US6097606A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Financial transaction terminal with limited access
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL VERIFACT Inc
•
Filing: 1998-05-28
•
Granted: 2000-08-01
•
Expires: 2018-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A financial transaction terminal is designed to receive both smart cards and debit cards and includes an access port for inserting or removing security modules such as SIM or SAM modules. A security switch arrangement is provided about the access port to protect the now accessible components of the terminal. Such a terminal provides the uncompromised physical security of a debit terminal with the flexibility and capabilities of a smart card terminal.
Inventors
- 👤 David Henry Groves
- 👤 Fraser Hardman
- 👤 John Richard Spence
- 👤 Ki Sheung Yuen
- 👤 Yiu Kong Wong
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 11:01
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/20; G06Q20/204; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G07F7/0873; G07F7/088; G07F7/0886
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A financial transaction terminal for cooperating with smart cards said terminal comprising a housing enclosing electronic circuitry and including a visual display and a keypad, said housing including a slot entry for receiving and forming an electronic circuit between a received smart card and said enclosed electronic circuitry, said keypad allowing a user to enter information into said financial terminal, and at least one accessible user secure module provided in an access port of said housing, said financial transaction terminal including an electrical switch seal arrangement biased by said housing to form an electrical seal at a plurality of points spaced about the perimeter of said access port whereby both access to said user secure module and security about said port are provided.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A financial transaction terminal for cooperating with smart cards said terminal comprising a housing enclosing electronic circuitry and including a visual display and a keypad, said housing including a slot entry for receiving and forming an electronic circuit between a received smart card and said enclosed electronic circuitry, said keypad allowing a user to enter information into said financial terminal, and at least one accessible user secure module provided in an access port of said housing, said financial transaction terminal including an electrical switch seal arrangement biased by said housing to form an electrical seal at a plurality of points spaced about the perimeter of said access port whereby both access to said user secure module and security about said port are provided.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one user secure module is defined by two security identity modules attached to a circuit board of said electronic circuitry.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
95 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 2 wherein said circuit board about said access port includes a series of connection terminals and said housing includes a zebra connector having alternating conducting and non conducting layers extending between said series of connection terminals and electrically connecting at least some of said terminals to form a security structure about said access port whereby said two security identity modules are readily accessible and said housing and the components of said terminal not exposed in said access port remain protected from unauthorized access through said access port.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 3 wherein said housing is a mechanically secured split housing having an electronic circuit for providing a signal if unauthorized entry to said terminal is attempted by releasing said split housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 4 wherein said electronic circuitry includes a circuit board having said two security modules attached to a surface thereof facing a base of said split housing, said circuit board having a border area surrounding said access port which border area is defined by said connection terminals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 5 wherein said two security modules are miniature SIM card acceptors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 5 wherein said two security modules are miniature secured application modules.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 5 wherein said terminal accepts debit or smart cards.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
114 words
A financial transaction terminal comprising a housing enclosing an electronic circuitry and including a visual display and a keypad, said housing including at least one access port with said housing including an electronic seal about the perimeter of said port, said access port including an electrical component interface adapted to receive a replaceable electrical component and allow communication between said replaceable electrical component and said electronic circuitry, said electrical seal defining a coded switch having a known condition, said terminal including an arrangement for monitoring said coded switch and determining a change in the condition thereof, and a security system which deletes critical information upon determining a change in condition of said coded switch.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
114 words
A financial transaction terminal comprising a housing enclosing an electronic circuitry and including a visual display and a keypad, said housing including at least one access port with said housing including an electronic seal about the perimeter of said port, said access port including an electrical component interface adapted to receive a replaceable electrical component and allow communication between said replaceable electrical component and said electronic circuitry, said electrical seal defining a coded switch having a known condition, said terminal including an arrangement for monitoring said coded switch and determining a change in the condition thereof, and a security system which deletes critical information upon determining a change in condition of said coded switch.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 9 wherein said electrical component interface is mounted on a circuit board which forms a part of said electronic circuitry.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 10 wherein only a limited portion of the back face of said circuit board is exposed within said access port and said electrical component interface is mounted on said back face.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 11 wherein said electrical component interface is adapted to receive at least one SIM module.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 11 wherein said electrical component interface is adapted to receive at least one SAM module.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 11 wherein said access port includes sufficient space for receiving two SAM modules and connecting said modules to said circuit board.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 12 wherein said electrical seal includes a series of opposed pairs of electrical contacts forming a code of circuits having one of two different states and a change in any state indicates a security breach.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 15 wherein said electrical seal generally surrounds said access port and said housing applies a pressure on at least one connector which connects opposed pairs of electrical contact points.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 16 wherein said connector is a series of alternating conducting and non conducting layers with at least one non conducting layer separating adjacent pairs of electrical contact points.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 15 wherein said electrical contact points are provided on said circuit board.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A financial transaction terminal as claimed in claim 18 wherein each side of said access port includes at least three pairs of electrical contact points.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
145 words
A financial transaction terminal for cooperating with smart cards said terminal comprising a housing enclosing electronic circuitry and including a visual display and a keypad, said housing including a slot entry for receiving and forming an electronic circuit between a received smart card and said enclosed electronic circuitry, said keypad allowing a user to enter information into said financial terminal, and at least one accessible user secure module provided in an access port of said housing, said transaction terminal including an electrical switch seal arrangement about said accessible port, said electrical switch seal arrangement including a connector biased by said housing to maintain contact with paired electrical contacts associated with said electronic circuitry and thereby form a series of frangible electrical connections spaced about the perimeter of said access port whereby both access to said user secure module and security about said port are provided.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
145 words
A financial transaction terminal for cooperating with smart cards said terminal comprising a housing enclosing electronic circuitry and including a visual display and a keypad, said housing including a slot entry for receiving and forming an electronic circuit between a received smart card and said enclosed electronic circuitry, said keypad allowing a user to enter information into said financial terminal, and at least one accessible user secure module provided in an access port of said housing, said transaction terminal including an electrical switch seal arrangement about said accessible port, said electrical switch seal arrangement including a connector biased by said housing to maintain contact with paired electrical contacts associated with said electronic circuitry and thereby form a series of frangible electrical connections spaced about the perimeter of said access port whereby both access to said user secure module and security about said port are provided.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB2082814A
Cited
US4408814A
Cited
US4533976A
Cited
US4614406A
Cited
EP0128672A1
Cited
US4598960A
Cited
US5468947A
Cited
US5023824A
Cited
US4953113A
Cited
US5055660A
Cited
US4922191A
Cited
US5515303A
Cited
US6023147A
Cited
US5202817A
Cited
US5410141A
Cited
US5539193A
Cited
US5313053A
Cited
US5218187A
Cited
US5155659A
Cited
DE9105960U1
Cited
US5294782A
Cited
US5386106A
Cited
US5764200A
Cited
US5358412A
Cited
US5373458A
Cited
US5512738A
Cited
US5933812A
Cited
US5805416A
Cited
US5657201A
Cited
EP0818725A2
Cited
WO1998010368A1
Cited
USD403667S
Cited
US5949378A
Cited
US5831819A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-01 | 2004-01-31 | 2004-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-01 | 2008-01-31 | 2008-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-01 | 2012-01-31 | 2012-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |