System and method for providing secure data transmission

• US 20070083604A1
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bloomberg Finance LP (Bloomberg LP)
• Original Assignee: Bloomberg LP
• Inventors: Hook, James, Zimman, Christopher, Dulai, Dharmender
• Granted Patent: US 8,250,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload

Abstract

A system and method are provided, embodiments of which comprise encrypting input data based on authorization from an application program launched on a local computer device by a user. The encrypted input data that is generated by the user is sent to a network communication interface associated with the local computer device for transmission to a remote computer device. At the remote computer the received input data is decrypted, whereby based on the decrypted input data the remote computer generates encrypted response data that is associated with the decrypted first data. The encrypted response data is sent from the remote computer to the local computer, where the encrypted response data is received via the network communication interface associated with the local computer and decrypted. The local computer displays the decrypted response data on a display.

Claims

1. A method for communicating data, comprising:

receiving data from one or more input devices;

transmitting the data to a first computer, if a first indication that a first communication mode has been selected has been received from the first computer; and

transmitting the data to a second computer, if a second indication that a second communication mode has been selected has been received from the first computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computer sends the first indication in response to a user activating the first application program at the first computer;

and

wherein the first computer sends the second indication in response to the user activating a second application program at the first computer.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a reply to the transmitted data from the second computer, if the second indication has been received from the first computer; and

transmitting the received reply to the first computer, if the second indication has been received from the first computer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein transmitting the data to a second computer comprises transmitting the data to a second computer using a network interface of the first computer, and

wherein receiving a reply comprises receiving a reply to the transmitted input data from the second computer using the network interface of the first computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the input data to a second computer comprises:

encrypting the data; and

transmitting the encrypted data to the second computer.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the reply received from the second computer is encrypted, and wherein transmitting the received reply to the first computer comprises:

decrypting the received reply; and

transmitting the decrypted received reply to the first computer.

7. A system for communicating data, comprising at least a first computer programmed to:

receive data from one or more input devices;

transmit the data to a second computer, if a first indication that a first communication mode has been selected has been received from the second computer; and

transmit the data to a third computer, if a second indication that a second communication mode has been selected has been received from the second computer.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second computer sends the first indication in response to a user activating the first application program at the second computer;

and

wherein the second computer sends the second indication in response to the user activating a second application program at the second computer.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first computer is programmed to:

receive a reply to the transmitted data from the third computer, if the second indication has been received from the second computer; and

transmit the received reply to the second computer, if the second indication has been received from the second computer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first computer is programmed to:

transmit the data to the third computer using a network interface of the second computer; and

receive the reply to the transmitted data from the third computer using the network interface of the second computer.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the first computer is programmed so that transmitting the data to a third computer comprises:

encrypting the data; and

transmitting the encrypted data to the third computer.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the reply received from the third computer is encrypted, and wherein the first computer is programmed so that transmitting the received reply to the second computer comprises:

decrypting the received reply; and

transmitting the decrypted received reply to the second computer.

13. A method of providing data communication over a communication network using a encryption device, the method comprising:

encrypting first data based on the encryption device authenticating a user, wherein the encrypted first data is sent from the encryption device to an interface associated with a first computer for transmission to a second computer;

decrypting at the second computer the encrypted first data and generating encrypted second data in response to the decrypted first data;

sending the generated encrypted second data to the interface associated with the first computer for transmission to the encryption device; and

decrypting at the encryption device the sent encrypted second data received via the interface associated with the first computer;

wherein the first computer performs an operation based on the decrypted second data.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein authenticating the user comprises launching an application program for beginning an authentication process.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the authentication process comprises the launched application program providing connection status between the encryption device and the first computer.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the authentication process comprises scanning and detecting a finger print pattern associated with the user upon receiving a prompt generated by the application program.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the decrypted second data comprises display data generated in response to the first data processed by the second computer device.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the interface comprises a universal serial bus (USB) interface and a network interface.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first data is generated by a keyboard device.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first data is generated by a mouse device.

21. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first data is generated by a peripheral device.

