Information provision system

Abstract

To provide an information providing system capable of determining that an access is valid only when an IC tag is actually read, by determining that a copied authentication code is invalid and by preventing the authentication code from being reused.SOLUTION: An information providing system of an electronic stamp rally includes a portable terminal 1, an IC tag 2 to hold a fixed code A, a code B updated every time when it is read by a reader / writer, and a code C held in the unreadable state from the outside, and a server 3 with a database. The IC tag creates an authentication code by a prescribed creating method and returns it to the portable terminal as URL information. The portable terminal accesses the server with an URL. The server creates the authentication codes with the same creating method as the IC tag from the code A and the code B extracted from the URL, and from the code C of the database, returns the response according to a corresponding checkpoint when the authentication codes are the same as a result of comparing them, and returns the different response from the case of the successful authentication when they are different.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information providing system for an electronic stamp rally using IC tags. [Background technology]

[0002] In conventional stamp rallies, stamps are placed at each checkpoint, and participants carry a stamp card with them as they travel around each checkpoint and stamp the card. However, due to the burden of managing stamps at each checkpoint, electronic stamp rallies that use participants' mobile devices, such as smartphones, have been proposed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 proposes a system in which checkpoints are set up as advertisements at various locations, and participants can carry out an electronic stamp rally by reading QR codes (registered trademark) or IC tags placed along with the advertisements with their mobile terminals. As NFC communication on smartphones becomes more widespread, individuals are now carrying reader / writers for reading IC tags, creating an environment in which it is easier to provide services that utilize IC tags.

[0004] In this situation, companies are aiming to establish direct contact with consumers, and services that utilize IC tags and smartphones are in demand.

[0005] However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, two-dimensional codes and RF tags are used as information codes that participants read at checkpoints, but because these are non-secure information codes, they can be easily copied and spread. In other words, participants can participate even if they are not actually at the checkpoint. In addition, the validity of access to the server by participants is determined based on whether it is the second or subsequent read, so it cannot handle cases where a participant wants to access again due to a communication error or has accessed multiple times.

[0006] In addition, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, the mobile wireless communication terminal generates authentication data based on information read from the contactless IC tag, so the data held by the contactless IC tag itself can be easily copied and spread. This allows people to participate even if they are not actually at the checkpoint site. In addition, since the authentication data needs to be generated by the mobile wireless communication terminal, it is time-consuming to download a dedicated app to the mobile wireless communication terminal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6344860 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4465975 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] To provide an information providing system for an electronic stamp rally, which judges a copied authentication code as invalid, prevents the authentication code from being reused, and judges access as valid only when an IC tag is actually read. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides An information providing system for providing an electronic stamp rally, comprising: a mobile terminal having a read / write function for communicating with the IC tag and an internet communication function; An IC tag that is installed in correspondence with each checkpoint of an electronic stamp rally and has a read / write function for communicating with a mobile terminal, and that holds a fixed code A that is unique to the IC tag, a code B that changes and is updated according to a predetermined rule every time the IC tag is read by a reader / writer, and a code C that is held in a state that cannot be read from outside; a server having a database storing data in which the code A, the code C, and checkpoint information of the electronic stamp rally are associated with each other; Including, IC tags are When the IC tag is read by the read / write function of the mobile terminal, code B is changed and updated according to a predetermined rule, Generate an authentication code using code A, the updated code B, and code C in a predetermined generation method; The code A, the code B, and the authentication code are included in a predetermined data format, and the URL information is returned to the mobile device as URL information. The mobile device is Access the server using the URL in the received URL information. The server that was accessed Extract code A, code B, and the authentication code from the URL. Use code A to retrieve the corresponding code C from the database, An authentication code is generated using the same method as for IC tags, from Code A and Code B extracted from the URL and the code extracted from the database. Compare the generated authentication code with the authentication code extracted from the URL. If both authentication codes are the same, authentication is successful and a response according to the corresponding checkpoint is returned to the mobile device as WEB information. If the two authentication codes are different, authentication is not possible and a different response is returned to the mobile device as web information than if authentication was successful. It is an information provision system.

[0010] In the above system, The server may determine that the access is not a legitimate access when the authentication code included in the URL is the same as an authentication code of a URL that has been accessed in the past. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the information providing system of the present invention, Since the authentication code is unique for each IC tag and changes each time it is read, it can be a one-time valid authentication code, and since authentication codes obtained illegally via the Internet can be determined to be invalid, by preventing reuse of authentication codes, access can be determined to be valid only when the IC tag is actually read at the electronic stamp rally venue. Also, since a valid authentication code is generated each time, it can be determined to be valid even if it is accessed again due to a communication error, etc., making it possible to provide services that require multiple accesses. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of an electronic stamp rally system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram showing a data structure of an IC tag based on one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data structure of a database of a server based on one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram of a data providing procedure based on one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. In addition, in the embodiments shown below, technically preferable limitations are imposed for carrying out the invention, but these limitations are not essential requirements for the present invention.

[0014] 1 is a configuration diagram of an electronic stamp rally system based on one embodiment of the data provision system of the present invention. In the data provision system of the present invention, a mobile terminal 1 such as a smartphone or tablet terminal carried by a user 4 has a data read / write function, and can transmit and receive data by contactless communication with IC tags 2 that are individually associated with checkpoints A, B, ... of the electronic stamp rally (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as stamp rally).

[0015] The reader / writer that realizes the read / write function may actually be built into the mobile terminal 1. Also, since it has a function for communicating with an Internet line, communication with the server 3 via the Internet is possible. The communication function with the Internet line can be realized by appropriately adopting a known communication mechanism. These communications may be encrypted. Also, the actual number of checkpoints is set appropriately according to the scale of the stamp rally, and accordingly, the IC tags 2 are installed in correspondence with each checkpoint individually.

[0016] The IC tag 2 is an IC (Integrated Circuit) tag, and in this case, it is an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag, which is a contactless IC tag. Like a general IC tag, the IC tag 2 is equipped with an antenna and an IC chip for transmitting data at radio frequencies. The power source for the IC tag 2 can be obtained by extracting the necessary power from external electromagnetic waves used as a data carrier wave, or from a battery built into the IC tag 2.

[0017] The IC chip includes a memory area for recording data and a data control unit. The IC chip may be physically composed of two or more IC chips. Here, the IC tag 2 of this embodiment is not particularly limited in other configurations as long as it includes at least the IC chip and the antenna.

[0018] The memory area of ​​the IC chip stores a fixed code A that is unique to each IC tag 2, a code B that changes and is updated according to a predetermined rule each time the IC tag 2 is read by a reader / writer, and a code C that is stored in a state that cannot be read from the outside, as shown in Figure 2.

[0019] The fixed code A is, for example, a tag ID (unique ID) that is information that uniquely identifies the IC tag 2. Writing of this unique information can be made possible only at the stage of issuing the IC tag 2. Furthermore, the code B that changes and is updated according to a predetermined rule each time it is read by the mobile terminal 1 is, for example, but is not limited to, an increment or decrement counter value that is incremented or decremented each time it is read, or a time stamp that indicates the time it is read. Furthermore, the code C that is stored in a state that cannot be read from outside is, for example, secret information such as an encryption key.

[0020] The authentication code is generated, for example, by cryptographic calculation using code A, code B, and code C. An example of the cryptographic calculation is, but is not limited to, calculation using a hash function. Based on this information, the IC tag 2 generates URL information for accessing the server 3. By using the URL information, the server 3 can be accessed with a general browser, and there is no need to prepare a dedicated app or the like.

[0021] The URL included in the URL information is used when the mobile terminal 1 accesses the server 3 via the Internet. The URL information is generated in the form of a URL by embedding the authentication code generated as described above, code A, and code B in a format conforming to, for example, NDEF (NFC (Near Field Communication) Data Exchange Format). An example of a specific format is a format such as "URL:https: / / aaaaa / xxxxx?code=12345". Here, aaaaa=code A, xxxxx=code B, and 12345=authentication code are embedded.

