FR3059123A1 - METHOD FOR UPDATING A DATA VALUE OF A CHIP IN A CONSTANT NETWORK ENVIRONMENT - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of updating at least one value of a data item (120.2) of a chip (105), the chip comprising an identifier (120.3), by a terminal (200). The updated data is associated with a value (120.2.2) of version number, the update comprising the following steps: - contactless solicitation of the terminal by the chip in order to perform a local action, - chip authentication, - selecting orders from a list of orders stored in an order memory of the terminal, each order of the order list being associated with a version number and a chip identifier, the selection generating a sub-list including the orders whose chip identifier is equal to the chip identifier and whose version number value is greater than the version number value of the data item to be updated, calculating a maximum version value, the maximum version value being the largest value in the set formed by the value of the version number associated with the data to be updated and version number values of the selected orders , - calc ul of a new data value, the new value being the resultant of the list of selected orders, the local action and the value of the data item to be updated, a local action being comparable to an order, updating the chip data by writing the new resulting value and the maximum version value.

Description

Holder (s): PAYINTECH.

Extension request (s)

Agent (s): CABINET CAMUS LEBKIRI Limited liability company.

METHOD FOR UPDATING A DATA VALUE OF A CHIP IN A CONSTRAINED NETWORK ENVIRONMENT.

FR 3 059 123 - A1

The invention relates to a method for updating at least one value of a data item (120.2) of a chip (105), the chip comprising an identifier (120.3), by a terminal (200). The updated data is associated with a value (120.2.2) of the version number, the update comprising the following steps:

- contactless solicitation of the terminal by the chip with a view to carrying out a local action,

- chip authentication,

- selection of orders from a list of orders stored in a terminal order memory, each order in the order list being associated with a version number and a chip identifier, the selection producing a sublist comprising orders whose chip identifier is equal to the chip identifier and whose version number value is greater than the version number value of the data to be updated,

- calculation of a maximum version value, the maximum version value being the largest value in the set formed by the value of the version number associated with the data to be updated and values of order version number selected,

- calculation of a new data value, the new value being the result of the list of selected orders, of the local action and of the value of the data to be updated, a local action being assimilable to an order,

- update of the chip data by writing the new resulting value and the maximum version value.

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Method for updating a value of a data item on a chip in a constrained network environment.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject of the invention is a method for updating a value of a data item on a chip in a constrained network environment.

The field of the invention is mainly that of the use of chips, containing data and usable within a defined place or territory, to carry out commercial transactions or to validate a right of access.

A defined place or territory brings together on a single site a plurality of people who have come to interact.

This notion of defined territory refers to any situation of the “closed circuit” type also called the “closed loop System”. We are still talking about an autonomous or private ecosystem. Places used in such circumstances are, for example, a park, a stadium, a campsite, a retirement home, a transport network, a military base, a festival, a canteen, a ski resort. We are therefore in punctual, cyclical (seasonal, school, monthly, annual or other) or sustainable patterns. The invention applies particularly when the place where the defined territory is difficult to connect and / or connectable to a global network of the type Internet. In the invention, the constraint taken into account is the available bandwidth.

STATE OF THE ART

In defined places and territories where goods and services are available, it is common to provide that electronic transactions can be carried out for the purpose of validating rights of use or rights of appropriation.

A right of use is the right to enter, use, or participate in an activity or have access to consumption. The right of appropriation is the right to obtain a good or a service.

These electronic transactions are supported:

- user side on a chip. The user is here the one who wishes to obtain a good, a service or a right,

- provider side on the exploitation of the chip's data via a chain including at least: a reader, a network and a remote central server.

The electronic transaction concludes with an update of data on the remote central server and the sending by the latter of a release message indicating the validity of the rights of use or appropriation.

A problem in many places and territories is the network coverage alone and / or related to the numbers of simultaneous people on the place. In such circumstances it is impossible to use conventional transaction means, i.e. means requiring a connection to a central server, for example:

- a bank server of the authorization server type for payment by bank card,

- a bicycle management server for the management of a bicycle fleet in a metropolitan area,

- a social security server to allow payment and control of a medical benefit or the purchase of medication

- ... there is no shortage of examples.

Each of the previous examples implements a chip which is presented to a terminal itself connected to a central server via a broadband network. This allows transactions to be carried out in real time, said transactions including the central server.

In the state of the art, after analysis, it can be seen that the chip is used for authentication and security purposes. The reference data, that is to say the times, is stored on a central and remote server.

