Usage authentication system, usage authentication program, and usage authentication method

Abstract

To provide a novel system for giving an unprecedented value to a user regarding usage authentication in a site.SOLUTION: A usage authentication system includes registration means 11, authentication means 12, and a storage unit 14. The registration means 11 receives acquisition operation for acquiring an individually distinguishable NFT related to a specific content from a user, and registers transaction indicating that the user is an owner of the NFT in a distributed ledger database BC together with identification information of the NFT and identification information of the user. The storage unit 14 stores the NFT information and in association with content information. The authentication means 12 performs authentication processing by specific information of the content and the identification information of the user required for authentication transmitted from a site. The authentication processing refers to the storage unit 14 and checks that the user is an owner of the NFT associated with the content based on the transaction recorded in the distributed ledger database BC.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an access authentication system, an access authentication program, and an access authentication method.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the use of electronic tickets has been spreading for the use of events and the like. Especially recently, not only the electronic management of tickets is simply performed, but also technologies for attaching privileges and the like to electronic tickets are known.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a ticket system that grants a token with clarified ownership to the owner of an electronic ticket whose use has been detected. In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the use of a ticket can be detected, and tokens such as digital images and digital videos can be granted to a user as a privilege for a used ticket.

[0004] Further, Patent Document 2 describes a ticket purchase acceptance system in which a plurality of images and the like are acquired by design acquisition means as designs applicable to a season ticket (a plurality of tickets configured like a booklet), and among the designs presented by candidate presentation means, the selection of one or more designs by a purchaser is accepted by selection acceptance means, and different designs selected for each of the plurality of tickets are applied based on the selection.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] While the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 can provide perks, they could not give the ticket itself unique value and satisfy the desire for ownership.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a novel system that offers unprecedented value to users in terms of user authentication at a venue. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a system for performing user authentication at a venue, comprising: a registration means; an authentication means; and a storage unit, wherein the registration means receives an acquisition operation from a user to acquire an individually distinguishable NFT relating to a specific content, and registers a transaction in a distributed ledger database that designates the user as the owner of the NFT, along with the identification information of the NFT and the identification information of the user; the storage unit stores NFT information relating to the NFT and content information relating to the content in association; the authentication means executes an authentication process based on identification information for identifying content necessary for authentication and the identification information of the user transmitted from the venue; and the authentication process includes the step of referring to the storage unit and confirming, based on the transaction recorded in the distributed ledger database, that the user is the owner of the NFT associated with the content identified by the identification information.

[0009] This configuration allows for authentication of usage at the venue based on ownership of NFTs related to specific content. This provides new value, for example, for tickets related to the use of facilities or services, or participation in events, where ownership of the unique content allows access to various services at the venue, rather than just being a simple ticket.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage unit further stores ticket information relating to a ticket that corresponds one-to-one with the content information, and the authentication process further includes the step of performing a usage process that records the use of the ticket by the user if authentication is successful.

[0011] This configuration allows for the management of ticket usage records in conjunction with content. This enables the implementation of additional services, such as granting rewards based on usage records.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ticket information includes the usage limit of the ticket, and the authentication process further includes the step of confirming that the usage limit of the ticket exceeds the number of uses, based on the ticket information associated with the content information of the content identified by the identification information.

[0013] This configuration makes it possible to impose restrictions on the number of times a ticket can be used. On the other hand, while a regular ticket loses its value once it becomes unusable, the ticket according to the present invention has value as a unique piece of content, and therefore can continue to provide value as content even after it can no longer be used as a ticket.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the usage process includes at least one of the steps of recording the date and time of use and adding the number of uses.

[0015] This configuration allows for verification of usage dates and usage frequency. This enables processing based on usage, such as granting rewards based on usage frequency or usage within a specific period.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a display means is further provided, and the storage unit further stores a plurality of display modes in which conditions based on the number of times of use of the ticket are set. The display means performs display processing of the content information associated with the NFT in a display mode corresponding to the condition in order to display the NFT as the owner's owned NFT based on the transaction recorded in the distributed ledger database.

[0017] With such a configuration, the content can be displayed in different display modes according to the number of times of use. For example, by performing a special display only for users who are repeaters who have used the ticket a certain number of times or more, the use of the ticket can be effectively promoted for the users.

Effects of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, regarding the use authentication at the venue, by using NFT content, a novel system that gives unprecedented value to users can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a functional block diagram of the use authentication system in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the use authentication system in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a flowchart related to the registration process of the use authentication system in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart related to the authentication process of the use authentication system in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing an example of display of the use authentication system in the embodiment of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, the usage authentication system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and various configurations can also be adopted.

[0021] For example, in this embodiment, the configuration, operation, etc. of the usage authentication system will be described. However, methods, devices, computer programs, etc. with the same configuration can also achieve the same effects. Also, the program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium or provided so as to be downloadable from an external server. For example, by installing the program in a computer, the device according to the present invention can be realized, and the method according to the present invention can be executed by the computer.

[0022] <1. Definition> The present invention relates to a system, program, and method for performing usage authentication based on the ownership of NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens) in an actual venue. In the present invention, for digital content that is electronically used (hereinafter simply referred to as content), individually distinguishable NFTs are issued, and their ownership is recorded in a distributed ledger database. That is, there may be multiple NFTs for the same digital content, but the NFTs are individually distinguishable, and the ownership of each of them is guaranteed by the recording in the distributed ledger database. Thereby, each NFT of the content can guarantee the user's ownership as a unique one just like a physical object.

[0023] Here, the "venue" is, for example, an event venue where entry is restricted by a ticket, a facility such as an art museum or a museum, a place where a specific service is provided, or any actual place.

[0024] In this invention, "ticket" refers to the right to use the venue or the services provided at the venue. Specifically, it refers to, for example, a ticket for use of the facility or admission ticket, the right to participate in an event, a ticket for use of a service, etc. In addition to tickets that can be used only once, tickets also include multi-use tickets that can be used a predetermined number of times, limited-time passes that can be used any number of times within a predetermined period, membership cards, etc.

[0025] Furthermore, in this invention, "ticket" corresponds to "content," and the content used for user authentication is predetermined. In particular, in this embodiment, there is a one-to-one correspondence between tickets and content, and one type of content always functions as one type of ticket. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, one type of content may correspond to multiple tickets.

[0026] Furthermore, in this invention, "event" refers to the subject for which the ticket is used. For example, events with a fixed date, such as concerts, admission to facilities such as museums, use of specific services, and exchange for benefits are all included in the events of this invention.

[0027] <2. System Configuration> Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration in this embodiment. The user authentication system in this embodiment is configured so that the user authentication device 1, the user terminal 2, and the distributed ledger network system BC can communicate with each other via a network NW. Access to the distributed ledger network system BC may be restricted to only the user authentication device 1 and the nodes that make up the distributed ledger network system BC.

[0028] As the user authentication device 1, a general computer device such as a server can be used, which is equipped with computing units such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), main memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), auxiliary storage such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), and flash memory, and various input / output devices including means for connecting to a network NW.

[0029] As the user terminal 2, any computer device such as a PC (Personal Computer) equipped with a computing unit, storage device, and various input / output devices including means for connecting to a network NW can be used. Alternatively, a smartphone or tablet device may be used as the user terminal 2. Dedicated applications for inputting and sending / receiving various information with the user authentication device 1, and browser applications for accessing dedicated web pages are stored in the storage device, and the computing unit executes various processes, so that any computer device functions as the user terminal 2 of the present invention.

[0030] User authentication device 1 is connected to the distributed ledger network system BC and requests the distributed ledger network system BC to record the registration of the NFT owner. In this embodiment, the distributed ledger database is realized by the distributed ledger network system BC which utilizes blockchain technology. Here, in this embodiment, a public blockchain is assumed in which multiple arbitrary computers function as nodes of the distributed ledger network system BC, but the computers participating in the distributed ledger network system BC may be changed as desired.

[0031] In blockchain technology, transaction history is recorded in a single chain, preventing fraud by creating a contradiction if any value is tampered with. In this embodiment, blockchain technology is used to record the registration of NFT owners, etc., on the blockchain, and these records are shared among multiple nodes that constitute the distributed ledger network system BC.

