The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 25, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 02, 1998
Ulrich Barth, Munchingen, DE;
Alcatel, Paris, FR;
Abstract
A service-on-demand system (,) with a set-top box (,) which is connected to the service-on-demand system (,) and includes a smart-card interface (,) and a decoder (,) which can read and decode information stored on a smart card (,) inserted by a user into the interface (,), and with a controller which can permit or block access to the service-on-demand system (,) depending on the decoded information is characterized in that input means (,) are provided for enabling the user to enter a secret number, and that the decoder (,) of the set-top box (,) is granted access to the inserted smart card (,) for reading and decoding the information stored thereon only if a correct secret number was entered. Unauthorized access to the system can thus be prevented with a higher degree of certainty than in conventional systems. The sensitive data stored on the smart card are additionally protected against unauthorized readout by a password.