Patent Publication Number: US-7913091-B2

Title: Authentication system, consolidation apparatus and program

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-152560, filed May 31, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an authentication system using an entity device and also to a consolidation apparatus and a program. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Authentication technologies are important for authentication of the other end of the line when realizing communications and services by way of networks. Authentication technologies have developed in recent years so as to be able to authenticate not only users of service resources but also equipment terminals, keeping pace with the dissemination of open network environments and the development of federation technologies of distributed service resources. 
     Normally, authentication technologies are required to rigorously identify or verify the object of authentication. When the object to be authenticated is a person, principal confirmation is required to rigorously confirm the identity of the person. 
     Biometrics (biometric verification/authentication technologies) is highly promising for applications of confirmation of individuals. Biometrics is a technology of verifying a physical/behavioral characteristic or a property of an individual for matching with the biometric information of the individual that is registered in advance (to be referred to as a biometric template hereinafter) to verify the authenticity of the individual. 
     Fingerprints, irises, retinas, faces, voices, key strokes, signatures can be used as biometric information among others. 
     In the biometrics, unlike an existing authentication method such as a password, a user&#39;s load is reduced because biometric information of which there is no worrying about a loss or forgetting is utilized. In addition, the biometric information presumes that it is difficult to duplicate the information, and is effective to prevent a user spoofing or the like. 
     However, with biometrics (to be referred to biometric authentication hereinafter), the outcome of matching can be greatly influenced by the environment of authentication unlike password authentication. The outcome of password authentication indicates that the individual is the right person or not regardless of the environment of authentication. In other words, it indicates that the individual is the right person or not regardless of the touch panel of the keyboard that is used for authentication. 
     To the contrary, the degree of similarity or the like relative to the biometric template exceeds a predetermined threshold value or not is expressed as the outcome of matching of biometric authentication. However, the degree is significantly influenced by the environment of authentication including the type of biometric information and the precision level of the matching device and can fluctuate. This means that biometric authentication does not give rise to any problem when the authentication system is a stationary system and can secure a predetermined operation environment for the system. However, there may arise a problem that the verifier is required to decide the properness of authentication according not only to the outcome of matching but also to the biometric environment of the requester when the authentication system is an open system where a predetermined operation environment cannot be secured for user. 
     Authentication systems adapted to use an authentication context such as a biometric authentication context are known to dissolve the above-identified problem (see, inter alia, Koji Okada, Tatsuro Ikeda, Hidehisa Takamizawa, Toshiaki Saisho, “Extensible Personal Authentication Framework using Biometrics and PKI, Pre-Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop for Applied PKI (IWAP2004)”, pp. 96-107). An authentication context represents a technology by means of which the management entity (entity device) that executes each of the component processes for confirming the identity of a person assures the outcome of the execution to allow the verifier to verify the properness of the execution of the component processes. 
     Known techniques realized by applying a biometric authentication context include user authentication systems on open networks (see, inter alia, Hidehisa Takamizawa, Koji Okada, Tatsuro Ikeda, Tomoaki Morijiri, “An Online System Using a Biometric Authentication Context” CSS2005, pp. 313-318). This technique can be used by service providers to authenticate service users to whom services are provided by means of a biometric authentication context and provides the advantages (i) and (ii) listed below. 
     (i) The service user can select the matching device to be used for principal confirmation. 
     (ii) The service provider can define the authentication policy according to the biometric environment of the user each time of providing a service. 
     With this technique, it is possible to verify the biometric environment in addition to the outcome of the principal confirmation process using biometric authentication. Thus, it is possible to provide services flexibly depending on the biometric environment of the users. Thus, it is possible to improve the interoperability and convenience. 
     However, the inventors of the present invention believe that the known techniques realized by applying a biometric authentication context need to be improved in terms of (a) and (b) listed below, although they normally do not give rise to any particular problem. 
     (a) When a single entity device is provided with a plurality of types of processes defined as principal confirmation processes, it is not possible to determine which combination is to be used. 
     For example, IC cards that are a type of entity devices include a store-on-card (STOC) type having a processing capability of storing biometric template and a match-on-card (MOC) type having a processing capability of matching and deciding in addition to a processing capability of storing biometric template. Thus, an IC card provided with both an STOC and an MOC capability cannot determine which capability is to be used when a principal confirmation process using the processing capability of storing biometric template is required by a service provider. 
     (b) Relating to above (a), there is no consolidation apparatus that can handle messages of communications between a service provider on the Internet and an unspecified number of entity devices connected to users&#39; personal computers. 
     To be more specific, IC cards of the MOC type and those of the STOC type differ from each other not only in terms of processing capability but also in terms of communication protocol for messages of communications that arise in principal confirmation processes. When a consolidation apparatus is provided to handle messages, it is required to grasp the communication protocol for the MOC type and the communication protocol of the STOC type in advance. In other words, relationship between such a consolidation apparatus and the system including such entity devices and one or more than one service providers shows a strong affinity. 
     As an influence of such a strong affinity, there arise disadvantages as listed below to stakeholders such as entity device developers/venders and service providers. 
     Entity device developers/venders and service providers develop apparatus and systems of their own brands and install a new communication protocol and a principal confirmation process there. Then, they have to ask consolidation apparatus developers/venders to install the new communication protocol in the consolidation apparatus that consolidation apparatus developers/vendors market. However, it is a time consuming process to persuade consolidation apparatus developers/vendors to update the consolidation apparatus they market. 
     On the other hand, on the part of consolidation apparatus developers/vendors, it is time consuming to update the consolidation apparatus they market each time a new communication protocol is defined. Additionally, consolidation apparatus developers/vendors are forced to bear a large burden because a variety of versions of consolidation apparatus are released and marketed. 
     When a service user purchases a new entity device conforming to a new communication protocol in order to be provided with services conforming to the new communication protocol, he or she cannot actually be provided with the services until new consolidation apparatus conforming to the new communication protocol are released. 
     Because of the above listed disadvantages, there is no consolidation apparatus that can handle messages of communications between a service provider on the Internet and an unspecified number of entity devices connected to users&#39; personal computers as described in (b) above. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an authentication system, a consolidation apparatus and a program that can determine the use of a type of entity device if there are a plurality of types of entity devices where a plurality of processing capabilities are combined and installed. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an authentication system, a consolidation apparatus and a program that can handle communication messages among a plurality of entity devices where a plurality of processing capabilities are combined and installed. 
     In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an authentication system comprising a plurality of client side entity devices to be used for principal confirmation processes utilizing biometric authentication, a server side entity device capable of providing a service to a service requester terminal of a service requester confirmed by way of the principal confirmation process and a consolidation apparatus for mediating communications between each of the client side entity devices and the server side entity device, each of the client side entity devices including: principal confirmation process devices configured to be able to execute a plurality of principal confirmation processes; a client side memory device that stores client side entity information having a plurality of pieces of principal confirmation profile information, each including a principal confirmation profile ID indicating a principal confirmation process of the principal confirmation process device and a processing capability ID indicating the processing capability for the principal confirmation process; a device configured to transmit the client side entity information to the consolidation apparatus upon receiving an entity information transmission request; and authentication context generation devices for generating a biometric authentication context including the outcome of execution of a principal confirmation process by the principal confirmation process device, the server side entity device including: authentication context verification devices for verifying the biometric authentication context; service providing/processing devices configured to provide a service to the service requester terminal of the confirmed service requester when the outcome of the verification indicates properness of the request; a server side first memory device that stores server side entity information having a plurality of pieces of principal confirmation profile information, each including a principal confirmation profile ID indicating a principal confirmation process of the authentication context verification device and a processing capability ID indicating the processing capability for the principal confirmation process; a server side second memory device that stores principal confirmation profile request data having a plurality of pieces of principal confirmation profile ID request information, each including a principal confirmation profile ID, a request priority and a plurality of processing capability IDs for each requested service; and a device configured to transmit the server side entity information and the principal confirmation profile request data to the consolidation apparatus upon receiving a service request, the consolidation apparatus including: a device configured to transmit the entity information transmission request to each client side entity device upon receiving the server side entity information and the principal confirmation profile request data from the server side entity device; a device configured to receive client side entity information from each client side entity device in response to the transmission of the entity information transmission request; a profile ID determination device configured to determine the principal confirmation profile ID in the principal confirmation profile ID of each of the pieces of client side entity information and the principal confirmation profile ID in the server side entity information according to the principal confirmation profile ID request information showing a higher priority in the principal confirmation profile request data out of the pieces of principal confirmation profile ID request information in the principal confirmation profile request data; a routing table preparation device configured to prepare routing table information associating the processing capability ID and the entity ID corresponding to the principal confirmation profile ID with each other according to the determined principal confirmation profile ID; a routing table memory device that stores the routing table information; and a message transfer device configured to transfer a communication message to the entity device having the entity ID corresponding to the processing capability ID showing the destination of transmission according to the routing table information stored in the routing table memory device upon receiving the communication message including a processing capability ID showing the destination of transmission and a processing capability ID showing the source of transmission from a client side entity device or the server side entity device. 
     While the assembly of apparatus and devices is expressed as a “system” in the above description of the first aspect of the present invention, the present invention is by no means limited thereto and the assembly of apparatus and devices and also each apparatus and each device may be expressed as an “apparatus” or “device”, a “method” or “program”, or a “computer readable memory medium”. 
     Thus, in the first aspect of the present invention, the server side entity device stores principal confirmation profile request data including a request priority for each requested service and as the consolidation apparatus receives the server side entity information and principal confirmation profile request data from the server side entity device, it transmits an entity information transmission request to each client side entity device and receives the client side entity information from each client side entity device. 
