Abstract:
Identification of a user and authorization for the user to interact with a processor are achieved using a transponder that has an identification code programmed thereinto. A detector integrally mounted with a display screen automatically receives an electromagnetic signal from the transponder that is indicative of the identification code. The signal is transduced into an electronic signal that is transmitted signal to a processor, where it is compared with a set of approved user signals and for issuing an approval code. A receipt of the approval code permits an interaction between the user and the processor and causes a display of a communication from the processor to the user. A wireless transfer of data from the processor to a user device is also permitted upon approval.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to communications systems, and, more particularly, to such systems for contactless identification of a proximate user and for authorizing an interface with a processor via a display device.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Members of groups of people often have need to access a common processor via a display monitor, or perhaps via a plurality of display monitors. Authorization is typically required for such access, which is known in the art to be accomplished via the entry of a password or by swiping a card having an encoded magnetic strip attached thereto through a reader.  
           [0005]    A method is described by Theimer et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,050) that includes an ability to control and register interactions of mobile users with computational resources.  
           [0006]    It is known to use transponder devices to identify a person or an object within a defined proximity (Thomas et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,318; Carroll et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,188;Marsh et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,537,105 and 5,557,280; Tyren et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,085; Gelnovatch et al., U.S. Pat. No. H1,606; and Tokuda et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,103).  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for identifying a member of a group and for authorizing the member&#39;s interaction with a processor.  
           [0008]    It is an additional object to provide such a system and method that includes a wireless identification capability.  
           [0009]    It is a further object to provide such a system and method that includes wireless identification capability with an existing electronic device and data transfer therebetween.  
           [0010]    It is another object to provide such a system that has means for connecting to a network.  
           [0011]    It is yet an additional object to provide an integrated device for performing the identification and interaction.  
           [0012]    It is yet a further object to provide such a device that improves ease of access to the processor while maintaining security.  
           [0013]    These objects and others are attained by the present invention, a device, system, and associated methods for providing identification of a user and authorization for the user to interact with a processor. The system comprises a transponder that has an identification code programmed thereinto. The transponder in a particular embodiment comprises a standalone portable personal identification device. In an alternate embodiment the transponder comprises a component of an existing electronic device that is wearable or portable by the user.  
           [0014]    The device comprises a detector that is adapted to receive an electromagnetic signal from the transponder that is indicative of the identification code. The electromagnetic signal is within a predetermined wavelength range, such as, for example, the radio frequency range. The detector is also adapted to transduce the electromagnetic signal into an electronic signal and to transmit the electronic signal to a processor.  
           [0015]    The processor to which the signal is routed has software means resident therein for comparing the electronic signal with a set of approved user signals and for issuing an approval code. In an alternate embodiment the processor also has software resident therein and is in electronic communication with hardware means adapted to initiate a high-speed data exchange between the device and a unit within which the transponder is housed.  
           [0016]    The system additionally comprises display means mounted to the housing integrally with the detector. The display means is connectable for electronic communication with the processor, and is adapted to receive the approval code therefrom. A receipt of the approval code permits an interaction between the user and the processor and causes a display of a communication from the processor to the user.  
           [0017]    In a particular embodiment contemplated, each member of a group would have a personal identification device carried on his/her person during the performance of a particular activity. For example, the system may be used by waitpersons at a restaurant for obtaining access to an intranet-based processor for entering orders and processing checks. Alternatively, members of a group spending time within the predetermined area could be given one of these devices until leaving the area to permit access to an informational kiosk to permit intragroup communications. The particular application has been disclosed in the present inventor&#39;s copending patent application Ser. No. 09/510,758, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
           [0018]    Other areas of potential application include, but are not intended to be limited to, students, faculty, and staff of a school or university; doctors, nurses, and other staff of a hospital, clinic, or doctor&#39;s or dentist&#39;s office; a laboratory conducting sensitive, classified or potentially dangerous research; and staff of a financial institution such as a bank or investment trading facility. The invention is contemplated for use in any location wherein security and personnel identification is desired.  
           [0019]    The features that characterize the invention, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description used in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. It is to be expressly understood that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. These and other objects attained, and advantages offered, by the present invention will become more fully apparent as the description that now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the identification and authorization system of the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 is a schematic of the interaction between the transponder and the reader.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the identification system.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of the system.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]    A description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be presented with reference to FIGS.  1 - 4 .  
         [0025]    The system  10  of the present invention in a particular embodiment is intended for permitting and authorizing communication between a user carrying an identification device  50 . In a particular embodiment the identification device  50  is part of, or housed within, a personal communication and/or processing device  52  such as, but not intended to be limited to, a portable computer, a personal data recording device, a cellular telephone, a watch, or a badge. The system  10  may operate over an intranet in defined area, such as a restaurant, campus, theme park, a resort, a hotel/shopping complex, or a large business. In another embodiment the system  10  operates via an internet, which does not materially change the operation of the invention. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the system  10  operates as a unitary, standalone device.  
         [0026]    The intranet embodiment of the system  10  (FIG. 1) includes a processor, such as a central computer  12 , networked, for example, via lines  13 , to a plurality of interaction stations  14 . Resident on the computer  12  and/or accessible thereby is a database  15  containing a list  151  of authorized user codes and, in a particular embodiment, at least one set of data  152 . Preferably a plurality of data sets  152  are present, each data set  152  accessible in correlation with a particular set of user codes. As an example, a particular group of users having a set of user codes are authorized to access a particular set of data, such as contact or scheduling information for the group. The computer  12  comprises a software package  18  installed thereon, the properties of which will be discussed in the following.  