[0032] <3. Functional Configuration> The user authentication device 1 of this embodiment comprises a registration means 11, an authentication means 12, a display means 13, and a storage unit 14. It is not necessary for all of these means to be provided on a single computer; some of the means may be implemented by other computers, or multiple computers may cooperate to function as a single means. The other computers may be nodes of a distributed ledger network system BC that can communicate with the user authentication device 1.

[0033] The registration means 11 receives an acquisition operation from the user via the user terminal 2 to acquire an individually identifiable NFT relating to specific content, and registers a transaction in the distributed ledger database that designates the user as the owner of the NFT, along with the NFT's identification information and the user's identification information. Specifically, it sends a registration request containing the NFT's identification information and the user's identification information to the distributed ledger network system BC, and the distributed ledger network system BC executes the transaction registration process.

[0034] The authentication means 12 obtains identification information for identifying the necessary content and user identification information transmitted from the venue requesting authentication, and performs the authentication process. The identification information is information for identifying the content information described later, and may be, for example, a content ID or an ID indicating various information associated with the content information. As will be described in detail later, the authentication means 12, as part of the authentication process, refers to the storage unit 14 and confirms that the user is the owner of the NFT associated with the content identified by the identification information, based on the transaction recorded in the distributed ledger network system BC.

[0035] The display means 13 processes content information associated with an NFT in order to display the content related to the NFT as owned by the owner, based on the transaction recorded in the distributed ledger network system BC.

[0036] In this invention, "based on transactions recorded in the distributed ledger database" or "based on transactions recorded in the distributed ledger network system BC" is not limited to referring to the distributed ledger database (distributed ledger network system BC) during the processing in question. For example, it includes storing the latest state in the storage unit 14 based on transactions recorded in the distributed ledger database, and then referring to the information in the storage unit 14.

[0037] <4. Registration Information> The storage unit 14 stores various types of information, such as content information, ticket information, and NFT information. In this embodiment, this information is stored in the storage unit 14 of the user authentication device 1, but some or all of this information may be stored in one or more storage devices accessible from the user authentication device 1.

[0038] Figure 2 shows an example of information registered in the storage unit 14 in this embodiment. User information is information for each user, and includes the user ID and username.

[0039] The content information also includes the content ID, content name, media ID of the media constituting the content, and the number of copies issued. The media, for example, if the content is a figurine, is the 3D data of the figurine. In this embodiment, the display of the content is changed according to the user's rank, which is determined by the number of times the ticket has been used. Therefore, multiple media are registered for each rank in the content information.

[0040] The memory unit 14 further stores media information, which includes a media ID, content ID, rank, a URL indicating the media's storage location, and the media type. This allows for media management according to the user's rank. Here, the media information is information indicating multiple display patterns based on conditions set according to the number of times the ticket has been used in this invention.

[0041] Ticket information includes ticket ID, ticket name, content ID, event ID, start date, end date, and usage limit. In this embodiment, the correspondence between ticket information and content information is always one-to-one, thereby linking the ticket information and the NFT information described later via the content ID. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and ticket information and content information may have a many-to-many correspondence. In this case, the ticket information further includes an NFT ID in order to link the ticket information and NFT information.

[0042] Ticket usage information is information that shows the usage status of tickets for each user, and includes the ticket ID, user ID, and number of uses. The number of uses may be the total number of uses in total, or the number of uses within a certain period. Alternatively, or in addition to this, usage history including the ticket ID, the user ID of the user who used the ticket, and the date and time of use may be stored as ticket usage information.

[0043] Event information includes the event ID, event name, and date. The date is recorded as the specific date if the event is, for example, a concert held on a specific date and time, or as the period if it's, for example, admission to a museum using a limited-time pass. For events without a set period or date, information indicating this is recorded.

[0044] NFT information includes NFTID, content ID, and owner user ID. In this embodiment, the user authentication device 1 queries the distributed ledger network system BC for information as needed, and updates the NFT information when a transaction indicating the granting of a new NFT or a change in the owner user is recorded. As a result, the storage unit 14 stores the latest owner as NFT information based on the transactions in the distributed ledger network system BC. The NFT information is also linked to the ticket information. In this embodiment, the ticket information and content information are uniquely linked, and the NFT information and ticket information are linked via the content ID.

[0045] In this embodiment, during the registration process described later, the distributed ledger network system BC issues an NFTID, and NFT information records are generated and recorded one by one. Alternatively, upon registration of content information, the registration means 11 may issue a number of NFTIDs corresponding to the number issued in the content information to create NFT information records, and the owner user ID may be stored in a blank state initially.

[0046] <5. Registration process for owning users> Next, with reference to Figure 3, the registration process for NFT owners by the registration means 11 will be described. First, in step S11, the user inputs registration information related to user registration via the user terminal 2. The registration information can include, for example, the username, contact information such as a telephone number and email address, address, and any other information necessary for using the ticket at the event. This registration information is received by the registration means 11 from the user terminal 2 and stored in the storage unit 14 as the user information described above.

[0047] In this embodiment, it is also possible to grant NFTs only to users who meet specific conditions, such as being limited to students. In such cases, it is preferable to include restriction information indicating that the conditions are met in the registration information. For example, an image of an identification document such as a student ID, or a serial number issued in advance only to eligible individuals, can be used as restriction information. The restriction information may also be entered in the next step S12.

[0048] In step S12, the registration means 11 receives an acquisition operation from the user via the user terminal 2 to acquire an NFT. Specifically, for example, the user can operate a button displayed on the display unit of the user terminal 2 to receive the acquisition operation. Once the acquisition operation is performed, the user terminal 2 sends a request to the user authentication device 1 to acquire an NFT related to the specified content, and the registration means 11 allows the user to acquire the NFT associated with the target content.

[0049] Specifically, the registration means 11 first checks, based on the content information identified by the acquisition request, whether there is any NFT information associated with the content information that does not have an owner user ID set. If there is NFT information that does not have an owner user ID set, it determines that the NFT can be assigned to the user and sends a record request including the NFT ID and user ID of the NFT information to the distributed ledger network system BC. If there is no NFT information that does not have an owner user set, it is not possible to assign the NFT for the content to the user, and therefore an error message is sent to the user terminal 2.

[0050] Upon receiving the recording request, the distributed ledger network system BC registers a transaction in the distributed ledger database that includes the NFTID and user ID, designating the user as the owner of the NFT. As a response indicating that the transaction registration is complete, the distributed ledger network system BC sends information including the NFTID and user ID to the user authentication device 1, and the registration means 11 records the owner user ID in the NFT information based on this response and terminates the process.

[0051] Furthermore, the distributed ledger network system BC is configured to issue an NFTID in response to a record request, and the record request may include a content ID instead of an NFTID. In this case, the registration means 11 receives the NFTID along with a response indicating that registration is complete, and adds a record to the NFT information to register the NFTID and the owner user ID. In this configuration, since there is no record of NFT information before the owner is registered, instead of checking for the existence of NFT information for which an owner user ID has not been set, it is sufficient to compare the "number issued" in the content information with the number of records of NFT information associated with that content information, and determine that the NFT can be granted to the user if the number issued is greater.

[0052] <6. Authentication Process> Next, with reference to Figure 4, the authentication process by the authentication means 12 will be described. First, a terminal device located at the venue (user terminal 2 or other terminal device) transmits specific information and a user ID to the user authentication device 1. In this embodiment, a two-dimensional code indicating the specific information is provided to the user, and the user reads the two-dimensional code with user terminal 2 at the venue, and user terminal 2 transmits the user ID along with the specific information.

[0053] Alternatively, a terminal device provided at the venue may be configured to transmit specific information and user ID to the user authentication device 1. For example, a two-dimensional code indicating specific information may be displayed on the display unit of the user terminal 2, and the two-dimensional code may be read by the terminal device provided at the venue, and the terminal device may transmit the specific information and user ID. Alternatively, information may be exchanged between the user terminal 2 and the venue terminal device using other well-known technologies such as NFC (Near Field Communication), and the user terminal 2 or the venue terminal device may transmit the specific information and user ID to the user authentication device 1.

