Communications network with smart card
First Claim
1. A communication network for communicating information packets, said network comprising:
- an information packet transmitter;
an information packet receiver;
a smart card;
a smart card interface coupled to said information packet transmitter or to said information packet receiver, said smart card interface adapted to electrically engage with said smart card; and
an information packet monitor coupled to said smart card interface, said information packet monitor adapted to monitor for predefined changes in said information packets;
wherein said smart card is normally in an inactive state, but is activated to regulate, based on content stored in said smart card, the communication of information packets when said predefined changes meet the conditions of a contingency rule stored in said smart card.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed to enable a smart card having relatively low data rate and low computational power to control a high data rate communications channel without degradation of performance. The smart card and an associated monitor/interface, which can be implemented in a network access device, are interposed between transmitting and receiving nodes in a network, and configured to intervene when conditions of rules stored in the smart card are met. For example, the smart card can intervene when a packet header indicates sufficient change in information, such as the exceeding of a predefined threshold or a requirement for user authorization/authentication. In one mode of regulating packet flow, the smart card selectively enables or disables packet transmission, reception, or both, according to the rules stored therein. In another mode, the smart card, upon activation, provides rules and modifications for packet data, headers, or both. The rules and modifications can implement communication policies of the entity providing communication services to the user of the services, and can be stored in the smart card to prevent alteration or tampering.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A communication network for communicating information packets, said network comprising:
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an information packet transmitter; an information packet receiver; a smart card; a smart card interface coupled to said information packet transmitter or to said information packet receiver, said smart card interface adapted to electrically engage with said smart card; and an information packet monitor coupled to said smart card interface, said information packet monitor adapted to monitor for predefined changes in said information packets; wherein said smart card is normally in an inactive state, but is activated to regulate, based on content stored in said smart card, the communication of information packets when said predefined changes meet the conditions of a contingency rule stored in said smart card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. In a communication network, a method of communicating information packets, said method comprising the steps of:
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via an information packet transmitter, transmitting information packets; via an information packet receiver, receiving information packets; via a smart card normally in an inactive state, monitoring for changes in said information packets; and via said smart card, regulating, based on content stored in said smart card, the communication of information packets when said predefined changes meet the conditions of a contingency rule stored in said smart card. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification