User-configurable terminal for displaying, retrieving, inputting and processing data

• US 7,340,462 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dominique Bertrand
• Original Assignee: Dominique Bertrand
• Inventors: Bertrand, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): DARNO, PATRICK A
• Application Number:
  US10/250,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20040122821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,258 Days
• Field of Search: 380/228, 375/240, 701/3, 345/169, 713/156, 275/240, 455/426.1, 705/51
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A terminal for displaying, retrieving, inputting and processing data for the user comprises a central unit, a storage unit connected to the processor of the central unit, a storage unit, elements for communicating with a connection network with access/service provider, a connection interface with a peripheral, a display screen, a keyboard and electrical power. The terminal further comprises a storage unit with confidential access for personal data of a user, elements for identifying an authorised user and encryption/decryption elements. The identification elements are insertible in reading elements and comprise a processor, identification data storing elements, data encrypting/decrypting key generating elements.

Claims

1. A terminal for displaying, retrieving, inputting and processing data for user comprising:

a graphics display central unit configurable as a virtual terminal; and

an identification module for identifying at least one authorized user and establishing, for the one user, a specific operating environment on the central unit based on stored information specific to the one user,

the central unit comprising a memory unit connected to a processor, a memory unit for applications to be implemented by the terminal, communication means to communicate with at least one network for linking with at least one access/services provider, at least one interface for linking with at least one peripheral, a screen, a keyboard, an energy supply means, a memory unit with confidential access for the personal data of at least one user, and a reading means for reading the identification module,

said identification module being removably insertable into the reading means and comprising a processor, means of storing data identifying said at least one user, means of generating for each user a data encryption/decryption key, means of encryption/decryption, means of configuring the terminal as function of the requirements of each user in terms of applications available on the network, wherein,

the identification module of the one user can be withdrawn from the central unit and inserted into another central unit to allow the one user to recreate in the another central unit the specific operating environment created for the one user in the central unit and thus to transform the another central unit, while containing the identification module of the one user, into a virtual terminal for the other user,

the encryption/decryption means by cooperating with said key identifies the one authorized user and initially establishes the specific operating environment on the central unit based on the stored information pertaining to the one authorized user, by encrypting and decrypting data and/or applications exchanged between the network and said user and/or the data and/or the applications contained in the memory unit with confidential access to create the specific operating environment transferable between the central unit and another central unit based on the stored information pertaining to the one user and so as to recreate the created specific operating environment of the one user, as defined at the time the one user removes the identification module from the central unit, on the another central unit.

2. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein,

the stored information, pertaining to the one user as defined at the time the one user removed the identification module from the central unit, is stored on the one network by the one access/services provider, and

inserting the identification module into the another central unit causes the another central unit to access the stored information, pertaining to the one user, from the one access/services provider,

the accessed stored information from the one access/services provider being used to recreate, on the another central unit, the specific operation environment of the one user as defined at the time the user removed the identification module from the central unit.

3. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the information identifying said at least one user comprises the surname and forename, the address of the user, as well as the bank details of the user.

4. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the identification module identifying said at least one user comprise a personal chip card insertable into a chip card reader and the keyboard associated with said screen with a view to the entry of the personal code of each user.

5. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said encryption/decryption means are carried by the personal chip card.

6. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the chip card comprises a controller linked to a bus to which are linked the processor, the means of storing the data personal to the user, a system for determining the configuration in which the user wishes to operate the device, a modifiable algorithm for computing the key for encrypting/decrypting the data and/or the applications exchanged between the terminal, the network and the storage unit with confidential access.

7. The terminal as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that it comprises additional means of identifying the user through the latter'"'"'s anthropometric information and means of combining parameters corresponding to said anthropometric data with the data used by the algorithm for computing said encryption/decryption key.

8. The terminal as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said personal chip card furthermore comprises linked to its bus, a multi-user management system making it possible to render the chip card usable by several entitled persons.

9. The terminal as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the degrees of entitlement of the users are different and make it possible to access applications that the terminal is capable of providing and which are authorized by the degree of entitlement of the corresponding user.

10. The terminal as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said personal chip card furthermore comprises linked to said bus, a system for indicating the programs installed in the terminal, these programs being downloaded into the terminal or available on the network to which said terminal is linked and thus defining the environment of a specified user.

11. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises associated with the central unit, input/output interfaces for the audio signals, for the video signals and for a scanner.

12. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the means of communication with said at least one access provider network comprise a controller linked to the central unit and to which are linked an infrared, a wire interface and a high frequency interface.

13. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that in furthermore comprises a controller of universal computerized inputs/outputs allowing it to be linked to peripherals and to the network.

14. The terminal as claim in claim 1, characterized in that it furthermore comprises a device which meters its energy supply means and its working frequency as a function of its instantaneous computational power which is necessary for it.

15. The terminal as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that said energy adaptation device comprises linked by a bus to the processor of said central unit, a clock generator and a fixed voltage converter, connected to an electrical supply source of fixed Voltage, said fixed-voltage converter being in turn connected to a programmable-voltage converter controlled by the processor and supplying the kernel of the processor, said clock generator being furthermore linked to the processor in such a way as to supply the latter with the signals of frequency f(RAM), f(bus), f(core μ

p) corresponding to the computational power requirements of the RAM memory associated with the processor and of the kernel of said processor.

16. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the applications, on the one hand exchanged between the network and said user, and on the other hand stored in the terminal are of the free software type.

17. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that associated therewith is at least one site for storing data and/or applications which belong to said at least one network and which are intended to contribute to the formation of the operating environment of the terminal including the site sending the terminal the software kernel of the operating system corresponding to the operating environment of the terminal, the kernel becoming active in the terminal and requesting the one site send graphical, audio visual and management software corresponding to the terminal and the operating system.

18. A terminal for displaying, retrieving, inputting and processing data for user comprising:

a graphics display central unit configurable as a virtual terminal; and

an identification module for identifying one authorized user and establishing an operating environment on the central unit specific to the one user, the specific operating environment being based on information specific to the one user stored at a network access provider,

the central unit comprising a processor, a memory unit for storing an operating system and applications to be implemented under the operating system, and a reader for reading the identification module,

the identification module being insertable into the reader and comprising a processor, storage for storing data identifying the one user, a means of generating for the one user a data encryption/decryption key, a means of encryption/decryption, and a means of configuring the central unit to the specific operating environment by retrieving the stored information specific to the one user from the network access provider, wherein,

upon inserting the identification module into the reader, the encryption/decryption means by cooperating with said key identifies the one user and creates the specific operating environment within the central unit by i) initially retrieving the stored information specific to the one user from the network access provider to ascertain a last operating environment of the one user including the operating system and applications previously stored in the memory unit, ii) requesting from the network access provider, a software kernel of the operating system corresponding tot he last operating environment, and iii) upon the kernel becoming active in the central unit, requesting the network access provider send graphical, audio visual and management software corresponding to the central unit and the operating system, and

the identification module can be withdrawn from the central unit and inserted into another central unit to allow the one user to recreate in the another central unit the specific operating environment created for the one user in the central unit and thus to transform the another central unit, while containing the identification module of the one user, into a virtual terminal for the one user by identically recreating the specific operating environment of the one user, as defined at the time the one user removes the identification module from the central unit, on the another central unit.