[0022] The data control unit performs arithmetic processing of the data in the IC tag 2. That is, when accessed from the mobile terminal 1, as described above, it generates an authentication code from Code A, Code B, and Code C, generates URL information, and returns this to the mobile terminal 1.

[0023] The server 3 has a database in which at least the code A, the code C, and information identifying each checkpoint in the stamp rally are associated and stored as a data table, as shown in Fig. 3, and is installed at any location connectable to the Internet. The information identifying each checkpoint is, for example, the name or ID number of the checkpoint. The mobile terminal 1 can access the server 3 via the Internet using the URL information received from the IC tag 2.

[0024] At the electronic stamp rally venue, multiple checkpoints with the above-mentioned IC tags 2 installed are set up, and a user 4, holding a mobile terminal 1, moves around each checkpoint in order, such as checkpoint A, checkpoint B, etc., communicating between the mobile terminal 1 and the IC tag 2 at each checkpoint and receiving the above-mentioned URL information from each of the IC tags 2 at each checkpoint.

[0025] For example, each time user 4 receives URL information at each checkpoint, user 4 accesses server 3 using the URL in the received URL information. Since the accessed server 3 has a database in which code A, code C, and stamp rally checkpoint information are associated with each other, server 3 extracts code A, code B, and authentication code contained in the accessed URL, uses the extracted code A to extract corresponding code C from the database, and generates an authentication code using the same calculation method as for IC tag 2, using code A and code B extracted from the URL information and code C extracted from the database.

[0026] The generated authentication code is then compared with the authentication code extracted from the URL. If they are the same, it is determined that the access has been authenticated as legitimate, and a response according to the corresponding checkpoint (for example, information proving participation in the stamp rally or bonus information) is returned as WEB information to the mobile terminal 1 from which the access originated, and the user 4 receives the stamp rally bonus or the like and moves on to the next checkpoint, etc.

[0027] On the other hand, when the authentication code generated by server 3 is compared with the authentication code extracted from the URL information, if they are different authentication codes, server 3 determines that the access cannot be authenticated as legitimate and returns a response different from that in the case of successful authentication (for example, warning information indicating that the information is fraudulent) as WEB information to the mobile terminal from which the access originated. This makes it possible to provide predetermined special information, etc. only to legitimate participants.

[0028] In the information provision system of this embodiment, during the stamp rally, the IC tag 2 at each checkpoint changes and updates the data of the code B held therein, for example, by a function like an addition counter, each time it is read by the read / write function of the mobile terminal 1. Therefore, if the same mobile terminal 1 is accessed multiple times, the code B will have different data each time. The authentication code is updated to the current value, a different authentication code is generated, and returned to the mobile terminal 1. Therefore, if the same mobile terminal 1 communicates with the same IC tag 2 multiple times and accesses the server 3 multiple times due to, for example, a communication error or an operation mistake, the server 3 can determine that the user is actually at the stamp rally venue and has accessed legitimately, if the authentication code is different each time the user accesses. Therefore, even when a service is provided that requires multiple accesses, the legitimate access can be recognized, and the service can be provided without any problems.

[0029] 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating the above-described access procedure. At the stamp rally venue, a user holds his / her mobile terminal over an IC tag at a certain checkpoint to access the IC tag (step S1). Once access is established, a request to read information is sent to the IC tag. When the IC tag receives access from the mobile device, it generates an authentication code from the various data stored inside it using the procedure described above, embeds this in the URL information, and returns the URL information to the mobile device (S2, S3, S4).

[0030] The user accesses the server using the URL in the received URL information (S5). The accessed server extracts code A, code B, and the authentication code from the URL, and uses the extracted code A to search a database to retrieve the corresponding code C (S6, S7). An authentication code is generated using the codes A and B extracted from the URL information and the code C extracted from the database, using the same calculation method as for IC tags, and this code is designated as A1 (S8).

