Authentication terminal

1. A method of authenticating a subject at an authentication terminal comprising:

authenticating, using an authentication apparatus at the authentication terminal, an authentication subject;

inputting an input signal from a signal processing section to an artifact on the authentication terminal, the artifact including a device comprising a specific input/output characteristic unique to a production variation of the authentication terminal, and a measurement apparatus to measure the production variation characteristic, the input signal not including information of the authentication subject,

outputting from the artifact, an output signal in accordance with an operation result of the artifact, the output signal indicating a result of the measurement of the production variation characteristic,

storing information indicating an input/output characteristic of the artifact;

authenticating the authentication subject based on whether the artifact authentication result indicates that the input signal resulted in the output signal in accordance with the input/output characteristic of the artifact,

storing a plurality of input signals in association with a plurality of addresses,

determining a base address with the authentication server, and

inputting the input signal to the artifact at an address from the base address in the artifact by an address offset designated by the authentication server, wherein

the input signal is input to the artifact only when the authentication subject is authenticated by the authentication apparatus,

the production variation comprises at least one of device temperature, a semiconductor circuit having a production variation, and aged deterioration of the artifact, and

the measurement apparatus comprises measurement of at least one of: temperature, waveform, delay time, and amplitude of waveform.

2. The method of authenticating a subject at an authentication terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising:

communicating between the authentication terminal and an authentication server,

designating, by the authentication server, the input signal not including information of the authentication subject, and

transmitting the output signal to the authentication server.

3. The method of authenticating a subject at an authentication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein

the artifact performs the operation in accordance with a bit pattern of the input signal and outputs the output signal including digital data in accordance with the operation result.

4. The method of authenticating a subject at an authentication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein

the output signal includes one or more of identification information of the authentication terminal and identification information of the artifact.

5. The method of authenticating a subject at an authentication terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising:

authenticating whether the authentication apparatus is a pre-registered authentication apparatus, and

authenticating, with the authentication apparatus, whether a signal processing section is a pre-registered signal processing section.

6. The method of authenticating a subject at an authentication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein

the authentication apparatus and the artifact are formed in a same semiconductor chip.

7. The method of authenticating a subject at an authentication terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising:

setting an operation condition of the artifact based on a set signal received from an authentication server along with a signal designating the input signal.

8. The method of authenticating a subject at an authentication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein:

the measurement section of the artifact measures a change in a characteristic of the artifact with age; and

a notification is issued to outside the authentication terminal indicating detection of a change in the characteristic measured by the measurement section equal to or more than a predetermined value.

9. The method of authenticating a subject at an authentication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein

the authentication apparatus authenticates the authentication subject based on biometric information of the authentication subject.