U.S. patent application number 16/154078 was filed with the patent office on 2019-02-14 for process and system for data transmission.
The applicant listed for this patent is Swisscom AG. Invention is credited to Florian Baumgartner, Marc Danzeisen, Jan Linder, Simon Winiker.
Application Number | 20190050857 16/154078 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37603348 |
Filed Date | 2019-02-14 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190050857 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Danzeisen; Marc ; et
al. |
February 14, 2019 |
PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR DATA TRANSMISSION
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for enhanced data
transmissions. A central communications device may be configured
for encrypting data into encrypted data, using an encryption
parameter associated with a particular user; transmitting the
encrypted data to a communications terminal associated with the
particular user; and receiving in response to the transmitting of
the encrypted data, user related data from the communications
terminal. The communications device may be further configured for
comparing the user related data received from the communications
terminal with pre-set user related data associated with the
encryption parameter, with the pre-set user related data is stored
in the central communications device; and when the user related
data received from the communications terminal matches the pre-set
user related data, transmitting the encryption parameter to the
communications terminal. The central communications device may
activate a network interface of the communications terminal, for
use in transmitting the encrypted data.
Inventors: |
Danzeisen; Marc; (Ittigen,
CH) ; Linder; Jan; (Bern, CH) ; Winiker;
Simon; (Bern, CH) ; Baumgartner; Florian;
(Bern, CH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Swisscom AG |
Bem |
|
CH |
|
|
Family ID: |
37603348 |
Appl. No.: |
16/154078 |
Filed: |
October 8, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13163374 |
Jun 17, 2011 |
10096024 |
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16154078 |
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11774674 |
Jul 9, 2007 |
8527420 |
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13163374 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 63/08 20130101;
H04L 63/0428 20130101; H04L 63/062 20130101; G06F 21/10 20130101;
G06Q 20/3829 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 20/38 20060101
G06Q020/38; H04L 29/06 20060101 H04L029/06; G06F 21/10 20060101
G06F021/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 7, 2006 |
EP |
06116828 |
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. A method comprising: in a central communications device:
encrypting data into encrypted data, using an encryption parameter
associated with a particular user; transmitting the encrypted data
to a communications terminal associated with the particular user;
receiving in response to the transmitting of the encrypted data,
user related data from the communications terminal; comparing the
user related data received from the communications terminal with
pre-set user related data associated with the encryption parameter,
wherein the pre-set user related data is stored in the central
communications device; and when the user related data received from
the communications terminal matches the pre-set user related data,
transmitting the encryption parameter to the communications
terminal.
17. The method in accordance with claim 16, comprising: selecting
the encrypted data based on a user profile associated with the
particular user; and transmitting the encrypted data to the
communications terminal based on the user profile.
18. The method in accordance with claim 17, comprising storing at
least a portion of the user profile in the central communications
device.
19. The method in accordance with claim 17, comprising storing at
least a portion of the user profile in the communications
terminal.
20. The method in accordance with claim 16, comprising: activating
by central communications device, a network interface of the
communications terminal, when the encrypted data are ready for
transmission; and transmitting the encrypted data to the
communications terminal over the activated network interface.
21. The method in accordance with claim 16, comprising transmitting
the encrypted data to a network device, wherein the network device
is configured to store the encrypted data and asynchronously
transmit the encrypted data to the communications terminal.
22. The method in accordance with claim 16, comprising debiting a
user account with a monetary value upon transfer of at least part
of the encryption parameter.
23. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the encrypted
data comprises a program code that is configured for execution in
the communications terminal, and checking validation criteria
during the execution of the program code.
24. The method in accordance with claim 16, comprising assigning an
identification parameter to the encrypted data.
25. The method in accordance with claim 16, comprising: determining
availability of the communications terminal associated with the
particular user, for communication with the central communications
device; and transmitting the encrypted data to the communications
terminal based on determination that the communications terminal is
available.
