Secret data storage device, secret data reading method, and control program storing medium

• US 5,928,364 A
• Filed: 07/14/1997
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E.
• Application Number:
  US08/875,586
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 395/186, 395/187.01, 395/188.01, 395/200.59, 380/4, 380/23, 380/24, 380/25, 340/825.31, 340/825.34
• US Class Current: 726/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2131 Lost password, e.g. recovery of lost or forgotten passwords
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password

Abstract

This invention relates a secret data storage device capable of setting password data which is easy for a specific user to memorize but is difficult for others to understand. A registration password data item composed of an arbitrary hieroglyphic data item or a combination of an arbitrary hieroglyphic data item and the color specifying data corresponding to the hieroglyphic is entered by selectively operating the hieroglyphic key 12b and color key 12d in the key input section 12. Similarly, using the color specifying data item and the like, a collation password data item is inputted. Then, it is determined whether or not the registration password data item coincides with the collation password data item entered this time. When it has been determined that they coincide with each other, the secret data stored in the secret data memory 17d is accessed and the accessed data appears on the display section 19.

Claims

1. A secret data storage device comprising:

data storage means for storing secret data;

first password input data means for inputting color designating data for designating a specific color and image data in correspondence with each other as registration password data;

password data storage means for storing the registration password data inputted from the first password data input means;

second password data input means for inputting color designating data for designating a specific color and image data in correspondence with each other as collation password data;

coincidence determining means for determining whether or not the collation password data inputted from the second password data input means coincides with the registration password data stored in said password data storage means; and

control means for performing control so as to enable access to the secret data stored in said data storage means when the coincidence determining means has determined that the collation password data and registration password data coincide with each other.

2. A secret data storage device according to claim 1, further comprising:

specifying means for specifying any one of a plurality of hieroglyphics; and

display means for providing color display of the hieroglyphic specified by the specifying means using a color corresponding to the color data inputted as said registration password data or said collation password data.

3. A method of reading stored secret data by a computer, comprising:

a first password data input step of inputting color designating data for designating a specific color and image data in correspondence with each other as registration password data;

a password data storage step of storing the registration password data inputted in the first password data input step;

a second password data input step of inputting color designating data for designating a specific color and image data in correspondence with each other as collation password data;

a coincidence determining step of determining whether or not the collation password data inputted in the second password data input step coincides with the registration password data stored in said password data storage step; and

a control step of performing control so as to enable access to the secret data stored in said data storage step when the coincidence determining step has determined that the collation password data and registration password data coincide with each other.

4. A storing medium which stores a control program which performs control so as to read stored secret data on a computer, wherein said control program:

stores the inputted secret data when the user inputs the secret data;

stores the inputted registration password data for registration password when the user inputs one of a single color data item and a combination of a plurality of color data items as registration password data;

determines whether or not the inputted collation password data coincides with said stored registration password data, when the user inputs one of a single color data item and a combination of a plurality of color data items as collation password data; and

performs control so as to enable access to said stored secret data, when the coincidence judging result has shown that they coincide with each other.

5. A storing medium which stores a control program that performs control so as to read stored secret data on a computer, wherein said control program:

stores the inputted secret data when the user inputs said secret data;

stores the inputted registration password data, when the user causes at least one color data item to correspond to one of at least one character data item and at least one image data item and inputs the color data item as registration password data;

determines whether or not the inputted collation password data coincides with said stored registration password data, when the user causes at least one color data item to correspond to at least one character data item or image data item and inputs the color data item as collation password data; and

performs control so as to enable access to the stored secret data, when the coincidence determining result has shown that they coincide with each other.

6. Secret data storing apparatus, comprising:

data storing means which stores secret data;

hieroglyphic input means which displays a plurality of hieroglyphics and inputs at least one hieroglyphic selected by a user from among the hieroglyphics;

color data input means which inputs color data for designating a specific color to the hieroglyphic inputted by the hieroglyphic input means;

password data registration means which registers the hieroglyphic data inputted by the hieroglyphic input means and the color data inputted by the color data input means as password data;

password input means for inputting the hieroglyphic data and the color data by the user;

determination means for determining whether the hieroglyphic data and the color data inputted by the password input means correspond to the hieroglyphic data and the color data registered by the password data registration means; and

control means for reading out the secret data stored in the storing means when the determination means determines correspondence between the inputted hieroglyphic data and color data and the registered hieroglyphic and color data.

7. A secret data storage device according to claim 6, further comprising:

display means for displaying the hieroglyphic inputted by the hieroglyphic input means with a color corresponding to the color data inputted by the color data input means.

8. A secret data readout method for reading out stored secret data by means of a computer, comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of hieroglyphics and inputting at least one hieroglyphic selected by a user from among the hieroglyphics;

inputting color data for designating a specific color to the hieroglyphic inputted in the hieroglyphic input step;

registering the hieroglyphic inputted in the hieroglyphic input step and the color data inputted in the color data input step as password data;

inputting hieroglyphic and color data by the user as a password when the secret data is to be read out;

determining whether the hieroglyphic and the color data inputted in the password inputting step correspond to the hieroglyphic and the color data registered in the password data registration step; and

reading out the stored secret data when correspondence between the passwords is determined in the determining step.

9. A control program storing medium in which there is stored a control program for reading out stored secret data by a computer, the control program comprising:

instruction for displaying a plurality of hieroglyphics and inputting at least one hieroglyphic selected by a user from among the hieroglyphics;

instruction for inputting color data for designating a specific color to the hieroglyphic inputted in accordance with the hieroglyphic input instruction;

instruction for registering the hieroglyphic inputted in accordance with the hieroglyphic input instruction and the color data inputted in accordance with the color data input instruction as password data;

instruction for inputting hieroglyphic and color data by the user when the secret data is to be read out;

instruction for determining whether the hieroglyphic and the color data inputted in accordance with the password input instruction correspond to the hieroglyphic and the color data registered in accordance with the password data registration instruction; and

instruction for reading out the stored secret data when correspondence between the passwords is determined.

10. A control program storing medium in which there is stored a control program for reading out stored secret data by a computer, the control program comprising:

first password data input instruction for inputting color data for designating a specific color and image data in correspondence with each other as registration password data;

password data storing instruction for storing the registration password data which is inputted in accordance with the first password data input instruction;

second password data input instruction for inputting color data for designating a specific color and image data in correspondence with each other as collation password data;

coincident determination instruction for determining whether the collation password data inputted in accordance with the second password data input instruction coincides with the registration password data which is stored in accordance with the password data storing instruction; and

control instruction for enabling the stored secret data to be read out when coincidence between the collation password data and the registration password data is determined.