Abstract:
A character input system capable of adjusting a character setting corresponding to an input device and a method thereof are disclosed. The input device includes a plurality of input components corresponding to a default character setting. An input component from the input components is utilized for indicating an input of a first character according to the default character setting. The method includes converting the default character setting into a specific character setting; and determining that the input component indicates an input of a second character according to the specific character setting.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a character input system and a related method, and more specifically, to a character input system capable of adjusting a character setting corresponding to an input device and a method thereof. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In modern life, people usually withdraw money by inserting a debit card or a credit card into an automatic teller machine (an ATM) and then inputting a password. The advantage of utilizing the above-mentioned ATM is convenience; however, such machines provide thieves with an opportunity to steal people&#39;s passwords in order to access their accounts. The perpetrators usually steal a person&#39;s password by placing a film on a keyboard of an ATM to obtain the last numbers the person has pressed, or by utilizing a hidden camera to record the process of the person inputting their password. The perpetrators can then withdraw the person&#39;s money using a stolen or a fake ATM card. As carrying out such methods can be accomplished with very simple devices, the rate of such crimes at ATMs is increasing. 
     The latest ATMs have anti-recording monitors, but their effectiveness on protecting passwords from being leaked is limited. In consideration of these factors, how to effectively prevent a password from being stolen becomes an important security issue. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the objectives of the claimed invention is therefore to provide a character input system capable of adjusting a character setting corresponding to an input device and a method thereof, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem. 
     According to the claimed invention, a method for adjusting a character setting corresponding to an input device is disclosed. The input device comprises a plurality of input components corresponding to a default character setting. An input component from the input components is utilized for indicating an input of a first character according to the default character setting. The method comprises converting the default character setting into a specific character setting; and determining that the input component indicates an input of a second character according to the specific character setting. 
     In addition, the claimed invention provides a character input system. The character input system comprises an input device, comprising a plurality of input components corresponding to a default character setting, wherein an input component from the input components is utilized for indicating an input of a first character according to the default character setting. The character input system also comprises a calculation unit, coupled to the input device, for converting the default character setting to a specific character setting, and determining that the input component indicates an input of a second character according to the specific character setting. 
     The claimed invention provides a character input system capable of adjusting a character setting corresponding to an input device and a method thereof. The character input system and the method can be applied to an input device which needs to prevent confidential data (i.e., passwords) from being leaked, or is capable of replacing arrangements of keys, or allowing users to define personal arrangements of the keys, such as a keyboard of an ATM or a burglarproof device. In the character input system, a calculation unit converts a default character setting into a specific character setting using a randomizing method. In this way, every time the default character setting is converted into a specific character setting, the content of the generated specific character setting is different from before. Therefore, when a user inputs a password, even if a perpetrator records the positions of keys pressed by the user, the perpetrator cannot obtain the password inputted by the user. In addition, according to the present invention, the user does not need to carry out additional operations, such as memorizing an additional password, and the character input system does not require any additional hardware devices to be added, so costs can be reduced. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of a character input system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of a default character setting according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of a mapping table according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of a specific character setting according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of a character input system  10  according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the character input system  10  is utilized for adjusting a character setting corresponding to a keyboard of an ATM. It should be noted that the character input system  10  is not limited to be applied in an ATM. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the character input system  10  comprises a keyboard  12 , a calculation unit  14 , a display device  16  and a storage unit  18 . The keyboard  12 , the display device  16  and the storage unit  18  are respectively coupled to the calculation unit  14 . The keyboard  12  comprises a plurality of keys  30 ˜ 39 . In the present embodiment, the keys  30 ˜ 39  respectively correspond to scan codes 11h, 23h, d3h, 3dh, 74h, b1h, 5fh, 4eh, 88h and 9fh. In a common situation, the calculation unit  14  sets the keyboard  12  to correspond to a default character setting CharSet 1 ; meaning that the calculation unit  14  sets the keys  30 ˜ 39  to indicate inputs of corresponding numeral characters “0”, “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”, “7”, “8” and “9”, respectively, according to the default character setting CharSet 1 . Relations between the scan codes 11h, 23h, d3h, 3dh, 74h, b1h, 5fh, 4eh, 88h, 9fh and the numeral characters “0”, “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”, “7”, “8”, default character setting CharSet 1 . At this time, the scan codes 11h, 23h, d3h, 3dh, 74h, b1h, 5fh, 4eh, 88h, 9fh (the keys  30 ˜ 39 ) respectively correspond to the numeral characters “0”, “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”, “7”, “8”, “9”. The default character setting CharSet 1  can be presented to a user in several ways. Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a diagram of the default character setting CharSet 1  according to the present invention. For example, the numeral characters “0”, “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”, “7”, “8”, “9” can be displayed on the keys  30 ˜ 39  of the keyboard  12  by printing the numeral characters “0”, “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”, “7”, “8”, “9” on the surfaces of the keys  30 ˜ 39 . As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , presently the key  35  indicates an input of a numeral character “5” according to the default character setting CharSet 1 . In other words, if a user wants to input the numeral character “5”, they need to press the key  35 . In the present embodiment, the numeral characters are displayed on the corresponding keys  30 ˜ 39  of the keyboard  12  according to the default character setting CharSet 1 . In other embodiments, however, the calculation unit  14  according to the present invention can also control the display device  16  (i.e., a monitor) to display the default character setting CharSet 1 . Alternatively, in another embodiment, the keyboard  12  can display characters according to a present character setting, meaning that the keyboard  12  can be integrated with the display device  16 ; for example, each key  30 ˜ 39  of the keyboard  12  comprises a small-sized liquid crystal display (LCD) on it for displaying a corresponding numeral character. The storage unit  16  is utilized for storing a mapping table MT. The calculation unit  14  records the default character setting CharSet 1  into the mapping table MT. The detailed descriptions of the calculation unit  14  and the mapping table MT are included in the following paragraph. Please note that according to the present invention, scan codes are not limited to the scan codes utilized in the present embodiment and can be other scan codes. Similarly, characters that will be shown are not limited to the numeral characters in the present embodiment and can be other characters. 
     At present, if the user wants to input a numeral string, “2”, “5”, “8”, “9”, they need to press the keys  32 ,  35 ,  38 , and  39  sequentially. The calculation unit  14  then receives the scan codes, d3h, b1h, 88h, 9fh, respectively corresponding to the keys  32 ,  35 ,  38 ,  39 . Afterwards, the calculation unit  14  reads the mapping table MT to obtain the numeral characters inputted by the user according to the relations recorded in the default character setting CharSet 1 , wherein the numeral characters sequentially inputted by the user are “2”, “5”, “8”, “9”. 
     However, before a user needs to input a password (a numeral string) using the keyboard  12 , the calculation unit  14  receives a notification signal. After receiving the notification signal, the calculation unit  14  converts the default character setting CharSet 1  into a specific character setting CharSet 2  using a randomizing method and the specific character setting CharSet 2  is presented to the user so that the user can input the password according to the specific character setting CharSet 2  and not according to the default character setting CharSet 1 . Please note that in the present embodiment, the calculation unit  14  generates the specific character setting CharSet 2  corresponding to the keyboard  12  using a randomizing method. Therefore, each time the default character setting CharSet 1  is converted into a specific character setting CharSet 2 , the content of the generated specific character setting CharSet 2  is different from before. However, in other embodiments, the calculation unit  14  can set the specific character setting CharSet 2  corresponding to the keyboard  12  according to a self-defining function. Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a diagram of the mapping table MT according to the present invention. Assume the specific character setting CharSet 2  generated at this time records that the scan codes 11h, 23h, d3h, 3dh, 74h, b1h, 5fh, 4eh, 88h, 9fh (the keys  30 ˜ 39 ) respectively correspond to the numeral characters “8”, “1”, “4”, “0”, “7”, “2”, “6”, “9”, “5”, “3”. In other words, the calculation unit  14  records the specific character setting CharSet 2  into the mapping table MT. The calculation unit  14  then reads the mapping table MT to set the keys  30 ˜ 39  to correspond to inputs of the numeral characters “8”, “1”, “4”, “0”, “7”, “2”, “6”, “9”, “5”, “3”, respectively, according to the specific character setting CharSet 2 . 
