Patent ID: 7644277

Claim:
An electronic key information system for supplying electronic key information from an authentication apparatus that a user possesses to a resource that is an appliance/apparatus requiring authentication of said user, and for, only when the above key information is legitimate, making the above resource available, said electronic key information system having: a key information management center for managing said key information in a concentrated manner that comprises: an information management apparatus for pre-storing said discernment information of said user and said key information of said resource correspondingly; an interface apparatus for making communication with said authentication apparatus; and a user authentication apparatus for registering said discernment information of said user; and a communication apparatus for controlling communication between said key information management center and said authentication apparatus, wherein said authentication apparatus has: authentication apparatus registration means for transmitting said discernment information of said user, which was input, to said key information management center via said communication apparatus, and for, when the authentication result that the above discernment information coincided with discernment information stored in said user authentication apparatus was transmitted and received from said key information management center via said communication apparatus, registering its discernment information; and key information acquisition means for transmitting the discernment information of the user registered to said authentication apparatus registration means to said key information management center via said communication apparatus, and for, when said key information stored in said information management apparatus was transmitted and received via said communication apparatus responding to the received discernment information from the above key information management center that received the above discernment information, storing its reception key information, and wherein said authentication apparatus supplies said key information stored in said key information storage means to said resource, and utilizes the above resource.