Information processing system, information processing method, and recording medium

Abstract

An information processing system (10) is provided with: a first terminal (100) which acquires the feature amount of an echo sound reflected in an ear of a subject; a second terminal (200), a predetermined operation of which is enabled in accordance with ear acoustic authentication using the feature amount; a detection means (120) which detects contact between the first terminal and the second terminal; and a transmission means (130) which, when the contact is detected, transmits the feature amount from the first terminal to the second terminal. According to such an information processing system, it is possible to appropriately transmit, from an acquisition source, a feature amount used for ear acoustic authentication.

Description

Information processing system, information processing method, and recording medium

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical fields of an information processing system, an information processing method, and a recording medium.

[0002] There is known a technology for performing authentication processing of a target (so-called ear acoustic authentication) based on characteristics of the ear canal acquired by utilizing sound reverberation. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technology for performing ear acoustic authentication using ear canal reverberation acquired by a first device, and permitting use of a second device if the ear acoustic authentication is successful.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-113947

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an information processing system, an information processing method, and a recording medium that are capable of appropriately transmitting features used in ear acoustic authentication from an acquisition source.

[0005] One aspect of the information processing system disclosed herein includes a first terminal that acquires features of reverberant sound reverberating in a target ear, a second terminal that is capable of performing a predetermined operation in accordance with ear acoustic authentication using the features, a detection means for detecting contact between the first terminal and the second terminal, and a transmission means for transmitting the features from the first terminal to the second terminal when the contact is detected.

[0006] One aspect of the information processing method disclosed herein is an information processing method that uses at least one computer to control an information processing system that includes a first terminal that acquires features of reverberant sound reverberating in a target ear, and a second terminal that is capable of performing predetermined operations in accordance with ear acoustic authentication using the features, and that detects contact between the first terminal and the second terminal, and when the contact is detected, transmits the features from the first terminal to the second terminal.

[0007] One aspect of the recording medium of this disclosure is an information processing method for controlling an information processing system that includes, on at least one computer, a first terminal that acquires features of reverberant sound that has reverberated in a target ear, and a second terminal that is capable of performing predetermined operations in accordance with ear acoustic authentication using the features, and the recording medium has recorded thereon a computer program that executes the information processing method, which detects contact between the first terminal and the second terminal, and, when the contact is detected, transmits the features from the first terminal to the second terminal.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a first information processing system; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the terminal configuration of the first information processing system; Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of operations in the first information processing system; Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the terminal configuration of a second information processing system; and Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of operations in the second information processing system.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of an information processing system, an information processing method, and a recording medium will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] First Embodiment A first information processing system will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

[0011] (Hardware Configuration) First, the hardware configuration of the first information processing system will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the first information processing system.

[0012] 1, a first information processing system 10 includes a processor 11, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 12, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 13, and a storage device 14. The information processing system 10 may further include an input device 15 and an output device 16. The processor 11, RAM 12, ROM 13, storage device 14, input device 15, and output device 16 are connected to each other via a data bus 17. The data bus 17 may be an interface other than a data bus (for example, a LAN, a USB, etc.).

[0013] The processor 11 loads a computer program. For example, the processor 11 is configured to load a computer program stored in at least one of the RAM 12, the ROM 13, and the storage device 14. Alternatively, the processor 11 may load a computer program stored in a computer-readable storage medium using a storage medium reading device (not shown). The processor 11 may acquire (i.e., load) the computer program from a device (not shown) located outside the information processing system 10 via a network interface. The processor 11 controls the RAM 12, the storage device 14, the input device 15, and the output device 16 by executing the loaded computer program. In particular, in this embodiment, when the processor 11 executes the loaded computer program, a functional block for transmitting features used for ear acoustic authentication is realized within the processor 11. In other words, the processor 11 may function as a controller that executes each control in the information processing system 10.

[0014] The processor 11 may be configured as, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a quantum processor. The processor 11 may be configured as one of these, or may be configured to use multiple processors in parallel.

[0015] The RAM 12 temporarily stores computer programs executed by the processor 11. The RAM 12 temporarily stores data that the processor 11 temporarily uses while it is executing the computer programs. The RAM 12 may be, for example, a dynamic random access memory (D-RAM) or a static random access memory (SRAM). Alternatively, other types of volatile memory may be used instead of the RAM 12.

