JP7795375B2 - Terminal device, external device, communication system, program, and communication control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to terminal devices, external devices, communication systems, programs, communication control methods, etc.

Biometric authentication using biometric information has traditionally been widely known as a method for verifying a user's identity. For example, identity authentication is performed when using a credit card. Techniques for performing biometric authentication over a network are also known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for increasing the reliability of biometric authentication over a network by adding a double digital signature.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-143136

The method in Patent Document 1 is a method for more secure identity verification, but does not describe what happens after verification is complete, such as processing that uses personal information. More specifically, conventional methods such as Patent Document 1 are unable to execute communication processing that is suitable for when a terminal device that stores personal information works in conjunction with an external device that uses that personal information.

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a terminal device, external device, communication system, program, communication control method, etc. that appropriately performs biometric authentication and personal information transmission processing when personal information stored in a terminal device is used in an external device.

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a terminal device that includes a storage unit that stores authentication information used for biometric authentication of a user and personal information of the user; a communication unit that communicates with an external device that executes control based on the personal information; and a control unit that acquires biometric information from the external device via the communication unit, executes the biometric authentication based on the authentication information and the biometric information, and, if it is determined that the biometric authentication is successful, controls transmission of the personal information to the external device via the communication unit.

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to an external device that includes a sensor that detects biometric information, a communication unit that communicates with a terminal device that stores a user's personal information, and a control unit that performs control based on the personal information, wherein the control unit transmits the biometric information detected by the sensor to the terminal device via the communication unit, and, when the terminal device determines that biometric authentication based on the biometric information has been successful, performs control to request the personal information from the terminal device via the communication unit.

Still another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a communications system that includes a terminal device that stores authentication information used for biometric authentication of a user and personal information of the user, and an external device that has a sensor that detects the biometric information and executes control based on the personal information, wherein the external device transmits the biometric information acquired by the sensor to the terminal device, the terminal device executes the biometric authentication based on the authentication information and the biometric information received from the external device, and if it determines that the biometric authentication is successful, transmits the personal information to the external device, and the external device executes control based on the personal information received from the terminal device.

Still another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a program that causes a computer to execute the following process: storing authentication information used for biometric authentication of a user and personal information of the user; communicating with an external device that executes control based on the personal information of the user; acquiring the biometric information from the external device; executing the biometric authentication based on the authentication information and the biometric information; and, if it is determined that the biometric authentication is successful, transmitting the personal information to the external device.

Still another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a control method for a communication system including a terminal device that stores authentication information used for biometric authentication of a user and personal information of the user, and an external device that has a sensor that acquires biometric information and executes control based on the personal information, the control method transmitting the biometric information acquired by the sensor from the external device to the terminal device, executing the biometric authentication based on the authentication information and the biometric information, and, if it is determined that the biometric authentication is successful, transmitting the personal information from the terminal device to the external device, and executing control based on the personal information in the external device.

1 is an example of a communication system including a terminal device and an external device. 1 is a configuration example of a terminal device. 10 is a configuration example of an external device. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating the processing of the present embodiment. 10 is an example of personal information stored in a terminal device. 1 is an example of a biological information detection device. 1 is an example of a communication system including a terminal device and an external device. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of control based on personal information.

The present embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical or equivalent elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. Note that the present embodiment described below does not unduly limit the content of the claims. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the present embodiment are necessarily essential components of the present disclosure.

1. System Configuration Example Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a communication system 10 according to this embodiment. The communication system 10 includes a terminal device 100 and an external device 200 that is provided outside the terminal device 100. In Fig. 1, a mobile object 300 is illustrated as an example of the external device 200. However, the configuration of the communication system 10 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 1, and various modifications are possible, such as omitting some components or adding other components.

The terminal device 100 of this embodiment is a device that stores personal information, which is information about the user of the terminal device 100. Examples of personal information will be described later using Figure 5. The terminal device 100 is, for example, a mobile terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet device. Because the device used by the user himself is used as the terminal device 100, it is possible to easily and securely register the user's personal information. Note that the terminal device 100 may be any device used by the user, and may also be other types of device, such as a laptop PC (Personal Computer).

The external device 200 is a device that executes control based on the user's personal information. For example, a mobile object 300, which is an example of an external device 200, includes a control device 310, a camera 340, a handlebar 350, a seat 360, etc., as shown in FIG. 1. The control device 310 corresponds to the control unit 210 described below using FIG. 3, and the camera 340 corresponds to the sensor 240. The control device 310 may be provided in a different position on the mobile object 300. The mobile object 300 may also include an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, an engine, etc. (not shown). While a passenger car is shown as an example of the mobile object 300 in FIG. 1, other types of mobile objects, such as a motorcycle or construction machinery, may also be used.

For example, the control device 310 is electrically connected to and controls various parts of the vehicle 300, such as the camera 340, steering wheel 350, seat 360, accelerator pedal, and brake pedal. For example, the control device 310 may perform autonomous driving by controlling the steering wheel 350, etc. based on the user's personal information. The autonomous driving here may provide driving assistance equivalent to autonomous driving levels 1-2, or may be conditional or unconditional autonomous driving equivalent to levels 3-5. As will be described later, the control device 310 may also perform control to improve user convenience, such as controlling the position of the seat 360 based on personal information. By having the external device 200 perform control based on personal information, appropriate control tailored to the target user can be achieved.

