JP2006107334A - Ic card - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an IC card which assures a sufficient security and does not spoil the usability. <P>SOLUTION: The IC card includes a biometrics section 10 for acquiring biological information, an input/output section 12 for inputting/outputting a signal, and a processing section for switching an enabled state and a disabled state for an application based on the signals from the biometrics section 10 and the input/output section 12. The processing section switches to the disabled state for the application when a termination signal is received from the input/output section 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an IC card.

  An IC card (smart card) is a card equipped with an IC (integrated circuit) chip, and has a higher information capacity, improved security (preventing counterfeiting and unauthorized use), and multiple applications compared to a magnetic stripe card. And host load reduction (offline processing is possible). For this reason, in addition to credit cards and cash cards, electronic money, electronic commerce, medical health, transportation such as railways and buses, and entry / exit management of buildings have begun to be actively performed. Along with this, IC cards with a personal authentication function equipped with a biometric authentication unit such as a fingerprint sensor have been proposed for the purpose of further improving security (information protection, access restriction, etc.).

As such an IC card with a personal authentication function, for example, a technique described in Patent Document 1 is known. Patent Document 2 discloses a function of setting parameters according to, for example, an expiration date (time), an application usage environment, or the like according to the use purpose or function of the IC card. According to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, the time and security level in which the IC card is in an effective state can be arbitrarily changed, and for example, the effective time can be set to such an extent that the usability is not impaired.
JP 2004-64650 A JP 2004-178141 A

However, in the case where the time in which the valid state is set can be arbitrarily set, the valid time may be set longer than necessary. For this reason, a third party can use the IC card within the effective time, which is not preferable in terms of security.
On the contrary, when the valid time is short, there is a possibility that the IC card becomes invalid during use of the IC card. For this reason, there is a possibility that the transaction is interrupted in the middle, and in that case, it is necessary to start again from the authentication, which impairs usability.
In addition, since the usage time of the IC card varies depending on the application, it is difficult to set an effective time that ensures security and does not impair the usability of all applications.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an IC card that ensures sufficient security and does not impair usability.

  In order to achieve the above object, an IC card of the present invention is based on a biometric authentication unit that acquires biometric information, an input / output unit that inputs and outputs signals, and signals from the biometric authentication unit and the input / output unit. A processing unit that switches between a valid state and an invalid state for the application, and the processing unit switches to the invalid state for the application when an end signal is received from the input / output unit.

In the IC card of the present invention having such a feature, when an end signal is received via the input / output unit after the processing unit is enabled for the application based on the signal from the biometric authentication unit It is invalidated for the application.
Therefore, since the IC card is surely invalidated when the application is terminated, it is possible to ensure sufficient security.
In addition, since the valid state of the IC card is maintained from when it is made valid until the end signal is received, it is possible to prevent the IC card from becoming invalid during the transaction and interrupting the transaction. , Will not impair usability.
Furthermore, since it is possible to deal with variations in the usage time of the IC card that occurs when the IC card is used in different applications, the usability can be further improved.

In the IC card of the present invention, a capacitive fingerprint sensor can be used as the biometric authentication unit.
In the IC card of the present invention, an external connection terminal or an antenna can be used as the input / output unit.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an IC card according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment of IC card)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the IC card K1 of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the IC card K1.
As shown in these figures, the IC card K1 includes a substrate 50 formed by bonding two base materials such as plastic, a fingerprint sensor 10 (biometric authentication unit) that acquires a fingerprint (biometric information), A connection IC terminal (external connection terminal, input / output unit) 12 for inputting and outputting signals and a switch 13 are provided. Further, an integrated circuit (processing unit) such as an IC chip sandwiched between two plastic base materials is provided inside the substrate 50.
Next, with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the main part constituting the IC card K1 will be described in detail.

(Fingerprint sensor)
FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the processing unit 40 for processing information input from the fingerprint sensor 10, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the fingerprint sensor 10.
As shown in FIG. 3, the processing unit 40 includes a data processing unit 41 that extracts features of a fingerprint pattern (extracted fingerprint pattern) captured by the fingerprint sensor 10, a feature amount of a specific fingerprint pattern (authentication fingerprint pattern), and the like. A memory 42 for storing various information, a comparison unit 43 for comparing the feature quantity extracted by the data processing unit 41 with the feature quantity stored in the memory 42, and a control unit 44 for controlling the operation of the IC card K1. It is equipped with.

Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the fingerprint sensor 10 is a capacitance type, that is, detects a fingerprint pattern by measuring a capacitance that changes according to the distance between the fingerprint having an unevenness and the detection surface 10a. It is supposed to be. Such a capacitance-type fingerprint sensor 10 is easy to be thinned because no light source is required, and improves scratch resistance by appropriately selecting a surface protective layer (passivation film). There is a feature that can be.
The fingerprint sensor 10 has a sensor substrate 115, a plurality of scanning lines (not shown) formed in parallel to each other at a predetermined interval on the sensor substrate 115, and orthogonal to the scanning lines. Thus, a plurality of signal lines 116 formed in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval are provided.

At positions corresponding to the intersections of the plurality of scanning lines and the plurality of signal lines 116, switching elements 112 formed of transistors or the like are provided.
These scanning lines, signal lines 116, and switching elements 112 constitute an active matrix array 113. On the active matrix array 113, detection electrodes 111 are arranged in a matrix at positions corresponding to the switching elements 112. Is provided.
Each detection electrode 111 is covered with an insulating film 114 so as to cover the entire surface of the active matrix array 113, and the insulating film 114 can come into contact with the finger F of the user of the IC card K1.
As the active matrix array 113, a MOS transistor array formed on a semiconductor substrate, a thin film transistor (TFT) formed on an insulating substrate, or the like can be used.

In the fingerprint sensor 10 having such a configuration, when the finger F comes into contact with the detection surface 10a, there is a two-dimensionally distributed capacitance between the finger F and each detection electrode 111 arranged in a matrix. (C1, C2, C3, etc. in FIG. 4). By electrically reading out the two-dimensionally distributed capacitance values by the active matrix array 113, a fine uneven pattern (extracted fingerprint pattern) formed on the surface of the finger F can be detected. it can. In the fingerprint sensor 10 using the electrostatic capacity method, in order to avoid discharge destruction due to static electricity charged on the human body, the static electricity charged on the finger F is discharged before detection, and the potential of the finger F is changed to the switching element 112. It is essential that the potential be substantially the same as the ground (reference potential) G level. Furthermore, in order to detect each capacitance value stably, it is preferable to fix the potential of the finger F to a predetermined potential at the time of detection.
For this reason, an electrode different from the detection electrode, that is, a discharge electrode 120 for discharging static electricity charged on the human body is provided on the substrate 50 of the IC card K1.

The connection IC terminal 12 is connected to a terminal provided in the external device when information is transmitted and received between the IC card K1 and an external device (not shown). The connection IC terminal 12 is connected to an IC chip provided in the IC card K1, and transmits and receives input / output signals between the external device and the IC chip.
The switch 13 also functions as a switch for switching from the power-off state (power-off state) of the IC card K1 to the ON state (power-on state). It is also possible to employ a configuration in which the switch 13 is switched from the power-off state (power-off state) to the on-state (power-on state) by touching the fingerprint sensor 10 without installing the switch 13.

The IC chip incorporated in the IC card K1 includes a calculation circuit such as a CPU, a drive circuit such as a driver, and a storage circuit including a memory such as a ROM and a RAM.
The operation of the fingerprint sensor 10 and the like is controlled by the operation of such a circuit. Specifically, determination of an input signal in the fingerprint sensor 10, switching between an effective state and an invalid state for an application, and the like are performed. In addition, communication with an external device that is input / output via the input from the switch 13 and the connection IC terminal 12 is performed. Furthermore, the IC chip stores a plurality of applications that use the IC card, programs corresponding to the applications, passwords, and the like. The IC chip operates a program in response to communication with an external device.

(Modification of IC card)
Next, a modified example of the IC card will be described.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an IC card K2 according to this modification. In this modification, the IC card K2 has a configuration including the solar battery 14.
In the solar cell 14, light energy is converted into electric energy when irradiation light enters from the outside of the IC card K 2. In addition, a charger (not shown) is provided inside the IC card K2, and the electric energy converted by the solar cell 14 is charged in the charger.

