Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: FINANCIAL TRArdSACTION TERMINAL WITH LIMITED ACCESS
FIELD OF THE INVENTIOrd
The present invention relates to financial
tran;~action terminals capable of: cooperating with smart
cards stored in an accessible part of the access terminal.
In p~~rticular, the application i.s directed to improvements
in security of such terminals.
BA KGROUND OF THE INVF;NTION
Miniature smart cards compliant with the GSM 11.11
Standard, are commonly referred to as SIM (Security
Identity Module) or SAN! (Secure Access Module) cards.
These=_ devices have the same I/O pad configurations and
capabilities as a standard ISO (CNet) smart card. The SIM
or S~~N! cards, because of their small size, can be installed
insi~~e a financial transaction terminal for verification,
password, registration, billing information or as an
electronic purse, whez-e monetary values can be transferred
to and from the smart card. Both the SIM and SAM cards
have special adapters for attacr.~ment to a circuit board for
receiving the card anc~ eler_trically connecting the card
with the circuit board. In this way, the circuit board
comm~inicates directly with the card which is removable.
The riser, from time to time, may need to replace the SIM or
SAM ~~ard and as such, requires access to the acceptors.
For example, these cax-ds can be used as an electronic purse
which is replaced by t:he u:~er, when the old one is full.
Financial terminals which are smart card compatible have
become increasingly popular for point of sale transactions.
Simi:Larly, debit fund transfer systems are becoming quite
common. A single terminal which. is compatible with both
systems would be desired.
In a debit system, PIN entry is required as a means
to identify the legitimate user. This PIN is protected by
encr:~pting the PIN and dat<~ which is received by the unit
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or sEsnt by the unit. In addition to this electronic
coding, the common standards, such as INTERAC and VISA,
require certain physical security to protect against
unauvhorized entry to the unit. Financial transaction
terminals for debit card transactions have an electronic
switch arrangement which shuts down the unit if the housing
of tl:xe financial tram>action terminal is separated exposing
the ~=_nclosed circuitry and software.
The debit card. security approach is desirable,
howe,;rer, it is also desirable to have a device with SIM or
SAM ~~ards for recordal_ of certain information directly in
the device while allowing a user access to these cards.
The 1?resent invention combines these two capabilities and
whip=_ providing effective security for the financial
tran;~action device.
SL~~RY OF THE INVENTION
A financial transaction terminal according to the
present invention, is capable of cooperating with smart
card; and includes a housing enclosing electronic circuitry
whicl:x cooperates with a vi:~ual display and a key pad. The
housing includes a slot entry for receiving a smart card
and :Forming an electronic circuit between a received smart
card and the enclosed circuitry. The key pad arrangement
allows a user to entex- information into the financial
terminal and the terminal :includes at least one accessible
secure module located in an access port of the housing.
The housing includes an electrical switch seal arrangement
about the access port to prevent. unauthorized entry into
the :Financial transaction terminal through the port. The
financial transaction terminal allows access to the secure
modu:Le while the seal arrangement about the port provides
additional security for the ternninal.
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According to an aspect of the invention, the device
includes two security identity modules attached to the
circ,~it board of the Electronic circuitry.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the
circuit board about the access port includes a series of
conn~=_ction terminals and the housing includes a zebra
conn~=_ctor having alternating conducting and non conducting
layers extending between the series of connection terminals
and electrically connE~cting some of said terminals to form
a se~~urity structure about the access port. The two
security modules are readily accessible and the housing and
the components of the terminal not exposed in the access
port remain protected from authorized access through the
acce:~s port .
According to yet a further aspect of the invention,
the housing is a mechanically secured split housing having
an e:Lectronic circuit for providing a signal if
unaui~horized entry to the terminal is attempted by
separation of the split housing.
According to yet a further aspect of the invention,
the two security modu7_es are miniature SIM card acceptors
or miniature SAM card acceptors.
According to yet a further aspect of the invention,
the i~erminal accepts both debit or smart cards for
comp:Leting financial t:ransaction.s.
BRIEI~ DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in
the drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a financial
tran;~action terminal;
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Figure 2 is a perspective view of the rear of a
financial transaction terminal showing an access port with
the cover thereof removed;
Figure 3 is a rear perspective view with the back
housing removed;
Figure 4 is a partial sectional view showing part
of the housing in contact with a. circuit board which is an
electrical connection with a miniature smart card acceptor;
and
Figure 5 is a top view showing various seals
provided around an access port.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figure 1 shows a financial transaction terminal 2
which can be used with both debit cards and smart cards. A
debit card typically has a magnetic strip which is read by
the :financial transaction terminal, and the user then
enters a PIN as part of the authorization process. The
terminal electronical7_y connects'. with a financial institute
to complete the transaction. The transaction terminal 2
incl,ides a visual display 4, a k:ey pad 6, and a slot 8 for
receiving the smart ox- debit card. The hand held terminal
includes an electrica7_ connection 10 to connect the
terminal with other devices and for communication signals
with a financial institute. These debit terminals are used
at many point of sale counters. As part of the security,
the 'transmitted and received sigmals are encrypted. The
terminal then interprets the receiver's signal using
software and encrypting keys maintained within the
terminal. Physical security is provided to detect
unauthorized access to the case of the terminal. In the
event of detection, encoding information is deleted.
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The terminal 2 has a housing generally shown as 12
which in this case, i~> a two-part casing having a front
housing 14 and a back housing 16. Basically, the casing 12
is horizontally split into the t.wo parts and suitable
eleci~ronic circuitry arrangements can be provided to alert
the i~erminal that the casing has been opened. The front
and ~~he back housing are typically mechanically secured and
if rf~leased, the terminal detects this release and protects
or e.Liminates any critical information.
