GB2531714A

GB2531714A - Keypad shield

Info

Publication number: GB2531714A
Application number: GB1418968.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Phillip Taverner Alistair
Original assignee: Espier Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: ESPIER HOLDINGS LTD.
Priority date: 2014-10-24
Filing date: 2014-10-24
Publication date: 2016-05-04
Also published as: GB201418968D0

Abstract

A shield 10 for overlying a keypad 21 while permitting manual access thereto. It comprises a main body connectable to the keypad and defining an opening through which manual access to the keypad is permitted. The main body has a pair of opposed legs between which a part of the keypad is located and held to connect the shield to the keypad. The legs may be resiliently deformable and may flex to grip the keypad there between. The legs may be provided with friction enhancing means on one or more surface that engages the keypad. The shield can also contain a screen that restricts the view of the keypad primarily to the user and is mounted as to be movable relative to the body. The screen can selectively cover or uncover the keypad. The shield restricts the view of the keypad to within a range of angles, this range is approximately 20 degrees centered normal to the surface. The device is used to enhance a users privacy by attempting to prevent shoulder surfing.

Description

Keypad Shield This invention relates to a shield mountable on or around a keypad, and in particular a shield that restricts the view of those other than the 5 person using the keypad.

PINs (personal identification numbers) and other alphanumeric codes are required in everyday life to verify that a person using a bank card to withdraw cash from an ATM or pay for goods electronically using the so-called 'chip and pin' machines or PEDs (PIN Entry Devices), is authorised to do so. If the person in possession of the card is unaware of the corresponding PIN, the card will not be accepted to withdraw money or pay for goods electronically. Stolen bank cards have always been a common form of fraud, particularly when the only required form of authorisation was a signature, which is easily forged. Now such verification methods are being phased out, criminals now need to ascertain the PIN before stealing or copying/cloning the bank card. This may be carried out by placing a small camera in a discreet location in or around a PED, and recording use of the keypad, which inevitably captures footage of the PIN being entered. It may also be achieved by a bystander watching and memorising the entry of the PIN -often known as shoulder surfing. Then all the observer has to do is steal or clone the card and use the observed PIN. The problem of viewing by bystanders is particularly acute with the design of most point of sale chip and pin units which provide limited if any shielding from onlookers, who are usually arranged all around.

Previous attempts have been made to address this problem including the applicant's own earlier International applications W02006/120479 and WO 2011/070355. Whilst those provided improvements on earlier attempts, the results still left room for improvement in certain circumstances. One such shortcoming, related in particular to the mechanism for connection of the screening device to handheld or movable PEDs without adversely affecting the efficacy and warranty of that PED. Also having a pin shield -2 -that goes around the whole of the PED can cause problems with charging/docking. A fixed pin shield can also stop the card swipe function.

It is therefore a principle aim of the present invention to provide an improved shield mountable on existing PEDs, to prevent onlookers from viewing the entry of a secret PIN, password or code. Whilst most current use is envisaged for point of sale PEDs, the present invention provides a device suitable for connection to many types of keypad where secret codes are entered.

According to the present invention, there is provided a shield for 1io overlying a keypad while permitting manual access thereto and comprising a main body connectable to the keypad and defining an opening through which manual access to the keypad is permitted, the main body having a pair of opposed legs between which a part of the keypad is located and held to connect the shield to the keypad.

The opposed legs ideally are adapted to grip the keypad therebetween. More than two legs may be provided. These may be provided in any arrangement as long as a part of the keypad may be engaged and held by them. The legs may be resiliently deformable or otherwise sufficiently flexible such that they can flex to grip the keypad. The opposed legs are ideally spaced apart such that the distance therebetween is slightly less than the width of that part of the keypad to which the shield is to be connected connect. In this way as the shield is engaged with the keypad, the opposed legs can flex outwardly to accommodate the keypad and grip it snugly to resist unintentional removal. The shield is connected to the keypad without the use of adhesives or mechanical fixings that might damage the keypad.

The legs may be provided with friction enhancing means on one or more surface that may engage a part of the keypad in use. This may take the form of rubber or rubberised material provided on the legs.

The main body may comprise two opposing sidewalls spaced apart laterally. These may in use be positioned either side of the keys on the keypad. The opposed legs may extend from, or form part of, the opposed -3 -sidewalls. For example the legs may extend downward from lower edges or regions of the side walls. Alternatively the lower edges or regions of the side walls may define surfaces that grip the keypad such that the side walls themselves define the legs. The main body may further comprise a distal wall extending from between the two sidewalls generally opposite the opening defined for manual access. This can form a generally 3 sided enclosure with the distal wall linking the side walls.

The present invention can restrict view of the keypad by the parts of the main body obstructing that view -usually the view from the sides and front of the keypad. The main body can be formed of essentially opaque material with viewing restricted by the shape and configuration of the main body. The main body may also be at least partially formed from a translucent material through which view light will pass to ensure sufficient illumination of the keypad. However, ideally the view of the keypad through that material is still impaired to obscure the view of the keys. This can be achieved in a number of known ways such as by using a material that is generally transparent but with a course textured surface finish to blur the view.

