Access control system for transmitting data from a central station to a plurality of receiving stations and method therefor

• US 4,677,434 A
• Filed: 10/17/1984
• Issued: 06/30/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ICE Data Services, Inc. (Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lotus Information Network Corporation
• Inventors: Fascenda, Anthony C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Application Number:
  US06/662,251
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.26-825.34, 340/825.44-825.48, 340/311.1, 340/825.52, 340/825.53, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 178/22.01, 178/22.08, 178/22.1, 179/1.5 S, 179/2 EC, 455/89
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1804 for stock exchange and similar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

An apparatus and a method of providing an access control for transmitted stock market data from a central radio station to a plurality of one-way radio receivers. Into each receiver is inputted an access code including a cypher pointer which provides for scrambling of the remainder of the access code which includes the authorized services, the service cutoff date, and the unit serial number which is unique to a particular receiver. The cypher pointer is used to rotate a common map in the receiver used for unscrambling and in the central station used for scrambling. In order to receive service, the permanently stored serial number of the unit must compare with the serial number of the access code, the cutoff date must be greater than the present system date transmitted from the central station, and there must be an authorized service class.

Claims

1. An access control system for transmitting data from a central station to a plurality of receiving stations each of said receiving stations each of said receiving stations comprising:

first memory means for permanently storing a unique serial number;

second temporary memory means for storing a manually inputted access code including in scrambled form said serial number and a service cutoff and also including a cypher pointer which is not scrambled;

map means responsive to said cypher pointer for unscrambling said scrambled serial number and cutoff date; and

means for comparing said unscrambled serial number with said permanently stored serial number for validating said receiving station to allow such station to receive said transmitted data.

2. A system as in claim 1 where said cypher pointer of said access code is related to and determines the scrambled form of said access code.

3. A system as in claim 1 including means for receiving a system date from said central station and for comparing with said cutoff date for terminating operation of said receiver.

4. A system as in claim 1 including means at said central station for randomly generating a new cypher pointer when said cutoff date is reached for a receiving station said central station also having map means, equivalent to said map means at said receiving stations, which is responsive to said new cypher pointer for generating a new access code for such receiving station which is substantially different than a previous or old access code.

5. A process of access control for a system of transmitting data from a central station to a plurality of receiving stations using equivalent maps at said central station and all of said receiving stations for scrambling the bits of an access code at the central station and unscrambling at the receiving stations comprising the following steps:

permanently storing in each receiving station a unique serial number;

providing an access code which includes said unique serial number;

scrambling at least a portion of said access code by use of said map at said central station;

manually inputting said scrambled access code into a receiving station having a corresponding serial number;

unscrambling said inputted scrambled access code by use of said map in said receiving station;

comparing, in said receiving station said permanently stored number with the serial number which is part of said unscrambled access code;

and if a comparison occurs allowing said receiving station to receive said data.

6. A process as in claim 5 where said access code includes an individualized cypher pointer which is not scrambled and including the step of using said pointer to rotate said maps of said central station and said receiving station both for scrambling and unscrambling.

7. A process as in claim 6 including the steps of randomly generating a new cypher pointer for the access code of a receiving station when a billing period of a predetermined plurality of days has expired, scrambling said access code by use of said pointer and said map at said central station, and storing said scrambled access code in said receiving station.

8. A process as in claim 5 where said access code includes a list of at least part of a plurality of authorized services, said transmitted data including all of said services each prefaced with a service identification code including the step of comparing said identification code with said list of authorized services.

9. A process as in claim 5 where said access code includes a service cutoff date including the step of receiving a system date and comparing it with said cutoff date.