Portable electronic memorandum device with password accessible memory

• US 4,815,032 A
• Filed: 05/23/1986
• Issued: 03/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Fujii, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Jr., Archie E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coleman, Eric
• Application Number:
  US06/867,244
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 380/23, 380/24, 380/25, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0283 for data storage and retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect

Abstract

A portable electronic memorandum device is placed in the password set mode by operating switch Sl. In this mode, if the correct password is set, the secret mode is set up and the secret data is displayed. If user forgets the password, switch Sc is operated in the error display mode. By this operation, the password and the secret data are both cleared, so that secrecy of the secret data can be protected.

Claims

1. An electronic type memorandum device comprising:

secret data memory means for storing secret data containing a plurality of character data items;

password data memory means for storing data as password data that enables secret data to be stored in said secret data memory means;

means for inputting data;

judging means, operated upon entry of data by the inputting means, for judging whether or not corresponding data is present in said password data memory means;

password data memory control means which, when the judging means judges an absence of data in said password data memory means, allows that data which is input by said inputting means to be stored as password data in said password data memory means;

comparing means which, when said judging means judges that password data has been stored in said password data memory means, compares the contents of the data input by said inputting means with the contents of the password data stored in said password data memory means; and

display means for displaying secret data stored in said secret data memory means only when the result of a comparison by said comparing means shows a coincidence between the contents of the data input by said inputting means and the contents of said password data in said password data memory means.

2. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 1, in which said judging means includes check means for checking whether or not numerical data is present in said password data memory means.

3. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 1, comprising switch means for changing between a write mode allowing the data entry of said data inputting means and a mode prohibiting said data entry, and wherein said judging means, password data memory control means, comparing means and display means operate when the write mode is set by said switch means.

4. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 1, in which said secret data contains persons'"'"' names and telephone numbers.

5. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 1, in which the operations of said judging means, said password data memory control means, said comparing means and said display means are under control of a microprogram as stored in a read only memory.

6. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 1, comprising clock means for counting current time, and clock display means for displaying the current time as counted by said clock means.

7. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 1, in which said display means comprises printing means which prints the secret data in said secret data memory means.

8. An electronic type memorandum device, comprising:

secret data memory means for storing secret data;

data input means for inputting data;

password data memory means for storing data as password data;

judging means, operated upon entry of data by the inputting means, for judging whether or not corresponding data is present in said password data memory means;

password data memory control means which, when the judging means judges an absence of data in said password data memory means, allows that data which is input by said inputting means to be stored as password data in said password data memory means and prohibits new password data from being input when data is currently stored in said password data memory means until the currently stored data is cleared;

display means for displaying secret data stored in said secret data memory means only when said display means receives data corresponding to the password data stored in said password data memory means;

password data clearing means for clearing the password data stored in said password data memory means; and

secret data clearing means for clearing the secret data stored in said secret data memory means when said password data is cleared by said password data clearing means.

9. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 8, comprising switch means for effecting switching between a write mode allowing the entry of password data and a mode prohibiting the entry of password data, and wherein said password data memory means allows the password data to be input when the write mode is effected by said switch means.

10. An electronic memorandum device according to claim 8, in which said secret data includes persons'"'"' names and telephone numbers.

11. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 8, in which the operations of said password data clearing means and said secret data clearing means are under control of a microprogram as stored in a read only memory.

12. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 8, comprising clock means for counting current time, and clock display means for displaying the current time as counted by said clock means.

13. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 8, in which said display means comprises a display device for displaying the secret data stored in said secret dat memory means, and comparing means for comparing the data input by said data input means and the password data stored in said password data memory means.

14. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 13, in which said display device comprises printing means for printing the secret data.

15. An electronic type memorandum device, comprising:

a data memory section having memory areas for storing (a) secret data to be read out by entering password data, and (b) normal data to be read out without entering said password data, said secret data and said normal data being stored in different memory areas of said data memory section;

password data memory means for storing data as password data;

display means for reading out the secret data and the normal data, as stored in said data memory section;

data input means for inputting data;

judging means, operated upon entry of data by the inputting means, for judging whether or not corresponding data is present in said password data memory means;

password data memory control means which, when the judging means judges an absence of data in said password data memory means, allows that data which is input by said inputting means to be stored as password data in said password data memory means and prohibits new password data from being input when data is currently stored in said password data memory means;

comparing means which, when said judging means judges that password data has been stored in said password data memory means, compares the contents of the data input by said inputting means with the contents of the password data stored in said password data memory means;

password data clearing means for clearing the password data stored in said password data memory means; and

secret data clearing means for clearing only the secret data among the secret data and the normal data stored in said data memory section, when said password data is cleared by said password data clearing means.

16. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 15, comprising area data memory means for storing a memory area that stores said secret data, said secret data clearing mens performing a clearing operation on the basis of the memory area stored in said area data memory means.

17. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 15, in which said data memory section is a random access memory operated when it is accessed.

18. An electronic type memorandum device according to claim 15, further comprising clock means for counting current time, and clock display means for displaying the current time as a counted by said clock means.