×

Secure communication apparatus and method

  • US 5,552,897 A
  • Filed: 03/07/1994
  • Issued: 09/03/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A communication apparatus for receiving a sender'"'"'s message over a facility comprisingmeans for receiving and storing the message including an unrestricted portion and a restricted encrypted portion,first output means for outputting the unrestricted portion of the received message to a user, the unrestricted portion including information identifying an encryption key used to encrypt the restricted portion,second output means, responsive to predetermined information received from the user, for outputting the restricted portion of the message to the user,a smart card interface means and whereinsaid predetermined information includes a user-entered person identification number (PIN) entered after the user'"'"'s smart card is inserted into said interface,means responsive to said received PIN for enabling said interface means to output said encryption key identification information and said restricted encrypted portion to said smart card for use in decrypting said restricted encrypted portion by said smart card and whereinsaid interface means receives a decrypted restricted portion from said smart card, via said interface, for output via said second output means.

View all claims
  • 5 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×