SOLID STATE KEY FOR CONTROLLING ACCESS TO COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TO COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND/OR FOR SECURE COMMUNICATIONS

摘要

A semiconductor device that functions as a key (12) to control access to a computer (34) or a software program resident in a computer or provides for secure communications. The device (64) executes an algorithm that combines a root and a seed to produce a password. The password is input to the computer (34). The computer (34) uses an equivalent algorithm to produce a password within the computer (34). Comparison or other methods are employed to allow access to the computer (34) or computer program or to allow for secure communications. The computer (34) can be coded to produce on a video display (18) thereof a time-space stimulus pattern which can be received by sensors (28a-28d) of the key. Alternatively, a keypad (700) can be employed to input the stimulus output from the computer (34, 68) into the access key (12). Further the present system allows for secure communications using algorithms between different computers and between distant locations.