Magnetic card reader and electronic payment terminal equipped with such magnetic card reader

Abstract

The invention relates to a magnetic card reader comprising:-an electronic card (5) for receiving and processing data from a magnetic card, the electronic card (5) comprising at least one microprocessor (11),-a magnetic read head (6) configured to read data contained in at least one magnetic track of the magnetic card and to transmit these data to the electronic card (5), the electronic card (5) comprises at least one welding area, the magnetic reading head (6) is welded to the welding area, one of the at least one welding area is a safety area electrically connected with the microprocessor (11), and the safety area is completely arranged between the electronic card (5) and the magnetic reading head (6). The invention further relates to an electronic payment terminal which comprises the magnetic card reader.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of magnetic card readers and to electronic payment terminals comprising such magnetic card readers. Background Art

[0002] A magnetic card is an electronic card having at least one magnetic track on which data is stored by magnetic recording. Thus, the magnetic track of the magnetic card can be read by a magnetic reading head in order to obtain the information stored in the magnetic card and possibly transmit it to an electronic card which can then process this data. Magnetic cards are used, for example, as bank cards, cards for entering a car park, identification cards or cards for entering a secure room.

[0003] In order to read the magnetic track of a magnetic card by a magnetic card reader, when the magnetic card passes through the reader, the magnetic reading head comes into contact with the magnetic track of the magnetic card and the data read is received and processed by the electronic card. The magnetic reading head is connected to the electronic card, for example, by a flexible circuit.

[0004] In order to ensure the security of magnetic track reading, it is known to protect or shield the magnetic track on the electronic card (flexible circuit) which transmits the data read by the magnetic reading head. However, upstream of the electronic card, there is still a possibility that the data is intercepted, for example by installing a bypass circuit between the magnetic reading head and the electronic card.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the security of the magnetic track reading function in a magnetic card reader in order to avoid any interception of the data read by the magnetic reading head. Summary of the Invention

[0006] An object of the present invention is in particular to provide a magnetic card reader in which the security of the reading function is improved while having a simple structure.

[0007] To this end, the subject of the present invention is a magnetic card reader comprising:

[0008] - an electronic card for receiving and processing data from a magnetic card, the electronic card comprising at least one microprocessor,

[0009] - a magnetic reading head configured to read the data contained in at least one magnetic track of the magnetic card and transmit these data to the electronic card,

[0010] The electronic card comprises at least one welding area on which the magnetic reading head is welded,

[0011] One of the at least one welding area is a security area electrically connected to the microprocessor, and the security area is entirely provided between the electronic card and the magnetic reading head.

[0012] Therefore, since the magnetic read head is soldered to the electronic card, it is impossible to form a bypass between the magnetic read head and the electronic card without desoldering the magnetic read head from the electronic card. In addition, the secure area electrically connected to the microprocessor enables detection of the removal of the magnetic read head from the electronic card when the secure area is desoldered. Finally, since the secure area is completely arranged between the electronic card and the magnetic read head, it is impossible to act on the secure area from the outside without desoldering the magnetic read head from the electronic card. Therefore, the security of the reading function is improved while the structure is simple.

[0013] Other optional features adopted individually or in combination for the magnetic card reader:

[0014] - The magnetic read head is metallic. Therefore, the magnetic read head is implemented in a simple and economical way.

[0015] - The magnetic read head is grounded to the electronic card. Therefore, the risk of electrostatic discharge is reduced.

[0016] - The secure area is set at a distance of at least 0.1 mm from the outer periphery of the magnetic read head, and this distance is preferably between 0.1 mm and 0.4 mm, more preferably equal to 0.15 mm. Therefore, even considering the tolerance of the relative positioning of the magnetic read head and the electronic card before fixing the magnetic read head to the electronic card by soldering, the secure area is not visible from the outside after soldering.

[0017] - The magnetic card reader includes a connection piece to a battery, and the battery is configured to supply power to the microprocessor. Therefore, since the microprocessor is powered by at least one element inside the reader, namely the battery, it is ensured that the removal of the magnetic read head from the electronic card can be detected by the microprocessor when the secure area is desoldered. Therefore, the security of the reading function is further improved.

[0018] - The magnetic card reader includes a connection piece to an external power supply, and the external power supply is configured to supply power to the microprocessor. Therefore, when not needed, that is, when the reader is connected to an external power supply, the power consumption of the battery is avoided.

[0019] - The magnetic read head is fixed to the electronic card only by soldering, preferably only by surface brazing to the electronic card. Therefore, since the method of fixing the magnetic read head to the electronic card corresponds to the implementation method of the secure area, the manufacturing is simplified.

[0020] - The electronic card includes a plurality of soldering areas, and the magnetic read head is soldered to the plurality of soldering areas. Therefore, the fixing of the magnetic read head is achieved in a reliable and simple way.

[0021] The distance between the safety zone and the one or more other welding zones is greater than 0.17 mm, preferably greater than 0.3 mm, more preferably equal to 0.35 mm. Thus, the risk of electrical connection or discharge between the safety zone and the one or more other welding zones is eliminated.

[0022] The magnetic card reader comprises positioning means configured to position the magnetic reading head and the electronic card relative to each other. Thus, manufacturing is simplified because the magnetic reading head and the electronic card are positioned relative to each other when welding in a safe area.

[0023] The positioning device includes a positioning claw carried by the magnetic read head and a positioning hole in the electronic card that receives the positioning claw. This makes it easy to position the magnetic read head on the electronic card before the soldering operation. This facilitates manufacturing.

