Terminal device, external device, communication system, program, and communication control method

Abstract

To provide a terminal device, an external apparatus, a communication system, a program, a communication control method, and the like that appropriately perform biometric authentication and transmission processing of personal information when the personal information stored in the terminal device is used in the external apparatus.SOLUTION: A terminal device 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 apparatus that performs control based on the personal information; and a control unit that acquires biometric information from the external apparatus via the communication unit, performs biometric authentication based on the authentication information and the biometric information, and performs control to transmit the personal information to the external apparatus via the communication unit when it is determined that the biometric authentication is successful.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a terminal device, an external device, a communication system, a program, a communication control method, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Biometric authentication using biometric information has been widely known as a method for verifying a user's identity. For example, identity authentication is performed when using a credit card or the like. Methods for performing biometric authentication using a network are also known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for increasing the reliability of biometric authentication via a network by adding a double digital signature. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-143136 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The method in Patent Document 1 is a method for more secure identity verification, but does not describe processes to be performed after verification, such as processes that use personal information. More specifically, conventional methods such as Patent Document 1 are unable to execute communication processes suitable for cases in which a terminal device that stores personal information cooperates with an external device that uses the personal information.

[0005] According to some aspects of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a terminal device, an external device, a communication system, a program, a communication control method, etc. that appropriately performs biometric authentication and processing of transmitting personal information when personal information stored in a terminal device is used in an external device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a terminal device including: a memory 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.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure is an external device including a sensor that detects biometric information, a communication unit that communicates with a terminal device that stores personal information of a user, and a control unit that performs control based on the personal information, wherein the control unit transmits the biometric information detected based on the sensor 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, the control unit is related to an external device that performs control to request the personal information from the terminal device via the communication unit.

[0008] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure relates to 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 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 when it is determined 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.

[0009] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a program that causes a computer to execute a process of 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.

[0010] Yet 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, wherein the biometric information acquired by the sensor is transmitted from the external device to the terminal device, the biometric authentication is executed based on the authentication information and the biometric information, and when it is determined that the biometric authentication is successful, the personal information is transmitted from the terminal device to the external device, and the external device executes control based on the personal information. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is an example of a communication system including a terminal device and an external device. [Figure 2] 1 is a configuration example of a terminal device. [Figure 3] 10 is a configuration example of an external device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating the processing of the present embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is an example of personal information stored in a terminal device. [Figure 6] 1 is an example of a biological information detection device. [Figure 7] 1 is an example of a communication system including a terminal device and an external device. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of control based on personal information. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described 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 described in the claims. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the present embodiment are necessarily essential components of the present disclosure.

[0013] 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 a device provided outside the terminal device 100. In Fig. 1, a mobile object 300 is shown 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.

[0014] 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 with reference to FIG. 5. The terminal device 100 is, for example, a mobile terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. Since the device used by the user himself is used as the terminal device 100, it is possible to easily and safely register the user's personal information. Note that the terminal device 100 may be any device used by the user, and may be other types of device, such as a laptop PC (Personal Computer).

[0015] 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 the external device 200, includes a control device 310, a camera 340, a handlebar 350, a seat 360, and the like, as shown in FIG. 1. The control device 310 corresponds to a control unit 210, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 3, and the camera 340 corresponds to a sensor 240. The control device 310 may be provided at a different position on the mobile object 300. The mobile object 300 may also include an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, an engine, and the like, which are not shown. Although 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.

[0016] For example, the control device 310 is electrically connected to and controls various components 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 the personal information. By having the external device 200 perform control based on the personal information, appropriate control tailored to the target user can be achieved.

[0017] When using personal information, biometric authentication may be performed in the terminal device 100 to prevent leakage of the personal information. 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 omitting operations on the terminal device 100 during biometric authentication. The method of the present disclosure will be specifically described below.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the terminal device 100. The terminal device 100 includes a control unit 110, a storage 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 Fig. 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 Fig. 2.

[0019] 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), controls communication with the external device 200 via the communication unit 130, etc. Details of the processing performed by the control unit 110 will be described later.

