Authentication system for PC cards

• US 6,592,031 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stocko Contact GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Stocko Contact GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Klatt, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US09/454,888
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/382, 235/492, 235/486, 235/384, 235/479, 235/472, 382/124, 382/128, 902/3, 705/18, 705/41, 705/44
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0718 the sensor being of the biometric kind, e.g. fingerprint sensors fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/13; biometric access-control systems in general, see G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/26 using a biometric sensor integrated in the pass

Abstract

A PC card authentication system has a PC card having a PC card housing with a plug connector at one end thereof configured to be inserted into a computer slot of a computer and to provide electrical contact with the computer. Electronic components are mounted in the PC card housing and are connected to the plug connector. A sensor is provided for detecting biometric data of a person for the purpose of authenticating the identity of a person.

Claims

1. A PC card authentication system comprising:

a PC card having a PC card housing (2) having a plug connector (3) at one end thereof configured to be inserted into a computer slot of a computer and to provide electrical contact with the computer;

electronic components mounted in said PC card housing (2) and connected to said plug connector (3);

a sensor (5) configured to detect biometric data of a person for authenticating the identity of a person;

a printed circuit board (10) mounted in said PC card housing (2) and having contacts (11, 19) for contacting a chip card (9) inserted into said PC card housing (2), said printed circuit board (10) electrically connected to said plug connector (3);

wherein said PC card housing (2) comprises a bottom plate (6) and a cover plate (7) connected to one another, wherein said printed circuit board (1) is mounted on said cover plate (7) and wherein between said bottom plate (7) and said printed circuit board (10) an insertion channel (8) for a chip card (9) is defined, wherein said insertion channel (8) opens at an end of said PC card housing (2) opposite said plug connector (3).

2. An authentication system according to claim 1, further comprising a slide (4) slidably mounted in said PC card housing (2) and having an extended position in which said slide (4) projects from PC card said housing (2) and a retracted position in which said slide (4) is completely retracted into said PC card housing (2), said slide (4) arranged at an end of said PC card housing (2) opposite said plug connector (3), wherein said sensor (5) is mounted on said slide (5).

3. An authentication system according to claim 2, wherein said slide (4) has an electrically driven linear guide (12).

4. An authentication system according to claim 2, wherein said slide (4) is supported on a top side of the chip card (9) inserted into said insertion channel (8).

5. An authentication system according to claim 2, wherein said sensor (5) is electrically connected to said printed circuit board (10).

6. An authentication system according to claim 2, wherein said slide (4) is activated and deactivated when the chip card (9) reaches a defined position in said insertion channel (8), when electrical contact of said PC card (1) and the computer is realized, or when the computer emits electrical activation/deactivation signals.

7. An authentication system according to claim 2, further comprising a battery or a storage capacitor mounted in said PC card housing (2) for supplying said slide (4) with electrical energy.

8. An authentication system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor (5) is mounted in said printed circuit board (10) and wherein said PC card housing (2) has a cutout (15) exposing said sensor (5).

9. An authentication system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor (5) is arranged on said chip card (9).

10. An authentication system according to claim 9, wherein the chip card (9) has a contact element (16, 18) and wherein said sensor (5) is electrically connected to said contact element (16, 18), wherein upon insertion of the chip card (9) into said insertion slot (8) said contact element (16, 18) contacts said printed circuit board (10) with or without physical contact.

11. An authentication system according to claim 9, further comprising a sending and receiving unit (22) mounted within said housing at an end opposite said plug connector (3) wherein the chip card (9) has a contact element (16, 18) and wherein said sensor (5) is electrically connected to said contact element (16, 18), wherein said contact element (16, 18) is coupled by opto-electric coupling or by radio-technological coupling to said sending and receiving unit (22).

12. An authentication system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor (5) is activated and deactivated when the chip card (9) reaches a defined position in said insertion channel (8), when electrical contact of said PC card (1) and the computer is realized, or when the computer emits electrical activation/deactivation signals.

13. An authentication system according to claim 1, further comprising a battery or a storage capacitor mounted in said PC card housing (2) for supplying said sensor (5) with electrical energy.

14. A PC card authentication system comprising:

a PC card having a PC card housing (2) having a plug connector (3) at one end thereof configured to be inserted into a computer slot of a computer and to provide electrical contact with the computer;

electronic components mounted in said PC card housing (2) and connected to said plug connector (3);

a sensor (5) configured to detect biometric data of a person for authenticating the identity of a person;

a printed circuit board (10) mounted in said PC card housing (2) and having contacts (11, 19) for contacting a chip card (9) inserted into said PC card housing (2), said printed circuit board (10) electrically connected to said plug connector (3);

a cryptographic processor (14) connected to said sensor (5) for encoding and decoding data;

wherein said PC card housing (2) comprises a bottom plate (6) and a cover plate (7) connected to one another, wherein said printed circuit board (1) is mounted on said cover plate (7) and wherein between said bottom plate (7) and said printed circuit board (10) an insertion channel (8) for a chip card (9) is defined, wherein said insertion channel (8) opens at an end of said PC card housing (2) opposite said plug connector (3).

15. An authentication system according to claim 14, wherein said cryptographic processor (14) is mounted on said printed circuit board (10) or the chip card (9).