JP2005202565A - Reader/writer for small ic card - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reader/writer for a small IC card for writing/reading information in a small IC card represented by an SIM, which is provided with a biometrics sensor for improving security property, and which is improved in operability and convenience. <P>SOLUTION: This reader/writer for a small IC card is provided with a case body equipped with a display surface, a display formed on the display surface, a function switch installed on the display surface of the case body or any surface other than the display surface and a biometrics sensor installed on the case body or any surface other than the display surface so that the display or the function switch can be prevented from being touched by a living body in an operation to detect the biological information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a small IC card reader / writer for writing / reading information to / from a small IC card represented by a SIM (subscriber identity module), and in particular, for a small IC card intended to improve security. About reader / writer.

  In recent years, IC cards have been used for various purposes. JP 2002-525720 A (Patent Document 1) includes a contact type interface (standard ISO 7816-2 and standard ISO 7816-3), and also uses a USB (universal serial bus) contact type interface standard. Possible IC cards and readers are disclosed. Such an IC card facilitates connection with a USB-compatible device such as a personal computer, and can be applied, for example, as an employee ID card and further as a network access ID card, for example.

  There is a network access ID module called e-Token. Built-in IC chip, has a USB standard contact type interface, and is used by being inserted into a USB connector of a personal computer (PC). It can be used for systems that ensure network security without requiring cumbersome operations. This module is also called a dongle, and has the convenience of being carried by being attached to, for example, a mobile phone strap or key holder.

  In the mobile phone field, security ID modules such as SIM and UIM (USIM), which are small IC cards, are being incorporated and used. A UIM (user identity module) records contractor information issued by a mobile phone company, and identifies a user by being incorporated in a mobile phone. The UIM is standardized by expanding the functions of the SIM, and in addition to the contractor information, private information such as a telephone directory, personal identification information for credit settlement, and the like can be encrypted and registered. For this reason, UIM is also called USIM (universal SIM). The SIM is standardized for the purpose of using the GSM mobile phone service, but the UIM is considered to be used for receiving an international roaming service by inserting it into an American cdma2000 mobile phone, for example. The SIM and UIM itself can be manufactured and issued using existing technology.

  When a reader / writer for SIM or UIM is used, it is essential for ensuring security that the user is a specific person. For this reason, in general, the reader / writer including the SIM itself is strictly managed by the user. However, it is not possible to completely prevent unauthorized use that would lead to management gaps. Therefore, in order to further enhance security, it is conceivable to provide a biometric sensor (sensor for reading biological information) for user authentication in the reader / writer.

  For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-328362 (Patent Document 2), Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-298129 (Patent Document 3), and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-298130 (Patent Document 4) are known. JP-A-2003-91510 (Patent Document 5), JP-A-2003-204383 (Patent Document 6), JP-A-11-338985 (Patent Document 7), and the like. Patent Document 2 discloses an information processing apparatus, Patent Documents 3 and 4 disclose a fingerprint verification apparatus, Patent Document 5 discloses a fingerprint verification system and electronic device, Patent Document 6 discloses a mobile phone, and Patent Document 7 discloses an IC card. Yes.

In the contents disclosed in these documents, Patent Documents 2, 3, 4, and 5 are arranged such that the arrangement of biometric sensors is on the display display or overlaps the display display. In patent document 6, it arrange | positions in the position which can be protected with a case etc. so that a sensor may not become dirty. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228561 discloses that the display is provided in the vicinity of being grasped as a habit without mentioning the relationship with the display display and the functional parts.
JP-T-2002-525720 JP-A-11-328362 JP 2002-298129 A JP 2002-298130 A JP 2003-91510 A JP 2003-204383 A JP 11-338985 A

  When a biometric sensor is provided in a reader / writer for SIM or the like, it is considered necessary to pay attention to the arrangement relationship with a display or other functional parts. For example, when a fingerprint reading sensor is provided as a biometric sensor, depending on the sensor arrangement position, sebum may adhere to the display and the visibility may deteriorate. It is also possible that the display cannot be viewed while the sensor is reading biometric information.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances. In a small IC card reader / writer for writing / reading information to / from a small IC card represented by SIM, It is an object of the present invention to provide a small IC card reader / writer having a metrics sensor and excellent in operability and easy to use.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a small IC card reader / writer according to the present invention includes a housing having a display surface, a display provided on the display surface, and the display surface or the display of the housing. A function switch provided on a surface other than the surface, and the display surface or the surface other than the display surface of the housing so that the display and the function switch are not touched by a living body during an operation of detecting biological information And a biometric sensor provided in the apparatus.

