Method of authenticating a magnetic card
US6240515A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 16, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 29, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 16, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06K19/06187
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
During a transaction using a magnetic card (16), test data is written to the card (16) at a constantly increasing frequency rate. The test data is then read from the card (16) and the high frequency cut-off point f.sub.0 of the card (16) (i.e. the maximum write frequency above which it is no longer possible to read the test data from the card (16)), is determined. The high frequency cut-off point f.sub.0 of a magnetic card (16) will gradually decrease over the lifetime of the card as the quality of the magnetic stripe (35) of the card (16) deteriorates. The high frequency cut-off point f.sub.0 of the card (16) is compared with the high frequency cutoff point f.sub.0 ' of the card (16) in the previous transaction using the card (16). If the difference between the cut-off frequencies f.sub.0 and f.sub.0 ' lies within a predetermined acceptable range, the card (16) is regarded as authentic and the transaction is allowed to proceed. If the difference in the cut-off frequencies f.sub.0 and f.sub.0 ' lies outside this predetermined acceptable range, there is a substantial risk that the card (16) is a counterfeit card and hence the card is retained and the transaction terminated.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.