WO2001027903A1

WO2001027903A1 - Means for encoding of numeric sequences

Info

Publication number: WO2001027903A1
Application number: PCT/CZ2000/000076
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vladislav PTAŠNIK; Petr PTAŠNIK
Original assignee: Ptasnik Vladislav; Ptasnik Petr
Priority date: 1999-10-12
Filing date: 2000-10-12
Publication date: 2001-04-19
Also published as: AU7640600A; CZ9903600A3

Abstract

A means for encoding of numeric sequences, especially for encoding of PINs of bank cards, mobile telephones, etc., which contains a table consisting of columns and rows of numbers from 0 to 9. The means consists of a record register and a numeric table, where the numbers in the table are organized into basic groups containing at least one column with the number of positions at least p + 1, where p is a positive integer equal to the number of all possible numbers which can create a numeric sequence. The basic group contains at least once every randomly selected number from the sequence from 0 to 9 and at least one free position. Randomly selected numbers from the numeric sequence from 0 to 9 in the first column of the basic group are randomly distributed in all first columns of all basic groups. The second and each subsequent column of all basic groups contains at least once any of the remaining numbers from 0 to 9 and the record register contains at least z basic groups, where z is the number of digits in the code and the size of grid corresponds to that of the distribution of numbers in the numeric table.

Description

MEANS FOR ENCODING OF NUMERIC SEQUENCES

Technical field

The invention concerns an aid or means for encoding of numeric sequences, especially those used for bank card PINs, mobile phone access codes, etc. The means contains a table with columns and rows of numbers from one to nine.

Background art

In today's modern world, people are required to use and to remember different codes, mostly in the form of numeric sequences. Examples of such codes are PINs (Personal Identification Numbers), used for bank cards, mobile telephone access codes, telephone voice mailboxes, phone banking and home banking, car stereos, passwords for access to computers and computer network, etc. Each person usually has several PINs, whose form they cannot influence in most cases and it is thus difficult to remember them all.

People tend to write their PINs on paper kept at their homes, or to save them in computer files protected by additional passwords, or in personal electronic diaries. This type of storing of information is not very suitable, because the speed with which it can be retrieved is relatively slow and a large amount of energy has to go into it. Another method of keeping such information is in different coding aids, for example a so-called Memory Card, which replaces the entire numeric sequence of a PIN with a two digit alphanumeric key and a basic position. The greatest disadvantage of this solution is that when several numeric sequences are coded, retrieval of any numeric sequence of given length is not always possible. The person using such an aid must then remember different keys for different numeric sequences, which defeats the object of having such aid. Another disadvantage is the low number of maximum number combinations, which is 96.

The purpose of this invention is to create an aid or means for simple encoding of numeric sequences, or to enable retrieval of a complicated code using a simple one.

Disclosure of the invention

The above objective is met by a numeric sequence encoding means, which can be used for identification numbers of bank cards, mobile telephones, etc. The means contains a record register and a number table, in which the numbers are organized in basic groups consisting of at least one column with a number of positions at least p + 1 , where p is a positive integer equal to the number of all possible numbers which can create a number sequence, while the basic group contains at least once every randomly selected number from the number row 0 to 9 and at least one free position. The randomly selected numbers from number row 0 to 9 in the first column of the basic group are randomly distributed in all first columns of all basic groups and the second and each subsequent column of all basic groups contains at least once any of the remaining numbers 0 to 9 in random order. The record register contains at least z basic groups, where z is the number of positions in the code and the size of the grid corresponds to that of the distribution of the numbers in the number table. The basic group is created by transposition, that is by replacing columns with rows. The record register is also created by transposition, that is by replacing columns with rows. The number table is printed on transparent material or on solid material. The record register is printed in several versions on one sheet of self-adhesive material.

The advantage of this invention is that it enables the user to find any numeric sequence of given length for any key. That means that the user only needs to remember a two digit alphanumeric code and a basic position to code all their numeric sequences. Another advantage is the number of combinations of the key, for which any numeric sequence can be found. For example for a four digit PIN number, in a table with 26 columns and 20 rows, 2280 key combinations for any PIN can be found. The number of possible combinations is even greater, but they are not valid for every PIN. This number represents sufficient security to prevent the user of this means from fearing losing it. The means can be stored in its user's wallet together with bank cards. Retrieving the information from this means is very fast.

Brief description of drawings

The invention will be described in detail in examples of its design in enclosed drawings, where Fig.1 represents possible design of the numeric card and Fig.2 nine record registers on one sheet of material. Fig.3 shows all 13 basic groups of number cards according to Fig.1. Fig.4 and Fig.5 show the method of creating a longer, seventh row of the number card, as described in text. Fig.6 shows one basic group in its transformed form, with rows replaced by columns and vice versa.

Modes for carrying out the invention

The means for encoding of numeric sequences with several numbers consists of two items, a numeric table according to Fig.1 , printed on transparent material and record registers according to Fig.2. As described below, any numeric sequence can be encoded into the record registers by positioning the two items against each other.

The numeric table 1 is made according to certain specific rules:

A basic number group contains a minimum of one column. The minimum number of positions in a group is at least p + 1. The positions contain numbers. All numbers from which the number sequence is made up must appear at least once in the basic group. The order of numbers and empty positions in the basic group is random and should be mixed as much as possible to obtain the maximum possible number of key combinations. At least one position must be empty in the beginning.