The distance between opposing sidewalls is greater than the 20 respective distance across the keys of the keypad so that a user's hand may fit there between to operate the keys. The sidewalls will act to block the view from the side.

In certain embodiments of the present invention a screen may be provided on the main body overlying the keypad, which screen restricts the view of the keypad primarily to the user of the keypad. The screen may be connected to the distal wall if present. The screen may have a privacy filter to restrict view.

To facilitate use, it is possible for the screen to be mounted in such a way as to be moveable relative to the base so as selectively to cover and uncover the keypad or alter accessibility. One way of achieving a degree of movement is to pivotally-mount the screen along its back edge so that it can hinge or flex, for example using a flexible rubber flange or hinge. A suitable -4 -hinge may include a metal bracket with tapped pins that locate into sockets in the lens. The angular range of movement of such a screen can be limited or guided by suitable abutment formations on the base.

Ideally the shield restricts view of the keypad to within a range of angles. Such angles are usually relative to the plane or orientation of the keys on the keypad. The range is preferably approximately 20° centred normal to a surface of the keypad.

The screen may be provided with mechanisms to restrict the viewing angle through that screen. Suitable mechanism are known, including those disclosed in the applicants prior published patent applications. These may include a screen with a transverse direction and a longitudinal direction that is formed from a transparent material through which in use the keypad is viewable by a user of the keypad. Such a screen having an upper side directed in use toward a user and a lower side directed in use toward the keypad, the screen further having an upper series of transversely extending parallel opaque strips and transparent gaps, and a similar lower series of strips and gaps, which lower series is offset from the upper series so that, when viewed from above, the opaque strips of the upper and lower series overlap and block the view.

The present invention is particularly suited to connection to PEDs such as chip and pin machines and POS machines as are used at point of sale for example in shops or restaurants. Such PEDs are often mobile hand held devices that may also be wirelessly connected to a base unit or mobile data network. Ideally the shield is adapted to be connected to a keypad being a chip and pin unit. In this way the shield can be arrange around the keys of such a chip and pin unit.

The main components, i.e. the main body, legs and/or screen (if present), are preferably made from plastics material. High oil based plastics may be used for many of the main components.

The screen may be all or only part of a single member. For example this member may be a sheet of normally transparent material which might have a region provided with strips (or bearing a film with such strips) which -5 -serves as the screen through which the PED is viewed. Other areas of that sheet may be differently treated to confer different viewing characteristics. Nylon 12 may be used to form some or all of the main body, legs and screen. Parts of the main body, legs and screen may be formed from a flexible or resiliently deformable rubber. This may be in the form of an overmould or separate component connected to other parts. Such resilient parts can be used to prevent sharp edges being exposed According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a shield as herein described in combination with a keypad to which /o it is to be connected.

According to the present invention there is also provided a device incorporating a keypad as well as a shield as described above connected thereto.

In order that it may be better understood, but by way of example only various embodiment of the present invention with now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of shield of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same embodiment, connected to a keypad device; Figure 3 is a plan view of that first embodiment of shield; Figure 4 is a rear view of that first embodiment of shield; Figure 5 is a right side view of that first embodiment of shield; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of shield mounted on a keypad device the shield having a screen in a raised position; Figure 7 is a plan view of that second embodiment of Figure 6 showing the screen in a lowered position; Figure 8 is a perspective view of third embodiment of shield with a fixed screen; and Figure 9 is a side view of that third embodiment of shield mounted on a keypad device. -6 -

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the shield (generally indicated 10) comprises an integrally moulded main body having two opposing sidewalls (the left numbered 12 and the right 13) and a distal wall 14 extending therebetween. The shield is shown in Figure 2 mounted on a pin entry device (PED) 20 which has a plurality of keys 21 and a display 22.

Each sidewall 12 13 includes an upper edge 15 and a rear edge 17. The top and rear edges are not in this embodiment rectilinear but are curved and the walls are also not flat or planar. Extending from a lower portion of the left side wall is a leg 18, with an equivalent opposed leg 19 extending from the right side wall.

In this embodiment the distal wall and sidewalls are formed from material that is translucent but sufficiently obscured to prevent easy view of the keys 21 therethrough. Spark/bead blast finished plastics material is suitable. In this embodiment the main body comprising the sidewalls and distal wall are made from a rigid plastic with a sufficient degree of flexibility such as Nylon 12, which is then spark finished/bead blasted. The spark finish provides a course texture which obscures view, preventing the keypad operator's PIN from being seen or recorded through these components, while still having a degree of translucency. As well as permitting ambient light to fall on the keys, a translucent main body makes it harder to conceal cameras or other illegal prying devices inside the shield to secretly record entry of the PIN. The body may also be formed from a wholly opaque material.

