Magnetic stripe reader having digital peak detector
US7837110B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 28, 2005 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 20, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06K7/084
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A point of sale terminal includes a microcontroller integrated circuit. In one aspect, a regulator within the IC receives power from a supply voltage terminal and/or a battery terminal. If the regulator does not receive adequate power from either terminal, then energy stored on-chip in a capacitor is used to erase secure memory. In another aspect, pulses of current are made to pulse through conductors of a conductive mesh. A tamper condition is detected if an improper voltage is detected on the IC terminal through which the pulse is conducted. In another aspect, each vendor signs his/her firmware with his own vendor ID. A bootloader uses the vendor ID to lookup a public key that is then used to verify a private key supplied by the firmware to be executed. In another aspect, a magnetic card reader includes a digital peak detector circuit involving programmable positive and negative thresholds.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.