[0016] The ROM 13 stores computer programs executed by the processor 11. The ROM 13 may also store fixed data. The ROM 13 may be, for example, a programmable read-only memory (PROM) or an erasable read-only memory (EPROM). Alternatively, other types of non-volatile memory may be used instead of the ROM 13.

[0017] The storage device 14 stores data that is to be saved long-term by the information processing system 10. The storage device 14 may operate as a temporary storage device for the processor 11. The storage device may store computer programs executed by the processor 11. The storage device 14 may include, for example, at least one of a hard disk device, a magneto-optical disk device, an SSD (Solid State Drive), and a disk array device.

[0018] The input device 15 is a device that receives input instructions from a user of the information processing system 10. The input device 15 may include, for example, at least one of a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel. The input device 15 may be configured as part of a smartphone, a tablet terminal, an earphone-type terminal, a watch-type terminal, or the like. The input device 15 may be, for example, a device that allows voice input, including a microphone. The input device 15 may be, for example, a device that is used only for maintenance. In such cases, the input device 15 may be omitted as appropriate from the components used when operating the information processing system 10.

[0019] The output device 16 is a device that outputs information related to the information processing system 10 to the outside. For example, the output device 16 may be a display device (e.g., a display) that can display information related to the information processing system 10. The output device 16 may also be a speaker or the like that can output information related to the information processing system 10 as audio. The output device 16 may be configured as part of a smartphone, a tablet terminal, an earphone-type terminal, a watch-type terminal, or the like.

[0020] The first information processing system 10 is configured to include a first terminal and a second terminal, as described below. Each of the components described in Fig. 1 may be configured to be included in at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal included in the first information processing system 10. Furthermore, some of the components described in Fig. 1 may be configured to be included in an external device (e.g., an external server, a cloud, etc.) different from the first terminal and the second terminal.

[0021] (Terminal Configuration) Next, the terminal configuration of the first information processing system 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the terminal configuration of the first information processing system.

[0022] 2 , the first information processing system 10 includes a first terminal 100 and a second terminal 200. The first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 are connected, for example, via wireless communication, and are configured to be able to transmit and receive information to and from each other. The first terminal 100 is configured, for example, as an earphone-type hearable terminal, and includes a feature acquisition unit 110, a contact detection unit 120, and a feature transmission unit 130 as processing blocks for realizing its functions. The second terminal 200 is configured, for example, as a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or watch-type terminal, and includes an earacoustic authentication unit 210 as a processing block for realizing its functions. Each of the feature acquisition unit 110, the contact detection unit 120, the feature transmission unit 130, and the earacoustic authentication unit 210 may be a processing block configured, for example, by the above-described processor 11 (see FIG. 1 ).

[0023] The feature acquisition unit 110 is configured to acquire features of reverberation echoing within the subject's ear. The feature acquisition unit 110 controls, for example, the first terminal 100 worn in the subject's ear to acquire a reverberation signal containing features of the subject's ear (specifically, features of the internal shape of the ear). More specifically, the earacoustic authentication unit 110 controls the first terminal 100 to emit sound waves into the subject's ear and acquires a reverberation signal based on the echo of the emitted sound waves. The earacoustic authentication unit 110 then extracts features from the acquired reverberation signal. These features are parameters that indicate features of the internal shape of the subject's ear and are used for earacoustic authentication in the earacoustic authentication unit 210.

[0024] The feature amount acquisition unit 110 may acquire the feature amount, for example, when the subject wears the first terminal 100. Furthermore, the feature amount acquisition unit 110 may periodically execute the feature amount acquisition at a predetermined cycle after the subject wears the first terminal 100. The feature amount acquisition unit 110 may acquire the feature amount when the subject performs an operation to acquire the feature amount. The feature amount acquisition unit 110 may have a function of temporarily storing the acquired feature amount.

[0025] The contact detection unit 120 is configured to be able to detect contact between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200. Here, "contact" refers to physical contact between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200. Therefore, the contact detection unit 120 may detect contact when the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 are touching each other, even if the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 are not electrically connected. However, the contact detection unit 120 may detect contact using, for example, a threshold value for the degree of contact. For example, the contact detection unit 120 may not detect contact when the contact area between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 is small and the degree of contact does not exceed the threshold. On the other hand, the contact detection unit 120 may detect contact when the contact area between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 is large and the degree of contact exceeds the threshold.

