System including separable protected components and associated methods
First Claim
1. A system having enhanced security and comprising:
- a plurality of components;
at least one security circuit associated with a respective at least one component, said at least one security circuit being switchable from a virgin state to an enrolled state; and
at least one master circuit associated with a respective at least one component and connected in communication with said at least one security circuit, said at least one master circuit comprisingenrolling means for switching said at least one security circuit to a desired enrolled state only for the at least one master circuit responsive to the at least one security circuit being in the virgin state, anddisabling means for disabling at least a portion of the system based upon at least one security circuit being in an enrolled state other than the desired enrolled state for the at least one master circuit;
said at least one security circuit when in the virgin state being switchable to a respective desired enrolled state for a respective master circuit associated with any plurality of components to thereby facilitate legitimate substitution and replacement of components.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system having enhanced security includes: a plurality of components; at least one security circuit associated with at least one component; and at least one master circuit associated with at least one component and connected in communication with the security circuit. More particularly, the security circuit when in the virgin state is switchable to a desired enrolled state for the master circuit. The master circuit according to one aspect of the invention preferably determines if the security circuit is in the virgin state and switches the security circuit to the desired enrolled state. The master circuit also preferably prevents operation of the system responsive to a security circuit being in an enrolled state other than the desired enrolled state for the master circuit. A security circuit may be restored to the virgin state in response to a user token or a fingerprint of the user. Method aspects of the invention are also disclosed.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. A system having enhanced security and comprising:
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a plurality of components; at least one security circuit associated with a respective at least one component, said at least one security circuit being switchable from a virgin state to an enrolled state; and at least one master circuit associated with a respective at least one component and connected in communication with said at least one security circuit, said at least one master circuit comprising enrolling means for switching said at least one security circuit to a desired enrolled state only for the at least one master circuit responsive to the at least one security circuit being in the virgin state, and disabling means for disabling at least a portion of the system based upon at least one security circuit being in an enrolled state other than the desired enrolled state for the at least one master circuit; said at least one security circuit when in the virgin state being switchable to a respective desired enrolled state for a respective master circuit associated with any plurality of components to thereby facilitate legitimate substitution and replacement of components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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14. A system according to 1 further comprising revirginizing means for switching at least one security circuit back to the virgin state after being in the desired enrolled state.
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24. A security apparatus for a system comprising a plurality of components, the security apparatus comprising:
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at least one security circuit associated with a respective at least one component, said at least one security circuit being switchable from a virgin state to an enrolled state; at least one master circuit associated with a respective at least one component and connected in communication with said at least one security circuit, said at least one master circuit comprising disabling means for disabling at least a portion of the system based upon at least one security circuit being in an enrolled state other than a desired enrolled state for the at least one master circuit; said at least one security circuit when in the virgin state being switchable to a respective desired enrolled state for a respective master circuit associated with any plurality of components to thereby facilitate legitimate substitution and replacement of components; and biometric sensing and revirginizing means for switching at least one security circuit back to the virgin state after being in the desired enrolled state and based upon a biometric characteristic of a user. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A security apparatus for a system comprising a plurality of components, the security apparatus comprising:
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at least one security circuit associated with a respective at least one component, said at least one security circuit being switchable from a virgin state to an enrolled state; at least one master circuit associated with a respective at least one component and connected in communication with said at least one security circuit, said at least master circuit comprising disabling means for disabling at least a portion of the system based upon at least one security circuit being in an enrolled state other than a desired enrolled state for the at least one master circuit; said at least one security circuit when in the virgin state being switchable to a respective desired enrolled state for a respective master circuit associated with any plurality of components to thereby facilitate legitimate substitution and replacement of components; and token reader and revirginizing means for switching at least one security circuit back to the virgin state after being in the desired enrolled state and based upon reading a user token. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for enhancing security of a system comprising a plurality of components, the method comprising the steps of:
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associating at least one security circuit with a respective at least one component, said at least one security circuit being switchable from a virgin state to an enrolled state; associating at least one master circuit with a respective at least one component; switching said at least one security circuit to a desired enrolled state for the at least one master circuit responsive to the at least one security circuit being in the virgin state, the at least one security circuit when in the virgin state being switchable to a respective desired enrolled state for a respective master circuit associated with any plurality of components to thereby facilitate legitimate substitution and replacement of components; and disabling at least a portion of the system based upon at least one security circuit being in an enrolled state other than the desired enrolled state for the at least one master circuit. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for enhancing security of a system comprising a plurality of components, the method comprising the steps of:
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associating at least one security circuit with a respective at least one component, said at least one security circuit being switchable from a virgin state to an enrolled state; associating at least one master circuit with a respective at least one component; switching said at least one security circuit to a desired enrolled state for the at least one master circuit, the at least one security circuit when in the virgin state being switchable to a respective desired enrolled state for a respective master circuit associated with any plurality of components to thereby facilitate legitimate substitution and replacement of components; disabling at least a portion of the system based upon at least one security circuit being in an enrolled state other than a desired enrolled state for the at least one master circuit; and switching at least one security circuit back to the virgin state after being in the desired enrolled state based upon sensing a biometric characteristic of a user. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method for enhancing security of a system comprising a plurality of components, the method comprising the steps of:
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associating at least one security circuit with a respective at least one component, said at least one security circuit being switchable from a virgin state to an enrolled state; associating at least one master circuit with a respective at least one component; switching said at least one security circuit to a desired enrolled state for the at least one master circuit, the at least one security circuit when in the virgin state being switchable to a respective desired enrolled state for a respective master circuit associated with any plurality of components to thereby facilitate legitimate substitution and replacement of components; disabling at least a portion of the system based upon at least one security circuit being in an enrolled state other than a desired enrolled state for the at least one master circuit; and switching at least one security circuit back to the virgin state after being in the desired enrolled state based upon reading a user token. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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Specification