[0054] In step S21, the authentication means 12 receives specific information and a user ID. Here, specific information is information used to identify the content information necessary for authentication. In this embodiment, an event ID is received as specific information. The storage unit 14 stores ticket information and event information linked together, and also stores ticket information and content information linked together, so the content information can be identified by the event ID. Alternatively, the ticket ID may be received as specific information instead of the event ID.

[0055] Next, in step S22, the authentication means 12 refers to the ticket information containing the event ID transmitted as specific information, checks the start date and end date of use, and compares them with the current date. If the current date falls between the start date and end date of use, it further checks the number of times the ticket has been used.

[0056] Specifically, the authentication method 12 performs verification based on the ticket usage limit and the ticket usage information. From the ticket usage information, it refers to the record corresponding to the combination of event ID and user ID transmitted as specific information, compares the number of uses with the ticket usage limit, and checks whether the ticket usage limit exceeds the number of uses. If it exceeds the limit, further authentication is performed based on the NFT information.

[0057] The authentication means 12 identifies the content ID associated with the event ID, which is specific information, and refers to the storage unit 14 to check whether there is any NFT information associated with the received user ID as the owning user ID that contains that content ID. If it exists, it is determined that the user owns the target NFT ("Y" in step S22), and the process proceeds to step S23. Note that the order of these authentication steps can be changed at will.

[0058] In step S23, the authentication means 12 executes the usage process. In this embodiment, as part of the usage process, the authentication means 12 adds and updates the number of uses of the record identified by the combination of the target ticket ID and user ID in the ticket usage information of the storage unit 14. In addition, the authentication means 12 may send a request to the distributed ledger network system BC to record a transaction indicating the use of the ticket. Sending the record request corresponds to the step of recording the date and time of use in the present invention. The record request preferably includes either a combination of user ID and ticket ID, or an NFTID. Furthermore, the ticket usage information stored in the storage unit 14 may be configured to record not only the number of uses, but also the date and time of use for all uses. Alternatively, the number of uses within a specific period may be recorded separately.

[0059] Once the usage process is complete, the process proceeds to step S24, where the display means 13 performs a display process to show information indicating that authentication was successful on a terminal device (user terminal 2 or other terminal device) located at the venue. The processing result is then transmitted to the terminal device, and the successful authentication is confirmed at the venue when the message indicating successful authentication is displayed. Venue staff can then confirm that the user is available to use the service and grant permission for entry or provide services accordingly.

[0060] On the other hand, if authentication fails in step S22, that is, if any of the authentications for the date and time of use, number of uses, or NFT ownership fail ("N" in step S22), the process proceeds to step S25. In step S25, the display means 13 displays information indicating an error and transmits the processing result to a terminal device (user terminal 2 or other terminal device) located at the venue.

[0061] <7. Example Display> Next, an example of the display on the user terminal 2 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 5. In this embodiment, the way content is displayed on the user terminal 2 differs depending on the user's rank. Figure 5(a) is an example of the content display screen shown to a regular user, and Figure 5(b) is an example of the content display screen shown to a repeat user.

[0062] In this embodiment, the storage unit 14 stores different display settings for each user rank, which is determined based on the number of times the ticket has been used (the "media information" in Figure 2). When the display means 13 receives a content display request from the user terminal 2, it refers to the ticket usage information based on the combination of the user's user ID and the ticket ID of the ticket information associated with the target content, and determines the user's rank according to the number of times it has been used.

[0063] The display means 13 then processes the media information associated with the target content information according to the user's rank and transmits the processing result to the user terminal 2, so that the screen is displayed in a display manner according to the number of times the user has used the ticket, as shown in Figure 5. Figure 5 shows an example of displaying content that serves as a membership card (ticket) for entering the museum. In this way, the user terminal 2 displays a screen including content C, and the display manner of content C differs depending on the user's rank. That is, in this embodiment, different images are displayed as content C depending on the user's rank.

