Abstract: The mouse of the computer is equipped with a reader of an access code located in one or a set of chipcards for users. The reader is connected to an antenna equipping the mouse so that the user has only to present his card to the mouse inside the influence zone of the antenna for obtaining that the access code is transmitted to the computer and that the security device rendering the computer inoperant is unlocked.

Abstract: An electronic-money card is used for carrying out transactions such as depositing, drawing, cash exchanging and transfers of electronic money in an automatic teller machine. A plurality of menus showing a variety of transactions are displayed so that the user to select one of the menus. If the deposit menu is selected, menus for cash and electronic money are displayed to request the user to select whether the money to be deposited is cash or electronic money. If the user selects the electronic-money deposit menu, the user is requested to enter a cash card and a password number. Once the password number is entered, the validity of the user is verified. After the validity of the user has been verified, the user is requested to enter an IC card and to specify the amount of electronic money to be deposited.

Abstract: A system that allows a third party such as a postage meter manufacturer or PSD manufacturer to collate data, process the data and use this information to identify delayed mail pieces that may have been incorrectly addressed. The apparatus of this invention may be utilized by organizations or people who mail invoices, bills, letters, or other items. The foregoing is accomplished by connecting a scanner and control software to a digital postage meter or PSD that would read incoming digitally metered mail. Instead of printing an indicia the scanner would read the already existing indicia and other information on the mail piece and then extract the sender data fields that are contained in the indicia or on the mail piece. The extracted mail data would be periodically uploaded to a data center.

Abstract: A transport container and a transport container managing system are suitable for use for security management when valuable goods are transported by a transportation service.

Abstract: A system for issuing ID cards to which personal information data such as a personal identification number are written and verifying whether or not the information data are successfully written to the ID card. When the information data are confirmed to be unsuccessfully written to the ID card as the result of verification, the card is regarded as a faulty card, and an erase signal is automatically overwritten to the faulty card before discharging the card out of the system, so as to ensure absolute secrecy of the personal information.

Abstract: A method of and device for streamlining, simplifying and inducing the giving of contribution or gift commitments by contributors or prospective gift givers [, and receiving thereof upon receipt that] involves dispersing through a crowd of prospective contributors or gift givers a plurality of keyless, electronic contributions or gifts management devices for immediate entry of consecutive data comprising the identities of the contributors or gift givers making the monetary contribution commitments or monetary gift commitments, and device therefor. Optionally, the method and mode of operation of the device involves a plurality of gift recipients of the monetary contribution or monetary gift commitments, and further includes the step of supplanting a gift recipient or fund-raising organization with another gift recipient or fund-raising organization to which contribution or gift commitments are made.

Abstract: A commercial transaction system (2) uses a multi-purposed credit/debit/identification card (8) having a randomly generated graphic card holder figurecode (10) uniquely corresponding to, but having no discernable relationship to, the card holder. The figurecode is visually discernable or it can be encoded by digital or analog means using magnetic, optical or magnetoptical media. A computer system (4) stores the graphic figurecode along with identification information of the card holder. A reader (14) is used to access the graphic figurecode for comparison with the stored electronic version in the computer system. An information terminal (18) is adapted to receive information from and, preferably, transmit information to, the computer system. Another aspect of the invention relates to using graphic product I.D.

Abstract: A card storage medium accessible from several applications simultaneously has a storage unit, a communication control unit and a file access control unit. The communication control unit includes a command multiplex reception control unit for accepting a command on occasion received from the outside, while successively requiring the file access control unit to perform a command process according to the command accepted. The file access control unit includes an access exclusive control unit for inhibiting access to a file unit that is an object of a command process required by the command multiplex reception control unit if the file unit is already an object of an access for another command process. The card storage medium of this invention may be adapted to an IC card or an optical card which is necessary to comply with diversification or sophistication of users' demands.

Abstract: A verification method for use in a verification system comprises a verification terminal operated by a verification authority, a remote terminal remote from the verification terminal, and a communication link coupling the verification terminal to the remote terminal. The method includes the steps of generating a document data file from an identity document provided at the remote terminal, and then transmitting the document data file from the remote terminal to the verification terminal. The method further includes generating a verification data file that verifies an attribute of the document at the verification terminal. The verification data file preferably comprises a digitized signature of the verification authority operating the verification terminal. The verification data file is transmitted to the remote terminal. Finally, the document data file and the verification data file are merged to produce a verification record. The verification record may be time stamped and stored and/or printed by a printer.

Abstract: A smart card protection system is provided for protecting against unauthorized access of data contents on a smart card through human or electronic-machine tampering. The smart card protection system includes a smart card having an authorized password stored thereon for associated data and a smart card terminal to supply an entered password for accessing the data on the smart card. The smart card includes a comparator to compare the entered password to the stored password, and two counters: a fail counter and a delay counter. The fail counter keeps a fail count indicative of the number of times that the entered password fails to match the stored password. The fail counter is incremented when the entered password fails to match the stored password and decremented when the entered password successfully matches the stored password. The delay counter maintains a delay count that is incremented each time the comparator compares the entered password to the stored password regardless of a match.

Abstract: A file management apparatus capable of inhibiting an accessing operation for a plurality of areas within files. The file management apparatus includes a memory storing files each having multiple areas, a first storage unit for storing lock data denoting a locking condition of an accessing operation for each of the files, a determination device for determining whether the accessing operation for areas to be accessed is inhibited by referring to the lock data for the files, and an accessing device for accessing a particular one of the areas when the determination means determines that access to the group of areas containing that particular area is not inhibited. The file management apparatus also determines the inhibited/non-inhibited status for data areas within each file based on lock data and key data corresponding to each of those data areas.

