module stores, in association with each other, user identification information in the user identification information certificate, and service user identification information which has a value different from that of the user identification information to identify the user. 
     The service providing policy storage module stores a service providing policy indicating conditions for providing services to the user. The service providing policy includes service identification information to identify the service, unit device specifying information used for the execution of the authentication constituting processes, the biometric authentication constituting process information to specify a biometric authentication constituting process including a biometric authentication algorithm, and a reference value indicating a reference for regarding the accuracy of the biometric authentication by the biometric authentication algorithm as proper. 
     The authentication request sending module generates and holds the challenge value and sends the challenge value and the authentication request to the user terminal in response to a service request from the user terminal. 
     The sending module sends the held challenge value, the authentication processing result information, and the service providing policy to the verifying device in response to authentication processing result information from the user terminal. 
     The read module searches the user information storage module in accordance with the user identification information and reads service user identification information associated with the user identification information in response to user identification information and a verification result from the verifying device when the verification result is proper. 
     The service information sending module sends the service information to the user terminal in accordance with the read service user identification information. 
     The verifying device comprises a public key storage module, a receiving module, a format verifying module, an authenticator verifying module, an equipment certificate verifying module, a user identification information certificate verifying module, an evaluation report verifying module, a challenge value verifying module, an execution result verifying module, and a user identification information sending module. 
     The public key storage module stores a public key to the equipment certificate issuer of each of the unit devices and a public key to the third-party organization. 
     The receiving module receives, from the service providing device, the challenge value, the authentication processing result information, and the service providing policy. 
     The format verifying module verifies that the received authentication processing result information fits the specific format. 
     The authenticator verifying module verifies an authenticator in the authentication context described in the received authentication processing result information. 
     The equipment certificate verifying module verifies the digital signature in the equipment certificate included in the authentication context described in the received authentication processing result information in accordance with the public key to the equipment certificate issuer. 
     The user identification information certificate verifying module verifies the digital signature in the user identification information certificate included in the authentication context described in the received authentication processing result information in accordance with the public key to the third-party organization. 
     The evaluation report verifying module verifies the evaluation report included in the authentication context described in the received authentication processing result information in accordance with the received service providing policy. 
     The challenge value verifying module verifies the challenge value in the authentication context described in the received authentication processing result information in accordance with the received challenge value. 
     The execution result verifying module verifies that the execution result described in the received authentication processing result information is proper. 
     The user identification information sending module sends, to the service providing device, the user identification information in the user identification information certificate used for the verification by the user identification information certificate verifying module and the execution result that indicates properness when all the verification results by the format verifying module, the authenticator verifying module, the equipment certificate verifying module, the user identification information certificate verifying module, the evaluation report verifying module, the challenge value verifying module, and the execution result verifying module are proper. 
     Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Each of the following devices can be embodied by a hardware configuration, or a combinational configuration of a hardware resource and software. As the software of the combinational configuration, a program which is previously installed in a computer of a corresponding device from a network or a storage medium and which enables the functions of the corresponding device is used. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a service providing system according to a first embodiment.  FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a service process in the system. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the service process comprises an authentication request process, two authentication constituting processes P 1  and P 2 , an authentication result verification process, a user information search process, and a service providing process. In the service process, an authentication result is verified in accordance with the execution results of the authentication constituting processes P 1  and P 2 , user information is searched in accordance with the authentication verification result, and a service is provided in accordance with the user information. Each of the authentication constituting processes P 1  and P 2  is executed by one of different first and second unit devices  40  and  50 . In the example shown here, the authentication constituting process P 1  is executed by the first unit device  40 , and the authentication constituting process P 2  is executed by the second unit device  50 . 
     Here, authentication processing refers to processing for checking whether a target (e.g., a person or a device) to be authenticated is proper. Being proper means that a standard by which a verifier approves of is satisfied. The authentication constituting process refers to a process that constitutes the authentication processing. For example, in authentication processing that uses biometric information, the authentication constituting process includes, 1) reading of biometric information, and 2) extraction of feature information. The 1) and 2) may be collectively referred to as one authentication constituting process. 
     The authentication processing comprises one or more authentication constituting processes, and these authentication constituting processes may be executed by different unit devices. A subsequent authentication constituting process may be executed with or without reference to a previous authentication constituting process. 
     The service providing system comprises a user terminal  10 , a service providing device  20 , a unit integrating device  30 , the first unit device  40 , the second unit device  50 , and a verifying device  60 . The unit devices  40  and  50  independently execute the authentication constituting processes P 1  and P 2  constituting the authentication processing that uses biometric information. For example, a fingerprint sensor or a CCD camera can be suitably used as the first unit device  40 . For example, a SIM card, an IC card, or a micro SD card can be suitably used as the second unit device  50 . For example, a mobile telephone can be used as the unit integrating device  30 , and can have each of the unit devices  40  and  50  provided therein or externally connected thereto to communicate with each of the unit devices  40  and  50 . For connection to an external storage medium, various cards serving as storage media and an interface such as a universal serial bus (USB) can be suitably used. The user terminal  10  can have the unit integrating device  30  provided therein or externally connected thereto to communicate with the unit integrating device  30 . The verifying device  60  verifies the execution contents of each of the authentication constituting processes P 1  and P 2  in accordance with an authenticator. The service providing device  20  can communicate with the user terminal  10  and the verifying device  60 . 
     Here, the user terminal  10  has a normal computer function, and comprises, for example, a communication unit  11  and a display unit  12 . 
     The communication unit  11  has, for example, the following functions (f 11 - 1 ) to (f 11 - 3 ): 
     (f 11 - 1 ) A service request sending function to send, to the service providing device  20 , a service request to request a service to the service providing device  20 . 
     (f 11 - 2 ) An authentication processing execution request sending function to send a challenge value and processing execution request to the unit integrating device  30  in response to an authentication request which requests a user to perform a biometric authentication, and the random challenge value generated by the service providing device  20  from the service providing device  20 . 
     (f 11 - 3 ) A transfer function to transfer, to the service providing device  20 , authentication processing result information received from the unit integrating device  30 . 
     The display unit  12  has, for example, a display function to display service information received from the service providing device  20 . 
     The service providing device  20  comprises a communication unit  21 , a service providing unit  22 , and a storage unit  23 . 
     The communication unit  21  is a communication interface between the service providing unit  22  and each of the devices  10  and  60 . The following explanations do not mention that a communication is performed through the communication unit  21 . 