[0064] In this embodiment, the user's rank is determined according to the number of uses in the ticket usage information, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the rank may be determined according to the number of uses within a specific period or the frequency of use. Also, as described above, in this embodiment, the display method is determined by referring to the ticket usage information when displaying, but the user's rank may be stored separately and the display may be performed based on this rank. In this case, the stored rank is updated as needed based on the ticket usage information.

[0065] Thus, according to the user authentication system of this embodiment, it is possible to provide not just an electronic ticket, but a unique piece of content that has value in itself, and to perform user authentication at a physical venue based on this content. Furthermore, by recording the number of uses and changing the display of the content according to that number, it is possible to effectively encourage users to use the service. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1: User authentication device 11: Registration method 12: Authentication methods 13:Display means 14: Storage section 2: User terminal BC: Distributed Ledger Network System NW: Network

Claims

1. A system for performing usage authentication at a venue, The device includes a registration unit, an authentication unit, and a storage unit, The registration means receives an acquisition operation from a user to acquire an individually distinguishable NFT related to specific content, and registers a transaction in a distributed ledger database that identifies the NFT and the user, as well as the user as the owner of the NFT; the storage unit stores NFT information about the NFT, including identification information of the NFT, and content information about the content, including a content ID of the content, in association with each other; the authentication means executes authentication processing based on specific information for identifying content required for authentication and identification information of the user, which are transmitted from the venue; the specific information is an ID associated with the content ID or the content ID, A usage authentication system, wherein the authentication processing includes a step of referring to the memory unit and confirming, based on transactions recorded in the distributed ledger database, that the user is the owner of the NFT linked to the content identified by the specific information.

2. the storage unit further stores ticket information relating to a ticket linked to the content information; 2. The usage authentication system according to claim 1, wherein the authentication process further includes a step of executing a usage process for recording usage of the ticket by the user if the authentication is successful.

3. The ticket information includes a usage limit for the ticket, The usage authentication system of claim 2, wherein the authentication process further includes a step of confirming that the ticket usage limit exceeds the number of usages based on the ticket information linked to the content information of the content identified by the identification information.

4. 3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the usage process includes at least one of a step of recording the date and time of usage and a step of incrementing the number of times the system has been used.

5. Further comprising a display means, the storage unit further stores a plurality of patterns of display modes in which conditions based on the number of times the ticket has been used are set; The usage authentication system described in claim 4, wherein the display means displays the content information linked to the NFT in a display manner corresponding to the conditions based on the transactions recorded in the distributed ledger database, in order to display the NFT as an NFT owned by the owner.

6. A program for performing usage authentication at a venue, causing a computer to function as a registration means, an authentication means, and a storage unit; The registration means receives an acquisition operation from a user to acquire an individually distinguishable NFT related to specific content, and registers a transaction in a distributed ledger database that identifies the NFT and the user, as well as the user as the owner of the NFT; the storage unit stores NFT information about the NFT, including identification information of the NFT, and content information about the content, including a content ID of the content, in association with each other; the authentication means executes authentication processing based on specific information for identifying content required for authentication and identification information of the user, which are transmitted from the venue; the specific information is an ID associated with the content ID or the content ID, The authentication process includes a step of referencing the memory unit and confirming, based on transactions recorded in the distributed ledger database, that the user is the owner of the NFT linked to the content identified by the specific information.

7. 1. A method for performing authentication at a venue, comprising: Accepting an acquisition operation from a user to acquire an individually identifiable NFT relating to specific content, and registering a transaction in a distributed ledger database that identifies the NFT and the user, as well as the user as the owner of the NFT; Executes authentication processing based on specific information for identifying the content required for authentication and the user's identification information, which are transmitted from the venue; The authentication process includes a step of referring to a storage unit that stores NFT information related to the NFT, including identification information of the NFT, and content information related to the content, including a content ID of the content, in association with each other, and confirming, based on a transaction recorded in the distributed ledger database, that the user is the owner of the NFT linked to the content identified by the identification information; A usage authentication method, wherein the specific information is an ID associated with the content ID or the content ID.

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