When using personal information, biometric authentication may be performed on the terminal device 100 to prevent the personal information from being leaked. In this case, the terminal device 100 of this embodiment acquires biometric information for biometric authentication from the external device 200 to which the personal information is to be sent. In this way, it is possible to improve convenience by eliminating the need to perform operations on the terminal device 100 during biometric authentication. The method disclosed herein will be described in detail below.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example configuration of the terminal device 100. The terminal device 100 includes a control unit 110, a memory unit 120, a communication unit 130, and a sensor 140. However, the configuration of the terminal device 100 is not limited to that shown in Figure 2, and various modifications are possible, such as omitting some components or adding other components. For example, the terminal device 100 may include a display unit, an operation unit, etc. not shown in Figure 2.

The control unit 110 executes various controls related to the terminal device 100. For example, the control unit 110 performs authentication processing using biometric information (hereinafter referred to as biometric authentication) and controls communication with the external device 200 via the communication unit 130. Details of the processing performed by the control unit 110 will be described later.

The control unit 110 of this embodiment is composed of the following hardware. The hardware may include at least one of a circuit for processing digital signals and a circuit for processing analog signals. For example, the hardware may be composed of one or more circuit devices or one or more circuit elements mounted on a circuit board. The one or more circuit devices may be, for example, an IC (Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), etc. The one or more circuit elements may be, for example, a resistor, a capacitor, etc.

The control unit 110 may also be implemented by the following processor. The terminal device 100 of this embodiment includes a memory that stores information and a processor that operates based on the information stored in the memory. The information includes, for example, programs and various data. The processor includes hardware. Various types of processors can be used, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The memory may be semiconductor memory such as SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), or flash memory, or it may be a register, a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), or an optical storage device such as an optical disk drive. For example, the memory stores computer-readable instructions, and the functions of the control unit 110 are implemented as processes by the processor executing these instructions. The instructions here may be instructions from an instruction set that constitutes a program, or instructions that instruct the processor's hardware circuitry to operate.

The memory unit 120 is a work area for the control unit 110 and stores various information. The memory unit 120 can be implemented using various types of memory, and the memory may be semiconductor memory such as SRAM, DRAM, ROM, or flash memory, or may be a register, a magnetic storage device, or an optical storage device.

As shown in FIG. 2, the storage unit 120 may store authentication information 121, personal information 122, and device authentication information 123. The authentication information 121 is information for performing biometric authentication of a user based on biometric information. The authentication information 121 is, for example, pre-registered correct answer data. For example, when biometric authentication is performed based on a facial image, the authentication information 121 is facial image data of the user himself/herself, or feature information extracted from the facial image data.

Personal information 122 is information about the user of the terminal device 100, and includes various information as described below using Figure 5.

Device authentication information 123 is information used by the external device 200 when performing device authentication to verify whether the terminal device 100 is a legitimate device. For example, device authentication information 123 is the public key of the terminal device 100 authenticated by a certification authority. The external device 200 determines that device authentication has been successful if the public key has been authenticated by the certification authority and the signature information from the terminal device 100 is determined to be valid based on the public key. Device authentication will be described in more detail below.

The communication unit 130 is an interface for communicating over a network, and includes, for example, an antenna, an RF (radio frequency) circuit, and a baseband circuit. The communication unit 130 operates, for example, under the control of the control unit 110. The communication unit 130 may also include a processor for communication control that is different from the control unit 110.

The communication unit 130 may perform wireless communication using a method specified in IEEE 802.11, for example. For example, the communication unit 130 performs communication using Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The communication unit 130 may also perform wireless communication using other methods. For example, the communication unit 130 performs communication using Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC (Near Field Communication), UWB (Ultra Wide Band), etc.

Sensor 140 is a sensor that performs various types of sensing. Sensor 140 may be a camera, a motion sensor such as an acceleration sensor or gyro sensor, a GPS receiver, a photoelectric sensor having a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit, or other sensor. Sensor 140 may also include two or more of these sensors. Sensor 140 may be used to store the above-mentioned authentication information 121 in memory unit 120 in advance. For example, sensor 140 is a camera that captures an image of the user's face. Sensor 140 may also be a sensor for acquiring personal information of the user. For example, control unit 110 may obtain health condition information (described below) based on sensor 140 and perform control to transmit the health condition information to external device 200 as personal information.

The terminal device 100 may also include a display unit and an operation unit. The display unit is an interface that displays various information, and may be a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or another type of display. The operation unit may be buttons or the like provided on the terminal device 100, or a touch panel that is integrated with the display unit.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example configuration of external device 200. External device 200 includes a control unit 210, a memory unit 220, a communication unit 230, and a sensor 240. However, the configuration of external device 200 is not limited to that shown in Figure 3, and various modifications are possible, such as omitting some components or adding other components. For example, if external device 200 is a mobile object 300, components such as a steering wheel 350 and a seat 360 shown in Figure 1, as well as an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal (not shown), may be added. Furthermore, as will be described later using Figure 7, if external device 200 is an intercom 400, components such as a call button 450, a speaker 460, and a microphone 470 (described later) may be added.

The control unit 210 executes various controls related to the external device 200. For example, the control unit 210 performs processes such as acquiring biometric information using the sensor 240, controlling communication with the terminal device 100 via the communication unit 230, and performing device authentication of the terminal device 100. Details of the processes performed by the control unit 210 will be described later.

The control unit 210 of this embodiment is configured with hardware that includes at least one of a circuit for processing digital signals and a circuit for processing analog signals. For example, the hardware can be configured with one or more circuit devices mounted on a circuit board or one or more circuit elements.