  That is, this small IC card reader / writer includes a biometric sensor as a part for personal authentication, and the arrangement of the biometric sensor is considered at least for the display and the function switch. That is, the arrangement of the biometric sensor is such that the display and the function switch are not touched by the living body in the operation of detecting the biological information. Therefore, it is possible to avoid inconveniences such as the display being difficult to see and the function switch being erroneously operated, and it is possible to provide a small IC card reader / writer with excellent operability and ease of use.

  Note that there are, for example, SIM, UIM (USIM), and the like as small IC cards that are read and written by the small IC card reader / writer. For the interface with these cards, ISO 7816-2 or ISO 7816-3, which is a contact type connection standard, or ISO 14443, which is a non-contact type connection standard, can be adopted. These small IC cards can be attached to and detached from the reader / writer.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a small IC card reader / writer that is easy to use and avoids inconveniences such as the display being difficult to see and the function switch being erroneously operated.

  As an embodiment of the present invention, the biometric sensor is provided near the end of the display surface. By providing closer to the end, it becomes easier to maintain a distance from the display provided on the display surface.

  Here, the display surface has a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the biometric sensor is near the end of the display surface in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction. Can be provided. When it is provided closer to the end in the longitudinal direction, it is easier to secure the display position. Moreover, it becomes easy to ensure the area | region used as the foundation for reading biometric information on a display surface by providing near the edge part of a transversal direction.

  Further, as an embodiment, the biometric sensor has a detection surface that is provided on the display surface of the housing and detects the biological information, and the detection surface is intended between the display surface of the housing. A specific angle may be applied. By providing an intentional angle, it is possible to increase the degree of adhesion of a living body when detecting biological information, which is preferable for improving the accuracy of sensing.

  Here, the detection surface of the biometric sensor may be an intentional angle with the display surface of the housing in a direction parallel to the vertical direction of the display. . In this way, it becomes easy to read the biological information while looking at the display.

  Here, the biometric sensor may be a fingerprint reading sensor. Fingerprint information is one of the most common biometric information. In addition, a sensor for reading a finger vein pattern may be used.

  Here, the biometric sensor may be a sweep type fingerprint reading sensor. The sweep type fingerprint reading sensor is one of the common fingerprint reading sensors, and is suitable for performing precise reading with a simpler configuration than the area type.

  Based on the above, embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a SIM reader / writer as a small IC card reader / writer according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the SIM reader / writer 10 is entirely housed in a housing, and a display surface 11 is provided on the housing. A display 12, a function switch 13, and a sweep type fingerprint reading sensor 15 are arranged on the display surface 11. In addition, a slit 14 for inserting the SIM 20 into the inside is provided on one of the side surfaces different from the display surface.

  A planar electrode 21 is disposed on one surface of the SIM 20, and a connection electrode (not shown) disposed inside the reader / writer 10 when the SIM 20 is inserted into the slit 14 of the SIM reader / writer 10. To make electrical contact. By this electrical contact, the SIM 20 and the SIM reader / writer 10 can be connected by the contact type connection standard or the non-contact type connection standard as described above. In the case of a non-contact type connection standard, electrical connection is made to an antenna (not shown) provided inside the SIM reader / writer by the electrical contact, and information can be exchanged via this antenna.