The legs 18 and 19 provided at the bottom of each sidewall are 25 adapted to grasp a portion of the PED 20 either side of the keys 21. The legs have rubber feet 24 that increase grip to the surface of the PED 20 and help to obviate the need for adhesive or mechanical fixings such as screws. Engagement of the shield with the PED 20 is by means of urging the legs 18 19 to flex outwardly against sufficient rigidity or resilience in the material of the legs and/or side walls. This increases the distance (indicated A in Figure 4) between inner faces of the legs which at rest is less than the width of the PED at the relevant point of connection. Once the distance is -7 -enough the legs will locate around the PED 20 but with a gripping force caused by the resilient deformation of the legs/side walls. The grip is sufficient to resist unintentional removal of the device from the PED.

In the second embodiment 29 shown in Figures 6 and 7, the main 5 parts of the shield are the same and have been given like numbers, but the shield further includes a screen 30 disposed over the keys 21. The screen may obscure the keys 21 when viewed outside a particular range, yet appear sufficiently transparent when viewed from within that range thereby to allow operation of the keys with significantly reduced risk of unauthorised 10 observation of the key strokes.

The screen 30 is a transparent pane that extends between the side walls 12 13 and is pivotally connected to the distal wall 14. In an alternative embodiment the screen may be moulded into the main body.

In use, the main body of either embodiment is connected to the PED 20 without adhesive or mechanical fixings such that it is located around and (dependent on the embodiment) over the keys 31, but not obscuring a user's view of the screen 22. The open rear end (indicated by arrow 27) permits manual access to the keys 21. The keys 21 are operated by a user extending their hand through the opening 27, so as to access the keys.

The screen 30 is hingedly connected at a back edge to the main body so that it may lie close to the upper edges of the side walls but may also be lifted up slightly by a user's hand to use the keypad. The screen 30 may be hingedly connected by any suitable means known in the art. In this embodiment the screen 30 (which is generally rigid) is joined to the main body by a band of flexible material that resiliently deforms as the screen moves relative to the main body.

In use a user would place the tips of their fingers beneath the screen 30 and if necessary would lift the screen slightly to place their fingers thereunder. The screen might rest on the fingers in use, and the fingers and keypad would be visible through the screen within a limited range. When the hand was removed the screen would fall back to rest on the side walls. -8 -

Figures 8 and 9 show a third embodiment of shield 35 that is similar to the other two embodiments save in that there is a fixed screen 36 that extends between the upper edges 15 of the side walls 12 13. This restricts view in a similar way to the screen 30 in the second embodiment but does not lift. Instead it is shaped to permit a sufficient degree of manual access to the keys 21. Figure 9 also shows the approximate viewing angle through the fixed screen 36.

As is visible best in Figures 5 and 9 there is a slot 38 formed between the side walls 12 13 and the distal wall 14 in a lower region. This helps to control the correct degree of flexibility in the legs to permit engagement with the keypad.

Claims

-9 -Claims 1. A shield for overlying a keypad while permitting manual access thereto and comprising a main body connectable to the keypad and defining an opening through which manual access to the keypad is permitted, the main body having a pair of opposed legs between which a part of the keypad is located and held to connect the shield to the keypad.
2. A shield as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opposed legs grip the keypad therebetween.
3. A shield as claimed in claim 2, wherein the legs are resiliently deformable and flex to grip the keypad.
4. A shield as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the legs are provided with friction enhancing means on one or more surface that engages the keypad.
5. A shield as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a screen is provided on the main body overlying the keypad, which screen restricts the view of the keypad primarily to the user of the keypad.
6. A shield as claimed in claim 5, wherein the screen is mounted in such a way as to be moveable relative to the main body.
7. A shield as claimed in claim 6, wherein the range of movement is limited and such movement selectively covers and uncovers the keypad or alters accessibility.
8. A shield as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the shield restricts view of the keypad to within a range of angles.
9. A shield as claimed in claim 8, in which the range is approximately 20° centred normal to a surface of the keypad.
10. A shield as claimed in claim 5, wherein the screen has a transverse direction and a longitudinal direction and is formed from a transparent material through which in use the keypad is viewable by a user of the keypad only from within a limited angular range, the screen having an upper side directed in use toward a user and a lower side directed in use toward the keypad, the screen further having an upper series of transversely extending parallel opaque strips and transparent gaps, and a similar lower series of strips and gaps, which lower series is offset from the upper series so that, when viewed from above, the opaque strips of the upper and lower series overlap and block the view.
11. A shield as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the main body comprises two opposing sidewalls spaced apart laterally.
12. A shield as claimed in claim 11, wherein the opposed legs extend from, or form part of, the opposed sidewalls.
13. A shield as claimed in claim 11, wherein the main body further comprises a distal wall extending between the two sidewalls generally opposite the opening defined for manual access.
14. A shield as claimed in claim 13, wherein a screen is present and it is connected to the distal wall.
15. A shield as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the shield is adapted to be connected to a keypad being a chip and pin unit.
16. A shield as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the main body is at least partially formed from a translucent material through which view of the keypad is impaired.
17. A shield a claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described and illustrated.
18. A device incorporating a keypad, and including a shield as claimed in any of the preceding claims connected thereto.