Card-type storage medium protecting data stored in its memory by interrupting an existing transaction after a predetermined permissible number of accesses

• US 5,845,069 A
• Filed: 01/22/1998
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Application Number:
  US09/010,994
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 395/186, 395/835, 395/821, 705/18, 705/17, 705/44, 902/1, 235/379, 235/381, 235/380, 380/23, 380/4, 340/825.34, 340/825.31
• US Class Current: 726/20
• 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 20/35765 Access rights to memory zones
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and method for managing security of an IC card such as a cashless payment card, an ID card, a medical health management card, a local government service card, etc. in each transaction with an object to improve a level of the security. The permissible number of accesses to a data file in each transaction is beforehand set. When a transaction is started between a card-type storage medium and a transaction apparatus, the number of accesses to the data file after the start of the transaction is counted and the counted number of accesses is compared with the permissible number of accesses. If the number of accesses exceeds the permissible number of accesses, it is judged that an error has occurred so as to interrupt the transaction.

Claims

1. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium having a storage unit keeping a data file therein, comprising the steps of:

setting beforehand a permissible number of file accesses in one transaction for said data file;

counting a number of file accesses to said data file after an authentication process and after a start of a transaction when said transaction is started between said card-type storage medium and a transaction apparatus accessing said card-type storage medium to execute said transaction, comparing the number of file accesses counted with said permissible number of file accesses set beforehand, determining that an error has occurred if said number of file accesses exceeds said permissible number of file accesses, and interrupting said transaction.

2. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 1, wherein if a plurality of said data files are kept in said storage, said permissible number of file accesses for each of said data files is set beforehand and the number of file accesses is counted for each of said data files.

3. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 2, wherein said permissible number of accesses for each type of access is set beforehand said data file and the number of file accesses is counted for each type of access.

4. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 3, wherein if it is determined that said error has occurred, said transaction apparatus is informed of said error.

5. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 4, wherein the number of said errors is accumulated, said number of errors accumulated occurred is compared with the permissible number of errors, and said card-type storage medium is inactivated if said number of errors exceeds said permissible number of errors.

6. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 5, wherein if said number of errors exceeds said permissible number of errors, said transaction apparatus is informed of an error.

7. A method of managing security for a card-type storage medium having a storage unit keeping a data file therein comprising the steps of:

setting beforehand a permissible file access period to said data file in one transaction;

measuring a file access period to said data file after an authentication process and after a start of a transaction when said transaction is started between said card-type storage medium and a transaction apparatus accessing said card-type storage medium to execute said transaction therewith, comparing the file access period measured with said permissible file access period set beforehand, determining that an error has occurred if said file access period exceeds said permissible file access period, and interrupting said transaction.

8. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 7, wherein if it is determines that said error has occurred, said transaction apparatus is informed of said error.

9. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the number of said errors is accumulated, said number of errors accumulated is compared with the permissible number of errors, and said card-type storage medium is inactivated if said number of errors exceeds the permissible number of errors.

10. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 9, wherein if said number of errors exceeds said permissible number of errors, said transaction apparatus is informed of an error.

11. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium having a storage unit keeping a data file therein comprising the steps of:

setting beforehand a permissible number of file accesses and a permissible file access period for said data file in one transaction,

counting a number of file accesses and measuring a file access period to said data file after an authentication process and after a start of a transaction when said transaction is started between said card-type storage medium and a transaction apparatus accessing said card-type storage medium to execute the transaction therewith, comparing the number of file accesses counted with said permissible number of file accesses set beforehand and comparing the file access period measured with said permissible file access period, determining that an error has occurred if said number of file accesses exceeds said permissible number of file accesses or if said file access period exceeds said permissible file access period, and interrupting said transaction.

12. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 11, wherein if a plurality of said data files are kept in said storage, said permissible number of file accesses for each of said data files is set beforehand and the number of file accesses is counted for each of said data files.

13. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 12, wherein said permissible number of file accesses for each type of access is set beforehand for said data file and the number of file accesses is counted for each type of access.

14. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 13, wherein if it is determined that an error has occurred, said transaction apparatus is informed of said error.

15. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the number of said errors is accumulated, said number of errors accumulated is compared with the permissible number of errors, and said card-type storage medium is inactivated if said number of errors exceeds said permissible number of errors.

16. A method for managing security for a card-type storage medium according to claim 14, wherein if said number of errors exceeds said permissible number of errors, said transaction apparatus is informed of an error.

17. In a card-type storage medium having a storage unit having a data area keeping a data file therein and a directory area keeping control information about the data file in said data area therein and a control unit managing the data file in said data area in said storage unit on the basis of the control information in said directory area in said storage unit, the improvement comprising:

said directory area in said storage unit being set beforehand with a permissible number of file accesses for said data file in one transaction;

said control unit comprising;

a counting means for counting a number of file accesses to said data file after an authentication process and after a start of a transaction when said transaction is started with an external apparatus;

a comparing means for comparing the number of file accesses counted by said counting means with said permissible number of file accesses set beforehand in said directory area in said storage unit; and

an error judging means for determining that an error has occurred if said number of file accesses exceeds said permissible number of file accesses as a result of comparison by said comparing means, and for interrupting said transaction.