These situations are also found independently of isolation based on the communication infrastructure which may be insufficient relative to occasional attendance.

These situations are also found depending on the quality of the communication infrastructure.

SOLUTION PROPOSED BY THE INVENTION

In the invention, these problems are solved by a combination of steps which, implemented together, make it possible to overcome a virtual absence of network. The implementation of the invention also makes it possible to overcome an unstable or intermittent network.

In the invention, a pre-loaded chip is used. Here by preloaded it should be understood that the chip is configured to store data corresponding to a credit and or to an authorization. This storage is carried out with a data structure, and values, predefined.

In the invention, a chip is presented to a terminal which establishes a dialogue with the chip. The result of the dialog is an update of the credit data recorded on the chip.

In order to make the process even more tolerant, the updating of the data can be done from a plurality of terminals distributed on the site of the event. Indeed at least one terminal is aware of an update to be performed. An update to be performed is associated with a version number. Data in the chip is also associated with a version number. At the end of the update, the version number of the chip data is also updated, which means that an update cannot be replayed several times: only updates with version numbers higher than version number of the data are implemented.

In this design, one aspect of the invention relates to a method for updating at least one value of a data item of a chip, the chip comprising an identifier, by a terminal, the updated data item being associated with a version number value, the update comprising the following steps:

- contactless solicitation of the terminal by the chip with a view to carrying out a local action,

- chip authentication,

- selection of orders from a list of orders recorded in a terminal order memory, each order in the order list being associated with a version number and a chip identifier, the selection producing a sublist comprising the orders whose chip identifier is equal to the chip identifier and whose version number value is greater than the version number value of the data to be updated,

- calculation of a maximum version value, the maximum version value being the largest value in the set formed by the value of the version number associated with the data to be updated and values of order version number selected,

- calculation of a new data value, the new value being the result of the list of selected orders, of the local action and of the value of the data to be updated, a local action being comparable to an order,

- update of the chip data by writing the new resulting value and the maximum version value.

In addition to the main characteristics which have just been mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the method according to the invention may have one or more additional characteristics among the following, considered individually or according to the technically possible combinations:

- the data, and therefore the orders, are also associated with a data identifier value.

- a data value is a digital counter.

- the chip has three values to update.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description which follows, with reference to the appended figures, which illustrate:

- Figure 1: an illustration of means for implementing the method according to the invention.

- Figure 2: a step illustration of the process according to the invention.

For the sake of clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs in all of the figures.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and on examining the figures which accompany it. These are presented as an indication and in no way limit the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a chip card device 100 comprising a chip 105. The card

100 is essentially a support for the chip.

In the present description, the terms chip and chip card are used interchangeably to designate the chip, it being understood that a chip needs a physical medium which may be different from a card. Such a support can be, for example not limiting:

- a bracelet,

- a mobile phone,

- a map,

FIG. 1 illustrates that the chip 105 comprises:

- A microprocessor 110,

- A memory 120. In practice, this is one or more memories integrated on the chip. For the description, it is considered to be a single memory. The memory 120 has at least three areas:

o A zone 120.1 comprising instruction codes of a chip operating system, o A zone 120.2 of data comprising data manipulated by the method according to the invention, o A zone 120.3 identifier comprising a unique identifier of the chip.

- A radio interface 130. In the context of the invention, this is an interface capable of supporting contactless communications. Such an interface is also called an RFID interface (Radio Frequency Identification for radio frequency identification) or NFC (Near Field Communication for near field communication). In general it is about communication in a frequency band close to 13.56Mhz, but this is not limiting. It can also be a ZigBee communication.

The microprocessor 110 of the chip 105 and the memory 120 of the chip 105 are interconnected by a first bus 150.

The microprocessor 110 of chip 105 and the radio interface 130 of chip 105 are interconnected by a second bus 160.

FIG. 1 shows that the data area 120.2 of the chip 105 is structured to allow the management of records. In the example in the figure, the data area is structured as a table. In practice we can use another way of materializing a structure. These modes are known as at least:

- fixed length record, delimited record, XML file, JSON file,

This list is not exhaustive.

In the example in Figure 1, a row corresponds to a record, a column corresponds to a property of the record. We also say that the values of the same record are associated or even in relation.

The data area 120.2 of the chip 105 makes it possible to record data, each data item is a right record. A right record has at least the following properties:

- A value property 120.2.1 which allows to save a value,

- A 120.2.2 version property that stores a version number.

