GB2507651A

GB2507651A - Security cover for attachment to a user's finger/s

Info

Publication number: GB2507651A
Application number: GB1317586.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Bland Pierce
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-10-08
Filing date: 2013-10-04
Publication date: 2014-05-07
Also published as: GB201217978D0; GB201317586D0

Abstract

A security cover 10 covers at least a part of one finger of a persons hand, is opaque and has means for attachment to the persons finger(s). The security cover can be used (worn) by the user during use of a keypad (such as a keypad of an ATM cash machine) in order to reduce the likelihood of the users keystrokes being witnessed by a third party. The means of attachment to a persons finger(s) may include a partial ring or cylinder into which the user can insert a finger. The cover may include a window 34 through which the users can view keys of a keypad.

Description

SECURITY COVER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a security cover, and in particular to a security cover for use in obscuring the keys on a keypad.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Many credit and debit cards incorporate a microchip which stores data relating to the authorised user. One element of data is a personal identification number (or PIN) which the user has to input into a keypad so that a payment is authorised by the card.

It is a known concern that third parties can often see the keypad when a user is inserting his or her PIN. If the third party sees the sequence of numbers inputted by the user the third party only has to steal the credit or debit card in order to make illicit purchases with the card.

In an effort to reduce the likelihood that a keypad can be observed whilst a PIN is being inputted, many card readers include shrouds which limit the field of view of the keypad.

Unless the user has used the card at a particular location before, he or she will not know in advance if a shroud is present on a particular card reader, and therefore how secure will be the transaction. Also, the shroud is not always fully effective in obscuring the keypad from third parties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to increase the security of using the keypad of a card reader, and seeks to reduce or avoid the problems associated with the present card readers.

According to the present invention, there is provided a security cover for covering at least a part of one finger of a person's hand, the security cover being opaque and having means for attachment to the person's finger(s).

The present invention therefore provides a security cover which is worn or carried by the user, and in particular upon the user's fingers. The user can therefore take the security cover to the card reader and does not rely upon the card reader having a shroud.

The security cover covers at least the fingertip of the finger which is used to enter keystrokes into the keypad, but ideally covers the whole of that finger and adjacent fingers, it being understood that the larger the security cover the easier it will be for the user to obscure the keypad from third parties.

Preferably, the security cover is adapted to cover three adjacent fingers of a person's hand.

Desirably, the means for attachment to the person's fingers comprises a partial cylinder into which the user can insert a finger. Preferably, the partial cylinder is flexible and resilient so that it can expand slightly and grip the user's finger.

The security cover can be made in various sizes, to fit user's fingers of differing size. Thus, notwithstanding that the means for attachment can be flexible and resilient, it is not expected that a single size of security cover could be made sufficiently flexible to accommodate all finger sizes, and yet be sufficiently robust to withstand repeated use over a long period of time.

Preferably, the security cover has an opaque skirt. Ideally, the skirt is large enough to surround a keypad in use, so that if desired the whole of the keypad can be obscured from view, and not merely the key being depressed.

Desirably, the security cover includes a window. Preferably the window is positioned to overlie the user's fingertip. In use, the user can look through the window and observe the fingertip and the underlying key or keys, and can therefore move the fingertip over the desired key. Desirably, the window has a magnifying lens to magnify the fingertip and underlying keys, whereby to make the io keypad easier to use for persons with poor eyesight. Preferably, a tube is located adjacent to the window, the tube being in the form of a chimney, which serves to

reduce the field of view of the window.

The security cover can include a light source to illuminate the keypad.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.1 shows a perspective view of the security cover of the invention; Fig.2 shows a plan view of the security cover; Fig.3 shows a side view, with the internal elements being shown in dashed outline; Fig.4 shows an end view, viewed from the end into which the user's fingers are inserted; and Fig.5 shows the opposing end view, with the internal elements being shown in dashed outline.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The security cover 10 is made from a relatively thin sheet of material which is opaque or substantially opaque. An ideal material is HDPE, but other plastics, card or metal materials could be used.

The upper surface of the security cover 10 is formed to follow the contours of three fingers, and therefore comprises three ridges 12, 14 and 16 with respective intervening troughs 18 and 20. The ridges 12, 14 and 16 in this embodiment are io part-circular, with a radius of curvature designed to closely match the size of a person's fingers.

The ridges 12, 14 and 16 are connected to a skirt which comprises a first side skirt 22 (connected to the ridge 12), a second side skirt 24 (connected to the ridge 16), and an end skirt 26 (connected to the ends of all three ridges 12, 14, 16. In one embodiment, the side skirt 22 can be a continuation of the ridge 12, and the side skirt 24 can be a continuation of the ridge 16.

Also connected to the side skirt 22 and end skirt 26 is an attachment member 30, which faces the ridge 12 and has a similar curvature to the ridge 12. Similarly, an attachment member 32 is connected to the side skirt 24 and the end skirt 26, and faces the ridge 16. In an alternative embodiment the attachment member 30 is a continuation of the ridge 12, and the side skirt 22 is a separate component secured to the ridge and attachment member (and similarly for the attachment member 32).

The ridge 12 and attachment member 30 together provide a partial cylinder into which the user can insert a finger. For use on the right hand the user will typically insert his or her forefinger into the partial cylinder provided by the ridge 12 and attachment member 30.

Similarly, the ridge 16 and attachment member 32 together provide a partial cylinder into which the user can insert a finger. For use on the right hand the user will typically insert his or her ring finger into the partial cylinder provided by the ridge 16 and attachment member 32.

When used on the left hand the positions of the forefinger and ring finger will be s reversed.

The material from which the security cover 10 is made is preferably somewhat flexible and resilient. Also, the partial cylinders created by the ridge 12/attachment 30 and by the ridge 16/attachment 32 are ideally slightly smaller io than the maximum dimension of the user's forefinger and/or ring finger, so that it is necessary to stretch slightly one or both of the partial cylinders in order to fully insert the user's fingers. The security cover therefore grips at least one of the user's fingers, and will not inadvertently slide off.

is It will be observed from Fig.4 in particular that there is no attachment member facing the central ridge 14. Accordingly, the user's middle finger can be flexed whereby the fingertip can be pressed against an underlying keypad (not shown).

It will be seen from Fig.3 that the attachment members 30, 32 continue all the way to the end skirt 26. This is not necessary, and in other embodiments only one attachment member (for either the forefinger or the ring finger) is provided. In yet other embodiments the attachment member(s) terminate before the end skirt.

Alternatively, the attachment member(s) can if desired be relatively short, providing partial "ring(s)" around the base or other part of the user's forefinger and/or ring finger, rather than partial cylinders therearound.

It will be understood that if the attachment members were to terminate a significant distance from the end skirt 26, the user could engage the keypad with the fingertips of his or her forefinger and ring finger, in addition to the fingertip of the middle finger. That is not preferred, however, as it is expected to increase the likelihood of the user inputting the incorrect PIN. It is an advantage of embodiments such as that shown in the drawings that the movement of the forefinger and ring finger are restricted by the attachment members 30, 32, so that the likelihood of the user inadvertently pressing a key with the forefinger or ring finger is reduced or avoided.

In order to permit the user to see the keypad, and to observe the key which is to be pressed, the security cover has a window 34. The window 34 is provided in the central ridge 14, close to but not immediately adjacent to the end skirt 26. In this embodiment the window is simply a hole cut through the material of the ridge 14. In other embodiments the window could carry a magnifying lens to magnify the user's fingertip and the underlying keypad. In yet other embodiments the io ridge carries a tube of rectangular section (having the appearance of a chimney) mounted above the window. The tube could be directed towards the finger insertion end 36 at a suitable angle to allow the user to look down the tube and through the window 34, to further reduce the field of view of the keypad and to minimise the likelihood that a third party can look through the window and observe is the keys being depressed.

Many magnifying lenses are flat or substantially flat -the security cover can be made flat (or substantially so) adjacent to the window so as to make the mounting of the magnifying lens easier. Alternatively, the security cover can be formed to be part-spherical adjacent to the window so as to allow easy mounting of a substantially flat magnifying lens, or the mounting of a part-spherical magnifying lens if preferred.

In other embodiments the security cover 10 can be fitted with a light source, ideally underneath one of the ridges, whereby the keypad can be illuminated.

Thus, it is recognised that obscuring the keypad so that third parties cannot see the keys which are being pressed will necessarily reduce the amount of light which is incident on the keypad.

It will be understood that the skirt is an optional feature, since the security cover could obscure the keypad without the skirt. It will also be understood that the substantially rectangular shape with a curved end in plan view is an optional feature, and other embodiments could be totally rectangular, oval or circular, without departing from the scope of the invention.

It is expected that three differently-sized security covers would be made, to suit different finger sizes. With the flexibility of the security cover allowing each security cover to satisfy a small range of finger sizes, three different sizes of security cover are expected to satisfy a large proportion of a population's finger sizes.

Claims

SCLAIMS1. A security cover for covering at least a part of one finger of a person's hand, the security cover being opaque and having means for attachment to the person's finger(s).
2. The security cover according to claim 1 adapted to cover at least a part of three adjacent fingers of a person's hand.
3. The security cover according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the means for attachment to the person's finger(s) is a partial ring or cylinder into which the user can insert a finger.
4. The security cover according to claim 3 in which the partial ring or cylinder is is flexible so that it can accommodate differently-sized fingers.
5. The security cover according to claim 4 in which the partial ring or cylinder is resilient so that it can grip the user's finger.
6. The security cover according to any one of claims 1-5 having two means for attachment whereby the security cover can be attached to two of the person's fingers.
7. The security cover according to claim 6 in which the two means for attachment are spaced apart whereby the two of the person's fingers are not adjacent to one another.
8. The security cover according to any one of claims 1-7 having an opaque skirt.
9. The security cover according to claim 8 in which the skirt is adapted to at least partially surround a keypad in use.
10. The security cover according to any one of claims 1-9 in which the security cover includes a window.
11. The security cover according to claim 10 in which the window is spaced away from the means for attachment.
12. The security cover according to claim 10 or claim 11 having a magnifying lens adjacent to the window.
13. The security cover according to any one of claims 10-12 in which a tube is located adjacent to the window.
14. The security cover according to any one of claims 1-13 in which parts of the cover are curved to correspond to the curvature of the person's fingers.
15. A security cover constructed and arranged substantially as described in relation to the accompanying drawings.