     The specific character setting CharSet 2  can be presented to a user in several ways. Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a diagram of the specific character setting CharSet 2  according to the present invention. The description of presenting the specific character setting CharSet 2  is detailed in the following. In the present embodiment, the calculation unit  14  controls the display device  16  (i.e., a monitor) to display the specific character setting CharSet 2 . According to the specific character setting CharSet 2 , at present the key  35  is utilized for indicating an input of the numeral character “2”; and, according to the specific character setting CharSet 2  displayed on the display device  16 , a numeral character “2” displayed on the display device  16  corresponds to the key  35  of the keyboard  12 . Hence, if a user now presses the key  35 , the numeral character “2” (not the numeral character “5” according to the default character setting CharSet 1 ) will be input into the calculation unit  14 . Please note that as mentioned above, in the present invention, the keyboard  12  can be integrated with the display device  16 ; for example, each key  30 ˜ 39  of the keyboard  12  comprises a small-sized liquid crystal display (LCD) on it for respectively displaying a corresponding numeral character; that means, the keys  30 ˜ 39  can respectively display the numeral characters “8”, “1”, “4”, “0”, “7”, “2”, “6”, “9”, “5”, “3” according to the specific character setting CharSet 2 . The above-mentioned keys with small-sized LCDs are also covered by the present invention. 
     At this time, if the user wants to input a numeral string “2”, “5”, “8”, 9”, the user needs to sequentially press the keys  35 ,  38 ,  30 ,  37  of the keyboard  12  according to the displayed specific character setting CharSet 2 . The calculation unit  14  then receives corresponding scan codes, b1h, 88h, 11h, 4eh, respectively corresponding to the keys  35 ,  38 ,  30 ,  37 . Afterwards, the calculation unit  14  reads the mapping table MT and obtains the numeral characters, “2”, “5”, “8”, “9”, inputted by the user according to the specific character setting CharSet 2 . Even if a perpetrator has recorded the positions of the keys pressed by the user, the perpetrator can only know that the keys  35 ,  38 ,  30 ,  37  are pressed. In other words, the perpetrator will believe numeral characters “5”, “8”, “0”, “7” displayed (printed) on the keys  35 ,  38 ,  30 ,  37  of the keyboard  12  are inputted by the user. In this way, the perpetrator cannot obtain the password (the numeral characters “2”, “5”, “18”, “9”) inputted by the user. 
     After the user has inputted the password, the process will return to a general situation in which the keys  30 ˜ 39  respectively correspond to the numeral characters “0”, “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”, “7”, “8”, “9” according to the default character setting CharSet 1 , and the calculation unit  14  sets the keyboard  12  to correspond to the default character setting CharSet 1  according to the mapping table MT shown in  FIG. 3 ; meaning the calculation unit  14  sets the keys  30 ˜ 39  to indicate inputs of the numeral characters “0”, “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”, “7”, “8”, “9” according to the default character setting CharSet 1 . For a description of the general situation in which the keyboard corresponds to the default character setting CharSet 1 , please refer to the above paragraphs. 
     The present invention provides a character input system capable of adjusting a character setting corresponding to an input device and a method thereof. The character input system and the method can be applied to an input device which prevents confidential data (i.e., passwords) from being leaked and is capable of replacing arrangements of keys or allowing users to define personal arrangements of the keys, such as a keyboard of an ATM or a burglarproof device. In the character input system, a calculation unit converts a default character setting into a specific character setting using a randomizing method. In this way, each time the default character setting is converted into a specific character setting, the content of the generated specific character setting is different from before. Therefore, when a user inputs a password, even if a perpetrator records the positions of keys pressed by the user, the perpetrator still cannot obtain the password inputted by the user. In addition, according to the present invention, the user is not required to carry out additional operations, such as memorizing an additional password. Furthermore, the character input system does not need any additional hardware devices to be added, so costs can be reduced. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.