Method, apparatus, system and firmware for secure transactions
AssigneeDallas Semiconductor Corporation
InventorsStephen M. Curry, Donald W. Loomis, Christopher W. Fox
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to an electronic module used for secure transactions. More specifically, the electronic module is capable of passing information back and forth between a service provider's equipment via a secure, encrypted technique so that money and other valuable data can be securely passed electronically. The module is capable of being programmed, keeping track of real time, recording transactions for later review, and creating encryption key pairs.
Claims16
A microcontroller based secure transaction integrated circuit comprising:
- a microcontroller core;
- a math coprocessor connected to said microcontroller core, said math coprocessor being for handling complex mathematics of encryption and decryption;
- memory circuitry which can be programmed by a service provider to enable said microcontroller based secure transaction integrated circuit to perform predetermined functions on behalf of the service provider and for the benefit of an end user, said memory circuitry being connected to said microcontroller core;
- an input/output circuit, connected to said microcontroller core, for exchanging information with a device external to said microcontroller based secure transaction integrated circuit;
- and
- a real time clock, connected to said microcontroller core, for providing a time measurement for time stamping a predetermined function.
A secure transaction integrated circuit comprising:
- a microcontroller core;
- a memory circuit, in communication with said microcontroller core, for storing a transaction program;
- a modular exponentiation accelerator circuit, in communication with said microcontroller core, for performing encryption and decryption calculations;
- an input/output circuit, in communication with said microcontroller core, for receiving and transmitting data information with another electronic device;
- and
- a clock circuit for measuring time and providing time stamp information responsive to functions being performed by said microcontroller core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.