The control unit 210 may also be realized by a processor such as a CPU, GPU, or DSP. The external device 200 of this embodiment includes a memory that stores information and a processor that operates based on the information stored in the memory. For example, the memory stores computer-readable instructions, and the processor executes these instructions to realize the functions of the control unit 210 as processing.

The memory unit 220 is a work area for the control unit 210 and stores various information. The memory unit 220 can be implemented using various types of memory, and the memory may be semiconductor memory such as SRAM, DRAM, ROM, or flash memory, or may be a register, a magnetic storage device, or an optical storage device.

As shown in FIG. 3, the storage unit 220 may store terminal information 221. The terminal information 221 is information that identifies the device (terminal device 100) for which device authentication has been performed. The terminal information 221 may be the MAC address of the terminal device 100, a serial number, or other information. By storing the terminal information 221, it is possible to omit device authentication when reconnecting with a terminal device 100 that has a history of successful device authentication.

The communication unit 230 is an interface for communicating over a network, and includes, for example, an antenna, an RF circuit, and a baseband circuit. The communication unit 230 operates, for example, under the control of the control unit 210. The communication unit 230 may also include a processor for communication control that is different from the control unit 210.

The communication unit 230 may perform wireless communication using a method similar to that of the terminal device 100. For example, the communication unit 230 may perform communication using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, UWB, etc.

Sensor 240 is a sensor that detects the user's biometric information. This biometric information may be information about the user's outline or facial features, information about the iris, information about a fingerprint, or other information. Sensor 240 may be, for example, a camera including an image sensor, or a fingerprint sensor. A fingerprint sensor can be implemented using a variety of sensors, such as a sensor that detects capacitance, an optical sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor.

2. Processing Flow Next, the processing flow in this embodiment will be described in detail. Fig. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating the processing of the terminal device 100 and the external device 200 in this embodiment. In the following, an example will be described in which the external device 200 is a mobile object 300 as shown in Fig. 1.

First, in step S101, the control unit 110 of the terminal device 100 registers authentication information 121 and personal information 122 in the memory unit 120. Note that the authentication information 121 may be obtained at a timing prior to step S109, and the personal information 122 may be obtained at a timing prior to step S110. Therefore, the specific timing at which each piece of information is registered is not limited to the timing shown in step S101.

For example, the authentication information 121 and the personal information 122 may be registered at different times. Furthermore, as will be described later with reference to Figure 5, if multiple types of personal information 122 are used, these may be acquired together, or may be acquired at different times. Furthermore, the personal information 122 may be information that is updated periodically.

As described above, the authentication information 121 is, for example, biometric information, and the specific content can be modified in various ways. The authentication information 121 may be information acquired using the sensor 140 of the terminal device 100, or information acquired using another device. For example, the control unit 110 may acquire biometric information detected by a device other than the terminal device 100 via the communication unit 130 and store it in the memory unit 120 as authentication information 121.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing specific examples of personal information. Personal information includes driver's license information, health insurance card information, My Number card information, ID card information, health condition information, setting history information, age information, height information, weight information, etc. However, Figure 5 is only an example of personal information, and some of this information may be omitted, or other information not shown in Figure 5 may be added.

License information is information related to the user's license. License information includes information such as a facial photograph, license number, name, address, date of birth, permitted vehicles, restrictions (glasses, etc.), and expiration date. For example, if the license includes an IC chip, the control unit 110 may acquire the license information by scanning the license using NFC or the like. License information may also be acquired by the user entering information using the operation unit of the terminal device 100. When registering license information, the control unit 110 may request the entry of a PIN number, etc., set when the license was issued, and, based on this request, may perform processing to inquire of the issuer of the PIN number entered by the user. If the PIN number is correct, the control unit 110 registers the license information, and if it is incorrect, rejects the registration of the license information. This makes it possible to prevent license information of anyone other than the user from being registered on the terminal device 100.

Health insurance card information includes information such as name, date of birth, gender, and health insurance association to which the user belongs. My Number card information includes information such as name, date of birth, gender, address, and My Number. My Number is, for example, a number that uniquely identifies a user and is information issued by the country. ID card information is, for example, information related to a card issued by an organization (company, group, etc.) to which the user belongs, and includes information such as a facial photo, name, affiliation, and position. When registering health insurance card information, My Number card information, ID card information, etc., the control unit 110 may also request input of a PIN number set at the time of issuance, and perform processing to inquire of the issuer of the PIN number entered by the user.

Health condition information is information that represents the user's health condition. Health condition information may be biometric information detected using a biometric sensor, such as heart rate (pulse rate), respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, and activity level. Hereinafter, biometric information used as health condition information will also be referred to as second biometric information to distinguish it from biometric information used for biometric authentication. Note that the biometric information for biometric authentication and the second biometric information may be the same type of information. Furthermore, health condition information is not limited to information detected using a biometric sensor, and may also include information such as hospital visit history and medication history.

The setting history information is information that represents the setting history of the external device 200. If the external device 200 is a mobile object 300 such as an automobile, the setting history information includes various information accumulated through use of the mobile object 300, such as the position of the seat 360, the playback history of the car audio, and the input history of destinations and the like in the car navigation system. For example, suppose that the terminal device 100 and some external device 200 were connected in the past, and the user used the external device 200, leaving setting history information in the memory unit 220 of the external device 200. For example, the control unit 110 may acquire the setting history information from the external device 200 via the communication unit 130.

