Method and system for programming a security system to protect a protected unit
First Claim
1. A security system for protecting a protected unit, including an activation unit, comprising:
- the activation unit, including;
i. a memory storing a code;
ii. a data port;
iii. control circuitry coupled to the memory and the data port, including;
(a) means for communicating the code stored in the memory to the data port;
(b) means for causing the data port to communicate data to another data port; and
(c) means for writing data communicated from the data port to the memory;
the protected unit, including;
(i) a memory storing a code;
(ii) an input means;
(iii) a data port for bi-directional communication with the data port of the activation unit;
(iv) control circuitry in communication with the memory, the input means, and the data port, including;
(a) means for determining if a code communicated to the protected unit is identical to a code stored in the memory;
(b) means for generating a control signal which controls an operation within the protected unit if the code communicated to the protected unit matches a code stored in the memory;
(c) means for writing a code entered with the input means in the memory of the protected unit;
(d) means for communicating the entered code to the data port of the protected unit; and
(e) means for causing the data port to communicate the entered code to the data port of the activation unit,wherein the control circuitry of the activation unit writes the entered code communicated from the protected unit to the memory of the activation unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A security system for protecting a protected device including control circuitry, a non-volatile memory, a data transceiver, and input keys. A remote activation unit, including a non-volatile memory, data transceiver, and input key, is used to access the protected unit by communicating a code stored in the memory of the activation unit to the protected unit via data transceivers. If the activation unit is lost or the user desires to change the password, the user may enter a new password using the input keys of the protected unit, which is then stored in the non-volatile memory of the protected unit. The user may then initiate a password programming operation, which would involve the communication of the new password entered by the user to the remote activation unit via the data transceivers. Once the remote activation unit receives the new password, it would then store the new password in the non-volatile memory of the activation unit.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A security system for protecting a protected unit, including an activation unit, comprising:
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the activation unit, including; i. a memory storing a code; ii. a data port; iii. control circuitry coupled to the memory and the data port, including; (a) means for communicating the code stored in the memory to the data port; (b) means for causing the data port to communicate data to another data port; and (c) means for writing data communicated from the data port to the memory; the protected unit, including; (i) a memory storing a code; (ii) an input means; (iii) a data port for bi-directional communication with the data port of the activation unit; (iv) control circuitry in communication with the memory, the input means, and the data port, including; (a) means for determining if a code communicated to the protected unit is identical to a code stored in the memory; (b) means for generating a control signal which controls an operation within the protected unit if the code communicated to the protected unit matches a code stored in the memory; (c) means for writing a code entered with the input means in the memory of the protected unit; (d) means for communicating the entered code to the data port of the protected unit; and (e) means for causing the data port to communicate the entered code to the data port of the activation unit, wherein the control circuitry of the activation unit writes the entered code communicated from the protected unit to the memory of the activation unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A security system for protecting a protected unit, including an activation unit, comprising:
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a protected unit, including; i. a data port; ii. a memory storing a code; iii. control circuitry coupled to the memory and data transceiver, including; (a) means for generating a control signal which controls an operation within the protected unit if a code communicated to the data port matches a code stored in the memory; (b) means for writing to the memory a code transmitted to the data port; an activation unit, including; i. a memory storing a code; ii. input means; iii. a data port; iv. control circuitry coupled to the input keys, memory, and data port, including; (a) means for writing an entered code selectably entered with the input keys to the memory; and (b) means for communicating the entered code to the data port for communication to the data port of the protected unit, wherein the control circuitry of the protected unit writes the entered code entered at the activation in the memory of the protected unit. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for programming a code within a protected unit and activation unit, and accessing the protected unit, comprising the steps of:
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(a) programming a code in the activation unit and protected unit, comprising; i. determining with control circuitry of the protected unit whether a code has been entered; ii. if a code has been entered, then storing the entered code in a memory of the protected unit; iii. communicating the entered code to a data port of the protected unit; iv. communicating the entered code from the data port of the protected unit to a data port of the activation unit; and v. storing the entered code communicated from the protected unit in a memory within the activation unit; and (b) accessing the protected unit using the activation unit, comprising; i. communicating a code stored in the memory of the activation unit to a data port in the activation unit; ii. communicating the code from the data port of the activation unit to the data port of the protected unit; iii. determining with control circuitry within the protected unit whether the code communicated from the activation unit matches a code stored in the memory of the protected unit; and iv. if there is a match between the code communicated from the activation unit and a code stored in the memory of the protected unit, then generating a control signal to control an operation within the protected unit. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for programming a code within a protected unit and activation unit, and accessing the protected unit using the activation unit, comprising:
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(a) programming a code in the activation unit and protected unit, comprising; i. determining with control circuitry of the activation unit whether the user has entered a code; ii. if a code has been entered, then storing the entered code in a memory of the activation unit; iii. communicating the entered code to a data port of the activation unit; iv. communicating the entered code from the data port of the activation unit to a data port of the protected unit; and v. storing the entered code communicated to the data port of the protected unit in a memory within the protected unit; (b) accessing the protected unit using the activation unit, comprising; i. communicating a code stored in the memory of the activation unit to a data port in the activation unit; ii. communicating the code from the data port of the activation unit to the data port of the protected unit; iii. determining with control circuitry within the protected unit whether the code communicated from the activation unit matches a code stored in the memory of the protected unit; and iv. if there is a match between the code communicated from the activation unit and a code stored in the memory of the protected unit, then generating a control signal with the control circuitry to control an operation within the protected unit.