     Then, the consolidation apparatus determines the principal confirmation profile ID in the client side entity information and the principal confirmation profile ID in the server side entity information according to the principal confirmation profile ID request information showing the highest priority in the principal confirmation profile request data out of the principal confirmation profile ID request information in the principal confirmation profile request data. 
     Therefore, if there are a plurality of entity devices where a combination of a plurality of processing capabilities is installed, it is possible to select a combination according to request priority. 
     Additionally, in the first aspect of the present invention, the consolidation apparatus prepares and stores routing table information where the processing capability ID and the entity ID corresponding to the determined principal confirmation profile ID are associated with each other. 
     Subsequently, the consolidation apparatus transfers a communication message to the entity device having the entity ID corresponding to the processing capability ID showing the destination of transmission according to the routing table information upon receiving the communication message including a processing capability ID showing the destination of transmission and a processing capability ID showing the source of transmission from a client side entity device or the server side entity device. 
     In this way, it is possible to handle communication messages among a plurality of entity devices where a combination of a plurality of processing capabilities is installed according to routing table information. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of authentication system according to the present invention, showing the configuration thereof; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of the server side entity system of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration thereof; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of the authentication context processing apparatus and the peripheral of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration thereof; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of the configuration of entity information of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the data structure thereof; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of the data table of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration of principal confirmation profile information; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic conceptual illustration showing the relationship between entity information and principal confirmation profiles of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic illustration of the data table of embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration of principal confirmation profile requests; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic illustration of the data table of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration of principal confirmation profile ID request information; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic conceptual illustration of the relationship between principal confirmation profile requests and principal confirmation profile request information of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic illustration of the entity processing capability ID definition table of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration thereof; 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic illustration of the data table of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration of a model of principal confirmation protocol; 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic illustration of the data table of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration of a principal confirmation start request message; 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic block diagram of the principal confirmation protocol control apparatus of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration thereof; 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic illustration of the routing table of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration thereof; 
         FIG. 15  is a schematic illustration of the principal confirmation profile determining section of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration thereof; 
         FIG. 16  is a schematic block diagram of the client side entity devices of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration thereof; 
         FIG. 17  is a schematic block diagram of the principal confirmation apparatus of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration thereof; 
         FIG. 18  is a schematic illustration of the data table of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration of template sending data; 
         FIG. 19  is a schematic illustration of the data table of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the configuration of biometric matching outcome sending data; 
         FIG. 20  is a schematic illustration of the sequence of a principal confirmation profile determining operation of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 21  is a flowchart of the principal confirmation profile ID determining process of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 22  is a schematic illustration of the communication sequence for principal confirmation of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 23  is a schematic illustration of the sequence of an operation down to collection of data on the principal confirmation protocol; and 
         FIG. 24  is a schematic illustration of the sequence of an operation from transmission of data on the biometric matching outcome down to providing a service. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Now, the present invention will be described in greater detail by referring to the accompanying drawings that illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of online authentication system according to the present invention, showing the overall configuration thereof. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the authentication system comprises an unspecified number N of server side entity systems (server side entity devices)  100   1  through  100   N , a personal computer apparatus (consolidation apparatus)  200 , an unspecified number N of client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  and a service requester terminal  400 . The server side entity systems  100   1  through  100   N , the personal computer apparatus  200  and the service requester terminal  400  can communicate with each other by way of Internet  500 . The personal computer apparatus  200  can communicate with the unspecified number N of client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  without the Internet  500 . 
     Each of the devices  100   1  through  100   N , the apparatus  200 , each of the devices  300   1  through  300   N  and the terminal  400  can be realized as hardware or as a combination of hardware and software. Software that can be used for such a combination may be a program that is installed from a network or a memory medium M into a corresponding apparatus or device to realize the function of the corresponding apparatus or device, whichever appropriate. 
     The suffix “N” of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  and the server side entity systems  100   1  through  100   N  does not mean that the number of the client side entity devices is same as the number of the server side entity systems. They may normally be different from each other but can be equal to each other. 
     The server side entity systems  100   1  through  100   N  respectively include user attribute information storage sections  110   1  through  110   N , authentication context processing units  120   1  through  120   N , service providing/processing units  150   1  through  150   N  and http communication sections  160   1  through  160   N . 
     Since the server side entity systems  100   1  through  100   N  have a same hardware configuration, the suffix is omitted from the description given below by referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3  so as to refer to any arbitrarily selected server side entity system and denoted simply by  100 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , each server side entity system  100  includes a user attribute information storage section  110 , an authentication context processing unit  120 , a service providing/processing unit  150  and an http communication section  160 . 
     The user attribute information storage section  110  is a memory device from which the authentication context processing unit  120  and the service providing/processing unit  150  can read out data. It stores user attribute information necessary for providing services to the users. User attribute information typically includes service requester IDs, service requesters&#39; public key certificates, address information on service requester terminals  400  and service requesters&#39; accounts settlement information. 
     The authentication context processing unit  120  has a function of verifying the biometric authentication context including the execution outcome of principal confirmation processes by means of biometric authentications and a function of executing a communication protocol. 
     More specifically, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the authentication context processing unit  120  includes a principal confirmation profile determining section  130  and a principal confirmation protocol execution section  140 . 
     The principal confirmation profile determining section  130  determines a principal confirmation profile that defines a combination of entity devices and a communication protocol between entities. A principal confirmation profile defines a communication protocol for principal confirmation using a biometric authentication context, the data format to be exchanged, the processing capability of an entity necessary for principal confirmation and an authentication processing method. A principal confirmation profile can be freely arranged and decided among developer/venders and associated with a principal confirmation profile ID that is a unique ID. 
     More specifically, the principal confirmation profile determining section  130  includes an entity information storage section  131 , a to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  132 , an entity information transmission section  133  and a to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID reception section  134 . 
     The entity information storage section  131  is a memory device from which the entity information transmission section  133  can read out data. It stores entity information  10  of the server side entity systems  100   1  through  100   N  themselves as shown in  FIGS. 4 through 6  and principal confirmation profile request data  20  as shown in  FIGS. 7 through 10 . Principal confirmation profile request data  20  may be associated with service IDs that indicate services to be provided to objects of provision of services and stored. If such is the case, the principal confirmation profile request data  20  can be read out on the basis of the service ID contained in a service request message. A service request message typically contains a service ID and a service requester ID. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the entity information  10  of each server side entity system contains four data including an entity ID  11 , a principal confirmation profile information list length  12 , the number of pieces of principal confirmation profile information  13  and a principal confirmation profile information list  14 . 
     The entity ID  11  is a unique ID assigned to each of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  and the server side entity systems  100   1  through  100   N . 
     The principal confirmation profile information list length  12  indicates the size of a principal confirmation profile information list. 
     The number of pieces of principal confirmation profile information  13  indicates the number of pieces of principal confirmation profile information contained in the principal confirmation profile information list  14 . 
     The principal confirmation profile information list  14  shows principal confirmation profile information  14 ′ as illustrated in  FIG. 5  in the form of a list. As for the relationship of the entity information  10  and the principal confirmation profile information  14 ′, entity information  10  includes principal confirmation profile information  14 ′ as part thereof as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     The principal confirmation profile information  14 ′ is actually three sets of data including the data of the principal confirmation profile ID  15 , that of the version  16  and that of the entity processing capability ID  17 . 
     The principal confirmation profile ID  15  is a unique ID assigned according to the type of principal confirmation protocol as in the case of the principal confirmation profile ID  24  of the principal confirmation profile ID request information  23 ′ as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     The version  16  indicates the update management information of the principal confirmation profile ID  15  as in the case of the version  25  of the principal confirmation profile ID request information  23 ′ as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     The entity processing capability ID  17  indicates one of the entity processing capability IDs  291  through  295  shown in the entity processing capability definition table  29  in  FIG. 10  as the processing capability that the entity itself possesses. 
     On the other hand, the principal confirmation profile request data  20  include a principal confirmation profile request list length  21 , the number of principal confirmation profile ID requests  22  and a principal confirmation profile ID request information list  23  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     The principal confirmation profile request list length  21  indicates the data length of the principal confirmation profile ID request information list  23 . The number of principal confirmation profile ID requests  22  indicates the number of pieces of principal confirmation profile ID request information of  FIG. 8  that is contained in the principal confirmation profile ID request information list  23 . The principal confirmation profile ID request information list  23  indicates as many pieces of principal confirmation profile ID request information  23 ′ as the number of requests defined by the number of principal confirmation profile ID requests  22  and shown in a list format. 
     The principal confirmation profile ID request information  23 ′ is actually five data including the data of the principal confirmation profile ID  24 , that of the version  25 , that of the request priority  26 , that of the entity number  27  and that of the entity processing capability ID list  28 . 
     The principal confirmation profile ID  24  is the unique ID assigned according to the type of principal confirmation protocol. 