[0031] The authentication code extracted from the URL is compared with the generated authentication code A1 (S9). If the authentication codes are the same, the server determines that the access has been authenticated as legitimate, whereas if the authentication codes are different, the server determines that the access cannot be authenticated as legitimate (S10). Then, a response according to the result of the determination is returned to the mobile terminal.

[0032] Another problem with electronic stamp rallies is that a person who is not actually at the stamp rally venue may illegally access the server and obtain the benefits that are given by participating in the stamp rally. In other words, a person who is not actually at the stamp rally venue may illegally obtain, by some means, the URL information used when a legitimate access was made via the Internet, and access server 3.

[0033] In contrast, in the information provision system of this embodiment, the authentication code included in the URL used in the unauthorized access is extracted, and if the authentication code is the same as that used to access the server 3, the server 3 can easily determine that the access was made using an unauthorizedly obtained URL. This makes it possible to eliminate unauthorized access.

[0034] As described above, according to the information provision system of the present invention, in a stamp rally, 1) the authentication code is unique to each IC tag and changes each time it is read, so that it can be used as a one-time valid authentication code and copied codes can be determined to be invalid. Therefore, by preventing reuse of the code, access can be determined to be valid only when the IC tag is actually read. 2) Because a valid authentication code is generated each time, it can be determined to be valid even if the user attempts to access the code again due to a communication error or the like, making it possible to provide services that require multiple accesses. 3) Access information can be provided as a URL, making it possible to access the service using a normal browser; there is no need to prepare a dedicated application for the service. 4) The authentication code is generated by reading the IC tag, so it does not require advanced location information such as GPS. It is possible to confirm that a person has arrived at a location within range where an IC tag can be read without using a detection method. 5) Depending on the service to be provided, a dedicated application may be prepared, and the system can flexibly respond by using a dedicated application or not using a dedicated application. 6) Since it is possible to prove that an IC tag was read when the user went to the location where it is located, this technology can be applied to the provision of services through a user's mobile device in a variety of situations, such as services linked to seats at sporting or event venues. The following effects can be obtained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1. Mobile terminal 2. IC tag 3. Server 4. Users

Claims

1. An information providing system for providing an electronic stamp rally, comprising: a mobile terminal having a read / write function for communicating with the IC tag and an internet communication function; An IC tag that is installed in correspondence with each checkpoint of an electronic stamp rally and has a read / write function for communicating with a mobile terminal, the IC tag storing a fixed code A specific to the IC tag, a code B that changes and is updated according to a predetermined rule each time the IC tag is read by a reader / writer, and a code C that is stored in a state that cannot be read from outside; a server having a database storing data in which the code A, the code C, and checkpoint information of the electronic stamp rally are associated with each other; Including, IC tags are When the IC tag is read by the read / write function of the mobile terminal, the code B is changed and updated according to a predetermined rule, Generate an authentication code using the code A, the updated code B, and the code C in a predetermined generation method; The code A, the code B, and the authentication code are included in a predetermined data format, and the URL information data is returned to the mobile terminal as URL information. The mobile device is Access the server using the URL in the received URL information, The server that was accessed Extract the code A, code B, and authentication code contained in the URL, Use code A to retrieve the corresponding code C from the database; An authentication code is generated from the code A and code B extracted from the URL and the code extracted from the database in the same manner as for IC tags, Compare the generated authentication code with the authentication code extracted from the URL, If both authentication codes are the same, the authentication is successful and a response according to the corresponding check point is returned to the mobile terminal as WEB information. If the two authentication codes are different from each other, authentication is not possible and a response different from that in the case of successful authentication is returned to the mobile terminal as web information. Information provision system.

2. 2. The information providing system according to claim 1, wherein the server determines that the access is not legitimate when the authentication code contained in the URL is identical to the authentication code of a URL that has been accessed in the past.

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