METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REMOTE SECURITY TOKEN EXTENSION
A method and system for extending the range of a security token allow a system to have a security token be utilized remotely from the system that will receive information and signals from that security token. A remote token extender can interface with a security token (such as an identity (or ID) token), configure the signals and information associated with that security token into a format for transmission across a selected media (such as a network), and transmit those signals and information across that media. At the receiving end, a local token extender can reconstitute those signals and information for use by a complementary device (such as an ID card reader) at the local system.
1 . A method for extending the range of a security token comprising:
receiving a security token into a remote system;
extending one or more characteristics of the security token across a transmission media via a remote token extender;
receiving the characteristics at a local token extender coupled to a local system; and
securely enabling remote access to resources at the local system without revealing any information about a data format of the token.
2 . A method as in claim 1 wherein the security token is an identity token.
3 . A method as in claim 2 wherein the security token is a proximity card.
4 . A method as in claim 2 wherein the security token is a smart card.
5 . A method as in claim 1 wherein the security token is a dongle.
6 . A method as in claim 1 wherein the characteristics further comprise signals.
7 . A method as in claim 1 wherein the characteristics further comprise data.
8 . A method as in claim 1 wherein the resources include information in a protected database.
9 . A method as in claim 1 wherein the security token at the remote token extender contains an interface type different from a reader having a different interface type at the local token extender.
10 . A system for extending the range of a security token comprising:
a remote token extender; and
a local token extender, wherein the remote token extender and the local token extender cause one or more characteristics of the security token to be extended across a transmission media.
11 . A system as in claim 10 , wherein the remote token extender comprises:
an interface module that receives data and signals from a security token located remotely from a local system;
a data module that converts the received data and signals into a form usable by a media module; and
a media module that packages the converted data and signals into a form appropriate for transmission across a particular media.
12 . A system as in claim 11 , wherein the interface module comprises a serial port.
13 . A system as in claim 11 , wherein the interface module comprises a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART).
14 . A system as in claim 10 wherein a security token at the remote token extender contains an interface type different from a reader with a different interface type at the local token extender.
15 . A method for permitting physical access to a protected space at a remote location, comprising:
presenting a security token at a remote reader;
extending one or more characteristics of the security token across a transmission media via a remote token extender;
receiving the characteristics at a local token extender coupled to a local system containing access rights information for the protected space; and
securely enabling access by a user of the remote system to the protected space without revealing any information about a data format of the token.
16 . A method as in claim 15 wherein the security token is an identity token.
17 . A method as in claim 16 wherein the security token is a proximity card.
18 . A method as in claim 16 wherein the security token is a smart card.
19 . A method as in claim 15 wherein the characteristics further comprise signals.
20 . A method as in claim 15 wherein the characteristics further comprise data.
21 . A method as in claim 15 wherein the security token at the remote token extender contains an interface type different from a reader having a different interface type at the local token extender.