Definitions

• the present invention relates to credit card payment systems and, more particularly in such systems, means for securing the payment made by the credit card.
• Cards are used to make purchases of products or services and the validation of the corresponding payments is obtained by the entry of a confidential code by the holder of the credit card.
• the card holder only indicates their number and expiration date, so that anyone who knows this number and this date can make these purchases.
• the purpose of the present invention is to secure payment by credit card.
• This goal is achieved by the use of a security card which determines a security code for each transaction to be carried out.
• This security code is obtained by an algorithm determined from invariant elements of the credit card and variable elements linked to the transaction to be carried out, such as the amount of the transaction, its date and its time.
• Validation is generally carried out by a specialized center with an inverse algorithm and invariant elements of the credit card. This center authorizes or prohibits the transaction.
• each transaction will be assigned a security code which can only be indicated by someone holding both the card as a physical object and the security code.
• This security code is different from every transaction. Only a recipient who has both variable transaction data (transaction amount, date, time) of the invariant elements of the credit card and the predetermined algorithm or rather its inverse can reconstitute the invariant elements of the card from the security code.
• a security card for secure payment by credit card comprises at least: - a keyboard with numeric keys associated with a screen for viewing the selected figures on the keyboard, said keyboard comprising in addition to at least three function keys,
• a device for memorizing the invariant elements of the credit card - an encryption device implementing a predetermined algorithm for calculating and displaying on the screen a security code from said invariant elements of the credit card and variable elements introduced via the numeric and function keys of the keyboard, and - an electrical supply device for supplying electrical energy to the keyboard, the screen, the storage device and the encryption device.
• the security card further comprises an electronic clock device giving the date and time, so as to use them as other additional variable elements to determine the security code.
• the storage device, the encryption device and the electronic clock device are produced by a suitably programmed microprocessor.
• the invention also relates to a code reader allowing the reconstitution of the invariant elements of the security card, described above comprising:
• FIG. 1 is a top view of a particular embodiment of the front face of a security card according to the invention.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the security card according to the invention.
• a security card 10 according to the invention has a front face
• This front panel has a numeric keypad 12 of ten numeric keys each carrying one of the digits 0 to 9.
• This keypad is completed by three function keys, a first 14 for powering up, a second 16 to enter the amount M of the transaction and a third 18 to confirm the amount M.
• a display screen 20 is associated with this keyboard, in particular for viewing the numbers of the selected numeric keys.
• Photovoltaic cells are also provided on this front face
• These electronic devices comprise at least: a device 24 for memorizing the invariant elements of the credit card, such as its number and its expiration date, an internal confidential code which is not accessible and
• a crypting device 26 for determining, by predetermined algorithmic calculation, a security code from the invariant elements of the credit card contained in the storage device 24 and other so-called variable elements which are entered by the card holder. security, via keyboard 12.
• variable elements are a secret code, different from that of the credit card of the same holder, and the amount of the transaction.
• variable elements can be supplemented by other elements, such as the date and time of the algorithmic calculation provided by an electronic clock device 28. The result of the algorithmic calculation is displayed on the screen 20.
• the holder performs the following operations on the security card keypad: (a) press function key 14 (ON) to switch on the security card,
• step (e) The security code that appears on screen 20 at the end of step (e) is communicated to the seller so that the latter indicates it to the holder when the payment is validated.
• the invention has been described by indicating only the elements necessary for its implementation, but it can also be implemented using a commercial electronic arithmetic calculator having all the usual arithmetic functions and to which the functions performed by the storage device 24, the encryption device 26, the electronic clock device 28 and the function key 16 (M).
• the functional elements 24, 26 and 28 are produced by a microprocessor 30 suitably programmed for this purpose.
• a microprocessor can be programmed to also perform the arithmetic operations of an electronic pocket calculator, in which case the keyboard 12 will be identical to the keyboard of such a calculator with, in addition, a key corresponding to the amount input function (M ) of the transaction.
• the holder of the credit card has the assurance that only the amount of the transaction corresponding to the security code will be debited from his bank account.
• the use of the security card is advantageously protected by an external confidential code, so called because it is known to the user: only the prior entry of an external confidential code recognized by the security card allows its use such that indicated above. In case of fraudulent use of the credit card, the transaction cannot be validated for lack of confidentiality code.
• the seller of the product or service has the assurance that the transaction is carried out by the credit card holder and is certain to be paid because the latter will not be able to denounce the transaction or claim the loss of the credit card. .
• the seller receiving the transaction, contacts a specialized center (such as, for example, the GIE CARTE BLEUE in France) equipped with decoder equipment containing the inverse algorithm of the predetermined encryption algorithm as well as the permanent data of the card used by this algorithm to create the security code.
• a specialized center such as, for example, the GIE CARTE BLEUE in France
• decoder equipment containing the inverse algorithm of the predetermined encryption algorithm as well as the permanent data of the card used by this algorithm to create the security code.
• This code reader also receiving the variable data of the transaction (amount, date, time %) reconstructs the invariant elements of the card. It thus allows authentication of the origin of the transaction.
• the functions of this card can also be implemented in a larger machine for making electronic payments, as is practical for certain companies or certain banks.

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• Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
• Financial Or Insurance-Related Operations Such As Payment And Settlement (AREA)

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Publications (1)

Family

ID=9541542

Family Applications (1)

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• 1999
  • 1999-05-26 AU AU38321/99A patent/AU3832199A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-05-26 EP EP99920923A patent/EP1254439A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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