     The service providing unit  22  has, for example, the following functions (f 22 - 1 ) to (f 22 - 4 ): 
     (f 22 - 1 ) An authentication request sending function to generate and hold a challenge value and send the challenge value and an authentication request to the user terminal  10  in response to a service request from the user terminal  10 . 
     (f 22 - 2 ) A sending function to send the held challenge value, the authentication processing result information, and a service providing policy to the verifying device  60  in response to the authentication processing result information from the user terminal  10 . 
     (f 22 - 3 ) A read function to search the storage unit  23  in accordance with the user identification information and read service user identification information associated with the user identification information in response to user identification information and a verification result from the verifying device  60  when the verification result is proper. 
     (f 22 - 4 ) A service information sending function to send service information to the user terminal  10  in accordance with the read service user identification information. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , user information  23   a  and a service providing policy  23   b  are stored in the storage unit  23 . 
     The user identification information in a user identification information certificate, and the service user identification information which has a value different from that of the user identification information to identify a user are described in the user information  23   a  in association with each other. The service user identification information is, for example, a credit card number or a bank card number, and is identification information provided to the user by an operator (e.g., a credit sales company or a bank) of the service providing device  20 . As the user information  23   a , it is possible to suitably use a user name, an address, a password, an account number, trusted third party (TTP, also briefly referred to as a third-party organization) information, the user identification information in the user identification information certificate, a service providing classification that indicates the classification of service provision, and address information for the user terminal  10 . The service information is, for example, information for users that can be provided by a credit sales company (e.g., usage state reference and a guide for discount service member stores), and is stored in an unshown storage unit (not shown). 
     The service providing policy  23   b  indicates conditions for providing services, and includes, for example, the service providing classification that indicates the classification of service provision, unit device specifying information (information to specify the first unit device  40  and the unit device  50 ) used for the execution of the authentication constituting processes, biometric authentication constituting process information to specify a biometric authentication constituting process including a biometric authentication algorithm, and a reference value indicating a reference for regarding the accuracy of the biometric authentication by the biometric authentication algorithm as proper. As the reference value, it is possible to suitably use, for example, a false acceptance rate (FAR) and/or a false rejection rate (FRR). 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the unit integrating device  30  comprises a communication unit  31 , a control unit  32 , a device information storage unit  33 , and a result information integrating unit  34 . 
     The communication unit  31  is a communication interface between the control unit  32  and each of the devices  10 ,  40 , and  50 . The following explanations do not mention that a communication is performed through the communication unit  31 . 
     The control unit  32  has, for example, the following functions (f 32 - 1 ) to (f 32 - 4 ): 
     (f 32 - 1 ) A first authentication constituting process execution request sending function to send the challenge value and the authentication constituting process execution request to the unit device  40  specified by the unit device specifying information in accordance with the processing order and the unit device specifying information in the device information storage unit  33  in response to an authentication processing execution request to request the execution of authentication processing and a challenge value from the user terminal  10 . 
     (f 32 - 2 ) A second authentication constituting process execution request sending function to send a challenge value and an authentication constituting process execution request to the unit device  50  subsequent to the sending destination unit device  40  in the processing order in accordance with the processing order and the unit device specifying information in the device information storage unit  33  in response to authentication constituting process result information from the first unit device  40  which is a sending destination of the authentication constituting process execution request. 
     (f 32 - 3 ) An authentication processing result information generating function to generate authentication processing result information in accordance with the processing order and the unit device specifying information in unit device constituting information in response to the authentication constituting process result information from the unit device  50  which is a sending destination of the authentication constituting process execution request when the sending destination unit device  50  is the last unit device in the processing order. An authentication context in the authentication constituting process result information received from each of the unit devices  40  and  50  and the execution result in the authentication constituting process result information received from the last unit device in the processing order are described in the authentication processing result information in a specific format. This authentication processing result information generating function (f 32 - 3 ) may be enabled, for example, by sending, to the result information integrating unit  34 , the authentication constituting process result information received from each of the unit devices  40  and  50  and authentication constituting process result information integrating request and receiving authentication processing result information from the result information integrating unit  34 . 
     (f 32 - 4 ) An authentication processing result information sending function to send the authentication processing result information to the user terminal  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , a unit device constituting information  33   a  is stored in the device information storage unit  33 . Unit device specifying information for each unit device, a function name indicating a function in an authentication constituting process executed by each unit device, and a processing order indicating the order of processing the functions are described in the unit device constituting information  33   a  in association with one another. 
     The result information integrating unit  34  integrates the authentication constituting process result information received from the control unit  32  and then sends the authentication processing result information to the control unit  32 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the first and second unit devices  40  and  50  comprise communication units  41  and  51 , control units  42  and  52 , secret information managing units  45  and  55 , authenticator generating units  46  and  56 , equipment certificate storage units  44  and  54 , authentication context generating units  47  and  57 , and result information generating units  48  and  58 . The first unit device  40  comprises an authentication constituting process P 1  executing unit  43 . The sending destination unit device  50  comprises an authentication constituting process P 2  executing unit  53 . 
     Here, the communication units  41  and  51  are communication interfaces between the control units  42  and  52   a  and the devices  30 ,  50 , and  40 . The following explanations do not mention that a communication is performed through the communication units  41  and  51 . 
     The control units  42  and  52  have a function to control the units  41 ,  43  to  48  and  51 ,  53  to  58  to create authentication constituting process result information in accordance with the authentication constituting process execution request received from the unit integrating device  30  and send the authentication constituting process result information to the unit integrating device  30 . 
     The control units  42  and  52  have, for example, the following functions (f 42 - 1  and f 52 - 1 ): 
     (f 42 - 1  and f 52 - 1 ) A function to send an execution request to the authentication constituting process P 1  executing unit  43  and the authentication constituting process P 2  executing unit  53  in response to a random challenge value generated by the service providing device  20  and an authentication constituting process execution request that requests the execution of the authentication constituting process from the unit integrating device  30 . 
     (f 42 - 2  and f 52 - 2 ) A function to send, to the authentication context generating units  47  and  57 , execution results and challenge values in the authentication constituting process P 1  executing unit  43  and the execution result in the authentication constituting process P 2  executing unit  53 . 
     (f 42 - 3  and f 52 - 3 ) A function to send, to the result information generating units  48  and  58 , authentication contexts sent from the authentication context generating units  47  and  57  and the execution results in the executing units  43  and  53 . 