In a variant of the invention, a recording also includes the following property:

- A data identifier property 120.2.3 which allows a unique identifier to be recorded for recording. Thanks to the value of this property, it is possible to unambiguously designate a record in the record collection that the data area 120.2 of chip 105 can store. The value of such an identifier can be numeric or alphanumeric without this having any impact on the 'invention.

Here we note that the use of an identifying property is only one possible option for the unambiguous designation of a record. Another possibility is that it is the position in the collection that identifies the recording. We also speak of an index, or an index, in a table. In such a case, we also say that we have carried out a "hard coding".

FIG. 1 shows a terminal 200 capable of communicating with the chip 105. Such a terminal is, for example:

- A smart phone or smartphone,

- A tablet,

- A laptop,

- A specialized device such as a payment terminal,

FIG. 1 shows that the terminal 200 comprises:

- A microprocessor 210,

- A memory 220. The memory 200 comprises at least the following zones:

o An application area 220.1 which includes instruction codes corresponding to the implementation of the method according to the invention.

o An area 220.2 of orders which includes update orders for chips.

- A 230 radio interface compatible with the interface of chip 105.

The microprocessor 210 of the terminal 200 and the memory 220 of the terminal 200 are interconnected by a first bus 250.

The microprocessor 210 of terminal 200 and the radio interface 230 of terminal 200 are interconnected by a second bus 260.

FIG. 1 shows that the command area 220.2 of the terminal 200 is structured to allow management of records, each record being an order. An order has at least the following properties:

- A property 220.2.1 chip identifier,

- A 220.2.2 order property comprising a formal description of an order to be executed relative to a given chip data.

- A 220.2.3 property version of the order

In a variant of the invention, an order record also has the following properties:

- A property 220.2.4 identifier of data allowing to designate a data to be updated on the chip identified by the property 220.2.1 identifier of chip.

In the example of the invention, it is considered that the value properties of the data records of a chip are of decimal type and can be assimilated to counters. In this case an order is a signed decimal number which must be added to the current value of the value property of the data record to be updated.

When an action is lent to a device, it is in fact carried out by a microprocessor of the device controlled by instruction codes stored in a memory of the device. If an action is assigned to an application, it is in fact carried out by a microprocessor of the device in a memory of which the instruction codes corresponding to the application are recorded. When a device or an application sends or receives a message, this message is sent or received via a communication interface of said device or of the device implementing said application.

îo FIG. 2 shows an initial step 500 of contactless solicitation of the terminal 200 by the chip 105. In practice, a user of the terminal 200 has acted on the terminal to put it in a state of implementation of a local action. Such an action is, for example, a debit order to be made on the chip because the holder of the chip has just ordered a good, for example a drink. At this stage the terminal is waiting for the detection of a chip. The chip is then approached by its holder to the terminal so as to allow the establishment of contactless communication. Once the communication is established, we pass to an authentication step 510, the purpose of which is to allow the terminal to obtain the identifier of the chip. Authentication processes are classic and for example based on obtaining mutual proof of knowledge of a secret. This proof is obtained by using encryption means, for example 3DES. Such a secret is, for example, configured at the factory for the chip, and when the card is enrolled for the terminal. These processes are documented by smart card manufacturers.

During authentication, the chip produces and sends a message to the terminal comprising:

- the identifier 120.3 of the chip,

- a list of old values associated with version numbers, each version number being associated with a data identifier. It is recalled here that a data identifier can be a clue in the list of version numbers.

We then go to a step 520 of selecting orders from those recorded in the area 220.5 of orders of the terminal 200. This selection is made as a function of the chip identifier obtained in the authentication step. The terminal 200 produces a sublist comprising the orders in the area 220.2 of orders whose value of the chip identifier property is equal to the value of the identifier obtained during the authentication step. For each order in zone 220.2 of orders, only those whose version number is greater than the relative version number received during the authentication step are also selected.

In other words if we consider a case with 3 data, the data being identified by the keys 1,2, and 3:

- during the authentication step, the chip sends a message comprising:

o pld: chip identifier o v1: version of the first datum o v2: version of the second datum o v3: version of the third datum

- during the selection step, the terminal selects all orders such as:

o identifier of the chip is equal to pld, and identifier of the data equal 1 and version greater than v1, or identifier of the data equal 2 and version greater than v2, or identifier of the data equal 3 and version greater than v3.

