Apparatus, system, and method for secure communications from a human interface device

• US 20050138434A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hino, Akira, Ward, James Peter, Catherman, Ryan Charles, Hoff, James Patrick, Challener, Dave Carroll
• Granted Patent: US 7,581,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method of secure communications from a human interface device are provided. The apparatus, system, and method receive input data and calculate encrypted data from the input data using a secure credential. In one embodiment the apparatus, system, and method request and receive a single instance credential and calculate the encrypted data using the secure credential and the single instance credential. The encrypted data may be a secure authorization that may be valid for one use. Communication of the encrypted data through networks and communicating devices is secure. The encrypted data may not be decrypted even if intercepted without the secure credential. The apparatus, system, and method enable secure communications from the human interface device.

Claims

1. A human interface device for secure communications, the human interface device comprising:

an input/output module configured to receive input data;

an encryption module configured to calculate encrypted data from the input data using a secure credential; and

a communication module configured to communicate the encrypted data.

2. The human interface device of claim 1, wherein the encryption module is further configured to receive a single instance credential and to calculate the encrypted data using the secure credential and the single instance credential.

3. The human interface device of claim 2, wherein the encryption module receives the single instance credential in a secure session packet.

4. The human interface device of claim 2, wherein the encrypted data is a secure authorization.

5. The human interface device of claim 2, wherein the input data is an authorization and the encryption module is configured to store a stored password and to select the stored password responsive to the authorization and the single instance credential, the encryption module further configured to calculate the encrypted data from the stored password using the secure credential and the single instance credential.

6. The human interface device of claim 1, further comprising an indicator configured to indicate that the encryption module is calculating encrypted data from the input data.

7. An apparatus for secure communications with a human interface device, the apparatus comprising:

a host communication module in electrical communication with a human interface device, the host communication module configured to receive encrypted data encrypted with a secure credential from the human interface device; and

a host encryption module configured to receive the encrypted data from the host communication module and to decrypt the encrypted data using the secure credential.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a secure credential module, wherein the secure credential module creates a single instance credential and communicates the single instance credential to the human interface device through the host communication module, the human interface device calculating the encrypted data using the secure credential and the single instance credential.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the encrypted data is a secure authorization.

10. A system for secure communications between a human interface device and a host device, the system comprising:

a human interface device configured to receive input data, the human interface device further configured to calculate encrypted data from the input data using a secure credential; and

a host device in electrical communication with the human interface device, the host device configured to receive encrypted data from the human interface device and to decrypt the encrypted data using the secure credential.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the host device communicates a single instance credential to the human interface device, the human interface device calculating the encrypted data from the input data using the secure credential and the single instance credential, the host device further decrypting the encrypted data using the secure credential and the single instance credential.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the encrypted data is a secure authorization.

13. A system for secure communications, the system comprising:

a host device possessing a secure credential, the host device further configured to communicate a single instance credential;

a communicating device with access to the secure credential, the communicating device configured to receive the single instance credential from the host device and calculate encrypted data using the secure credential and the single instance credential.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a human interface device possessing the secure credential, wherein the human interface device communicates the secure credential to the communicating device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the human interface device is configured to receive input data and communicate the input data to the communicating device, the communicating device further configured to calculate the encrypted data from the input data using the secure credential and the single instance credential.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the human interface device is a biometric device.

17. A process for secure communications from a human interface device, the process comprising:

calculating encrypted data from input data of a human interface device using a secure credential; and

communicating the encrypted data.

18. The process of claim 17, further comprising requesting a single instance credential, receiving the single instance credential, and calculating the encrypted data from the input of the human interface device using the secure credential, and the single instance credential.

19. The process of claim 18, further comprising decrypting the encrypted data using the secure credential and the single instance credential.

20. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable code configured to carry out a process for secure communications from a human interface device, the process comprising:

calculating encrypted data from input data of a human interface device using a secure credential; and

communicating the encrypted data.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, further comprising computer readable code configured to request a single instance credential, receive the single instance credential, and calculate the encrypted data from the input of the human interface device using the secure credential, and the single instance credential.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising computer readable code configured to decrypt the single instance credential from a secure session packet using the secure credential.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, further comprising computer readable code configured to activate an indicator responsive to calculating encrypted data.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, further comprising computer readable code configured to communicate the secure credential to the human interface device.

25. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable code configured to carry out a process for secure communications, the process comprising:

receiving a secure credential;

receiving a single instance credential; and

calculating encrypted data using the secure credential and the single instance credential.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, further comprising computer readable code configured to receive input data and calculate the encrypted data from the input data using the secure credential and the single instance credential.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, further comprising computer readable code configured to request the single instance credential.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, further comprising computer readable code configured to decrypt the encrypted data using the secure credential and the single instance credential.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, further comprising computer readable code configured to identify the decrypted data as a secure authorization.

30. An apparatus for secure communications from a human interface device, the apparatus comprising:

means for calculating encrypted data from input data of a human interface device using a secure credential; and

means for communicating the encrypted data.