The age information, height information, and weight information represent the user's age, height, and weight, respectively. Personal information may also include other information such as hand and foot size and waist circumference, as necessary. Personal information may also include behavioral history information, including the stores the user has visited, and preference information that identifies the user's preferences. Age information can be identified from the user's date of birth on a driver's license or other such information, and so may be included in the driver's license or other such information.

As described above, personal information is information that differs for each user. Therefore, the personal information stored in the memory unit 120 of the terminal device 100 is information specific to the user of that terminal device 100.

In the method of this embodiment, the user approaches the external device 200 in order to use the external device 200 while carrying the terminal device 100 in which the authentication information 121 and personal information 122 are registered. For example, the user drives the mobile object 300 and moves to a range where the distance from the mobile object 300 is equal to or less than a predetermined distance threshold.

In step S102, the terminal device 100 and the external device 200 establish communication using a first communication method. Here, the first communication method is, for example, Bluetooth (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)), NFC, UWB, etc. The distance threshold may correspond to the distance at which communication is possible using the first communication method (e.g., the distance at which radio waves can reach with sufficient strength). Note that the communication sequence until communication is established differs depending on the method, but since each of the above methods is publicly known, detailed explanation of the communication sequence will be omitted.

Next, the external device 200 performs device authentication of the terminal device 100. Specifically, the storage unit 120 of the terminal device 100 stores device authentication information 123 used for device authentication of the terminal device 100 in advance. As with the authentication information 121 and personal information 122, the timing at which the device authentication information 123 is stored can be varied in various ways. The device authentication information 123 is, for example, a public key corresponding to a private key stored in the terminal device 100.

In step S103, the control unit 110 transmits the signature information created using its own private key to the external device 200. For example, the control unit 110 creates encrypted data by encrypting some data with the private key. In this embodiment, the signature information is information that includes the encrypted data. Furthermore, the control unit 110 attaches a public key that pairs with the private key and an electronic certificate issued by a certification authority (CA) to the created encrypted data, and transmits it to the external device 200. Note that the electronic certificate and public key may be configured as a single piece of data.

In step S104, the external device 200 performs device authentication. For example, the control unit 210 of the external device 200 inquires of a certificate authority whether the electronic certificate received in step S103 is valid. If the electronic certificate is valid, the authenticity of the public key is confirmed. Therefore, the control unit 210 determines whether the encrypted data can be decrypted using the public key received in step S103. If the encrypted data can be properly decrypted, it can be confirmed that the terminal device 100, which is the sender, is a legitimate device that possesses the private key that pairs with the public key, and the control unit 210 determines that device authentication has been successful.

Note that the method for performing device authentication is not limited to this, and various variations are known. In this embodiment, these known methods can be widely applied to the device authentication process in step S104. For example, a process that also detects tampering may be performed in steps S103 and S104. For example, in step S103, the control unit 110 of the terminal device 100 applies a hash function to some original data to obtain a hash value, and then encrypts the hash value with a private key to create an encrypted hash value. The control unit 110 transmits the original data, the encrypted hash value, the public key, and the electronic certificate to the external device 200. In step S104, the control unit 210 of the external device 200 applies the hash function to the original data received in step S103 to obtain a first verification value. The control unit 210 also inquires of the certificate authority whether the electronic certificate is valid, and if it is valid, obtains a second verification value by decrypting the encrypted hash value received in step S103 using the public key of the terminal device 100. The control unit 210 is able to perform device authentication of the terminal device 100 by determining whether the encrypted hash value can be decrypted. Furthermore, the control unit 210 performs a process to compare the first verification value and the second verification value. If the first verification value and the second verification value match, the control unit 210 can also confirm that the data has not been tampered with.

If device authentication is successful, in step S105, the external device 200 transmits connection information to be used in the second communication method to the terminal device 100. This connection information includes information identifying the network of the external device 200. For example, the second communication method is a method compatible with Wi-Fi, and the information identifying the network is an SSID (Service Set Identifier). The connection information may also include a pre-shared key (password). For example, Wi-Fi communication between the terminal device 100 and the external device 200 may be encrypted using a common key created based on the pre-shared key.

In step S106, communication using the second communication method, for example, Wi-Fi communication, is established between the terminal device 100 and the external device 200.

As shown in steps S102-S106, the communication unit 130 communicates using the first communication method and the second communication method, and the control unit 110 transmits device authentication information using the first communication method (step S103). If device authentication based on the device authentication information is successful in the external device 200, the control unit 110 may receive connection information for communicating with the external device 200 using the second communication method (step S105). This makes it possible to smoothly switch between the communication method used for device authentication and the communication method used for subsequent processing.

For example, the second communication method may be a method with a faster communication speed than the first communication method. In the above example, Wi-Fi has a faster communication speed than BLE, etc. In this way, even when a relatively large amount of biometric information is used for biometric authentication, the time required for communication can be shortened, allowing biometric authentication to be performed smoothly. For example, if the biometric information is video data, the amount of data will be larger than when still images, etc. are used. However, even in such cases, biometric authentication can be performed smoothly, and the larger amount of biometric information can also increase the accuracy of biometric authentication.

However, the communication method used for device authentication and the communication method used for biometric authentication may be the same, and switching the communication method is not required.

Furthermore, encryption in communication using the second communication method is not limited to using a pre-shared key. For example, the device authentication information transmitted by the communication unit 130 to the external device 200 in step S103 may include first encryption information used in communication using the second communication method. The first encryption information may be, for example, the public key of the terminal device 100 used in the second communication method, or other information for generating an encryption key used in the second communication method. For example, the terminal device 100 may create an electronic signature using the first encryption information as the above-mentioned original data, and then transmit the first encryption information and the electronic signature to the external device 200 in step S103. The first encryption information is used, for example, to transmit information from the terminal device 100 to the external device 200. By performing processing based on the first encryption information, confidentiality can be increased when transmitting information from the terminal device 100 to the external device 200.

