JP7790170B2 - Distribution server, distribution method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a distribution server, a distribution method, and a program.

There are electronic notification services that notify information online. Patent Document 1 discloses technology for sending information to an email address that is likely to be immediately accessible by the recipient.

Among these electronic notification services, message services addressed to mobile phone numbers are widespread. Examples of message services addressed to mobile phone numbers include RCS (Rich Communication Services). By addressing a mobile phone number, it is possible to send a message even if the recipient's email address is unknown.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-241732

When sending a message addressed to a mobile phone number, if the user has terminated their contract with the carrier that provided the mobile phone number, that mobile phone number may have been assigned to another user. In this case, the message may not reach the intended user, but may instead reach a different user. Depending on the content of the message, some messages may be highly important, so it is desirable for the message to reach the intended user.

To prevent messages from being delivered to users other than the intended recipient, it is possible to perform user authentication on the communications terminal corresponding to the recipient to verify that the subscriber to the telephone number is the user to whom the message is being sent. However, performing user authentication every time a message is sent places a heavy burden on the user.

The present invention was made in light of these circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a distribution server, distribution method, and program that prevents messages from being delivered to users other than the intended recipient and reduces the burden on users.

To solve the above-mentioned problems, the distribution server of the present invention has a determination unit that determines a base date for a communications terminal corresponding to a telephone number of a destination to which a message is to be sent based on a user authentication history that determines whether the subscriber of the telephone number is the user to whom the message is to be sent, and determines whether to perform the user authentication based on a first method or a second method that is simpler than the first method based on the determined base date; and an authentication unit that performs the user authentication based on the determination result by the determination unit.

In addition, to solve the above-mentioned problems, the distribution method of the present invention is a distribution method performed by a computer that is a distribution server, in which a determination unit determines a base date for a communication terminal corresponding to a telephone number of a destination to which a message is to be sent, based on a user authentication history that determines whether the subscriber of the telephone number is the user to whom the message is to be sent, and determines whether to perform the user authentication based on a first method or a second method that is simpler than the first method based on the determined base date, and an authentication unit performs the user authentication based on the determination result by the determination unit.

Furthermore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a program for causing a computer to operate as the distribution server described above, and for causing the computer to function as each unit included in the distribution server.

This invention prevents messages from being delivered to users other than the intended recipient, and reduces the burden on users.

1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an information processing system 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a distribution server 10 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of authentication history information 120 according to the embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of authentication history information 120 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a process performed by a distribution server 10 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing performed by a distribution server 10 according to the embodiment.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an example configuration of an information processing system 1 according to an embodiment. The information processing system 1 includes, for example, a distribution server 10, a company server 20, a telecommunications carrier server 30 (telecommunications carrier servers 30A and 30B), a communication terminal 40, and an authentication server 50.

The distribution server 10 is a server device managed by a company that provides a service for sending messages to the communication terminal 40. The distribution server 10 transmits (distributes) messages to the communication terminal 40 via the telecommunications carrier server 30. The distribution server 10 transmits messages using RCS (Rich Communication Services) or SMS (Short Message Service), which are message services addressed to telephone numbers. The distribution server 10 communicates wirelessly or via wire with the company server 20 and the telecommunications carrier server 30.
The service of sending messages to communication terminal 40 may be performed by distribution server 10, but may also be performed by corporate server 20. For example, corporate server 20 equipped with the functions of distribution server 10 may be operated by a company. In this case, the company of corporate server 20 can communicate with telecommunications carrier server 30 and send messages without going through the operator of distribution server 10.
Furthermore, although the distribution server 10 may manage messages sent to the communication terminal 40, the management may also be performed by the telecommunications carrier server 30. For example, the management may be performed by a company (telecommunications carrier) that operates the telecommunications carrier server 30, which is equipped with the functions of the distribution server 10. In this case, the telecommunications carrier that operates the telecommunications carrier server 30 can send messages to the communication terminal 40 in response to a request from the company server 20.

The corporate server 20 is a server device managed by a requester who requests the information processing system 1 to deliver a message. The requester is, for example, a company or organization that provides information to the destination user, such as a bank or insurance company. The corporate server 20 communicates with the delivery server 10 via wireless or wired communication.