     (f 42 - 4  and f 52 - 4 ) A function to send, to the unit integrating device  30 , the authentication constituting process result information sent from the result information generating units  48  and  58 . 
     In response to an execution request from the control unit  42 , the authentication constituting process P 1  executing unit  43  executes an authentication constituting process P 1 , and sends the execution result to the control unit  42 . 
     In response to an execution request from the control unit  52 , the authentication constituting process P 2  executing unit  53  reads user unique information  55   a  from the secret information managing unit  55 , executes an authentication constituting process P 2 , and sends the execution result and the user identification information certificate in the user unique information  55   a  to the control unit  52 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , equipment certificates (equipment public key certificates)  44   a  and  54   a  of the devices  40  and  50  and, and evaluation reports  44   b  and  54   b  of the devices are stored in the equipment certificate storage units  44  and  54 . The equipment certificates  44   a  and  54   a  are issued to the unit devices  40  and  50  by an equipment certificate issuer in accordance with a public key encryption method. The equipment certificates  44   a  and  54   a  include an equipment certificate body and a digital signature generated for the equipment certificate body by a secret key to the equipment certificate issuer. The equipment certificate body including identification information for a public key of or for secret information to generate a message authentication code of the unit device to which the authentication constituting processes P 1  and P 2  belong, unit device specifying information to specify the unit devices  40  and  50  to which the authentication constituting processes P 1  and P 2  belong, and equipment certificate issuer information to specify the equipment certificate issuer. Here, the “information corresponding to the secret information” indicates information to specify a public key such as a public certificate. This also applies to the explanations in the following embodiments. The equipment certificate body may further comprise data on items including a field, a version, a serial number of the equipment certificate, a signature algorithm, an expiration date, and a biometric authentication device manufacturer. 
     The evaluation reports  44   b  and  54   b  include unit device specifying information (first unit device specifying information in  FIG. 7  and second unit device specifying information in  FIG. 8 ) for the authentication constituting processes P 1  and P 2 , biometric authentication constituting process information to specify a biometric authentication constituting process including a biometric authentication algorithm used for execution, and biometric authentication accuracy indicating the accuracy of the biometric authentication by the biometric authentication algorithm. As the biometric authentication accuracy, it is possible to suitably use, for example, accuracy that fulfils a standardized matching accuracy evaluation reference (e.g., the aforementioned FRR or FAR) defined by a standardization association. 
     Evaluation items such as security may be attached to the evaluation reports  44   b  and  54   b . An issuer of the evaluation reports  44   b  and  54   b  issues evaluation reports to the unit devices  40  and  50  authorized by, for example, a certificate authority (CA) based on a public key infrastructure. This certificate authority functions to evaluate and authorize biometric authentication accuracy that indicates the accuracy of the biometric authentication by the biometric authentication algorithm in the unit devices  40  and  50  in response to an application from a manufacturer of the unit devices  40  and  50 . The certificate authority also functions to send the evaluation of the authorized contents to the requested manufacturer, and may add an electronic signature to the evaluation. 
     Secret information  1  for previously generating an authenticator is stored in the secret information managing unit  45 . A secret key (not shown) corresponding to the public key to the first unit device  40  in the aforementioned equipment certificate  44   a  is also stored in the secret information managing unit  45 . 
     Secret information  2  for previously generating an authenticator, and the user unique information  55   a  unique to the user are stored in the secret information managing unit  55 . A secret key (not shown) corresponding to the public key to the second unit device  50  in the aforementioned equipment certificate  54   a  is also stored in the secret information managing unit  55 . 
     It is also possible to use identification information for secret information for the generation of a message authentication code (MAC) instead of the public keys in the equipment certificates  44   a  and  54   a  (the public key to the first unit device in  FIG. 7 , and the public key to the second unit device in  FIG. 8 ). 
     Here, the secret information  1  and the secret information  2  are provided to the first unit device and the second unit device, respectively. The secret information  1  or  2  is a pair of a secret key and a public key in the public key encryption method, for example, when the authenticator is a digital signature. The secret information  1  or  2  is a common key previously shared with the verifying device  60 , for example, when the authenticator is a message authentication code. When the authenticator is a digital signature, public key certificates which correspond to the secret keys and which have been previously issued from the authority are stored in the secret information managing units  45  and  55 . Although these public key certificates are assumed to be different from the aforementioned equipment certificates  44   a  and  54   a , the aforementioned equipment certificates  44   a  and  54   a  may be used. When the equipment certificates  44   a  and  54   a  are used as the public key certificates, an authenticator is generated in accordance with the secret keys corresponding to the public keys to the unit devices  40  and  50 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the user unique information  55   a  includes a user identification information certificate  55   b . The user unique information  55   a  may further include user biometric referential information  55   c.    
     The user identification information certificate  55   b  is issued to the user of the user terminal  10  by a third-party organization (TTP) in accordance with the public key encryption method. The user identification information certificate  55   b  includes a certificate body and a digital signature generated for the certificate body by a secret key to the TTP. The certificate body includes user identification information to identify the user, a hash value of biometric referential information for the user, and the TTP information to identify the TTP. The user identification information in the user identification information certificate  55   b  is provided by the TTP. 
     The authenticator generating units  46  and  56  generate an authenticator for input data by the use of secret information read from the secret information managing units  45  and  55 . As the authenticator, it is possible to suitably use, for example, a digital signature or a message authentication code. 
     Here, the authenticator generating unit  46  functions to generate an authenticator by the use of the secret information  1  in the secret information managing unit  45  in accordance with the equipment certificate  44   a , the evaluation report  44   b , the challenge value, and the hash value of the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 1  as execution contents that are received from the authentication context generating unit  47 . The authenticator generating unit  46  also functions to send the generated authenticator to the authentication context generating unit  47 . 
     The authenticator generating unit  56  functions to generate an authenticator by the use of the secret information  2  in the secret information managing unit  55  in accordance with the equipment certificate  54   a , the evaluation report  54   b , the challenge value, the user identification information certificate  55   b , and the hash value of the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 2  as execution contents that are received from the authentication context generating unit  57 . The authenticator generating unit  56  also functions to send the generated authenticator to the authentication context generating unit  57 . 
     The authentication context generating units  47  and  57  form, into a specific format, information regarding the execution of the authentication constituting process P 1  executing unit  43  and the authentication constituting process P 2  executing unit  53  and the authenticators output by the authenticator generating units  46  and  56 , and output the results. In this text, formed information that is not easily put into the specific format by the authentication context generating units  47  and  57  is described as an authentication context. 
