Data carrier having an electronic module

Details Data carrier having an electronic module Data carrier having an electronic module

1996-08-08

1998-06-09

Pitts, Harold

Registers

Records

235432, 235492, G06K 1900

Patent

active

057638691

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data carrier having an electronic module comprising an integrated circuit with a control unit and at least one memory for storing data and communication means for communication of the integrated circuit with external apparatuses.
2. Description of Related Art
Data carriers of the abovementioned type have been known for some time, e.g. from EP 0 426 163 A1, and are increasingly used for money-equivalent applications, e.g. as telephone cards, toll cards, electronic purses, etc. In this case the memory of the integrated circuit of the electronic module is used for, among other things, recording transaction data and storing the current credit balance after a transaction. The data carrier known from EP 0 426 163 A1 contains not only the electronic module with a memory used in this way but also a nonvolatile display connected with the electronic module and located in the surface of the data carrier. The particular credit balance is indicated by this display and updated at each transaction under the control of the control devices of the electronic module of the data carrier. If the electronic module is mechanically destroyed and the data are thus no longer readable from the memory of the module, at least the current credit balance of the data carrier is still visible in the display and can be paid out to the owner of the inoperative data carrier.
Known data carriers of the abovementioned type fundamentally involve the problem that if the integrated circuit is destroyed or its function impaired unintentionally or with intent to defraud, there is no possibility to determine the actual data stock of the integrated circuit and thus for example the current credit balance. The institute issuing the cards must rely on what the card user says.
The suggestion known from EP 0 426 163 A1 is insufficient particularly in the case of fraudulent manipulation, since it is comparatively easy in this case to interrupt the connection between the module and the display without destroying the integrated circuit or the module, so that the credit balance can no longer be updated in the display via the electronic module although the electronic module itself remains operative. The data carrier can then be used with intent to defraud, as explained above. The suggestion known from EP 0 426 163 A1 even facilitates this type of fraudulent use to a certain extent, since the display can be used to simulate a credit balance no longer actually present.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the objective of the invention to provide a data carrier from which data can still be read when the electronic module is malfunctioning and which is not readily usable with intent to defraud.
This objective is achieved according to the characterizing features of the main claim.
The basic idea of the invention is that the electronic module additionally contains at least one electronic check unit whose surface is small in relation to the surface of the integrated circuit of the module and which contains a nonvolatile memory in which data are written and all means allowing the nonvolatile memory to be read via a separate interface. The electronic check unit is preferably an integral part of the circuit of the module and placed in such a way as to be outside preferred break lines upon breakage of the integrated circuit. Further protective elements, for example protective diodes or fuses, can be provided to protect the check unit against excess voltages and/or excess currents.
The advantages achieved with the invention are to be seen in particular in that a data carrier having such an electronic module cannot readily be used fraudulently since the electronic check unit is part of the electronic module and thus the connection from the circuit to the electronic check unit cannot be purposefully interrupted. Nevertheless data can still be read from the electronic check unit if the integrated circuit of the module breaks. Finally no additional space needs to be provided for the ele

REFERENCES:
patent: 5559314 (1996-09-01), Ohno et al.
patent: 5597998 (1997-01-01), Ohno et al.

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