Slim electronic device with detector for unintentional activation
AssigneeVasco Data Security, Inc.
InventorGuy Louis Couck
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Abstract
The device of the present invention, having at least one activation button, is further equipped with a sensor adapted to detect conditions under which unintentional triggering of the activation button is likely. The sensor is operatively coupled with the activation button to suspend its effect when the target conditions are being detected. The undesired side-effects of false button activations, including battery drain and activation counter drift, are thus avoided, increasing the device's lifespan and user convenience. In a particular embodiment, the sensor is a decoy button located near the activation button, which serves to de-activate the activation button.
Claims23
A credit-card sized electronic apparatus comprising:
- a power source,
- a circuit for performing at least one operation comprising cryptographic or arithmetic operations,
- an activation button for initiating said at least one operation by said circuit,
- and a detector adapted to detect an external mechanical stress that is applied to a spatial region of the credit-card sized electronic apparatus beyond the activation button.
A credit-card sized authentication token comprising:
- a battery;
- at least one of a clock for providing a time value, a counter for providing a counter value or multiple buttons for allowing a user to enter data;
- a circuit comprising a secret data element, said circuit adapted for performing at least one operation, said operation comprising generating a client credential by cryptographically combining said secret data element with at least one of said time value, said counter value, or said data entered by the user;
- a display for displaying said client credential to the user;
- a pressure sensitive activation button for initiating said at least one operation by said circuit;
- and
- a detector adapted to detect an external mechanical stress that is applied to a spatial region of the credit-card sized authentication token beyond the activation button,
- wherein the authentication token is adapted to inhibit said initiating of said at least one operation if said external mechanical stress is detected by said detector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.