International Business Machines Corporation

Other

Robert E Shuck

Stephen M Matyas

Carl H Meyer

Walter L Tuchman

Robert C Elander

Richard E Lennon

Donald C Lancto

Eddie Shuck

A monitoring system for a vehicle's air-brakes in which the push-rod extending from the brake chamber engages an electrical switch. The electrical switch, if moved to a pre-selected position (indicating that adjustment of the push-rod's connection to the brake is warranted) transmits electrical energy or other such signal to an alarm within the cab of the vehicle where either an auditory alarm is sounded or a warning lamp is illuminated. The monitoring system is operationally checked through the use of several alternative mechanisms. In one such check mechanism, a switch located near the warning lamp, allows the operator to transmit electrical energy to the remote switch located at the push-rod where the electrical energy is transmitted back to the warning lamp. In another check mechanism, a switch located near the warning lamp is used to engage a solenoid which pushes the remote switch into a transmitting position to check the entire monitoring system. In one embodiment of the invention, through the use of flip-flop switches, once the warning lamp has been activated, it remains illuminated so that, when the vehicle is returned to the garage, the mechanic is easily able to determine if the air-brakes need to be adjusted.

Brake system warning device

In a data communication network which includes terminals interconnected via a central switch, a process for verifying the identity of a terminal user who is provided with secret data associated with his identity. In carrying out the verification process, the secret data is first encrypted at the terminal under a transfer-in key for transmission to an associated data processing system. When it is determined that the terminal user maintains an account at the associated data processing system, a first translate operation is performed to translate the data from encryption under the transfer-in key to encryption under an authentication key, both of which keys are protected under other keys which are different from each other, thereby providing an authentication parameter which may be used to verify the identity of the terminal user. When it is determined that the terminal user does not maintain an account at the associated data processing system, a second translate operation is performed to translate the data from encryption under the transfer-in key to encryption under a transfer-out key for transmission to the next associated host system, the switch or a remote host system. At each such node, except the switch, a determination is made as to whether a verification process can be performed otherwise, the encrypted data is translated for transmission to the next or a remote node of the network for such verification.

Cryptographic application for interbank verification

An improved method for verifying the identity of a prospective terminal user presenting an identification card or a credit card and a memorized personal identification number. Only part of the information necessary to correlate an account number to a personal identification number is available at any accessible place in the operating system. Neither the credit card, the host computer, nor the transmission link will ever have sufficient information to completely correlate an account number to a personal identification number.

Identity verification method and apparatus

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West Hurley, NY, United States of America

Robert E Shuck