     Here, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the authentication context generating unit  47  functions to generate a first authentication context c 1 . In the first authentication context c 1 , the equipment certificate  44   a  and the evaluation report  44   b  in the equipment certificate storage unit  44 , the challenge value and the execution contents received from the control unit  42 , and the authenticator received from the authenticator generating unit  46  are described in a specific format. The authentication context generating unit  47  also functions to send the generated first authentication context c 1  to the control unit  42 . 
     The first authentication context c 1  comprises, for example, a header block c 1   h , a data block c 1   d , and an authenticator block c 1   a.    
     The equipment certificate  44   a  and the evaluation report  44   b  in the first unit device  40  are described in the header block c 1   h . The first unit device specifying information to specify the first unit device  40 , and information regarding the structure of the first authentication context c 1  may be further described in the header block c 1   h.    
     The challenge value from the service providing device  20 , and the hash value of the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 1  as execution contents are described in the data block c 1   d . Information included in an authentication constituting process P 1  execution request may be further described in the data block c 1   d.    
     The authenticator received from the authenticator generating unit  46  is described in the authenticator block c 1   a.    
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , the authentication context generating unit  57  functions to generate a second authentication context c 2 . In the second authentication context c 2 , the equipment certificate  54   a  and the evaluation report  54   b  in the equipment certificate storage unit  54 , the challenge value and the execution contents received from the control unit  52 , and the authenticator received from the authenticator generating unit  56  are described in a specific format. The authentication context generating unit  57  also functions to send the generated second authentication context c 2  to the control unit  52 . 
     The second authentication context c 2  comprises, for example, a header block c 2   h , a data block c 2   d , and an authenticator block c 2   a.    
     The equipment certificate  54   a  and the evaluation report  54   b  in the second unit device  50  are described in the header block c 2   h . The second unit device specifying information to specify the second unit device  50 , and information regarding the structure of the second authentication context c 2  may be further described in the header block c 2   h.    
     The challenge value from the service providing device  20 , the hash value of the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 2  as execution contents, and the user identification information certificate  55   b  of the user are described in the data block c 2   d . Data corresponding to the hash value of the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 1  is further stored in the data block c 2   d . This means that the data corresponding to the hash values of the respective execution results are stored so that the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 1  as an input and the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 2  as an output are a pair of data. Information included in an authentication constituting process P 2  execution request may be further described in the data block c 2   d.    
     The authenticator received from the authenticator generating unit  56  is described in the authenticator block c 2   a.    
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , the result information generating unit  48  functions to generate first authentication constituting process result information b 1 . In the first authentication constituting process result information b 1 , the first authentication context c 1  received from the control unit  42 , and the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 1  are described in a specific format. The result information generating unit  48  also functions to send the generated first authentication constituting process result information b 1  to the control unit  42 . 
     The first authentication constituting process result information b 1  comprises, for example, a header block b 1   h , a data block b 1   d , and a security block b 1   s.    
     First unit device specifying information similar to that in the equipment certificate  44   a  within the first authentication context c 1  is described in the header block b 1   h . Information regarding the structure of the first authentication constituting process result information b 1  may be further described in the header block b 1   h.    
     The execution result of the authentication constituting process P 1  by the authentication constituting process P 1  executing unit  43  is described in the data block bid. 
     The first authentication context c 1  is described in the security block b 1   s . Information regarding the encryption of the data block b 1   d , authenticators provided to the header block b 1   h  and the data block b 1   d , and information regarding the authenticators may be further described in the security block bis. 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , the result information generating unit  58  functions to generate second authentication constituting process result information b 2 . In the second authentication constituting process result information b 2 , the second authentication context c 2  received from the control unit  52 , and the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 2  are described in a specific format. The result information generating unit  58  also functions to send the generated second authentication constituting process result information b 2  to the control unit  52 . 
     The second authentication constituting process result information b 2  comprises, for example, a header block b 2   h , a data block b 2   d , and a security block b 2   s.    
     Second unit device specifying information similar to that in the equipment certificate  54   a  within the second authentication context c 2  is described in the header block b 2   h . Information regarding the structure of the second authentication constituting process result information b 2  may be further described in the header block b 2   h.    
     The execution result of the authentication constituting process P 2  by the authentication constituting process P 2  executing unit  53  is described in the data block b 2   d.    
     The second authentication context c 2  is described in the security block b 2   s . Information regarding the encryption of the data block b 2   d , authenticators provided to the header block b 2   h  and the data block b 2   d , and information regarding the authenticators may be further described in the security block b 2   s . The security block b 2   s  may further include the first authentication context c 1  included in the security block b 1   s  of the first authentication constituting process result information b 1 . 
     As described above, the first authentication constituting process result information b 1  and the second authentication constituting process result information b 2  are integrated into authentication processing result information b by the unit integrating device  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 , the authentication processing result information b comprises, for example, a header block bh, a data block bd, and a security block bs. The header block bh and the data block bd may be omitted as required by a system. 
     First and second unit device specifying information extracted from the header blocks b 1   h  and b 2   h  in the first authentication constituting process result information b 1  and the second authentication constituting process result information b 2  are described in the header block bh. Information regarding the structure of the authentication processing result information b may be further described in the header block bh. 
     The execution result of the authentication constituting process P 2  extracted from the data block b 2   d  in the second authentication constituting process result information b 2  is described in the data block bd. 
     The first and second authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  extracted from the security blocks b 1   s  and b 2   s  in the first authentication constituting process result information b 1  and the second authentication constituting process result information b 2  are described in the security block bs. Information regarding the encryption of the data block bd, authenticators provided to the header block bh and the data block bd, and information regarding the authenticators may be further described in the security block bs. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the verifying device  60  comprises a communication unit  61 , a verifying unit  62 , and a storage unit  63 . 
     The communication unit  61  is a communication interface between the verifying unit  62  and the service providing device  20 . The following explanations do not mention that a communication is performed through the communication unit  61 . 
     The verifying unit  62  has, for example, the following functions (f 62 - 1 ) to (f 62 - 9 ): 
     (f 62 - 1 ) A receiving function to receive, from the service providing device  20 , the challenge value, the authentication processing result information b, and the service providing policy  23   b.    
     (f 62 - 2 ) A format verifying function to verify that the received authentication processing result information b fits the specific format. 
     (f 62 - 3 ) An authenticator verifying function to verify authenticators in the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  described in the received authentication processing result information b. 
