Patent ID: 8618905

Claim:
An apparatus for verifying authority of at least one owner comprising: a computer processor configured to: receive an identifier of a product, and a first verification key, wherein said apparatus verifies said authority of said at least one owner in terms of said identifier, said first verification key which is held at a terminal of said at least one owner with said authority involving said product, and a second verification key concerning said identifier of said product wherein said identifier of said product and said second verification key are stored in a product database; acquire said second verification key from said product database; and perform a determination of whether or not there is said authority of said at least one owner from said first verification key and said second verification key, wherein said determination is performed by using a hash value acquired by applying a one-way hash function to a number acquired by a predetermined method by t (an integer of 1 or more) times as said first verification key, and by using a hash value acquired by applying said one-way hash function to said number acquired by said predetermined method by tâˆ’1 times as a verification key in a subsequent verification of said authority of said at least one owner, and wherein said computer processor is configured to encrypt a result of said performed determination of whether or not there is said authority of said at least one owner by using said hash value acquired by applying said one-way hash function to said number acquired by said predetermined method by tâˆ’1 times as an encryption key.