US5745555A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method using personal identification numbers and associated prompts for controlling unauthorized use of a security device and unauthorized access to a resource
Assignee: Smart Tone Authentication Inc
•
Filing: 1996-06-07
•
Granted: 1998-04-28
•
Expires: 2016-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A system and method using personal identification numbers and associated prompts for controlling unauthorized use of a security device and unauthorized access to a resource. The method includes requesting an authorized user of a security device to select a set of N PINs and N distinct phrases, each one of the N distinct phrases being associated with a corresponding one of the N PINs for acting as a prompt to remind the user of the corresponding one of the N PINs. A current user of the security device is prompted using one of the N distinct phrases and the user's response to the prompt is compared to the associated PIN to determine whether the current user of the security device is the authorized user. The current user is granted access to the resource or is granted use of the security device if it is determined that the current user of the security device is the authorized user.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew R. Mark
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 14:26
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q1/00; H04Q1/18; H04Q1/30; H04Q1/44; H04Q1/444; H04Q1/45; H04Q1/453; G; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06Q20/346; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/0873; G07F7/088; G07F7/0886; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G10; G10L; G10L17/00; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/26; H04M1/27; H04M1/274; H04M1/2745; H04M1/275; H04M1/66; H04M15/00; H04M17/00; H04M17/02; H04M3/00; H04M3/16; H04M1/02; H04M1/21; H04M1/215; H04M1/2155; H04M1/271; H04M1/2753; H04M1/2757; H04M1/30; H04M1/50; H04M2201/00; H04M2201/40; H04M3/42; H04M3/44; H04M3/487; H04M3/493
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
315 words
A security method for controlling unauthorized access to a resource, comprising the steps of: requesting an authorized user of a security device to select a set of N PINs and N distinct phrases, each one of the N distinct phrases including at least one word, each one of the N distinct phrases being associated with a corresponding one of the N PINs for identifying the corresponding one of the N PINs and for acting as a prompt to remind the authorized user of the corresponding one of the N PINs, wherein N is a positive integer; storing in the security device the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases; transmitting an encoded signal from the security device to a verification service, the encoded signal representing the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases; receiving the encoded signal from the security device at the verification service; decoding the encoded signal at the verification service to obtain the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases; selecting, by the verification service, a first one of the N PINs; prompting, by the verification service, a current user of the security device for a first time using the one of the N distinct phrases associated with the first selected one of the N PINs as a first prompt; receiving at the verification service a first response to the first prompt from the current user; determining at the verification service, as a function of the first response, whether the current user of the security device is the authorized user, wherein the step of determining includes the step of comparing the first response to the first selected one of the N PINs to determine if there is a match; and granting, to the current user by the verification service, access to a resource if it is determined that the current user of the security device is the authorized user.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
315 words
A security method for controlling unauthorized access to a resource, comprising the steps of: requesting an authorized user of a security device to select a set of N PINs and N distinct phrases, each one of the N distinct phrases including at least one word, each one of the N distinct phrases being associated with a corresponding one of the N PINs for identifying the corresponding one of the N PINs and for acting as a prompt to remind the authorized user of the corresponding one of the N PINs, wherein N is a positive integer; storing in the security device the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases; transmitting an encoded signal from the security device to a verification service, the encoded signal representing the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases; receiving the encoded signal from the security device at the verification service; decoding the encoded signal at the verification service to obtain the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases; selecting, by the verification service, a first one of the N PINs; prompting, by the verification service, a current user of the security device for a first time using the one of the N distinct phrases associated with the first selected one of the N PINs as a first prompt; receiving at the verification service a first response to the first prompt from the current user; determining at the verification service, as a function of the first response, whether the current user of the security device is the authorized user, wherein the step of determining includes the step of comparing the first response to the first selected one of the N PINs to determine if there is a match; and granting, to the current user by the verification service, access to a resource if it is determined that the current user of the security device is the authorized user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a first one of the N PINs further includes the steps of: generating a number using a number generator, wherein the number generator is selected from the group consisting of a pseudo random number generator, a random number generator and an incrementing register; and selecting, as a function of the generated number, the first one of the N PINs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of prompting the current user of the security device for a first time includes the step of providing an audio prompt to the current user, the audio prompt representing the one of the N distinct phrases associated with the first selected one of the N PINs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a first response includes the step of receiving a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals representing the first selected one of the N PINs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
105 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving an encoded signal includes the step of receiving a set of tones, and wherein the step of decoding the encoded signal to obtain the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases further comprises the steps of: monitoring a frequency independent signal characteristic of the received set of tones to obtain a plurality of signal characteristic measurements; and using a look-up database in conjunction with the plurality of signal characteristic measurements to decode the received set of tones to obtain the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases encoded into the set of tones.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the received set of tones includes a plurality of DTMF signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the security device is an acoustically programmable auto-dialer, the resource is a long distance telephone service provider and wherein the step of receiving an encoded signal includes the step of receiving an encoded DTMF signal representing a telephone number, the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: generating, by the verification service, an acoustic signal, to which the security device is programmed to respond by deactivating itself, upon a determination that the current user of the security device is not the authorized user.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