     (f 62 - 4 ) An equipment certificate verifying function to verify the digital signatures in the equipment certificates  44   a  and  54   a  included in the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  described in the received authentication processing result information b in accordance with the public key to the equipment certificate issuer in the storage unit  63 . 
     (f 62 - 5 ) A user identification information certificate verifying function to verify the digital signature in the user identification information certificate  55   b  included in the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  described in the received authentication processing result information b in accordance with the public key to the third-party organization in the storage unit  63 . 
     (f 62 - 6 ) An evaluation report verifying function to verify the evaluation reports  44   b  and  54   b  included in the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  described in the received authentication processing result information b in accordance with the received service providing policy  23   b.    
     (f 62 - 7 ) A challenge value verifying function to verify the challenge values in the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  described in the received authentication processing result information b in accordance with the received challenge value. 
     (f 62 - 8 ) An execution result verifying function to verify that the execution result described in the received authentication processing result information b is proper. 
     (f 62 - 9 ) A user identification information sending function to send, to the service providing device  20 , the user identification information in the user identification information certificate  55   b  used for the verification by the user identification information certificate verifying function and the verification result that indicates properness when all the verification results by the format verifying function, the authenticator verifying function, the equipment certificate verifying function, the user identification information certificate verifying function, the evaluation report verifying function, the challenge value verifying function, and the execution result verifying function are proper. 
     The storage unit  63  is a storage device readable/writable from the verifying unit  62 . As shown in.  FIG. 15 , the public key to the equipment certificate issuer of each of the unit devices  40  and  50  and the public key to the TTP are stored in the storage unit  63 . Information identical or corresponding to secret information  1  and secret information  2  for the unit devices  40  and  50  may be stored in the storage unit  63 . The information in the storage unit  63  is omitted when the authenticator is generated by the secret key to each of the unit devices  40  and  50  (because the authenticator can be verified by the public key to each of the unit devices  40  and  50  in the equipment certificates  44   a  and  54   a ). 
     Now, the operation of the authentication system having the above configuration is described with reference to flowcharts in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 16  to  FIG. 20 . 
     In the user terminal  10 , the user selects a service in accordance with a screen displayed on the display unit  12 . Accordingly, as shown in  FIG. 10 , a service request is sent to the service providing device  20  from the user terminal  10  (ST 1 ), and a service process is thereby started. The service request may include, for example, the specification of an authentication method to be performed, and the specification of a method of communication between the user terminal  10  and the unit integrating device  30 . 
     In the service providing device  20 , when the service providing unit  22  receives the service request (ST 2 ), the following authentication processing is performed in accordance with an authentication method that is predetermined or that is specified by the service request. The service providing unit  22  generates a challenge value comprising, for example, random numbers (ST 3 ), and then holds the challenge value and sends this challenge value and an authentication request to the user terminal  10  (ST 4 ). The authentication request may include, for example, information that specifies authentication processing, and information that specifies several matching algorithms. 
     In response to the challenge value and the authentication request (ST 5 ), the user terminal  10  sends the challenge value and an authentication processing execution request to the unit integrating device  30  (ST 6 ). 
     When the unit integrating device  30  receives the challenge value and the authentication processing execution request (ST 7 ), the control unit  32  searches the unit device constituting information  33   a  of the device information storage unit  33  and thus judges the processing order of the first unit device  40  and the second unit device  50 . 
     Subsequently, as shown in  FIG. 17 , the unit integrating device  30  sends a challenge value and an authentication constituting process P 1  execution request to the first unit device  40  which comes first in the processing order (ST 8 ). 
     When the first unit device  40  receives the challenge value and the authentication constituting process P 1  execution request (ST 9 ), the control unit  42  causes the authentication constituting process P 1  executing unit  43  to execute the authentication constituting process P 1  in accordance with authentication processing that is predetermined or that is specified by the authentication request from the service providing device  20 , thereby obtaining an execution result (ST 10 ). That is, as shown in  FIG. 5  by way of example, the authentication constituting process P 1  obtains, as an execution result, biometric information (e.g., fingerprint information) generated by a function of sequentially executing a data collection function for collecting biometric data for the user and a signal processing function for the signal processing of the collected biometric data. 
     The control unit  42  then sends, to the authentication context generating unit  47 , the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 1  and the challenge value from the service providing device  20 . 
     The authentication context generating unit  47  describes the header block c 1   h  and the data block c 1   d  of the first authentication context c 1  to generate context information comprising the blocks c 1   h  and c 1   d  (ST 11 ), and sends the context information to the authenticator generating unit  46 . 
     When receiving the context information, the authenticator generating unit  46  reads the secret information  1  for authenticator generation from the secret information managing unit  45  (ST 12 ). The authenticator generating unit  46  then uses the secret information  1  to generate an authenticator in accordance with the context information, and sends the authenticator to the authentication context generating unit  47 . 
     The authentication context generating unit  47  describes this authenticator in the authenticator block c 1   a , and generates a first authentication context c 1  comprising three blocks c 1   h , c 1   d , and c 1   a  (ST 13 ). 
     When receiving the first authentication context c 1  from the authentication context generating unit  47 , the control unit  42  sends the first authentication context c 1  and the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 1  to the result information generating unit  48 . 
     The result information generating unit  48  describes the first authentication context c 1  and the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 1  in a specific format to generate first authentication constituting process result information b 1  (ST 14 ), and sends the first authentication constituting process result information b 1  to the control unit  42 . 
     The control unit  42  uses the communication unit  41  to send the first authentication constituting process result information b 1  to the unit integrating device  30  (ST 15 ). 
     When the unit integrating device  30  receives the first authentication constituting process result information b 1  (ST 16 ), the control unit  32  then sends the first authentication constituting process result information b 1  and an authentication constituting process P 2  execution request to the second unit device  50  which comes next in the processing order in accordance with the execution result in the device information storage unit  33 , as shown in  FIG. 18  (ST 17 ). 
     When the second unit device  50  receives the challenge value, the first authentication constituting process result information b 1 , and the authentication constituting process P 2  execution request (ST 18 ), the control unit  52  sends, to the authentication constituting process P 2  executing unit  53 , the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 1  extracted from the first authentication constituting process result information b 1 , and an execution request, in accordance with the authentication processing that is predetermined or that is specified by the authentication request from the service providing device  20 . 