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32. A method for programming a code within a protected unit and activation unit, and using the activation unit to access the protected unit, comprising:
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(a) storing a first code in a memory within the protected unit; (b) programming a code in the activation unit and protected unit, comprising; i. determining with control circuitry of the protected unit whether a code has been entered; ii. if a code has been entered, then storing the entered code in a memory of the protected unit as a second code; iii. determining with the control circuitry of the protected unit whether a code transmitted from the activation unit matches the first code; iv. if the code transmitted from the activation unit matches the first code, then communicating the second code to the data port of the protected unit; v. communicating the second code from the data port of the protected unit to the data port for the activation unit; and vi. storing with control circuitry of the activation unit the second code communicated from the protected unit within the memory of the activation unit. (c) accessing the protected unit using the activation unit, comprising; vii. communicating a code stored in the memory of the activation unit to a data port in the activation unit; viii. communicating the code from the data port of the activation unit to the data port of the protected unit; ix. determining with control circuitry within the protected unit whether the code communicated from the activation unit matches a code stored in the memory of the protected unit; and x. if there is a match between the code communicated from the activation unit and a code stored in the memory of the protected unit, then generating a control signal with the control circuitry to control an operation within the protected unit.
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33. A computer usable medium including program statements for use in programming control circuitry to program a code within a protected unit and activation unit, and access the protected unit, wherein the program statements are capable of causing the control circuitry of the activation and protected units to perform the steps of:
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(a) programming a code in the activation unit and protected unit by causing the control circuitry of the protected unit and the activation unit to perform the steps of; i. determining, with control circuitry of the protected unit, whether a code has been entered; ii. if a code has been entered, then storing, with the control circuitry of the protected unit, the entered code in a memory of the protected unit; iii. communicating, with the control circuitry of the protected unit, the entered code to a data port of the protected unit; iv. communicating the entered code from the data port of the protected unit to a data port of the activation unit; and v. storing, with the control circuitry of the activation unit, the entered code communicated from the protected unit in a memory within the activation unit; and (b) accessing the protected unit using the activation unit by causing the control circuitry of the protected unit and the activation unit to perform the steps of; i. communicating, with the control circuitry of the activation unit, a code stored in the memory of the activation unit to a data port in the activation unit; ii. communicating, with the control circuitry of the protected unit, the code from the data port of the activation unit to the data port of the protected unit; iii. determining with control circuitry within the protected unit whether the code communicated from the activation unit matches a code stored in the memory of the protected unit; and iv. if there is a match between the code communicated from the activation unit and a code stored in the memory of the protected unit, then generating, with the control circuitry of the protected unit, a control signal to control an operation within the protected unit. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A computer usable medium including program statements for use in programming control circuitry to program a code within a protected unit and activation unit, and access the protected unit, wherein the program statements are capable of causing the control circuitry of the activation and protected units to perform the steps of:
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(a) programming a code in the activation unit and protected unit by causing the control circuitry of the protected unit and the activation unit to perform the steps of; i. determining with the control circuitry of the activation unit whether a code has been entered; ii. if a code has been entered, then storing the entered code in a memory of the activation unit; iii. communicating the entered code to a data port of the activation unit; iv. communicating the entered code from the data port of the activation unit to a data port of the protected unit; and v. storing the entered code communicated to the data port of the protected unit in a memory within the protected unit; (b) accessing the protected unit using the activation unit by causing the control circuitry of the protected unit and the activation unit to perform the steps of; i. communicating, with the control circuitry of the activation unit, a code stored in the memory of the activation unit to a data port in the activation unit; ii. communicating the code from the data port of the activation unit to the data port of the protected unit; iii. determining with the control circuitry within the protected unit whether the code communicated from the activation unit matches a code stored in the memory of the protected unit; and iv. if there is a match between the code communicated from the activation unit and a code stored in the memory of the protected unit, then generating a control signal with the control circuitry of the protected unit to control an operation within the protected unit.
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Specification