Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and storage medium

An information processing method in an information processing apparatus which comprises a plurality of providing steps of providing a plurality of services, and a plurality of authentication processing steps of executing authentication processing of a user who requests to provide the service via a network, comprising:

• a holding step of holding information which describes association between information pertaining to said providing steps that provide the services, and information pertaining to said authentication processing steps that execute authentication processing upon providing the services;
• and
• a determination step of searching the information for information pertaining to the providing step that provides the service requested by the user, and determining information pertaining to said authentication processing step described in association with said providing step in the information, and
• in that when the user is authenticated using said authentication processing step specified by the information pertaining to said authentication processing step determined in said determination step, said providing step that provides the service requested by the user provides the service.

An information processing apparatus for providing a service requested by a user, comprising:

• a plurality of authentication processing unit configured to execute authentication processing of a user who requests to provide a service via a network;
• recording unit configured to record information that records association between information pertaining to services, and information pertaining to said authentication processing unit that execute authentication processing upon providing the services;
• determination unit configured to search the information for information pertaining to a service requested by the user, and determining information pertaining to said authentication processing unit described in association with the service in the information;
• and
• instruction unit configured to issue an instruction pertaining to a service, and
• in that when said instruction unit issues the instruction pertaining to the service, said recording unit records association between information pertaining to the service, and information pertaining to said authentication processing unit that executes authentication processing upon providing the service.

An information processing system which comprises a first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus connected to be able to communicate with the first information processing apparatus, wherein

• the first information processing apparatus comprises:
• a plurality of providing unit configured to provide a plurality of services;
• a plurality of authentication processing unit configured to execute authentication processing of a user who requests to provide the service via the network;
• recording unit configured to record information that describes association between information pertaining to said providing unit that provide the services, and information pertaining to said authentication processing unit that execute authentication processing upon providing the services;
• and
• determination unit configured to search the information for information pertaining to said providing unit that provides a service requested by the user, and determining information pertaining to said authentication processing unit described in association with said providing unit in the information, and
• when the user is authenticated using said authentication processing unit specified by the information pertaining to said authentication processing unit determined by said determination unit, said providing unit that provides the service requested by the user provides the service, and
• the second information processing apparatus comprises:
• instruction unit configured to issue an instruction pertaining to said providing unit, and
• when said instruction unit issues the instruction pertaining to said providing unit, said recording unit records the information at the same time.

An information processing method in an information processing apparatus which comprises a plurality of providing steps of providing a plurality of services, a plurality of authentication processing steps of executing authentication processing of a user who requests to provide the service via the network, a recording step of recording information that describes association between information pertaining to said providing steps that provide the services, and information pertaining to said authentication processing steps that execute authentication processing upon providing the services, and a determination step of searching the information for information pertaining to said providing step that provides a service requested by the user, and determining information pertaining to said authentication processing step described in association with said providing step in the information, and in which when the user is authenticated using said authentication processing step specified by the information pertaining to said authentication processing step determined in said determination step, said providing step that provides the service requested by the user provides the service, comprising:

• an instruction step of issuing an instruction pertaining to said providing step, and
• said recording step includes a step of recording, when the instruction pertaining to said providing step is issued in said instruction step, the information at the same time.

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• service request reception unit configured to receive a service request from a service request source;
• holding unit configured to hold information that describes association between a plurality of service providing unit configured to provide services, and a plurality of authentication unit configured to execute authentication processing of the service request source that requests to provide a service;
• determination unit configured to determine said service providing unit and said authentication unit corresponding to the service requested by the service request source;
• and
• service request unit configured to request said authentication unit determined by said determination unit to authenticate the service request source, and for, when the service request source is authenticated, requesting said service providing unit determined by said determination unit to provide the service requested by the service request source.

An information processing method comprising:

• a service request reception step of receiving a service request from a service request source;
• a holding step of holding information that describes association between a plurality of service providing unit configured to provide services, and a plurality of authentication unit configured to execute authentication processing of the service request source that requests to provide a service;
• a determination step of determining the service providing unit and the authentication unit corresponding to the service requested by the service request source;
• and
• a service request step of requesting the authentication unit determined in said determination step to authenticate the service request source, and requesting, when the service request source is authenticated, the service providing unit determined in said determination step to provide the service requested by the service request source.