GB1586831A - Programmable security system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus is provided, for a first user, with a freely accessible first input device (31) for an identification word and with a second input device (33) for a particular keyword, which are both inaccessible to a further user. A first encoding device (37) for the identification word and the secret keyword supplies a code word which is compared with an already stored code word by means of a comparator device. If both code words are identical, the transaction can be initiated. For this purpose, the apparatus contains a third input device (39), inaccessible to the first user, for a control word of the further user, the identification word and the secret key word, together with a control word, being encodable to the stored code word in a first encoding device (37). So that there is the possibility of keeping a secret keyword of the first user secret even from the further user, the further user also at the same time uses a similar control word in order to ensure that transactions can be conducted only by him and not by other users of the system. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) PROGRAMMABLE SECURITY SYSTEM AND METHOD (71) We, ATALLA TECHNOVATIONS COR- PORATION, of 505 West Olive, Suite 165, Sunnyvale, California, 94086, United States of America, a corporation organised and existing under the laws of the State of California, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to data translating apparatus for securing the encoding of an identifying code and a secret code received from an individual, and with a.method of effecting such securing.

Certain known security. systems rely on the most sophisticated memory system available, i.e., the human brain; to secure digital data against unauthorized use of manipulation.

Systems of this type accept account codes and also secret. codes from an individual for encoding in accordance with a coding scheme that is controlled by such code words. two yield a - compiled - co-de word of fixed word length.despite the length of the applied code -words (see, for example, U.K. Patent Specification No. 1,460,459).. One difficulty encountered in a security system of this type is tjhat- a vast number of institutions relying in common -upon such. security- systems require addtional security against possible interactions of such encoded data between institutions, -or between different station within. an institution.

To over come this.problem, it has been previously proposed fór an institution to adopt its own identification or control code (see, for example, French Patent Specification No. 2,278,115).

The present invention provides data-trans- lating apparatus - for securing the encoding of an identifying code and a secret code received from an individual, the apparatus comprising: . input means for receiving an identifying code for an individual and for receiving a secret code from the individual to provide signals which are representative of the applied codes: encoding. means coupled to receive said signals from the input means and having an input for receiving an input code to produce an output as a logical combination identified by - said input code applied thereto of said signals representative of the identifying code and secret code received from an individual; and auxiliary encoding means coupled to receive a control code and the secret code from the individual to produce said input code for said encoding means as a logical combination of said control code and secret code applied thereto.

The present invention further provides a method of securing the encoding of an identifying code and a secret code received from an indiviudal using an. apparatus having input and encoding means, the method comprising the steps df: introducing into the input means an identifying code and a secret code from an individual for producing signals therefrom which are representative of the applied codes; encoding the signals representative of the identifying code - and the secret code received from the individual in accordance with a logical combination thereof that is determined by an input code; and encoding an applied control co'de and the secret code received from the individual to provide said input code as a logical combination of the secret code and control code.

Accordingly, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an additional control word is applied to the encoding logic to establish a ' unique encryption scheme - for a given institution, or at a given secured location which is a function of the control word Thus, a large number of the order of one billion distinctive encryption schemes may be provided for operation on a comparably large number of different combinations of code words' that may possibly be applied thereto.

There now folIows a detailed description which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings of apparatus and method which have been selected for description to illustrate the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a logic flow chart illustrating the operation of embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of one circuit embodiment according to the present invention.

Reference should be made to U.K.

Patent No. 1,460,459 for a fuller understanding of thi present invention.

With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a logic flow chart that illustrates the interrelationships between the various code word inputs in the operation of the present invention. In one embodiment the identifying code word (e;g;, social security number, account number, driver's license number, etc.; or combinatioris thereof) for an individual may bé' entered using a suitable code word entry-rhearis 33 such as a keyboard, a card reader, 6r the like: Similarly, a secret code word for the individual may be entered by''he individual using'the same or another suitable code word entry means 31 of the tye discussed above.

These code words are converted to digital signals which may or niay not be buffered or temporarily stored 35 for application to the encoder 37 in a selected order, independently of the order in which the code words are received from the individual.

In accordance'with the present invention, the encoding of an individual's own identifying code and his secret code in accordance with an encoding scheme is further altered or determined by the introduction of a control code word 39 which may be unique to the particular institution, or which may be unique to a particular data terminal in an institution.

