Financial transaction terminal with limited access

• US 6,097,606 A
• Filed: 05/28/1998
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Verifact, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Verifact, Inc.
• Inventors: Spence, John Richard, Yuen, Ki Sheung, Wong, Yiu Kong, Groves, David Henry, Hardman, Fraser
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US09/084,999
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 361/680, 361/679, 361/686, 361/727, 361/681, 361/683, 361/728, 361/730, 361/732, 361/747, 361/760, 361/781, 364/705.06, 364/709.04, 364/710.04, 364/708.1, 705/1, 705/16, 705/17, 705/25, 235/435, 235/449, 235/472, 235/379, 235/380, 395/186, D14/100, D18/7
• US Class Current: 361/747
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• 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: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A financial transaction terminal is designed to receive both smart cards and debit cards and includes an access port for inserting or removing security modules such as SIM or SAM modules. A security switch arrangement is provided about the access port to protect the now accessible components of the terminal. Such a terminal provides the uncompromised physical security of a debit terminal with the flexibility and capabilities of a smart card terminal.

Claims

1. A financial transaction terminal for cooperating with smart cards said terminal comprising a housing enclosing electronic circuitry and including a visual display and a keypad, said housing including a slot entry for receiving and forming an electronic circuit between a received smart card and said enclosed electronic circuitry, said keypad allowing a user to enter information into said financial terminal, and at least one accessible user secure module provided in an access port of said housing, said financial transaction terminal including an electrical switch seal arrangement biased by said housing to form an electrical seal at a plurality of points spaced about the perimeter of said access port whereby both access to said user secure module and security about said port are provided.

2. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one user secure module is defined by two security identity modules attached to a circuit board of said electronic circuitry.

3. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 2 wherein said circuit board about said access port includes a series of connection terminals and said housing includes a zebra connector having alternating conducting and non conducting layers extending between said series of connection terminals and electrically connecting at least some of said terminals to form a security structure about said access port whereby said two security identity modules are readily accessible and said housing and the components of said terminal not exposed in said access port remain protected from unauthorized access through said access port.

4. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 3 wherein said housing is a mechanically secured split housing having an electronic circuit for providing a signal if unauthorized entry to said terminal is attempted by releasing said split housing.

5. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 4 wherein said electronic circuitry includes a circuit board having said two security modules attached to a surface thereof facing a base of said split housing, said circuit board having a border area surrounding said access port which border area is defined by said connection terminals.

6. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 5 wherein said two security modules are miniature SIM card acceptors.

7. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 5 wherein said two security modules are miniature secured application modules.

8. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 5 wherein said terminal accepts debit or smart cards.

9. A financial transaction terminal comprising a housing enclosing an electronic circuitry and including a visual display and a keypad, said housing including at least one access port with said housing including an electronic seal about the perimeter of said port, said access port including an electrical component interface adapted to receive a replaceable electrical component and allow communication between said replaceable electrical component and said electronic circuitry, said electrical seal defining a coded switch having a known condition, said terminal including an arrangement for monitoring said coded switch and determining a change in the condition thereof, and a security system which deletes critical information upon determining a change in condition of said coded switch.

10. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 9 wherein said electrical component interface is mounted on a circuit board which forms a part of said electronic circuitry.

11. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 10 wherein only a limited portion of the back face of said circuit board is exposed within said access port and said electrical component interface is mounted on said back face.

12. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 11 wherein said electrical component interface is adapted to receive at least one SIM module.

13. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 11 wherein said electrical component interface is adapted to receive at least one SAM module.

14. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 11 wherein said access port includes sufficient space for receiving two SAM modules and connecting said modules to said circuit board.

15. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 12 wherein said electrical seal includes a series of opposed pairs of electrical contacts forming a code of circuits having one of two different states and a change in any state indicates a security breach.

16. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 15 wherein said electrical seal generally surrounds said access port and said housing applies a pressure on at least one connector which connects opposed pairs of electrical contact points.

17. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 16 wherein said connector is a series of alternating conducting and non conducting layers with at least one non conducting layer separating adjacent pairs of electrical contact points.

18. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 15 wherein said electrical contact points are provided on said circuit board.

19. A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 18 wherein each side of said access port includes at least three pairs of electrical contact points.

20. A financial transaction terminal for cooperating with smart cards said terminal comprising a housing enclosing electronic circuitry and including a visual display and a keypad, said housing including a slot entry for receiving and forming an electronic circuit between a received smart card and said enclosed electronic circuitry, said keypad allowing a user to enter information into said financial terminal, and at least one accessible user secure module provided in an access port of said housing, said transaction terminal including an electrical switch seal arrangement about said accessible port, said electrical switch seal arrangement including a connector biased by said housing to maintain contact with paired electrical contacts associated with said electronic circuitry and thereby form a series of frangible electrical connections spaced about the perimeter of said access port whereby both access to said user secure module and security about said port are provided.