  In this embodiment, in order to reduce the size of the SIM reader / writer 10, a sweep type sensor using a thermal method is used for the fingerprint reading sensor 15. The fingerprint reading sensor 15 has a detection surface 15a in which thermal elements are arranged in a line. In this case, the movement direction of the finger when reading the fingerprint is as shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a mode when the SIM reader / writer 10 shown in FIG. 1 reads a fingerprint. The abdomen of the fingertip 30 is pressed against the fingerprint reading sensor 15 and moved (rubbed) in a direction where there is no display 12 or function switch 13.

  The size of the SIM reader / writer 10 can be, for example, about 50 to 100 mm in the longitudinal direction of the display surface 11 and about 20 to 50 mm in the short direction perpendicular to the display surface 11 so that it can be operated with one hand. In some cases, the size may be larger than this, but in that case, the operation may be performed with both hands. Since the SIM reader / writer 10 is a so-called portable device, it is generally important to reduce the size of the device by enabling a minimum necessary operation.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, considering that the display 12 occupies a large area on the display surface 11, the display 12 is first arranged close to the end on the display surface 11. Thereby, it can be arranged at a position away from the fingerprint reading sensor 15. Further, since the finger moving direction of the fingerprint reading sensor 15 is not the direction toward the display 12, the finger does not touch the display 12 when the finger moves on the fingerprint reading sensor 15.

  Similarly, the function switch 13 is arranged on the display surface 11 so that the fingerprint reading sensor 15 is not touched when the finger moves. In addition, the function switch 13 is arranged so that it can be operated with one hand. The function switch 13 is a switch for inputting an operation required when using the SIM reader / writer. In this case, two switches are provided.

  The fingerprint reading sensor 15, which is a biometric sensor, is arranged so as to secure a region on the display surface 11 as a base for finger movement in consideration of improvement in sensing accuracy. That is, the fingerprint reading sensor 15 is provided at the upper end portion of the display surface 11 of the housing, and the lower portion is used as a base area for finger movement. On the contrary, it can be provided at the lower end portion of the display surface 11, and the upper portion thereof can be used as a base area for finger movement. Incidentally, in this embodiment, as shown in the drawing, the finger moving direction at the time of fingerprint reading is considered to be parallel to the vertical direction of the display 12. In addition to horizontal writing as shown in the figure, the display 12 may be vertical writing.

  Next, fingerprint reading by the fingerprint reading sensor 15 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fingerprint reading sensor 15 is provided such that its detection surface 15 a is intentionally angled with the display surface 11 of the housing. More specifically, the detection surface 15a is arranged at an acute angle with respect to the moving direction of the finger on the display surface 11. This is because the adhesion between the detection surface 15a and the finger is improved when the finger moves on the fingerprint reading sensor 15.

  That is, as an ergonomic consideration, when operating a portable device such as the SIM reader / writer 10, in other words, when viewing the display 12 or operating the function switch 13, the SIM reader / writer 10 is Usually located below. Therefore, since fingers, hands, and arms are positioned above the display surface 11 of the housing, if the detection surface 15a of the fingerprint reading sensor 15 is tilted as shown in the figure, the finger when moving the finger It is possible to improve the adhesion.

  In particular, when the detection surface 15a of the fingerprint reading sensor 15 is angled with respect to the display surface 11 when viewed in a direction parallel to the vertical direction of the display 12, compatibility with the display on the display 12 is good. This is because the upper part of the display is generally away from the human body and the lower part of the display is on the human body side with respect to the direction of the image and characters displayed on the display 12.

  The fingerprint reading sensor 15 may be of a type (planar type) in which the fingertip is pressed against the sensor in addition to the above-described sweep type sensor. Since the installation area of the sweep type is smaller, there is a possibility of further miniaturization as the SIM reader / writer 10. The sweep type recognizes the characteristics of the fingerprint by rubbing the finger on the band-shaped detection surface 15a having a width of several millimeters. However, even when the rubbing speed and the pressing are uneven, the correction function is provided to cope with it. As a commercially available product of such a sweep type fingerprint sensor, there is “FCD4B14” (FingerChip) manufactured by ATMEL, which can be used in the above embodiment.