The encoder output is a compiled code word which may be of fixed word length (e.g., always digits, independently of the length of the entered code words 31, 33). This compiled code word may thereafter be recorded for subsequent retrieval and comparison with a compiled code word prepared in the same manner for an individual who attempts to compleè a transaction that is secured by the present invention. Alternatively, the compiled code word may be considered as data and transmitted along with other data (e.g., inventory numbers, price information, etc.) for remote processing.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a simplified schematic diagram of one embodiment - of the present invention in which the identifying code word and the secret code word for an individual are entered in selected order using the same manual keyboard entry means 2. The'individual keys 11 of the keyboard 2 are individually connectable to A grounded bus 12 by depressing or actuating the key. One output from each of the keys 11 is fed to the corresponding input of a NAND gate 13 for generating an output which triggers a one-shot 14 to produce a negative pulse on line 15. Each of the individual keys 11 is also connected to a corresponding input of a 12-bit latch 16, such 12-bit latch 16 being formed, for example, by three Model 9322 integrated circuits.Thus, whenever a key 11 is depressed, one of the glines connected with the key provides a 0 (low) signal to both the 12-bit latch 16 and to the NAND gate 13.

The output of the NAND gate 13 fires the one-shot 14 to generate a negative-going pulse to the parallel enable input PE of a 12-bit UP binary counter 17 to load the 12bit latch 16 contents into the 12-bit UP binary counter 17. Initially, the - 12-bit UP binary dounter 17 is resting at an all 1 state, i.e., the terminal count output is a "high" which when inverted through an inverter 18 provides a "low" to the count enable pulse input terminal of the 12-bit binary counter 17 to disable the binary counter 17. The binary counter 17 comprises, for example, three Model 9316 integrated circuits.

As soon as a key 11 is depressed, a set of twelve bits is loaded from the latch 16 into the binary counter 17 and the terminal count on the binary counter 17 drops to a low which when inverted by the inverter 18 produces a high count enable pulse causing the binary counter 17 to count from the loaded state up to an all 1 state which makes the terminal count high. The high is inverted by the inverter 18 to a low which disables the binary counter 17 to terminate the counting function.

Thus, the output of the inverter 18 is a high pulse of a duration corresponding to the time it takes the binary counter 17 to count clock pulses from the state loaded into the binary counter to a terminal all 1 state. Thus, the operating time ofthe counter 17 is a function of th bit state loaded into the binary counter 17, which in turn depends upon which one of the individual keys 11 was depressed.

The output of the inverter 18 is also fed to one input of a NAND gate 19 to which the output of the clock generator 21 is also con- nected. Thus, the NAND gate 19 serves to gate the clock pulses to the input of a 24bit register 22. The number of clock pulses which are gated to the shift register 22 is dependent upon the duration of the count of the binary counter 17. The 24-bit shift register 22 may comprise, for example, six Model 9300 integrated circuits.

Thus, the NAND gate 13, one-shot 14, latch 16, binary counter 17, clock generator 21, inverter 18 and gate 19 serve to form a key-to-clock pulse translator 5. The output of the key-to-clock pulse translator 5 is - a train of pulses with the number of pulses in in each train corresponding to the particular key actuated on the alpha-numeric keyboard 2.

A plurality of exclusive OR gates 23 is hard wired into the 24-bit shift register 22 in the conventional manner to provide a plurality of feedback paths to the input of the 24-bit feedback shift register 22 for pseudo-randomizing the states of the register 22. The 24-bit shift register 22 is initialized to an all 0 starting state by applying a reset pulse on input line 43. Additionally, the 24bit cells of the shift register 22 may be selectively preset to initial conditions determined by the signals on input lines 45 to each bit cell. Thus, the final state of the shift register 22, as manifested by the logic states on the output lines 47 from the bit cells, after all code words for an individual are entered in succession via keyboard 2 will be determined by the control code applied to inputs 45.

The output lines 47 may be grouped into any suitable number, K, of n-bit alphanumeric characters for transmission as data, or for display or comparison with similar output signals in the manner described in U.K.

patent specification no. 1,460,459, or the like. The control code thus greatly expands the combinations of compiled code words which may be generated as a result of certain code words applied to the code entry means.

