User customizable secure access token and multiple level portable interface

• US 6,804,786 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2000
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Zhi-Lei, Yourlo, Zhenya Alexander, Yap, Sue-Ken, Chamley, Cathryn Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Darrow, Justin T.
• Application Number:
  US09/657,153
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 713/159, 713/172, 713/182, 713/185, 713/193, 713/200, 713/201, 705/53, 705/64, 705/65, 708/135, 711/163, 235/380, 235/492, 235/493, 902/25, 902/26, 902/27, 902/28, 902/29
• US Class Current: 726/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/23 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

Disclosed is a smart card device having a surface onto which are formed a plurality of user interpretable icons and electronic apparatus attached to the card portion. The electronic apparatus includes a memory in which are retained at least a plurality of character strings each associated with a corresponding one of the icons, a processor means coupled to the memory means, and communication means for coupling the processor means to a reading device configured to facilitate reading of the secure access device. The processor means is configured to relate reading signals generated from a user selection of at least one of the icons and received via the communication means with at least one of the retained character strings to thus perform a secure access checking function for enabling or rejecting user access to a desired service. Also disclosed is a multiple level user interface card for interfacing between a user provided with a card reader communicating with a computer and an application program having a multiplicity of hierarchical operating or ordering levels operating on, or operated by, the computer. The card comprises a smart card or interface card (known per se) having a plurality of user activatable regions thereon and an electronic memory with data stored therein corresponding to each of the regions. Then regions and the data are arranged in a hierarchy with a multiplicity of levels corresponding to the application program levels, and each level has a plurality of regions. Selection of a region of each level in the sequence of the hierarchy activates the stored data in the hierarchical sequence to operate, the application program at the operating or ordering level corresponding to the last selected region.

Claims

1. A secure access device comprising:

a card portion having a surface onto which are formed a plurality of user interpretable icons comprising a set of visible reminder icons providing for user generation of corresponding system set-up data strings, and a set of answering icons providing for user generation of corresponding answer data strings said data strings being retained in a memory of the secure access device; and

electronic apparatus attached to said card portion, said apparatus comprising;

said memory in which are retained at least a plurality of said data strings; and

communication means for coupling said memory to a reading device configured to facilitate reading of said secure access device;

wherein said secure access device is placed in a performing state by a set of at least one of said system set-up data strings that is generated from a selection of a corresponding at least one of said set of said visible reminder icons and received via said communication means said performing state being adapted to process a set of at least one of said answer data strings generated by a subsequent corresponding selection of at least one of said answer icons, to thus perform a secure access checking function for enabling or rejecting user access to a desired service.

2. A secure access device according to claim 1 wherein said set of answering icons depict at least an alphanumeric character set.

3. A secure access device according to claim 2 wherein said set of answering icons further depicts at least one control function associated with forming said set of at least one of said answer data strings.

4. A secure access device according to claim 1 wherein said set of visible reminder icons each comprise an image.

5. A secure access device according to claim 1 wherein said answer data strings comprise position information of corresponding said answering icons on said surface, and said memory means and a processor means together perform a mapping function to associate said position information with said answer data string to thereby interpret a selection of a plurality of answering icons with said set of at least one of said answer data strings.

6. A secure access device according to claim 1 further comprising:

cryptographic means for performing public-private key pair secure communications with a provider of said service in association with said checking function.

7. A secure access device according to claim 6 wherein said processor means and said memory comprise said cryptographic means.

8. A secure access device according to claim 1 wherein said electronic apparatus is formed within a tamper-resistant enclosure and said communication means comprises electrical connections formed on an exterior of said enclosure.

9. A method of personally configuring a device for use by a user, said device comprising:

a card portion having a surface; and

electronic apparatus attached to said card portion, said electronic apparatus comprising a memory, and communication means for coupling said memory to a configuring system arranged for configuring said device;

said method comprising the steps of;

(a) obtaining secure data from said user, said obtaining comprising the substeps of;

(aa) prompting said user to devise a question, an answer to which is known by said user;

(ab) receiving data comprising a system set-up data string from said user corresponding to said known answer; and

(ac) associating a visible reminder icon with said system set-up data string;

(b) configuring said device as a secure access device, said configuring comprising the sub-steps of;

(ba) storing in said memory said system set-up data string;