[0020] The control unit 110 of this embodiment is configured by the following hardware. The hardware can include at least one of a circuit for processing digital signals and a circuit for processing analog signals. For example, the hardware can be configured by one or more circuit devices or one or more circuit elements mounted on a circuit board. The one or more circuit devices are, for example, an integrated circuit (IC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. The one or more circuit elements are, for example, a resistor, a capacitor, etc.

[0021] 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 may be, for example, a program and various data. The processor includes hardware. Various types of processors may be used, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or a digital signal processor (DSP). The memory may be a semiconductor memory such as a static random access memory (SRAM), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or a flash memory, or 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 processor executes the instructions to realize the functions of the control unit 110 as processing. The instructions may be instructions from an instruction set that constitutes a program, or instructions that instruct the hardware circuitry of the processor to operate.

[0022] The storage unit 120 is a work area for the control unit 110 and stores various information. The storage unit 120 can be realized by various types of memory, and the memory may be a semiconductor memory such as an SRAM, a DRAM, a ROM, or a flash memory, or may be a register, a magnetic storage device, or an optical storage device.

[0023] 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 face image, the authentication information 121 is face image data of the user himself / herself, feature amount information extracted from the face image data, or the like.

[0024] The personal information 122 is information relating to the user of the terminal device 100, and includes various types of information as will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0025] The device authentication information 123 is information used when the external device 200 performs device authentication to authenticate whether the terminal device 100 is a legitimate device. For example, the device authentication information 123 is a public key of the terminal device 100 authenticated by a certification authority. The external device 200 determines that the device authentication has been successful when 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. The device authentication will be described in detail later.

[0026] The communication unit 130 is an interface for communicating via a network, and includes, for example, an antenna, an RF (radio frequency) circuit, and a baseband circuit. The communication unit 130 operates under the control of, for example, the control unit 110. The communication unit 130 may also include a processor for communication control that is different from the control unit 110.

[0027] The communication unit 130 may perform wireless communication using, for example, a method defined in IEEE802.11. 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.

[0028] The sensor 140 is a sensor that performs various types of sensing. The sensor 140 may be a camera, a motion sensor such as an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor, a GPS receiver, a photoelectric sensor having a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit, or another sensor. The sensor 140 may also include two or more of these sensors. The sensor 140 may be used to store the above-described authentication information 121 in the storage unit 120 in advance. For example, the sensor 140 is a camera that captures an image of the user's face. The sensor 140 may also be a sensor for acquiring personal information of the user. For example, the control unit 110 may obtain health condition information (described later) based on the sensor 140 and perform control to transmit the health condition information to the external device 200 as personal information.

[0029] 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 any other type of display. The operation unit may be buttons or the like provided on the terminal device 100, or may be a touch panel that is integrated with the display unit.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the external device 200. The external device 200 includes a control unit 210, a storage unit 220, a communication unit 230, and a sensor 240. However, the configuration of the external device 200 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 3, and various modifications are possible, such as omitting some components or adding other components. For example, if the external device 200 is a moving object 300, components such as a steering wheel 350 and a seat 360 shown in FIG. 1, and an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal (not shown) may be added. Furthermore, if the external device 200 is an intercom 400 as will be described later using FIG. 7, components such as a call button 450, a speaker 460, and a microphone 470 (described later) may be added.

[0031] The control unit 210 executes various controls related to the external device 200. For example, the control unit 210 performs a process of acquiring biometric information using the sensor 240, a control of communication with the terminal device 100 via the communication unit 230, and device authentication of the terminal device 100. Details of the processes performed by the control unit 210 will be described later.

[0032] The control unit 210 of this embodiment is configured by hardware including at least one of a circuit for processing digital signals and a circuit for processing analog signals. For example, the hardware can be configured by one or more circuit devices or one or more circuit elements mounted on a circuit board.

[0033] The control unit 210 may also be realized by a processor such as a CPU, a GPU, or a 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 the instructions to realize the functions of the control unit 210 as processing.

[0034] The storage unit 220 is a work area for the control unit 210 and stores various information. The storage unit 220 can be realized by various types of memory, and the memory may be a semiconductor memory such as an SRAM, a DRAM, a ROM, or a flash memory, or may be a register, a magnetic storage device, or an optical storage device.

