SENSOR WITH A CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENT

• US 20100299756A1
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Toriyabe, Johannes, Garbe, Joachim, Ostertun, Soenke
• Application Number:
  US12/299,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20100299756A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07363 by preventing analysis of the circuit, e.g. dynamic or static power analysis or current analysis

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor, in particular for detecting attacks on at least one signal-carrying line (11), in particular of chip cards (1), said sensor having a circuit arrangement (10) which comprises a first circuit arrangement (13) for detecting an instantaneous voltage value above a first supply voltage and a second circuit arrangement (14) for detecting an instantaneous voltage value below a second supply voltage, wherein, when a voltage value outside the range between the first and second supply voltages is detected, a signal (19) is generated and can be taken as a basis for initiating a protective measure.

Claims

1. A sensor more particularly for detecting attacks on at least one signal-carrying line (11, 21) more particularly of chip cards (1), comprising a circuit arrangement (10, 20) which comprises a first circuit arrangement (13, 22) for detecting an instantaneous voltage value above a first supply voltage and a second circuit arrangement (14, 23) for detecting an instantaneous voltage value below a second supply voltage, wherein, when a voltage value outside the range between the first and second supply voltages is detected, a signal (19) is generated on the basis of which a protective measure can be initiated.

2. A sensor as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that when the first supply voltage is exceeded by the voltage value of the signal-carrying line (11) a validity signal (15) is suppressed or an exceeding signal is generated.

3. A sensor as claimed in any one of the claim 1 or 2, characterized in that if the second supply voltage is fallen short of by the voltage value of the signal-carrying line (11) a validity signal (16) is suppressed or a falling-short signal is generated.

4. A sensor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when the signal (19) occurs, a reset of the chip (2) more particularly of the chip card (1) is carried out or the complete circuit of the chip (2) more particularly of the chip card (1) is deactivated at least at times.

5. A sensor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the circuit arrangement (14) for generating the falling-short signal and/or the circuit arrangement (13) for generating the exceeding signal are formed at least by means of two field effect transistors.

6. A sensor as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the two field effect transistors are interconnected by means of their drain electrodes.