  The fingerprint reading sensor 15 may be a capacitive fingerprint sensor. In the case of a planar capacitance type, a number of sensor elements that convert fingerprint irregularities into electrical signals are laid out as sensors that detect fingerprint irregularities as electrical signals. The fingerprint is read by bringing the abdomen of the fingertip into contact with the surface of the sensor element that has been spread.

  In any of the fingerprint reading sensors, the detected fingerprint data is processed by the fingerprint image processing software and held in the fingerprint template in the SIM reader / writer 10.

  Next, the display 12 will be further described. One of the functions of the display 12 is to display information held by the SIM 20 inserted into the slit 14. This display is sequentially shifted by the operation of the function switch 13. The display contents differ depending on the application software installed in the SIM 20, for example, in the case of electronic money, the balance, payment details, etc. In the case of an electronic ticket, display of the date of use, venue, start time, designated seat, etc. In the case of a commuter pass use, it becomes a display of a service section, a service period, a user, and the like. In this way, the SIM 20 can be loaded with a plurality of applications.

  The display 12 may employ a dot matrix type reflective color liquid crystal display. In addition to characters, graphics may be displayed. Note that the display device is not limited to the liquid crystal type, and a thin display device with low power consumption, such as organic EL or electronic paper, may be used instead.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a SIM applied to the SIM reader / writer 10 according to the embodiment. The SIM 20 is made of a plate-like resin having a long side of about 25 mm and a short side of about 15 mm. The thickness is within 1.0 mm (usually 0.76 mm) and is a uniform thin plate. Inside the plate electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes 21, for example, a contact / non-contact dual mode IC module is sealed. The reason why the SIM 20 has a notch at one vertex of the rectangle is to facilitate identification of the insertion direction and the plate surface direction when the SIM 20 is inserted into the SIM reader / writer 10.

  As described above, according to the SIM reader / writer 10 according to the present embodiment, when a finger moves on the fingerprint reading sensor 15 which is a biometric sensor, other components provided on the display surface 11 There is an effect that the display 12 and the function switch 13 are not adversely affected. More specifically, the display 12 is not soiled with sebum or the viewing of the display 12 is not blocked by the moving finger. That is, the visibility of the display 12 is improved. Further, the function switch 13 is not erroneously operated.

  Therefore, it is prevented that the display 12 corrodes with sebum and causes life deterioration. Further, since the malfunction of the function switch 13 can be avoided, the reliability of the circuit operation can be improved, and as a result, the SIM reader / writer 10 can be extended in life. Further, since the erroneous operation of the function switch 13 is prevented, there is an effect that unnecessary power consumption of the internal circuit of the SIM reader / writer 10 can be suppressed. As a result, the life of the built-in battery can be extended. Therefore, the replacement frequency of the battery can be reduced in the case of the primary battery, and the charging frequency can be reduced in the case of the secondary battery.

  Next, an embodiment different from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a SIM reader / writer as a small IC card reader / writer according to an embodiment of the present invention different from the embodiment shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, the parts already described are given the same reference numerals. The description of that part is omitted.

  In the SIM reader / writer 10A shown in FIG. 4A, the arrangement position of the fingerprint reading sensor 15 on the display surface 11 is different from that shown in FIG. That is, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the fingerprint reading sensor 15 is arranged at the end in both the longitudinal direction and the short direction of the display surface 11, and a blank area is provided in the downward direction of the finger movement. However, in this embodiment, the display surface 11 is at the end in both the longitudinal direction and the short direction, and at a position where a blank area is provided in the upward direction of the finger movement. It has become. Even with such an arrangement of the fingerprint reading sensor 15, it is possible to avoid inconveniences such as the display 12 being difficult to see by the operation and the function switch 13 being erroneously operated.

