BE1009780A6

BE1009780A6 - Keypad with cover to provide protection when keying in a secret code in a public place

Info

Publication number: BE1009780A6
Application number: BE9500981A
Authority: BE
Original assignee: Kabasele Tenday Ndonda
Priority date: 1995-11-29
Filing date: 1995-11-29
Publication date: 1997-08-05

Abstract

Exposed keypads as we encounter them in the business of everyday life no longer afford sufficient protection to users against prying eyes in public places such as in large stores, at ATMs, or at certain times in laboratories. On many occasions in fact we have seen people complain about the misfortunes arising from losing their credit cards despite still holding the PIN numbers. Their tormentors have often previously spied upon them, until they have found out the PIN number, often when used in a place where a lack of privacy is unavoidable, which does not guarantee reliable protection. Our invention proposes a keypad covered with an opaque hood. Only the user's hand passes under the hood and keys in the password according to a technique that is straightforward for everybody. The advantage of this technology is that nobody will in future be able to find out someone's PIN number if it is not written down anywhere as is often recommended.

Description

       

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  Clavier à capot pour protection de l'encodas du code secret en lieu public L'invention concerne un clavier disposant d'un capot de façon à empêcher ses non utilisateurs de voir, de quelque manière que ce soit, le code secret saisi par son utilisateur dont les mains sont couvertes lors de l'encodage. Pour permettre à l'utilisateur de former la suite des caractères désirée qui compose son code, seul ses doigts seront utiles plutôt que ses yeux. Cette technique empêchera bien quiconque, malgré une éventuelle promiscuité, d'être fortuitement en possession d'un code d'autrui. 



  L'invention se situe dans le domaine de la sécurité dans l'utilisation des matériels et dispositifs informatiques ou électroniques. 



  Les claviers des terminaux actuels sont découverts et contiennent des touches marquées des caractères, chiffre, lettre ou caractères spéciaux, qui permettent la composition d'un mot donnée par pression d'une suite des touches des caractères appropriés ; c'est-à-dire dont la concaténation forme le mot voulu. Tous les claviers actuels se présentent sous cette forme qui présente beaucoup d'avantages, notamment la garantie de taper rapidement le code correct. Cette forme pose néanmoins un problème de discrétion sur les terminaux nécessitant l'encodage des codes secrets. On a vu plusieurs cas des personnes épiées devant les terminaux de banques ou dans les magasins pourvus des terminaux de paiement électronique, sans possibilité de cacher l'encodage de leur mot de passe aux heures où il y a de longues files devant les guichets automatiques. 



  Le but de notre invention est de remédier à ces inconvénients. L'invention telle qu'elle est caractérisée dans les revendications, résout le problème en disposant le clavier d'un dispositif qui recouvre la main lors de la saisie du code, c'est-à-dire que les touches du claviers sont recouvertes d'un capot opaque avec un espace suffisant, permettant à la main de l'utilisateur de passer en dessous du capot lors de l'encodage du code, de telle sorte que, même ses yeux ne puissent en apercevoir la composition. Cette technique apporte à l'utilisateur une protection maximale face aux éventuels curieux.

   Une autre caractéristique complémentaire qui dispense de la vue consiste en la manière de former le code chaque 

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 chiffre n sera respectivement composé par m répétitions de pression de touches généralement quelconques du clavier suivies d'une validation. 



  Les avantages obtenus grâce à cette invention consistent essentiellement en ceci qu'un utilisateur est totalement protégé pendant qu'il forme son mot de passe. Celui ci est au bout de sa main et ne transite plus par ses yeux. 



  L'invention est détaillée comme suit selon un procédé de fabrication et de fonctionnement : 1. La face supérieure du clavier est recouverte d'un élément opaque (1), amovible ou non, qui cache les touches (2) lors de la composition du code secret, offrant un espace assez large pour permettre le passage de la main de l'utilisateur. 



  2. Soit il, i2,..., in les n caractères (chiffres) formant le code ili2... in. La main sous le couvert du clavier pressera respectivement il, i2,..., in fois les touches (2). Chaque série de pressions sera terminée par une pression d'une touche validation (3) ou d'une touche annulation (4) qui ne sont pas nécessairement cachées. 



  3. Une variante de ce système peut prévoir qu'un caractère ij précis du mot de passe soit formé en pressant ij fois la touche j correspondante dans un ensemble ordonné de touche. Comme conséquence à ce principe, la séquence dans la pression des touches n'est plus obligatoire, ce qui renforce la sécurité.



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  The invention relates to a keyboard having a cover so as to prevent its non-users from seeing, in any way whatsoever, the secret code entered by its user. whose hands are covered when encoding. To allow the user to form the desired character sequence that makes up his code, only his fingers will be useful rather than his eyes. This technique will prevent anyone, despite possible promiscuity, from being accidentally in possession of a code of others.



  The invention relates to the field of security in the use of computer or electronic equipment and devices.



  The keyboards of the current terminals are discovered and contain keys marked with characters, number, letter or special characters, which allow the composition of a given word by pressing a series of keys of the appropriate characters; that is to say whose concatenation forms the desired word. All current keyboards come in this form which has many advantages, including the guarantee of quickly typing the correct code. This form nevertheless poses a problem of discretion on terminals requiring the encoding of secret codes. We have seen several cases of people spied on in front of bank terminals or in shops equipped with electronic payment terminals, without the possibility of hiding the encoding of their password at times when there are long queues in front of ATMs.



  The object of our invention is to remedy these drawbacks. The invention as characterized in the claims, solves the problem by arranging the keyboard with a device which covers the hand when entering the code, that is to say that the keys of the keyboards are covered with 'an opaque cover with sufficient space, allowing the user's hand to pass under the cover when encoding the code, so that even their eyes cannot see its composition. This technique provides the user with maximum protection against any curious person.

   Another additional feature that dispenses with sight is how to form the code each

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 digit n will be respectively composed by m repetitions of pressure of generally any keys of the keyboard followed by a validation.



  The advantages obtained thanks to this invention consist essentially in that a user is completely protected while he is forming his password. This one is at the end of his hand and no longer passes through his eyes.



  The invention is detailed as follows according to a manufacturing and operating method: 1. The upper face of the keyboard is covered with an opaque element (1), removable or not, which hides the keys (2) during the composition of the secret code, offering a space large enough to allow the passage of the user's hand.



  2. Either it, i2, ..., in the n characters (digits) forming the code ili2 ... in. The hand under the cover of the keyboard will press it, i2, ..., respectively, the keys (2). Each series of pressures will be terminated by pressing a validation key (3) or a cancellation key (4) which are not necessarily hidden.



  3. A variant of this system may provide that a precise character ij of the password is formed by pressing the corresponding key j ij times in an ordered set of keys. As a consequence of this principle, the sequence in pressing the keys is no longer compulsory, which reinforces security.

Claims

Claims 1 A keyboard with keys used for the encoding of secret codes characterized in that part or all of the keys are covered by an opaque element (l) making it possible to hide the composition of the password from anyone who is near user or using view approximation methods such as magnifying glasses.

2. A keyboard according to claim 1, on which the keys (2) used to form any password are hidden and random. A character is obtained by a finite number of presses of one or more of these keys (2) followed by a press of the validation key (3) or cancellation (4) in the event of an error.