Method of confirming user in modem communications and its system

• US 4,831,648 A
• Filed: 04/15/1987
• Issued: 05/16/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Myukomu
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Myukomu
• Inventors: Nishino, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Brigance, Gerald L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HJERPE, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US07/038,393
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93, 379/95, 364/900
• US Class Current: 379/93.04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/313 using a call-back technique via a telephone network

Abstract

The present invention offers a method and system for checking the legality of a user who is subscribed in a telephone system, for example. When a user wants to access an information system operated by the host computer of said telephone system, e.g., a data-base, the legality of the user, whether he is really a person who is registered in the host side, is checked in the host side before a line is established between the user and the host computer.

In detail, the host side modem first checks the user who is then checked by the host side modem and the processing unit of the host side computer. Thereafter, mutual communications, between the user and the computer, are allowed.

The system, based on the invention, comprises a host side modem connectable to the processing unit of the host computer, and a user side modem connectable to said host side modem. Said host side modem can check user while said processing unit being capable to check user through the interaction with the host side modem.

Claims

1. A method of checking the authorization of a user in modem communications and providing a connection between a user and a host side processing unit when the authorization has been satisfactorily checked, comprising the steps of:

disconnecting a host side processing unit having authorized user telephone numbers previously stored therein from a host side modem;

setting a user telephone number in the host side modem from a user side modem;

performing a first user confirmation operation by comparing a keyword received by the host side modem from the user side modem with the telephone number set in the host side modem after a telephone call and a keyword transmission/receiving operation from the host side modem to the user side modem have been completed;

connecting said host side processing unit with said host side modem only after said first user confirmation operation has been satisfactorily completed;

performing a final user confirmation operation after successful completion of said first user confirmation operation and while there is no communications between the user and the processing unit, at the request of the processing unit, by comparing the telephone number set in the host side modem and said previously set telephone numbers in said host side processing unit; and

permitting communications between the user and the processing unit after said final user confirmation operation has been satisfactorily completed.

2. A method according to claim 1 further, prior to said step of performing a first user confirmation and after said step of setting, including the steps of:

connecting said user side modem and said host side modem in response to a telephone call from the user side modem to said host side modem;

setting a user telephone number in the host side modem by the user after said host side modem has been connected with said user side modem; and

disconnecting said user side modem from said host side modem; and

wherein said step of performing a first user confirmation includes the steps of;

connecting said user side modem and said host side modem a second time in response to a telephone call from said host side modem to the user side modem;

checking authorization of the user side modem in the host side modem after said user side modem has been connected with said host side modem a second time;

transmitting a keyword from said host side modem to said user side modem after authorization of the user has been checked and confirmed;

disconnecting said user side modem from said host side modem a second time;

connecting said user side modem and said host side modem a third time in response to the user side modem;

transmitting the keyword from said user side modem to said host side modem; and

comparing said transmitted keyword from said user side modem with the set telephone number in said host side modem.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

operating a first user check means by the host side modem when said user side modem and said host side modem have been connected a third time; and

operating a second user check means by the host side modem when said keyword has been transmitted by said user side modem and after confirmation by said first user check means has been satisfactorily completed.

4. A user check system for modem communications, comprising:

a host side modem including first user confirmation means;

a host side processing unit connectable to said host side modem, said processing unit including second user confirmation means;

a user side modem connectable to said host side modem;

switch means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said host side modem from said processing unit;

said user side modem includes a first signal generator, first demodulating means for receiving a keyword sent from the host side modem, and a memory unit;

said host side modem includes second demodulating means for receiving a set telephone number from the user side modem and a set telephone number memory, a second signal generator and check means for confirming authorization of a user when the host side modem is connected with said user side modem by performing a keyword comparing operation;

said processing unit includes a password memory unit and password comparing means for comparing the set telephone number in said host side modem with previously stored telephone numbers stored in said password memory unit;

said first user confirmation means performing a first user confirmation operation by comparing a keyword received by the host side modem from the user side modem with the telephone number set in the host side modem after a telephone call and a keyword transmission/receiving operation from the host side modem to the user side modem have been completed; and

said second user confirmation means performing a final user confirmation operation after successful completion of said first user confirmation operation and while said host side processing unit is not connected with the user, at the request of the processing unit, by comparing the telephone number set in the host side modem and said previously stored telephone numbers in said host processing unit.

5. Apparatus for checking the authorization of a user in modem communications and providing a connection between a user and a host side processing unit when the authorization has been satisfactorily checked, comprising:

switch means for connecting a host side processing unit having authorized previously stored user telephone numbers therein with a host side modem;

means for opening said switch means to disconnect said host side processing unit from said host side modem at the beginning of a user confirmation operation;

telephone number setting means in the host side modem for storing a telephone number from a user side modem;

first user confirmation means for performing a first user confirmation operation by comparing a keyword received by the host side modem from the user side modem with the telephone number set in the host side modem after a telephone call and a keyword transmission/receiving operation from the host side modem to the user side modem have been completed;

means for closing said switch means after said first user confirmation operation has been successfully completed to connect said processing unit with said host side modem and for preventing communications between said host side processing unit and the user;

second user confirmation means for performing a final user confirmation operation after successful completion of said first user confirmation operation and while said host side processing unit is not connected with the user, at the request of the processing unit, by comparing the telephone number set in the host side modem and said previously stored telephone numbers in said host processing unit; and

means for permitting communications between the user and the processing unit after said final user confirmation operation has been satisfactorily completed.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising:

connection means for connecting said user side modem and said host side modem in response to a telephone call from the user side modem to said host side modem;

user telephone number setting means for setting a user telephone number in the host side modem by the user after said host side modem has been connected with said user side modem; and

means for disconnecting said user side modem from said host side modem; and

wherein said first user confirmation means comprises;

connection means for connecting said user side modem and said host side modem a second time in response to a telephone call from said host side modem to the user side modem;

user check means for checking authorization of the user side modem in the host side modem after said user side modem has been connected with said host side modem a second time;

means for transmitting a keyword from said host side modem to said user side modem after authorization of the user has been checked and confirmed;

means for disconnecting said user side modem from said host side modem a second time;

means for connecting said user side modem and said host side modem a third time in response to the user side modem;

means for transmitting the keyword from said user side modem to said host side modem; and

means for comparing said transmitted keyword from said user side modem with the set telephone number in said host side modem.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising first user check means operated by the host side modem when said user side modem and said host side modem have been connected a third time for performing a confirmation operation;

and said means for comparing includes second user check means operated by the host side modem when said keyword has been transmitted by said user side modem and after confirmation by said first user check means has been satisfactorily completed for performing said comparing operation.