Personal security system
First Claim
1. A security system for verifying the identify of a user comprising:
- a token associated with each user, said token having means for receiving a selected input value, means for processing said input value to generate a pseudo-random seed, means for storing the generated pseudo-random seed, means for generating a trigger signal at selected times, means responsive to each trigger signal for utilizing a value which is a predetermined first function of the stored pseudo-random seed as an input to said means for processing to cause the means for processing to generate a new pseudo-random seed which is stored in the means for storing in place of the seed previously stored therein, and means for providing an output which is a second function of at least a portion of the stored seed; and
a verification unit having means for receiving a user identification and the token output, means responsive to the user identification for generating the second function for the seed which should be stored in the token for the user, and means for comparing the received outputting function of the stored seed with the corresponding generated function of the seed to verify the identify of the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for verifying the identity of a system user. Each user has a token which processes an inputted seed to generate a stored value which is either a current seed value or a function thereof. This value is then changed to generate a new current seed in response to each of a plurality of selectively generated trigger signals. The stored current seed or a selected function thereof is outputted, for example by being displayed on the token, and is received and inputted into a host verification unit. This unit either has or generates the current seed value (and the outputted function thereof where required) for the user, the user being indicated by an input also provided to the host with the token output, and compares the received and generated seed function values to verify the user.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A security system for verifying the identify of a user comprising:
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a token associated with each user, said token having means for receiving a selected input value, means for processing said input value to generate a pseudo-random seed, means for storing the generated pseudo-random seed, means for generating a trigger signal at selected times, means responsive to each trigger signal for utilizing a value which is a predetermined first function of the stored pseudo-random seed as an input to said means for processing to cause the means for processing to generate a new pseudo-random seed which is stored in the means for storing in place of the seed previously stored therein, and means for providing an output which is a second function of at least a portion of the stored seed; and a verification unit having means for receiving a user identification and the token output, means responsive to the user identification for generating the second function for the seed which should be stored in the token for the user, and means for comparing the received outputting function of the stored seed with the corresponding generated function of the seed to verify the identify of the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for verifying the identity of a system user comprising the steps of:
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providing an output from a token associated with the user which is a predetermined function of at least a portion of a stored seed, said providing step including the steps performed at said token of receiving a selected input code, processing said input code to generate a pseudo-random seed, storing the pseudo-random seed, generating a trigger signal at selected time intervals, operating in response to each trigger signal to utilize a value which is a predetermined first function of each stored seed as an input to said processing step, said processing step generating a new pseudo-random seed as a result thereof which is stored in place of the previously stored seed, the outputted function being a second function of at least a portion of each stored seed; and verifying the identity of the user at a verification unit, said verifying step including the steps performed at said verification unit of receiving a user identification and the token output, generating the second function of the seed which should be stored for the user with the token, and comparing the received outputted second function of the stored seed with the corresponding generated second function of the seed to verify the identity of the user.
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Specification