Secured network system

• US 6,021,497 A
• Filed: 02/10/1998
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Sulkowski, Robert V. Jr., Morse, Randall P., Bouthillier, Stephen W., Blowers, Sydney R., Seybold, Ross E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US09/035,409
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 713/202, 713/200, 713/201, 364/286.4, 364/286.5, 364/286.6, 340/825.34, 380/4, 380/3, 380/21, 380/23, 380/25, 711/163
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/82 Protecting input, output or interconnection devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234

Abstract

A secured network system which will allow only authorized users of the seed network system to access classified data provided by a secured network server. The secured network system includes a readykey controller which has connected thereto a plurality of card readers. A user of the secured network system inserts a microchip embedded card into one of the card readers which then provides an authorization signal to the readykey controller indicating that the user is authorized to use one of a plurality of computers within the secured network system to receive and process classified data. The readykey controller sends an enable signal to a data relay switch enabling a data line associated with the card reader and the computer selected by the user allowing classified data to be transmitted from the secured network server through the data relay switch to the selected computer. Each of the three computers also has a power relay switch connected thereto which is activated by the readykey controller whenever authorization to activate the computer is provided to the readykey controller from another of the plurality of card readers.

Claims

1. A secured network system comprising:

a plurality of data processing means for receiving and processing classified data;

a plurality of network card reader means, each of said plurality of network card reader means being adapted to receive a microchip embedded card, each of said plurality of network card reader means providing an authorization signal whenever said microchip embedded card is presented thereto;

controller means connected to each of said plurality of network card reader means to receive said authorization signal from each of said plurality of network card reader means;

a classified network server for providing said classified data;

a data relay switch connected to said controller means, said data relay switch being connected to said classified network server and each of said plurality of data processing means;

said controller means, responsive to said authorization signal from one of said plurality of network card reader means, enabling said data relay switch to provide for a data transfer from said classified network server through said data relay switch to an associated one of said plurality of data processing means allowing a user of said secured network system to process said classified data with said associated one of said plurality of data processing means;

each of said plurality of data processing means having a power relay switch connected thereto;

said controller means being connected to the power relay switch of each of said plurality of data processing means, said controller means being adapted to activate said power relay switch of each of said plurality of data processing means, said power relay switch of each of said plurality of data processing means when activated coupling said data processing means to an external power source.

2. The secured network system of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of data processing means comprises a digital computer.

3. The secured network system of claim 1 wherein said controller means comprises a readykey controller.

4. The secured network system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of central processing unit card readers, each of said plurality of central processing unit card readers being connected to said controller means, each of said plurality of central processing unit card readers being adapted to receive said microchip embedded card, each of said plurality of central processing unit card readers generating a computer access authorization signal whenever said microchip embedded card is presented thereto.

5. The secured network system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of monitors, each of said plurality of data processing means having one of said plurality of monitors connected thereto.

6. The secured network system of claim 1 further comprising:

a manual A/B switch connected to each of said plurality of data processing means; and

an unclassified network server connected to said manual A/B switch and said data relay switch, said unclassified network server providing unclassified data through said manual A/B switch to said plurality of data processing means whenever said manual A/B switch is set to a first position, said manual A/B switch being adapted to pass classified data therethrough whenever said manual A/B switch is set to a second position.

7. A secured network system comprising:

a plurality of computers for receiving and processing classified data;

a plurality of network card readers, each of said plurality of network card readers being adapted to receive a microchip embedded card, each of said plurality of network card reader readers providing a classified access authorization signal whenever said microchip embedded card is presented thereto;

a readykey controller connected to each of said plurality of network card readers to receive said classified access authorization signal from each of said plurality of network card readers;

a classified network server for providing said classified data;

a data relay switch connected to said readykey controller, said data relay switch being connected to said classified network server and each of said plurality of computers;

said readykey controller, responsive to said classified access authorization signal from one of said plurality of network card readers, enabling said data relay switch to provide for a data transfer from said classified network server through said data relay switch to an associated one of said plurality of computers allowing a user of said secured network system to process said classified data with said associated one of said plurality of computers;