Furthermore, in step S105, the external device 200 may transmit to the terminal device 100 connection information including second encryption information used in communication using the second communication method, in addition to information identifying the network. The second encryption information may be, for example, the public key of the external device 200 used in the second communication method, or other information for generating an encryption key used in the second communication method. The second encryption information is used, for example, to transmit information from the external device 200 to the terminal device 100. By performing processing based on the second encryption information, it is possible to increase the confidentiality of information transmitted from the external device 200 to the terminal device 100.

For example, the terminal device 100 and the external device 200 may share information for creating an encryption key for the second communication method by performing a key exchange using the first encryption information and the second encryption information. In this way, an encryption key specific to Wi-Fi communication between the terminal device 100 and the external device 200 can be generated, enabling communication with higher security than when a pre-shared key is used. Furthermore, the first encryption information and second encryption information in this embodiment may be any information that increases the security of communication in the second communication method, and various modifications can be made to the specific content and processing content for each encryption information.

After Wi-Fi communication is established, in step S107, the control unit 210 of the external device 200 activates the sensor 240 to acquire biometric information for biometric authentication. In step S108, the control unit 210 transmits the biometric information to the terminal device 100 via the communication unit 230.

That is, the control unit 110 of the terminal device 100 controls the transmission of device authentication information 123 to the external device 200 via the communication unit 130 (step S103), and if device authentication based on the device authentication information 123 is successful in the external device 200, biometric information may be acquired from the external device 200 (step S108). In this way, unless the terminal device 100 is confirmed to be a legitimate device through device authentication, the external device 200 will not transmit biometric information to the terminal device 100. This makes it possible to prevent biometric information acquired by the external device 200 from being sent to an inappropriate device, for example.

Furthermore, the external device 200 of this embodiment may further include an interface unit used by the user when using the external device 200. When the external device 200 is a mobile object 300, the interface unit may be a steering wheel 350, an in-vehicle monitor used in a car navigation system, or any other component used by the user while driving.

The sensor 240 provided in the external device 200 is positioned to detect the biometric information of the user using the interface unit. In the example of the mobile object 300, the sensor 240 corresponds to, for example, the camera 340. As shown in FIG. 1, the camera 340 is positioned in the front part of the mobile object 300 (such as the windshield or the ceiling near the windshield) at a position where it can capture an image of the driver's seat. For example, the camera 340 is positioned and oriented so that it can capture an image of the upper body or face of a user with a standard build when sitting in the driver's seat 360. While FIG. 1 shows an example in which the camera 340 is positioned directly in front of the driver's seat, the camera 340 may also capture an image of the user in the driver's seat from an oblique angle. Furthermore, if the sensor 240 is a fingerprint sensor, the fingerprint sensor may be provided on the engine start button, the steering wheel 350, or the like.

In this way, it becomes possible to acquire biometric information from users who are actually in a state of using the external device 200. In other words, if the user is not ready to use the external device 200, acquisition of biometric information (step S107) and processing using the biometric information from step S108 onwards are not performed. For example, the method of this embodiment can prevent people who are located near the external device 200 but do not plan to operate the external device 200, such as people sitting in the passenger seat or back seat of the vehicle 300, from being mistakenly targeted for biometric authentication. As a result, it is possible to prevent control from being performed using personal information of users other than the driver. Furthermore, even if a user plans to drive, biometric information is not acquired unless the user is in a state where they are able to drive, which prevents the vehicle 300 from starting automatic control at an inappropriate time.

When biometric information is acquired from the external device 200, in step S109, the control unit 110 of the terminal device 100 performs biometric authentication of the user using the biometric information acquired in step S108 and the authentication information 121 pre-registered in step S101. For example, the control unit 110 may compare the biometric information with the authentication information 121 and determine that the biometric authentication was successful if the degree of similarity is equal to or greater than a predetermined level, or that the biometric authentication was unsuccessful if the degree of similarity is less than the predetermined level. Note that various methods are known for the information used for biometric information and the specific processing content of biometric authentication, and these can be widely applied in this embodiment.

If biometric authentication is successful, in step S110, the control unit 110 transmits a list of personal information stored in the memory unit 120 to the external device 200 via the communication unit 130. The personal information list transmitted in step S110 is a collection of personal information names. For example, the personal information list may be a collection of text such as "license information," "health status information," and "age information." Note that the processing of step S110 may be omitted.

In step S111, the external device 200 performs processing to request personal information used for control by the control unit 210 from the terminal device 100. For example, when processing step S110 is performed, the external device 200 may extract information necessary for control from the personal information listed in the personal information list and transmit the extraction results to the terminal device 100.

In step S112, the control unit 110 performs processing to transmit the personal information 122 stored in the memory unit 120 to the external device 200 based on a request from the external device 200.

As described above, the control unit 110 of the terminal device 100 acquires biometric information from the external device 200 via the communication unit 130 (step S108), performs biometric authentication based on the authentication information 121 and the biometric information (step S109), and, if it determines that the biometric authentication is successful, controls the transmission of personal information 122 to the external device 200 via the communication unit 130 (step S112).