     The authentication constituting process P 2  executing unit  53  reads the user unique information  55   a  from the secret information managing unit  55  (ST 19 ), and executes the authentication constituting process P 2  in accordance with the user biometric referential information  55   c  out of the user unique information and the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 1  (ST 20 ), thereby obtaining an execution result. That is, as shown in  FIG. 5  by way of example, the authentication constituting process P 2  obtains, as an execution result, successful authentication (unsuccessful authentication) by the processing of sequentially executing a storage function for storing the biometric referential information for the user, a matching function for matching the user biometric information against the biometric referential information  55   c , and a judging function for judging by the matching result whether the authentication is successful. The authentication constituting process P 2  executing unit  53  may compare the hash value calculated from the user biometric referential information  55   c  with the hash value of the biometric referential information in the user identification information certificate  55   b , and further perform processing to judge that the authentication is unsuccessful regardless of the result of the authentication constituting process P 2  when the hash values do not correspond to each other. 
     The control unit  52  then sends, to the authentication context generating unit  57 , the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 2 , the user identification information certificate  55   b  out of the user unique information, and the challenge value. 
     The authentication context generating unit  57  describes the header block c 2   h  and the data block c 2   d  of the second authentication context c 2  to generate context information comprising the blocks c 2   h  and c 2   d  (ST 21 ), and sends the context information to the authenticator generating unit  56 . 
     When receiving the context information, the authenticator generating unit  56  reads the secret information  2  for authenticator generation from the secret information managing unit  55  (ST 22 ). The authenticator generating unit  56  then uses the secret information  2  to generate an authenticator in accordance with the context information, and sends the authenticator to the authentication context generating unit  57 . 
     The authentication context generating unit  57  describes this authenticator in the authenticator block c 2   a , and generates a second authentication context c 2  comprising three blocks c 2   h , c 2   d , and c 2   a  (ST 23 ). 
     When receiving the second authentication context c 2  from the authentication context generating unit  57 , the control unit  52  sends the second authentication context c 2  and the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 2  to the result information generating unit  58 . 
     The result information generating unit  58  describes the second authentication context c 2  and the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 2  in a specific format to generate second authentication constituting process result information b 2  (ST 24 ), and sends the second authentication constituting process result information b 2  to the control unit  52 . 
     The control unit  52  uses the communication unit  51  to send the second authentication constituting process result information b 2  to the unit integrating device  30  (ST 25 ). 
     The unit integrating device  30  receives the second authentication constituting process result information b 2  (ST 26 ). As shown in  FIG. 19 , the control unit  32  ascertains that the processing of all the authentication constituting processes has been finished, and then sends the first authentication constituting process result information b 1  and the second authentication constituting process result information b 2  to the result information integrating unit  34 . The result information integrating unit  34  generates authentication processing result information b (ST 27 ). In the authentication processing result information b, the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  in the authentication constituting process result information b 1  and b 2 , and the execution result in the authentication constituting process result information b 2  received from the last second unit device  50  in the processing order are described in a specific format. 
     The unit integrating device  30  sends the generated authentication processing result information b to the user terminal  10  (ST 28 ). 
     When receiving the authentication processing result information b (ST 29 ), the user terminal  10  sends the authentication processing result information b to the service providing device  20  as the result for the authentication request (ST 30 ). 
     When receiving the authentication processing result information b (ST 31 ), the service providing device  20  sends, to the verifying device  60 , the challenge value previously held in step ST 3 , the authentication processing result information b, and the service providing policy  23   b  in the storage unit  23  (ST 32 ). 
     When the verifying device  60  receives the challenge value, the authentication processing result information b, and the service providing policy  23   b  (ST 33 ), the verifying unit  62  starts verification. 
     The verifying unit  62  verifies that the received authentication processing result information b fits the specific format. For example, the verifying unit  62  verifies that there is no missing information in the authentication processing result information b. 
     The verifying unit  62  verifies the authenticators in the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  described in the received authentication processing result information b. The authenticators are verified by the corresponding public keys, for example, when the authenticators are digital signatures. The authenticators are verified by the common key previously shared by the unit devices  40  and  50  when the authenticators are message authentication codes. 
     The verifying unit  62  verifies the digital signatures in the equipment certificates  44   a  and  54   a  included in the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  described in the received authentication processing result information b in accordance with the public key to the equipment certificate issuer in the storage unit  63 . 
     The verifying unit  62  verifies the digital signature in the user identification information certificate  55   b  included in the authentication context c 2  described in the received authentication processing result information b in accordance with the public key to the third-party organization in the storage unit  63 . 
     The verifying unit  62  verifies the evaluation reports  44   b  and  54   b  included in the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  described in the received authentication processing result information b in accordance with the received service providing policy  23   b . Levels are assigned to the service providing classifications of the service providing policy  23   b . The verification result by the verifying unit  62  is a service providing classification at the highest level that conforms to the service providing policy  23   b . Here, the “level” means the level of a service. For example, conditions based on various perspectives correspond to the “level”: a money-based condition that permits use up to ten thousand yen or fifty thousand yen, or a time-based condition. This also applies to the explanations in the following embodiments. 
     The verifying unit  62  verifies the challenge values in the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  described in the received authentication processing result information b in accordance with the received challenge value. 
     The verifying unit  62  verifies that the execution result described in the received authentication processing result information b is proper. 
     Subsequently, the verifying unit  62  judges whether all the verification results described above are proper (ST 34 ). When even one of the verification results is not proper (ST 34 ; improper), the verifying unit  62  judges this fact to be invalid, and reports the invalidity to the service providing device  20  (ST 35 ). The service providing device  20  receives the invalidity report (ST 36 ), and reports the invalidity to the user terminal  10  (ST 37 ). The user terminal  10  receives the invalidity report (ST 38 ), and finishes the processing (ST 39 ). 
     On the other hand, when all the verification results are proper (ST 34 ; proper), the verifying device  60  reads the user identification information from the user identification information certificate  55   b  used for the verification (ST 40 ). As shown in  FIG. 20 , the verifying device  60  then sends, to the service providing device  20 , the user identification information, the verification result that indicates properness, and the service providing classification which is the verification result of the service providing policy  23   b  (ST 41 ). 
     The service providing device  20  receives the user identification information and the verification result (ST 42 ). When the verification result is proper, the service providing unit  22  then searches the storage unit  23  in accordance with the user identification information, and reads service user identification information (e.g., a credit card number) associated with the user identification information (ST 43 ). 
     The service providing unit  22  extracts service information for users from the unshown storage unit in accordance with the read service user identification information (ST 44 ), and sends the service information for users to the user terminal  10  (ST 45 ). The service information provided for users is service information at a lower level selected from the level of the service providing classification of the user information  23   a  and the level of the service providing classification which is the verification result by the verifying device  60 . The user identification information in the user identification information certificate  55   b  is provided by the TTP, and is different from the service user identification information provided by the operator of the service providing device  20 . 
     The user terminal  10  receives the service information for users (ST 46 ), and finishes the processing (ST 47 ). 
     As described above, according to the present embodiment, verification is performed by the use of the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2 , the equipment certificates  44   a  and  54   a , the evaluation reports  44   b  and  54   b , the user identification information certificate  55   b , the service providing policy  23   b , and the challenge value. This configuration eliminates the necessity of carrying and presenting a card such as a credit card or a bank card having service user identification information therein, and enables the identification of a user. 
     In the present embodiment, it is possible to verify that the authentication constituting process is reliable from the aspects [1] to [7] shown below. 
     [1] By the configuration that verifies the format of the authentication processing result information b, it is possible to check that there are no inadequacies in the authentication processing result information b serving for verification. 
     [2] By the configuration that verifies the authenticator, it is possible to check that the execution contents and execution results of the unit devices  40  and  50  are not altered. 
     [3] By the configuration that verifies the evaluation reports  44   b  and  54   b , it is possible to check that the unit devices  40  and  50  are proper devices. 
     [4] By the configuration that verifies the user identification information certificate  55   b , it is possible to check that user identification information is proper user identification information for the user which has undergone biometric authentication. 
     [5] By the configuration that verifies the evaluation reports  44   b  and  54   b , it is possible to check that the unit devices  40  and  50  satisfy the service providing policy. 
     [6] By the configuration that verifies the challenge value, it is possible to check that there is no replay attack of the authentication processing result information b. It is assumed that the replay attack here is an attack in which a malicious third party holds the authentication processing result information b for the user collected from a network and then resends the authentication processing result information b to pretend to be this user. The challenge value is a random value generated for every authentication processing, so that even in the case of such a replay attack, the replay attack can be detected if the challenge value does not correspond. 
     [7] By the execution result verifying function, it is possible to check that the execution result of the biometric authentication is proper. 
     In the present embodiment, the user identification information in the user identification information certificate  55   b  is different from service user identification information such as a credit card number. Therefore, the service user identification information is not transmitted on the network, so that the possibility of the leakage of the service user identification information can be reduced. In addition, the user can use a service even if the user does not know the service user identification information. Thus, when the credit card is discontinued, inadvertent leakage of the service user identification information attributed to the user can be prevented. 
     The service providing system described in the present embodiment can be applied to various models of biometric authentications. 
     For example, in the case of an on-card matching (OCM) model of the biometric authentication, the first unit device  40  performs the collection and signal processing of biometric data. The second unit device  50  holds a template which is previously registered biometric referential information, checks the signal processing result from the first unit device  40  against the template, and outputs a judgment result based on the matching result. 
     In the case of a store on card (STOC) model of the biometric authentication, the first unit device  40  performs the collection and signal processing of biometric data. The unit device  50  holds a template which is previously registered biometric referential information, and supplies the template to the first unit device  40  or a third unit device. The third unit device is not described in the present embodiment, and is described here for the first time. The first unit device  40  or the third unit device checks the signal processing result from the first unit device  40  against the template, and outputs a judgment result based on the matching result. The third unit device is substantially similar in configuration and operation to the first unit device  40 . 
     Second Embodiment 
       FIG. 21  is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a service providing system according to a second embodiment. Parts similar to those in  FIG. 1  are indicated by the same reference signs and not described in detail. Here, differences are mainly described. Repeated explanations are not given in the following embodiments either. 
     The present embodiment is a modification of the present embodiment, and uses multimodal biometric authentication. The multimodal biometric authentication is biometric authentication that makes a judgment by mixing two or more matching results based on biometric information and thus permits more accurate biometric authentication. 
     The configuration of the unit device varies depending on which of the OCM and STOC models described in the end of the first embodiment is used for each piece of the biometric information. Meanwhile, the unit device that includes an actually used template functions in the same manner as the second unit device  50  according to the first embodiment. The unit device that includes no template and that performs the authentication constituting process operates in the same manner as the first unit device  40  according to the first embodiment. 
     Here, the OCM model is used. As shown, first and second unit devices  40  and  50  of a first scheme, and first and second unit devices  40  and  50  of a second scheme are provided. The first and second unit devices  40  and  50  of the first scheme and the first and second unit devices  40  and  50  of the second scheme are only different from each other in biometric authentication method (e.g., a fingerprint authentication method and a face authentication method), and have the same function blocks. 
     As shown in  FIG. 22 , in a unit integrating device  30 , a unit device constituting information  33   a ′ in a device information storage unit  33  is described in conformity to the first and second unit devices  40  and  50  of each scheme. 
     As shown in  FIG. 23 , in a service providing device  20 , user identification information in a user identification information certificate and TTP information in user information  23   a ′ within a storage unit  23  are described for the first scheme and the second scheme. 
     Regarding a service providing policy  23   b ′ within the storage unit  23 , biometric authentication constituting process information and a reference value of biometric authentication accuracy are described for the first scheme and the second scheme in one service A. 
     For example, biometric authentication constituting process information α and γ are provided for the first scheme, and biometric authentication constituting process information β and δ are provided for the second scheme. In this case, regarding the service A and a service B, it is possible to select and use the biometric authentication constituting process information α and γ for the first scheme, and the biometric authentication constituting process information β and δ for the second scheme. This is not limited to the service A and the service B, and is applied to target services. 
     As shown in  FIG. 24 , in a verifying device  60 , information and public keys identical or corresponding to secret information for the unit devices  40  and  50  of the storage unit  63  are described for the first scheme and the second scheme. 
     As shown in  FIG. 25 , in authentication processing result information b output by the unit integrating device  30 , first and second unit device specifying information, the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 2 , and first and second authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  are described in conformity to the first scheme and the second scheme. 
     Now, the operation of the service providing system having the above configuration is described with reference to the flowchart in  FIG. 26 . 
     Processes in steps ST 1  to ST 7  are performed in the manner described above. 
     Processes in steps ST 8  to ST 26  are performed so that the second scheme is performed after the first scheme. 
     Processes in steps ST 27  to ST 39  are performed in the manner described above. 
     In a process in step ST 40 , the verifying device  60  reads all the different user identification information. 
     Processes in steps ST 41  to ST 42  are performed in the manner described above. 
     In a process in step ST 43 , the service providing device  20  searches pieces of user identification information. 
     Processes in steps ST 44  to ST 47  are performed in the manner described above. 
     As described above, according to the present embodiment, the first and second unit devices  40  and  50  of the first scheme and the first and second unit devices  40  and  50  of the second scheme are provided. This configuration allows the application of the first embodiment to the multimodal biometric authentication. 
     Third Embodiment 
     Now, a service providing system according to a third embodiment is described. 
     The present embodiment is a modification of the present embodiment. In order to reduce the effect of the modification of a user identification information certificate  55   b  on a service providing device  20 , the service providing device  20  does not hold the user identification information in the user identification information certificate  55   b.    
     More specifically, as shown in  FIG. 27 , cooperated user information  63   a  is stored in a storage unit  63  of a verifying device  60  in addition to the aforementioned information and public keys identical or corresponding to secret information for unit devices  40  and  50 . In the cooperated user information  63   a , the user identification information in the user identification information certificate  55   b , and cooperated user identification information which has a value different from that of the user identification information to identify the user are described in association with each other. A user name, an address, a password, an account number, TTP information, and a service ID may be further described in the cooperated user information  63   a  in association with one another. 
     The verifying unit  62  has a next cooperated user identification information sending function (f 62 - 9 )′ instead of the aforementioned user identification information sending function (f 62 - 9 ): 
     (f 62 - 9 )′ A cooperated user identification information sending function to send, to the service providing device  20 , the cooperated user identification information read from the cooperated user information  63   a  in accordance with the user identification information in the user identification information certificate  55   b  used for the verification by the user identification information certificate verifying function and the verification result that indicates properness when all the verification results by the format verifying function, the authenticator verifying function, the equipment certificate verifying function, the user identification information certificate verifying function, the evaluation report verifying function, the challenge value verifying function, and the execution result verifying function are proper. 
     On the other hand, as shown in  FIG. 28 , user information  23   a ″ in which cooperated user identification information is described is stored in the storage unit  23  of the service providing device  20  instead of the aforementioned “user identification information in the user identification information certificate  55   b ” in the user information  23   a . The cooperated user identification information in the user information  23   a ″ is the same as the cooperated user identification information in the storage unit  63  of the verifying device  60 . The service user identification information in the user information  23   a ″ has a value different from those of the cooperated user identification information and the “user identification information in the user identification information certificate  55   b ” to identify the user, and is associated with the cooperated user identification information. 
     The service providing unit  22  has a next cooperated read function (f 22 - 3 )′ instead of the aforementioned read function (f 22 - 3 ): 
     (f 22 - 3 )′ A cooperated read function to search the storage unit  23  in accordance with the cooperated user identification information and read service user identification information associated with the cooperated user identification information in response to the cooperated user identification information and the verification result from the verifying device  60  when the verification result is proper. 
     Now, the operation of the service providing system having the above configuration is described with reference to flowchart in  FIG. 29 . 
     Processes in steps ST 1  to ST 40  are performed in the manner described above. 
     The verifying unit  62  of the verifying device  60  reads the cooperated user identification information from the storage unit  63  in accordance with the user identification information read in step ST 40  (ST 41 ′- 1 ), and sends, to the service providing device  20 , the read cooperated user identification information and the verification result that indicates properness (step ST 41 ′- 2 ). 
     In response to cooperated user identification information and the verification result (step ST 42 ′), the service providing device  20  searches the storage unit  23  in accordance with the cooperated user identification information when the verification result is proper, reads service user identification information (e.g., a credit card number) associated with the cooperated user identification information (step ST 43 ′), extracts service information for users from the service providing unit  22  (step ST 44 ), and sends the service information for users to the user terminal  10  (step ST 45 ). The cooperated user identification information is provided by the operator of the verifying device  60 , and is different from the service user identification information provided by the operator of the service providing device  20 . 
     The user terminal  10  receives the service information for users (ST 46 ), and finishes the processing (ST 47 ). 
     As described above, according to the present embodiment, the service providing device  20  does not hold the user identification information in the user identification information certificate  55   b . This configuration can reduce the effect of the modification of the user identification information on the service providing device  20 , in addition to the advantageous effects similar to those according to the first embodiment. 
     The present embodiment is a modification of the verifying device  60  and the service providing device  20 , and can therefore be applied not only as the modification of the first embodiment but also as the modification of the second embodiment. 
     According to at least one of the embodiments described above, the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2  have the equipment certificates  44   a  and  54   a , the evaluation reports  44   b  and  54   b , the challenge value from the service providing device  20 , and the hash value and the authenticator of the execution result of the authentication constituting process. The second authentication context c 2  further has the user identification information certificate. The authentication processing result information b has the execution result of the authentication constituting process P 2  and the authentication contexts c 1  and c 2 . According to this configuration, the verifying device  60  can perform verification by the verification functions. This eliminates the necessity of carrying and presenting a card having service user identification information therein, and enables the identification of a user. 
     As none of the devices  10  to  60  send and receive the service user identification information, the possibility of the leakage of the service user identification information can be reduced. 
     The method described in the embodiment can also be stored in a storage medium such as a magnetic disk (Floppy™ disk, hard disk, or the like), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD, or the like), a magneto-optical disk (MO), or a semiconductor memory as a program which can be executed by a computer and distributed. 
     As the storage medium, any configuration which is a computer-readable storage medium in which a program can be stored may be used regardless of a storage format. 
     An OS (operating system) which operates on a computer on the basis of an instruction of a program installed from the storage medium in the computer, database management software, and MW (middleware) such as network software may execute a part of the processes to realize the embodiment. 
     Furthermore, the storage medium according to the present invention includes not only a medium independent of a computer but also a storage medium in which a program transmitted through a LAN, the Internet, or the like is downloaded and stored or temporarily stored. 
     The number of storage media is not limited to one. A case in which the process in the embodiment is executed from a plurality of media is included in the storage medium according to the present invention. Any medium configuration may be used. 
     A computer according to the present invention is to execute the processes in the embodiments on the basis of the program stored in a storage medium. The computer may have any configuration such as one apparatus constituted by a personal computer or a system in which a plurality of apparatuses are connected by a network. 
     A computer in each embodiment includes not only a personal computer but also an arithmetic processing apparatus, a microcomputer, or the like included in an information processing apparatus. The computer is a generic name of an apparatus and a device which can realize the functions of the present invention by a program. 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.