[0035] 3, the storage unit 220 may store terminal information 221. The terminal information 221 is information for identifying a 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 for which device authentication has been successful in the past.

[0036] The communication unit 230 is an interface for communicating via a network, and includes, for example, an antenna, an RF circuit, and a baseband circuit. The communication unit 230 operates under the control of, for example, the control unit 210. The communication unit 230 may also include a processor for communication control that is different from the control unit 210.

[0037] The communication unit 230 may perform wireless communication in accordance with the same method as that of the terminal device 100. For example, the communication unit 230 performs communication using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, UWB, or the like.

[0038] Sensor 240 is a sensor that detects biometric information of a user. The biometric information here 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. The fingerprint sensor can be realized by various sensors such as a sensor that detects capacitance, an optical sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor.

[0039] 2. Processing flow Next, the flow of processing in this embodiment will be described in detail. Fig. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating 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 moving object 300 as shown in Fig. 1.

[0040] First, in step S101, the control unit 110 of the terminal device 100 registers authentication information 121 and personal information 122 in the storage unit 120. Note that the authentication information 121 may be acquired at a timing prior to step S109, and the personal information 122 may be acquired 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.

[0041] For example, the authentication information 121 and the personal information 122 may be registered at different times. Furthermore, when multiple types of personal information 122 are used as will be described later with reference to Fig. 5, these may be acquired together or at different times. Furthermore, the personal information 122 may be information that is updated periodically.

[0042] As described above, the authentication information 121 is, for example, biometric information, and the specific content thereof can be modified in various ways. The authentication information 121 may be information acquired using the sensor 140 of the terminal device 100, or may be information acquired using another device. For example, the control unit 110 may acquire biometric information detected in a device other than the terminal device 100 via the communication unit 130 and store the acquired information as the authentication information 121 in the storage unit 120.

[0043] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of personal information. The 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, Fig. 5 is only an example of personal information, and some of this information may be omitted, or other information not shown in Fig. 5 may be added.

[0044] The license information is information related to the user's license. The 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. The license information may also be acquired by the user entering information using the operation unit of the terminal device 100. When registering the license information, the control unit 110 may request the entry of a personal identification number (PIN) or the like set when the license was issued, and may perform processing to inquire of the issuer of the PIN entered by the user based on the request. The control unit 110 registers the license information if the PIN is correct, and rejects the registration of the license information if it is incorrect. This prevents the license information of someone other than the user from being registered in the terminal device 100.

[0045] 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 a country. ID card information is, for example, information about 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.

[0046] Health condition information is information that represents the health condition of a user. The 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 include information such as hospital visit history and medication history.

[0047] 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 storage 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.

[0048] The age information, height information, and weight information represent the user's age, height, and weight, respectively. The personal information may also include other information such as hand and foot size and waist circumference, as needed. The 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 date of birth on a driver's license or other information, and so may be included in the driver's license or other information.

[0049] As described above, personal information is information that differs for each user. Therefore, the personal information stored in the storage unit 120 of the terminal device 100 is information specific to the user of the terminal device 100.

[0050] 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 the personal information 122 are registered. For example, in order to drive the mobile object 300, the user moves to a range where the distance from the mobile object 300 is equal to or less than a predetermined distance threshold.

[0051] In step S102, the terminal device 100 and the external device 200 establish communication using a first communication method. The first communication method here is, for example, Bluetooth (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)), NFC, UWB, etc. The distance threshold may correspond to a distance at which communication using the first communication method is possible (e.g., a 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 description of the communication sequence will be omitted.

[0052] Next, the external device 200 performs device authentication of the terminal device 100. Specifically, the storage unit 120 of the terminal device 100 stores in advance device authentication information 123 used for device authentication of the terminal device 100. As with the authentication information 121 and the 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.

[0053] In step S103, the control unit 110 transmits 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. The signature information in this embodiment 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 the resulting data to the external device 200. Note that the electronic certificate and public key may be configured as integrated data.

[0054] 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 digital certificate received in step S103 is valid. If the digital 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 a private key that pairs with the public key, and the control unit 210 determines that the device authentication has been successful.

