Financial and similar identification cards read by magnetic swipe card readers and methods relating thereto

• US 20070152052A1
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Codecard Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Randy D. Sines
• Inventors: Sines, Randy
• Granted Patent: US 7,451,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/449
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06187 with magnetically detectable marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/10 at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards verification of coded identity or credit cards in mechanisms actuated by them G07F7/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/41 characterized by the control of the jamming activation or deactivation time control of jamming activation and deactivation time only for the purpose of alternating between jamming mode and target monitoring mode H04K3/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/62 by exposing communication, processing or storing systems to electromagnetic wave radiation, e.g. causing disturbance, disruption or damage of electronic circuits, or causing external injection of faults in the information
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/86 related to preventing deceptive jamming or unauthorized interrogation or access, e.g. WLAN access or RFID reading record carriers with integrated circuit chips including means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or to record carriers by hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07318; arrangements for sensing record carriers including arrangements for protecting the interrogation against piracy attacks G06K7/10257

Abstract

Apparatus forming a portable charge, debit or similar identification card which can be read using a magnetic card reader and methods for securing information are described. The preferred apparatus includes a magnetic stripe for storing information, a jamming assembly configured to emit a jamming signal which temporarily renders at least a portion of the magnetic stripe unreadable when the card is swiped through the card reader without first entering correct authentication data, and a power source adapted to supply power to the jamming assembly. Other features are also disclosed.

Claims

11. An apparatus forming a portable charge, debit or similar identification card which can be read using a magnetic card reader, comprising:

a magnetic encoded code for storing information;

a jamming assembly configured to emit a jamming signal which at least temporarily renders a portion of the magnetic stripe unreadable when the card is passed through a card reader without first entering correct authentication data; and

a power source adapted to supply power to the jamming assembly.

1. An apparatus forming a portable identification card which can be read using a magnetic swipe card reader, comprising:

a magnetic stripe for storing information;

an input device adapted for a user to enter authentication data;

a memory for storing reference data;

a processor configured to compare the authentication data entered by the user to the reference data stored in the memory to determine whether the authentication data entered by the user is correct authentication data;

a sensor assembly configured to detect when the card is swiped through the magnetic card reader;

a jammer adapted to emit jamming signal which causes the magnetic card reader to consider the magnetic stripe to be invalid when the card is swiped without first entering the correct authentication data; and

,

a power source adapted to supply power to the processor, the sensor assembly, and the jammer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor assembly comprises a plurality of sensors.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors are positioned near the ends of the magnetic stripe.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a portion of the sensor assembly is positioned beneath the magnetic stripe.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the jamming signal comprises a burst of electromagnetic energy which temporarily confuses the information stored on the magnetic stripe without erasing the information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the input device comprises a keypad adapted to receive the authentication data entered by the user.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the input device comprises a biometric sensor adapted to receive the authentication data entered by the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to count sequential entries in which the authentication data entered by the user failed to match the reference data, and wherein the jammer is further adapted to emit an erasing signal which erases a portion of the magnetic stripe when the count of sequential entries exceeds a predetermined number.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to count sequential swipes in which the card is swiped without first entering the correct authentication data, and wherein the jammer is further adapted to emit an erasing signal which erases a portion of the magnetic stripe when the count of sequential swipes exceeds a predetermined number.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising an indicator configured to alert the user when the processor has determined that the user has entered the correct authentication data and the card is ready to be read by the magnetic card reader.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the jamming assembly is further configured to emit an erasing signal which erases a portion of the magnetic stripe once a predetermined number of incorrect authentication data entries have been sequentially entered.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 and further comprising an indicator configured to alert the user when the correct authentication data has been entered and the card is ready to be read by the magnetic card reader.

12-1. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the jamming system is further configured to emit an erasing signal which erases a portion of the magnetic stripe once the card has been sequentially passed through the card reader a predetermined number of times without entry of the correct authentication data.

14. A method for obtaining information stored on a portable identification card which is to be read by a magnetic card reader, comprising:

providing the card including a magnetic stripe storing the information, a sensor assembly configured to detect when the card is swiped through the magnetic card reader, and a jammer positioned adjacent to the magnetic stripe and adapted to emit a jamming signal which causes the magnetic card reader to consider the magnetic stripe invalid when the card is swiped without first entering correct authentication data.

15. The method of claim 14, and further comprising the steps of:

swiping the card through the magnetic card reader;

detecting the swiping of the card; and

emitting the jamming signal.

16. The method of claim 14, and further comprising the steps of:

entering the correct authentication data to temporarily deactivate the jammer; and

after entering the correct authentication data, swiping the card through the magnetic card reader.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein after swiping the card through the magnetic card reader, the method further comprises automatically reactivating the jammer once a predetermined period of time expires.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of entering the correct authentication data comprises entering a PIN on a keypad.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of entering the correct authentication data comprises placing a digit on a biometric sensor.