26. A system comprising: an encryption circuit; a communication
circuit; and a control circuit; wherein: the encryption circuit
encrypts data into encrypted data, using an encryption parameter
associated with a particular user; the communication circuit
transmits the encrypted data to a communications terminal
associated with the particular user; the communication circuit
receives in response to the transmitting of the encrypted data,
user related data from the communications terminal; the control
circuit compares the user related data received from the
communications terminal with pre-set user related data associated
with the encryption parameter, wherein the pre-set user related
data is stored in the system; and when the user related data
received from the communications terminal matches the pre-set user
related data, the communication circuit transmits the encryption
parameter to the communications terminal.
27. The system in accordance with claim 26, wherein: the control
circuit selects the encrypted data based on a user profile
associated with the particular user; and the communication circuit
transmits the encrypted data to the communications terminal based
on the user profile.
28. The system in accordance with claim 27, the control circuit
stores at least a portion of the user profile.
29. The system in accordance with claim 27, the communication
circuit receives at least a portion of the user profile from the
communications terminal.
30. The system in accordance with claim 26, wherein: the control
circuit activates a network interface of the communications
terminal, when the encrypted data are ready for transmission; and
the communication circuit transmits the encrypted data to the
communications terminal over the activated network interface.
31. The system in accordance with claim 26, wherein the
communication circuit transmits the encrypted data to a network
device, wherein the network device is configured to store the
encrypted data and asynchronously transmit the encrypted data to
the communications terminal.
32. The system in accordance with claim 26, wherein the control
circuit debits a user account with a monetary value upon transfer
of at least part of the encryption parameter.
33. The system in accordance with claim 26, wherein the encryption
circuit incorporates into the encrypted data a program code that is
configured for execution in the communications terminal, and
checking validation criteria during the execution of the program
code.
34. The system in accordance with claim 26, wherein the encryption
circuit assigns an identification parameter to the encrypted
data.
35. The system in accordance with claim 26, wherein: the control
circuit determines availability of the communications terminal
associated with the particular user, for communication with the
central communications device; and the communication circuit
transmits the encrypted data to the communications terminal based
on determination that the communications terminal is available.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit
of priority from U.S. Ser. No. 11/774,674, filed Jul. 9, 2007,
which claims the benefit of priority of European Patent Application
No. 06116828.2, filed Jul. 7, 2006, the entire contents of each of
which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field Of The Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a process and a system for
data transmission.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0003] In the state of the art, a transmission of data between
terminals and/or servers takes place in accordance with various
processes. Such processes are often particularly adapted in order
to transmit messages such as, for example, E-mail messages or
current headlines, or in order to transmit multimedia data such as
an audio or video file. In order to transmit data from a server to
a terminal of a user; for example, it may be necessary first to
check the entitlement of the user to access certain data. Such a
check on entitlement may be made, for example, by a request for a
user name and a password. Since a transmission of data often takes
place over public networks, it is advantageous to carry out this
transmission of data by means of a secured data connection, such as
by means of a VPN connection (VPN: virtual private network). The
transmission of data between a server and a terminal can thus be
subdivided into a phase for the check on entitlement, or
authentication phase, and a phase for the transfer of data. Because
of the user interaction, the authentication phase often takes a
relatively long time, though only little network bandwidth is
required. The data transfer phase may on the other hand last only
for a short while, depending on the volume of data, and use all of
the available network bandwidth.
[0004] E-mail messages to a user are, for example, stored on an
E-mail server. The user retrieves the E-mail messages stored on the
E-mail server by means of an E-mail client. In the state of the
art, protocols such as POP (POP: Post Office protocol) or IMAP
(IMAP: Internet E-mail access protocol) are used for this purpose.
By means of the E-mail client and such protocols, a connection is
made between the E-mail client and the E-mail server, whereupon the
E-mail client checks the E-mail server for available E-mail
messages and, if necessary, downloads new E-mail messages to the
E-mail client. The E-mail client is, of course, checked by
authentication for its entitlement to access the E-mail messages.
The authentication often takes much longer than the subsequent
checking and downloading of the E-mail messages. The checking of
E-mail messages can also be based on a VPN tunnel. In this case,
however, a VPN tunnel is set up even if no new messages are
available on the E-mail server. This leads to inefficiency, since a
VPN tunnel is set up even if no data is ready for transmission.
[0005] In the state of the art, such a two-phase transmission of
data suffers from many disadvantages, particularly for users of
mobile terminals. It is admittedly the case that powerful WLAN or
UWB networks (WLAN: wireless local area network; UWB: ultra wide
band) are available to the user at railway stations, for example.
But a user at a railway station often has no time to be
authenticated for access to data and to download data to the mobile
terminal. After the user has taken a seat on the train, however,
the user often has enough time to be authenticated for access to
data. At this time, however, the train has often already left the
site of the station and frequently at this time the user only has
much less powerful networks available, such as a GSM or UMTS
network (GSM: global system for mobile communications; UMTS:
universal mobile telecommunications system). Thus, the user cannot
access large quantities of data at this time, such as an E-mail
message with a video file as an attachment, since the transmission
capacity of such a less powerful network would be inadequate. Thus,
in summary, the authentication followed by data transmission used
in the state of the art is, for one thing, inconvenient for the
user, since the latter must undertake a user interaction. For
another, this kind of user interaction prevents optimization of the
capacity utilization of a network infrastructure.
[0006] A digital rights management architecture is disclosed in the
document EP 1 372 055. A packager prepares data for a user and a
licensor provides a license to the user. The packager and the
licensor share a secret key and can calculate a content key for the
prepared data. The prepared and encrypted data, as well as the
content key, are transmitted to the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present inventions include a new process and a new
system for data transmission which overcome the disadvantages of
the prior art.
[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, these
objectives are achieved in particular by the elements of the
independent claims. In addition, further advantageous embodiments
emerge from the dependent claims and the description.
[0009] These objectives are achieved by the inventions in
particular by the fact that authentication data and an electronic
key are generated, whereby the electronic key is stored as assigned
to the authentication data, that by means of an authentication
module of a central module at least part of the electronic key is
transmitted to a communications terminal, that by means of an
encryption module and by means of at least part of the electronic
key data are encrypted into encrypted data, that the encrypted data
are transmitted between the central module and the communications
terminal, and that by means of a decryption module of the
communications terminal and by means of at least part of the
electronic key the encrypted data are decrypted. Such a process has
the particular advantage that the transmission of the
authentication data or electronic key and the transmission of the
encrypted data can take place completely asynchronously. Thus, for
example, E-mail messages can be created on the communications
terminal and be encrypted with the electronic key. At any time, for
example as soon as the communications terminal is situated within
the range of a wireless communications network, the encrypted data
can be securely transmitted over the wireless communications
network, be decrypted by the central module and be passed on to an
E-mail server. Encrypted data can of course be transmitted both
from the central module to the communications terminal and from the
communications terminal to the central module.
[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, data are
encrypted into encrypted data by the central module, and the
encrypted data are transmitted from the central module to the
communications terminal. Such a process has the particular
advantage that the authentication for access to data and the actual
transmission of data to a communications terminal can take place at
different points in time. Thus, the transmission of encrypted data
can take place at a time when the user is situated in the vicinity
of a powerful network, and the authentication for access to the
electronic key and thus to the data can take place at a time when
the user has enough time to carry out authentication.
[0011] In another embodiment of the present invention, data are
encrypted by the communications terminal, and the encrypted data
are transmitted from the communications terminal to a further
communications device. Such a process has the particular advantage
that, for example, data can be prepared for transmission on a
mobile communications terminal, in that the data are encrypted into
encrypted data. As soon as the mobile communications terminal is
situated within the range of a powerful network, the encrypted data
can be transmitted to a further communications device. Thus, the
user can, for example, process a video file on the train, request a
code for encrypting the video file while on the train, and encrypt
the video file into an encrypted video file. As soon as the user's
mobile communications terminal comes into the range of a powerful
wireless network, when the user gets off the train at the railway
station, the encrypted video file can be transmitted to a further
communications device, to a file server, for example.
