JP2006119810A - Ic card - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve security of an IC card (smart card). <P>SOLUTION: The IC card comprises a biometrics authentication section 10 for obtaining biological information, and a processing section which compares the biological information from the biometrics authentication section 10 with biological information stored in advance and enables an application of the biological information when both information coincide and disables an application of the biological information when both information do not coincide. The processing section obtains the biological information from the biometrics authentication section 10 in predetermined sampling intervals, and compares the biological information from the biometrics authentication section 10 with the biological information stored in advance each time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an IC card.

  An IC card (smart card) is a card equipped with an IC (integrated circuit) chip, and has a higher information capacity, improved security (preventing counterfeiting and unauthorized use), and multiple applications compared to a magnetic stripe card. And host load reduction (offline processing is possible). For this reason, in addition to credit cards and cash cards, electronic money, electronic commerce, medical health, transportation such as railways and buses, and entry / exit management of buildings have begun to be actively performed. Along with this, IC cards with a personal authentication function equipped with a biometric authentication unit such as a fingerprint sensor have been proposed for the purpose of further improving security (information protection, access restriction, etc.).

As such an IC card with a personal authentication function, for example, a technique described in Patent Document 1 is known. Patent Document 2 discloses a function of setting parameters according to, for example, an expiration date (time), an application usage environment, or the like according to the use purpose or function of the IC card. According to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, the time and security level in which the IC card is in an effective state can be arbitrarily changed, and for example, the effective time can be set to such an extent that the usability is not impaired.
JP 2004-64650 A JP 2004-178141 A

However, in the case where the time in which the valid state is set can be arbitrarily set, the valid time may be set longer than necessary. For this reason, a third party can use the IC card within the effective time, which is not preferable in terms of security.
Further, when the IC card is used for a plurality of applications, the usage time of the IC card varies depending on the application. Therefore, in order to prevent the IC card from being invalidated during use in all applications, the effective time must be set for an application that requires the longest use time among all applications. For this reason, when an IC card is used for an application with a short usage time, the valid state of the IC card is maintained even after use, which is not preferable in terms of security.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to improve the security of an IC card.

  In order to achieve the above object, the IC card of the present invention is applied when a biometric authentication unit that acquires biometric information matches the biometric information from the biometric authentication unit with biometric information stored in advance, and matches. A processing unit that is in a valid state with respect to the application and that is in an invalid state with respect to the application when it does not match, the processing unit acquires the biometric information from the biometric authentication unit at a predetermined sampling interval, The biometric information is collated with the biometric information stored in advance from the biometric authentication unit each time.

  According to the IC card of the present invention having such characteristics, biometric information is acquired at a predetermined sampling interval, and collation is performed each time. For this reason, when the user is unable to perform biometric authentication on the IC card (for example, in a state where it has been released), the biometric information from the biometric authentication unit and biometric information stored in advance do not match. The card is disabled for the application. That is, the IC card can be invalidated immediately after the owner uses the IC card. For this reason, for example, even if a third party uses the IC card after the owner of the IC card uses the IC card, the IC card becomes invalid while the IC card is moved to the third party. Because it is in a state, it is impossible to impersonate the owner. Therefore, according to the IC card of the present invention, security can be improved. In addition, when the owner himself uses an IC card, the biometric information from the biometric authentication unit always matches the prestored biometric information, so the IC card does not switch to an invalid state, and the IC card Transactions are not interrupted during transactions using cards.

Further, the IC card of the present invention can employ a configuration in which the predetermined sampling interval is stored in the processing unit in advance.
Further, the IC card of the present invention can employ a configuration in which the predetermined sampling interval is set based on an external signal. Thus, when setting the sampling interval based on the signal from the outside, it is possible to set the sampling interval suitable for the application.

  Specifically, in the IC card of the present invention, a capacitive fingerprint sensor can be used as the biometric authentication unit.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an IC card according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment of IC card)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the IC card K1 of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the IC card K1.
As shown in these drawings, the IC card K1 includes a substrate 50 formed by bonding two base materials such as plastic, and a fingerprint sensor 10 (biometric authentication unit) that acquires a fingerprint pattern (biometric information). , A connection IC terminal 12 for inputting / outputting signals and a switch 13. Further, an integrated circuit (processing unit) such as an IC chip sandwiched between two plastic base materials is provided inside the substrate 50.
Next, with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the main part constituting the IC card K1 will be described in detail.

