Patent ID: 7735132

Claim:
A method for authenticating by a smart card using a user device in wireless communication with a physically separate smart card reader, the smart card comprising a microprocessor and a memory for storing a private key and a public key, the memory comprising secure memory for storing the private key, a decryption algorithm, and predetermined authentication information, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting a challenge from the smart card to the user device via the smart card reader over a wireless communication link, the challenge comprising the public key; receiving at the smart card from the user device via the smart card reader over the wireless communication link, a response to the challenge comprising received user-entered authentication information encrypted using the challenge; decrypting the received user-entered authentication information using the private key at the smart card; comparing the received user-entered authentication information with the predetermined authentication information at the smart card; and if the received user-entered authentication information matches the predetermined authentication information, transmitting a verification signal from the smart card to the user device.