Smart memory card wallet

• US 7,533,063 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology Incorporated (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology Incorporated (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kianian, Sohrab
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca; Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US09/881,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,889 Days
• Field of Search: 705/64, 705/65, 705/75, 705/67
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• 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 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A system includes at least one server and at least one host computer coupled to a communication network. A memory card wallet includes a content addressable memory that stores server identifiers, such as URLs, and user information associated with the resource provider, such as user identification numbers and passwords. The user inserts the memory card wallet into the host computer, and instead of entering user identifiers and passwords, the memory card wallet can provide such information to the server. When the user enters a server identifier that matches a server identifier stored in the content addressable memory, the memory card wallet provides the user information associated with the matched sever identifier.

Claims

1. A memory card wallet that stores one or both of user information and user passwords corresponding to user-selected websites, the memory card wallet comprising:

an interface for receiving a server identifier from a host computer in response to a user input of the server identifier to the host computer;

a content addressable memory having a data structure comprising at least one entry, each entry having at least one searchable field and at least one nonsearchable field, the searchable field storing at least one pre-determined server identifier corresponding to a respective user-selected website, the nonsearchable field storing user information associated with a corresponding at least one pre-determined server identifier, said at least one pre-determined server identifier and said user information being received via the interface from the host computer in response to user input of the at least one pre-determined server identifier to the host computer; and

a controller coupled to the interface and the content addressable memory, the controller including processing components configured to read, program and erase the content addressable memory, the controller being configured for;

accessing the content addressable memory to determine whether there is a match or partial match between the received server identifier and one of the at least one pre-determined server identifier by comparing the received server identifier with the at least one searchable field,

storing said at least one pre-determined server identifier and said user information in the content addressable memory if there is not a match or partial match between the received server identifier and one of the at least one pre-determined server identifier; and

providing to the host computer via the interface the user information associated with the matching or partially matching pre-determined server identifier from the nonsearchable field.

2. The memory card wallet of claim 1 wherein the memory card wallet further stores a user password, and the controller enables said providing user information associated with the matching or partially matching pre-determined server identifier in the event that a received password matches the stored user password.

3. The memory card wallet of claim 1 wherein the server identifier is a website address.

4. The memory card wallet of claim 1 wherein the server identifier is a website address and the user information includes a user identifier and an authorization code associated with the website address.

5. The memory card wallet of claim 1 wherein the controller stores user information associated with the received server identifier and received from the user via the interface and the received server identifier in the content addressable memory in the event that there is not a match or partial match between the received server identifier and any of the at least one pre-determined server identifiers.

6. The memory card wallet of claim 1 wherein the controller erases said at least one pre-determined server identifier and said user information associated with said at least one pre-determined server identifier in response to an erase command from server associated with said received server identifier.

7. The memory card wallet of claim 1 wherein the controller erases said at least one pre-determined server identifier and said user information associated with said at least one pre-determined server identifier in response to an erase command from a server associated with said received server identifier, the erase command being generated in response to a user command provided to said server prior to an access corresponding to said server identifier.

8. A method comprising:

receiving at least one pre-determined user-selected server identifier and user information via an interface of the memory card wallet from a host computer in response to user input of said user-selected server identifier and said user information to the host computer;

accessing a memory card wallet that stores one or both of said user information and user passwords corresponding to websites in a content addressable memory;

comparing, by use of a controller located within the memory card wallet, a received server identifier received by the memory card wallet from a user input via the interface to at least one pre-selected server identifiers stored in the content addressable memory of the memory card wallet, the controller including processing components configured to read, program and erase the content addressable memory;

storing said at least one pre-determined server identifier and said user information in the content addressable memory if there is not a match or partial match between the received server identifier and one of the at least one pre-determined server identifier; and

providing to the host computer via the interface user information stored in the memory card wallet and associated with the stored pre-selected server identifier in the event that the memory card determines that the received server identifier matches or partially matches one of the at least one pre-selected server identifiers stored in the memory card wallet.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing an indication in the event that the received server identifier does not match or partially match any stored pre-selected server identifier.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising disabling access to said user information stored in the memory card wallet in the event that the received server identifier does not match or partially match any stored pre-selected server identifier.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the providing user information further comprises enabling said providing user information associated with the matching pre-selected server identifier in the event that a received password matches a user password stored in the memory card wallet.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the server identifier is a website address.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the server identifier is a website address and the user information includes a user identifier and an authorization code associated with the website address.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the content addressable memory includes a data structure comprising at least one entry, each entry having a searchable field and a nonsearchable field, the searchable field storing one of the at least one pre-determined server identifier, the non-searchable field storing the user information associated with a corresponding at least one pre-determined server identifier.

15. The method of claim 8 further comprising storing user information associated with the received server identifier and received from the user and the received server identifier in the memory card wallet in the event that there is not a match or partial match between the received server identifier and any of the at least one pre-determined server identifiers.