each of said plurality of computers having a power relay switch connected thereto;

said readykey controller being connected to the power relay switch of each of said plurality of computers;

said readykey controller being adapted to activate said power relay switch of each of said plurality of computers;

a plurality of central processing unit card readers, each of said plurality of central processing unit card readers being connected to said readykey controller, each of said plurality of central processing unit card readers being adapted to receive said microchip embedded card, each of said plurality of central processing unit card readers generating a computer access authorization signal whenever said microchip embedded card is presented thereto;

said readykey controller receiving the computer access authorization signal from each of said plurality of central processing unit card readers, said readykey controller being adapted to activate said power relay switch of each of said plurality of computers in response to the computer access authorization signal from an associated one of said plurality of central processing unit card readers, said power relay switch of each of said plurality of computers when activated coupling said computer to an external power source.

8. The secured network system of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of monitors, each of said plurality of computers having one of said plurality of monitors connected thereto.

9. The secured network system of claim 7 further comprising:

a manual A/B switch connected to each of said plurality of computers; and

an unclassified network server connected to said manual A/B switch and said data relay switch, said unclassified network server providing unclassified data through said manual A/B switch to said plurality of computers whenever said manual A/B switch is set to a first position, said manual A/B switch being adapted to pass classified data therethrough whenever said manual A/B switch is set to a second position.

10. The secured network system of claim 7 wherein said power relay switch of each of said plurality of said digital computers includes a tamper switch connected to said readykey controller, an unauthorized removal of said power relay switch from any one of said plurality of digital computer activates said tamper switch associated therewith sending an electrical alarm signal to said readykey controller.

11. The secured network system of claim 7 wherein each of said plurality of computers comprises a digital computer.

12. A secured network system comprising:

a plurality of digital computers for receiving and processing classified data;

a plurality of monitors, each of said plurality of digital computers having one of said plurality of monitors connected thereto;

a plurality of network card readers, each of said plurality of network card readers being adapted to receive a microchip embedded card, each of said plurality of network card reader readers providing a classified access authorization signal whenever said microchip embedded card is presented thereto;

a readykey controller connected to each of said plurality of network card readers to receive said classified access authorization signal from each of said plurality of network card readers;

a classified network server for providing said classified data;

a data relay switch connected to said readykey controller, said data relay switch being connected to said classified network server and each of said plurality of digital computers;

said readykey controller, responsive to said classified access authorization signal from one of said plurality of network card readers, enabling said data relay switch to provide for a data transfer from said classified network server through said data relay switch to an associated one of said plurality of digital computers allowing a user of said secured network system to process said classified data with said associated one of said plurality of digital computers;

each of said plurality of digital computers having a power relay switch connected thereto;

said readykey controller being connected to the power relay switch of each of said plurality of digital computers;

said readykey controller being adapted to activate said power relay switch of each of said plurality of digital computers;

a plurality of central processing unit card readers, each of said plurality of central processing unit card readers being connected to said readykey controller, each of said plurality of central processing unit card readers being adapted to receive said microchip embedded card, each of said plurality of central processing unit card readers generating a computer access authorization signal whenever said microchip embedded card is presented thereto;

said readykey controller receiving the computer access authorization signal from each of said plurality of central processing unit card readers, said readykey controller being adapted to activate said power relay switch of each of said plurality of digital computers in response to the computer access authorization signal from an associated one of said plurality of central processing unit card readers, said power relay switch of each of said plurality of digital computers when activated coupling said digital computer to an external power source; and

said power relay switch of each of said plurality of digital computers including a tamper switch connected to said readykey controller, an unauthorized removal of said power relay switch from any one of said plurality of digital computer activates said tamper switch associated therewith sending an electrical alarm signal to said readykey controller.

13. The secured network system of claim 12 further comprising:

a manual A/B switch connected to each of said plurality of digital computers; and

an unclassified network server connected to said manual A/B switch and said data relay switch, said unclassified network server providing unclassified data through said manual A/B switch to said plurality of digital computers whenever said manual A/B switch is set to a first position, said manual A/B switch being adapted to pass classified data therethrough whenever said manual A/B switch is set to a second position.