     The version  25  indicates the update management information of the principal confirmation profile ID  24 . 
     The request priority  26  indicates the priority of the principal confirmation protocol that the server side entity system  100  requests. 
     The entity number  27  indicates the number of entities necessary for effectuating the principal confirmation protocol that the principal confirmation profile ID  24  shows. 
     The entity processing capability ID list  28  shows the processing capabilities of the entities necessary for effectuating the principal confirmation protocol collectively as a list of the entity processing capability IDs  291  through  295  shown in the entity processing capability definition table  29  in  FIG. 10 . As for the relationship of the principal confirmation profile request data  20  and the principal confirmation profile ID request information  23 ′, the principal confirmation profile request data  20  include the principal confirmation profile request information  23 ′ as part thereof as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     The to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  132  temporarily stores the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile IDs written from the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID reception section  134 . 
     The entity information transmission section  133  has a function of transmitting the principal confirmation profile request data and the entity information read out from the entity information storage section  131  to the principal confirmation protocol control unit  220  by way of the http communication section  160  according to the service request message received from the service requester terminal  400 . 
     The to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID reception section  134  receives to-be-executed principal confirmation profile IDs from the principal confirmation protocol control unit  220  and also has a function of writing the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile IDs it receives in the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  132 . 
     The principal confirmation protocol execution section  140  has a function of executing a communication process with the principal confirmation protocol control unit  220  of the personal computer apparatus  200  and that of checking principal confirmation profile ID and the sequence number contained in the principal confirmation protocol data and the payload. 
     The principal confirmation protocol execution section  140  includes a profile ID verification section  141 , a sequence number verification section  142  and principal confirmation profile ID installing sections  143   1  through  143   N . 
     The profile ID verification section  141  has a function of verifying that the principal confirmation profile ID in the principal confirmation protocol data received at the http communication section  160  and the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID are same and identical, and reading out the sequence number and the payload from the principal confirmation protocol data and that of sending out the sequence number and the payload it reads out to the sequence number verification section  142 . 
     The sequence number verification section  142  has a function of identifying the principal confirmation profile ID installing section  143   j  (1≦j≦N) that agrees with the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID stored in the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  132  and that of inputting the payload from the identified principal confirmation profile ID installing section  143   j  into the sequence number corresponding data processing section  141   j  that corresponds to the sequence number taken out from the profile ID verification section  141 . 
     The principal confirmation profile ID installing section  143   1  through  143   N  respectively have sequence number corresponding data processing sections  143   1 - 1  through  143   1 -N, . . . ,  143   N - 1  through  143   N -N that correspond to the sequence numbers defined by the corresponding communication protocol for each principal confirmation profile ID. A principal confirmation profile ID, a sequence number and a communication protocol are associated with each other and installed in each of the sequence number corresponding data processing sections  143   1 - 1  through  143   1 -N, . . . ,  143   N - 1  through  143   N -N. 
     Now, the format of the principal confirmation protocol data used in a principal confirmation protocol will be described below.  FIG. 11  is a schematic illustration of the data table of this embodiment, structurally showing the format of the principal confirmation protocol data. In  FIG. 11 , the principal confirmation protocol data format  40  roughly includes a header section  50  and a payload section  60 . 
     The header section  50  is a common data group that is not dependent on the type of principal confirmation profile ID and includes a destination of transmission entity processing capability ID  51  that shows the destination of transmission of the principal confirmation protocol data, a source of transmission entity processing capability ID  52  that shows the source of transmission of the principal confirmation protocol data, a principal confirmation profile ID  53  that defines the specification of the protocol data itself, a sequence number  54  that shows the sequence number of the principal confirmation protocol specified by the principal confirmation profile ID and a payload length  55  that indicates the data length of the payload section. 
     The payload section  60  is a data section that can be freely define the message to be exchanged by means of the principal confirmation profile according to each principal confirmation profile ID and only has payload  60 . 
     All the principal confirmation protocol data ( 40   a  through  40   c ), which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, are defined by means of the principal confirmation protocol data format  40  illustrated in  FIG. 11 . 
     For example, as shown in  FIG. 12 , a principal confirmation start request message (principal confirmation protocol)  40   a  is prepared according to the principal confirmation protocol of the principal confirmation profile ID. The ID of the STOC-type IC card  29   2  that is defined in the entity processing capability definition table  29  of  FIG. 10  is specified for the source of transmission entity processing capability ID  51   a . The ID of the service providing Web system  29   3  that verifies the context is specified for the destination of transmission entity processing capability ID  52   a . The to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID in the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  132  is specified for the principal confirmation profile ID  53 . The sequence number selected by the principal confirmation protocol is specified for the sequence number  54   a . The data length of the payload section  60   a  is specified for the payload length  55   a . The random number  61   a  that operates as challenge data, with which the server side entity system  100   1  verifies the biometric authentication context, is specified for the payload section  60   a.    
     When the outcome of the verification of the biometric authentication context by the authentication context processing unit  120  is a proper one, the service providing processing unit  150  operates to actually provide a service to the service requester by way of the service requester terminal  400 . The object to be provided such as an appropriate business logic program or a content data to be provided as service to the service requester is installed in it. More specifically, the service ID and the object to be provided are associated with each other and stored in the service providing processing unit  150 , which service providing processing unit  150  has a function of transmitting the object to be provided that corresponds to the service ID upon receiving the outcome of the verification that indicates properness, the service ID and the service requester ID from the authentication context processing unit  120 . Note that the object to be provided is not limited to the program or the data stored in advance but may be the data obtained as a result of executing the program that is stored in advance. When transmitting the object, it is only necessary to read out the address information of the service requester terminal  400 , referring to the user attribute information storage section  110 . The service ID and the service requester ID are contained in the service requester message received from the service requester terminal  400 . 
     As for the processing capability of the server side entity system  100   1 , the entity processing capability ID  293  in the entity processing capability ID definition table  29  is installed with a service providing Web system (=0x0003) according to the determined principal confirmation profile ID. It is capable of executing a context verification process at the authentication context processing unit  120 . 
     The http communication section  160  is adapted to perform http communication relative to the client side personal computer apparatus  200  by means of the Internet  500 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , the personal computer apparatus (consolidating apparatus)  200  includes a hardware management information storage section  210 , a principal confirmation protocol control unit  220  and an http communication section  230 . 
     The hardware management information storage section  210  stores management information on the connected hardware (client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N ) and is installed in the operating system (to be referred to as OS hereinafter) of the personal computer apparatus  200 . 
     The principal confirmation protocol control unit  220  mediates the communications with the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  and the server side entity devices  100   1  through  100   N  and is formed by middleware that operate on the OS. 
     The principal confirmation protocol control unit  220  includes a routing table temporary storage section  221 , a client side entity device retrieving section  222 , a principal confirmation profile determining section  223 , a principal confirmation protocol routing execution section  224  and a device communication section  225 . 
     The routing table temporary storage section  221  temporarily stores the routing table obtained as a result of a principal confirmation profile determining process. The routing table  30  is a data table where entity processing capability IDs and entity IDs are associated with each other as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
     The client side entity device retrieving section  222  is adapted to retrieve any of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  out of the hardware management information storage section  210 . 
     The principal confirmation profile determining section  223  determines the principal confirmation profile that defines combinations of entity devices and communication protocols among entities. 
     More specifically, the principal confirmation profile determining section  223  has a transmission function  223   a , a reception function  223   b , a determination function  223   c , a preparation function  223   d  and a write function  223   e  as shown in  FIG. 15 . 
     The transmission function  223   a  is a function of transmitting an entity information transmission request to each of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  according to a device connection status list upon receiving (server side) entity information  10  and principal confirmation profile request data  20  from the server side entity system  100 . 
     The reception function  223   b  is a function of receiving (client side) entity information from each of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  in response to the transmission of an entity information transmission request. 
     The determination function  223   c  is a function of determining a principal confirmation profile ID  15  in each piece of the (client side) entity information  10  and a principal confirmation profile ID  15  in the (server side) entity information  10  according to the principal confirmation profile ID request information  23 ′ having the highest request priority  26  in the principal confirmation profile request data  20  out of the pieces of principal confirmation profile ID request information  23  in the principal confirmation profile request data  20 . 
     The preparation function  223   d  is a function of preparing a routing table  30  where the processing capability ID  29  corresponding to the principal confirmation profile ID and the entity ID  11  are associated with each other according to each principal confirmation profile ID  15  that is determined. 
     The write function  223   e  is a function of writing the prepared routing table  30  in the routing table temporary storage section  221 . 
     The principal confirmation protocol routing execution section  224  controls the message defined by the communication protocol of the principal confirmation process that corresponds to the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID, or the communication of the principal confirmation protocol data. It has a function of transmitting the message to any of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  and the server side entity system  100  according to the destination or destinations of transmission in the data. 
     More specifically, as the principal confirmation protocol routing execution section  224  receives principal confirmation protocol data  40  that is a communication message including a processing capability ID  51  that indicates the destination of transmission and a processing capability ID  52  that indicates the source of transmission from the client side entity device  300   1 ,  300   2  or the server entity system  100 , it transfers the principal confirmation protocol data  40  to the entity device  300   1 ,  300   2  or the server side entity system  100  having the entity ID  11  that corresponds to the processing capability ID  29  indicating the destination of transmission according to the routing table  30  in the routing table temporary storage section  221 . 
     The device communication section  225  communicates with the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N . For example, it transmits and receives principal confirmation protocol data. 
     The http communication section  230  communicates with the server side entity systems  100   1  through  100   N  for http communications. 
     On the other hand, the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  respectively have principal confirmation processing units  310   1  through  310   N  and authentication context processing units  320   1  through  320   N . 
     Since the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  have a same hardware configuration, the suffix is omitted from the description given below by referring to  FIG. 16  so as to refer to any arbitrarily selected client side entity device and denoted simply by  300 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 16 , each client side entity device  300  includes a principal confirmation processing unit  310  and an authentication context processing unit  320 . 
     The principal confirmation processing unit  310  executes a principal confirmation process for biometric authentication. The processing capability for the principal confirmation process for biometric authentication that the principal confirmation processing unit  310  is equipped with corresponds to the components  311  through  315  of the principal confirmation process for biometric authentication as shown in  FIG. 17 . The principal confirmation process for biometric authentication consists of five components including a storage section  311 , a data collection section  312 , a signal processing section  313 , a matching section  314 , a decision section  315 . The principal confirmation processing unit  310  may be installed with all the components of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  and the server side entity systems  100   1  through  100   N  or alternatively with a part of the components. 
     In this embodiment, two of the client side entity devices  300   1 ,  300   2  are employed out of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  according to the determined principal confirmation profile IDs. The principal confirmation processing units  310   1 ,  310   2 , which the two client side entity devices  300   1 ,  300   2  respectively have, possess different processing capabilities for the respective principal confirmation profile IDs. 
     For example, the first client side entity device  300   1  is equipped with the processing capabilities of the data collection section  312 , the signal processing section  313 , the matching section  314  and the decision section  315  as processing capabilities of the principal confirmation processing unit  310   1 . Thus, it possesses the entity processing capability ID  291  on the entity processing capability ID definition table  29  as biometric matching type device  310   1  (=0x0001). 
     The second client side entity device  300   2  is equipped with the processing capability of the storage section  311  as the processing capability of the principal confirmation processing unit  310   2 . Thus, it posses the entity processing capability ID  292  on the entity processing capability ID definition table  29  as store-on-card (STOC) type IC card  310   2  (=0x0002). 
     The authentication context processing unit  320  prepares the outcome of execution and the execution environment of a principal confirmation process of biometric authentication as context. 
     The authentication context processing unit  320  includes a principal confirmation profile determining section  330  and a principal confirmation protocol execution section  340 . 
     The principal confirmation profile determining section  330  has a function of sending entity information in response to an entity information transmission request for the purpose of principal confirmation and that of storing the determined principal confirmation profile ID. 
     The principal confirmation profile determining section  330  includes an entity information storage section  331 , a to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  332 , an entity information transmission section  333  and a to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID reception section  334 . 
     The entity information storage section  331  stores entity information on the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  themselves. 
     The to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  332  temporarily stores the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID determined by the principal confirmation profile determining section  223  in the principal confirmation protocol control unit  220 . 
     The entity information transmission section  333  has a function of transmitting the entity information read out from the entity information storage section  331  to the principal confirmation profile determining section  223  in the principal confirmation protocol control unit  220  upon receiving an entity information transmission request from the personal computer apparatus  200 . 
     The to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID reception section  334  has a function of receiving the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID transmitted from the principal confirmation protocol control unit  220  and that of writing the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID into the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  332 . 
     The principal confirmation protocol execution section  340  communicates with the personal computer apparatus  200  and checks the principal confirmation profile ID, the sequence number and the payload contained in the principal confirmation protocol data in order to execute the principal confirmation protocol. 
     The principal confirmation protocol execution section  340  includes a principal confirmation protocol control unit communication section  341 , a profile ID verification section  342 , a sequence number verification section  343 , principal confirmation profile ID equipped sections  344   1  through  344   N . 
     The principal confirmation protocol control unit communication section  341  receives principal confirmation protocol data from the device communication section  225  of the principal confirmation protocol control unit  220  on the personal computer apparatus  200  and transmits the outcome of the processes on the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  as principal confirmation protocol data. 
     The profile ID verification section  342  verifies that the principal confirmation profile ID in the principal confirmation protocol data received at the principal confirmation protocol control unit communication section  341  is same and identical with the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID and takes out the sequence number and the payload from the principal confirmation protocol data. 
     The sequence number verification section  343  has a function of identifying the principal confirmation profile ID equipped section  344   i  (1≦i≦N) that agrees with the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID stored in the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  332  and that of inputting the payload of the principal confirmation protocol data into the sequence number corresponding data processing sections  344   i - 1  through  344   i -N that corresponds to the sequence number taken out from the profile ID verification section  332  for the identified principal confirmation profile ID equipped section  344   i . 
     The principal confirmation profile ID equipped sections  344   1  through  344   N  are equipped respectively with sequence number corresponding data processing sections  334   1 - 1  through  334   1 -N, . . . ,  334   N - 1  through  334   N -N that correspond to the sequence numbers defined in the corresponding communication protocol for each principal confirmation profile ID. The principal confirmation profile ID, the sequence numbers and the communication protocols are associated with each other and installed in the sequence number corresponding data processing sections  344   1 - 1  through  344   1 -N, . . . ,  344   N - 1  through  344   N -N. 
     The sequence number corresponding data processing sections  344   1 - 1  through  344   1 -N, . . . ,  344   N - 1  through  344   N -N have a function of preparing a principal confirmation protocol data according to the payload input from the sequence number verification section  342  and that of transmitting the prepared principal confirmation protocol data to the personal computer apparatus  200 . 
     In the case where the payload is the payload section  60   a  of the principal confirmation start request message  40   a , the sequence number corresponding data processing sections  344   1 - 1  through  344   1 -N, . . . ,  344   N - 1  through  344   N -N have a function of preparing a template delivery (principal confirmation protocol  2 ) data  40   b  as shown in  FIG. 18 . 
     The template delivery data  40   b  is roughly divided into a header section  50   b  and a payload section  60   b.    
     The header section  50   b  includes a destination of transmission entity processing capability ID  51   b , an source of transmission entity processing capability ID  52   b , a principal confirmation profile ID  53 , a sequence number  54   b  and a payload length  55   b . A biometric matching type device (0x0001) defined in the entity processing capability ID definition table  29  may typically be specified as the destination of transmission entity processing capability ID  51   b . The STOC-type IC card (0x0002) may typically be specified as the source of transmission entity processing capability ID  52   b . The determined to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID is set as the principal confirmation profile ID  53 . The sequence number determined by the principal confirmation protocol is set as the sequence number  54   b . The data length of the payload section  60   b  is set as the payload length  55   b.    
     The payload section  60   b  includes a challenge random number  61   a , a template data length  62   b , a template data  63   b , a biometric authentication context data length  64   b  and the biometric authentication context  65   b  of an STOC-type IC card. The received challenge random number  61   a  is set as the challenge random number  61   a . The data length of the template data of the service requester is set as the template data length  62   b . The template data of the service requester is set as the template data  63   b . The data length of the prepared biometric authentication context is set as the biometric authentication context data length  64   b . The prepared biometric authentication context is set as the biometric authentication context  65   b  of the STOC-type IC card. 
     On the other hand, in the case where the payload is the payload section  60   b  of the template delivery data  40   b , the sequence number corresponding data processing sections  344   1 - 1  through  344   1 -N, . . . ,  344   N - 1  through  344   N -N have a function of preparing a biometric matching outcome delivery (principal confirmation protocol  3 ) data  40   c  as shown in  FIG. 19 . 
     The biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c  is roughly divided into a header section  50   c  and a payload section  60   c.    
     The header section  50   c  includes a destination of transmission entity processing capability ID Sic, a source of transmission entity processing capability ID  52   c , a principal confirmation profile ID  53 , a sequence number  54   c , a payload length  55   c . The service providing Web system (0x0003) defined in the entity processing capability ID definition table  29  may typically be specified as the destination of transmission entity processing capability ID  51   c . The biometric matching device (0x0001) is specified as the source of transmission entity processing capability ID  52   c . The determined to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID is specified as the principal confirmation profile ID  53 . The sequence number determined by the principal confirmation protocol is set as the sequence number  54   c . The data length of the payload section  60   c  is set as the payload length  55   c.    
     The payload section  60   c  includes a challenge random number  61   a , the biometric authentication context data length  64   b  of an STOC-type IC card, the biometric authentication context  65   b  of the STOC-type IC card, the biometric authentication context data length  66   c  of a biometric matching device and the biometric authentication context data length  67   c  of the biometric matching device. 
     The received challenge random number  61   a  is set as the challenge random number  61   a . The biometric authentication context data length  64   b  of the received STOC-type IC card is set as the biometric authentication context data length  64   b  of an STOC-type IC card. The biometric authentication context  65   b  of the received STOC-type IC card is set as the biometric authentication context  65   b  of the STOC-type IC card. The data length of the prepared biometric authentication context is set as the biometric authentication context data length  66   c  of a biometric matching device. The prepared biometric authentication context is set as the biometric authentication context data length  67   c  of the biometric matching device. 
     The service requester terminal  400  is a terminal apparatus for receiving a service from the server side entity system  100  as it is operated by the service requester. More specifically, it is a personal computer where a Web browser is installed. 
     Now, the operation of the authentication system having the above-described configuration will be described by referring to the sequence charts of  FIGS. 20 through 24 . 
     (Determination of Principal Confirmation Profile) 
     For the server side entity system  100   1  to personally authenticate the service requester, the principal confirmation protocol control unit  220  mounted in the personal computer apparatus  200  the negotiates with an unspecified number of client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  connected to the personal computer apparatus  200  and determines an optimal combination of client side entity devices that satisfies the requirements of the principal confirmation process of the server side entity system.
     [ST 11 ] The service requester terminal  400  transmits a service request message to the server side entity system  100 . At this time, the server side entity system  100  receives the service request message from the service requester terminal  400  by way of the http communication section  160 .   [ST 12 ] The server side entity system  100  reads out the principal confirmation profile request data  20  from the entity information storage section  131  by means of the entity information transmission section  133  according to the service request message.   [ST 13 ] The entity information transmission section  133  reads out the own entity information  10  of the server side entity system  100  from the entity information storage section  131 . Subsequently, the entity information transmission section  133  transmits the principal confirmation profile request data  20  and the entity information  10  read out to the personal computer apparatus  200 .   

     The personal computer apparatus  200  receives the principal confirmation profile request data  20  and the entity information  10  by way of the http communication section  230 .
     [ST 14 ] The personal computer apparatus  200  temporarily holds the principal confirmation profile request data  20  and the entity information  10  in the principal confirmation profile determining section  223 . In the principal confirmation protocol control unit  220 , the client side entity device retrieving section  222  retrieves the hardware management information storage section  210  and reads out the connection status list of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  that are connected to the personal computer apparatus  200  from the hardware management information storage section  210 . The connection status list that is read out is then sent out from the client side entity device retrieving section  222  to the principal confirmation profile determining section  223 .   [ST 15 ] The principal confirmation profile determining section  223  transmits a transmission request for the entity information to the client side entity device  300   1  according to the connection status list. At this time, the principal confirmation profile determining section  223  directly accesses the entity information transmission section  333  of the client side entity device  300   1 .   [ST 16 ] The personal computer apparatus  200  transmits a transmission request for the entity information to the other client side entity devices  300   2  through  300   N  as in Step ST 15 .   [ST 17 ] Upon receiving the transmission request for the entity information in Step ST 15 , the entity information transmission section  333  in the client side entity device  300   1  reads out the own entity information of the client side entity device  300   1  from the entity information storage section  331  and sends the entity information  10  to the principal confirmation profile determining section  223  of the personal computer apparatus  200 .   [ST 18 ] Similarly, upon receiving the transmission request for the entity information in Step ST 16 , the other client side entity devices  300   2  through  300   N  send the own entity information  10  of the client side entity devices  300   2  through  300   N  to the principal confirmation profile determining section  223 .   [ST 19 ] The principal confirmation profile determining section  223  collects the entity information of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  and determines the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID. Now, the process of determining the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID will be described below by referring to  FIG. 21 .   