Furthermore, in the case of the external device 200, the control unit 210 transmits biometric information detected by the sensor 240 to the terminal device 100 via the communication unit 230 (steps S107, S108), and if the terminal device 100 determines that biometric authentication based on the biometric information has been successful (step S110), it performs control to request personal information from the terminal device 100 via the communication unit 230 (step S111).

In this way, by using biometric authentication, it is possible to prevent a user's personal information from being sent to inappropriate devices. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sensor that acquires biometric information is the sensor 240 located in the external device 200, rather than the terminal device 100. Therefore, it is possible to omit the operation of the terminal device 100 for biometric authentication. For example, even if the terminal device 100 remains in a pocket or bag, making biometric authentication using the sensor 140 of the terminal device 100 difficult, it is possible to execute the processing from step S102 onwards in FIG. 4. As a result, it is possible to improve user convenience. Furthermore, if biometric authentication is successful, it means that the user of the terminal device 100 is within the detection range of the sensor 240 of the external device 200. Therefore, when the user is unlikely to use the external device 200, it is possible to prevent control using the user's personal information from being executed.

In step S113, the control unit 210 of the external device 200 executes control based on the personal information 122 acquired from the terminal device 100. For example, the control device 310 of the mobile object 300 may acquire driver's license information from the terminal device 100. If the control device 310 determines based on the driver's license information that the mobile object 300 has a history of traffic violations or accidents, it sets a driving mode that reduces the likelihood of traffic violations or accidents by controlling the accelerator pedal, brake pedal, steering wheel 350, etc. Furthermore, if an electronically controllable engine is installed, the control device 310 may control the engine directly, without using the accelerator pedal, etc. For example, the control device 310 may set an upper limit for at least one of speed and acceleration, and change the upper limit based on the driver's license information. Alternatively, the control device 310 may acquire age information and, if the age is higher than a predetermined threshold, perform control to set the upper limit for speed and acceleration relatively low.

Alternatively, the control device 310 may acquire setting history information from the terminal device 100. The control device 310 may perform various settings for the vehicle 300 based on the setting history information. These settings may include various settings such as the position of the seat 360, the position of the mirrors, display settings for the in-vehicle monitor (which may include meters such as a speedometer), music playback settings, and settings for automatic connection to a smartphone, etc. This improves convenience by automatically setting up the vehicle upon boarding. For example, even when the vehicle 300 is a vehicle shared by a family or a rental car, settings tailored to the driver can be easily achieved.

The control device 310 may also acquire behavioral history information and preference information from the terminal device 100. For example, the control device 310 may estimate places of interest to the user (shops, leisure facilities, accommodations, etc.) based on the behavioral history information and preference information, and perform control to recommend visits to those places using a car navigation system, etc.

Furthermore, the personal information in this embodiment may include information that changes in real time while the external device 200 is being used, for example, while the user is riding in the vehicle 300. For example, the personal information may be health condition information.

For example, the communication unit 130 may acquire the user's second biometric information from a biometric information acquisition unit included in the terminal device 100, or from a biometric information detection device 500 connected to the terminal device 100. The biometric information acquisition unit may be, for example, a sensor 140. Furthermore, the second biometric information here corresponds to health condition information and may be the sensor output itself, or information calculated based on the sensor output. The control unit 110 transmits the second biometric information to the external device 200 via the communication unit 130.

In this way, it becomes possible to monitor the health condition of the user using the external device 200 in real time, and if an event is detected, execute control corresponding to that event. For example, the control device 310 may acquire heart rate and blood pressure values as health condition information, and if it detects that these values fall outside the standard range, execute control to bring the mobile object 300 to an emergency stop.

Figure 6 shows an example of a biometric information detection device 500. The biometric information detection device 500 may be, for example, a watch-type device worn on the user's wrist. Techniques for detecting biometric information such as pulse rate using a watch-type biometric information detection device 500 are widely known, and in this embodiment, this information can be widely used as the second biometric information. The biometric information detection device 500 and the terminal device 100 may be connected using one of the first communication methods (e.g., BLE), the second communication method (Wi-Fi), or a communication method different from either. The biometric information detection device 500 may also be a glasses-type wearable device, or a sheet-type device attached to the user's clothing or skin using a sticker or the like, and various modifications are possible in specific embodiments.

Note that the method of this embodiment is not limited to being applied to either the terminal device 100 or the external device 200. For example, the method of this embodiment can be applied to a communication system 10 including the terminal device 100 and the external device 200. The terminal device 100 stores authentication information 121 used for biometric authentication of a user and personal information 122 of the user. The external device 200 has a sensor 240 that detects the biometric information and executes control based on the personal information 122. The external device 200 transmits the biometric information acquired by the sensor 240 to the terminal device 100 (steps S107 and S108 in FIG. 4). The terminal device 100 executes biometric authentication based on the authentication information 121 and the biometric information received from the external device 200 (step S109), and if it is determined that the biometric authentication is successful, transmits the personal information 122 to the external device 200 (step S112). The external device 200 executes control based on the personal information 122 received from the terminal device 100 (step S113).

In this way, biometric authentication and the transmission and reception of personal information are properly performed between the terminal device 100 and the external device 200. Because no operation of the terminal device 100 is required for biometric authentication, a system with high user convenience can be realized. Furthermore, the process described above using Figure 4 does not require the use of a public communication network such as the Internet. Therefore, personal information can be transmitted and received using biometric authentication even in environments where Internet connection is difficult. Note that in the above example, communication between the external device 200 and a certification authority may be required when performing device authentication. Even in this case, there are few situations where the Internet or the like is required, and communication restrictions are minimal. Furthermore, depending on the device authentication method, communication with a certification authority may not be required. In such cases, the Internet or the like is not required even for processes including device authentication. As a result, it becomes possible to easily realize the communication system 10 of this embodiment.