  The SIM reader / writer 10B shown in FIG. 4B changes the arrangement position of the fingerprint reading sensor 15 on the display surface 11 from the case shown in FIG. 1, and shows the top, bottom, left and right of the display 12 in FIG. It is changed by 90 degrees. Accordingly, it is assumed that the SIM reader / writer 10B is used in a vertical type. The arrangement position of the fingerprint reading sensor 15 is the end of the display surface 11 in the longitudinal direction and the center in the lateral direction. The position is such that a blank area is provided in the upward direction of the finger movement. Even in this case, it is possible to avoid inconveniences such as the display 12 being difficult to see by the operation and the function switch 13 being erroneously operated.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a SIM reader / writer as a small IC card reader / writer according to an embodiment of the present invention different from the embodiment shown in FIGS. In FIG. 5, the parts already described are given the same reference numerals. The description of that part is omitted.

  A SIM reader / writer 10 </ b> C shown in FIG. 5 is provided on the side surface (upper side surface) which is one of the surfaces other than the display surface 11 instead of providing the function switch 13 on the display surface 11. Thus, the function switch 13 may be provided not only on the display surface 11 but also on another surface. Particularly in this case, the function switch 13 is provided on a surface different from the surface (display surface 11) on which the fingerprint reading sensor 15 is provided, which is preferable in preventing erroneous operation of the function switch 13 during fingerprint reading.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the SIM reader / writer according to the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, a USB connector may be provided on one side of the casing side surface. By using the USB connector as an external interface connector, higher-capacity data communication can be performed than communication using a non-contact interface. In addition, it is possible to cover the fingerprint reading sensor 15 with a cover or the like in preparation for when the fingerprint reading sensor 15 is not used.

  Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the insertion position of the SIM 20 is inserted from the side surface opposite to the display 12 in the housing plan view. It is good. This can be selected as appropriate according to the mounting structure of components incorporated in the SIM reader / writer according to the present invention. Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the display 12 is arranged on the left side of the display surface 11 of the housing, and the function switch 13 is arranged almost at the center, but the fingerprint reading sensor that is the gist of the present invention. 15 may be arranged anywhere on the display surface 11 as long as the human body (such as a finger) is not touched during finger movement (scanning: scanning). The function switch 13 is not limited to the display surface 11 and may be disposed on another surface. The same applies to the fingerprint reading sensor 15 and can be provided not only on the display surface 11 but also on the side surface or the back surface of the housing.

The perspective view which shows the structure of the reader / writer for SIM which is a reader / writer for small IC cards which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a side view showing an aspect when the fingerprint is read by the SIM reader / writer 10 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a SIM applied to the SIM reader / writer 10 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The perspective view which shows the structure of the reader / writer for SIM which is the reader / writer for small IC cards based on embodiment of this invention different from embodiment shown in FIG. The perspective view which shows the structure of the reader / writer for SIM which is a reader / writer for small IC cards based on embodiment of this invention different from embodiment shown in FIG. 1, FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10,10A, 10B, 10C ... Reader / writer for SIM, 11 ... Display surface, 12 ... Display, 13 ... Function switch, 14 ... Slit for SIM, 15 ... Fingerprint reading sensor, 15a ... Detection surface.

Claims (7)

A housing with a display surface;
A display provided on the display surface;
A function switch provided on the display surface of the housing or a surface other than the display surface;
A biometric sensor provided on the display surface of the casing or on a surface other than the display surface so that the display and the function switch are not touched by a living body during an operation of detecting biological information. A small IC card reader / writer.   2. The reader / writer for a small IC card according to claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor is provided near an end of the display surface. The display surface has a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;
The reader / writer for a small IC card according to claim 2, wherein the biometric sensor is provided near an end portion of the display surface in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction.   The biometric sensor is provided on the display surface of the housing and has a detection surface for detecting the biological information, and the detection surface is inclined with respect to the display surface of the housing. The reader / writer for a small IC card according to claim 1.   5. The detection surface of the biometric sensor has an intentional angle with the display surface of the housing in a direction parallel to the vertical direction of the display. Reader / writer for small IC cards.   5. The small IC reader / writer according to claim 4, wherein the biometric sensor is a fingerprint reading sensor.   5. The small IC reader / writer according to claim 4, wherein the biometric sensor is a sweep type fingerprint reading sensor.

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