[0055] The method for performing device authentication is not limited to this, and various modifications 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 digital 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 digital certificate is valid. If the digital certificate is valid, the control unit 210 decrypts the encrypted hash value received in step S103 using the public key of the terminal device 100 to obtain a second verification value. The control unit 210 can 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 of comparing the first verification value with 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.

[0056] If the 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. The connection information here includes information for identifying the network of the external device 200. For example, the second communication method is a method compatible with Wi-Fi, and the information for identifying the network is an SSID (Service Set Identifier). The connection information may also include a pre-shared key (password). For example, the 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] As shown in steps S102-S106, the communication unit 130 performs communication using the first communication method and communication using the second communication method, and the control unit 110 may transmit device authentication information using the first communication method (step S103), and if device authentication based on the device authentication information is successful in the external device 200, receive connection information for communicating with the external device 200 using the second communication method (step S105). In this way, it is possible to smoothly switch between the communication method used for device authentication and the communication method used for subsequent processing.

[0059] For example, the second communication method may be a method having a faster communication speed than the first communication method. In the above example, Wi-Fi has a faster communication speed than BLE or the like. In this way, even when information with a relatively large amount of data is used as biometric information for biometric authentication, the time required for communication can be shortened, allowing biometric authentication to be performed smoothly. For example, when the biometric information is video data, the amount of data is larger than when still images or the like 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.

[0060] However, the communication method used for device authentication and the communication method used for biometric authentication may be the same, and switching of the communication method is not essential.

[0061] Furthermore, encryption in communication using the second communication method is not limited to that 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, a 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 a digital signature using the first encryption information as the original data, and then transmit the first encryption information and the digital 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 improved when transmitting information from the terminal device 100 to the external device 200.

[0062] Furthermore, in step S105, the external device 200 may transmit to the terminal device 100 connection information including second encryption information used in communication by the second communication method, in addition to the information specifying the network. The second encryption information may be, for example, a 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, for transmitting 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.

[0063] 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 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, thereby enabling communication with higher security strength than when a pre-shared key is used. Furthermore, the first encryption information and the second encryption information in this embodiment may be information for increasing the security strength of communication in the second communication method, and various modifications can be made to the specific content and the processing content for each encryption information.

[0064] After the Wi-Fi communication is established, in step S107, the control unit 210 of the external device 200 acquires biometric information for biometric authentication by activating the sensor 240. In step S108, the control unit 210 transmits the biometric information to the terminal device 100 via the communication unit 230.

[0065] That is, the control unit 110 of the terminal device 100 controls transmission of the device authentication information 123 to the external device 200 via the communication unit 130 (step S103), and may acquire biometric information from the external device 200 if device authentication based on the device authentication information 123 is successful in the external device 200 (step S108). In this way, unless the terminal device 100 is confirmed to be a legitimate device by device authentication, the external device 200 will not transmit biometric information to the terminal device 100. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the biometric information acquired by the external device 200 from being transmitted to an inappropriate device, for example.

[0066] Furthermore, the external device 200 of this embodiment may further include an interface unit used when the user uses the external device 200. When the external device 200 is a moving object 300, the interface unit may be a steering wheel 350, an in-vehicle monitor used in a car navigation system or the like, or another configuration used by the user when driving.

[0067] Sensor 240 provided in external device 200 is disposed at a position that detects biometric information of a user using the interface unit. In the example of mobile object 300, sensor 240 corresponds to camera 340, for example. As shown in FIG. 1, camera 340 is disposed at a position in the front portion of mobile object 300 (such as the windshield or the ceiling near the windshield) that can capture an image of the driver's seat. For example, camera 340 is disposed at a position and posture that can capture an image of the upper body or face of a user with a standard build when the user sits in driver's seat 360. While FIG. 1 shows an example in which camera 340 is disposed directly in front of the driver's seat, camera 340 may also capture an image of the user in the driver's seat from an oblique direction. Furthermore, if sensor 240 is a fingerprint sensor, the fingerprint sensor may be provided on an engine start button, steering wheel 350, or the like.

