Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for securing data transmissions

US4281215A · kind A · utility

64Cited by
8References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 3, 1978
Grant dateJul 28, 1981
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 3, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L2209/56
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for improving the security of data transmissions between stations. The method obviates the need for transmitting user-identification information such as personal identification number (PIN) from station to station, e.g., from the station utilized by the user to enter his PIN and initiate a transaction, to the station that processes the transaction. Also, for added security, the method provides for encryption (encoding) and decryption (decoding) of data during a transaction using encryption and decryption keys produced from different (independent) PINs. The apparatus includes at least one irreversible algorithm module, a random number generator and at least one data file (e.g., disc or magnetic tape storage). The apparatus also includes a comparator or, alternatively, an encoding algorithm module and a matching decoding algorithm module.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.