The back of th.e housing as shown in Figures 2 and
3, has an access port 18 which exposes part of the circuit
board 22. SIM or SAM type acceptors 20 and 21 are secured
on the circuit board ~:2 within the access port 18. The
user, such as a merchant, has ready access to the acceptors
and 21 and can insert the appropriate SIM or SAM cards.
A re:Leasable cover 24 protects the access port 18. The SIM
or SAM cards are examples of two of the most common user
inserted modules that record information and financial
20 tran:~actions for example. Other modules can be used and
the i~erminal is not limited to these particular modules.
The housing 16 includes side walls extending
down~Nardly and contacting l:he circuit board 17 to provide a
boundary area about the access port 18. In this way,
acce:~s is provided to the port, yet access to the rest of
the i~erminal is restricted. Critical parts are mounted on
the circuit board 22 at a position which is interior to the
hous:Lng and preferrabl.y remotely located, relative to the
acce:~s port 18.
An electrical switch seal arrangement 28 is
prov:Lded, as generally shown in Figures 4 and 5. The back
hous:Lng 16, as shown i.n the sectional view of Figure 4, has
a series of zebra strip connectors generally shown as 30 in
contact with the circuit board 22. The left hand side of
the drawing shows two such zebra. strip connectors which
mere:Ly provide additic>nal protection. Each zebra strip
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connE~ctor, as illustrated in Figure 5, has alternating
conducting and non conducting layers. The spacing of these
layers which are extending horizontally is such that they
will make contact with opposed terminals 32,33 or 34
provided on the circuit board 22 and these alternating
layers separate adjacent terminals by at least one non
conducting strip. Each side of the circuit board, adjacent
the <~ccess port 18, has a series of logic switches formed
by these terminals 32 and terminals 33 or 34. At the left
of the circuit board, there are seven logic switches
labe:Lled SW1 through SW7. Terminals 34 are connected to
the around whereas terminal 33 a.re connected to a 5 volt
supp:Ly. The zebra strip connector electrically connect each
terminal 32 with oppo:>ed termina.ls 33 or 34. With this
arrangement, logic switches SW7, SW5, SW3 and SW1 are
shorted to ground. In contrast, the terminals 33
associated with SW2, :>W4 and SW6, are connected to a 5 volt
power source. As such, these switches are closed, i.e. the
circ»it is live. As c:an be appreciated, different logic
pattf~rns of ones (5V) and zeros (ground) can be detected by
a processing arrangement 39 on the circuit board. The
zebra strip connector is resilient and the pressure of
mech<~nically joining t:he two housings is sufficient to
ensu=re some compression of the zebra strip connector and a
good electrical connection between the terminals 32, and
oppo;~ed terminals 33 and 34. If the housing is opened or
tampered with, at lea:~t some of the logic switches change
status as the circuit will be broken.
Figure 5 under each of t:he zebra strip connectors
30, has a similar switching arrangement 31 and thus, there
is multiple switch protection on. each side of the access
port with some of the switches being connected to ground
and Nome of the switches being connected to 5 volt power.
The :Fact that the zebra strip connectors have a series of
conducting and non conducting layers, allows each of the
switches to be isolated from the adjacent switch by at
least: one non conducting strip and preferrably two non
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conducting strips and it also ensures that an effective
electrical connection between terminals is provided without
the need for precision location of the connectors.
The logic switches defined a logic high, in this
case, 5 volts, and a 7_ogic low, i.e., ground. The multiple
switches form a code of highs anal lows used to detect a
chance in security status of the case.
The additional zebra strip connector shown as 30a
in Figure 4 provides enhanced protection. As can be
apprf=_ciated, the zebra strip connectors 30 are located
immediately adjacent t:he access port and if there is any
attempt to pry up the housing adjacent the access port,
this action will open or change the logic of at least some
of the switches. Once the status of the switches is
chanced, the terminal will become inactive and therefore,
even if the housing i~~ broken into, the critical
information will have been eliminated, or the device
rendcsred inactive. Additional zebra strip connectors
further away from the access port provide additional
protection against unauthorized entry into the casing.
In some cases, it may be desirable to take security
action if one switch changes (high security), however, in
other cases, the security action. may require two or more
switches to change. F~'or example, dropping of a terminal
mighty momentarily change the status of one switch and it
may he desirable to require change in status of more
switches or changes in status for a certain time duration
befo._a taking security action. The present arrangement
allows for these type~~ of changes in design to customize
the :security for a particular application.
Although the security switch arrangement provides
protE~ction about the access port, it also provides
protE~ction against unauthorized opening of the casing by
separating the housings.
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The present invention allows the simple formation
of terminals on a circuit board to provide switch
information or switch logic through a multiple series of
swit~~hes using a zebra strip connector having the
alternating layers orientated by across the surface of the
conn~=_ctor connections. The switches are isolated one from
the «ther and it is not necessary to precisely locate the
zebr<~ strip connector:>. The separation between the layers
is such that any placement of a zebra strip connector in
the housing and over t:he terminals will be sufficient to
provide the necessary electrical connection and electrical
isolation of terminal: on the surface of the circuit board.
The terminal is designed using an outer housing to
protEsct the component~~ with a recessed covered access port
to a:Llow a user to in=pert or remove certain modules in
elect=rical contact with the internal processing circuitry.
Although the access part is within the housing, electrical
security sales are provided about the access port. V~lith
this arrangement, the security o~f the terminal is
uncompromised and the convenience of limited user access is
realized.
Although various preferred embodiments of the
presf~nt invention have been described herein in detail, it
will be appreciated b~~ those skilled in the art, that
vari<~tions may be made' thereto without departing from the
spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended
clairns .
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