[0068] In this way, it is possible to acquire biometric information from a user who is actually in a state of using the external device 200. In other words, unless the user is ready to use the external device 200, the acquisition of biometric information (step S107) and the processing using the biometric information from step S108 onward are not performed. For example, according to the method of this embodiment, it is possible to prevent a person who is located near the external device 200 but who is not planning to operate the external device 200, such as a person sitting in the passenger seat or rear seat of the mobile object 300, from being mistakenly targeted for biometric authentication. As a result, it is possible to prevent control from being performed using personal information of a user 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 the user is able to drive, which prevents the mobile object 300 and the like from starting automatic control at an inappropriate time.

[0069] 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 registered in advance in step S101. For example, the control unit 110 may perform a comparison process between the biometric information and the authentication information 121, and determine that the biometric authentication has been successful if the degree of similarity is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and determine that the biometric authentication has failed if the degree of similarity is less than the predetermined value. Note that various methods are known for the information used for the biometric information and the specific processing contents of the biometric authentication, and these methods can be widely applied in this embodiment.

[0070] If the biometric authentication is successful, in step S110, the control unit 110 transmits a list of personal information stored in the storage unit 120 to the external device 200 via the communication unit 130. The personal information list transmitted in step S110 is a collection of names of personal information. For example, the personal information list may be a collection of text such as "license information," "health information," and "age information." Note that the processing of step S110 may be omitted.

[0071] In step S111, the external device 200 performs a process of requesting the terminal device 100 for personal information used for control in the control unit 210. For example, when the process of 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 result to the terminal device 100.

[0072] In step S112, the control unit 110 performs processing to transmit the personal information 122 stored in the storage unit 120 to the external device 200 based on a request from the external device 200.

[0073] 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 is determined 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).

[0074] Also, considering the external device 200, the control unit 210 transmits biometric information detected based on 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).

[0075] In this way, by using biometric authentication, it is possible to prevent a user's personal information from being transmitted to an inappropriate device. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sensor for acquiring biometric information is the sensor 240 disposed in the external device 200, not 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 is left in a pocket or a bag, making it difficult to perform biometric authentication using the sensor 140 of the terminal device 100, it is possible to execute the processing from step S102 onward in FIG. 4. As a result, it is possible to improve user convenience. Furthermore, if the 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 probability that the user will use the external device 200 is low, it is possible to prevent control using the user's personal information from being executed.

[0076] 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 driving violations or accidents, the control device 310 sets a driving mode that reduces the likelihood of driving 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 directly control the engine 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.

[0077] 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. The settings here may include various settings such as the position setting of the seat 360, the position setting of the mirrors, the display setting of the in-vehicle monitor (which may include meters such as a speedometer), the music playback setting, and the setting for automatic connection to a smartphone or the like. This improves convenience because setup is automatically performed when getting in. 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 realized.

[0078] 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 (shops, leisure facilities, accommodations, etc.) that the user is interested in based on the behavioral history information and preference information, and perform control to recommend visiting those places using a car navigation system or the like.

[0079] 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 is health condition information.

[0080] For example, the communication unit 130 may acquire the second biological information of the user from a biological information acquisition unit included in the terminal device 100 or a biological information detection device 500 connected to the terminal device 100. The biological information acquisition unit may be, for example, the sensor 140. The second biological 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 biological information to the external device 200 via the communication unit 130.

[0081] In this way, it becomes possible to monitor the health condition of the user using the external device 200 in real time, and when some event is detected, to execute control corresponding to the event. For example, the control device 310 may acquire values ​​of heart rate and blood pressure as health condition information, and when it detects that these values ​​are outside of a standard range, it may execute control to bring the moving object 300 to an emergency stop.

[0082] FIG. 6 shows an example of a biological information detection device 500. The biological information detection device 500 may be, for example, a watch-type device worn on the user's wrist. Techniques for detecting biological information such as pulse rate using a watch-type biological information detection device 500 are widely known, and in this embodiment, such information can be widely used as the second biological information. The biological information detection device 500 and the terminal device 100 may be connected via any of the first communication methods (e.g., BLE), the second communication method (Wi-Fi), or a communication method different from either. The biological information detection device 500 may be a wearable device in the form of glasses, or a sheet-type device attached to the user's clothing or skin using a sticker or the like. Various modifications are possible in specific embodiments.

[0083] 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).