The telecommunications carrier server 30 is a server device managed by a telecommunications carrier. The telecommunications carrier is, for example, an MNO (Mobile Network Operator) that provides communication services using telephone numbers to the communication terminal 40 using communication lines that it owns or operates. The communication services include communications using RCS and SMS. The telecommunications carrier server 30 performs wireless or wired communications between the distribution server 10 and the communication terminal 40. In response to a distribution request from the distribution server 10, the telecommunications carrier server 30 transmits a message using RCS or SMS to the communication terminal 40.
When there are multiple telecommunications carriers, a telecommunications carrier server 30 is provided for each telecommunications carrier. The telecommunications carrier server 30A is managed by a first telecommunications carrier, and the telecommunications carrier server 30B is managed by a second telecommunications carrier. Hereinafter, when the telecommunications carrier server is not particularly identified, it will be referred to as the telecommunications carrier server 30.

The communication terminal 40 is a communication device, such as a smartphone or a mobile phone, that can be associated with a telephone number. A contract is made by a user or the like with a carrier of the carrier server 30 for using a communication service using the communication terminal 40. The communication terminal 40 is capable of communicating using the communication service provided by the contracted carrier. A telephone number is assigned to the communication terminal 40, and the communication terminal 40 has a function of communicating with this telephone number as the destination, i.e., communicating using RCS or SMS.
The communication terminal 40 has a display unit such as a liquid crystal display and an operation unit such as a touch panel that accepts operations by a user. The communication terminal 40 communicates using a communication network with the communication carrier server 30 and the communication terminal 40 as communication partners. The user is, for example, a consumer.

The authentication server 50 is, for example, a server device that provides public personal authentication services operated by J-LIS (Japan Agency for Local Government Information Systems).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the distribution server 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the distribution server 10 includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a control unit 13. The communication unit 11 communicates with the company server 20, the telecommunications carrier server 30, and the authentication server 50. The storage unit 12 stores various information, such as authentication history information 120. The authentication history information 120 is information indicating a history of user authentication. User authentication is a process of determining, for a communication terminal 40 corresponding to a telephone number of a destination to which a message is to be sent, whether the subscriber of that telephone number is the user to whom the message is to be sent. Hereinafter, user authentication may also be referred to as identity verification. The authentication history information 120 may be stored in the company server 20. Alternatively, the authentication history information 120 may be stored in a server separate from the distribution server 10 and the company server 20. If the authentication history information 120 is stored outside the distribution server 10, the storage unit 12 does not need to store the authentication history information 120.
The storage unit 12 may also be configured to store matching information used for user authentication. The matching information is correct answer information that is matched when performing user authentication. The matching information may be, for example, user information, which is information about the user, such as a telephone number, name, address, date of birth, and gender. This matching information may be stored in the company server 20. The matching information may also be stored in a server separate from the distribution server 10 and the company server 20. If the matching information is stored in a server other than the distribution server 10, the storage unit 12 may not need to store the matching information.

The memory unit 12 is composed of a storage medium, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), random access read/write memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), or any combination of these storage media. The memory unit 12 can be, for example, a non-volatile memory.

The control unit 13 includes, for example, a determination unit 130 and an authentication unit 131 .
The judgment unit 130 judges whether or not to perform user authentication on the destination communication terminal 40 before sending a message generated in response to a message sending request from the enterprise server 20 to the communication terminal 40 via the telecommunications carrier server 30.
The determining unit 130 determines the base date based on the user authentication history. The base date is a reference date for determining whether or not to perform user authentication.

If the result of user authentication is OK, the determination unit 130 sets the date on which a "certain period (e.g., three months)" has passed since the date of user authentication as the reference date. A "OK" result for user authentication means that, as a result of user authentication, it is determined that the subscriber of the telephone number to which the message is to be sent is the user to whom the message is to be sent.

The "certain period" here may be determined arbitrarily. For example, some telecommunications carriers have a system in place where, after a user cancels their mobile phone contract and the phone number goes unused, the phone number is assigned to another user a predetermined period of time (e.g., three months or more). The period until a post-cancellation phone number can be reused is defined as the "certain period," and the determination unit 130 sets the reference date as the day when the certain period has elapsed since the initial user authentication. Note that, because the period until a post-cancellation phone number can be reused is likely to differ depending on the telecommunications carrier, the above-mentioned "certain period" may be set separately for each telecommunications carrier.