16. The method of claim 8 further comprising erasing said at least one pre-determined server identifier and said user information associated with said at least one pre-determined server identifier in response to an erase command from a server associated with said received server identifier.

17. The method of claim 8 further comprising erasing at least one pre-determined server identifier and said user information associated with said at least one pre-determined server identifier in response to an erase command from a server associated with said received server identifier, the erase command being generated in response to a user command provided to said server prior to an access of said server that corresponds to said server identifier.

18. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining whether there is a match between a received password and a user password stored in the memory card wallet and disabling access to the stored information in the memory card wallet in the event there is not a match, and allowing access to the stored information in the memory card wallet in the event there is a match.

19. A method comprising:

receiving by a host a memory card wallet that stores one or both of user information and user passwords corresponding to user-selected websites or card readers in a content addressable memory located in said memory card wallet, said passwords and said user information being received via an interface of the memory card wallet from the host in response to user input of said passwords and said user information to the host;

receiving at the host a user-selected website address in response to a user input of the user-selected website address provided to the host;

accessing from the host a website associated with said user-selected website address;

receiving a website identifier from the accessed website at the host;

providing said host said received website identifier to the memory card wallet;

accessing the content addressable memory, by use of a controller within the memory card wallet, wherein the controller includes processing components configured to read, program and erase the content addressable memory;

retrieving one or both of user information and user password associated with said user-selected website and said user information stored in the memory card wallet and corresponding to the identifier from the content addressable memory if the memory card wallet determines that there is a match or partial match between the received website identifier and a pre-determined identifier corresponding to said user-selected websites stored in the memory card wallet; and

providing said retrieved one or both of user information and user password associated with said user-selected website and said user information and corresponding to the identifier from the memory card wallet to the host computer for transmission to the website.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the information in the memory card wallet includes user identification information and a user password associated with the accessed website.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

after receiving said inserted memory card into a host, requesting a password from the user;

determining whether there is a match between the received password and a user password stored in the memory card wallet;

allowing access to said information in the memory card wallet in the event that there is a determined match; and

denying access in the event that there is no match.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

providing a request to store the received identifier in the event that there is not a match or partial match between the received identifier and any of the pre-determined identifier stored in the memory card wallet;

providing a request for user to provide user information associated with such received identifier; and

storing said user information and said received identifier in said memory card wallet.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

deleting said pre-determined identifier matching or partially matching the received identifier and information corresponding to said pre-determined identifier in response to a delete command.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

generating said delete command in response to a user command provided to the accessed website at a time prior to accessing the user selected website address.

25. A system comprising:

a communication network;

a server coupled to the communication network and providing a prompt in response to a user request for access to a portion of a resource and allowing said access to a portion of a resource in response to a match between authorization request information and a predetermined authorization code;

a memory card wallet including a controller and content addressable memory that stores one or both of user information and user passwords corresponding to websites, the memory card wallet storing a server identifier and authorization request information associated with at least one server, instructions for determining whether there is a match or partial match between said user request and said server identifier stored in said memory card wallet in response to the user request, and instructions for providing said authorization request information if the memory card wallet determines said match and in response to said prompt, wherein the controller includes processing components configured to read, program and erase the content addressable memory; and

a host computer coupled to the communication network via a first interface for providing the user request and authorization request information and coupled to the memory card wallet via a second interface for providing said user request in response to a user input, the host computer receiving, via a third interface, a user provided server identifier, the host computer providing said prompt to said user, the host computer providing said at least one pre-determined server identifier and said user information to the controller in response to user input of said at least one pre-determined server identifier and said user information via the third interface to the host computer.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein access to the user information stored in the memory card wallet is disabled in the event that the received server identifier does not match or partially match any stored pre-selected server identifier.

27. A method comprising:

receiving at a client computer a first user-selected identifier as a user input;

providing said first user-selected identifier to a server associated with said first user-selected identifier and corresponding to a website and to a memory card wallet that stores one or both of user information and user passwords corresponding to websites in a content addressable memory located in the memory card wallet, said passwords and said user information stored in said memory card wallet being received via an interface of the memory card wallet from the client computer in response to user input of said passwords and said user information to the client computer;

providing from the server a request for a second user-selected identifier;

accessing, by use of a controller within the memory card wallet, the content addressable memory, wherein the controller includes processing components configured to read, program and erase the content addressable memory;

retrieving from the content addressable memory the second user-selected identifier if the memory card wallet determines that there is a match between the first user-selected identifier and a stored entry in the memory card wallet; and

providing said retrieved one or both of user information and user password associated with said user-selected website and said user information and corresponding to the identifier from the memory card wallet to the client computer for transmission to the server.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the content addressable memory includes a data structure configured for access by the controller such that content stored in the memory may be retrieved without using an explicit address for the content sought.