Patent ID: 8913270

Claim:
An authentication system, comprising: an apparatus; and an authentication apparatus configured to perform authentication of a user of the apparatus, wherein the apparatus includes an identification information obtaining unit configured to obtain identification information of the user, an authentication requesting unit configured to send the obtained identification information and group information indicating a group to which the user belongs to the authentication apparatus to request authentication of the user, and a display unit configured to display a user information input screen based on a result of the authentication, a second authentication unit configured to compare user information entered by the user via the user information input screen with user information sent from the authentication apparatus to authenticate the user, and wherein the authentication apparatus includes a first authentication unit configured to search records of identification information associated with the group information to find matching identification information matching the obtained identification information of the user, and wherein the display unit is configured to display the user information input screen when the obtained identification information of the user matches the identification information of plural users among the records of identification information.