Abstract: Smart card payment process.The card in particular contains an irreversible counter, a balance and a certificate proving the integrity of the preceding informations. The content of the card can only be updated by terminals knowing, the calculation secrets of the certificate. By means of the irreversible counter which intervenes in the calculation of the certificate, it is not possible to reload into the card a prior content (balance/certificate), because such a reloading requires the incrementation of the counter, which renders null and void the prior certificate.

Abstract: A process which provides electronic access to pre-paid funds for cash or payment for goods and services. A card is issued to a customer with a value selectable by the customer. The card has a magnetic stripe with an encoded card number including a bank identification number (BIN) and an account number. The central card processor establishes a zero balance database including the card numbers, but with blank fields for the customer data and the value of the account. When a customer purchases a card, the sales agent transmits to the central database computer which fills in the blanks in the database, activating the account, and transmits an acknowledgement signal back to the sales agent. The customer can immediately use the card in ATM or other remote terminals to acquire cash or purchase goods and services. The customer inputs a PIN number which is provided with the card, or a customer selected alternative PIN number.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing secure electronic financial transactions are disclosed. Money is electronically stored on a plurality of smart cards. At least one smart card is equipped with an electronic security wall having a closed state and an open state. In the closed state, the smart card is disabled from participating in at least one financial transaction, and in the open state, the smart card may participate in at least one financial transaction. At least one smart card is equipped with at least one of a first security key for changing the state of the electronic security wall from the open state to the closed state, and a second security key for changing the state of the electronic security wall from the closed state to the open state.

Abstract: This invention describes a combination of methods and apparatus that creates electronic money for personal transactions which integrates the functions of cash, checks and credit cards with constant surveilance against fraud. This money can also serve as an international medium-of-exchange, and support automated sales tax collections and payment. This money's support system is comprised of personal terminals, vendor terminals, an electronic banking sub-system, and homebase terminals. Such a system, if widely used, would increase commercial and personal productivity, provide better security against fraud and counterfeiting, facilitate the automation of operations that involve currency, and sharply diminish the flood of paper that threatens to inundate the present system.

Abstract: A firm banking terminal having a data inputting unit, a dismantlement monitor for outputting a detection signal when the terminal body is dismantled, a processor for stopping operation of the terminal when it receives the detection signal, and a memory for storing authorization data allowing dismantlement of the terminal without interrupting normal operations when the data received through the data inputting unit coincides with the authorization data.

Abstract: A mechanism for an automated system to allow a user of the system to demonstrate his legitimacy by demonstration of secret knowledge. The mechanism is resistant to compromise by observation of its use. An array of symbols is presented to the user and the user is required to manipulate several symbols at once until assigned key symbols are manipulated into predetermined states. Doing so effectively prevents an observer from determining which symbols are the ones of interest. For example, pushing a button might cause several symbols in the array to exchange their positions. The user continues to do this, having, perhaps, to use several different buttons, until a certain subset of the symbols appears in certain locations within the array. (In this example, the arrangement of this subset of symbols is the user's password or PIN.

Abstract: This invention relates to a coupler which allows a host processor such as, for example, a personal computer or point of sale device or the like to communicate with and control a portable data carrier. A portable data carrier is a portable device which contains integrated circuit(s). Examples of portable data carriers are Integrated Circuit Cards, data keys, super smart cards, and smart coins. The coupler is adapted to receive the card in a standard card receptacle or card reader to establish connection between the card and a connector in the coupler to which the necessary control signals are applied. The presence of an integrated circuit card is detected in the coupler's card connector terminal which provides a card present signal to the host processor. The host, in turn, provides Clear-To-Send (CTS), Request-To-Send (RTS), Data-Set-Ready (DSR) and Data-Terminal-Ready (DTR) signals.

Abstract: A transaction recording system comprises means for inputting transaction data, means for storing said transaction data, means for writing the transaction data input from said inputting means into said storing means, means for reading out required transaction data from said storing means and outputting them, and means for changing account processing data of a memo item and its related items among the transaction data stored in said storing means. A transaction recording method comprises the steps corresponding to the respective means of the system. The transaction recording system and method permit the transaction data to be later changed thereby to provide data useful for processing an account such as a household account book.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for protecting a selective access system against fraudulent use of a magnetic card having a confidential card. Each cade (CM) is associated with a class corresponding to a zone of a memory (PROM). The number of classes is equal to the number of zones and is substantially less than the number of cards (CM) which may be presented. At each failure to input a confidential code, one of the bits is modified in the corresponding memory zone.

Abstract: The system comprises memory cards and card readers. The card memories (MEM) include validation memory points V.sub.j and credit memory points C.sub.i,j. The addresses of the validation points V.sub.j and the addresses of the associated credit point C.sub.i,j are defined by a reference table (TRR) and a permutation table (TP) which make use of a data item (Z.sub.F) which is specific to the card.

Abstract: A computerized data-bearing card which includes an internal microcomputer chip which includes a random access memory, a read-only memory and a programmable read-only memory, and which is constructed so that digitized data may be read from and written into the microcomputer by an independent reader/writer unit. Communication between the card and the reader/writer unit is by means of interactive photoelectric transducers provided in the card and the reader/writer unit. The circuitry within the card is electrically energized by electromagnetic induction from the reader/writer unit, thereby obviating any need for internal batteries, electrical connections to external power supplies and electric switches. Clock signals from the microcomputer are also supplied to the reader/writer unit by interactive photoelectric transducers.