DE102004004128A1 - Invalidating method for canceling chip cards uses an electric effect for reducing electronic components in a chip card to a lasting passive condition unable to read out data any more - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for debiting smart cards after a data entry on a telephone, a personal computer or any other communication terminal. After the data entry, the relevant map data kept in the database of a remote computer system are provided with a blocking note and / or measures for debiting the cards are initiated. Feedback on card status continues to occur.

Description

The The invention relates to a method for debiting smart cards and with correspondingly constructed maps for this purpose. Under smart cards, here even short cards called, are all forms of money cards, Credit cards and ec cards, access permissions such as SIM cards (Subscriber Identification Module) for mobile networks and all others Considered cards with essentially security-relevant content be, which are provided with electronic components.

Of the Use of these smart cards has been tremendous in recent years Experience increase. There are now in the purses one Variety of cards carried.

Now resulting in loss or theft of smart cards considerable Problems. First must be prevented be that unauthorized are able to do business at the expense of the owner, make phone calls, cash or to gain access to card-operated areas Security areas.

As well it is also conceivable that the rightful owner by the occurrence of appropriate circumstances the use of the smart card future should be denied.

at the current procedure must in case of theft usually a telephone conversation guided then, in dialogue with a person, an affected chip card to be marked as stolen. It will then mechanisms in motion set to lock the card.

A Disabling function for Value cards, which runs automatically without the use of an operator, is for example described in DE10205025A1. After entering on a terminal like phone or pc those in the database of a remote Computer system guided relevant card data provided with a blocking note. It is done continue to provide feedback on the Card status.

The Depending on the application, the relevant cards remain in use Operation or circulation. For example, on a stolen phone Manipulation personal Data such as phone book entries be read from the electronic memory area, as the Chip or SIM card is still functional, or their memory area still accessible can be made. passwords can be obtained by extortionate acts, may be a use of the card in the mobile network is still possible.

It Methods are now known to make cards permanently unusable. This is how the French describes Registration FR2536187 a magnetic card reader, which illegal cards detects and extinguishes thermally or by a strong magnetic field. To consider is that cards with magnetic stripes especially for safety-critical applications are less and less used. This, especially since the magnetic strip also against unintentional changing or Clear is sensitive.

at other smart cards, such as money cards or the SIM cards of the Mobile networks is the function after a blockage quite still given that the electronic components have not been changed.

The German laid-open specification DE19518901A1 therefore deals with the possibility of Disable smart cards. It is described here a punch which by mechanical action on a chip card to be invalidated the welded in the card punched out electronic assembly. In this process, the electrical Function not necessarily lost. The chip itself can also punched out still be contacted, data are read out. By appropriate electrical action, such as the fast Reverse polarity of the supply voltage or very short switching times are if necessary, read data and password protection. At long last has to be the electronics are not always in the same area of the card. For contactless smart cards, where the manufacturing parameters not determined by the standardized position of the contacts, the Components are distributed arbitrarily in the map, a punching is with problems.

It is therefore an object of the present invention, an improved method for the cancellation and prevention of unauthorized use of smart cards to describe. Furthermore, the structure of smart cards, which for the Methods are particularly suitable described.

The The object becomes in connection with the preamble of the patent claim 1 solved by the in the chip card located electronic components by electrical Influencing brought into a permanently passive state and / or no information can be read out.

This can be done by after entering a numerical and / or numerical sequence by means of a communication terminal, the data in the database of a remote computer system concerned card data are provided with a blocking notice and measures for irreversible internal destruction of the chip card are triggered. The input device can be a landline or mobile phone with the option of multiple frequency dialing. On the Internet, including all participating intranets and all further developments, there are further possibilities of cheap worldwide access.

As well Of course this can be done be handled by including the service of a "call center", the communication is based at least on a password.

To a lock can transfer all the information about it to computer networks of banks, Police, retail, to mobile operators with their mobile switching centers and other participating institutions.

So is a quick information distribution possible, which fraud attempts counteracts. After the software lock will now be simultaneously the card-specific validation function is released.

The technical implementation the devaluation is first depends on, whether the card is galvanically connected to a card reader when in use is or the data transfer wirelessly between card and reader.

in the Case of galvanic connection of the card contacts with the corresponding Contacts of a card reader is a devaluation of the card Voltage increase, Reverse the voltage or perform pulsed voltage waveforms. hereby the program and data memories are deleted and / or the semiconductor junctions of the Memory destroyed.

For this However, there are only limited battery voltages for mobile devices to disposal. Here is by voltage multiplication and storage either in the device or on the card itself and then switching to the processor and memory area a devaluation by influencing semiconductor junctions possible. The deletion The internal EE-Proms requires less effort, but with respect to the Security of any further abusive Use less.