[0026] The contact detection unit 120 may detect contact using a sensor or the like provided in at least one of the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200. However, the method of detecting contact is not limited to the above example. Also, although an example in which the contact detection unit 120 is provided in the first terminal 100 has been given here, the contact detection unit 120 may be provided in the second terminal 200 instead of the first terminal 100. Alternatively, the contact detection unit 120 may be provided in both the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200.

[0027] The feature transmission unit 130 is configured to be able to transmit the feature acquired by the feature acquisition unit 110 from the first terminal 100 to the second terminal 200. Specifically, when the contact detection unit 120 detects contact between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200, the feature transmission unit 130 transmits the feature from the first terminal 100 to the second terminal 200. Therefore, the feature acquired by the first terminal 100 is not transmitted to the second terminal 200, which is located far away. When contact is detected, the feature transmission unit 130 may transmit the feature using, for example, wireless communication between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200. The feature transmission unit 130 may notify the target that the feature 130 will be transmitted or that it has been transmitted. For example, the feature transmission unit 130 may output a sound or a message from the first terminal 100 to notify the target that the feature 130 will be transmitted. Alternatively, the feature amount transmitting unit 130 may display a message or an image on a display provided on the second terminal 200 to notify the user that the feature amount 130 will be transmitted.

[0028] When the feature acquisition unit 110 has acquired multiple feature amounts (for example, when multiple feature amounts acquired in the past are stored), the feature transmission unit 130 may be configured to transmit all of the multiple feature amounts to the second terminal 200. Alternatively, the feature transmission unit 130 may be configured to transmit only some of the multiple feature amounts (for example, the most recently acquired feature amount) to the second terminal 200. When the contact detection unit 120 detects contact once, the feature transmission unit 130 may continue transmitting the feature amounts even if the contact state subsequently changes to no contact. Alternatively, when the contact detection unit 120 detects contact once, the feature transmission unit 130 may stop transmitting the feature amounts if the contact detection unit 120 subsequently detects no contact.

[0029] The earacoustic authentication unit 210 is configured to perform earacoustic authentication using the feature transmitted from the feature transmission unit 130. The earacoustic authentication unit 210 may perform authentication processing of a target by, for example, comparing the feature transmitted from the feature transmission unit 130 with the feature of a pre-registered registered user. For example, the earacoustic authentication unit 210 may output a result indicating successful authentication (i.e., the target is a registered user) if the degree of matching (matching) between the feature transmitted from the feature transmission unit 130 and the feature of a pre-registered registered user exceeds a predetermined authentication threshold. Alternatively, the earacoustic authentication unit 210 may output a result indicating unsuccessful authentication (i.e., the target is not a registered user) if the degree of matching between the feature transmitted from the feature transmission unit 130 and the feature of a pre-registered registered user does not exceed a predetermined authentication threshold. The earacoustic authentication unit 210 may permit a predetermined operation on the second terminal 200 if earacoustic authentication is successful.

[0030] The predetermined operation permitted by the earacoustic authentication unit 210 may include all operations executable on the second terminal 200, or may be only a portion of the operations executable on the second terminal 200. For example, if the second terminal 200 is configured as a smartphone, the lock screen of the smartphone may be unlocked on the condition that earacoustic authentication is successful. In this case, successful earacoustic authentication allows general smartphone operation. Alternatively, successful earacoustic authentication may allow use of various smartphone apps. Note that the predetermined operation on the second terminal 200 may be permitted by authentication other than earacoustic authentication (e.g., facial authentication, fingerprint authentication, passcode authentication, etc.). In this case, the earacoustic authentication by the earacoustic authentication unit 210 may skip other authentications and allow the predetermined operation.

[0031] The earacoustic authentication unit 210 may also register the feature transmitted from the feature transmitting unit 130 as the feature of the registered user. In this case, the earacoustic authentication unit 210 stores the feature transmitted from the feature transmitting unit 130. Thereafter, the earacoustic authentication unit 210 reads out the stored feature when performing earacoustic authentication. The earacoustic authentication unit 210 then compares the newly acquired feature with the previously read feature to perform authentication processing for the target. The earacoustic authentication unit 210 may also update the feature of an already registered registered user. In this case, the earacoustic authentication unit 210 overwrites and saves the feature transmitted from the feature transmitting unit 130 over the feature of the already registered registered user. When registering or updating a feature, the earacoustic authentication unit 210 may also confirm with the target whether it is OK to register or update the feature. In this case, the earacoustic authentication unit 210 may register or update the feature if the target agrees to the registration or update of the feature.