Simple randomly selected numbers from 0 to 9 placed in the first column of the basic group will also appear in all first columns of all basic groups of numbers in the table, in random order. In multi-column basic groups, the subsequent columns must contain at least one remaining number from 0 to 9. The order of numbers in the first, or any subsequent column of the basic groups does not have to be regular, but should be mixed as much as possible to obtain the maximum number of key combinations. The total of all numbers in every single basic group must be equal to 45, with the above rules in place. These numbers are organized according to rules shown for example in Fig.1 , 3, 4 and 5. The numeric table shown in Fig.1 contains a set of numbers from 0 to 9, organized in 26 columns marked A to Z and into 20 rows marked 1 to 20.

The distribution of numbers in the individual rows and columns is done gradually, based on basic groups, an example of whose setting is shown in Fig.3. For simplification, only numbers from 1 to 5 were selected in the first column, the second column contains only numbers from 6 to 9 and 0.

The first basic group Sι_,ι, as shown in detail on Fig.4 consists of a grid containing rows 1 to 6 in columns A and B. The first column, marked with letter A, contains numbers from 1 to 5, organized in a sequence X-4-2-3-5-1 , where X is the free position on the first row. The second column B contains numbers from 6 to 0, organized in a sequence 7-X-6-0-8-9, where X is the free position on the second row. The other basic groups are S_2,ι to Sι_{3 1}, while the order of the numbers and the free positions in the individual columns in each of the basic groups is different. The seventh row of the numeric table is made by transposing the 6 x 2 field, that is a grid of six rows and two columns, one field down. In this new group, Sι_ι2 , the number 7 is missing and appears on the seventh row of column B. But it can also be filled in into the free position in the second row of the B column. Similarly in group S _ι2 , after the grid is transposed one row down, the number one in column C is missing and is filled into row seven of this column. It can also be put into the free space in the second row of the table in column C. The same method is used to fill all the remaining columns E to Z on row seven.

Any subsequent rows of the table are made up using the same method. The free positions in the numeric table are filled with random numbers.

Transposition by a different number of fields can be used instead of transposition by one field down.

The division of numbers into a left and right column of each basic group can be replaced by division into even and odd numbered columns, or any other random division. The rule of distribution of numbers in basic group must always be applied.

The basic groups can also be created by. interchanging the rows with columns and vice versa, so that the group then has 6 columns and 2 rows. Such a transposed number group is shown in Fig.6. Generally we can say that each option has its transposed option. Each group can have an arbitrary higher number of rows and columns, which are completed by free positions.

The minimum number of basic positions in the numeric table is given by the length of the numeric sequence of the code. For a table for sequences with 4 characters, that is for four-character PINs, a minimum of four basic groups must be created. A number of the basic group which is larger than the minimum required numbers is desirable for increasing the number of combinations of the key.

The record register contains at least z basic groups, where z is the number of code numbers and the size of the grid corresponds to that of the numeric table. The minimum size of the record register is given by the length of the numeric sequence. For a four-digit PIN, the minimum dimension of the record register is 6 rows x 8 columns, in other words 6 rows x 4 basic groups of numbers. For a transformed group, by analogy, the minimum dimensions of the record register are 8 rows x 6 columns, in other words 4 basic groups x 8 columns. A record register for a numeric sequence with 4 digits must contain 4 basic groups. An example of a record register is given in Fig.6. As shown in Fig.6, it is practical to have several registers on one card. Each register is used to record one PIN.

The numeric table can be printed on transparent material of the same size as the card with record registers.

The means is used in the following way. The user selects a two- character alphanumeric key, for example K2 and the basic positions, for example the field in the top left hand corner of the record register. The position is then covered by the intersection of K2 coordinates (K for column and 2 for row). In the reading order, rows from left to right, from top to bottom, the coded number's position is recorded in the register. By positioning the register in the same way back on the numeric card, the individual numbers of the required code can be .read off against the marked fields, or, in case of transparent numeric table material, above the marked fields of the register. It is then sufficient to remember one single code, in our example K2, to retrieve "forgotten" codes.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A means for encoding of numeric sequences, especially for encoding of PINs of bank cards, mobile telephones, etc., which means contains a table consisting of columns and rows of numbers from 0 to 9 , characterized in that the means consists of a record register and a numeric table, where the numbers in the table are organized into basic groups containing at least one column with the number of positions at least p + 1, where p is a positive integer equal to the number of all possible numbers which can create a numeric sequence, and where the basic group contains at least once every randomly selected number from the sequence from 0 to 9 and at least one free position, and randomly selected numbers from the numeric sequence from 0 to 9 in the first column of the basic group are randomly distributed in all first columns of all basic groups and the second and each subsequent column of all basic groups contains, at least once, any of the remaining numbers from 0 to 9, and the record register contains at least z basic groups, where z is the number of digits in the code and the size of the grid corresponds to that of the distribution of numbers in the numeric table.

2. The means according to claim 1, c h a ra cte ri zed i n that a basic group is created by transposition, i.e. by replacement of columns with rows and vice versa.

3. The means according to claim 1 and 2, c h a ra cte rized i n that a record register is created by transposition, i.e. by replacement of columns with rows and vice versa.

4. The means according to claim 1, characterized i n that a numeric table is printed on transparent material.

5. The means according to claim 1, cha ra cte ri ze d i n that a numeric table is printed on non-transparent material.

6. The means according to claim 1 or2, characterized in that a record register is created in several versions on one sheet.

7. The means according to claim 1 or 2 and 3, characterized in that a record register is printed on self-adhesive material. D

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