[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, a user profile
is stored in the central module or on the communications terminal,
data being selected and encrypted in accordance with the user
profile and transmitted to the communications terminal or to a
further communications device. Such a process has the particular
advantage that a user can enter into a user profile what data are
to be encrypted and transmitted to the communications terminal or
to the further communications device. So, for example, it can be
entered into a user profile that all E-mail messages of a user are
each encrypted and transmitted to the communications terminal of
the user at a defined time, for example, in the morning around the
time when the user is at the railway station in order to board a
train.
[0013] In accordance with the inventions, the availability of the
communications terminal or of a further communications device is
checked by means of an availability module of the central module or
of the communications terminal and, if the communications terminal
or the further communications device is available, the encrypted
data are transmitted to the communications terminal or to the
further communications device. Such a process has the particular
advantage that the encrypted data can be transmitted to the
communications terminal or to the further communications device at
the earliest possible time.
[0014] In a further embodiment of the present invention, a network
interface of the communications terminal is activated by means of
an activation module of the central module, and the encrypted data
are transmitted to the communications terminal over the activated
network interface. Thus, for example, a first network interface of
the communications terminal, such as a GSM network interface, can
be permanently switched on and a second network interface of the
communications terminal, such as a WLAN network interface, can be
activated over this first network interface. Such a process has the
particular advantage that network interfaces are only switched on
by the central module if encrypted data are ready for transmission,
whereby in particular the power consumption on the communications
terminal can be minimized.
[0015] In another embodiment of the present invention, the
encrypted data are transmitted to a network device of a network
infrastructure, whereby the encrypted data are stored on the
network device, and are transmitted asynchronously from the network
device to the communications terminal. The network device mentioned
can, for example, refer to a network device of a WLAN hot spot,
whereby the encrypted data are transmitted to the network device at
a first time, for example, in the early morning at a time of low
network load, and are transmitted, by this network device to the
communications terminal of the user at a second time, for example,
at a time when the user is waiting for a train at the railway
station. Such a process has the particular advantage that the
capacity utilization of a network infrastructure can be optimized.
Before the encryption of the data, the data can of course be
matched to a communications terminal. If, for example, the
communications terminal of the user is a mobile computer with an
XGA screen resolution of 1024.times.768 pixels, it makes no sense
to encrypt directly a video file with very high resolution. It is
much more sensible in this case first to match the video file by
transformation of its resolution to the screen resolution of the
user and only then to carry out an encryption of the video file.
Such a transformation of the data can in particular be carried out
if, for example, appropriate information is stored in a user
profile.
[0016] In another embodiment of the present invention, a user
account is debited with a monetary value upon the transfer of at
least part of the electronic key. Such a process has the particular
advantage that chargeable services, such as the provision of audio
or video files, can be offered to the user by means of the
transmission of encrypted data. The service, of course, is only
considered to have been provided if both the encrypted data and the
associated key have been transmitted to the communications terminal
of the user.
[0017] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the
encrypted data include program code that must be executed in order
to decrypt the encrypted data, while validation criteria are
checked during the execution of the program code. Thus, the program
code can, for example, be of such form that the validity of the key
is checked with reference to a time measurement on a central server
with which the validity of codes is monitored, or in accordance
with any other process. Such a process has the particular advantage
that, for example, a time can be defined after which the encrypted
data are no longer available. Such a process moreover guarantees
compatibility with processes known from DRM (DRM: digital rights
management).
[0018] In another embodiment of the present invention, an
identification is assigned to the data and/or to the encrypted
data, and the authentication data are stored as assigned to the
identification. Such an identification can, for example, be formed
as the result of a hash function on the encrypted data. Such a
process has the particular advantage that authentication for access
to the encrypted data can also be of different forms with reference
to the encrypted data.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of
the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the
same becomes better understood by reference to the following
detailed description when considered in connection with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram with the individual components
for the encryption of data and for the transfer of the encrypted
data.