[0032] The first terminal 100 may also be provided with the functions of the earacoustic authentication unit 210 described above. In this case, the first terminal 100 may perform earacoustic authentication using the feature acquired by the feature acquisition unit 110 as is. That is, the earacoustic authentication in the first terminal 100 may be performed without transmitting the feature by the feature transmission unit 130. The earacoustic authentication in the first terminal 100 may be performed to permit various operations on the first terminal. For example, if the first terminal 100 is configured as an earphone-type terminal, playback of music on the first terminal 100 may be permitted if earacoustic authentication on the first terminal 100 is successful.

[0033] (Flow of Operation) Next, the flow of operation of the first information processing system 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of operation in the first information processing system.

[0034] 3, when the operation of the first information processing system 10 is started, the feature acquisition unit 110 first transmits sound waves into the ear of the subject and acquires reverberation sounds (step S101). The feature acquisition unit 110 then extracts features from the acquired reverberation sounds (step S102). Thereafter, the feature acquisition unit 110 temporarily stores the extracted features (step S103).

[0035] Next, contact detection unit 120 detects whether first terminal 100 and second terminal 200 are in contact with each other (step S104). If first terminal 100 and second terminal 200 are not in contact with each other (step S104: NO), the subsequent processing is omitted. In this case, the operation of step S101 may be started again after a predetermined period of time.

[0036] On the other hand, if the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 are in contact with each other (step S104: YES), the feature transmission unit 130 transmits the feature acquired by the feature acquisition unit 110 to the second terminal 200 (step S105). Note that the second terminal 200 may receive the feature transmitted from the feature transmission unit 130 and perform various processes related to ear acoustic authentication.

[0037] (Technical Effects) Next, technical effects obtained by the first information processing system 10 will be described.

[0038] As described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 , in the first information processing system 10, when contact between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 is detected, the feature used for earacoustic authentication is transmitted from the first terminal 110 to the second terminal 200. This allows the feature used for earacoustic authentication to be appropriately transmitted from the first terminal 100, which is the source of the feature, to the second terminal 200 that performs the earacoustic authentication. If the feature acquired by the first terminal 100 were transmitted even when contact is not detected, the feature may be transmitted to the second terminal 200 located far from the first terminal 100. This behavior could lead to, for example, theft or leakage of the feature. However, in the first information processing system 10, the feature is transmitted to the second terminal 200 that has come into contact with the first terminal 200. In other words, because contact between the terminals is a condition, the feature is transmitted and received between terminals located very close to each other. This makes it possible to prevent unintended inconveniences, such as theft or leakage of the feature.

[0039] Second Embodiment A second information processing system 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The second information processing system 10 differs from the first information processing system 10 described above only in some of its operations, and other parts may be the same as the first information processing system 10. Therefore, the following will describe in detail the parts that differ from the first embodiment, and will omit a description of other overlapping parts as appropriate.

[0040] (Terminal Configuration) First, the terminal configuration of the second information processing system 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the terminal configuration of the second information processing system. Note that in Fig. 4, the same elements as those shown in Fig. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0041] 4, the second information processing system 10 includes a first terminal 100 and a second terminal 200. The first terminal 100 includes, as processing blocks for realizing its functions, a feature acquisition unit 110, a contact detection unit 120, and a feature transmission unit 130. The second terminal 200 includes, as processing blocks for realizing its functions, an ear acoustic authentication unit 210, a feature matching unit 220, and a power supply control unit 230. That is, the second terminal 200 in the second information processing device 10 further includes, in addition to the configuration described in the first embodiment (see FIG. 2), the feature matching unit 220 and the power supply control unit 230. Each of the feature matching unit 220 and the power supply control unit 230 may be a processing block configured by, for example, the above-described processor 11 (see FIG. 1).

[0042] The feature matching unit 220 is configured to be able to match the feature transmitted by the feature transmission unit 130 with feature pre-registered in the second terminal 200. Note that this matching may be similar to the matching performed by the earacoustic authentication unit 210 described above. For example, the feature matching unit 220 may determine whether the degree of matching (degree of agreement) between the feature transmitted from the feature transmission unit 130 and the feature of a pre-registered user exceeds a predetermined threshold. In this case, the function of the feature matching unit 220 may be included in the earacoustic authentication unit 210. For example, the matching in the earacoustic authentication unit 210 (i.e., earacoustic authentication) and the feature matching in the feature matching unit 220 may be substantially the same process.