Now are also increasingly contactless smart cards in use. Here is To supply the electronic components, first a transmitter with a frequency operated in the lower MHz range. As an antenna for energy and / or Data transmission is used a coil with a corresponding diameter integrated into the card and high number of turns. To be enough To apply energy for devaluation, the distance transmitter / card preferably be small. This can be achieved so that the user through a reduction the transmission power of the data transmission or by longer transmission times to bring up the card is stopped to the transmitting antenna. By the lesser Distance from transmitter and receiver coil is higher power to transfer. It can also be provided on the card, a cache, which after receiving a corresponding bit sequence or frequency is turned on to the electronic components. By contrast for galvanic coupling lower available energy may not be complete destruction the electronics possible, however, you can cleared by appropriate design of the circuit all memory locations and with it the card for further applications are blocked.

Further Details of the invention are described in the drawing with reference to FIG illustrated embodiments described. The figures show:

1 a schematic representation of the computer network for triggering a card devaluation,

2 a schematic representation of the inner wiring of a dedicated for devaluation wireless smart card.

3 a modified version of the in 2 illustrated map.

1 shows a central computer system 1 in which the data of a prepaid card or credit card 1a are located. To lock and validate can via a keypad input on the landline phone 2 over the net 3 in the computer system 1 the locking process is triggered. Likewise, this process is via a mobile phone 5 in the mobile network 4 For example, by multiple frequency selection possible. Also, a devaluation of the SIM card in a mobile phone 6 is provided according to the invention. The new card status <locked> is now sent to the computer systems of the users such as banks and their ATMs 7 or, for example, directly to retail point-of-sale systems. Feedback on the customer's terminal is also possible via the same route. Now the validation function will be activated. If an immediate access to the card is possible, the invalidation will be initiated. In the case of a contactless card, it must be taken into account that these are not already outside the range of the transmitting antenna before the blocking function is triggered 8a the card terminal 8th was taken to power. The field strength is then no longer sufficient for validation. It is now possible to set the devaluation function <devaluate> directly on site at the reader or in a central processing unit. As soon as the card is to be used again, the validation can take place after the card identification the.

To validate one with a reader 7 galvanically connected card, it is obvious to destroy the internal structure of the chip by applying a high voltage. These readers usually have sufficient power in the power supply. But even a complete deletion of the memory areas and possibly the burning of on-chip read / write lines is conceivable.

The 2 shows schematically the structure of a wireless chip card, wherein only the components important for the function according to the invention are listed. There are two to the transmit-receive antenna 12 coupled oscillating circuits L1 / C2 and L2 / C3 are available. These are tuned to two different frequencies, which are spaced apart in sufficient distance, so that a sufficient channel separation is present. It is now conceivable that the resonant circuit L1 / C2 with the Schottky rectifier diode D1 and smoothing capacitor C1 for power supply 22 the on-board electronics used. If this is placed in a corresponding electromagnetic field, CPU, memory RAM / ROM and the transceiver S / E, all with the data bus 32 are connected, energized. If the card is to be canceled, the resonant circuit L3 / C2 can be brought into resonance by means of another frequency. About a single or multi-stage voltage doubling consisting of the capacitor C4 and the Schottky diodes D3, D2 via the quenching line 42 the memory area of the card is safely set to a defined state so that data is no longer available. If necessary, an energy store in the form of a capacitor of high capacitance C5 and flat design is also provided for supply. Since the deletion process may require a certain amount of time due to the lower energy transfer, in contrast to the galvanic coupling, a response of the card reader is delayed until the card is invalidated. As a result, the user is required to keep the card as long and close to the card terminal.

The 3 shows the wireless smart card described above, wherein to trigger the invalidation process, an additional triggering device 62 is present, which after arrival of a corresponding record via the FET 52 the voltage applied to C5 to the cancellation line 42 steep flank switches through. Again, only the essential parts of the invention are as shown. In this variant, a simplified power supply via only one rectifier, possibly with voltage multiplication, is possible. (Not shown here)

Claims (5)

Method for validation of chip cards, characterized in that the electronic components located in the chip card are brought into a permanently passive state by electrical influence and / or no further information can be read out. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the Map via contacts about has a galvanic connection to the reader. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the Card one or more antennas for transmitting and receiving high-frequency Signals and corresponding transceiver features. Chip card for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterized in that means are present, which are the electronic components of the chip card bring into a permanently passive state and / or all memories put into a ground state. Chip card according to claim 4, characterized that she as a SIM card for the mobile area is formed.