Patent · US Expired

Tamper resistant smart card and method of protecting data in a smart card

US5988510A · kind A · utility

216Cited by
74References
37Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 13, 1997
Grant dateNov 23, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 13, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06K19/07372
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of protecting data in a smart card from unauthorized access, the method comprising providing a housing defined by first and second housing portions; employing a volatile memory in the smart card for storing the data, and supporting the volatile memory from the first housing portion; providing a power supply in the housing, the power supply maintaining the data in the volatile memory while the power supply is connected to the volatile memory; and connecting the power supply to the volatile memory using a conductor supported by and movable with the second housing portion. A smart card comprising a housing including two opposing major portions that are connected together; an integrated circuit supported in the housing, the integrated circuit including a microprocessor and a random access memory, the random access memory being used to store data; a battery supported in the housing and having first and second terminals, the first terminal being coupled to the integrated circuit; and a conductor coupling the second terminal of the battery to the integrated circuit to complete a circuit, the conductor being supported by the housing such that separation of one of the portions of t…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.