Method and apparatus for controlling access to a communication system
First Claim
1. In a two-way communication system having:
- a central unit; and
a plurality of subscriber units each having at least an identification code stored therein;
a method of controlling access to the two-way communication system comprising the steps of;
at at least one of said plurality of subscriber units;
(a) receiving a puzzle comprising;
(i) at least one digital code;
(ii) at least one operand code representing at least instructions for processing said at least one digital code;
(b) solving said puzzle to provide an answer code representing at least a solution to said puzzle;
(c) transmitting at least said answer code.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Subscriber units operating within a communication system are selectively addressed and required to solve a "Puzzle" generated by a central device (controller) of a two-way communication system. The "Puzzle" comprises one or more digital words and an operand, which provides instructions to the subscriber unit as to how to generate an answer. The subscriber units cannot anticipate either the occurrence nor the content of a particular "Puzzle". All subscriber units (both authorized and unauthorized) must return an answer to the "Puzzle" or they may be denied access to the two-way communication system. Also, unauthorized subscriber units may be detected when the central device receives multiple answers to a "Puzzle".
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. In a two-way communication system having:
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a central unit; and a plurality of subscriber units each having at least an identification code stored therein; a method of controlling access to the two-way communication system comprising the steps of; at at least one of said plurality of subscriber units; (a) receiving a puzzle comprising; (i) at least one digital code; (ii) at least one operand code representing at least instructions for processing said at least one digital code; (b) solving said puzzle to provide an answer code representing at least a solution to said puzzle; (c) transmitting at least said answer code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a two-way communication system having:
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a central unit; and a plurality of subscriber units each having at least an identification code stored therein; a method of controlling access to the two-way communication system comprising the steps of; at at least one of said plurality of subscriber units; (a) transmitting a code representing a request to communicate; (b) receiving a puzzle comprising; (i) at least two digital codes; (ii) at least one operand code representing at least instructions for processing said at least two digital codes; (c) solving said puzzle to provide an answer code representing at least a solution to said puzzle; (d) transmitting at least said answer code. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a two-way communication system having
a central unit; - and
a plurality of subscriber units each having at least an identification code stored therein; a method of controlling access to the two-way communication system comprising the steps of; at at least one of said plurality of subscriber units; (a) receiving a puzzle comprising; (i) at least one digital code; (ii) at least one operand code representing at least instructions for processing said at least one digital code; (b) solving said puzzle to provide an answer code representing at least a solution to said puzzle; (c) transmitting at least said answer code at said central unit; (a) generating said puzzle; (b) solving said puzzle to provide an expected answer code; (c) transmitting said puzzle; (d) receiving said answer code to provide a received answer code; (e) comparing said received answer code and said expected answer code. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. In a two-way communication system having:
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a central unit; and a plurality of subscriber units each having at least an identification code stored therein; a method of controlling access to the two-way communication system comprising the steps of; at at least one of said plurality of subscriber units; (a) transmitting a code representing a request to communicate; (b) receiving a puzzle comprising; (i) at least one digital code; (ii) at least one operand code representing at least instructions for processing said at least one digital code; (c) solving said puzzle to provide an answer code representing at least a solution to said puzzle; (d) transmitting at least said answer code at said central unit; (a) receiving said code representing a request to communicate; (b) generating said puzzle; (c) solving said puzzle to provide an expected answer code; (d) transmitting said puzzle; (e) receiving said answer code to provide a received answer code; (f) comparing said received answer code and said expected answer code. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. In a two-way communication system having:
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a central unit; and a plurality of subscriber units each having at least an identification code stored therein; a method of controlling access to the two-way communication system comprising the steps of; at at least one of said plurality of subscriber units; (a) receiving a puzzle comprising; (i) at least one digital code; (ii) at least one operand code representing at least instructions for processing said at least one digital code; (b) solving said puzzle to provide an answer code representing at least a solution to said puzzle; (c) transmitting at least said answer code at said central unit; (a) generating said puzzle; (b) solving said puzzle to provide an expected answer code; (c) transmitting said puzzle; (d) receiving said answer code to provide a received answer code; (e) determining whether more that one answer codes are received during a time interval. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. In a two-way communication system having:
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a central unit; and a plurality of subscriber units each having at least an identification code stored therein; a method of controlling access to the two-way communication system comprising the steps of; at at least one of said plurality of subscriber units; (a) transmitting a code representing a request to communicate; (b) receiving a puzzle comprising; (i) at least one digital code; (ii) at least one operand code representing at least instructions for processing said at least one digital code; (c) solving said puzzle to provide an answer code representing at least a solution to said puzzle; (d) transmitting at least said answer code at said central unit; (a) receiving said code representing a request to communicate; (b) generating said puzzle; (c) solving said puzzle to provide an expected answer code; (d) transmitting said puzzle; (e) determining how many answer codes are received during a time interval. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A communication unit, comprising:
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(a) receiving means for receiving a puzzle comprising; (i) at least one digital code; (ii) at least one operand code representing at least instructions for processing said at least one digital code; (b) processing means for solving said puzzle to provide an answer code representing at least a solution to said puzzle; and (c) transmitting means for transmitting at least said answer code. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A two-way communication system, comprising:
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at least one subscriber unit, comprising; (a) receiving means for receiving a puzzle comprising; (i) at least one digital code; (ii) at least one operand code representing at least instructions for processing said at least one digital code; (b) processing means for solving said puzzle to provide an answer code representing at least a solution to said puzzle; (c) transmitting means for transmitting at least said answer code at least one central unit, comprising; (a) means for generating said puzzle; (b) processing means for solving said puzzle to provide an expected answer code; (c) transmitting means for transmitting said puzzle; (d) receiving means for receiving said answer code to provide a received answer code; (e) means for comparing said received answer code and said expected answer code.
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Specification