     The process of determining the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID starts in a state where the principal confirmation profile determining section  223  acquires the entity information of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N . If no client side entity device  300   1  through  300   N  is connected to the personal computer apparatus  200  and no entity information can be acquired, the process of determining the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID is immediately ended.
     [ST 19 - 1 ] The principal confirmation profile determining section  223  takes out the principal confirmation profile IDs  24  sequentially starting from the principal confirmation profile ID request information  23 ′ having the highest request priority  26  in the principal confirmation profile ID request information list  23  for the principal confirmation profile request  20 .   

     The principal confirmation profile determining section  223  takes out the principal confirmation profile ID  15  from the principal confirmation profile information  14 ′ in the principal confirmation profile information list  14  in the entity information  10  acquired from the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  and the server side entity system  100 . 
     The principal confirmation profile determining section  223  retrieves the principal confirmation profile ID  15  taken out from the entity information  10 , using the principal confirmation profile ID  24  taken out from the principal confirmation profile requests  20  as retrieval ID. 
     When the principal confirmation profile ID  24  and the principal confirmation profile ID  15  agree with each other, the entity ID  11  of the entity information  10  that contains the agreeing principal confirmation profile ID  15  is temporarily stored. If they do not agree with each other, the principal confirmation profile determining section  223  retrieves the principal confirmation profile ID  15  of the entity information  10 , using the principal confirmation profile ID  24  having the next highest request priority  26  in the principal confirmation profile ID request information  23 ′ as retrieval ID. 
     The retrieving process is repeated for the number  22  of the principal confirmation profile ID requests  20  and, if there is not any agreeing principal confirmation profile ID  15 , the process of determining the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID is immediately ended.
     [ST 19 - 2 ] The principal confirmation profile determining section  223  takes out the entity processing capability ID  17  of the principal confirmation profile information  14 ′ that contains the principal confirmation profile ID  15  agreeing with the retrieval ID with regard to the entity information  10  including the principal confirmation profile ID that is found to be agreeing in Step ST 19 - 1 .   

     The principal confirmation profile determining section  223  confirms that the entity processing capability ID  17  it takes out is same and identical with the entity processing capability ID in the entity processing capability list  28  for the principal confirmation profile ID request information  23 ′. It performs a same confirming operation for the entity ID of each of the remaining client side entity devices  300 . 
     After the above confirming operations, it is confirmed that the plurality of agreeing entity processing capability IDs  29  are all there corresponding to the entity processing capability IDs in the entity processing capability ID list  28  for the principal confirmation profile ID request information  23 ′ without duplication.
     [ST 19 - 3 ] When it is confirmed that the plurality of agreeing entity processing capability IDs  29  are all there without duplication as a result of the processing operation of Step ST 19 - 2 , the principal confirmation profile IDs  15  that are found to be agreeing as a result of the retrieval are determined to be principal confirmation profile IDs to be executed thereafter to end the processing operation of Step ST 19 . If it is not confirmed that the plurality of agreeing entity processing capability IDs  29  are not all there, the processing operation returns to Step ST 19 - 1 .   [ST 20 ] The principal confirmation profile determining section  223  prepares a routing table  30 , associating the entity IDs  10  of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  and the server side entity system  100  that correspond to the principal confirmation profile IDs  15  acquired in Step ST 19  and the respective entity processing capability IDs  17 .   [ST 21 ] The principal confirmation profile determining section  223  transmits the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile IDs  15  determined in Step ST 19  to the server side entity system  100  by way of the http communication section  230 . At the same time, the server side entity system  100  receives the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile IDs  15  by way of the http communication section  160 . The received to-be-executed principal confirmation file IDs  15  are temporarily stored in the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  132  by the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID reception section  134  of the authentication context processing unit  120 .   [ST 22 ] When the client side entity device  300   1  is an entity that corresponds to one of the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile IDs  15 , the principal confirmation profile determining section  223  transmits the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile IDs  15  determined in Step ST 19  to the client side entity device  300   1  by way of the http communication section  230 .   

     At the same time, the client side entity device  300   1  acquires the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile IDs by means of the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID reception section  334  of the principal confirmation profile determining section  330  and stores them in the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  332 . 
     When, on the other hand, the client side entity device  300   1  is not an entity that corresponds to one of the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile IDs, the principal confirmation profile determining section  223  does not transmit anything to the client side entity device  300   1 .
     [ST 23 ] The principal confirmation profile determining section  223  performs a processing operation similar to that of Step ST 22  for each of the other client side entity devices  300   2  through  300   N .   

