Information communicating apparatus and method

• US 4,320,387 A
• Filed: 12/19/1979
• Issued: 03/16/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William S. Powell
• Original Assignee: William S. Powell
• Inventors: Powell, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US06/105,403
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 340/149 R, 179/2 DP
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4093 Monitoring of device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

Apparatus and method is provided for secured communication of information as in effecting financial transactions between two individuals. Apparatus is provided in the form of units personal to respective individuals and including display of information to be communicated, electronic circuit means providing automatic security of transmission between relatively remote units that are intended to be included in a specific transfer of information, electronic information storage means for recording of communicated information, and radiant energy signal transmitting devices for effecting coupling of any two selected apparatus units that are to participate in the information transfer. Time-base controlled signal encoding is utilized to effect generation of the communication to the two selected units. In the method of this invention, each of two selected units are operated to generate the same information signal of an agreed information transfer and a security identification signal which is associated with the respective unit. Transfer of information is effected in sequence with each unit transmitting its information signal and security identification signal in encoded form to the other unit. Each unit compares the received transmission with its information signal and, if it compares, continues its signals to the other unit. Correct comparison in both units then effects termination of the information communication.

Claims

1. An information communicating apparatus unit comprising

input means selectively operable to generate electrical signals related to a plurality of respective information elements including a fungible information element that are desired to be input into the apparatus for communication with another compatible apparatus unit

display means having a plurality of display elements which are selectively energizaeable in response to input of said information element signals to provide a verifiable display of such information elements,

interface processing circuit means coupled in circuit with said input means for receiving the generated electrical signals and assemble those signals to form a correspondence check signal and coupled in circuit with said display means for effecting a display of said generated signals and being operable to form a correspondence check transmission signal,

signal transmission means coupled with said interface processing circuit means and operable to effect transmission of said correspondence check transmission signal to another of said apparatus units located in relatively remote relationship and to effect receipt of a correspondence check transmission signal from said other apparatus unit, and

switching logic processor circuit means coupled with said interface processing circuit means for receiving said correspondence check signal formed by signal said interface processing circuit means and and a correspondence check signal received from said other apparatus unit via said interface processing circuit means, said logic circuit means including identifier signal generation means selectively operable upon input of said correspondence check signals to form a security identifier signal for the apparatus unit and to include such security identifier signal in the correspondence check signal, signal encoding/decoding circuit means referenced to a time control base and operable to change the security identifier signal for each of successive time base periods, comparison circuit means for effecting a comparison of the correspondence check signals input thereto by said

switching logic processor circuit means coupled with said interface processing circuit means for receiving said correspondence check signal formed by said interface processing circuit means and a correspondence check signal received from said other apparatus unit via said interface processing circuit means, said logic processor circuit means including identifier signal generation circuit means selectively operable upon input of a correspondence check signal from said interface processing circuit means to form a security identifier signal for the apparatus unit and to include such security identifier signal in the correspondence check signal, signal encoding/decoding circuit means referenced to a correspondence signal time base compatible with all apparatus units and operable to sequentially and non-repetitively change the security identifier signal component of the correspondence check signal for each of successive correspondence time periods over the life of the unit, comparison circuit means for effecting a comparison of the correspondence check signals input thereto by said interface processing circuit means and from said other apparatus unit and for forming a compared signal as to each of respective compare or non-compare conditions, second signal generation circuit means interconnected with said comparison circuit means and responsive to said compared signal for forming a transmittable store signal and causing transmission to said other apparatus unit by said interface processing circuit means in the event of a correct comparison, and to terminate the operation in the absence of comparison for assuring that only reciprocal fungible signal components are honored in each apparatus unit, and proof of possession register memory circuit means interconnected therewith to respond to said store signal and to register at least the fungible component of the correspondence check signal.

2. An apparatus unit according to claim 1 wherein said register memory circuit means of said processing circuit means for electronically recording at least the fungible information element components is of a non-volatile type.

3. An apparatus unit according to claim 2 wherein said register memory circuit means includes a second memory circuit for receiving and storing correspondence check signals including fungible components thereof and can be selectively accessed to retrieve previously stored information.

4. An apparatus unit according to claim 1 wherein said signal transmission means comprises apparatus for effecting transmittal of said transmission signals as radiation as between the apparatus unit and one said other apparatus unit.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said logic circuit means includes timing means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 which includes operating mode selector circuit means connected with said interface processing circuit means and which is responsive to a selected input to cause operation of an apparatus unit in alternate ones of at least two modes as between any two apparatus units placed in communicating relationship.

7. The method of communicating information including fungible elements as between apparatus units comprising the steps of

generating an electrical communication transmission signal in a first apparatus unit, said transmission signal having a correspondence check signal including an electrical identifier signal component unique to such first apparatus unit,

generating an electrical communication transmission signal in a second apparatus unit, said second unit transmission signal having a correspondence check signal including an electrical identifier signal component unique to such first apparatus unit,

transmitting said second apparatus unit transmission signal to the first apparatus unit and reception thereat,

generating an electrical identifier signal in the first apparatus unit that is the identifier signal for the second apparatus unit,

comparing the received and generated correspondence check signals and second apparatus unit identifier signals in the first apparatus unit,

transmitting said first apparatus unit transmission signal to the second apparatus unit and reception thereat upon determination of a correct comparison of signals by the first apparatus unit,

generating an electrical identifier signal in the second apparatus unit that is the identifier signal for the first apparatus unit,

encoding the respective identifier signal of each of the apparatus units for each successive time period of each unit in accordance with a non-repetitive coding sequentially changing for each successive time period,

effecting simultaneous communication of correspondence check signals between two apparatus units in a single time period,

comparing the received and generated correspondence check signals in the first and second apparatus units, and

storing said transmission signals in each of the first and second apparatus units upon determination of a correct comparison of signals by both apparatus units.

8. The method of claim 7 including the further steps of generating an incorrect comparison signal in the apparatus unit, failing the transaction upon determination of such comparison, and displaying the received transmission for edit or approval.

9. The method of claim 8 including the further steps of transmitting a communication transmission storing signal from each of the apparatus units to the other and thereafter ceasing transmission.

10. The method of claim 8 including the further step of determining signal transmission time by each unit with respect to the other unit and utilizing such time determination to restrict each unit to thereafter receiving a transmission signal from the other unit at a predetermined time.

11. The method of claim 10 including the further step of each unit generating an informatin storage signal and transmitting that signal to the other at a time in the signal transmitting sequence so that it will be received thereat at the predetermined time.