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US 6,484,945 B1Granted
Smart card having circuit disabling
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsLaurence John, Paul Crichton, Steven Heath
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A Smart Card has an electronic circuit connected to a source of potential capable of destroying at least a portion of the electronic circuit. The potential is normally short circuited, but the path of the short circuit traverses a frangible portion of the card. When the portion is broken, so potential from the source is applied to destroy the portion of the electronic circuit.
Claims12
A Smart Card comprising:
- an electronic circuit;
- a source of potential connected to said electronic circuit and having a voltage which is normally lower than a potential capable of destroying at least a portion of said electronic circuit;
- an interruptible connection from the source and normally substantially short circuiting the connection between the source and the electronic circuit;
- and
- a frangible region in which the card is readily breakable by a user, the frangible region intersecting the interruptible connection to allow breaking of the interruptible connection by a user when the frangible portion is broken by a user to cause an increased potential to be applied to the electronic circuit, the increased potential large enough to destroy at least a portion of the electronic circuitry remaining on the card after the frangible region is broken.
2 more elements
A Smart Card comprising:
- a housing;
- an electronic circuit positioned in said housing;
- a source of potential positioned in said housing and connected to said electronic circuit via a terminal, the source of potential providing one of a first potential and a second potential to the terminal, the first potential being below a threshold at which at least a portion of the electronic circuit will be destroyed and the second potential being above said threshold;
- an interruptible connection for said source of potential said interruptible connection controlling the connection of one of said first and second potentials to said terminal;
- and
- a frangible region in said housing, the frangible region being readily breakable by a user, the frangible region intersecting the interruptible connection to facilitate breaking of the interruptible connection by a user to disconnect the supply of said first potential from said circuit, whereby when the frangible portion is not broken the first potential is supplied to the electronic circuit to permit full operation of said electronic circuitry and when said frangible portion is broken said second potential is provided to said terminal to destroy at least a portion of said electronic circuitry.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.