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram with the individual components
for the authentication and decryption of the encrypted data.
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram with the individual components
for the encryption and sending of encrypted data.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference
numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the
several views.
[0024] In FIG. 1, the reference mark 10 refers to a central module.
The central module 10 can, for example, be formed as a software
module of a network server. The central module 10 can also, of
course, be formed completely as a hardware module with appropriate
electronic circuits. In FIG. 1, the reference mark D refers to
electronic data. The data D can be electronic data of any kind, for
example E-mail messages, texts, animations, audio files, video
files, or electronic data of any other kind. In FIG. 1, the
reference mark A refers to authentication data and the reference
mark S refers to an electronic key. The authentication data A can,
for example, include a user name and a password or pass phrase. The
electronic key S can, for example, consist of a symmetrical
electronic key with a secret key or an asymmetrical electronic key
with a public key and a private key. The authentication data A are
stored as assigned to the electronic key S while, for example, with
the central module 10 including a corresponding table. In FIG. 1,
the reference mark 40 refers to a communications network. The
communications network can, for example, refer to the Internet and
can be constructed from various networks of differing technologies.
Thus, the communications network can include GSM networks, UMTS
networks, WLAN networks, Ethernet networks, UWB networks, or
networks of any other kind. As shown in FIG. 1, the central module
10 can in particular be connected to the communications network 40.
Data D can be encrypted by means of the electronic key S and an
encryption module of the central module 10. Such encryption can
refer to any encryption algorithm, for example a DES algorithm
(DES: data encryption standard), a PGP algorithm (PGP: pretty good
privacy), an IDEA algorithm (IDEA: international data encryption
standard), or any other encryption algorithm. Encrypted data vD are
generated by the encryption of the data D. The authentication data
A and the electronic key S can moreover be stored as assigned to an
identification iD of the data, so that the authentication data A
and the electronic key S are valid only with reference to data that
can be identified by the identification iD of the data.
Corresponding tables can of course also be provided for in the
central module 10 with reference to the identification iD of the
data.
[0025] In FIG. 1, reference mark 20 refers to a communications
terminal. The communications terminal 20 can be any terminal of a
user, for example a mobile computer such as a notebook or a PDA
(PDA: personal digital assistant), a mobile telephone, a games
console, a permanently installed computer, or any other
communications terminal. As shown in FIG. 1, the communications
terminal 20 can be connected to the communications network 40. Such
a connection can refer to a wireless connection, such as a WLAN
connection, a GSM connection, or any other wireless connection, or
to a wire-based connection, such as a twisted-pair Ethernet
connection, or any other wire-based connection.
[0026] The encrypted data vD can thus be transmitted over the
communications network 40 to the communications terminal 20 and be
stored there. There is the widest variety of options in order thus
to store data D as encrypted data vD on the communications terminal
20. E-mail messages, texts, animations, audio files, video files or
data of any other kind can be stored on the communications terminal
20 as encrypted E-mail messages, encrypted texts, encrypted
animations, encrypted audio files, or encrypted video files. It is,
however, the case that the encrypted data vD may still be useless,
since for the time being the key to decrypt the encrypted data is
stored only on the central module 10.
[0027] The transmission of the encrypted data vD to the
communications terminal 20 can take place at any convenient time. A
convenient time can refer to the arrival of new E-mail messages,
the availability of texts, or the publication of a new audio file.
A convenient time, however, can also refer to the availability of a
communications link between the communications network 40 and the
communications terminal 20, the capacity utilization of the
communications network 40, the capacity utilization of parts of the
communications network 40, a time that occurs due to an input from
the user on one of the communications terminals, or any other
time.
