Media cipher smart card
First Claim
1. A chip card comprising:
- a battery;
an external power source input for coupling to an external power source; and
a microprocessor being coupled to the external power source input and to the battery, said microprocessor trickle charging the battery when an external power source is coupled to the external power source input.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A chip card is provided which is equipped with a thin film battery, such as those that utilize a LiPON electrolyte. Since the battery does not require venting, it can be sealed within the card, thereby making the card more tamper resistant. Moreover, the terminals of the battery and memory are encased in an epoxy resin, and a volatile memory type is employed. This improves the resistance of the card toward common tampering schemes involving the use of sulfuric acid or other mineral acids. In particular, if such acids are used in an attempt to access the memory module in order to tamper with the card, they will dissolve the epoxy resin around the battery terminals, resulting in a short circuit and erasing the memory contents of the card.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A chip card comprising:
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a battery;
an external power source input for coupling to an external power source; and
a microprocessor being coupled to the external power source input and to the battery, said microprocessor trickle charging the battery when an external power source is coupled to the external power source input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for charging a battery comprising:
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coupling the battery terminals to a microprocessor output port; and
transmitting a digital signal to the battery from the microprocessor port when the microprocessor is powered from a power source other than the battery. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A chip card comprising:
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a thin film battery having a solid-state electrolyte, wherein said battery is hermetically sealed within the card;
a volatile memory unit;
an external power source input for coupling to an external power source; and
a microprocessor being coupled to the external power source input and to the battery, said microprocessor trickle charging the battery when an external power source is coupled to the external power source input. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification