User-configurable terminal for displaying, retrieving, inputting and processing data

• US 20040122821A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dominique Bertrand
• Original Assignee: Dominique Bertrand
• Inventors: Bertrand, Dominique
• Granted Patent: US 7,340,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A terminal for displaying, retrieving, inputting and processing data for the user comprises a central unit, a storage unit connected to the processor of the central unit, a storage unit, elements for communicating with a connection network with access/service provider, a connection interface with a peripheral, a display screen, a keyboard and electrical power. The terminal further comprises a storage unit with confidential access for personal data of a user, elements for identifying an authorised user and encryption/decryption elements. The identification elements are insertible in reading elements and comprise a processor, identification data storing elements, data encrypting/decrypting key generating elements.

Claims

1. A terminal for displaying, retrieving, inputting and processing data for user comprising a central unit (1), a memory unit (2, 46) connected to the processor (45) of said central unit, a memory unit (3, 4) for the applications to be implemented by the terminal, means (14, 15, 16, 17) of communication with at least one network (R) for linking with at least one access/services provider, at least one interface (10, 11, 18) for linking with at least one peripheral (12, 19a), of a screen (8), and a keyboard (9) and energy supply means, characterized in that it further comprises a memory unit (2) with confidential access for the personal data of at least one user, means (7) of identifying at least one authorized user and means of encryption/decryption (36b), said identifying means being insertable into reading means (6) and comprising a processor (23), means (24) of storing data identifying said at least one user, means (36a) of generating for each user a data encryption/decryption key, means (42) of configuring the terminal as a function of the requirements of each user in terms of applications available on the network and the encryption/decryption means (36b) cooperating with said key so as to encrypt and decrypt. data and/or applications exchanged between the network (R) and said user and/or the data and/or the applications contained in the memory unit with confidential access.

2. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises data compression/decompression means (12a).

3. The terminal as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the information identifying said at least one user comprises the surname and forename, the address of the user, as well as his bank details of the user.

4. The terminal as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the means (7) of identifying said at least one user comprise a personal chip card (7) insertable into a chip card reader and the keyboard (9) associated with said screen (8) with a view to the entry of the personal code of each user.

5. The terminal as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said encryption/decryption means (36b) are carried by the personal chip card (7).

6. The terminal as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the chip card (7) comprises a controller (21) linked to a bus (22) to which are linked the processor (23), the means (24) of storing the data personal to the user, a system (32) for determining the configuration in which the user wishes to operate the device, a modifiable algorithm (36a) for computing the key for encrypting/decrypting the data and/or the applications exchanged between the terminal, the network and the storage unit with confidential access.

7. The terminal as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that it comprises additional means (9, 10a, 12) of identifying the user through the latter'"'"'s anthropometric information and means of combining parameters corresponding to said anthropometric data with the data used by the algorithm (36a) for computing said encryption/decryption key.

8. The terminal as claimed in any one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that said personal chip card (7) furthermore comprises linked to its bus (22), a multiuser management system (40) making it possible to render the chip card usable by several entitled persons.

9. The terminal as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the degrees of entitlement of the users are different and make it possible to access applications that the terminal is capable of providing and which are authorized by the degree of entitlement of the corresponding user.

10. The terminal as claimed in one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that said personal chip card furthermore comprises linked to said bus (22), a system (42) for indicating the programs installed in the terminal, these programs being downloaded into the terminal or available on the network to which said terminal is linked and thus defining the environment of a specified user.

11. The terminal as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises associated with the central unit (1), input/output interfaces (10, 11, 19) for the audio signals, for the video signals and for a scanner (19a).

12. The terminal as claimed in one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the means of communication with said at least one access provider network (R) comprise a controller (14) linked to the central unit (1) and to which are linked an infrared interface (15), a wire interface (16) and an HF interface (17).

13. The terminal as claimed in one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it furthermore comprises a controller (13) of universal computerized inputs/outputs allowing it to be linked to peripherals and to the network.

14. The terminal as claimed in one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it furthermore comprises a device (50, 52, 54, 56) which meters its energy supply means (48) and its working frequency as a function of the instantaneous computational power which is necessary for it.

15. The terminal as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that said energy adaptation device comprises linked by a bus (54) to the processor (45) of said central unit (1), a clock generator (56) and a fixed voltage converter (50), connected to an electrical supply source of fixed voltage (48), said fixed-voltage converter (50) being in turn connected to a programmable-voltage converter (52) controlled by the processor (45) and supplying the kernel (47) of the processor. (45), said clock. generator (56) being furthermore linked to the processor (45) in such a way as to supply the latter with signals of frequency f(RAM), f(bus), f(core up) corresponding to the computational power requirements of the RAM memory (46) associated with the processor (45) and of the kernel (47) of said processor.

16. The terminal as claimed in one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the applications, on the one hand exchanged between the network (R) and said user, and on the other hand stored in the terminal are of the unrestricted software type.

17. The terminal as claimed in one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that associated therewith is at least one site (Sl to Sn) for storing data and/or applications which belong to said at least one network (R) and which are intended to contribute to the formation of the operating environment of the terminal.

18. The terminal as claimed in one of claims 4 to 17, characterized in that the personal chip card (7) of a user can be withdrawn from a first terminal and inserted into another terminal to allow said user to access from said other terminal the operating environment created for him with the aid of the first terminal and thus to transform said other terminal while it contains said personal chip chard of said user, into a virtual terminal for the latter.