22. A method of providing data communication between a first and a second computer over a communication network using an encryption device coupled to the first computer, the method comprising:

encrypting first data at the encryption device based on an application program associated with the data communication being active, wherein the encrypted first data is sent from the encryption device to an interface associated with the first computer for transmission to the second computer;

decrypting at the second computer the encrypted first data and generating encrypted second data in response to the decrypted first data;

sending the generated encrypted second data to the interface associated with the first computer for transmission to the encryption device; and

decrypting at the encryption device the sent encrypted second data received via the interface associated with the first computer;

wherein the encryption device provides the decrypted second data to the first computer for disposition by the first computer.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first data is generated by a keyboard device.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first data is generated by a mouse device.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first data is generated by a peripheral device.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein the application program resides on the first computer and communicates with a second application program residing on the second computer, wherein the second application generates the second data and the application program at the first computer displays the decrypted second data.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein the application program resides on the encryption device and communicates with a second application program, wherein the second application generates the second data and the application program at the encryption device displays the decrypted second data.

28. The method according to claim 22, wherein the communication network comprises the Internet.

29. The method according to claim 22, wherein encrypting first data comprises encrypting first data at the encryption device based on a window associated with the application program being in-focus.

30. A secure system for generating secure data transmission over a communication network between a first computer and a second computer, the device comprising:

a switch device adapted to receive first data from one or more input devices;

an encryption device adapted to receive the first data routed from the switch device for encrypting the received first data based on an application program associated with the secure data transmission being active;

an interface associated with the first computer adapted to receive the encrypted first data for transmission over the communication network to the second computer, wherein the second computer receives the encrypted first data and generates encrypted second data; and

a display device associated with the first computer;

wherein the encrypted second data generated at the second computer is received by the interface from the communication network and sent to the switch for routing, wherein the switch routes the encrypted second data to the encryption device for decrypting the encrypted second data, the switch routing the decrypted second data from the encryption device to the first computer for display on the display device.

31. The device according to claim 30, wherein the interface comprises a network interface.

32. The device according to claim 30, further comprising a biometric authentication device in communication with the application program that prompts a user for performing an authentication process, wherein the encryption device authenticates the user prior to encrypting the input data.

33. The device according to claim 30, wherein the biometric authentication device comprises a fingerprint scanner.

34. The device according to claim 30, wherein the switch device comprises a USB controller for providing data switching between the one or more input devices, the first computer, and the encryption device.

35. A method of providing security to an application in communication with a server computer that receives input from an input device operating with a client computer and displays information on a display device operating with the client computer, the method comprising:

encrypting data relating to the application entered via the input device without providing the entered, unencrypted data to the client computer;

transmitting the encrypted data over a network to the server computer;

decrypting the encrypted data transmitted to the server computer;

the server computer operating on the decrypted data and providing data for display at the client computer;

transmitting the data provided by the server computer for display on the display device of the client computer; and

displaying on the display device the transmitted data provided by the server computer.

36. The method according to claim 35, comprising encrypting the data provided by the server computer prior to transmitting such data to the client computer, decrypting such data after transmission and prior to display, and displaying the decrypted data on the display device of the client computer.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein encrypted data transmitted to the client computer is decrypted independently of the client computer and such decrypted data is provided to the client computer for display on the display device.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein the input device comprises a keyboard.

39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the input device comprises a pointing device.

40. A method for a client computer to interact with a plurality of applications and to provide security to at least one application of the plurality of applications which communicates with a server computer that receives input from an input device operating with the client computer, the method comprising:

if the at least one application includes a window in focus at the client computer;

encrypting data relating to the at least one application entered via the input device without providing the entered, unencrypted data to the client computer;

transmitting the encrypted data over a network to the server computer;

decrypting the encrypted data transmitted to the server computer;

the server computer operating on the decrypted data and providing data to be operated on by the client computer;

transmitting the provided data to the client computer; and

the client computer operating on provided data;

else providing data entered via the input device to the client computer without encryption for disposition by the client computer.

41. The method of claim 40, comprising encrypting data relating to the selected application in a device coupled to the input device and the client computer.

42. The method of claim 41, comprising coupling an output of the keyboard to an output of the device that is coupled to the client computer for operation with the at least one active application when the window associated with the at least one active application is in focus.

43. The method of claim 42, comprising automatically coupling the output of the keyboard to the output of the device that is coupled to the client computer when the window associated with at least one active application is in focus.