US Patent 8386796 Information processing apparatus and information management method

An information processing apparatus includes a chip implemented therein to independently perform a predetermined process. The chip includes a storage unit that stores therein user signature information in which biometric information of a user and a user electronic signature key that is a key for generating an electronic signature of the user for information created by the user are associated with each other and an encryption key that is a key for encrypting information, an electronic signature adding unit that, if the biometric information is obtained from the user, searches the storage unit for the user signature information corresponding to the biometric information, and adds the electronic signature of the user to user created information with a user electronic signature key in the user signature information, and an encrypt processing unit that encrypts with the encryption key the user created information processed by the electronic signature adding unit.