(Fingerprint sensor)
FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the processing unit 40 for processing information input from the fingerprint sensor 10, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the fingerprint sensor 10.
As shown in FIG. 3, the processing unit 40 includes a data processing unit 41 that extracts features of a fingerprint pattern (extracted fingerprint pattern) captured by the fingerprint sensor 10, a feature amount of a specific fingerprint pattern (authentication fingerprint pattern), and the like. A memory 42 for storing various information, a comparison unit 43 for comparing the feature quantity extracted by the data processing unit 41 with the feature quantity stored in the memory 42, and a control unit 44 for controlling the operation of the IC card K1. It is equipped with.

Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the fingerprint sensor 10 is a capacitance type, that is, detects a fingerprint pattern by measuring a capacitance that changes according to the distance between the fingerprint having an unevenness and the detection surface 10a. It is supposed to be. Such a capacitance-type fingerprint sensor 10 is easy to be thinned because no light source is required, and improves scratch resistance by appropriately selecting a surface protective layer (passivation film). There is a feature that can be.
The fingerprint sensor 10 has a sensor substrate 115, a plurality of scanning lines (not shown) formed in parallel to each other at a predetermined interval on the sensor substrate 115, and orthogonal to the scanning lines. Thus, a plurality of signal lines 116 formed in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval are provided.

At positions corresponding to the intersections of the plurality of scanning lines and the plurality of signal lines 116, switching elements 112 formed of transistors or the like are provided.
These scanning lines, signal lines 116, and switching elements 112 constitute an active matrix array 113. On the active matrix array 113, detection electrodes 111 are arranged in a matrix at positions corresponding to the switching elements 112. Is provided.
Each detection electrode 111 is covered with an insulating film 114 so as to cover the entire surface of the active matrix array 113, and the insulating film 114 can come into contact with the finger F of the user of the IC card K1.
As the active matrix array 113, a MOS transistor array formed on a semiconductor substrate, a thin film transistor (TFT) formed on an insulating substrate, or the like can be used.

In the fingerprint sensor 10 having such a configuration, when the finger F comes into contact with the detection surface 10a, there is a two-dimensionally distributed capacitance between the finger F and each detection electrode 111 arranged in a matrix. (C1, C2, C3, etc. in FIG. 4). By electrically reading out the two-dimensionally distributed capacitance values by the active matrix array 113, a fine uneven pattern (extracted fingerprint pattern) formed on the surface of the finger F can be detected. it can. In the fingerprint sensor 10 using the electrostatic capacity method, in order to avoid discharge destruction due to static electricity charged on the human body, the static electricity charged on the finger F is discharged before detection, and the potential of the finger F is changed to the switching element 112. It is essential that the potential be substantially the same as the ground (reference potential) G level. Furthermore, in order to detect each capacitance value stably, it is preferable to fix the potential of the finger F to a predetermined potential at the time of detection.
For this reason, an electrode different from the detection electrode, that is, a discharge electrode 120 for discharging static electricity charged on the human body is provided on the substrate 50 of the IC card K1.

The connection IC terminal 12 is connected to a terminal provided in the external device when information is transmitted and received between the IC card K1 and an external device (not shown). The connection IC terminal 12 is connected to an IC chip provided in the IC card K1, and transmits and receives input / output signals between the external device and the IC chip. It is also possible to employ a configuration in which an antenna is installed instead of the connection IC terminal 12 and input / output signals are transmitted and received between the external device and the IC chip via the antenna.
The switch 13 also functions as a switch for switching from the power-off state (power-off state) of the IC card K1 to the ON state (power-on state). It is also possible to employ a configuration in which the switch 13 is switched from the power-off state (power-off state) to the on-state (power-on state) by touching the fingerprint sensor 10 without installing the switch 13.

The IC chip incorporated in the IC card K1 includes a calculation circuit such as a CPU, a drive circuit such as a driver, and a storage circuit including a memory such as a ROM and a RAM.
The operation of the fingerprint sensor 10 and the like is controlled by the operation of such a circuit. Specifically, determination of an input signal (biological information) from the fingerprint sensor 10, switching between an effective state and an invalid state for an application, and the like are performed. In addition, communication with an external device that is input / output via the input from the switch 13 and the connection IC terminal 12 is performed. Furthermore, the IC chip stores a plurality of applications that use the IC card, programs corresponding to the applications, passwords, and the like. The IC chip operates a program in response to communication with an external device.

