Portable authorization device for authorizing use of protected information and associated method

A portable authorization device for selectively authorizing a host system to use one or more items of protected information, including software, comprising:

• a processing unit;
• a storage medium operatively coupled to the processing unit;
• a first interface operative in conjunction with the processing unit and the storage medium for receiving a first item of authorization information from a first type of information authority the first item of authorization information being associated with a first one of the items of protected information and provided by a vendor of the first one of the items of protected information;
• a second interface operative in conjunction with the processing unit and the storage medium for receiving a second item of authorization information from a second type of information authority the second item of authorization information being associated with a second one of the items of protected information and provided by a vendor of the second one of the items of protected information;
• and
• a third interface operative in conjunction with the processing unit and the storage medium for communicating with the host system to selectively authorize the host system to use the one or more items of protected information based upon the first or second items of authorization information being stored therein;
• wherein the portable authorization device is removably couplable to the host system through the third interface.

A portable authorization device for selectively authorizing a host system to use one or more items of protected information, comprising:

• a processing unit;
• a storage medium operatively coupled to the processing unit;
• a first interface operative in conjunction with the processing unit and the storage medium for receiving a key selector from an information authority the key selector being associated with a first one of the items of protected information and provided by a vendor of the first one of the items of protected information;
• a host authorizer operative in conjunction with the processing unit and the storage medium for generating a key based upon the key selector;
• and
• a second interface operative in conjunction with the processing unit and the storage medium for communicating with the host system to selectively authorize the host system to use the one or more items of protected information based upon the key;
• wherein the portable authorization device is removably couplable to the host system through the second interface.

A portable authorization device for selectively authorizing a host system to use a plurality of items of protected information, comprising:

• a processing unit;
• a storage medium operatively coupled to the processing unit for storing one or more items of blended authorization information, each item of blended authorization information being derived from a plurality of items of authorization information;
• an unblending mechanism operative in conjunction with the processing unit and the storage medium for regenerating at least one of the plurality of items of authorization information from the one or more items of blended authorization information;
• and
• a host system interface operative in conjunction with the processing unit and the storage medium for communicating with the host system to selectively authorize the host system to use an item of protected information based upon the at least one item of authorization information;
• wherein the portable authorization device is removably couplable to the host system through the host system interface.

A method for operating a portable authorization device for selectively authorizing a host system to use one or more items of protected information, comprising the steps of:

• coupling the portable authorization device to the host system;
• receiving a plurality of items of authorization information;
• generating one or more items of blended authorization information from the plurality of items of authorization information;
• storing the one or more items of blended authorization information in a storage medium;
• retrieving one or more of the items of blended authorization information from the storage medium;
• regenerating at least one of the plurality of items of authorization information from the one or more items of blended authorization information;
• and
• selectively authorizing the host system to use an item of protected information based upon the at least one item of authorization information.

A portable authorization device for selectively authorizing a host system to use one or more items of protected information, comprising:

• a processing unit;
• a first storage medium operatively coupled to the processing unit for storing one or more encoded items of authorization information;
• a second storage medium operatively coupled to the processing unit for storing decoding information used to decode the one or more encoded items of authorization information, wherein the second storage medium is accessible by the processing unit only if the processing unit receives proper authorization;
• a decoding mechanism operative in conjunction with the processing unit and the first and second storage media for decoding at least one of the one or more encoded items of authorization information to produce at least one respective item of authorization information;
• and
• an interface operative in conjunction with the processing unit for communicating with the host system to selectively authorize the host system to use an item of protected information based upon the at least one item of authorization information.

A portable security device removably coupled to a computer system for selectively authorizing the computer system to use multiple items of protected information, comprising:

• a processing unit;
• at least one storage medium coupled to the processing unit;
• an interface capable of receiving multiple items of authorization information that are associated with respective ones of the multiple items of protected information, wherein the multiple items of authorization information are stored within the at least one memory;
• and
• an interface program for selectively authorizing the computer system to use one of the items of protected information based upon the corresponding item of authorization information being stored in the memory.

A method for selectively authorizing the use of multiple items of protected information on a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a portable security device with at least one memory containing a shared secret and space for multiple key selectors, one key selector for each item of protected information, and at least one I/O port, whereby the key selectors can be downloaded into the security device, and communications can be established with the computer system;
• (b) receiving by the portable security device an authorization request from the computer system to authorize use of a particular one of the items of protected information;
• and
• (c) using the stored key selector corresponding to the particular one of the items and the shared secret to generate authorizing information, wherein the computer system validates the authorizing information and releases the particular one of the items of protected information for use.