18. A card-type storage medium according to claim 17, wherein if a plurality of said data files are kept in said storage unit, said permissible number of file accesses for each of said data files is set beforehand in said directory area in said storage unit, and said counting means counts the number of file accesses for each of said data files.

19. A card-type storage medium according to claim 18, wherein said permissible number of file accesses is set beforehand for each type of access to said data file in said directory area in said storage unit, and said counting means counts the number of file accesses for each type of access.

20. A card-type storage medium according to claim 19, wherein said control unit further comprises an error notifying means notifying an error to said external apparatus if said error judging means determines that an error has occurred.

21. A card-type storage medium according to claim 20, wherein said control unit still further comprises:

an accumulating means for accumulating said number of errors;

an error number comparing means for comparing the number of errors accumulated by said accumulating means with the permissible number of errors set beforehand in said directory area in said storage unit; and

an inactivating means for inactivating said card-type storage medium if said number of errors exceeds said permissible number of errors as a result of comparison by said error number comparing means.

22. A card-type storage medium according to claim 21, wherein said error notifying means notifies an error to said external apparatus if said number of errors exceeds said permissible number of errors as a result of comparison by said error number comparing means.

23. In a card-type storage medium having a storage unit having a data area keeping a data file therein and a directory area keeping control information about the data file in said data area therein and a control unit managing the data file in said data area in said storage unit on the basis of the control information in said directory area in said storage unit, the improvement comprising:

said directory area in said storage unit being beforehand set with a permissible file access period for said data file in each transaction;

said control unit comprising;

a timer means for measuring a file access period to said data file after an authentication process and after a start of a transaction when said transaction is started with an external apparatus;

a comparing means for comparing the file access period measured by said timer means with said permissible file access period set beforehand in said directory area in said storage unit; and

an error judging means for determining that an error has occurred if said file access period exceeds said permissible file access period as a result of comparison by said comparing means, and for interrupting said transaction.

24. A card-type storage medium according to claim 23, wherein said control unit further comprising an error notifying means for notifying an error to said external apparatus if said error judging means determines that an error has occurred.

25. A card-type storage medium according to claim 24, wherein said control unit still further comprising:

an accumulating means for accumulating said number of errors;

an error number comparing means for comparing the number of errors accumulated by said accumulating means with the permissible number of errors set beforehand in said directory area in said storage unit; and

an inactivating means for inactivating said card-type storage medium if said number of errors exceeds said permissible number of errors as a result of comparison by said error number comparing means.

26. A card-type storage medium according to claim 25, wherein said error notifying means notifies an error to said external apparatus if said number of errors exceeds said permissible number of errors as a result of comparison by said error occurrence number comparing means.

27. In a card-type storage medium having a storage unit having a data area keeping a data file therein and a directory area keeping control information about the data file in said data area therein and a control unit managing the data file in said data area in said storage unit on the basis of the control information in said directory area in said storage unit, the improvement comprising:

said directory area in said storage unit being beforehand set with a permissible number of file accesses and a permissible file access period for said data file in one transaction;

said control unit comprising;

a counting means for counting a number of file accesses to said data file after an authentication process and after a start of a transaction when said transaction is started with an external apparatus;

a timer means for measuring a file access period to said data file after the authentication process and after the start of said transaction;

a first comparing means for comparing the number of file accesses counted by said counting means with said permissible number of file accesses set beforehand in said directory area in said storage unit;

a second comparing means for comparing the file access period measured by said timer means with said permissible file access period set beforehand in said directory area in said storage unit; and

an error judging means for determining that an error has occurred if said number of file accesses exceeds said permissible number of file accesses as a result of comparison by said first comparing means or if said file access period exceeds said permissible file access period as a result of comparison by said second comparing means, and for interrupting said transaction.

28. A card-type storage medium according to claim 27, wherein if a plurality of said data files are kept in said storage unit, said permissible number of file accesses for each of the data files is set beforehand in said directory area in said storage unit, and said counting means counts the number of file accesses for each of the data files.

29. A card-type storage medium according to claim 28, wherein said permissible number of accesses to said data file for each type of access is set beforehand in said directory in said storage unit, and said counting means counts the number of accesses for each type of access.

30. A card-type storage medium according to claim 29, wherein said control unit further comprising an error notifying means for notifying an error to said external apparatus if said error determines that an error has occurred.

31. A card-type storage medium according to claim 30, wherein said control unit still further comprising:

an accumulating means for accumulating said number of errors;

an error number comparing means for comparing the number of errors accumulated by said accumulating means with the permissible number of errors set beforehand in said directory area in said storage unit; and

an inactivating means for inactivating said card-type storage medium if said number of errors exceeds said permissible number of errors as a result of comparison by said error number comparing means.

32. A card-type storage medium according to claim 31, wherein said error notifying means notifies an error to said external apparatus if said number of errors exceeds said permissible number of errors as a result of comparison by said error number comparing means.