We go to a step 530 of calculating a maximum version value for each data item to be updated. We thus obtain key pairs of data, maximum version number. For a datum to be updated, the maximum version value is the largest value in the set formed by the value of the version number associated with the datum to be updated and values of the version number of the selected orders and corresponding to the data to be updated.

With this mode of selecting a maximum version number, it is obtained that, if the order list is empty, then the version number of the data to be updated does not change.

We go to a step 540 of calculating a new data value for each data item to be updated. For a given data, the new value is the result of the selected orders and the local action. For example, for the data identified by key 1, suppose that we have:

- local action: -10

- first order selected: +50

- second order selected: -4.

In this case we will have:

new value = old value -10 + 50 -4

We then go to a step 550 for updating the chip. This update is done by writing, for each data to update:

- the new value of the data

- the maximum version number corresponding to the data to be updated.

It is noted that the result of the invention is also obtained if the chip transmits all of its data area in block and if in return the terminal updates the entire data area of the chip. In this case, the terminal analyzes the received data block to extract the structured data therefrom and carry out its processing.

Such an operation is called a reassessment because it aims to update at least one value on the chip. In the invention, the schematic diagram, for a value, is therefore that a terminal writes in a chip an identifier of the last re-evaluation that it has made. When the user, carrying the chip, presents himself to another terminal, this other terminal knows that all the re-evaluation orders prior to that entered in the chip have been carried out, and that he must carry out all those which are subsequent to him .

The re-evaluation scheme is therefore as follows:

• Reading of the last reassessment carried out (it is written in the bullet).

• Consultation of pending reassessments in the terminal's local database.

• Revaluation orders prior to those already executed in the chip are deleted from the local database.

• Subsequent orders give rise to an update of the chip.

• The latest update is written to the bullet, as a version number.

• The terminal deletes these orders from its local database and communicates what it has done to the global database, if the latter is reachable.

In this scheme, any fraud is impossible because the chip carries the information even before it is returned to the user.

We understand that erasures are optional but of good practice if we consider databases of significant size. The consequent size of a database is variable according to the means of exploitation of the database. In practice, it is considered that a query for querying or updating the database should not require more than a second.

With the method according to the invention it is therefore possible to manage electronic transactions without connection to a central server and with episodic updates from a terminal to push orders relating to a chip. Indeed, the terminal does not need a connection to a central server to manage the transaction. The terminal and the chip form an autonomous system, that is to say not connected.

In a most dynamic possible variant of the invention, with possible reloading of chips for example, only the terminals, or a dedicated terminal, needs a connection to a central server capable of validating a bank transaction.

For the sake of brevity and clarity, the description does not extend to the authentication mechanisms between the terminal and the chip because they are numerous and well known to those skilled in the art. They also have no synergistic effect on the invention.

Likewise, the details of the transaction have not been described in relation to its validation. We could for example block the transaction if the new calculated value is less than a predetermined threshold.

The applications and uses of the invention are numerous.

Claims (4)

1. Method for updating at least one value of a datum (120.2) of a chip (105), the chip comprising an identifier (120.3), by a terminal (200) characterized in that the datum put is associated with a version number value (120.2.2), the update comprising the following steps: - solicitation (500) without contact of the terminal by the chip in order to carry out a local action, - authentication (510) of the chip, selection (520) of orders from a list of orders recorded in an order memory of the terminal, each order of the order list being associated with a version number and with a chip identifier, the selection producing a sublist comprising the orders whose chip identifier is equal to the chip identifier and whose version number value is greater than the version number value of the data to be updated, - calculation (530) of a maximum version value, the maximum version value being the largest value in the set formed by the value of the version number associated with the data to be updated and the number values version of the selected orders, - calculation (540) of a new data value, the new value being the result of the list of selected orders, of the local action and of the value of the data to be updated, a local action being comparable to an order, - update (550) of the chip data by writing the new resulting value and the maximum version value. 2. Method for updating at least one value of a data item on a chip according to claim 1, characterized in that the data item, and therefore the orders, are also associated with a data identifier value. 3. Method for updating at least one value of a data item on a chip according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a data value is a digital counter. 4. Method for updating at least one value according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the chip has three values to update. 1/1 120.2.2 120.2.1 I 120.2.3 λτ / Χ- I I I I I I I I l___I 220.2.2 220.2.1 l 220.2.3 I I 220.2.4 ___I