Patent ID: 6954854

Claim:
An electronic authentication method comprising: in a first information processing apparatus, receiving a request for contents from a second information processing apparatus; in response to said request, generating an encryption key and an access number that are associated with said requested contents; producing enhanced content comprising said requested contents, said encryption key, and said access number: transmitting said enhanced content to said second information processing apparatus; presenting said enhanced content to a user at said second information processing apparatus, said encryption key and said access number are visually imperceptible to a user; in said second information processing apparatus, accessing said encryption key and said access number from said enhanced content; receiving data in said second information processing apparatus and in response thereto producing input data from said received data that includes the transmitted access number, wherein at least some of said input data is encrypted with said encryption key; and transmitting said input data from said second information apparatus to said first information apparatus as received input data, wherein said first information processing apparatus can authenticate legitimacy of said received input data based on said access number.