The solar cell 14 not only converts light energy into electrical energy, but also functions as a so-called photosensor in which a current flows with light irradiation. Thereby, the solar cell 14 is a switch for switching from the power-off state (power-off state) of the IC card K2 to the ON state (power-on state) by irradiating the IC card K2 with external light. It is supposed to function as well.
Moreover, such a solar cell 14 and a charger for charging electric energy are connected to an IC chip built in the IC card K2, and the IC chip is supplied with power from the charger.

(Transactions using IC cards)
Next, transactions using the above IC card will be described.
In the present embodiment, the transaction will be described as an example using an ATM transaction in a financial institution such as a bank as an application. FIG. 6 is a flow chart when performing transaction business at ATM using the IC card of this embodiment.
Next, transaction business will be described with reference to the flowchart.

First, the power of the IC card CPU is turned on (step S1).
In step S1, when the switch 13 is turned on, the fingerprint sensor 10 is touched, or external light is incident on the solar cell 14, the CPU is turned on.

Next, fingerprint authentication (biometric authentication) is performed (step S2).
The step S2 is performed when the user touches the fingerprint sensor 10 with the finger F as shown in FIG. If the user's fingerprint does not match the preset fingerprint as a result of the fingerprint authentication, the authentication is impossible and the invalid state of the IC card is maintained (step S3).
On the other hand, as a result of the fingerprint authentication in step S2, if the user's fingerprint matches the preset fingerprint, the IC card becomes valid (step S4), and a password for the external device is generated (step S4). S5). This makes it possible to continue to conduct ATM transactions.

Next, it is determined whether or not a certain time has passed after fingerprint authentication (step S6).
In step S6, the timer function in the IC card is used. If it is determined that a certain time has elapsed, the IC card is switched to an invalid state for the application (step S7).
On the other hand, if the result of determination in step S6 is that a certain time has not elapsed, the valid state of the IC card is maintained (step S8).

Next, the password generated in the IC card is read by the reader of the external device (step S9).
Specifically, when the user inserts the IC card into the reader of the external device, the password generated in the IC card is input to the external device via the connection IC terminal 12. In addition, it is preferable to cancel the timer function in the IC card at the stage of shifting from step S8 to step S9. As a result, the IC card can be prevented from being invalidated in the middle of step S9, that is, the password reading stage, and the usability of the IC card is not impaired.

Next, the external device decrypts the password read by the reader, and further determines whether or not the IC card can be used for use authentication (step S10).
Here, when use authentication is impossible (step S11), use becomes impossible and an IC card is made into an invalid state. In this case, for example, a display indicating that authentication is not possible is displayed on the display unit of the external device.
On the other hand, if it is available, account confirmation is performed (step S12). This makes it possible to continue to make ATM transactions.

If the account is not available as a result of the account confirmation in step S10 (step S13), the unavailable display is displayed on the display unit of the external device. Then, the IC card is disabled.
On the other hand, if the account is available as a result of the account confirmation, the transaction is started (step S14). When the transaction ends (step S15), the IC card according to the present embodiment receives an end signal from the external device via the connection IC terminal (step S16), and enters an invalid state upon reception of the end signal. (Step S17).
Then, when the series of operations described above are completed, the use of the IC card is terminated.

In using such a series of IC cards, it is possible to prove that the user is the user by performing fingerprint authentication. Then, according to the IC card of the present embodiment, the application is activated when the end signal is received via the connection IC terminal 12 after being enabled for the application based on the signal from the fingerprint sensor 10. On the other hand, it is invalidated.
Therefore, the IC card is surely invalidated when the application is terminated. In other words, the valid state of the IC card is maintained only while the user performs a transaction. For this reason, it becomes possible to ensure sufficient security.
In addition, since the valid state of the IC card is maintained from when it is made valid until the end signal is received, it is possible to prevent the IC card from becoming invalid during the transaction and interrupting the transaction. , Will not impair usability.
Furthermore, since it is possible to deal with variations in the usage time of the IC card that occurs when the IC card is used in different applications, the usability can be further improved.

