Using an access key

• US 20060107309A1
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Biogy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Biogy, Inc.
• Inventors: Fiske, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/134,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20060107309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/46 by designing passwords or checking the strength of passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0897 involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861

Abstract

In an embodiment, a secure module is provided that provides access keys to an unsecured system. In an embodiment, the secure module may generate passcodes and supply the passcodes to the unsecured system. In an embodiment, the access keys are sent to the unsecured system after the receiving the passcode from the unsecured system. In an embodiment, after authenticating the passcode, the secure module does not store the passcode in its memory. In an embodiment, the unsecured module requires the access key to execute a set of instructions or another entity. In an embodiment, the unsecured system does not store access keys. In an embodiment, the unsecured system erases the acccess key once the unsecured system no longer requires the access key. In an embodiment, the unsecured system receives a new passcode to replace the stored passcode after using the stored passcode. Each of these embodiments may be used separately.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method comprising:

receiving an access key;

performing an action that requires the access key; and

erasing the access key.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to perform the action.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to the receiving, sending a stored passcode to a module from which the request originated.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

generating a new passcode based on the access key.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

storing the new passcode.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the receiving of the access key is in response to the sending.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the action includes at least executing one or more encryption instructions based on the access key.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the access key received is encrypted, and the method further comprises decrypting the access key received.

9. A machine-implemented method comprising:

receiving from a module a request to perform a task; and

in response to the receiving, sending a stored passcode to the module from which the request originated.

10. A machine-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request to execute one or more encryption instructions; and

in response, sending a stored passcode to the module from which the request originated;

receiving an access key;

generating a new passcode based on the access key;

executing the one or more encryption instructions based on the access key;

erasing the access key;

erasing the stored passcode; and

storing the new passcode.