In addition, the control code and the associated encoding are further secured against unauthorized use by modifying the control code in accordance with the secret code word received from the individual, as illustrated in Figure 1. The secret code word is combined with a control code (for example, Route and Transit number for a given bank) to yield an encoded control code word for application to the input 45 of shift register 22, as shown in Figure 2. This encoding of the control code word with the secret code word may be performed in any suitable manner, for example, by arithmetically adding or subtracting, multiplying or dividing one number by the other, or by interdigitizing the digits of one number with the digits of the other number, or the like.

Therefore, the security system of the present invention provides greatly enhanced security for many institutions using similar systems through the selection of their own control codes.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Data translating apparatus for securing the encoding of an identifying code and a secret code received from an individual, the apparatus comprising: input means for receiving an identifying code for an individual and for receiving a secret code from the individual to provide signals which are representative of the applied codes; encoding means coupled to receive said signals from the input means and having an input for receiving an input code to produce an output as a logical combination identified by said input code applied thereto of said signals representative of the identifying code and secret code received from an individual; and auxiliary encoding means coupled to receive a control code and the secret code from the individual to produce said input code for said encoding means as a logical combination of said control code and secret code applied thereto.

2. A method of securing the encoding of an identifying code and a secret code received from an individual using an apparatus having input and encoding means, the method comprising the steps of: introducing in to the input means an identifying code and a secret code from an individual for producing signals therefrom which are representative of the applied codes; encoding the signals representative of the 'identifying code and the secret code received from the individual in accordance with a logical combination thereof that is determined by an input code; and encoding an applied control code and the secret code received from the individual to provide said input code as a logical combination of the secret code and control code.

3. Data translating apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A method of securing the encoding of an identifying code and a secret code from an individual substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the conventional manner to provide a plurality of feedback paths to the input of the 24-bit feedback shift register 22 for pseudo-randomizing the states of the register 22. The 24-bit shift register 22 is initialized to an all 0 starting state by applying a reset pulse on input line 43. Additionally, the 24bit cells of the shift register 22 may be selectively preset to initial conditions determined by the signals on input lines 45 to each bit cell. Thus, the final state of the shift register 22, as manifested by the logic states on the output lines 47 from the bit cells, after all code words for an individual are entered in succession via keyboard 2 will be determined by the control code applied to inputs 45. The output lines 47 may be grouped into any suitable number, K, of n-bit alphanumeric characters for transmission as data, or for display or comparison with similar output signals in the manner described in U.K. patent specification no. 1,460,459, or the like. The control code thus greatly expands the combinations of compiled code words which may be generated as a result of certain code words applied to the code entry means. In addition, the control code and the associated encoding are further secured against unauthorized use by modifying the control code in accordance with the secret code word received from the individual, as illustrated in Figure 1. The secret code word is combined with a control code (for example, Route and Transit number for a given bank) to yield an encoded control code word for application to the input 45 of shift register 22, as shown in Figure 2. This encoding of the control code word with the secret code word may be performed in any suitable manner, for example, by arithmetically adding or subtracting, multiplying or dividing one number by the other, or by interdigitizing the digits of one number with the digits of the other number, or the like. Therefore, the security system of the present invention provides greatly enhanced security for many institutions using similar systems through the selection of their own control codes. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Data translating apparatus for securing the encoding of an identifying code and a secret code received from an individual, the apparatus comprising: input means for receiving an identifying code for an individual and for receiving a secret code from the individual to provide signals which are representative of the applied codes; encoding means coupled to receive said signals from the input means and having an input for receiving an input code to produce an output as a logical combination identified by said input code applied thereto of said signals representative of the identifying code and secret code received from an individual; and auxiliary encoding means coupled to receive a control code and the secret code from the individual to produce said input code for said encoding means as a logical combination of said control code and secret code applied thereto.

2. A method of securing the encoding of an identifying code and a secret code received from an individual using an apparatus having input and encoding means, the method comprising the steps of: introducing in to the input means an identifying code and a secret code from an individual for producing signals therefrom which are representative of the applied codes; encoding the signals representative of the 'identifying code and the secret code received from the individual in accordance with a logical combination thereof that is determined by an input code; and encoding an applied control code and the secret code received from the individual to provide said input code as a logical combination of the secret code and control code.

3. Data translating apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A method of securing the encoding of an identifying code and a secret code from an individual substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.