  In this embodiment, the use of an IC card using an ATM transaction service in a financial institution as an application has been described. However, the IC card of the present invention is not limited to this and handles various types of personal information. The present invention can be applied to an IC card used for other applications in an institution or an IC card usable for a plurality of applications.

  In the present embodiment, the IC card is disabled by receiving an end signal from the external device when the transaction with the external device ends. However, in this embodiment, after the password generated by the IC card is read by the reader of the external device in step S9, no signal is transmitted / received between the IC card and the external device. For this reason, step S15 (reception of the end signal) and step 16 (switching to the invalid state) may be performed immediately after step S9.

  In this embodiment, signals are transmitted and received between the IC card and the external device via the connection IC terminal 12. However, an antenna such as a loop coil may be mounted on the IC card, and signals may be transmitted / received via the antenna.

  In this embodiment, the fingerprint sensor is used as the biometric authentication unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a vein authentication sensor or an iris authentication sensor may be used as the biometric authentication unit. Is possible.

  Further, for example, when the external device does not have a function of transmitting an end signal, the valid state of the IC card is maintained after the transaction ends. For this reason, it is preferable to set the timer function so that the IC card becomes invalid after a certain fixed time has elapsed. Note that the certain fixed time is set to be sufficiently longer than the usage time of the IC card when the longest application is used, and is set to such a time that the IC card does not become invalid during the transaction.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the description of the second embodiment, the description of the same parts as in the first embodiment will be omitted or simplified.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the IC card K3 of the second embodiment. As shown in this figure, the IC card K3 of the second embodiment is configured by further comprising an electrophoretic display device (hereinafter referred to as EPD) 11 in addition to the IC card K1 of the first embodiment. Has been.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the EPD 11.
An electrode film 211d, an electrophoretic display layer 211c, an electrode film 211b, and a surface protective layer 211a for protecting the display portion are laminated on a flexible EPD substrate 211e such as plastic. The surface protective layer 211a can be omitted.
The electrode film 211b is formed by forming an electrode on a transparent plastic film having excellent dimensional stability such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and polyimide. The electrode film 211d is also formed by forming a similar base electrode, but transparency is not necessarily required. The electrode film 211b and the electrode film 211d are electrically connected by the vertically moving electrode 211f.
The electrode film 211b serves as a common electrode to which the same potential is applied over the entire surface, while the active film electrode or segment electrode is formed on the electrode film 211d as a drive electrode.

  The microcapsule 211 forming the electrophoretic display layer 211c has a composite shell of gum arabic / gelatin, urethane resin, urea resin, urea resin, etc. as a capsule shell, and the capsule shell is prepared by an interfacial polymerization method, in-situ method. Known microencapsulation techniques such as a polymerization method, a phase separation method, an interfacial precipitation method, and a spray drying method can be employed. Electrophoretic particles and a dispersion medium are enclosed inside. As the migrating particles, organic or inorganic particles (polymer or colloid) are used. For example, black pigments such as aniline black and carbon black, white pigments such as titanium dioxide, zinc white, and antimony trioxide, azo pigments such as monoazo, diisazone, and polyazo, isoindolinone, yellow lead, yellow iron oxide, and cadmium yellow Yellow pigments such as titanium yellow and antimony, azo pigments such as monoazo, disazo and polyazo, red pigments such as quinacridone red and chrome vermillion, phthalocyanine blue, indanthrene blue, anthraquinone dyes, bitumen, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, etc. One or two or more of blue pigments, green pigments such as phthalocyanine green, and the like can be used. Dispersion medium is colorless or dyed with water, alcohol solvents such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, octanol, methyl cellosolve, various esters such as ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone Such as ketones, aliphatic hydrocarbons such as pentane, hexane and octane, alicyclic hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane and methylcyclohexane, benzene, toluene, xylene, hexylbenzene, hebutylbenzene, octylbenzene and nonyl Aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzenes having a long chain alkyl group such as benzene, decylbenzene, undecylbenzene, dodecylbenzene, tridecylbenzene, tetradecylbenzene, methylene chloride, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-di Halogenated hydrocarbons such as Roroetan, can be used by blending a surfactant or the like alone or a mixture thereof such as carboxylic acid salts, or various other oils.

