Patent ID: 8412949

Claim:
A method of using a programming device to initialize a personal digital key (PDK) for use in secure authentication, comprising: reading, with the programming device, user information from a user PDK associated with a user, the user PDK separate from the programming device; determining, with the programming device, a status of the user PDK based at least in part on a registry including data describing the status of the user PDK; responsive to determining that the status of the user PDK is in good standing, determining, with the programming device, that the user is authorized for initialization; reading, with the programming device, notary information from a notary PDK; determining, with the programming device, that the notary PDK is authorized to witness the initialization; acquiring, with the programming device, a biometric input from the user; receiving, with the programming device, data from the notary PDK indicating that the notary PDK witnesses acquisition of the biometric input from the user by the programming device; responsive to the user and notary PDK being authorized, generating, with the programming device, a biometric profile that includes the biometric input; and storing the biometric profile on the user's PDK.