     As a result of the above-described sequence, it is possible to determine the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile IDs that show a combination of client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  according to the principal confirmation protocol that the server side entity system  100  requires. 
     (Principal Confirmation/Provision of Service) 
     Now, the operation of executing a principal confirmation process and providing a service on an open network according to the determined to-be-executed principal confirmation profile IDs will be described below. The following description also applies to the operation of the principal confirmation protocol control unit  220  of handling the message defined by the communication protocol of the principal confirmation process for the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  and the server side entity systems  100   1  through  100   N . 
     [Summary of Operation Sequence] 
     To begin with, assume that one of the server side entity systems  100   1  through  100   N  receives a service request from the service requester terminal  400 .
     [ST 31  through ST 34 ] As shown in  FIG. 22 , the server side entity system  100  transmits a principal confirmation start request message (principal confirmation protocol  1 ) to the client side entity device (IC card)  300   2 .   [ST 35  through ST 41 ] Upon receiving the principal confirmation start request message, the client side entity device (IC card)  300   2  generates a template delivery data (principal confirmation protocol  2 ) according to the template data stored in the IC card and the generated biometric authentication context and transmits the template delivery data to the client side entity device (biometric matching device)  300   1 .   [ST 42  through ST 44 ] Upon receiving the template delivery data, the client side entity device (biometric matching device)  300   1  transmits a biometric data request to the service requester terminal  400 .   [ST 45 ] The service requester terminal  400  displays the received biometric data request. As a result, the client side entity device  300   1  collects biometric data from the service requester according to the operation of the service requester.   [ST 46  through ST 53 ] The client side entity device  300   1  executes a biometric data matching process (biometric matching) according to the collected biometric data. The results and the execution environment of the biometric matching are contained in the generated biometric authentication context.   

     After the generation of the biometric authentication context, the client side entity device  300   1  generates biometric matching outcome delivery data (principal confirmation protocol  3 ) according to the biometric authentication context generated by itself and the biometric authentication context generated by the client side entity device (IC card)  300   2  and transmits the obtained biometric matching outcome delivery data to the server side entity system  100 .
     [ST 54  through ST 56 ] The server side entity system  100  verifies the biometric authentication contexts contained in the received biometric matching outcome delivery data and generated by the client side entity devices  300   1 ,  300   2 . When the outcome of the verification is a proper one, it provides the service to the service requester by way of the service requester terminal  400 .
 
[Detailed Sequence]
   [ST 31 ] As shown in  FIG. 23 , the server side entity system  100  prepares a principal confirmation start request message (principal confirmation protocol  1 )  40   a  as shown in  FIG. 12  by means of the sequence number corresponding data processing section  143   1 - 1  in the principal confirmation profile ID installing section  143   1 , which corresponds to the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID in the to-be-executed principal confirmation profile ID temporary storage section  132 .   [ST 32 ] The server side entity system  100  transmits the prepared principal confirmation start request message  40   a  to the personal computer apparatus  200  by way of the http communication section  160 .   [ST 33 ] The personal computer apparatus  200  receives the principal confirmation start request message  40   a  at the http communication section  230 . The principal confirmation protocol routing execution section  224  reads out the destination of transmission entity processing capability ID  51   a  from the principal confirmation start request message  40   a.      

     The principal confirmation protocol routing execution section  224  then reads out the entity ID  292  (=0x12ef) that corresponds to the destination of transmission entity processing capability ID (=0x0002) from the routing table  30  in the routing table temporary storage section  221  according to the destination of transmission entity processing capability ID (=0x0002).
     [ST 34 ] The personal computer apparatus  200  transfers the principal confirmation start request message  40   a  to the client side entity device (IC card)  300   2 , which corresponds to the destination of transmission entity ID  292 , by way of the apparatus communication section  225 .   [ST 35 ] The client side entity device (IC card)  300   2  receives the principal confirmation start request message  40   a  by way of the principal confirmation protocol control unit communication section  341 . After receiving the message, the profile ID verification section  342  identifies the principal confirmation profile ID installing section  344   2  to be used out of the principal confirmation profile ID installing sections  344   1  through  344   N  according to the principal confirmation profile ID  53  in the principal confirmation start request message  40   a.      

     After the identification of the principal confirmation profile ID installing section  344   2 , the sequence number verification section  343  identifies the sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   2 - 2  out of the sequence number corresponding data processing sections  344   2 - 1  through  344   2 -N according to the sequence number  54   a  in the principal confirmation start request message  40   a.    
     After the identification of the sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   2 - 2 , the sequence number verification section  343  inputs the payload section  60   a  (challenge random number  61   a ) of the principal confirmation start request message  40   a  to the identified sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   2 - 2 . As a result, the sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   2 - 2  starts a sequence number corresponding data process.
     [ST 36 ] Upon receiving the challenge random number  61   a , the sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   2 - 2  reads out the template data of the service requester from the storage section  311  in the principal confirmation processing unit  310   2 .   [ST 37 ] The sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   2 - 2  prepares a biometric authentication context according to the template. The biometric authentication context includes the serial number of the open key certificate of the service requester, the challenge random number  61   a  of the principal confirmation start request message  40   a , the hash value of the template data and the data on the digital signature prepared by means of the private key of the service requester for them.   [ST 38 ] The sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   2 - 2  prepares template delivery (principal confirmation protocol  2 ) data  40   b  as shown in  FIG. 18  according to the principal confirmation protocol of the principal confirmation profile ID  53 .   [ST 39 ] Subsequently, the client side entity device (IC card)  300   2  transmits the template delivery data  40   b  to the personal computer apparatus  200  by way of the principal confirmation protocol control unit communication section  341 .   [ST 40 ] The personal computer apparatus  200  receives the template delivery data  40   b  at the http communication section  230  as in Step ST 33 . The template delivery data  40   b  is then input to the principal confirmation protocol routing execution section  224 . The principal confirmation protocol routing execution section  224  reads out the destination of transmission entity processing capability ID  51   b  from the template delivery data  40   b.      

     The principal confirmation protocol routing execution section  224  reads out the entity ID 11 - 310   1  (=0x3a29) that corresponds to the destination of transmission entity processing capability ID (0x0001)  51   b  from the routing table  30  in the routing table temporary storage section  221  according to the destination of transmission processing capability ID  51   b.  
     [ST 41 ] The personal computer apparatus  200  transfers the temperature delivery data  40   b  to the client side entity device (biometric matching device)  300   1  by means of the apparatus communication section  225  according to the destination of transmission entity ID  51   b  as in Step ST 34 .   [ST 42 ] The client side entity device (biometric matching device)  300   1  receives the template delivery data  40   b  by means of the principal confirmation protocol control unit communication section  341  as in Step ST 35 . After the reception, the profile ID verification section  342  identifies the principal confirmation profile ID installing section  344   1  to be used out of the principal confirmation profile ID installing sections  344   1  through  344   N  according to the principal confirmation profile ID  53  in the template delivery data  40   b.      