Furthermore, some or all of the processing performed by the terminal device 100 of this embodiment may be implemented by a program. The program according to this embodiment can be stored in, for example, a non-transitory information storage device (information storage medium), which is a computer-readable medium. The information storage device can be implemented, for example, by an optical disc, memory card, HDD, or semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory is, for example, ROM. The control unit 110 of the terminal device 100 performs various processes according to this embodiment based on the program stored in the information storage device. In other words, the information storage device stores programs that cause a computer to function as the control unit 110. A computer is a device that includes an input device, a processing unit, a memory unit, and an output unit. Specifically, the program according to this embodiment is a program that causes a computer to execute the steps described above using Figure 4, particularly those related to the terminal device 100. For example, this program may be application software that runs on the terminal device 100, which is a smartphone, a so-called smartphone app.

The technique of this embodiment can also be applied to a communication control method. The communication control method is a control method for a communication system 10 that includes a terminal device 100 that stores authentication information 121 used for biometric authentication of a user and personal information 122 of the user, and an external device 200 that has a sensor 240 that acquires the biometric information and executes control based on the personal information 122. The communication control method includes the steps of transmitting the biometric information acquired by the sensor 240 from the external device 200 to the terminal device 100, executing biometric authentication based on the authentication information 121 and the biometric information, transmitting the personal information 122 from the terminal device 100 to the external device 200 when it is determined that the biometric authentication is successful, and executing control based on the personal information 122 in the external device 200.

3. Modifications In the above, an example has been described in which the external device 200 is a moving object 300 such as an automobile. However, the external device 200 in this embodiment is not limited to this.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing another example configuration of a communication system 10 including a terminal device 100 and an external device 200. As shown in Figure 7, the external device 200 may be an intercom 400. Figure 7 shows a first terminal of the intercom 400 that is installed outside the facility, for example, near the entrance. The first terminal includes a camera 440, a call button 450, a speaker 460, a microphone 470, etc. The camera 440 corresponds to the sensor 240 in Figure 3. The intercom 400 also includes a second terminal that is installed inside the facility. The second terminal includes a monitor 480 that displays images captured by the camera 440, a speaker, a microphone, etc., as will be described later using Figure 8. The intercom 400 also includes a control device (not shown) that corresponds to the control unit 210. The control device may be installed in each of the first and second terminals, for example.

In this embodiment, users include, for example, police officers, security company employees, visitors from infrastructure companies such as electricity and gas companies, and local government officials. These users may visit homes and businesses as part of their work. However, it is not easy for the person being visited to determine whether the visitor is a legitimate person or someone who is misrepresenting their identity. Therefore, in this embodiment, a process is performed to send personal information that can prove the visitor's identity to the intercom 400, which is the external device 200.

The processing flow of this embodiment is the same as that shown in Figure 4 above. For example, in step S101, information such as an ID card is registered. The information to be registered may be a police notebook, an employee ID card issued by a company, or an employee ID card issued by a local government. When registering this personal information, the control unit 110 of the terminal device 100 checks the PIN number or the like with the issuer to determine whether the personal information to be registered is legitimate information about the user.

After completing the registration process, the user visits a facility that has installed an intercom 400, which is an external device 200 according to this embodiment. As a result, the distance between the terminal device 100 and the external device 200 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined distance threshold, and communication is established using a first communication method such as BLE (step S102). Subsequent device authentication is the same as steps S103-S105 described above. As a result, the external device 200 confirms that the terminal device 100 is a legitimate device, and communication using the second communication method between the terminal device 100 and the external device 200 can be performed in an encrypted state (step S106).

In addition, the sensor 240 in this modified example is a camera 440 that captures an image in the front direction of the first terminal of the intercom 400, as shown in FIG. 7. The camera 440 captures an image of a user operating the interface unit of the intercom 400. The interface unit corresponds to, for example, the call button 450, speaker 460, microphone 470, etc. For example, when a visitor user presses the call button 450, or when the user is standing in front of the intercom 400 and talking to someone in the facility using the speaker 460 and microphone 470, an image of the user is acquired as biometric information. In this way, when the user of the terminal device 100 is a visitor standing in front of the intercom 400, biometric authentication and transmission and reception of personal information 122 are performed. The specific processing flow is the same as the example described above using steps S107-S112, so a detailed description is omitted.

In this embodiment, for example, in step S112, ID card information is sent to external device 200. As described above, the ID card information includes information such as a facial photo, name, and affiliation. The ID card information may also include image data obtained by scanning the ID card.

Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of control using personal information 122 executed in step S113. Specifically, Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of control by the control unit 210 using ID card information, which is personal information 122, and shows an example of an image displayed on the monitor 480 of the second terminal of the intercom 400. The control unit 210 displays an image captured by the camera 440 on the monitor 480. In this way, it is possible to present the visitor's face, etc. to people within the facility, just like with a normal intercom. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 210 may superimpose an object corresponding to the ID card information on the captured image. In the example of Figure 8, an object OB1 representing the ID card information is displayed in the area next to the user US included in the captured image.

