Chip card with on/off mechanisms
AssigneeUnited Services Automobile Association (USAA)
InventorsRobert Lee Black, Matthew Ryan Santacroce, Andre Rene Buentello, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Timothy Blair Chalmers, Samip Dilip Mehra
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Chip cards that are protected from unauthorized access to information and instructions stored in the chip card's chip by unauthorized persons using illicit devices that emulate chip readers to interrogate the chips in chip cards and obtain or download confidential data stored in the chips. The chip cards are disabled when not ready to be used, such that the chips cannot be accessed by illicit devices, thus protecting the chip card owner and/or issuer from potential losses.
Claims20
A method for disabling a chip card when the chip card is not in use, the method comprising:
- providing a chip card having a chip electrically connected to an antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves from a chip reader and an electromechanical device electrically connected to the chip, the electromechanical device having multiple different positions, each position corresponding to an indicator disposed on the chip card;
- placing the electromechanical device in a first state;
- executing at least one of the following functions using the chip card with the electromechanical device in the first state:
- authorizing a credit card transaction, authorizing a debit card transaction, and allowing entry into a restricted-entry facility;
- placing the electromechanical device in a second state;
- disabling the chip card when the electromechanical device is in the second state such that the chip card cannot authorize at least one of the following functions:
- credit card transactions, debit card transactions, and allowing entry into any restricted-entry facilities.
A method for disabling a chip card when the chip card is not in use, the method comprising:
- providing a chip card having a chip electrically connected to an antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves from a chip reader, a sensor, and a switch interposed between the antenna and the chip that is electrically controlled by the sensor, wherein the antenna is electrically connected to a first circuit in the chip when the switch is in a first state and is not connected to the first circuit when the switch is in a second state;
- placing the switch in the first state;
- executing at least one of the following functions using the chip card with the switch in the first state:
- authorizing a credit card transaction, authorizing a debit card transaction, and allowing entry into a restricted-entry facility;
- placing the switch in the second state;
- disabling the chip card when the switch is in the second state such that the chip card cannot authorize at least one of the following functions:
- credit card transactions, debit card transactions, and allowing entry into any restricted-entry facilities.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.