(bb) forming said associated visible reminder icon onto said surface; and

(bc) storing in said memory a positional relationship between said visible reminder icon on said surface and said system set-up data string; and

(c) forming an interface for manipulation by said user, said forming comprising the sub-steps of;

(ca) providing a set of answering icons onto said surface; and

(cb) storing in said memory a positional relationship between each said answering icon and a corresponding answer data string retained by said memory; and

(d) programming said electronic apparatus to compare, based on a user selection of said visible reminder icon, a set of at least one of said answer data strings generated from a selection of a corresponding at least one of said answering icons, with said stored system set-up data string to perform, in the device, a checking function associated with secure access to a service.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein step (a) is repeated a plurality of times to define a set of system set-up data strings associated with corresponding said known answers, said set of system set-up data strings being associated with a corresponding set of visible reminder icons and step (b) is performed for each member of said set of said visible reminder icons.

11. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of:

(d) forming a protection feature, said forming comprising;

(da) providing on said surface an arbitrary icon not associated with one of said data strings; and

(db) storing in said memory a positional relationship of said arbitrary icon on said surface.

12. A method according to claim 9 wherein said set of answering icons comprise at least an alphanumeric character set.

13. A method according to claim 10 wherein said set of visible reminder icons each comprise an image.

14. A method according to claim 9 further comprising a step of programming said electronic apparatus to provide for public-private key pair secure communications with a provider of said service in association with said checking function.

15. A method of using a secure access device to obtain access to a secure service, said secure access device comprising:

a card portion having a surface onto which are formed a plurality of user interpretable icons comprising a set of visible reminder icons providing for user generation of corresponding system set-up data strings, and a set of answering icons providing for user generation of corresponding answer data strings, said data strings being retained in a memory of the secure access device; and

electronic apparatus attached to said card portion, said apparatus comprising;

said memory in which is retained at least a plurality of said data strings; and

communication means for coupling said memory to a reading device configured to facilitate reading of said secure access device and to provide access to said service;

wherein said secure access device is placed in a performing state by a set of at least one of said system set-up data strings that is generated from a selection of a corresponding at least one of said set of said visible reminder icons and received via said communication means said performing state being adapted to process a set of at least one of said answer data strings generated by a selection of a corresponding at least one of said answer icons, to thus perform, in the secure access device a secure access checking function for enabling or rejecting user access to a desired service;

said reading device comprising;

a communications processor for connecting said communication means to said service; and

a data entry device providing for user selection of individual ones of said icons thereby forming said data strings,

said method comprising the steps of;

(a) obtaining data from said user, said obtaining comprising the sub-steps of;

(aa) detecting a selection by said user of a first one of said visible reminder icons; and

(ab) detecting subsequent sequential selection by said user of a plurality of said answering icons;

(b) checking said data, said checking comprising the sub-steps of;

(ba) associating said selection of said first visible reminder icon with a stored said system set-up data string;

(bb) associating each said answering icon of said subsequent sequential selection with a corresponding answer data string to form a set of said answer data strings; and

(bc) using said set of said answer data strings to perform a checking function to provide access of said user to said service.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said data entry device comprises a touch panel configured to overly said surface and through which said icons are visible to said user.

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein said subsequently selected answering icons together represent an alphanumeric character set and said first visible reminder icon comprises one of set of visible reminder icons each formed by an image.

18. A method according to claim 15 wherein step (a) is repeated plural times corresponding to plural said visible reminder icons, and step (b) is repeated for each said selected visible reminder icon.

19. A multiple level user interface card for interfacing between a user provided with a card reader communicating with a computer and an application program having a multiplicity of hierarchical operating or ordering levels operating on, or operated by, said computer, said card comprising:

a smart card having a plurality of user activatable regions on at least one surface thereof, and an electronic memory with data stored therein corresponding to each of said regions, wherein said regions and said data are arranged in a hierarchy with a multiplicity of levels corresponding to said application program levels, and each level has a plurality of regions, and wherein selecting a region of each said level in the sequence of said hierarchy activates said stored data in said hierarchical sequence to operate said application program at the operating or ordering level corresponding to the last selected region.

20. The card as claimed in claim 19 wherein the regions of each hierarchical level are physically located on said card in physically separated groups such that all regions within each group belong to the same hierarchy.