For example, object OB1 may be image data obtained by scanning an ID card. This allows real-time video of a visitor to be displayed in a manner that makes it easy to compare the visitor's ID card. As a result, it becomes easier to determine whether the visitor is a legitimate user. As described above, the control unit 110 of the terminal device 100 checks with the issuer when registering ID card information. For example, application software installed on the terminal device 100 may execute a process that rejects the registration of personal information that has not been verified by the issuer. This prevents the information displayed as object OB1 from being counterfeit.

Note that while Figure 8 shows an example of displaying image data from an ID card, the control unit 210 of the external device 200 may display the name, facial photo, affiliation, etc. included in the ID card information in a different format.

Although the present embodiment has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily understand that many modifications are possible that do not substantially deviate from the novel features and effects of the present embodiment. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, a term that appears at least once in the specification or drawings together with a different term with a broader or equivalent meaning may be replaced with that different term anywhere in the specification or drawings. Furthermore, all combinations of the present embodiment and modifications are also included within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the configurations and operations of terminal devices, external devices, communication systems, etc. are not limited to those described in the present embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

10...Communication system, 100...Terminal device, 110...Control unit, 120...Memory unit, 121...Authentication information, 122...Personal information, 123...Device authentication information, 130...Communication unit, 140...Sensor, 200...External device, 210...Control unit, 220...Memory unit, 221...Terminal information, 230...Communication unit, 240...Sensor, 300...Mobile object, 310...Control device, 340...Camera, 350...Steering wheel, 360...Seat, 400...Intercom, 440...Camera, 450...Call button, 460...Speaker, 470...Microphone, 480...Monitor, 500...Biometric information detection device, US...User, OB1...Object

Claims (10)

a storage unit that stores authentication information used for biometric authentication of a user and personal information of the user;
a communication unit that communicates with an external device that executes control based on the personal information;
a control unit that acquires biometric information from the external device via the communication unit, performs the biometric authentication based on the authentication information and the biometric information, and, when it is determined that the biometric authentication is successful, controls to transmit the personal information to the external device via the communication unit;
Including,
The storage unit
storing device authentication information used for device authentication of the terminal device;
The control unit
A terminal device that controls transmission of the device authentication information to the external device via the communication unit, and acquires the biometric information from the external device if the device authentication based on the device authentication information is successful in the external device . In claim 1 ,
The communication unit
performing communication by the first communication method and communication by the second communication method;
The control unit
a terminal device that transmits the device authentication information using the first communication method, and receives connection information for communicating with the external device using the second communication method if the device authentication based on the device authentication information is successful in the external device. In claim 2 ,
The device authentication information of the terminal device includes first encryption information used in communication according to the second communication method and signature information. In claim 2 or 3 ,
The connection information includes information for identifying the network of the external device and second encryption information used in communication by the second communication method. In any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
The communication unit
acquiring second biometric information of the user from a biometric information acquisition unit included in the terminal device or a biometric information detection device connected to the terminal device;
The control unit
A terminal device that controls transmission of the second biological information to the external device via the communication unit. a sensor for detecting biological information;
a communication unit for communicating with a terminal device that stores personal information of the user;
a control unit that performs control based on the personal information;
Including,
The control unit
the biometric information detected based on the sensor is transmitted to the terminal device via the communication unit, and when it is determined in the terminal device that biometric authentication based on the biometric information has been successful, control is performed to request the personal information from the terminal device via the communication unit;
The control unit
An external device that controls the reception of device authentication information from a terminal device that stores device authentication information used for device authentication of the terminal device via the communication unit, performs the device authentication based on the device authentication information, and transmits the biometric information to the terminal device if the device authentication is successful . In claim 6 ,
further comprising an interface unit used when the user uses the external device;
The sensor
An external device is placed at a position to detect the biometric information of the user who uses the interface unit. a terminal device that stores authentication information used for biometric authentication of a user and personal information of the user;
an external device that has a sensor for detecting biological information and executes control based on the personal information;
Including,
the external device transmits the biological information acquired by the sensor to the terminal device;
the terminal device performs the biometric authentication based on the authentication information and the biometric information received from the external device, and when it determines that the biometric authentication is successful, transmits the personal information to the external device;
the external device executes control based on the personal information received from the terminal device ;
The terminal device
storing device authentication information used for device authentication of the terminal device;
controlling transmission of the device authentication information to the external device, and acquiring the biometric information from the external device when the device authentication based on the device authentication information is successful in the external device;
Communication system. storing authentication information used for biometric authentication of a user and personal information of the user;
communicating with an external device that executes control based on the personal information of the user;
acquiring biometric information from the external device, performing the biometric authentication based on the authentication information and the biometric information, and transmitting the personal information to the external device when it is determined that the biometric authentication is successful;
Let the computer carry out the process ,
storing device authentication information used for device authentication of the computer;
A program that controls the sending of the device authentication information to the external device, and causes the computer to execute a process of acquiring the biometric information from the external device if the device authentication based on the device authentication information is successful in the external device . A control method for a communication system including a terminal device that stores authentication information used for biometric authentication of a user and personal information of the user, and an external device that has a sensor for acquiring the biometric information and executes control based on the personal information,
transmitting the biological information acquired by the sensor from the external device to the terminal device;
performing the biometric authentication based on the authentication information and the biometric information;
If it is determined that the biometric authentication is successful, the personal information is transmitted from the terminal device to the external device;
Execute control based on the personal information in the external device ;
The terminal device
storing device authentication information used for device authentication of the terminal device;
controlling transmission of the device authentication information to the external device, and acquiring the biometric information from the external device when the device authentication based on the device authentication information is successful in the external device;
Communication control method.