(Modification of IC card)
Next, a modified example of the IC card will be described.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an IC card K2 according to this modification. In this modification, the IC card K2 has a configuration including the solar battery 14.
In the solar cell 14, light energy is converted into electric energy when irradiation light enters from the outside of the IC card K 2. In addition, a charger (not shown) is provided inside the IC card K2, and the electric energy converted by the solar cell 14 is charged in the charger.

The solar cell 14 not only converts light energy into electrical energy, but also functions as a so-called photosensor in which a current flows with light irradiation. Thereby, the solar cell 14 is a switch for switching from the power-off state (power-off state) of the IC card K2 to the ON state (power-on state) by irradiating the IC card K2 with external light. It is supposed to function as well.
Moreover, such a solar cell 14 and a charger for charging electric energy are connected to an IC chip built in the IC card K2, and the IC chip is supplied with power from the charger.

(Operation of IC card)
Next, the operation of the IC card will be described.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the IC card of this embodiment.

First, the power of the IC card CPU is turned on (step S1).
In step S1, when the switch 13 is turned on, the fingerprint sensor 10 is touched, or external light is incident on the solar cell 14, the CPU is turned on.

Next, fingerprint authentication (biometric authentication) is performed (step S2). Specifically, the data processing unit 41 extracts the feature amount of the extracted fingerprint pattern (biological information) acquired from the fingerprint sensor 10, and compares the extracted feature amount with the feature amount stored in the memory 42 in advance. The fingerprint authentication is performed by comparing at 43.
The step S2 is performed when the user touches the fingerprint sensor 10 with the finger F as shown in FIG. If the user's fingerprint does not match the preset fingerprint as a result of the fingerprint authentication, the authentication is impossible and the invalid state of the IC card is maintained (step S3).
On the other hand, as a result of fingerprint authentication in step S2, if the user's fingerprint matches a preset fingerprint, the IC card becomes valid (step S4).
Thereby, it becomes possible to perform a transaction in the application.

Next, it is determined whether the finger F is placed on the fingerprint sensor 10 (step S5).
Specifically, when the processing unit 40 acquires a signal from the fingerprint sensor 10 and a fingerprint pattern is included in the signal, it is determined that the finger F is placed on the fingerprint sensor 10, and the signal If the fingerprint pattern is not included, it is determined that the finger F is not placed on the fingerprint sensor 10. Note that the method for determining whether the finger F is placed on the fingerprint sensor 10 is not limited to the above-described method. For example, when pressure is applied to the fingerprint sensor 10, the finger F is placed on the fingerprint sensor 10. You may judge that it is mounted in.

When it is determined in step S5 that the finger F is not placed on the fingerprint sensor 10, the IC card is switched to an invalid state (step S6), and the transaction in the application is terminated.
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S5 that the finger F is placed on the fingerprint sensor 10, fingerprint authentication is performed again (step S7). As a result of the fingerprint authentication, if the user's fingerprint does not match the preset fingerprint, authentication is impossible and the IC card is switched to an invalid state (step S8).
On the other hand, as a result of the fingerprint authentication in step S7, if the user's fingerprint matches a preset fingerprint, the valid state of the IC card is maintained (step S9).

In the IC card of this embodiment, after the valid state of the IC card is maintained in step S9, the process proceeds to step S5 again after a predetermined time, and the finger F is placed on the fingerprint sensor 10. Determine whether or not.
Therefore, in the IC card of the present embodiment, a fingerprint pattern is acquired from the fingerprint sensor 10 at a predetermined sampling interval, and the fingerprint pattern acquired from the fingerprint sensor 10 and the fingerprint pattern stored in advance are collated each time. The valid state and invalid state of the IC card are determined.
For this reason, in the IC card of this embodiment, the IC card is valid only while the owner of the IC card is performing fingerprint authentication, and the IC card is removed when the owner releases the IC card. Switch to disabled state. For this reason, when the IC card of this embodiment is in the hands of a third party, the IC card is surely invalidated, so that the IC card is not illegally used by a third party. The security of the IC card can be improved.
In addition, according to the IC card of the present embodiment, as long as the IC card owner himself performs fingerprint authentication, the IC card is kept valid, so the IC card is switched to an invalid state during the transaction, Transactions are never interrupted.

  Note that the predetermined time for shifting from step S9 to step S5, that is, the sampling interval, may be stored in advance in the processing unit 40, or may be set based on an instruction signal from an external device using the IC card. good. Thus, when the sampling interval is set based on the signal from the external device, the sampling interval is set according to the external device using the IC card, that is, according to the application using the IC card. Therefore, it is possible to set a sampling interval suitable for the application. Specifically, each time a signal is received from the external device, the process may proceed from step S9 to step S5, or a signal is received from the external device, a new sampling interval is generated based on the signal, and at this sampling interval. You may transfer to step S5 from step S9. When a new sampling interval is set by a signal from the external device, for example, the signal from the external device is sent from step S4 to step S5 or between step S5 and step S6. Can be received.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, fingerprint authentication (step S7) is performed every time a predetermined time elapses and the process proceeds from step S9 to step S5. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, fingerprint authentication (step S7) is performed only once in a plurality of times, and in other cases, the finger F is placed on the fingerprint sensor 10. The effective state of the IC card may be maintained by assuming that the person himself is using the IC card. In such a case, since it is not necessary to perform fingerprint authentication every time the process proceeds from step S9 to step S5, the burden on the processing unit 40 can be reduced, and the operation burden on the IC card can be reduced.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the description of the second embodiment, the description of the same parts as in the first embodiment will be omitted or simplified.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the IC card K3 of the second embodiment. As shown in this figure, the IC card K3 of the second embodiment is configured by further comprising an electrophoretic display device (hereinafter referred to as EPD) 11 in addition to the IC card K1 of the first embodiment. Has been.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the EPD 11.
An electrode film 211d, an electrophoretic display layer 211c, an electrode film 211b, and a surface protective layer 211a for protecting the display portion are laminated on a flexible EPD substrate 211e such as plastic. The surface protective layer 211a can be omitted.
The electrode film 211b is formed by forming an electrode on a transparent plastic film having excellent dimensional stability such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and polyimide. The electrode film 211d is also formed by forming a similar base electrode, but transparency is not necessarily required. The electrode film 211b and the electrode film 211d are electrically connected by the vertically moving electrode 211f.
The electrode film 211b serves as a common electrode to which the same potential is applied over the entire surface, while the active film electrode or segment electrode is formed on the electrode film 211d as a drive electrode.

  The microcapsule 211 forming the electrophoretic display layer 211c has a composite shell of gum arabic / gelatin, urethane resin, urea resin, urea resin, etc. as a capsule shell, and the capsule shell is prepared by an interfacial polymerization method, in-situ method. Known microencapsulation techniques such as a polymerization method, a phase separation method, an interfacial precipitation method, and a spray drying method can be employed. Electrophoretic particles and a dispersion medium are enclosed inside. As the migrating particles, organic or inorganic particles (polymer or colloid) are used. For example, black pigments such as aniline black and carbon black, white pigments such as titanium dioxide, zinc white, and antimony trioxide, azo pigments such as monoazo, diisazone, and polyazo, isoindolinone, yellow lead, yellow iron oxide, and cadmium yellow Yellow pigments such as titanium yellow and antimony, azo pigments such as monoazo, disazo and polyazo, red pigments such as quinacridone red and chrome vermillion, phthalocyanine blue, indanthrene blue, anthraquinone dyes, bitumen, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, etc. One or two or more of blue pigments, green pigments such as phthalocyanine green, and the like can be used. Dispersion medium is colorless or dyed with water, alcohol solvents such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, octanol, methyl cellosolve, various esters such as ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone Such as ketones, aliphatic hydrocarbons such as pentane, hexane and octane, alicyclic hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane and methylcyclohexane, benzene, toluene, xylene, hexylbenzene, hebutylbenzene, octylbenzene and nonyl Aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzenes having a long chain alkyl group such as benzene, decylbenzene, undecylbenzene, dodecylbenzene, tridecylbenzene, tetradecylbenzene, methylene chloride, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-di Halogenated hydrocarbons such as Roroetan, can be used by blending a surfactant or the like alone or a mixture thereof such as carboxylic acid salts, or various other oils.

