Modular cryptographic device providing multi-mode wireless LAN operation features and related methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A cryptographic device comprising:
- a cryptographic module and a communications module removably coupled thereto;
said cryptographic module comprisinga first housing,a user Local Area Network (LAN) interface carried by said first housing,a cryptographic processor carried by said first housing and coupled to said user LAN interface, anda tamper circuit for disabling said cryptographic processor the tamper circuit is for disabling the cryptographic processor by disrupting power to the cryptographic processor based upon tampering with said first housing, said tamper circuit comprising at least one conductive trace printed on at least the inside of said first housing so that power to said cryptographic processor is disabled based upon a break in said at least one conductive trace;
said communications module comprisinga second housing, anda network wireless LAN interface carried by said second housing, coupled to said cryptographic processor and switchable between wireless LAN modes.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cryptographic device may include a cryptographic module and a communications module removably coupled thereto. The cryptographic module may include a first housing, a user Local Area Network (LAN) interface carried by the first housing, and a cryptographic processor carried by the first housing and coupled to the user LAN interface. The communications module may include a second housing and a network wireless LAN interface carried by the second housing. The network wireless LAN interface may be coupled to the cryptographic processor, and it may be switchable between wireless LAN modes.
103 Citations
34 Claims
-
1. A cryptographic device comprising:
-
a cryptographic module and a communications module removably coupled thereto; said cryptographic module comprising a first housing, a user Local Area Network (LAN) interface carried by said first housing, a cryptographic processor carried by said first housing and coupled to said user LAN interface, and a tamper circuit for disabling said cryptographic processor the tamper circuit is for disabling the cryptographic processor by disrupting power to the cryptographic processor based upon tampering with said first housing, said tamper circuit comprising at least one conductive trace printed on at least the inside of said first housing so that power to said cryptographic processor is disabled based upon a break in said at least one conductive trace; said communications module comprising a second housing, and a network wireless LAN interface carried by said second housing, coupled to said cryptographic processor and switchable between wireless LAN modes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A cryptographic device comprising:
-
a cryptographic module and a communications module removably coupled thereto; said cryptographic module comprising a first housing, a user Local Area Network (LAN) interface carried by said first housing, a cryptographic processor carried by said first housing and coupled to said user LAN interface, and a tamper circuit for disabling said cryptographic processor based upon tampering with said first housing, said tamper circuit comprising at least one conductive trace printed on at least the inside of said first housing so that power to said cryptographic processor is disabled based upon a break in said at least one conductive trace; said communications module comprising a second housing and a network wireless LAN interface carried by said second housing; said communications module comprising a predetermined one from among a plurality of interchangeable communications modules, and said network wireless LAN interfaces of said plurality of interchangeable communications modules each operating using a different wireless LAN mode. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A communications method comprising:
-
coupling a cryptographic module to a Local Area Network (LAN) device, the cryptographic module comprising a first housing, a user LAN interface carried by the first housing, a cryptographic processor carried by the first housing and coupled to the user LAN interface, and a tamper circuit for disabling the cryptographic processor based upon tampering with the first housing, the tamper circuit comprising at least one conductive trace printed on at least the inside of the first housing so that power to the cryptographic processor is disabled based upon a break in the at least one conductive trace; providing a communications module comprising a second housing and a network wireless LAN interface carried by the second housing and removably coupled to the cryptographic module; and switching the network wireless LAN interface between wireless LAN modes, and using the network wireless LAN to communicate with a wireless LAN. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A communications method comprising:
-
coupling a cryptographic module to a Local Area Network (LAN) device, the cryptographic module comprising a first housing, a user Local Area Network (LAN) interface carried by the first housing, and a cryptographic processor carried by the first housing and coupled to the user LAN interface, and a tamper circuit for disabling the cryptographic processor based upon tampering with the first housing, the tamper circuit comprising at least one conductive trace printed on at least the inside of the first housing so that power to the cryptographic processor is disabled based upon a break in the at least one conductive trace; coupling the user LAN interface to a LAN device; removably coupling one of a plurality of communications modules to the cryptographic module, the communications module comprising a second housing and a network wireless LAN interface carried by the second housing, and the network wireless LAN interfaces of the plurality of interchangeable communications modules each operating in a different wireless LAN mode; and using the removably coupled communications module to communicate with a LAN. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A communications system comprising:
-
a plurality of Local Area Network (LAN) devices coupled together to define a wireless LAN, and a cryptographic device coupled to at least one of said LAN devices; said cryptographic device comprising a cryptographic module coupled to said at least one LAN device, and a communications module removably coupled to said cryptographic module; said cryptographic module comprising a first housing, a user LAN interface carried by said first housing, a cryptographic processor carried by said first housing and coupled to said user LAN interface, and a tamper circuit for disabling said cryptographic processor based upon tampering with said first housing, said tamper circuit comprising at least one conductive trace printed on at least the inside of said first housing so that power to said cryptographic processor is disabled based upon a break in said at least one conductive trace; said communications module comprising a second housing, and a network wireless LAN interface carried by said second housing, coupled to said cryptographic processor and switchable between wireless LAN modes. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
Specification