Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A verification server (30) operable to verify the authentication data of a specified network user (20), comprising: memory means to record the valid authentication data of the network user (20); search means which, in response to a verification request from an external source concerning the authentication data of the specified network user (20), retrieves the valid authentication data of the network user (20) from the memory means; verification means which, in response to the verification request, compares and verifies the authentication data relating to the verification request against the valid authentication data retrieved by the search means; and a sending means to send the verification results.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
39 words
The verification server (30) of Claim 1, wherein the memory means has a table means comprising the identification data for network users (20), the valid authentication data for network users (20), and other specified data concerning network users (20).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The verification server (30) of Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the search means is able to retrieve, on the basis of the identification data or other specified data for network users (20), the valid authentication data from the memory means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The verification server (30) of any preceding claim, further comprising cache control means to read valid authentication data for network users (20) from the memory means and to store the data in cache means with an access speed faster than that of the memory means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
113 words
An authentication method for use by an application server (10) on a network to authenticate a user (20) of an application, comprising: a conveying step in which the verification server (30) receives authentication data and identification data; a verification step in which the verification server (30) verifies whether the received authentication data is the authentication data of the user (20) designated by the received identification data; a verification result reporting step in which the verification server (30) notifies the application server (10) of the verification result; and an authentication step in which, on the basis of the verification result returned in the verification result reporting step, the application server (10) authenticates the user.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
An authentication method according to Claim 5, wherein the conveying step comprises: a requesting step in which the application server (10) requests the user (20) to send authentication data to a verification server (30); and a sending step in which the user, in response to the request of the application server (10) received during the authentication data requesting step, sends the authentication data of the user (20) together with the identification data of the user (20) to the verification server (30).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
An authentication method according to Claim 5, wherein the conveying step comprises: a receiving step in which the application server (10) receives authentication data from the user; and a sending step in which the authentication data received in the receiving step is sent together with the identification data of the user (20) to a verification server (30).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
An authentication method according to any of Claims 5 to 7, further comprising a verification preparation request step in which the application server (10) sends the identification data of the user (20) to a verification server (30), requesting that the valid authentication data of the user (20) be read in advance from a database.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A network comprising a verification server (30) as defined in any of Claims 1 to 4 or operating in accordance with the method of any of Claims 5 to 7.