  In electrophoresis, the electrophoretic particles are charged positively or negatively in advance, and the dispersion medium and the electrophoretic particles are colored different from each other. For example, when titanium oxide, which is white particles, is positively charged and carbon black, which is black particles, is negatively charged, an electric field is applied to the two electrode films 211b and 211d so that the electrode film 211b is a negative electrode and an electrode film. When 211d becomes a positive electrode, positively charged white particles are drawn to the electrode film 211b side, and black particles are drawn to the electrode film 211d side. Therefore, by setting the electrode film 211b as a transparent electrode, the electrode film 211b side When observed from above, the portion appears white. Conversely, when the electrode film 211b is a positive electrode and the electrode film 211d is a negative electrode, positively charged white particles are drawn to the electrode film 211d side, and black particles are drawn to the electrode film 211b side. When observed from above the electrode film 211b, the portion looks black.

Since the EPD 11 has a large number of the above-described microcapsules 211, by controlling the electric field of each address electrode of the electrode films 211b and 211d, a desired character, number, or symbol is displayed with white and black pixels. be able to.
Note that when the microcapsule 211 is driven by an active matrix driving method, the electrode film 211d is independently patterned for each pixel as a pixel electrode, and includes a thin film transistor, a signal electrode, and a scanning electrode (not shown), and the electrode film 211b. Is a transparent common electrode uniformly formed on a light-transmitting substrate. In this case, if the electrode film 211b is a common electrode, the entire surface has the same potential (for example, the potential is set to zero). Therefore, by controlling the electric field of each address electrode on the electrode film 211d side (giving a positive or negative potential) Based on the principle described above, particles in the microcapsule 211 at the electrode position can be moved to display a desired image. Similarly, by using the electrode film 211d as a common electrode and controlling the electric field of each address electrode on the electrode film 211b side, the particles in the microcapsule 211 at the electrode position are moved to display a desired image. Also good.
In the case of time-division driving, the electrode films 211b and 211d are composed of transparent electrodes made of transparent conductors such as line-shaped ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) that are orthogonal to each other, and microelectrodes are formed in the region where both electrodes intersect. A capsule 211 is placed.
The driving method is not limited to the above-described one, and an optimal one may be selected according to the application. Further, various diameters of the microcapsule 211 can be adopted.

  In the present embodiment, the operation of such an EPD 11 is controlled by the control unit 44 of the processing unit 40. On the EPD 11, necessary information such as a valid state or invalid state of the IC card is displayed. For this reason, it becomes possible to improve a user's usability.

  In the present embodiment, the mode of displaying information on the EDP 11 has been described. For example, instead of the EDP 11, a lamp using an LED or the like, a liquid crystal display device, a speaker, or the like is installed, and these are used. Information may be transmitted to the user.

  Further, an operation unit such as a membrane switch may be further installed on the IC card, and arbitrary various information may be displayed on the EPD 11.

  The preferred embodiment of the IC card according to the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Various shapes, combinations, and the like of the constituent members shown in the above-described embodiments are examples, and various modifications can be made based on design requirements and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention.

The perspective view which shows the IC card of 1st Embodiment. The top view which shows the IC card of 1st Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the process part which processes the information input from the fingerprint sensor. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of a fingerprint sensor. The perspective view which shows the modification of the IC card of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the IC card according to the first embodiment. The perspective view which shows the IC card of 2nd Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the cross section of an electrophoretic display device (EPD).

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Fingerprint sensor (biometric authentication part), 11 ... EPD (electrophoretic display device), 12 ... IC terminal for connection, 13 ... Switch, 14 ... Solar cell, 40 ... Processing part, K1, K2, K3 ... IC card

Claims (4)

The biometric authentication unit that acquires biometric information, the biometric information from the biometric authentication unit and the biometric information stored in advance are collated, and if they match, the application is in an enabled state. And a processing unit for invalidation,
The processing unit acquires the biometric information from the biometric authentication unit at a predetermined sampling interval, and collates the biometric information and the prestored biometric information from the biometric authentication unit each time. . 2. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined sampling interval is stored in the processing unit in advance. 2. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined sampling interval is set based on an external signal. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein the biometric authentication unit is a capacitive fingerprint sensor.

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