Patent ID: 8613052

Claim:
A system for controlling access to at least one computer, the system comprising: a network having at least a portion that includes wireless communication; at least one computer coupled to the network; a handheld device configured to communicate with the at least one computer over the network, the handheld device including: a user interface programmed to receive a user input including first secret information known to a user of the handheld device to authenticate the user to the handheld device, and input of second secret information to authorize the user to use the at least one computer; a processor coupled to the user interface, the processor programmed to authenticate the user of the handheld device and to generate a first time-varying non-predictable value following a successful authentication, by the handheld device, of the secret information received via the user interface, wherein generating the first time-varying non-predictable value includes combining at least a portion of the second secret information and a time varying value; and a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor and configured to transmit a wireless signal including the first time-varying non-predictable value; and a secure registry system including a communication interface coupled to the network, the secure registry system configured to receive the first time-varying non-predictable value and successfully authenticate the user where the first time-varying non-predictable value is matched to the user by the secure registry system, wherein the user of the handheld device is authorized to operate the at least one computer to access resources with the at least one computer so long as the at least one computer periodically receives subsequent authentication information from the handheld device that results in a continued successful authentication of the user for time periods subsequent to a time at which the first time-varying non-predictable value is generated.