[0084] In this manner, biometric authentication and the transmission and reception of personal information are appropriately performed between the terminal device 100 and the external device 200. Since 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 with reference to FIG. 4 does not necessarily 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, the Internet or other similar connections are rarely required, and communication constraints are minimal. Furthermore, depending on the device authentication method, communication with a certification authority may not be required. In such cases, the Internet or other similar connections are not required even for processes including device authentication. As a result, the communication system 10 of this embodiment can be easily realized.

[0085] 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, a memory card, a hard disk drive, or a semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory is, for example, a 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. That is, the information storage device stores a program for causing a computer to function as the control unit 110. The computer is a device equipped with an input device, a processing unit, a storage unit, and an output unit. Specifically, the program according to this embodiment is a program for causing a computer to execute, among the steps described above with reference to FIG. 4, each step relating to the terminal device 100 in particular. For example, this program may be application software running on the terminal device 100, which is a smartphone, a so-called smartphone app.

[0086] 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 including 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.

[0087] 3. Variations In the above, an example has been described in which the external device 200 is a moving object 300 such as an automobile, but the external device 200 in this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0088] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example configuration of the communication system 10 including the terminal device 100 and the external device 200. As shown in FIG. 7, the external device 200 may be an intercom 400. FIG. 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, and the like. The camera 440 corresponds to the sensor 240 in FIG. 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, and the like, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 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.

[0089] 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 in the course of their work. However, it is not easy for the person being visited to determine whether the visitor has a legitimate identity or is a fraudulent person. Therefore, in this embodiment, a process is performed in which personal information that can prove the identity of the visitor is transmitted to the intercom 400, which is the external device 200.

[0090] The processing flow of this embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG. 4 described 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 such personal information, the control unit 110 of the terminal device 100 checks the issuer for a PIN number or the like to determine whether the personal information to be registered is legitimate information about the user.

[0091] After completing the registration process, the user visits a facility where an intercom 400, which is the external device 200 according to this embodiment, has been installed. 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 the first communication method such as BLE (step S102). The subsequent device authentication is the same as in steps S103-S105 described above. As a result, the external device 200 confirms that the terminal device 100 is an authentic 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).

[0092] Furthermore, the sensor 240 in this modification 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 an interface unit of the intercom 400. The interface unit corresponds to, for example, a call button 450, a speaker 460, a microphone 470, etc. For example, when a visitor user presses the call button 450, or when the visitor user is standing in front of the intercom 400 and talking to a person in the facility using the speaker 460 and the microphone 470, an image of the visitor 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, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0093] In this embodiment, for example, in step S112, the ID card information is transmitted to the external device 200. As described above, the ID card information includes information such as a facial photograph, name, affiliation, etc. The ID card information may also include image data obtained by scanning the ID card.

[0094] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of control using personal information 122 executed in step S113. Specifically, FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of control by control unit 210 using ID card information, which is personal information 122, and shows an example of an image displayed on monitor 480 of the second terminal of intercom 400. Control unit 210 displays an image captured by camera 440 on monitor 480. This makes it possible to present the visitor's face, etc., to people in the facility, similar to a normal intercom. Furthermore, in this embodiment, control unit 210 may superimpose an object corresponding to the ID card information on the captured image. In the example of FIG. 8, object OB1 representing the ID card information is displayed in the area next to user US included in the captured image.

[0095] 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.

[0096] Although FIG. 8 shows an example of displaying image data of an ID card, the control unit 210 of the external device 200 may display the name, face photo, affiliation, etc. included in the ID card information in a different manner.

[0097] Although the present embodiment has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily understand that many modifications are possible without substantially departing from the novel features and advantages of the present embodiment. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, a term described at least once in the specification or drawings with a different term having 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 intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the configurations and operations of the terminal device, external device, communication system, etc. are not limited to those described in the present embodiment, and various modifications are possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 10...communication system, 100...terminal device, 110...control unit, 120...storage unit, 121...authentication information, 122...personal information, 123...device authentication information, 130...communication unit, 140...sensor, 200...external device, 210...control unit, 220...storage unit, 221...terminal information, 230...communication unit, 240...sensor, 300...mobile body, 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

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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; Have 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.

10. 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.

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