Notebook security system using infrared key

• US 6,425,084 B1
• Filed: 10/10/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Durango Corporation
• Original Assignee: Durango Corporation
• Inventors: Behar, Yaacov, Rallis, William N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail
• Assistant Examiner(s): Darrow, Justin T.
• Application Number:
  US09/685,811
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 713/168, 713/170, 713/172, 713/185, 705/65, 705/66, 705/67, 705/72, 380/227, 380/228, 380/229, 380/230
• US Class Current: 713/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/006 Identification G06F11/2289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication

Abstract

A multilevel infrared (IR) type security system prevents unauthorized use of a computer. A program resident on the computer implements a user-validation procedure. An IR key device carries a first serial number and an encryption key. A second serial number corresponds to a device internal to the computer. A mass storage device installed in the computer stores a validation record that includes an unencrypted portion and an encrypted portion, the unencrypted portion including a copy of the first serial number and the encrypted portion including a copy of said second serial number and a user personal identification number. The key device is coupled and interfaced with an infrared port on the computer by the user. The first serial number and the encryption key are read from the key device in order to gain authorized use of the computer. The key device may be decoupled from the computer after authorized use of the computer has been gained, and during operation of the computer.

Claims

1. An infrared (IR) multilevel security system to prevent unauthorized use of a computer, said system comprising:

an infrared receiving port on the computer;

an infrared key device having an IR transmitter and carrying at least a first serial number, and an encryption key, said infrared key device having a transmit switch which is manually operable to send an infrared message to the computer;

a device installed in said computer storing a second serial number;

a storage device installed in said computer and storing a validation record, having a copy of said first serial number and an encrypted copy of said second serial number;

a computer program to compare said first serial number from said key device with said copy of the first serial number inside said computer and to decrypt said encrypted copy of said second serial number, and to compare said decrypted copy of said second serial number with said second serial number; and

means for automatically powering down said computer if said copy of said second serial number and the decrypted second serial number do not match.

2. A security system as in claim 1 including a microprocessor in said infrared key device, which is programmed to enable sending an infrared message using infrared Data Association Protocol (IrDA).

3. A security system as in claim 1 wherein said validation record includes a personal identification number (validation record PIN), said system including a keyboard for a user to enter an entered version of a PIN (entered PIN), said computer program being provided for comparing said validation record PIN with said entered PIN;

and means for automatically powering down said computer if said validation record PIN and entered PIN do not match.

4. A security system as in claim 1, wherein said key device has a key device access code and said validation record has a copy of a validation access code;

said system including means for writing said validation access code to said key device, said key device including means for comparing the key device access code and said validation access code, said system also including means for automatically powering down the computer if the key device access code and said validation access code do not match.

5. A method of providing infrared (IR) multilevel security to prevent unauthorized use of a computer which includes an infrared message receiving port, comprising the steps of:

providing an infrared self-powered key device having an IR transmitter and carrying (i) at least a first serial number;

(ii) an encryption key and (iii) a manually operable switch which can send an infrared message to the receiving port of the computer;

installing a storage device in the computer and storing therein a validation record, said validation record having a copy of said first serial number and an encrypted copy of said second serial number;

providing a computer program for comparing said first serial number from the key device with said copy of the first serial number inside the computer and for decrypting said encrypted copy of said second serial number with said encryption key; and

automatically powering down said computer if said copy of said second serial number and the decrypted second serial number do not match.

6. A method of providing IR multilevel security as in claim 5 including the steps of:

providing a personal identification number (validation record PIN), said method including a user entering an entered version of PIN (entered PIN), said method including enabling said computer program to compare said validation record PIN and said entered PIN to check for a match; and

automatically powering down said computer if said validation record PIN and said entered PIN do not match.

7. A computer-readable medium comprising:

instructions and data written thereon, said instructions and data containing information for the practice of the method of the claim 5.

8. Electromagnetic signals traveling over a computer network comprising:

said electromagnetic signals carrying information for the practice of the method of claim 5.

10. A method of providing IR multilevel security as in claim 5 including the steps of:

providing a personal identification number (validation record PIN), said method including a user entering an entered version of PIN (entered PIN), said method including enabling said computer program to compare said validation record PIN and said entered PIN to check for a match; and

automatically powering down said computer if said validation record PIN and said entered PIN do not match.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

providing a microprocessor in said infrared key device

carrying a key device access code in said key device;

carrying a copy of said validation access code in said validation record;

writing said validation access code to said key device, said key device comparing said key device access code to said validation access code; and

powering down said computer if said key device access code and said validation access code to not match.

9. An infrared (IR) multi-level security system to prevent unauthorized use of a computer, said system comprising:

an IR key device used proximate to the computer by the user to gain use of the computer, said key device carrying at least a first serial number;

a storage device installed in said computer and storing a validation record, said validation record having a copy of said first serial number;

an infrared port in said computer to provide a pathway to receive and read at least said first serial number;

a computer program to compare said first serial number from said key device with said copy of said first serial number;

means for automatically powering down said computer if said first serial number and said copy of said first serial number do not match;

said key device carrying an encryption key and means to transmit the encryption key to said infrared port;

said computer having a device to store a copy of a second serial number;

said validation record having an encrypted portion, said encrypted portion carrying an encrypted copy of said second serial number;

said computer program to decrypt said second serial number from said validation record using said encryption key, to produce a decrypted version of said second serial number, and to compare said decrypted version of said second serial number with said copy of said second serial number;

means for automatically powering down said computer if said copy of said second serial number and said decrypted copy of said second serial number do not match;

said validation record carrying a personal identification number (validation record PIN);

a keyboard for a user to enter an entered version of a PIN (entered PIN);

a computer program to compare said validation PIN with said entered PIN;

means for automatically powering down said computer if said validation PIN and said entered PIN do not match;

said key device carrying a key device access code;

said validation record having a copy of said validation access code;

means for writing said validation access code to said key device, and key device having means for comparing said key device access code to said validation access code; and

,

means for automatically powering down said computer if said key device access code and said validation access code do not match.