216 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the current user of the security device is the authorized user further comprises the step of: providing the current user a second opportunity to provide proof that the current user is the authorized user if it is determined that the first response does not match the first selected one of the N PINs, the step of providing the current user a second opportunity further comprising the steps of: i) selecting, by the verification service, a second one of the N PINs; ii) prompting, by the verification service, the current user of the security device for a second time using the one of the N distinct phrases associated with the first one of the N PINs and the one of the N distinct phrases associated with the second selected one of the N PINs; iii) receiving at the verification service a second response; and iv) comparing at the verification service the second response to the first selected one of the N PINs and the second selected one of the N PINs to determine if there is a match, wherein a match of both the first and second selected ones of the N PINs indicates that the current user of the security device is the authorized user.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing in the security device the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases further comprises the step of programming the security device by transmitting audio signals to the security device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the resource comprises the verification service.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
283 words
A security method for controlling unauthorized use of a device, comprising the steps of: requesting an authorized user of a device having memory, a display and input keys, to select a set of N PINs and N distinct phrases, each one of the N distinct phrases including at least one word, each one of the N distinct phrases being associated with a corresponding one of the N PINs for identifying the corresponding one of the N PINs and for acting as a prompt to remind the authorized user of the corresponding one of the N PINs, wherein N is a positive integer; storing in the device the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases; selecting, by the device, a first one of the N PINs; displaying, by the device, a first list of PINs from which a current user can select a PIN by using the input keys, the first list of PINs including the first selected one of the N PINs; prompting, by the device, the current user of the security device for a first time using the one of the N distinct phrases associated with the first selected one of the N PINs as a first prompt, to select from the displayed first list of PINs the first selected one of the N PINs; determining, by the device, whether the current user of the device is the authorized user, wherein the step of determining includes the step of detecting whether the current user selected the first selected one of the N PINs in response to the first prompt; and enabling, by the device, the current user to operate the device upon determining that the current user is the authorized user.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
283 words
A security method for controlling unauthorized use of a device, comprising the steps of: requesting an authorized user of a device having memory, a display and input keys, to select a set of N PINs and N distinct phrases, each one of the N distinct phrases including at least one word, each one of the N distinct phrases being associated with a corresponding one of the N PINs for identifying the corresponding one of the N PINs and for acting as a prompt to remind the authorized user of the corresponding one of the N PINs, wherein N is a positive integer; storing in the device the N PINs and the associated N distinct phrases; selecting, by the device, a first one of the N PINs; displaying, by the device, a first list of PINs from which a current user can select a PIN by using the input keys, the first list of PINs including the first selected one of the N PINs; prompting, by the device, the current user of the security device for a first time using the one of the N distinct phrases associated with the first selected one of the N PINs as a first prompt, to select from the displayed first list of PINs the first selected one of the N PINs; determining, by the device, whether the current user of the device is the authorized user, wherein the step of determining includes the step of detecting whether the current user selected the first selected one of the N PINs in response to the first prompt; and enabling, by the device, the current user to operate the device upon determining that the current user is the authorized user.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
194 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the step of determining whether the current user of the device is the authorized user further comprises the steps of: selecting, by the device, a second one of the N PINs; displaying, by the device, a second list of PINs from which the current user can select a PIN by using the input keys, the second list of PINs including the first selected one of the N PINs and the second selected one of the N PINs; prompting, by the device, the current user of the security device for a second time using the one of the N distinct phrases associated with the second selected one of the N PINs, to first select from the displayed second list of PINs the first selected one of the N PINs and to then select from the displayed second list of PINs the second selected one of the N PINs; and detecting, by the device, whether the current user of the device selected the first selected one of the N PINs and then the second selected one of the N PINs to determine if the current user is the authorized user.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3706855A
Cited
US3896266A
Cited
US3806874A
Cited
US4007355A
Cited
US3976840A
Cited
US4130738A
Cited
US4126768A
Cited
US4223185A
Cited
US4201887A
Cited
US4205203A
Cited
US4320387A
Cited
US4342882A
Cited
US4302810A
Cited
US4355210A
Cited
US4471165A
Cited
US4451701A
Cited
US4399535A
Cited
US4482802A
Cited
US4585904A
Cited
US4761807A
Cited
US4490579A
Cited
US4571462A
Cited
US4638481A
Cited
US4759056A
Cited
US4570260A
Cited
US4494114A
Cited
US4494114B1
Cited
US4563548A
Cited
US4571463A
Cited
US4677657A
Cited
US4697072A
Cited
US4620064A
Cited
US4689760A
Cited
US4614861A
Cited
US5023908A
Cited
US4720860A
Cited
US4885778A
Cited
US5168520A
Cited
US4998279A
Cited
US4856062A
Cited
US4710613A
Cited
US4689478A
Cited
US4679233A
Cited
US4827512A
Cited
US4667087A
Cited
US4866756A
Cited
US4797910A
Cited
US4719322A
Cited
US4799254A
Cited
US4815128A
Cited
US4868852A
Cited
US4930129A
Cited
US4763355A
Cited
US4935608A
Cited
US4776006A
Cited
US4972479A
Cited
US4930160A
Cited
US4817135A
Cited
US4941172A
Cited
US5199062A
Cited
US5073941A
Cited
US5125078A
Cited
US4882750A
Cited
US5243175A
Cited
US4980910A
Cited
US5485370A
Cited
US4866773A
Cited
US4939470A
Cited
US5070233A
Cited
US4922527A
Cited
US4935961A
Cited
US5027389A
Cited
US4879743A
Cited
US4910767A
Cited
US5239166A
Cited
US5227613A
Cited
US5058150A
Cited
US4972469A
Cited
US5181238A
Cited
US5063590A
Cited
US5068894A
Cited
US5199061A
Cited
US4995077A
Cited
US5050207A
Cited
US5120939A
Cited
US5170046A
Cited
US5199081A
Cited
US5227612A
Cited
US5054051A
Cited
US5452352A
Cited
US5182767A
Cited
US5022080A
Cited
US5060255A
Cited
US5499288A
Cited
US5365574A
Cited
US5297194A
Cited
US5454035A
Cited
US5036461A
Cited
US5212373A
Cited
US5027401A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-04-27 | 2001-10-27 | 2002-04-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-04-27 | 2005-10-27 | 2006-04-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-04-27 | 2009-10-27 | 2010-04-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |