Ease of use transaction terminal
First Claim
1. A transaction terminal comprising:
- a housing;
a touch screen;
an integrated reader unit integrated in said housing configured to read at least one of mag stripe and smart card data;
a secure information entry circuit disposed in said housing, said circuit including a central processing unit operating under the control of a program including an encryption routine;
cryptographic firmware established in said circuit, said cryptographic firmware changing the state of an encryption mode signal when said central processing unit executes said encryption routine; and
an indicator responsive to said encryption mode signal, said circuit being configured so that a user of said terminal can perceive whether data input into said terminal is being encrypted by observation of said indicator.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is a transaction terminal having an encryption mode apparatus comprising a secure information entry circuit and a secure mode indicator. The secure information entry circuit is operable to execute an encryption routine including steps that involve application of an encryption algorithm. Further included in the secure mode information entry circuit is cryptographic firmware which adapts the secure information entry circuit so that an encryption mode signal is caused to change state when an encryption routine is called. The indicator of the encryption mode apparatus is made responsive to the encryption mode signal so that the indicator indicates to a user as to whether data entered into the terminal will be encrypted by the terminal.
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Citations
76 Claims
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1. A transaction terminal comprising:
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a housing;
a touch screen;
an integrated reader unit integrated in said housing configured to read at least one of mag stripe and smart card data;
a secure information entry circuit disposed in said housing, said circuit including a central processing unit operating under the control of a program including an encryption routine;
cryptographic firmware established in said circuit, said cryptographic firmware changing the state of an encryption mode signal when said central processing unit executes said encryption routine; and
an indicator responsive to said encryption mode signal, said circuit being configured so that a user of said terminal can perceive whether data input into said terminal is being encrypted by observation of said indicator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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12. A secure information entry system for processing designated-secure user input data, said system comprising:
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a user interface receiving user-input data;
a secure information entry circuit in communication with said user interface, said secure information entry circuit including a central processing unit operating under the control of a program including an encryption routine, and cryptographic firmware established in said circuit, said cryptographic firmware changing the state of an encryption mode signal when said central processing unit executes said encryption routine; and
a user-perceivable indicator coupled to said encryption mode signal.
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27. A method of assuring the secure entry of designated-secure information input by a user into a computer system, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) configuring said computer system to include cryptographic firmware that changes the state of an encryption mode signal when an encryption routine is executed;
(b) connecting a user-observable indicator to said computer system in such manner that said indicator is responsive to said encryption mode signal to indicate a secure mode condition;
(c) informing said user that said user should enter said secure-designated information into said computer system only if said indicator indicates a secure mode condition;
(d) executing said encryption routine to change said state of said encryption mode signal so that said indicator is activated when said encryption routine is executed, whereby said user is informed that said encryption routine is active by observation of said indicator.
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34. A transaction terminal comprising:
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a housing;
a card reader disposed in said housing;
a touch screen; and
a control circuit in communication with said touch screen, wherein said housing includes a raised surface disposed peripherally about at least one edge of said touch screen, and wherein said raised surface is raised at least 0.10 inches relative to said touch screen. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A transaction terminal including:
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a housing including a housing main body, said main body having a top surface;
a touch screen disposed at said top surface;
a detachably attachable frame including a central opening dimensioned according to a dimension of said touch screen disposed over said top surface so that said touch screen is visible through said opening; and
a replaceable, light transmissive protective window interposed between said top surface and said frame. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A transaction terminal comprising:
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a housing;
a card reader;
a touch screen configured to output data either when actuated by a finger or by a stylus;
a control circuit including a memory, said memory storing signature capture area data corresponding to a signature capture area;
wherein said control circuit operates in accordance with an operating mode in which said control circuit;
(a) displays on said touch screen a signature capture area;
(b) monitors said output data output by said touch screen to determine whether said output data of said touch screen is data included in or not included in said signature area data;
(c) outputs signature data to said touch screen within said signature capture area if said output data is included in said signature capture area data; and
(d) writes a prompt message on said touch screen if said output data is not included in said signature capture area data. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A transaction terminal comprising:
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a housing;
a card reader;
a touch screen configured to be actuated by a finger or by a stylus;
a control circuit in communication with said touch screen, wherein said control circuit, in a signature capture mode, displays a signature capture area, monitors data input into said touch screen, displays data points corresponding to valid input data corresponding to said signature capture area, and outputs a prompt message if said data input to said touch screen does not correspond to said signature capture area. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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53. A transaction terminal comprising:
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a housing;
a card reader;
a touch screen;
a control circuit in communication with said touch screen and said card reader, wherein said control circuit is configured to operate in at least a signature entry mode and a card reading mode, the control circuit configured to cause said touch screen to display prompts to a user. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A transaction terminal comprising:
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a housing;
a touch screen;
a card reader;
a control circuit in communication with said touch screen and said card reader;
wherein said housing includes a portion configured for grasping by a customer while the customer enters data using the touch screen. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61)
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62. A transaction terminal comprising:
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a base, having a first sideward extending lip;
a touch screen housed within said base, said touch screen accessible by a user; and
a card reader disposed within said base. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A transaction terminal comprising:
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a base, having a circumferentially extending lip disposed proximate a top surface of the base, said circumferentially extending lip extending about substantially the entire perimeter of said top surface;
a touch screen housed within said base, said touch screen accessible by a user; and
a card reader disposed within said base. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71)
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72. A transaction terminal comprising:
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a housing;
a touch screen; and
a control circuit in communication with said touch screen, wherein said control circuit is configured to operate in at least a signature entry mode and a card reading mode;
wherein while the control circuit is operating in said at least a signature capture mode, said control circuit is configured to configure at least a portion of said touch screen as a signature capture area;
wherein said touch screen, in response to a communication from said control circuit displays the boundary of said signature capture area;
wherein said touch screen, in response to a communication from said control circuit displays a message prompt instructing a user to perform an action;
wherein said control circuit, in a signature capture mode, monitors data input into said touch screen, and displays data points corresponding to input data input within said signature capture area; and
wherein said control circuit, in a card reading mode, displays on said touch screen a prompt message prompting a user to insert a card into said card reader. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75)
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76. A transaction terminal operable in a signature capture mode, the transaction terminal comprising:
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a touch screen configured to receive input from a user, at least a portion of said touch screen configured as a signature capture area; and
a control circuit in communication with said touch screen, said control circuit including conditional logic, said conditional logic configured to determine if while said transaction terminal is in the signature capture mode said touch screen receives an input from a user outside of said signature capture area, said control circuit being further configured such that if said control circuit determines that the touch screen has received an input outside of said signature capture area while said transaction terminal is in the signature capture mode, said control circuit causes said touch screen to display a message prompt.
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Specification