INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, AUTHENTICATION APPARATUS, EXTERNAL APPARATUS, METHOD FOR ACQUIRING CERTIFICATE INFORMATION, AUTHENTICATION METHOD, METHOD FOR PROVIDING FUNCTION, PROGRAM FOR ACQUIRING CERTIFICATE INFORMATION, AUTHENTICATION PROGRAM, FUNCTION PROVIDING PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing apparatus enabling a user to continue to use services without making him or her aware that electronic certificate for receiving specific services has been expired, an authentication apparatus for providing the information processing apparatus with the electronic certificate, and an external apparatus for providing the information processing apparatus with the services. SOLUTION: The information processing apparatus utilizes functions of the external apparatus by using certificate information from the authentication apparatus for authenticating the user. The apparatus has a receiving means for receiving the authentication information for allowing the authentication apparatus to authenticate the user, a first certificate information acquisition means for acquiring the first certificate information which shows that the user has been authenticated by sending the authentication information to the authentication apparatus, and a second certificate information acquisition means for acquiring the second certificate information from the authentication apparatus so as to use the functions of the external apparatus on the basis of the first certificate information. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI