Patents by Inventor Peter Samuel Atherton

Peter Samuel Atherton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10038555
    Abstract: In a system and method of completing a transaction over a network, a personal electronic device (PED) receives transaction information; captures biometric information from the PED user; and uses such information to identify if the user is an authorized user of the PED. If the captured biometric information identifies an authorized user of the PED, the PED: enables a first one of a pair of cryptographic keys stored on the PED corresponding to the identified authorized user; generates a digital signature for the transaction using the enabled first key; generates an authenticated transaction request using the received transaction information; and transmits the authenticated transaction request to a transaction approval center via the network. The transaction approval center uses the authenticated transaction request to complete the transaction; and the PED receives confirmation regarding the transaction from the transaction approval center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: MIKOH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Patent number: 9867042
    Abstract: Disclosed is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising: an RFID functional portion configured to enable wireless communication between the RFID tag and an RFID reader; a data processing functional portion with asymmetric cryptographic capability; and a power source configured to power the data processing functional portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: MIKOH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Publication number: 20150046707
    Abstract: In a system and method of completing a transaction over a network, a personal electronic device (PED) receives transaction information; captures biometric information from the PED user; and uses such information to identify if the user is an authorized user of the PED. If the captured biometric information identifies an authorized user of the PED, the PED: enables a first one of a pair of cryptographic keys stored on the PED corresponding to the identified authorized user; generates a digital signature for the transaction using the enabled first key; generates an authenticated transaction request using the received transaction information; and transmits the authenticated transaction request to a transaction approval center via the network. The transaction approval center uses the authenticated transaction request to complete the transaction; and the PED receives confirmation regarding the transaction from the transaction approval center.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: MIKOH Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Publication number: 20140286491
    Abstract: Disclosed is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising: an RFID functional portion configured to enable wireless communication between the RFID tag and an RFID reader; a data processing functional portion with asymmetric cryptographic capability; and a power source configured to power the data processing functional portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: MIKOH Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Patent number: 8843760
    Abstract: A biometric and cryptographic processing unit includes a biometric receiver receiving biometric information of a BCU user. A biometric unit of the BCU has a store of biometric information of an authorized BCU user and compares received biometric information with the stored biometric information to determine if the user is an authorized BCU user. A cryptographic unit generates/stores an asymmetric cryptographic public/private key pair associated with each authorized BCU user. An input/output port allows encrypted/unencrypted data to be input to/output from the BCU. The cryptographic unit operates in response to a specific authorized user giving permission to undertake a specific cryptographic operation on data input to the BCU only upon the specific authorized user being determined as an authorized BCU user, whereby a specific private key corresponding to the specific authorized user is enabled for use in the specific cryptographic operation after which the specific private key is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Mikoh Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Patent number: 8646198
    Abstract: A container to receive goods to be held securely. The container includes a hollow body with walls, and a lid with walls. A security assembly extends between one of the walls and one of the walls to provide evidence of opening and/or tamper. The security assembly includes a pair of inserts between which a tag (seal) extends that is altered if a container is opened or tampered with.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Mikoh Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Samuel Atherton, David G. Rodriguez, Bruce John Semmler, Jeffrey Charles Robertson
  • Patent number: 8589696
    Abstract: A biometric and cryptographic processing unit includes a biometric receiver receiving biometric information of a BCU user. A biometric unit of the BCU has a store of biometric information of an authorized BCU user and compares received biometric information with the stored biometric information to determine if the user is an authorized BCU user. A cryptographic unit generates/stores an asymmetric cryptographic public/private key pair associated with each authorized BCU user. An input/output port allows encrypted/unencrypted data to be input to/output from the BCU. The cryptographic unit operates in response to a specific authorized user giving permission to undertake a specific cryptographic operation on data input to the BCU only upon the specific authorized user being determined as an authorized BCU user, whereby a specific private key corresponding to the specific authorized user is enabled for use in the specific cryptographic operation after which the specific private key is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Mikoh Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Publication number: 20130305055
    Abstract: A biometric and cryptographic processing unit includes a biometric receiver receiving biometric information of a BCU user. A biometric unit of the BCU has a store of biometric information of an authorized BCU user and compares received biometric information with the stored biometric information to determine if the user is an authorized BCU user. A cryptographic unit generates/stores an asymmetric cryptographic public/private key pair associated with each authorized BCU user. An input/output port allows encrypted/unencrypted data to be input to/output from the BCU. The cryptographic unit operates in response to a specific authorized user giving permission to undertake a specific cryptographic operation on data input to the BCU only upon the specific authorized user being determined as an authorized BCU user, whereby a specific private key corresponding to the specific authorized user is enabled for use in the specific cryptographic operation after which the specific private key is disabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventor: Peter Samuel ATHERTON
  • Patent number: 8381991
    Abstract: An RFID tag that is foldable about a generally transverse fold line. The line divides the tag into two regions. One region has an RFID integrated circuit and areas of electrically conductive material. The other region has conductive areas that provide an efficient RFID antenna. In a folded configuration the areas are operatively associated with the integrated circuit while in the open configuration the areas are not functionally associated with the integrated circuit. Accordingly in the open configuration the tag is disabled or its RFID performance substantially degraded. The tag can be reversibly altered between the open and folded configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Mikoh Company
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Publication number: 20120131350
    Abstract: A biometric and cryptographic processing unit includes a biometric receiver receiving biometric information of a BCU user. A biometric unit of the BCU has a store of biometric information of an authorized BCU user and compares received biometric information with the stored biometric information to determine if the user is an authorized BCU user. A cryptographic unit generates/stores an asymmetric cryptographic public/private key pair associated with each authorized BCU user. An input/output port allows encrypted/unencrypted data to be input to/output from the BCU. The cryptographic unit operates in response to a specific authorized user giving permission to undertake a specific cryptographic operation on data input to the BCU only upon the specific authorized user being determined as an authorized BCU user, whereby a specific private key corresponding to the specific authorized user is enabled for use in the specific cryptographic operation after which the specific private key is disabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: MIKOH Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Patent number: 8169318
    Abstract: An RFID tag includes a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface. An RFID integrated circuit is disposed on the top surface of the substrate. A first electrically conductive region is associated with the top surface of the substrate and electrically coupled to the RFID integrated circuit. A second electrically conductive region is associated with the bottom surface of the substrate and electrically coupled to the first conductive region, the first and second conductive regions forming an RFID antenna. The RFID integrated circuit, first conductive region and second conductive region together provide an RFID function. An attachment layer is associated with the bottom surface of the substrate for attaching the tag to a surface. An adhesion modifying layer modifies the adhesion of the second conductive region such that the second conductive region is disrupted if the tag is tampered or removed from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Mikoh Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Publication number: 20110147256
    Abstract: A container to receive goods to be held securely. The container includes a hollow body with walls, and a lid with walls. A security assembly extends between one of the walls and one of the walls to provide evidence of opening and/or tamper. The security assembly includes a pair of inserts between which a tag (seal) extends that is altered if a container is opened or tampered with.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Peter Samuel Atherton, David G. Rodriguez, Jeffrey Charles Robertson
  • Publication number: 20100230498
    Abstract: An RFID tag that is foldable about a generally transverse fold line. The line divides the tag into two regions. One region has an RFID integrated circuit and areas of electrically conductive material. The other region has conductive areas that provide an efficient RFID antenna. In a folded configuration the areas are operatively associated with the integrated circuit while in the open configuration the areas are not functionally associated with the integrated circuit. Accordingly in the open configuration the tag is disabled or its RFID performance substantially degraded. The tag can be reversibly altered between the open and folded configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Publication number: 20080272885
    Abstract: The RF antenna portion and the RFID electronics portion of an RFID tag are produced separately and assembled on the item to be tagged. This reduces the overall cost of the RFID tagging process, in addition to providing other benefits. Specifically, the RF antenna is pre-applied to an item that is to be tagged and the RFID electronics are applied separately to the item in the form of a discrete RFID electronics module that couples to the pre-applied RF antenna to provide an RFID capability for the item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: MIKOH Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Publication number: 20080245791
    Abstract: A container enclosing an interior and having at least one door that can be displaced from a closed position preventing access to the interior, and an open position providing access to the interior; the container including: a first recess, the recess being in the door; an insert projecting into the recess so as to extend outwardly therefrom to provide an insert portion outside the slot; a second recess, the second recess being in a part of the container other than the door; a second insert, the second insert projecting inwardly of the second recess so as to extend outwardly therefrom to provide an insert portion outside the second recess; and wherein when the door is in the closed position the portions are adjacently located so that when secured together movement of the door toward the open position is inhibited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventor: Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Publication number: 20020131174
    Abstract: A diffraction surface and a method of making the surface. The surface may be applied to labels and other items to identify the origin of the goods to which the label is attached. The surface can include a block grating including ridges and recesses in the enclosed squares or rectangles. The diffraction grating is manufactured by processing a data stream indicative of the image, including obtaining a Fourier Transform of the data stream and preferably clipping and quantising the data stream, and deforming a plate surface in accordance with the data stream. Also claimed is a diffraction grating having spaced first and second portions each producing an image on a receiving surface in response to illumination by a reading light beam, configured such that when the reading light beam moves from the first to the second portion, a change occurs in the first image to produce the second image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: MIKOH TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Peter Leigh-Jones, Brian Frederick Alexander, Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Publication number: 20020044271
    Abstract: A diffraction surface and a method of making the surface. The surface may be applied to labels and other items, to identify the original of the goods to which the label is attached. The surface can include a block grating. For example, the surface could include a plurality of blocks which adapted when illuminated will produce a recognisable image on an intercepting surface. The diffraction grating is manufactured by processing a data stream indicative of the image. Processing of the data stream includes obtaining a Fourier Transform of the data stream. Preferably, the data stream is clipped and quantised.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Applicant: Mikoh Technology Limited
    Inventors: Peter Leigh-Jones, Brian Frederick Alexander, Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Publication number: 20020036826
    Abstract: A diffraction surface and a method of making the surface. The surface may be applied to labels and other items to identify the origin of the goods to which the label is attached. The surface can include a block grating including ridges and recesses in the enclosed squares or rectangles. The diffraction grating manufactured by processing a data stream indicative of the image including obtaining a Fourier Transform of the data stream and preferably clipping and quantising the data stream, and deforming a plate surface in accordance with the data stream. Also claimed is a diffraction grating having spaced first and second portions each producing an image on a receiving surface in response to illumination by a reading light beam, configured such that when the reading light beam moves from the first to the second portion, a change occurs in the first image to produce the second image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Applicant: Mikoh Technology Limited
    Inventors: Peter Leigh-Jones, Brian Frederick Alexander, Peter Samuel Atherton
  • Patent number: 5751412
    Abstract: A viewing device to aid in authenticating an optical surface. The device includes a laser diode which produces a beam of light. The device includes a viewing screen which receives a diffracted image produced by the beam illuminating the surface. The device further includes a lens system which causes the diffracted beam to be focused on the viewing screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Mikoh Technology Limited
    Inventors: Graham Duell, Graeme Bullock, Daphne Flynn, Steven Martinuzzo, Belinda Stening, Peter Samuel Atherton