Method for activating a data carrier having an inactive chip bonded to the data carrier for activating the data carrier

#The present invention generally relates to a contactless chip card interfaces which are used in plastic cards, frequently referred to as credit cards, checking cards, money cards or the like. The contactless interface is used within the plastic cards to perform computational and storage functions.

#ISO Standards guarantee that geometrical dimensions of regions of the cards for applying information are clearly defined and limited from one another. The position of contacts on chip cards is also standardized. The positioning of these contacts generally deteriorates the usual application of information and the commercial design of the card. Previous standards have left the desires to standardize contactless card unaffected except to make the contactless cards fully compatible with existing, issued cards.

#Currently chips are available which use contacts for their functioning. The contacts are embedded in traditional plastic cards, such as credit cards.

#FIG. 1 is a diagram of an implementation of a prime number factor test as used to activate chip cards.

#FIG. 2 is a diagram of an initialization of a chip card.

#Traditional plastic cards predominantly serve as data carriers for identification of a card user. The ISO regulates the design of such traditional cards. A chip card is like the traditional plastic card in appearance, however, an inactive chip is bonded into the plastic material of the card and is invisible to the card user. Therefore, no visible contact areas in the plastic card are required, yet transmission of data and signals may be achieved. The chip is activated to make the card available for use.

#A microprogram contained within the chip is introduced into the chip in a technologically standard chip manufacturing process. Activation occurs in two stages.

#A first activation, independent of the readiness of an energy supply, does not lead to the transmission of a sequence for reporting the readiness of the chip. An unauthorized user cannot, therefore, recognize by sight inspection or visual examination the readiness of the chip from the outside. In the first activation level, a reception channel is opened in the chip with an appertaining port using a switch S1 as shown in FIG. 1. The action of opening the reception channel for exclusive data reception of the first activation level cannot be recognized from outside the chip since a transmission of data from the chip to an external receiver is suppressed. The switch S1 requires that a second activation level of the chip dominates over the first activation level with respect to the position of the switch S1. The reception channel with an appertaining port opened by the first activation level may be automatically and dominantly closed with the switch S1 by the second activation level.