When a message is notified to communication terminal 40 for the first time, determination unit 130 determines that user authentication based on the first method should be performed as initial user authentication. If the result of the initial user authentication is OK, determination unit 130 sets a date a certain period after the date of the user authentication as the base date.
When notifying a message for the second or subsequent time, the determination unit 130 determines whether to perform user authentication based on the first method based on the reference date, or to perform user authentication based on the second method, which is simpler than the first method. For example, when notifying a message after the reference date, the determination unit 130 determines to perform user authentication based on the first method. On the other hand, when notifying a message before the reference date, the determination unit 130 determines to perform user authentication based on the second method.

The first method here is a strict authentication method, such as public personal authentication, online personal authentication, carrier authentication, or customer master authentication. Which of these authentication methods to use for user authentication may be selectable by the distribution server 10 or the user, may be decided by the company that manages the corporate server 20, or may be determined in advance as one of the authentication methods.

Public personal authentication is an authentication method that uses a personal card, which is a public certificate, to verify identity. More specifically, public personal authentication is an authentication method that utilizes JPKI (Public Personal Authentication Service). This public personal authentication uses a personal card. The personal card is, for example, an IC (integrated circuit card) card that can store personal information. More specifically, an individual number card is used as the personal card. When performing public personal authentication, the user enters a password for using an electronic signature, and the individual number card is read by a communication terminal 40. The authentication server 50 then processes the public personal authentication. If the validity is confirmed, four basic pieces of information, such as the user's name, address, date of birth, and gender, can be obtained. Furthermore, identity verification may be performed by verifying the validity of the serial number or alternative information of the electronic certificate used in the individual number card.
Online personal authentication is an authentication method for verifying identity online based on information different from that on a personal card, including at least an image of the individual's appearance (e.g., face). Online personal authentication is also referred to as "online identity verification using other official documents." The technology for online personal authentication may be eKYC (electronic Know Your Customer). Online personal authentication may also use the My Number card described above to obtain information (the four basic pieces of information) embedded in an IC chip.
Carrier authentication is an authentication method for verifying identity using carrier contract information relating to the contract between the contracted user and a telecommunications carrier of a communication terminal that provides communication services using a telephone number.
Customer master authentication is an authentication method that uses a customer master managed by the company that is the sender of the message to verify the identity of the sender.

The second method here is simpler than the first method. The second method uses, for example, a code (e.g., a four-digit PIN code) previously determined between the user and the distribution server 10. In this case, if the code entered by the user into the communication terminal 40 matches a code previously stored in the distribution server 10, it is determined that the subscriber of the telephone number to which the message is to be sent is the user to whom the message is to be sent.

Alternatively, the second method may be a method using a confirmation message. The confirmation message is a message sent before the message requested by the requester is sent, and may contain phrases such as "We have an announcement to make. We will notify you after this message." If the confirmation message sent to the communication terminal 40 is received, it indicates that at least the line is open and the telephone number has not been canceled. From this perspective, if the confirmation message is received, it may be assumed that the telephone number corresponding to the communication terminal 40 has not been canceled and that the communication terminal 40 maintains that telephone number, and it may be determined that the subscriber of the telephone number of the destination to which the message is to be sent is the user to whom the message is to be sent.
As a second method, a method of sending the main text (the message requested by the requester) without notifying a confirmation message may be adopted. This is because if the result of user authentication at the time of the previous notification was OK and a certain period of time has not passed since the previous notification, the line is open, that is, if the main text is received by communication terminal 40, the telephone number has not been canceled and the subscriber of that telephone number can be considered to be the user.

The determination unit 130 may change the reference date based on the results of user authentication.

For example, when notifying a message for the second or subsequent time, if the result of user authentication based on the first method is OK, the judgment unit 130 changes the reference date and sets the changed reference date to a date a certain period after the date on which user authentication based on the first method was performed.
Alternatively, when notifying a message for the second or subsequent time, if the result of user authentication based on the second method is OK, the judgment unit 130 may change the reference date and set the changed reference date to a date that is a certain period after the date on which user authentication based on the second method was performed.

The determination unit 130 may determine to perform user authentication based on the expiration date of the personal identification document (e.g., My Number Card) used for user authentication using the first method. For example, if the date on which a message is sent falls past the expiration date of the personal identification document, the determination unit 130 determines to perform user authentication even if the sending date is before the reference date.

The authentication unit 131 performs user authentication according to the determination result by the determination unit 130 .
When the determination unit 130 determines that user authentication using the first method should be performed, the authentication unit 131 performs any one of public personal authentication, online personal authentication, carrier authentication, and customer master authentication. For example, the authentication unit 131 compares the matching information with the authentication information, and if the verification conditions are met, determines that the user of the communication terminal 40 is the user to whom the message is to be sent, that is, the result of user authentication is OK.
The authentication information is information about the user obtained in response to an operational input by the user in order to verify whether the user of the communication terminal 40 is the user to whom a message is to be sent. The verification condition is a condition for determining that the user of the communication terminal 40 is the user to whom a message is to be sent, and for example, the content of any predetermined item, such as name, address, date of birth, or gender, included in the verification information matches the content of the predetermined item included in the authentication information.
All or part of the user authentication according to the first method may be performed by the company server 20, the carrier server 30, or the authentication server 50.

When the determination unit 130 determines that user authentication should be performed using the second method, the authentication unit 131 performs user authentication using a method simpler than the first method. For example, the authentication unit 131 displays a screen on the communication terminal 40 that prompts the user to input a code, and acquires the code entered by the user. The authentication unit 131 compares the acquired code with a code that has been previously determined between the user and the distribution server 10 and stored in the storage unit 12. When the two codes match, the authentication unit 131 determines that the user of the communication terminal 40 is the user to whom the message is to be sent, that is, that the result of user authentication is OK.
All or part of the user authentication by the second method may be performed by the company server 20, the carrier server 30, or the authentication server 50.

If the result of the user authentication performed by the authentication unit 131 is OK, the control unit 13 sends a message to the communication terminal 40.

Figure 3A is a diagram showing an example of authentication history information 120 according to an embodiment. Authentication history information 120 is generated for each telephone number of a recipient to whom a message is sent.

The authentication history information 120 includes, for example, information corresponding to a user ID, a mobile phone number, a reference date, a reference date setting date and time, user authentication by the first method, and user authentication by the second method. The user ID is information that identifies the user who sends the message. The mobile phone number is the phone number of the mobile phone subscribed to by the user. The reference date indicates the reference date determined based on the results of user authentication. The reference date setting date and time indicates the date and time when the reference date was set.
User authentication by the first method includes information corresponding to each of the following items: final authentication method, final authentication result, and authentication date and time. The final authentication method indicates the method of user authentication by the first method that was performed last time, for example, public personal authentication, online personal authentication, carrier authentication, or customer master authentication. The final authentication result indicates the authentication result of user authentication by the first method that was performed last time, for example, authentication OK or authentication NG. The authentication date and time indicates the date and time of user authentication by the first method that was performed last time.
User authentication by the second method includes information corresponding to the same items as user authentication by the first method described above. The final authentication method indicates the method of user authentication by the second method performed last time, for example, a method using a code (e.g., a 4-digit PIN code), a method using a confirmation message, or a method of sending a text body without notifying a confirmation message. The final authentication result indicates the authentication result of user authentication by the second method performed last time. The authentication date and time indicates the date and time of user authentication by the second method performed last time.

For example, if no date information is stored in the base date, the determination unit 130 determines that the message to be notified this time is the first notification, that is, the first message to be notified to the user's phone number. In this case, the determination unit 130 determines that user authentication should be performed using the first method. The authentication unit 131 performs user authentication using the first method. The determination unit 130 stores the method of user authentication performed this time in the "final authentication method" of "user authentication by first method." The determination unit 130 stores the result of the user authentication performed this time in the "final authentication result" of "user authentication by first method." The determination unit 130 stores the date and time of the user authentication performed this time in the "authentication date and time" of "user authentication by first method." The determination unit 130 stores the base date determined based on the result of user authentication in the "base date." If the base date is changed (updated), the determination unit 130 stores the date and time when the base date was changed in the "base date setting date and time."

