Electronic telephone device

• US 5,182,767 A
• Filed: 04/04/1991
• Issued: 01/26/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ncryptone
• Original Assignee: Alain Bernard
• Inventors: Bernard, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woo, Stella L.
• Application Number:
  US07/680,551
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 379/354, 379/355, 379/356, 379/357, 379/216, 379/352, 379/353, 379/418, 340/825.31
• US Class Current: 379/357.03
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 1/06 Coins specially adapted to operate coin-freed mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

The device includes an acoustic transmitter (10), a tone generator (12), a memory (14) containing an identification code (N) and a service key (C), and an electronic circuit (16). A digital message transmitted depends on N and C and changes with each use. The time limitation moment of the device is determined. The device appears in the form of a token.

Claims

1. Electronic device for a telephone system, comprising:

an acoustic transmitter;

an acoustic generator for controlling the acoustic transmitter and able to generate tones falling within the telephone band;

a digital message generation means for generating a digital message which consists of a set of numbers, wherein said set of numbers changes on each use of said electronic device, and wherein said digital message generation means includes means to determine a time limitation moment, said digital message generation means comprising;

a memory containing a first identification code and a second code of a service key linked to the telephone system in which the device is used;

an electronic and logic circuit connected to the memory, for delivering a message controlling the generator, this message depending on the first and second codes, wherein each number of the message controls the generator so as to have the acoustic transmitter transmit a particular sequence of tones;

a battery able to power the device; and

a manually controlled switch able to put the acoustic generator into service so as to transmit the sequence of tones.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said digital message generation means includes a clock giving the date, the message thus depending on the first and second codes and on the date indicated by the clock.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein said digital message generator means includes a counter whose contents are increased by increments on each use, the message thus depending on the first and second codes and the contents of the counter.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein all the means composing the device are sealed in a solid block and have the shape of a token.

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the block is made of resin or plastic.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the tones transmitted by the generator are multifrequency type tones.

7. Device according to claim 2, wherein:

said clock determines a time limitation moment.

8. A communication security device for generating and transmitting security codes, wherein each security code is keyed to one of a plurality of receiving systems, comprising:

a security code generator means for generating sets of security code numbers, comprising a memory containing a first identification code and a second code corresponding to one of the plurality of receiving systems, and a logic circuit for controlling generation of the sets of security code numbers based upon the first and second codes, wherein each set corresponds to a security code,

a transmitter means for transmitting a first set of security code numbers corresponding to a first security code and generated by said security code generator means, wherein the security code generator means generates a security code after transmission of the first security code and which is different from the first security code so that the next security code transmitted after transmission of the first security code is different from the first security code.