System, method, and apparatus for authentication

An authentication method for authenticating individual authentication targets using a plurality of authentication apparatuses that includes a first memory and a management apparatus that includes a second memory, the authentication method comprising:

• receiving, by one of the plurality of authentication apparatuses, a credential including an identification information entry of an authentication target, and executing an authentication process of the authentication target;
• updating, by the management apparatus, upon receiving a first identification information entry which is the identification information entry of the authentication target having undergone the authentication process and a first execution information entry indicating that the authentication process has been executed from the authentication apparatus, the execution information entry corresponding to the first identification information entry in the second memory, the second memory being configured to store identification information entries of the authentication targets, each in association with an execution information entry indicating whether the authentication of an authentication target corresponding to the identification information entry has been executed;
• storing, by the management apparatus, a first sequence information entry indicating a sequence number in association with the first identification information entry in the second memory;
• transmitting, by the management apparatus, the first sequence information entry and the first identification information entry to the authentication apparatus from which the first identification information entry and the first execution information entry have been received;
• acquiring, by the authentication apparatus, from the management apparatus, a second execution information entry and a second sequence information entry stored in the second memory in association with a second identification information entry upon receiving the first sequence information entry from the management apparatus;
• and
• storing, by the authentication apparatus, in the first memory, the second execution information entry and the second sequence information entry in association with the second identification information entry, the first memory being configured to store identification information entries of the authentication targets, each in association with an execution information entry indicating whether authentication of the corresponding authentication target has been executed, the second identification information entry being identified based on a result obtained by comparing the first sequence information entry against a different sequence information entry received prior to the reception of the first sequence information entry.

An authentication apparatus performing authentication in cooperation with a management apparatus, the authentication apparatus comprising:

• a first memory configured to store identification information entries of individual authentication targets, each in association with an execution information entry indicating whether the authentication of the corresponding authentication target has been executed;
• a processor configured to receive a credential including an identification information entry of an authentication target, and execute an authentication process of the authentication target;
• and
• a first communication interface configured to transmit and receive information to and from the management apparatus, wherein
• upon receiving a first identification information entry which is the identification information entry of an authentication target having undergone the authentication process of the processor and a first sequence information entry from the management apparatus which updates the execution information entry corresponding to the first identification information entry in a second memory and stores the first sequence information entry indicating a sequence number in association with the frist identification information entry in the second memory after receiving the first identification information entry and a first execution information entry indicating that the authentication process has been executed from the management apparatus, the second memory being configured to store the identification information entries of the individual authentication targets, each in association with an execution information entry indicating whether the authentication of an authentication target corresponding to the identification information entry has been executed,
• the first communication interface acquires, from the management apparatus, a second execution information entry and a second sequence information entry stored in the second memory in association with a second identification information entry, and stores, in the first memory, the second execution information entry and the second sequence information entry in association with the second identification information entry which is identified based on a result obtained by comparing the first sequence information entry stored in the first memory against a different sequence information entry received prior to the reception of the first sequence information entry.