Data-locking system

• US 5,027,395 A
• Filed: 06/20/1990
• Issued: 06/25/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metlife Life Insurance Company (MetLife Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife Incorporated)
• Inventors: Anderson, Richard J., Goodman, Bruce J., Kopolovics, Solomon, Riggio, Robert T., Chen, Chengkuo, Romei, Russell J., Hernandez, Lisa C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAIN, DAVID C
• Application Number:
  US07/541,256
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 380/3, 380/4, 380/25
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/72 in cryptographic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp

Abstract

A data-locking system for generating an application, includes a data entry device, a video display screen, a storage medium, and a system for locking data in the storage medium. The video display screen allows for the display of inputted information in a predetermined application format comprising an integrated arrangement of critical and non-critical data fields. The data-locking system has circuitry for generating first and second records from the inputted information, as well as circuitry for generating a unique generator key number for encrypting the first record and circuitry for generating a data-lock code number and a time stamp number. When using the data-locking system, the inputted information in the critical data fields of the predetermined application format, once data-locked, cannot be changed.

Claims

1. A data-locking system comprising

a data entry device having a keyboard for inputting information including data,

at least one video display screen for displaying inputted information in a predetermined application format,

a storage medium for storing information, and

means for locking at least some of the inputted data in said storage medium to maintain the integrity of said data.

2. A data-locking system as in claim 1 wherein said data entry device is a portable personal computer.

3. A data-locking system as in claim 1 wherein said data entry device is a Honeywell Bull APL model 286 Supersport.

4. A data-locking system as in claim 1 wherein said data entry device is a Honeywell Bull APL model SXL 386 SX Supersport.

5. A data-locking system as in claim 1 wherein said data entry device includes circuit means for displaying at least portions of said predetermined application format on said screen for inputting information in said storage medium in conformance with said format.

24. A data-locking system as in claim 1 wherein said storage medium is a RAM memory.

6. A data-locking system comprising

a data entry device having a keyboard for inputting information,

at least one video display screen for displaying inputted information from said data entry device in a predetermined application format comprising an integrated arrangement of at least one critical data field and at least one non-critical data field,

a storage medium for storing information inputted from said data entry device,

means for locking at least some of the inputted information from said data entry device in said storage medium,

means for generating a first record of data from the inputted information corresponding to said data fields, and

means for generating a second record of critical data from said first record and corresponding to said critical data field.

7. A data-locking system as in claim 6 wherein said data storage medium is removably mounted in said portable data device.

8. A data-locking system as in claim 6 which further comprises

means for encrypting data contained in said first record to enhance data security;

means for generating a data-lock code number to include as part of said second record;

means for generating a time stamp number to include as part of said second record; and

means for generating a unique generator key number for use by said encryption means.

9. A data-locking system as in claim 8 which further comprises means for calculating a cyclical redundancy check number using data contained in at least one said critical data field and means for passing said cyclical redundancy check number to said second record.

10. A data-locking system as in claim 9 wherein said means for calculating said cyclical redundancy check number includes

a CRC table comprising a plurality of entries stored in said storage medium;

and

cyclical redundancy check circuitry located in said data entry device programmed to generate a plurality of third temporary numbers, at least one third temporary number combining in a predetermined manner with the data contained in at least one of said critical data fields contained in said first record, and with at least one entry of said CRC table.

11. A data-locking system as in claim 10 wherein said cyclical redundancy check circuitry is programmed to

generate a first one of said third temporary numbers by combining a first constant with at least one bit of the data contained in at least one said critical data field of said first record;

generate a second one of said third temporary numbers by combining a second constant with said first one of said third temporary numbers resulting in an index to one of said entries in said CRC table; and

combine said indexed entry with a third one of said third temporary numbers resulting in said cyclical redundancy check number.

12. A data-locking system as in claim 8 wherein said means for encrypting data includes encryption circuitry for encrypting data in a predetermined manner.

13. A data-locking system as in claim 8 wherein said means for generating said data lock code number includes circuitry in said device programmed to combine data contained in at least two of said critical data fields in a predetermined manner.

14. A data-locking system as in claim 13 wherein said data lock code circuitry is programmed to

access said first record;

select at least a portion of at least one said critical data field of said first record;

generate a plurality of first temporary numbers from predetermined sub-portions of said portions; and

combine at least one said sub-portion with at least one predetermined data-lock constant resulting in said data-lock code number.

15. A data-locking system as in claim 8 wherein said means for generating said time stamp includes time stamp circuitry in said data entry device programmed to accept timing data from a discrete programmable timing unit.

16. A data-locking system as in claim 8 wherein said means for generating said unique generator key number includes generator key number circuitry in said data entry device programmed to combine data contained in at least two of said critical data fields in a predetermined manner.

17. A data-locking system as in claim 16 wherein said generator key number circuitry is programmed to combine at least a portion of said data-lock code number with at least a portion of said time stamp number in a predetermined manner.

18. A data-locking system as in claim 8 wherein said means for encrypting data comprises encryption circuitry programmed to combine said unique generator key number with the data contained in each said critical field of said first record.

19. A data-locking system as in claim 18 wherein said encryption circuitry is programmed to

(a) generate at least one second temporary number comprising the sum of at least two digits of said unique generator key number;

(b) calculate an encryption constant as a function of a first one of said second temporary numbers;

(c) read an Nth bit of data contained in said first record with N initially equal to 1;

(d) combine said Nth bit of data with said encryption constant and at least one digit of said unique generator key number to create an Nth encrypted bit;

(e) write said Nth encrypted bit to said second record;

(f) increment said encryption constant;

(g) increment N; and

(h) repeat (c) through (g) until all said critical data fields of said first record are encrypted.

20. A data-locking system as set forth in claim 8 further comprising a comparator for receiving and comparing said first record with said second record.

21. A data-locking system as in claim 20 wherein said comparator is located in said data entry device.

22. A data-locking system as in claim 20 further comprising a printer connected to said data entry device for receiving and printing an application containing the data of said first record.

23. A data-locking system as in claim 22 wherein said data entry device includes means for calculating a cyclical redundancy check number using data contained in at least one said critical data field and wherein said comparator includes

means for receiving at least one bit of an encrypted first record and at least one bit of said second record;

and

means for comparing said encrypted first record with said second record.

25. A method of generating an application comprising the steps of

inputting information into a storage medium in conformance with a predetermined application format having predetermined critical and non-critical data fields therein to generate a first record;

initiating a data-lock to store information contained in selected data fields of the first record within the storage medium; and

encrypting a predetermined portion of the first record, said portion corresponding to the critical data fields for storage as a second record in the storage medium.

26. A method as set forth in claim 25 further comprising the step of

generating a data-lock code number to include as part of the second record;

generating a time stamp number to include as part of the second record; and

generating a unique generator key number for use in the encrypting step.

27. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the step of generating the unique generator key number comprises the step of combining data contained in at least two of the critical data fields of the first record in a predetermined manner.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27 wherein the step of generating the unique generator key number comprises the step of combining at least a portion of the data-lock code number with at least a portion of the time stamp number in a predetermined manner.

29. A method as in claim 25 wherein the step of encrypting the predetermined portion of the first record comprises the steps of

(a) generating at least one second temporary number comprising the sum of at least two digits of the unique generator key number;

(b) calculating an encryption constant as a function of a first one or said second temporary numbers;

(c) reading an Nth bit of data contained in the first record with N initially equal to 1;

(d) combining the Nth bit of data with the encryption constant and at least one digit of the unique generator key number to create an Nth encrypted bit;

(e) writing the Nth encrypted bit to the second record;

(f) incrementing the encryption constant;

(g) incrementing N; and

(h) repeating steps (c) through (g) until all the critical data fields of the first record are encrypted.

30. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the step of generating the time stamp number comprises the steps of accessing a discrete programmable timing unit and accepting timing data from the timing unit.

31. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the step of generating the data-lock code number comprises the steps of

accessing the first record;

selecting at least a portion of at least one of the critical data fields of the first record;

generating a plurality of first temporary numbers from predetermined sub-portions of said portions of the critical data fields;

accessing data from a timing unit; and

combining at least one of said sub-portions with at least one bit of the data accessed from the timing unit resulting in said data-lock code number.

32. A method as set forth in claim 25 further comprising the step of calculating a cyclical redundancy check number.

33. A method as set forth in claim 32 wherein the step of calculating the cyclical redundancy check number comprises the steps of

establishing a CRC table with a plurality of entries stored therein;

generating a plurality of third temporary numbers; and

combining at least one of the plurality of third temporary numbers in a predetermined manner with the data contained in at least one of the critical data fields of the first record and with at least one entry of the CRC table.

34. A method as set forth in claim 33 wherein the step of calculating the cyclical redundancy check number further comprises the steps of

generating a first one of the third temporary numbers by combining a first constant with at least one bit of the data contained in at least one of the critical data fields of the first record;

generating a second one of the third temporary numbers by combining a second constant with the first one of the third temporary numbers resulting in an index to one of the entries of the CRC table; and

combining the indexed entry with a third one of the third temporary numbers resulting in the cyclical redundancy check number.

35. A method as set forth in claim 26 further comprising the step of comparing the second record with the first record.

36. A method as set forth in claim 35 wherein the step of comparing comprises the steps of

encrypting the first record to create an encrypted data record;

sending at least a first bit of a predetermined critical data field of the encrypted data record and at least a corresponding first bit of the second record to a comparator; and

comparing at least the first bit of the encrypted data record with at least the corresponding first bit of the second record to determine a match.

37. A method as set forth in claim 36 wherein the comparison of records further comprises the step of terminating the comparison in response to a mismatch of any bit of the encrypted data record with the corresponding bit of the second record.

38. A method as set forth in claim 36 further comprising the step of printing an application in response to the determination of a match.

39. A method as set forth in claim 38 wherein the step of printing the application comprises the step of

passing the contents of the first record to a printer;

and

printing the application according to the predetermined application format.

40. A method as set forth in claim 25 wherein the step of inputting information comprises the steps of

displaying on a video display screen at least predetermined portions of the predetermined application format;

and

displaying on the video display screen the inputted information after inputting.

41. A method as set forth in claim 36 further comprising the step of electronically transmitting the second record from a data entry device to a remote processing location.

42. A data-locking system comprising

a data entry device having a keyboard for inputting information,

at least one video display screen for displaying inputted information in a predetermined application format, said predetermined application format comprising an integrated arrangement of at least one critical data field and at least one non-critical data field,

means for generating a first record of data from the inputted information corresponding to said data fields,

means for generating a second record of critical data from said first record and corresponding to said critical data file,

means for encrypting data contained in said first record to secure the data from tampering,

means for generating a data-lock code number to include as part of said critical data record,

means for generating a unique generator key number for use in said encryption of data contained in said first record,

a comparator for comparing said first record with said second record, and

means for prohibiting access to said first and second records of said data-locking system upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.

43. A data-locking system as in claim 42 wherein said means for prohibiting access to said first and second records comprises lockout circuitry programmed to prohibit access to said data-locking system upon said comparison of said first and second records yielding a mismatch.

44. A method of generating an application comprising the steps of

inputting information into a storage medium in conformance with a predetermined application format having predetermined critical and non-critical data fields therein to generate a first record;

initiating a data-lock to store information contained in selected data fields of the first record within the storage medium;

encrypting a predetermined portion of the first record, said portion corresponding to the critical data fields for storage as a second record in the storage medium;

generating a data-lock code number to include as part of said second record;

generating a unique generator key number for use in said encrypting step;

comparing said first record with said second record; and

initiating a system lockout if said comparing step yields a mismatch.