Tamper resistant smart card and method of protecting data in a smart card
First Claim
1. A method of protecting data stored in a smart card, the method comprising:
- providing a housing including first and second portions;
providing a volatile memory in the housing;
providing a battery in the housing; and
connecting the battery to the memory, using a conductor including conductive epoxy, such that power to the memory is interrupted and data in the memory is erased if the first portion of the housing is moved relative to the second portion of the housing.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of protecting data in a smart card from unauthorized access, the method comprising providing a housing defined by first and second housing portions; employing a volatile memory in the smart card for storing the data, and supporting the volatile memory from the first housing portion; providing a power supply in the housing, the power supply maintaining the data in the volatile memory while the power supply is connected to the volatile memory; and connecting the power supply to the volatile memory using a conductor supported by and movable with the second housing portion. A smart card comprising a housing including two opposing major portions that are connected together; an integrated circuit supported in the housing, the integrated circuit including a microprocessor and a random access memory, the random access memory being used to store data; a battery supported in the housing and having first and second terminals, the first terminal being coupled to the integrated circuit; and a conductor coupling the second terminal of the battery to the integrated circuit to complete a circuit, the conductor being supported by the housing such that separation of one of the portions of the housing from the other portion opens the circuit and breaks connection of the battery to the microprocessor so that data held in the random access memory is erased.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of protecting data stored in a smart card, the method comprising:
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providing a housing including first and second portions; providing a volatile memory in the housing; providing a battery in the housing; and connecting the battery to the memory, using a conductor including conductive epoxy, such that power to the memory is interrupted and data in the memory is erased if the first portion of the housing is moved relative to the second portion of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of protecting data in a smart card from unauthorized access, the method comprising:
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providing a housing defined by first and second housing portions; employing a volatile memory in the smart card for storing the data, and supporting the volatile memory from the first housing portion; providing a power supply in the housing, the power supply maintaining the data in the volatile memory while the power supply is connected to the volatile memory; and connecting the power supply to the volatile memory using a conductor of conductive epoxy supported by and movable with the second housing portion. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of protecting data in a smart card from unauthorized access, the method comprising:
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providing first and second housing portions having respective conductors fixed thereto, the conductor fixed to the second housing portion being formed of conductive epoxy; providing a volatile memory for storing the data, and fixing the volatile memory to the first housing portion; providing a battery having first and second terminals, the battery maintaining the data in the volatile memory while the power supply is connected to the volatile memory, fixing the battery to the first housing portion with the conductor on the first housing portion connecting the first terminal of the battery to the volatile memory; and joining the second housing portion with the first housing portion to define a housing having the conductor fixed to the second housing portion connecting the second terminal of the battery to the volatile memory with the battery maintaining the data in the volatile memory only while the first housing portion remains attached to the second housing portion. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of protecting data in a smart card from unauthorized access, the method comprising:
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providing first and second housing portions having respective conductors fixed thereto; providing a volatile memory for storing the data, and fixing the volatile memory to the first housing portion; providing a battery having first and second terminals, the battery maintaining the data in the volatile memory while the power supply is connected to the volatile memory, fixing the battery to the first housing portion with the conductor on the first housing portion connecting the first terminal of the battery to the volatile memory; and providing the second housing portion joined with the first housing portion to define a housing having the conductor fixed to the second housing portion connecting the second terminal of the battery to the volatile memory with the battery maintaining the data in the volatile memory only while the first housing portion remains attached to the second housing portion, wherein providing first and second housing portions having respective conductors fixed thereto comprises providing a sheet of translucent polyester film having interior and exterior sides, painting ink on the interior side of the polyester film, the ink being visible from outside the card, and printing a conductor on the ink to define the first housing portion. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of protecting data stored in a smart card against repetitive attacks, the method comprising:
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providing a housing including first and second portions; providing a volatile memory in the housing; providing a battery in the housing; connecting the battery to the memory, using a conductor including conductive epoxy, such that power to the memory is lost and data in the memory is erased if the first portion of the housing is moved relative to the second portion of the housing; and storing medical data in the volatile memory. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A smart card comprising:
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a housing including two opposing major portions that are connected together; an integrated circuit supported in the housing, the integrated circuit including a microprocessor and a random access memory, the random access memory being used to store data; a battery supported in the housing and having first and second terminals, the first terminal being coupled to the integrated circuit; and a conductor coupling the second terminal of the battery to the integrated circuit to complete a circuit, the conductor including conductive epoxy and being supported by the housing such that separation of one of the portions of the housing from the other portion opens the circuit and breaks connection of the battery to the integrated circuit so that data held in the random access memory is erased. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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Specification