[0043] However, the matching performed by the feature matching unit 220 and the matching performed by the earacoustic authentication unit 210 may be performed independently and separately. In this case, the thresholds used for determination may be different between the matching performed by the feature matching unit 220 and the earacoustic authentication performed by the earacoustic authentication unit 210. For example, the threshold for matching in the feature matching unit 220 may be set to a relatively low value, making it easier to succeed than the earacoustic authentication performed by the earacoustic authentication unit 210. Conversely, the threshold for matching in the feature matching unit 220 may be set to a relatively high value, making it harder to succeed than the earacoustic authentication performed by the earacoustic authentication unit 210.

[0044] The power supply control unit 230 is configured to be able to control contact power supply between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200. Specifically, the power supply control unit 230 may perform control to start contact power supply between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 when the matching in the feature matching unit 220 is successful. Note that "contact power supply" here refers to a power supply method that does not use wires or the like (so-called wireless power supply or radio power supply). The contact power supply method is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, power supply using electromagnetic induction, magnetic resonance, electric field coupling, microwaves, or the like. Note that the power supply direction in contact power supply is also not particularly limited. For example, the power supply control unit 230 may execute control to supply power from the first terminal 100 to the second terminal 200. Alternatively, the power supply control unit 230 may execute control to supply power from the second terminal 200 to the first terminal 100. The power feeding direction in contact-type power feeding may be determined based on the charging states of the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 110. For example, the power feeding control unit 230 may execute control such that power is fed from one terminal with a high charging rate to another terminal with a low charging rate.

[0045] (Operation Flow) Next, the operation flow of the second information processing system 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation flow in the second information processing system. Note that in Fig. 5, the same processes as those shown in Fig. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0046] 5, when the operation of the second information processing system 10 is started, the feature acquisition unit 110 first transmits sound waves into the ear of the subject and acquires reverberation sounds (step S101). The feature acquisition unit 110 then extracts features from the acquired reverberation sounds (step S102). Thereafter, the feature acquisition unit 110 temporarily stores the extracted features (step S103).

[0047] Next, contact detection unit 120 detects whether first terminal 100 and second terminal 200 are in contact with each other (step S104). If first terminal 100 and second terminal 200 are not in contact with each other (step S104: NO), the subsequent processing is omitted. In this case, the operation of step S101 may be started again after a predetermined period of time.

[0048] On the other hand, if the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 are in contact with each other (step S104: YES), the feature transmission unit 130 transmits the feature acquired by the feature acquisition unit 110 to the second terminal 200 (step S105). Then, the feature matching unit 220 matches the feature transmitted by the feature transmission unit 130 with the feature registered in advance in the second terminal 200 (step S201).

[0049] If the matching by the feature amount matching unit 220 is successful (step S202: YES), the power supply control unit 230 starts contact power supply between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 (step S203). Note that contact power supply may be terminated when the charging rate of the power supplying side or the power receiving side reaches a predetermined value. On the other hand, if the matching by the feature amount matching unit 220 fails (step S202: NO), the processing of step S203 is omitted. That is, the power supply control unit 230 does not start contact power supply between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200.

[0050] (Technical Effects) Next, technical effects obtained by the second information processing system 10 will be described.

[0051] As described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 , in the second information processing system 10, when a feature transmitted from the first terminal 100 is successfully matched with a feature registered in the second terminal 200, contact-based power transfer is initiated between the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200. This prevents unintended start of contact-based power transfer (e.g., power transfer to a terminal held by a person other than the intended person). As described in the first embodiment, the feature used for matching is transmitted from the first terminal 100 to the second terminal 200 on the condition that the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 come into contact with each other. In other words, feature matching is performed on the premise that the first terminal 100 and the second terminal 200 are located close to each other. This allows contact-based power transfer to be initiated promptly in accordance with the result of the feature matching.

[0052] The scope of each embodiment also includes a processing method in which a program that operates the configuration of each embodiment to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded on a recording medium, the program recorded on the recording medium is read as code, and the program is executed on a computer. In other words, a computer-readable recording medium is also included in the scope of each embodiment. Furthermore, each embodiment includes not only a recording medium on which the above-described program is recorded, but also the program itself.

