Registers – Records
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-25
2001-03-13
Porta, David P. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Records
C235S380000, C235S382000, C235S454000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199761
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to optical security methods and apparatus for smart cards.
BACKGROUND ART
Electronic commerce is a method of doing business transactions at a distance and making payments electronically. The Internet, interactive networks and cable and ATM machines are being utilized for electronic commerce. The smart card containing a microchip with semiconductor memory or microprocessor and memory was invented about 18 years ago. During the past few years there have been efforts to store monetary value on such cards which have been called electronic wallets or electronic purses. One of the better known cash card systems is known as the Mondex card or Mondex electronic cash smart cards which is owned by a group of banks and credit card issuers. The Mondex card system and other electronic cash smart cards were promoted as being tamperproof. This attracted the interest of Bell Communications Research (Bellcore) and the Weizmann Institute and the Technion Institute which undertook research to break the microchip security codes. They were successful and reported their results in November 1996 that a valid electronic cash smart card with its security codes can be duplicated, that is, counterfeited. The problem facing the financial institutions was how they could proceed with their plans to build an electronic commerce industry through the Internet and other networks when a principal tool, the electronic cash smart card, was subject to counterfeiting. A very similar problem involves the sending of confidential and/or valuable electronic mail involving contracts, negotiations, agreements, legal analyses, attorney-client communications or communications with corporate officers, vendors or customers. Digital identity cards could be used to regulate or control the transfer or flow of this type of restricted data.
It is the object of the present invention to devise a method and apparatus to inhibit the counterfeiting of electronic cash smart cards and digital identity cards and to achieve enhanced security for electronic commerce and electronic mail.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The above objective has been met by a smart card having a pre-formatted optical memory stripe bonded to a plastic wallet-size substrate containing an electronic cash microchip or microchip used with a digital identity card. The data tracks on the optical memory stripe would be typically separated by 12 microns or 7.5 microns and would use recorded spots from one to three microns in diameter. The card validation data would comprise one thousand to one million of recorded spots.
The validation data could be recorded with a lower power laser apparatus by the bank or card issuer. The validation data could also be recorded by the card manufacturer onto the card using either a low power laser or photolithographic techniques. Under some security arrangement the validation could comprise recordings of both the card manufacturer and the card issuer. Various versions of the validation could be recorded at multiple locations on the optical memory stripe.
Whereas counterfeiters have access to customer microchip manufacturing, there are only three optical memory card manufacturers in the world. Each of these three optical card manufacturers uses different and distinguishing optical storage media. It requires about $20 million and a high degree of technical know how to build such a manufacturing plant. One such optical memory card manufacturing plant exists in the U.S.A. and two in Japan using security controls on the manufacturing and distribution of the optical memory portion of the card and on the laser writing apparatus such technology can be kept out of the hands of the counterfeiters.
The validation data must be read optically and utilized to thwart the counterfeiter. The method and apparatus for reading the data will involve either CCD arrays, other photodetector arrays or a single photodetector. The photodetector array could be of the linear variety or a single photodetector could be used, in both cases the card would have to be in motion. In the case of a two-dimensional photodetector array the card would not require motion but instead the validation data images would be scanned electronically. The use of two dimensional CCD arrays to read data from an optical memory is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,745,484 and 4,864,630. The use of a linear photodetector array to read optical memory is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,850. The use of a single photodetector to read an optical memory is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,500,777 and 4,544,835. Validation data could be recorded as visual images by photolithography or with a laser as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,680,459 and 4,814,594.
The validation data on the electronic cash smart card or digital identity card is read by a reading device containing photodetectors and electronically compared against stored reference data to determine the validity of the electronic cash card or digital identity card before funds are dispersed or data transferred. These functions could be carried out in a public kiosk as part of an electronic commerce or electronic mail system. Just as a vending machine would reject counterfeit coins or currency the public kiosk would reject a card not containing key elements of the validation data.
Validation data may also be confirmed by the recipient of the money transfer or electronic mail. The validation data from the payor's location or data sender's location would be transmitted to the payee's location or data recipient's location where the validation data would be compared against reference data to determine its validity before the money transfer would be accepted by the payee or data accepted by the recipient.
Various versions of the validation data in digital or image form, can be stored at multiple locations on the optical memory stripe. The card reading device would store some of the validation versions. The selection of the validation version or versions to be used as a reference for matching could be made by either a human being, the card reader device or the optical memory stripe reading device.
The digital identity card could be used for a number of purposes including controlling the transfer or flow of confidential and/or valuable electronic mail involving any one of the following applications: attorney-client communications, negotiations, contracts, agreements or communications with corporate officers, vendors or customers.
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HP Press Release, “HP, RSA Data Security and Wave Systems to Enable Enhanced Security for E-Mail and Internet Transactions”, Jan. 20, 1999.
Drexler Technology Corporation
Dunn Drew A.
Porta David P.
Schneck Thomas
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