Patent ID: 8553245

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a first connecting unit configured to be connected to a first authentication apparatus storing first identification information and executing a user authentication process based on externally received information and the first identification information; a second connecting unit configured to be connected to a second authentication apparatus storing second identification information and executing the user authentication process based on externally received information and the second identification information; a setting unit configured to set one of the first authentication apparatus and the second authentication apparatus as an authentication apparatus to be used for the user authentication process; a first receiving unit configured to receive third identification information; a second receiving unit configured to receive fourth identification information; a first sending unit configured to send the third identification information to the first authentication apparatus when the first authentication apparatus is used for the user authentication process; a second sending unit configured to send the fourth identification information to the second authentication apparatus when the second authentication apparatus is used for the user authentication process; an authentication process executing unit configured to execute the user authentication process based on the user authentication process executed by one of the first authentication apparatus and the second authentication apparatus, wherein, the first identification information is first biometric information stored in the first authentication apparatus, and the third identification information is second biometric information read by a biometric information reading unit; and a third receiving unit configured to receive first group identification information, wherein the first connecting unit is configured to be connected to the first authentication apparatus storing a plurality of the first biometric information corresponding to one of second group identification information, specifying a plurality of the first biometric information corresponding to the first group identification information externally received, and executing the user authentication process based on the second biometric information externally received and the plurality of the first biometric information specified, and the first sending unit is configured to transmit the second biometric information and the first group identification information to the first authentication apparatus.