[0053] Examples of recording media that can be used include floppy disks, hard disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, non-volatile memory cards, and ROMs. Furthermore, the scope of each embodiment is not limited to programs that execute processes by themselves, but also includes programs that execute processes by operating on an OS in conjunction with other software or expansion board functions. Furthermore, the program itself may be stored on a server, and part or all of the program may be downloadable from the server to a user terminal. The program may be provided to the user in, for example, a SaaS (Software as a Service) format.

[0054] <Supplementary Notes> The above-described embodiment may be further described as in the following supplementary notes, but is not limited to the following.

[0055] (Supplementary Note 1) The information processing system described in Supplementary Note 1 is an information processing system including a first terminal that acquires features of reverberant sound reverberating in a target ear, a second terminal that is capable of performing a predetermined operation in accordance with ear acoustic authentication using the features, a detection means that detects contact between the first terminal and the second terminal, and a transmission means that transmits the features from the first terminal to the second terminal when the contact is detected.

[0056] (Supplementary Note 2) The information processing system described in Supplementary Note 2 is the information processing system described in claim 1, further comprising: a matching means for matching the feature transmitted by the transmission means with the feature pre-registered in the second terminal; and a power supply control means for starting contact power supply between the first terminal and the second terminal when the matching is successful.

[0057] (Supplementary Note 3) The information processing method described in Supplementary Note 3 is an information processing method for controlling, by at least one computer, an information processing system including a first terminal that acquires features of reverberant sound reverberating in a target ear, and a second terminal that is capable of performing a predetermined operation in accordance with ear acoustic authentication using the features, the information processing method detecting contact between the first terminal and the second terminal, and transmitting the features from the first terminal to the second terminal when the contact is detected.

[0058] (Supplementary Note 4) The recording medium described in Supplementary Note 4 is a recording medium on which a computer program is recorded that executes an information processing method for controlling an information processing system that includes, on at least one computer, a first terminal that acquires features of reverberant sound that has reverberated in a target ear, and a second terminal that is capable of performing a predetermined operation in accordance with ear acoustic authentication using the features, the information processing method detecting contact between the first terminal and the second terminal, and transmitting the features from the first terminal to the second terminal when the contact is detected.

[0059] (Supplementary Note 5) The computer program described in Supplementary Note 5 is an information processing method for controlling an information processing system that includes, on at least one computer, a first terminal that acquires features of reverberant sound that has reverberated in a target ear, and a second terminal that is capable of performing a predetermined operation in accordance with ear acoustic authentication that uses the features, and the computer program causes the information processing method to be executed by detecting contact between the first terminal and the second terminal, and transmitting the features from the first terminal to the second terminal when the contact is detected.

[0060] This disclosure may be modified as appropriate within the scope that does not contradict the gist or idea of ​​the invention that can be read from the claims and the entire specification, and information processing systems, information processing methods, and recording media that involve such modifications are also included in the technical idea of ​​this disclosure.

[0061] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Information processing system 11 Processor 100 First terminal 110 Feature acquisition unit 120 Contact detection unit 130 Feature transmission unit 200 Second terminal 210 Ear acoustic authentication unit 220 Feature matching unit 230 Power supply control unit

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising: a first terminal that acquires features of a reverberant sound reverberating in a target's ear; a second terminal that is capable of performing a specified operation in response to ear acoustic authentication using the features; a detection means that detects contact between the first terminal and the second terminal; and a transmission means that transmits the features from the first terminal to the second terminal when the contact is detected.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, further comprising: a comparison means for comparing the feature transmitted by the transmission means with the feature pre-registered in the second terminal; and a power supply control means for starting contact power supply between the first terminal and the second terminal when the comparison is successful.

3. An information processing method for controlling, by at least one computer, an information processing system comprising: a first terminal that acquires features of a reverberant sound reverberating in a target's ear; and a second terminal that enables a predetermined operation in accordance with ear acoustic authentication using the features, the information processing method detecting contact between the first terminal and the second terminal; and transmitting the features from the first terminal to the second terminal when the contact is detected.

4. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for controlling an information processing system comprising at least one computer: a first terminal that acquires features of reverberation sound reverberating in a target's ear; and a second terminal that enables a predetermined operation in response to ear acoustic authentication using said features, the information processing method comprising: detecting contact between the first terminal and the second terminal; and, when said contact is detected, transmitting said features from the first terminal to the second terminal.

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