Portable data carrier including a microprocessor

• US 4,211,919 A
• Filed: 08/25/1978
• Issued: 07/08/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Compagnie Internationale Pour L'Informatique
• Original Assignee: Compagnie Internationale Pour L'Informatique
• Inventors: Ugon, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Cook, Daryl W.
• Application Number:
  US05/936,694
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 235/488, 235/487
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/755 with measures against power attack
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/77 in smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2121 Chip on media, e.g. a disk or tape with a chip embedded in its case
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/082 Features insuring the integrity of the data on or in the card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1083 Counting of PIN attempts
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/22 Safety or protection circuits preventing unauthorised or accidental access to memory cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48472 : the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a wedge bond, i.e. wedge-to-wedge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5388 : for flat cards, e.g. credit cards cards per se G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details

Abstract

A portable data or information carrier in the form of a card or the like. In order to maximize the confidentiality of information stored in the carrier, and more specifically to limit the amount of information available to a would-be defrauder monitoring data lines connecting the data carrier to external devices, the data carrier includes a microprocessor and a memory operatively associated with the microprocessor. The memory has three particular zones, namely: (1) a secret zone in which reading and writing operations only by internal circuits of the data carrier are permitted; (2) a working zone in which any reading or writing operations are permitted; and (3) a read zone where only reading operations are permitted. The secret zone of the memory includes at least one key or code which is compared to a key received from a device external to the data carrier to determine whether a particular operation is authorized. To ensure that the data carrier consumes the same amount of current whether the requested operation is authorized or unauthorized, a bit is stored in the memory in either event. In general, the internal handling of data by the data carrier deprives a would-be defrauder of any opportunity to learn the nature of information required to use the data carrier.

Claims

1. A portable data carrier for storing and processing data, comprising:

a microprocessor,

a memory operatively associated with said microprocessor having a first zone to which access by devices external to said carrier is prevented, and in which reading and writing by circuits internal to said carrier are permitted;

said microprocessor including internal first means for reading and writing in said memory;

second means for receiving external data to be written in said memory, and third means for externally transmitting data read from said memory,

said first means internal to said portable data including means for checking an enabling key received from a device external to said carrier,

and said portable data carrier further comprising means associated with said reading element for storing error information in a zone of said memory in the event the received key is incorrect; and

means associated with said reading element for storing access information in another zone of said memory in the event the received key is correct.

2. A portable data carrier for storing and processing data, comprising:

a microprocessor,

a memory operatively associated with said microprocessor having a first zone to which access by devices external to said carrier is prevented, and in which reading and writing by circuit internal to said carrier are permitted,

said microprocessor including internal first means for reading and writing in said memory;

second means for receiving external data to be written in said memory, and third means for externally transmitting data read from said memory,

said first means internal to said portable data including means for checking an enabling key received from a device external to said carrier,

and said portable data carrier further comprising means associated with said writing element for storing error information in a zone of said memory in the event the received key in incorrect; and

means associated with said writing element for storing validity information in another zone of said memory in the event the received key is correct.

3. A portable data carrier as set forth in claim 2, wherein said portable data carrier further comprising means associated with said reading element for storing error information in a zone of said memory in the event the received key in incorrect;

and

means associated with said element for storing access information in another zone of said memory in the event the received key is correct.