     After the identification, the sequence number verification section  343  identifies the sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   1 - 1  to be used out of the sequence number corresponding data processing sections  344   1 - 1  through  344   1 -N in the identified principal confirmation profile ID installing section  344   1  according to the sequence number  54   b  in the template delivery data  40   b.    
     After the latter identification, the sequence number verification section  343  inputs the payload section (challenge random number  61   a , the template data length  62   b , the template data  63   b , the template data length of the STOC-type IC card  64   b  and the biometric authentication context of the STOC-type IC card  65   b )  60   b  in the template delivery data  40   b  into the identified sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   1 - 1 . As a result, the sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   1 - 1  starts a sequence number corresponding data process.
     [ST 43 ] The sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   1  reads out the temperature data  63   b  from the template delivery data  40   b.      [ST 44 ] Subsequently, the client side entity device (biometric matching device)  300   1  notifies the service requester terminal  400  of the biometric data request from the sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   1  by way of the principal confirmation processing unit  310   1 .   [ST 45 ] The service requester terminal  400  displays the notified biometric data request. The principal confirmation processing unit  310   1  of the client side entity device (biometric matching device)  300   1  collects the biometric data of the service requester from the data collection section  312  according to the operation of the service requester.   [ST 46 ] In the principal confirmation processing unit  310   1 , the signal processing section  313  processes the signals of the collected biometric data to generate a sample data.   [ST 47 ] In the principal confirmation processing unit  310   1 , the matching section  314  collates the generated sample data and the template data read out in Step ST 43  to see the similarity.   [ST 48 ] In the client side entity device (biometric matching section)  300   1 , the decision section  315  decides the obtained similarity and executes a principal confirmation process. The outcome of the principal confirmation is notified to the sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   1  from the principal confirmation processing unit  310   1 . Assume that the principal confirmation process is successfully completed.   [ST 49 ] As a result, the sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   1 - 1  prepares a biometric authentication context. The prepared biometric authentication context includes the serial number of the open key certificate of the client side entity device (biometric matching device)  300   1 , the challenge random number  61   a  in the principal confirmation start requester message  40   a , the hash value of the template data obtained in Step ST 43 , the similarity obtained in Step ST 47 , the outcome of the principal confirmation obtained in Step ST 48 , the collation level of the execution of Step ST 47  and the data of the digital signature prepared by the private key of the client side entity device (biometric matching device)  300   1  for the preceding pieces of information.   [ST 50 ] The sequence number corresponding data processing section  344   1 - 1  prepares a biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c  according to the principal confirmation protocol of the principal confirmation profile ID.   [ST 51 ] As shown in  FIG. 24 , the client side entity device (biometric matching device)  300   1  transmits the biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c  to the personal computer apparatus  200  by way of the principal confirmation protocol control unit communication section  341 .   [ST 52 ] The personal computer apparatus  200  receives the biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c  by way of the http communication section  230 . The received biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c  is input to the principal confirmation protocol routing execution section  224 . The principal confirmation protocol routing execution section  224  reads out the destination of transmission entity processing capability ID  51   c  from the biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c.      

     Then, the principal confirmation protocol routing execution section  224  reads out the entity ID  11 - 100  (=0xba7c) that corresponds to the destination of transmission entity processing capability ID (=0x0003) from the routing table  30  in the routing table temporary storage section  221  according to the destination of transmission entity processing capability ID (=0x0003).
     [ST 53 ] The personal computer apparatus  200  transfers the biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c  to the server side entity system  100  that corresponds to the destination of transmission entity ID  11 - 100  by means of the http communication section  230 .   [ST 54 ] The server side entity system  100  receives the biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c  by way of the http communication section  160 . After the reception, the profile ID verification section  141  identifies the principal confirmation profile ID installing section  143   1  to be used out of the principal confirmation profile ID installing sections  143   1  through  143   N  according to the principal confirmation profile ID  53  in the biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c.      

     After the identification, the sequence number verification section  142  identifies the sequence number corresponding data processing section  143   1 - 1  to be used out of the sequence number corresponding data processing sections  143   1 - 1  through  143   1 -N according to the sequence number  54   c  in the biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c.    
     After the latter identification, the sequence number verification section  142  inputs the payload section (challenge random number  61   a , the biometric authentication context data length of the STOC-type IC card  64   b , the biometric authentication context of the STOC-type IC card  65   b , the biometric authentication context data length of the biometric matching type device  66   c  and the biometric authentication context  67  of the biometric matching type device)  60   c  of the biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c  into the identified sequence number corresponding data processing section  143   1 - 1 . As a result, the sequence number corresponding data processing section  143   1 - 1  starts processing the sequence number corresponding data.
     [ST 55 ] The sequence number corresponding data processing section  143   1 - 1  verifies the biometric authentication context for the principal confirmation according to the open key certificate of the service requester terminal  400 , the open key certificate of the client side entity device  300   1  (biometric matching device) and the received biometric matching outcome delivery data  40   c.      [ST 56 ] When the outcome of the verification of the biometric authentication context is affirmative, the server side entity system  100  provides the service requester with a service from the server providing/processing unit  150  by way of the service requester terminal  400 .   

     As described above in detail, with this embodiment, the ID request information that includes the request priority is stored for each requested service and, upon receiving (server side) entity information  10  and principal confirmation profile ID request information from the server side entity system  100 , the personal computer apparatus  200  transmits an entity information transmission request to each of the client side entity devices  300   1  through  300   N  and receives (client side) entity information  10  from each of the client side entity devices. 
     Thus, as a result, the personal computer apparatus  200  determines the principal confirmation profile ID in the client side entity information and the principal confirmation profile ID in the server side entity information according to the principal confirmation profile ID request information having the highest priority in the ID request information out of the pieces of principal confirmation profile ID request information in the ID request information. 
     Therefore, it is possible to determine a combination of entity devices according to the request priority even when there are a plurality of entity devices that are equipped with a combination of a plurality of processing capabilities. 
     Additionally, the personal computer apparatus  200  prepares and stores a routing table  30  where the processing capability IDs corresponding to the principal confirmation profile IDs and the entity IDs are associated with each other according to the determined principal confirmation profile IDs. 
     Thereafter, upon receiving communication messages  40   a  through  40   c  that include the processing capability ID indicating the destination of transmission and the processing capability ID indicating the source of transmission from the client side entity devices  300   1 ,  300   2  or the server side entity system  100 , the personal computer apparatus  200  transfers the communication messages to the entity devices  300   1 ,  300   2  or  100  having the entity ID that corresponds to the processing capability ID indicating the destination of transmission according to the routing table  30 . 
     In this way, it is possible to handle (transfer) communication messages among a plurality of entity devices that are equipped with a combination of a plurality of processing capabilities according to the routing table. 
     Additionally, this embodiment can be applied not only to authentication systems using biometric authentication contexts but also to authentication systems using authentication contexts realized by other means to provide similar advantages. 
     The technique described above for the embodiment can be stored as a program to be executed by a computer in memory mediums including magnetic disks (floppy™ disks, hard disks, etc.), optical disks (CD-ROMs, DVDs, etc.), magneto-optical disks (MOs) and semiconductor memories for distribution. 
     Memory mediums that can be used for the purpose of the present invention are not limited to those listed above and memory mediums of any type can also be used for the purpose of the present invention so long as they are computer-readable ones. 
     Additionally, the OS (operating system) operating on a computer according to the instructions of a program installed in the computer from a memory medium, data base management software and/or middleware such as network software may take part in each of the processes for realizing the above embodiment. 
     Still additionally, memory mediums that can be used for the purpose of the present invention are not limited to those independent from computers but include memory mediums adapted to download a program transmitted by LANs and/or the Internet and permanently or temporarily store it. 
     It is not necessary that a single memory medium is used with the above described embodiment. In other words, a plurality of memory mediums may be used with the above-described embodiment to execute any of the above described various processes. Such memory mediums may have any configuration. 
     For the purpose of the present invention, a computer executes various processes according to one or more than one programs stored in the memory medium or mediums as described above for the preferred embodiment. More specifically, the computer may be a stand alone computer or a system realized by connecting a plurality of computers by way of a network. 
     For the purpose of the present invention, computers include not only personal computers but also processors and microcomputers contained in information processing apparatus. In other words, computers generally refer to apparatus and appliances that can realize the functional features of the present invention by means of a computer program. 
     The present invention is by no means limited to the above described embodiment, which may be modified in various different ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, any of the components of the above described embodiment may be combined differently in various appropriate ways for the purpose of the present invention. For example, some of the components of the above described embodiment may be omitted. Alternatively, components of different embodiments may be combined appropriately in various different ways for the purpose of the present invention. 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.