  In electrophoresis, the electrophoretic particles are charged positively or negatively in advance, and the dispersion medium and the electrophoretic particles are colored different from each other. For example, when titanium oxide, which is white particles, is positively charged and carbon black, which is black particles, is negatively charged, an electric field is applied to the two electrode films 211b and 211d so that the electrode film 211b is a negative electrode and an electrode film. When 211d becomes a positive electrode, positively charged white particles are drawn to the electrode film 211b side, and black particles are drawn to the electrode film 211d side. Therefore, by setting the electrode film 211b as a transparent electrode, the electrode film 211b side When observed from above, the portion appears white. Conversely, when the electrode film 211b is a positive electrode and the electrode film 211d is a negative electrode, positively charged white particles are drawn to the electrode film 211d side, and black particles are drawn to the electrode film 211b side. When observed from above the electrode film 211b, the portion looks black.

Since the EPD 11 has a large number of the above-described microcapsules 211, by controlling the electric field of each address electrode of the electrode films 211b and 211d, a desired character, number, or symbol is displayed with white and black pixels. be able to.
Note that when the microcapsule 211 is driven by an active matrix driving method, the electrode film 211d is independently patterned for each pixel as a pixel electrode, and includes a thin film transistor, a signal electrode, and a scanning electrode (not shown), and the electrode film 211b. Is a transparent common electrode uniformly formed on a light-transmitting substrate. In this case, if the electrode film 211b is a common electrode, the entire surface has the same potential (for example, the potential is set to zero). Therefore, by controlling the electric field of each address electrode on the electrode film 211d side (giving a positive or negative potential) Based on the principle described above, particles in the microcapsule 211 at the electrode position can be moved to display a desired image. Similarly, by using the electrode film 211d as a common electrode and controlling the electric field of each address electrode on the electrode film 211b side, the particles in the microcapsule 211 at the electrode position are moved to display a desired image. Also good.
In the case of time-division driving, the electrode films 211b and 211d are composed of transparent electrodes made of transparent conductors such as line-shaped ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) that are orthogonal to each other, and microelectrodes are formed in the region where both electrodes intersect. A capsule 211 is placed.
The driving method is not limited to the above-described one, and an optimal one may be selected according to the application. Further, various diameters of the microcapsule 211 can be adopted.

  In the present embodiment, the operation of such an EPD 11 is controlled by the control unit 44 of the processing unit 40. On the EPD 11, necessary information such as a valid state or invalid state of the IC card is displayed. For this reason, it becomes possible to improve a user's usability.

  In the present embodiment, the mode of displaying information on the EDP 11 has been described. For example, instead of the EDP 11, a lamp using an LED or the like, a liquid crystal display device, a speaker, or the like is installed, and these are used. Information may be transmitted to the user.

  Further, an operation unit such as a membrane switch may be further installed on the IC card, and arbitrary various information may be displayed on the EPD 11.

  The preferred embodiment of the IC card according to the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Various shapes, combinations, and the like of the constituent members shown in the above-described embodiments are examples, and various modifications can be made based on design requirements and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention.

The perspective view which shows the IC card of 1st Embodiment. The top view which shows the IC card of 1st Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the process part which processes the information input from the fingerprint sensor. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of a fingerprint sensor. The perspective view which shows the modification of the IC card of 1st Embodiment. The flowchart figure at the time of performing transaction business using the IC card of 1st Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the IC card of 2nd Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the cross section of an electrophoretic display device (EPD).

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Fingerprint sensor (biometric authentication part), 11 ... EPD (electrophoretic display device), 12 ... Connection IC terminal (external connection terminal, input / output part), 13 ... Switch, 14 ... Solar cell, 40 ... Processing part, K1, K2, K3 ... IC card

Claims (4)

A biometric authentication unit that acquires biometric information; an input / output unit that inputs and outputs signals; and a processing unit that switches between a valid state and an invalid state for an application based on signals from the biometric authentication unit and the input / output unit. Prepared,
The IC card, wherein the processing unit switches to an invalid state for an application when receiving an end signal from the input / output unit. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein the biometric authentication unit is a capacitive fingerprint sensor. 3. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein the input / output unit is an external connection terminal. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein the input / output unit is an antenna.

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