For example, if information indicating a date is stored on the reference date, the determination unit 130 determines that the message to be notified this time is not the first notification. In this case, the determination unit 130 determines whether to perform user authentication using the first method or the second method based on the information stored on the reference date. If the message is to be notified after the reference date, the determination unit 130 determines to perform user authentication using the first method, and if the message is to be notified before the reference date, the determination unit 130 determines to perform user authentication using the second method.
When performing authentication using the second method, the authentication unit 131 performs user authentication using the second method. The judgment unit 130 stores the method of the user authentication performed this time in the "final authentication method" of "user authentication using the second method." The judgment unit 130 stores the result of the user authentication performed this time in the "final authentication result" of "user authentication using the second method." The judgment unit 130 stores the date and time of the user authentication performed this time in the "authentication date and time" of "user authentication using the second method." The judgment unit 130 stores the base date determined based on the result of the user authentication in the "base date." If the base date is changed (updated), the judgment unit 130 stores the date and time when the base date was changed in the "base date setting date and time." Note that if authentication is performed using the second method, the base date may not be updated.
When performing authentication using the first method, the authentication unit 131 performs user authentication using the first method. As in the case of the initial notification, the determination unit 130 stores the method of user authentication performed this time, the authentication result, and the authentication date and time in each item of "User authentication using the first method." Also, as in the case of the initial notification, the determination unit 130 stores the base date determined based on the result of user authentication in "Base date." If the base date is changed (updated), the determination unit 130 stores the date and time when the base date was changed in "Base date setting date and time."

Figure 3B is a diagram showing another example of authentication history information 120 according to an embodiment. Authentication history information 120 is generated for each telephone number of a recipient to whom a message is sent.

The authentication history information 120 includes, for example, a user ID, a mobile phone number, a reference date, and information corresponding to each of a plurality of messages (message 1, message 2, etc.). The user ID is information that identifies the user who sends the message. The mobile phone number is the phone number of the mobile phone subscribed to by the user. The reference date indicates a reference date determined based on the results of user authentication.
3A and 3B, the base date may be stored in the distribution server 10, or may be transmitted to the company server 20 and stored in the company server 20. A uniform base date may be used regardless of the request source, or an individual base date may be used depending on the request source.

The message includes, for example, information corresponding to the notification date, first flag, reception flag, and user authentication. The notification date indicates the date on which the message was notified. The first flag indicates whether the message is being notified to the user's phone number for the first time.
The reception flag indicates whether or not a confirmation message has been received when the confirmation message has been sent to the user's telephone number.
The user authentication indicates the result of the user authentication. For example, information corresponding to the authentication type and the authentication result is stored in the user authentication. The authentication type indicates the type of user authentication that was performed. The authentication result indicates whether the result of the user authentication was OK or NG.

For example, if the first-time flag indicates that the message is being notified for the first time, the determination unit 130 determines that user authentication should be performed using the first method. In this case, the determination unit 130 stores the type of user authentication using the first method in the authentication type field. The authentication unit 131 performs user authentication using the first method. The determination unit 130 stores the result of the user authentication performed by the authentication unit 131 in the authentication result field, and stores the reference date determined based on the result of the user authentication.
For example, if the first-time flag indicates that the message is not the first time it has been notified, the determination unit 130 determines to perform user authentication using the second method based on the information stored on the reference date. In this case, the determination unit 130 stores the type of user authentication using the second method in the authentication type field. The authentication unit 131 performs user authentication using the second method. The determination unit 130 stores the result of the user authentication performed by the authentication unit 131 in the authentication result field, and stores the reference date determined based on the result of the user authentication.
For example, if the first-time flag indicates that the message is not the first time it has been notified, the determination unit 130 determines to perform user authentication using the first method based on the information stored on the reference date. In this case, the determination unit 130 stores the type of user authentication using the first method in the authentication type field. The authentication unit 131 performs user authentication using the first method. The determination unit 130 stores the result of the user authentication performed by the authentication unit 131 in the authentication result field, and stores the reference date determined based on the result of the user authentication.

Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the processing performed by the distribution server 10 according to the embodiment. Figure 4 schematically shows the dates on which the messages indicated in Notification 1 to Notification 5 were notified and the processing performed. In the example shown in this figure, the fixed period is set to three months. In other words, if the user authentication result is OK, the base date will be three months after the date on which the user authentication was performed.

Notification 1 indicates that the first notification was sent on October 1, 2021. Because Notification 1 is the first notification, the distribution server 10 performs user authentication using the first method. If the result of the user authentication is OK, the distribution server 10 sets the reference date to January 1, 2022, three months after October 1, 2021.
Notification 2 indicates that the second notification was sent on November 5, 2021. Because Notification 2 was sent before the reference date, the distribution server 10 performs user authentication using the second method.
The distribution server 10 may change the base date. Specifically, if the result of user authentication using the second method is OK, the distribution server 10 may change the base date from November 5, 2021 to February 5, 2022, which is three months later. Note that the example in this figure shows a case where the base date is not changed.
Notification 3 indicates that the third notification was sent on December 4, 2021. Because notification 3 was sent before the reference date, the distribution server 10 performs user authentication using the second method.
The distribution server 10 may change the base date. Specifically, if the result of user authentication using the second method is OK, the distribution server 10 may change the base date from December 4, 2021 to March 4, 2022, which is three months later. Note that the example in this figure shows a case where the base date is not changed.

Notification 4 indicates that the fourth notification was sent on January 2, 2022. Because notification 4 is sent after the reference date, distribution server 10 performs user authentication using the first method. If the result of user authentication is OK, distribution server 10 sets the reference date to April 2, 2022, three months after January 2, 2022.
Notification 5 indicates that the fifth notification was sent on February 3, 2022. Because notification 5 is a notification sent before the reference date, the distribution server 10 performs user authentication using the second method.
The distribution server 10 may change the reference date. Specifically, if the result of user authentication using the second method is OK, the distribution server 10 may change the reference date from February 3, 2022 to May 3, 2022, which is three months later.

Figure 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the processing flow performed by the distribution server 10 according to the embodiment.

First, the distribution server 10 accepts a message notification instruction (step S10). Next, the distribution server 10 determines whether the message to be notified this time is the first notification (step S11). If it is the first notification, the distribution server 10 performs user authentication using the first method (step S12). The distribution server 10 determines whether the result of the user authentication using the first method is OK (step S13). If the result is OK, the distribution server 10 sends the message, sets the reference date to a date a certain period of time (e.g., three months) after the date of user authentication (step S14), and ends the process.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S11 that the notification is not the first notification, the distribution server 10 determines whether the reference date has passed (step S15). If the reference date has passed, the distribution server 10 executes the process shown in step S12.
If the reference date has not passed, the distribution server 10 performs user authentication using the second method (step S16). The distribution server 10 determines whether the result of the user authentication using the second method is OK (step S17). If the result is OK, the distribution server 10 transmits the message (step S18) and ends the process.

Also, if the authentication result is NG in step S13 or step S17, the distribution server 10 terminates the process without sending a message. Alternatively, the distribution server 10 may send a message to the communication terminal 40 indicating that the user's identity could not be confirmed through user authentication.

In step S18, the distribution server 10 may change the reference date. In this case, the distribution server 10 sets the reference date to a date that is a certain period of time (e.g., three months) after the date on which the confirmation message was received.

As described above, the distribution server 10 of the embodiment includes a determination unit 130 and an authentication unit 131. The determination unit 130 determines a reference date based on a user authentication history (e.g., authentication history information 120). User authentication is a process of determining whether the subscriber of a telephone number corresponding to a communication terminal corresponding to a telephone number of a destination to which a message is to be sent is the user to whom the message is to be sent. Based on the determined reference date, the determination unit 130 determines whether to perform user authentication based on a first method or a second method that is simpler than the first method. The authentication unit 131 performs user authentication based on the determination result by the determination unit 130.
As a result, the distribution server 10 of the embodiment can perform either strict authentication or simple authentication depending on the user authentication history. By performing strict authentication, it is possible to prevent messages from being delivered to users other than the intended users. Furthermore, by performing simple authentication, it is possible to reduce the burden associated with user authentication. Therefore, it is possible to prevent messages from being delivered to users other than the intended users and to reduce the burden associated with user authentication.

Furthermore, in the distribution server 10 of this embodiment, the determination unit 130 determines that user authentication based on the second method should be performed on messages sent before the reference date. The determination unit 130 determines that user authentication based on the first method should be performed on messages sent after the reference date. If the determination unit 130 determines that the result of user authentication is OK (the subscriber of the telephone number is the user), it changes the reference date to a date that is a certain period of time (e.g., three months) after the date of user authentication. This makes it possible for the distribution server 10 of this embodiment to perform simple authentication if it is within a certain period of time after strict authentication, achieving the same effects as those described above.

Furthermore, in the distribution server 10 of this embodiment, when a message (e.g., a confirmation message) sent to the communication terminal 40 is received by the communication terminal 40 as user authentication based on the second method, the determination unit 130 determines that the result of user authentication is OK (that the subscriber of the telephone number is the user). Alternatively, as user authentication based on the second method, the distribution server 10 assumes that the subscriber of the telephone number is the user, and sends the main text (the message requested by the requester) without notifying the confirmation message. This makes it possible to confirm that the line is open and the telephone number has not been canceled, with almost no burden on the user. Therefore, the same effects as those described above are achieved.

In the above description, an example was given in which the reference date is set to the date a certain period of time (e.g., three months) has passed since the date on which user authentication was performed. However, this is not limited to this. The reference date may be set arbitrarily based on the date on which user authentication was performed. For example, if the result of user authentication is OK, the date on which that user authentication was performed may be set as the "reference date." Then, if a certain period of time (e.g., three months) has passed since the date on which user authentication was performed, which is the "reference date," user authentication may be performed using the first method, and if the certain period of time has not passed, user authentication may be performed using the second method.

In the above-described embodiments, all or part of the information processing system 1 and distribution server 10 may be implemented by a computer. In this case, a program for implementing this function may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program may be loaded into the computer system and executed. Note that the term "computer system" as used herein includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, optical magnetic disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, as well as storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording medium" may also include media that dynamically store programs for a short period of time, such as communication lines used when transmitting programs over networks such as the Internet or over communication lines such as telephone lines, or media that store programs for a fixed period of time, such as volatile memory within the computer system that serves as the server or client. The program may be designed to implement some of the above-described functions, or may be capable of implementing the above-described functions in combination with programs already stored in the computer system, or may be implemented using a programmable logic device such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

The above describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment and includes designs that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

1... Information processing system, 10... Distribution server, 20... Corporate server, 30 (30A, 30B)... Telecommunications carrier server, 40... Communication terminal, 11... Communication unit, 12... Storage unit, 120... Authentication history information, 13... Control unit, 130... Determination unit, 131... Authentication unit

Claims (5)

a determination unit that determines a reference date according to a history of user authentication for a communication terminal corresponding to a telephone number of a destination to which a message is to be sent, and determines whether to perform the user authentication based on a first method or a second method that is simpler than the first method, based on the determined reference date;
an authentication unit that performs the user authentication in accordance with the determination result by the determination unit;
A distribution server having the above configuration. the determination unit determines to perform the user authentication based on the second method for messages sent before the reference date, and determines to perform the user authentication based on the first method for messages sent after the reference date, and when it is determined as a result of the user authentication that the subscriber of the telephone number is the user, changes the reference date to a date that is a certain period after the date on which the user authentication was performed.
The distribution server according to claim 1 . the determination unit determines, as the user authentication based on the second method, that a subscriber of the telephone number is the user when a message sent to the communication terminal is received by the communication terminal;
3. The distribution server according to claim 1 or 2. A distribution method performed by a computer that is a distribution server,
a determination unit determines a base date according to a history of user authentication for a communication terminal corresponding to a telephone number of a destination to which a message is to be sent, the user authentication determining whether the subscriber of the telephone number is a user to whom the message is to be sent, and determines whether to perform the user authentication based on a first method or a second method that is simpler than the first method based on the determined base date;
an authentication unit that performs the user authentication in accordance with the determination result by the determination unit;
Delivery method. A program for causing a computer to operate as the distribution server described in any one of claims 1 to 3, and for causing the computer to function as each unit of the distribution server.