METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STORING, RETRIEVING AND VIEWING PERSONAL PASSCODES

• US 20080148392A1
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sanchez, Robert J., Akens, Jody H., Mtchedlishvili, George
• Application Number:
  US11/610,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20080148392A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers

Abstract

An apparatus and method provide a user with the ability to store, retrieve and view numerous passcodes in a simple yet secure fashion. Components (300) including a memory (314), a display (112/312), a keypad (108/308), a universal serial bus (USB) port (104/304) and a fingerprint scanning module (106/206/306) are incorporated into a portable housing (102/200/400) or integrated within a cell phone (200) or two-way radio design. A user'"'"'s passcodes are downloaded via the USB and stored for later retrieval. Upon validation of the user'"'"'s fingerprint and personal identifier, an individual'"'"'s passcodes are displayed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for storing, managing and retrieving passcodes, comprising:

a portable housing having electronic circuitry including a memory stored therein;

a universal serial interface (USB) port coupled to the housing for transferring a plurality of passcodes from a remote computer into the memory;

a fingerprint reader for reading a user'"'"'s fingerprint;

a keypad for entering a personal identifier;

a display for displaying the plurality of passcodes to a user in response to the fingerprint and personal identifier being validated by the electronic circuitry.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the personal identifier is user-selectable without restriction parameters.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is accessible by a plurality of users, each user having a unique personal identifier and fingerprint information stored within the memory.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the keypad further includes a scroll key for scrolling through the plurality of stored passcodes.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is incorporated as part of a cell phone.

6. A method for retrieving a passcode, comprising the steps of:

providing a portable housing having a memory, universal serial bus (USB) port, fingerprint scanner, display and keypad along with a controller for the operation thereof;

downloading passcodes into the memory within the portable housing via the USB;

scanning a fingerprint of a user via the fingerprint scanner;

entering a personal identifier by the user via the keypad;

validating the fingerprint and personal identifier via the controller; and

displaying the passcodes to the user on the display once the fingerprint and personal identifier are validated.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising prior to the step of downloading:

selecting the personal identifier by the user without parameter restrictions;

saving the personal identifier; and

storing the user'"'"'s fingerprint.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising scrolling through the passcodes.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the portable housing comprises the housing of a cellular telephone or two-way radio.

10. A portable radio, comprising:

a controller;

a memory;

a display;

a keypad for entering a user'"'"'s personal identifier;

a fingerprint reader for scanning the user'"'"'s fingerprint;

a universal serial bus (USB) port for downloading passcodes from a computer into the portable radio'"'"'s memory; and

the portable radio displaying the passcodes on the display upon validation by the controller of the user'"'"'s fingerprint and personal identifier.

11. The portable radio of claim 10, wherein the portable radio is a cellular phone.

12. The portable radio of claim 10, wherein the portable radio is a two-way radio.

13. The portable radio of claim 10, wherein the portable radio stores personal identifiers and fingerprint information for a plurality of users along with passcodes associated with and retrievable by each user.