[0028] The transmission of the encrypted data vD can also take
place in accordance with various scenarios. One scenario can be
that the encrypted data vD are transmitted to the communications
terminal 20 at any time during the night over a broadband
communications link, such as an Ethernet connection. Such a
scenario may be selected, for example, in order to transmit a very
large encrypted video file, of an order of magnitude of 5 Gbyte,
for example, to the communications terminal 20. Or, in another
scenario, encrypted data may be transmitted to the communications
terminal 20 as soon as the user carrying this communications
terminal 20 comes into the range of a wireless communications
network, such as a WLAN network or UWB network at a railway station
or on the site of an airport. Such a scenario may be selected, for
example, in order to transmit encrypted E-mail messages or
encrypted texts to the communications terminal 20 of a user before
he boards a train. It may be remarked here that encrypted texts may
refer for example to the current electronic issue of a daily
newspaper.
[0029] In FIG. 2, the reference marks introduced in FIG. 1 are
retained. As shown in FIG. 2, authentication data A are transmitted
from the communications terminal 20 to the central module 10.
Entitlement is thus authenticated with the electronic key S. At
least parts of the electronic key S are then transmitted from the
central module 10 to the communications terminal 20. By means of
the electronic key S, the encrypted data vD stored on the
communications terminal can be decrypted and stored as data D on
the communications terminal, so that the user can access these data
D.
[0030] An authentication of entitlement with the electronic key S
can take place in accordance with known processes. Such processes
can take place on the basis of a password or pass phrases, by means
of a SecureID card (SecureID: authentication process of the firm
RSA Security), on the basis of the acquisition of biometric
characteristics, or on any other basis that provides proof of
entitlement.
[0031] As indicated by the dotted areas in FIGS. 1 to 3, the
identification iD, the authentication data A, and the key S can be
stored in a table containing tuples of such data. A particular
tuple may be provided with an identification iD, with
authentication data A, and with a key S for a defined purpose.
Thus, a first tuple may include an identification iD that refers to
video data. A second tuple may include an identification iD that
refers to audio data. Thus, video data and audio data, for example,
can be encrypted with different keys, with a key for video data,
for example, that causes particularly high efficiency in the
encryption of the video data and with a key for audio data, for
example, that causes particularly high security.
[0032] In FIG. 2, the reference mark 10' refers to a local copy of
the central module 10 placed on the communications terminal 20. The
local copy 10' of the central module 10 may include the same
functions as the central module 10. Thus, local copies of the
tuples with an identification iD, with authentication data A, and
with a key S, can also be stored on the communications terminal 20.
The local copy 10' of the central module and the local copies of
the tuples mentioned can be protected, for example, by the use of a
secret key, such as a PIN (PIN: personal identification number).
Thus, it can be provided for that access to the local copy of these
functions and data is only enabled for a user who knows the secret
key. For example, the functions and data of this local copy can of
course track incrementally the corresponding functions and data of
the central module 10, or only specific functions and data may be
stored in the local copy.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 3, data D can be encrypted into encrypted
data vD on the communications terminal 20 and be transmitted to a
further communications device. Thus, a local copy 10' of the
central module 10 with functionality for the encryption of data and
with a corresponding key S can be stored on the communications
terminal 20. The user of the communications terminal 20 may, for
example, record a new video file. As soon as the video file has
been completed, the video file can be encrypted into an encrypted
video file by means of the functions provided by the local copy 10'
of the central module 10. Of course the user can also, by making an
appropriate request, obtain a key S from the central module 10 for
encrypting the video file. The video file can be encrypted into an
encrypted video file and the encrypted video file can be stored on
the communications terminal 20. As soon as the communications
terminal 20 comes within the range of a powerful network, a WLAN
network, for example, the encrypted video file can be transmitted
to a further communications device. The further communications
device can refer, for example, to the central module 10, a file
server, a communications terminal of another user, or any other
further communications device.
[0034] The previously described process may be encoded in software
on a computer readable medium including a compact disk, memory
device, flash memory or any other computer readable physical
medium. The software is configured to cause a processor-based
device to carry out one or more of the steps described above.
Computer operations are described in "How Computers Work,
Millennium Edition," by Ron White, Que Publications, 1999, the
entire contents of which being incorporated herein by
reference.
[0035] Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the
present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It
is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended
claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described herein.
* * * * *