Patent ID: 7162456

Claim:
A method for private personal identification number (PIN) management, comprising: ascertaining whether a first delay period of a preceding PIN has expired wherein said delay period of said preceding PIN is a period of time that must expire before a current PIN can be received, and said first delay period greater than zero if upon said preceding PIN does not matching a validated PIN, said first delay period equal to zero if said preceding PIN matches said validated PIN; receiving a said current PIN after at least expiration of said first delay period; and determining whether said current PIN matches said validated PIN; and delaying for changing said a second delay period to a new delay period longer than said delay period for said preceding PIN if upon said current PIN does not matching said validated PIN, and transferring to said ascertaining, said second delay period greater than said first delay period wherein said current PIN becomes said preceding PIN and said new delay period is said delay period of said preceding PIN upon said changing transferring to said ascertaining so that when said current PIN does not match said validated PIN, before receipt of an another access attempt is permitted said delay period is increased in duration with each successive failed access attempt.