1. An apparatus for user authentication comprising:
an authentication device;
at least one communication device for communicating with a remote server and the authentication device, the at least one communication device sending an authentication request message to the authentication device, the authentication request message comprising authentication-related data from the remote server to enable the authentication device to authenticate the remote server;
wherein the authentication device comprises:
a data store for storing user authentication credentials;
a user authentication processor for authenticating a user of the authentication device in response to a user input;
an authentication processor for generating an authentication message if the user authentication is valid, the authentication processor implementing a cryptographic function based on the user authentication credentials; and
a transmitter for transmitting the authentication message to the at least one communication device.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the authentication device and the at least one communication device are arranged to communicate using a Private Key Infrastructure.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user input is a biometric input.
4. The apparatus of claim I wherein the user authentication device further comprises
a detector for detecting a wearable status of the authentication device;
a state controller for entering an authenticated state in response to the authentication of the user when the wearable indication indicates that the authentication device is in a worn state, and for exiting the authenticated state in response to a detection of a disruption in the worn state of the authentication device; and
the authentication device is arranged to transmit the user authentication message only if the authentication device is in the worn state.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user authentication processor is arranged to initiate the authentication of the user in response to receiving the authentication request message.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the authentication request message comprises a transaction identification and the authentication processor is arranged to generate the authentication message in response to the transaction identification.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the authentication device comprises a receive processor for authenticating the authentication request message.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the authentication request message comprises at least some data encoded by a cryptographic function of the remote server and the receive processor is arranged to authenticate the authentication request message by decoding the data using a corresponding cryptographic function.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one communication device comprises a user interface for presenting transaction details and a transaction identity for a transaction to be authorised, and the authentication device comprises a user interface for presenting the transaction identity.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user authentication credentials comprise a private key.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the private key is a private key for the user.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the authentication device further comprises a security association for the authentication device, and the authentication processor is arranged to further generate the authentication message in response to the security association.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the authentication device is arranged to communicate with a plurality of communication devices over a personal access network.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the communication device and the authentication device are arranged to communicate using a wireless communication link.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one communication device and the authentication device are arranged to communicate using a secure communication link.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one communication device and the authentication device are arranged to communicate using an unsecured communication link.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one communication device comprises means for communicating with a plurality of authentication devices over a personal access network.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the authentication request message comprises unique challenge data from at least one of the communication device or server, the challenge data included in the authentication message.
19. An authentication device for user authentication comprising:
a data store for storing user authentication credentials;
a state controller for controlling, when the device is worn by a user, whether the authentication device is in an authenticated state in which an authentication message can be generated, or a non-authenticated state in which the authentication message cannot be generated;
a user authentication processor for authenticating the user of the authentication device in response to a user input when the authentication device is in the non-authenticated state;
an authentication processor for generating the authentication message if the user authentication is valid, the authentication processor implementing a cryptographic function based on the user authentication credentials; and
a transmitter for transmitting the authentication message to at least one communication device for communication with a remote server.
20. A method of user authentication in a communication system including an authentication device and at least one communication device for communicating with a remote server and the authentication device, the method comprising:
the authentication device receiving an authentication request message from the at least one communication device, the authentication request message comprising authentication-related data from the remote server to enable the authentication device to authenticate the remote server;
the authentication device storing user authentication credentials;
the authentication device authenticating a user of the authentication device in response to a user input;
the authentication device generating an authentication message if the user authentication is valid, the authentication device implementing a cryptographic function based on the user authentication credentials;
the authentication device transmitting the authentication message to the at least one communication device;
the at least one communication device receiving the authentication message; and
the at least one communication device forwarding a user authentication message in response to the authentication message to the remote server.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method comprising:
upon receipt of a request of update processing for a first record including a numerical data item in a database, generating, by a processor, a second record by duplicating the first record while a value corresponding to an update content of the update processing is set to the numerical data item, the update processing being processing of updating the value of the numerical data item according to the update content; and
executing the update processing for the second record in response to the request.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein
the update content is one of adding and subtracting a second value to and from a first value of the numerical data item in the first record, and
the second value is set to the numerical data item in the second record.
3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:
updating the first value of the numerical data item in the first record to a value acquired by subtracting the second value from the first value when the update content is subtracting.
4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:
when the update content is subtracting, in a case where a plurality of records are generated by the generating, selecting one or more records selected from the generated records such that a sum of values of the numerical data item is equal to or larger than the second value; and
setting the selected one or more records as records to be updated.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
upon receipt a request of reference processing for the numerical data item in the first record, in a case where a plurality of records are generated by the generating, setting a sum of values of the numerical data item in the plurality of records to the numerical data item to be referred to.
6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
calculating a sum of values of the numerical data item in a second plurality of records having the same state of the update processing among a first plurality of records generated by the generating in response to a request of a plurality of the update processings of a certain transaction; and
merging the second plurality of records by generating a record in which the calculated sum is set to the numerical data item.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein
the generating is executed when a certain criterion about updating of the numerical data item by the update processing is satisfied, and
the generating is kept from being executed when the certain criterion is not satisfied.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein
the certain criterion is that the value of the numerical data item does not fall below a predetermined value as a result of the update processing.
9. A method comprising:
upon receipt of a request of update processing for a record including a numerical item indicated by a value of an element in a database, generating, by a processor, a second element in which a value corresponding to an update content of the update processing is set to the numerical item, the update processing being processing of updating the value of the numerical item according to the update content; and
executing the update processing for the second element in response to the request.
10. An apparatus comprising:
a memory; and
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute a process including:
upon receipt of a request of update processing for a first record including a numerical data item in a database, generating a second record by duplicating the first record while a value corresponding to an update content of the update processing is set to the numerical data item, the update processing being processing of updating the value of the numerical data item according to the update content, and
executing the update processing for the second record in response to the request.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
the update content is one of adding and subtracting a second value to and from a first value of the numerical data item in the first record, and
the second value is set to the numerical data item in the second record.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the process further including:
updating the first value of the numerical data item in the first record to a value acquired by subtracting the second value from the first value when the update content is subtracting.
13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the process further including:
when the update content is subtracting, in a case where a plurality of records are generated by the generating, selecting one or more records selected from the generated records such that a sum of values of the numerical data item is equal to or larger than the second value, and
setting the selected one or more records as records to be updated.
14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the process further including:
when the update content is subtracting, in a case where a plurality of records are generated by the generating, selecting one or more records selected from the generated records such that a sum of values of the numerical data item is equal to or larger than the second value, and
setting the selected one or more records as records to be updated.
15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the process further including:
upon receipt a request of reference processing for the numerical data item in the first record, in a case where a plurality of records are generated by the generating, setting a sum of values of the numerical data item in the plurality of records to the numerical data item to be referred to.
16. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the process further including:
calculating a sum of values of the numerical data item in a second plurality of records having the same state of the update processing among a first plurality of records generated by the generating in response to a request of a plurality of the update processings of a certain transaction, and
merging the second plurality of records by generating a record in which the calculated sum is set to the numerical data item.
17. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
the generating is executed when a certain criterion about updating of the numerical data item by the update processing is satisfied, and
the generating is kept from being executed when the certain criterion is not satisfied.
18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein
the certain criterion is that the value of the numerical data item does not fall below a predetermined value as a result of the update processing.