21. The card as claimed in claim 19 wherein said regions are physically located on said card in physically separated groups such that each group has only one region of a first hierarchical level and at least one region of each of the remaining hierarchical levels.

22. The card as claimed in claim 19 wherein the regions of the lowermost hierarchical level have application operating levels including PREVIOUS, NEXT and SELECT.

23. The card as claimed in claim 22 wherein the number of hierarchical levels is three.

24. The card as claimed in claim 19 wherein the regions of the lowermost hierarchical level have application ordering levels are selected form the group consisting of CONFIRM or PLACE AN ORDER.

25. The card as claimed in claim 24 wherein the number of hierarchical levels is three.

26. The card as claimed in claim 24 wherein the number of hierarchical levels is four.

27. The card as claimed in claim 19 and having said regions located on one face thereof.

28. The card as claimed in claim 19 and having said regions located on both faces thereof.

29. A system for providing a multiple level user interface, said system comprising:

an interface card as claimed in claim 19;

a card reader;

a computer communicating with said card reader; and

an application program operating upon said computer, said program having a multiplicity of hierarchical operating or ordering levels corresponding to the hierarchical levels of the regions of said card.

30. The system as claimed in claim 29 further comprising a user interpretable output device wherein each time a region of said card is activated a user interpretable output is provided from said output device.

31. The system as claimed in claim 30 wherein said user interpretable output device is selected from the group consisting of a display device and a loudspeaker device.

32. The system as claimed in claim 29 wherein a plurality of said card readers are provided each in communication with said computer and each permitting a corresponding user to interface with said application program.

33. A method of interfacing at multiple levels between a user and an application program operating upon a computer, said application program having a multiplicity of hierarchical operating or ordering levels, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing said user with a smart card having a plurality of user activated regions on at least one surface thereof and an electronic memory with data stored therein corresponding to each of said regions;

(b) arranging said regions and said data in a hierarchy with a multiplicity of levels corresponding to said application program levels, each of said levels having a plurality of regions;

(c) providing said user with a smart card reader communicating with said computer,

(d) inserting said card into said smart card reader, and

(e) selecting a region of each said level in the sequence of said hierarchy to activate said stored data in said hierarchical sequence to operate said application program at the operating or ordering level corresponding to the last selected region.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33 comprising the further step of:

(f) physically locating the regions of each hierarchical level on said card in physically separated groups such that all regions within each group belong to the same hierarchy.

35. The method as claimed in claim 33 comprising the further step of:

(g) physically locating the regions of said card in physically separated groups such that each group has only one region of a first hierarchical level and at least one region of each of the remaining hierarchical levels.

36. A secure access device for interfacing between a user thereof and application program having a plurality of hierarchical operating levels and being operable by a computer, said secure access device comprising:

a card portion having a surface on which are formed a plurality of user interpretable icons on at least one surface, there being at least one security icon associated with a security function for enabling access to at least one of said hierarchical operating levels, and at least one functional icon associated with each said hierarchical operating level, said functional icons being arranged into regions on said surface and associated with a corresponding one of said operating levels; and

electronic apparatus associated with said card portion, said apparatus comprising;

a memory comprising a mapping between each said icon and stored data associated therewith, at least each said security icon each having a corresponding stored character string;

processor means coupled to said memory means; and

communication means for coupling said processor means to said computer and a reading device, said reading device being configured to enable user selection of a function associated with a corresponding one of said icons;

wherein said processor means is configured to relate reading signals generated from a user selection of at least one of said security icons and received via said communication means with at least one of said retained character strings to thus perform a secure access checking function for enabling or rejecting user access to at least one of said hierarchical operating levels;

whereupon user selection of a said icon in a said region in a sequence of said hierarchy activates said stored data in said hierarchical sequence to operate said application program at the operating level corresponding to the last selected region.

37. A secure access device according to claim 36 comprising for each said operating level a plurality of said functional icons associated therewith.

38. A secure access device according to claim 37 wherein each said hierarchical operating level has associated therewith a corresponding said security icon and said secure access checking function is performed to enable access to each said hierarchical operating level.

39. A system for providing a service, said system comprising:

a computer operating application program having a plurality of hierarchical operating levels

a secure access device according to claim 36; and

a reading device coupled to said computer and user operable to read data stored in said secure access device to permit user implementation of said service.