         [0027]    Input means affixed to each interaction station  14  are connectable for electronic communication with the computer  12  for permitting an interaction between the user and the computer  12 . The input means may comprise devices such as are known in the art, for example, a keyboard  19 .  
         [0028]    A display device  20  is affixed at the interaction station  14  for access by a user and is in electronic communication with the computer  12 , here over the intranet lines  13 . The display device  20  in a preferred embodiment may comprise a video display screen, most preferably a touch screen such as are known in the art. A touch screen is adapted to transduce a physical contact therewith into a location-dependent electronic signal that may be transmitted to the computer  12 . In this embodiment, therefore, the touch screen may also act as an input device. Such screens may be selected from a group consisting of a flat panel liquid crystal display and a gas plasma display, although these are not intended as limitations.  
         [0029]    A detector adapted for communication with the identification device  50  is integrally affixed with the display device  20  at the interaction station  14 . In a preferred embodiment the detector/identification device pair comprises a transponder reader  30  and transponder  50 . An exemplary interaction between these devices is illustrated schematically in FIG. 2, although this is not intended as a limitation. Here the transponder  50  comprises a memory array containing an identification code representative of the identity of the user.  
         [0030]    In one embodiment the transponder  50  may be adapted to transmit a signal, such as in the radio frequency region. In a preferred embodiment, however, the transponder reader  30  comprises a transmitter/interrogator supporting a bidirectional interface through inductive coupling. When the transponder  50  is within a predetermined range of the reader  30 , and the reader is in a “read” mode, the transponder  50  automatically transmits the contents of its memory array by modulating the contents within an incoming signal from the reader  30 . The reader  30  then detects the modulation and decodes the memory array data received. These data are then compared in the computer  12  with the database  15  of identification codes. If the incoming code matches a member of the database  15 , communication with the computer  12  is enabled.  
         [0031]    Preferably the signal emitted by the reader  30  is within the range of 125 kHz to 13.36 MHZ, in the radio frequency range. The transponder  50  may comprise a wireless or contactless, programmable or nonprogrammable, RFID transponder such as are known in the art. An exemplary schematic for the interaction between the reader  30  and the transponder  50 , including the transducing and decoding of the signal, is illustrated in FIG. 3.  
         [0032]    The system  10  thus satisfies a need for a simplified identification of users interacting with a computer  12  to retrieve desired information pertinent to the user. In the embodiment using a touch screen  20 , when the user reaches out to interact with the screen  20 , the reader  30  automatically interrogates a transponder  50  affixed to the user and, if a match is found in the database  15 , authorizes access to the computer  12 .  
         [0033]    Another element of the system  10  comprises means for transmitting a data set  152  from the computer  12  to the user&#39;s device  52 . In this aspect of the invention, the user code transmitted from the transponder  50  is correlated with a set of user codes  151 , and each such set  151  is in turn correlated with a data set  152  to which access is permitted. Then the data set  152  is transmitted from the database  15  via electromagnetic energy in wireless fashion to the user&#39;s device  52 , synchronizing the data between the database  15  and the user&#39;s device  52 . This data transfer preferably comprises a short-term-high-speed data interchange  51  for communicating such information as, but not intended to be limited to, area maps, a meeting place, email, a message, and/or a document. This transfer is preferably performed more quickly than would be possible using traditional wireless communications methods, with speeds in the 1 Mbit/sec-1 Gbit/sec range, once a link is established between the devices  52 / 12 . Once the synchronization is complete, the devices  52 / 12  exchange a signal.  
         [0034]    In an alternate embodiment of the present invention (FIG. 4), a system  10 ′ also provides identification of a user and authorization for the user to interact with a processor  12 . This system  10 ′ comprises a visual display device  20 . Integrally mounted with the display  20  are a first detector  30  and a second detector  32 .  
         [0035]    The first detector  30  is, as above, adapted to receive an electromagnetic signal within a predetermined wavelength range, such as a transponder reader. The first detector  30  is further adapted to transmit the electronic signal.  
         [0036]    The second detector  32  is adapted to receive the electronic signal from the first detector  30  and to perform thereupon a visual scan of a user. The second detector  32  is further adapted to transmit in electronic form data representative of the visual scan to the processor  12 . Such a visual scan may comprise, for example, a retinal scan, a facial scan, or a fingerprint scan, although these are not intended as limitations. The processor  12  has means  21  resident therein or accessible thereby for comparing the visual scan data with a database  22  of approved user visual scan data.  
         [0037]    Upon a match being achieved by the comparing means  21 , a transmitter in electronic communication with the processor  12  transmits an approval code from the processor  12  to the visual display device  20 . The approval code is for permitting interaction between the user and the processor  12  via the visual display device  20  and to display a communication from the processor  12  to the user.  
         [0038]    Exemplary applications include access to email or other messages at intranet or internet kiosks; access to a computer system; authorization by a security system to obtain information or obtain access to an area; authorization to record and complete a sale, such as at a restaurant or retail outlet; authorization to make reservations or register for a class; and access to an information system such as by a medical professional.  
         [0039]    It may be appreciated by one skilled in the art that additional embodiments may be contemplated, including different types of transponders, readers, and peripheral devices, and alternative identification device designs.  
         [0040]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity, and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for description purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the embodiments of the apparatus illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.  
         [0041]    Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use of preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby, the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.