System and method of protecting data

• US 20040078603A1
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yasuda, Hiroyuki, Tsukamura, Yoshihiro, Ogura, Eiji
• Application Number:
  US10/273,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20040078603A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication

Abstract

A system and method for protecting confidential data within an electronic device are described. The invention allows the authentication of the identity of the user through the user of a primary and/or secondary authentication system. In one embodiment, the system includes a pin module for locally storing a unique user identifier configured to correspond to an identity of an individual; an answer module for locally storing an answer set wherein the answer set comprises an answer to a corresponding question and is configured to correspond to the identity of the individual; and a controller for locally authenticating the identity of the individual by comparing an input with the answer set.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a. a pin module for locally storing a unique user identifier configured to correspond to an identity of an individual;

b. an answer module for locally storing an answer set wherein the answer set comprises an answer to a corresponding question and is configured to correspond to the identity of the individual; and

c. a controller for locally authenticating the identity of the individual by comparing an input with the answer set.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the unique user identifier is a personal identification number.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the unique user identifier includes a biometric reading.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein the biometric reading is a fingerprint.

5. The device according to claim 3 wherein the biometric reading is an eye scan.

6. The device according to claim 3 wherein the biometric reading is a DNA sample.

7. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a question module configured to receive the corresponding question from a remote location.

8. The device according to claim 7 wherein the question module is configured to locally store the corresponding question.

9. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a non-protected storage module for locally storing non-protected data allowing access prior to confirming the identity of the individual.

10. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a protected storage module for locally storing protected data allowing access after the identity of the individual is confirmed.

11. A device comprising:

a. a primary authentication module comprising a pin module for locally storing a primary user identifier for authenticating an identity of a user;

b. a secondary authentication module comprising an answer module for locally storing a secondary user identifier for authenticating the identity of the user; and

c. a controller for selectively allowing access to protected data in response to one of the primary authentication module and the secondary authentication module.

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein the primary user identifier is a personal identification number.

13. The device according to claim 11 wherein the primary user identifier includes a biometric reading.

14. The device according to claim 13 wherein the biometric reading is a fingerprint.

15. The device according to claim 13 wherein the biometric reading is an eye scan.

16. The device according to claim 13 wherein the biometric reading is a DNA sample.

17. The device according to claim 11 wherein the secondary user identifier includes an answer to a question.

18. The device according to claim 17 wherein the secondary authentication module further comprises a question module configured to locally store the question.

19. The device according to claim 11 further comprising a non-protected storage module for locally storing non-protected data allowing access prior to confirming the identity of the user.

20. The device according to claim 11 further comprising a protected storage module for locally storing protected data allowing access after the identity of the individual is confirmed.

21. A method comprising:

a. requesting a primary user identifier;

b. receiving an incorrect primary user identifier;

c. requesting a secondary user identifier;

d. receiving a secondary user identifier response;

e. comparing the secondary user identifier response with the secondary user identifier stored within a local device; and

f. authenticating an identity of a user in response to comparing the secondary user identifier response with the secondary user identifier.

22. The method according to claim 21 further comprising displaying protected data in response to authenticating the identity of the user.

23. The method according to claim 21 wherein the primary user identifier is a personal identification number.

24. The method according to claim 21 wherein the secondary user identifier is an answer to a corresponding question.

25. The method according to claim 21 further comprising resetting the primary user identifier in response to authenticating the identity of the user.

26. The method according to claim 21 further comprising displaying the primary user identifier in response to authenticating the identity of the user.

27. A method of initializing a local device comprising:

a. uniquely identifying a user via a user identification;

b. storing a primary user identifier on the local device corresponding to the user;

c. storing a secondary user identifier on the local device corresponding to the user; and

d. authenticating an identity of the user through the secondary user identifier when the primary user identifier is not available.

28. The method according to claim 27 wherein the primary user identifier is a personal identification number.

29. The method according to claim 27 wherein the secondary user identifier is an answer to a corresponding question.

30. The method according to claim 27 further comprising requesting an answer from the user in response to a question wherein the answer is the secondary user identifier.

31. The method according to claim 30 further comprising receiving the question from a remote device.

33. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

a. requesting a primary user identifier;

b. receiving an incorrect primary user identifier;

c. requesting a secondary user identifier;

d. receiving a secondary user identifier response;

e. comparing the secondary user identifier response with the secondary user identifier stored within a local device; and

f. authenticating an identity of a user in response to comparing the secondary user identifier response with the secondary user identifier.