12. A security system to prevent unauthorized use of a computer, said system comprising:

a key device carrying a serial number;

means for interfacing said key device with said computer;

a device installed in said computer storing a validation record, said validation record having at least a copy of a serial number and a PIN (validation record PIN);

a keyboard for a user to enter an entered version of a PIN (entered PIN);

a computer program to compare said serial number from said key device with said copy of said serial number and compare said validation record PIN with said entered PIN; and

means for powering down said computer if said serial number and said copy of said serial number do not match OR if said validation record PIN and said entered PIN do not match.

13. The security system of claim 12 further comprising:

means for removing said key device from connection with said computer after authorized use of said computer has been gained and during operation of said computer.

14. The security system of claim 12, wherein said means for interfacing further comprises:

an infrared port.

15. The security system of claim 12, wherein said means for interfacing further comprises:

a USB port.

16. The security system of claim 12, wherein said means for interfacing further comprises:

a PS-2 port.

17. The security system of claim 12, wherein said PIN further comprises:

a string of characters.

18. The security system of claim 12 further comprising:

said key device containing an access code (key device access code);

said validation record containing a copy of said access code number (validation record access code);

means for writing said validation record access code to said key device;

a device in said key device to compare said key device access code and said validation record access code; and

means for disallowing use of said computer if said key device access code and said validation record access code do not match.

19. The security system of claims 18, wherein said access code further comprises:

a numerical string.

21. The security system of claim 19 further comprising:

means for removing said key device from said computer after authorized use of said computer has been gained and during operation of said computer.

20. A security system to prevent unauthorized use of a computer, said system comprising:

a key device carrying an encryption key

means for interfacing said key device with said computer;

a keyboard for a user to enter an entered version of a PIN (entered PIN);

a device installed in said computer storing a validation record, said validation record including an encrypted version of a PIN (validation record PIN);

a computer program to decrypt said encrypted validation record PIN using said encryption key, to produce a decrypted version of said validation record PIN, and to compare said decrypted version of said validation record PIN with said entered PIN; and

means for disallowing use of said computer if, said decrypted version of said validation record PIN and said entered PIN do not match.

22. The security system of claim 20 further comprising:

disallowing use by powering down said computer.

23. The security system of claim 20 further comprising:

disallowing use by locking a hard disk.

24. The security system of claim 20, wherein said means for interfacing further comprises:

an infrared port.

25. The security system of claim 20, wherein said means for interfacing further comprises:

USB port.

26. The security system of claim 20, wherein said means for interfacing further comprises:

a PS-2 port.

27. The security system of claim 20, wherein said PIN further comprises:

a string of characters.

28. The security system of claim 20 further comprising:

said key device having an access code number (key device access code);

said validation record including a copy of said access code (validation record access code).

means for writing said validation record access code to said infrared key device;

a microprocessor in said key device to compare said key device access code and said validation record access code; and

means for disallowing use of said computer if said key device access code and said validation record access code do not match.

29. The security system of claim 28, wherein said access code further comprises:

a numerical string.

30. A method for securing a computer to prevent unauthorized use thereof, comprising the steps of:

carrying a serial number in a key device;

storing a validation record in at least one storage device installed in said computer, said validation record having a copy of said serial number and a PIN (validation record PIN);

entering by keyboard an entered version of a PIN (entered PIN);

providing a pathway to read said serial number through an interface connecting said key device to said computer;

comparing said serial number from said key device to said copy of said serial number and comparing said validation record PIN to said entered PIN;

powering down said computer if said serial number from said key device and said copy of said serial number OR said validation record PIN and said entered PIN do not match.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising the steps of:

storing in said validation record an access code (validation record access code);

storing in said key device an access code (key device access code);

writing said validation record access code to said key device;

comparing in said key device said validation record access code and said key device access code;

disallowing use of said computer if said key device access code and said validation record access code do not match.

32. A method for securing a computer to prevent unauthorized use thereof, comprising the steps of:

carrying a encryption key in a key device;

storing a serial number in a device in said computer;

storing a validation record in at least one storage device installed in said computer, said validation record having an encrypted copy of said serial number and a PIN (validation record PIN);

entering by keyboard an entered version of a PIN (entered PIN);

providing a pathway to read said encryption key through an interface connecting said key device to said computer;

decrypting said encrypted copy of said serial number from said validation record using said encryption key, to produce a decrypted version of said serial number;

disallowing use of said computer if said serial number and said decrypted copy of said serial number OR said validation record PIN and said entered PIN do not match.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising the steps of:

storing in said validation record an access code (validation record access code);

storing in said key device an access code (key device access code);

writing said validation record access code to said key device;

comparing in said key device said validation record access code and said key device access code;

disallowing use of said computer if said key device access code and said validation record access code do not match.