[0024] The present invention also relates to an electronic payment terminal comprising the magnetic card reader as described above.

[0025] According to the optional features of the electronic payment terminal:

[0026] - Electronic payment terminals include chip card readers.

[0027] Finally, the subject of the invention is also a method for deactivating a magnetic card reader as described above, during which method:

[0028] - cyclically, the microprocessor measures the potential of the electrical connection to the magnetic reading head through the safe area,

[0029] - When the measured potential differs from the ground potential of the electronic card, the microprocessor performs a deactivation of the magnetic card reader.

[0030] The microprocessor thus detects in a simple manner the removal of the magnetic reading head from the electronic card, thereby increasing the security of the reading function.

[0031] According to the optional features of the deactivation method:

[0032] When power to the microprocessor is interrupted and then reactivated, the microprocessor deactivates the magnetic card reader. Thus, by cutting off power to the microprocessor, it cannot detect the removal of the magnetic read head, preventing the magnetic read head from being unsoldered to, for example, bypass the magnetic read head and electronic card, and then re-soldering the magnetic read head to the magnetic card before re-powering the microprocessor to simulate or restore normal operation of the magnetic card reader. This further enhances the security of the reading function. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0034] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electronic payment terminal including a magnetic card reader according to an embodiment;

[0035] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a schematic perspective view of an electronic card and a part of components of the magnetic card reader of the electronic payment terminal shown;

[0036] Figure 3 is Figure 1 a schematic perspective view of a detail of the electronic card of the magnetic card reader of the electronic payment terminal shown in

[0037] Figure 4 is Figure 2 a schematic top view of a detail in DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Reference is made below to Figures 1 to 4 describe an embodiment of a reader 1 of a magnetic card 2 according to the present invention, the reader 1 being integrated in an electronic payment terminal 3 according to the present invention. In Figures 1 to 4 the elements similar to those in the foregoing figures are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0039] Thus, the electronic payment terminal 3 shown in the figure includes a reader 1 of a magnetic card 2 and a reader 4 of a chip card, which is conventional. The electronic payment terminal 3 includes two side edges, an upper edge and a lower edge. The upper edge and the lower edge should be understood in the normal use direction of the electronic payment terminal 3. Thus, the upper edge corresponds to the distal edge, i.e., the edge farthest from the user when the user uses the electronic payment terminal 3, and the lower edge corresponds to the proximal edge, i.e., the edge closest to the user when the user uses the electronic payment terminal 3. In this example, in addition to the conventional position of the chip card reader 4 at the lower edge, the reader 1 of the magnetic card 2 is also located at the lower edge of the electronic payment terminal 3. According to other embodiments, the terminal is of a type other than the electronic payment terminal 3, such as a terminal for controlling access to a parking lot, an identification terminal, or a terminal for controlling access to a secure room.

[0040] The reader 1 of the magnetic card 2 particularly includes an electronic card 5, a magnetic reading head 6, and a passing area 7 of the magnetic card 2. In this example, the terminal is the electronic payment terminal 3 and the magnetic card 2 is a payment card. The magnetic card 2 includes three magnetic tracks 9 for magnetic data storage. According to other embodiments, the magnetic card 2 includes a different number of magnetic tracks 9, such as one, two, or four.

[0041] Particularly in Figure 4The magnetic reading head 6 shown is configured to read data contained in at least one magnetic track 9 of the magnetic card 2 and transmit this data to the electronic card 5 for processing therein. In this example, the electronic card 2 includes three magnetic tracks 9, and the magnetic reading head 6 is a housing carrying three air gaps 10, each air gap 10 being configured to read one of the magnetic tracks 9 of the magnetic card 2. In this example, the magnetic reading head 6 is metallic. In particular, the magnetic reading head 6 includes a metal frame 6'.

[0042] The passage area 7 of the magnetic card 2 is formed by a slot provided in the lower edge of the electronic payment terminal 3. This passage area 7 is the area where the magnetic card 2 is to slide when the user wishes to use the magnetic card 2 on the electronic payment terminal 3, for example, slide along the reading direction A shown in Figure 1 . Generally, the magnetic reading head 6 leads to the passage area 7 to allow the data contained in at least one magnetic track 9 of the magnetic card 2 to be read through the air gaps 10. To enable reading, the magnetic track 9 of the magnetic card 2 is pressed against the air gaps 10 carried by the magnetic reading head 6, for example, by guiding means in the passage area.

[0043] The electronic card 5 is configured to receive and process data from the magnetic card 2, which data is read and transmitted by the magnetic reading head 6. The electronic card 5 includes at least one microprocessor 11, as Figure 2 shown. As Figure 3 shown, the electronic card 5 includes at least one welding area 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, on which the metal frame 6' of the magnetic reading head 6 is welded, and the metal frame 6' is intentionally not shown in Figure 3 so as to be able to see the at least one welding area 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. In this example, the electronic card 5 includes a plurality of welding areas 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and the metal frame 6' of the magnetic reading head 6 is welded on the plurality of welding areas. For example, the metal frame 6' of the magnetic reading head 6 is fixed to the electronic card 5 only by welding. More specifically, in this example, the metal frame 6' of the magnetic reading head 6 is fixed to the electronic card 5 only by surface brazing. Such an assembly is also referred to as a "chip - mounted component" (CMS).

[0044] One of the at least one welding area 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 is a secure welding area 12 that is electrically connected to the microprocessor 11. Generally, such an electrical connection is achieved through tracks in the thickness of the electronic card 5. In addition, in this example, the magnetic reading head 6 is grounded to the electronic card 5. In other words, the secure welding area 12 is at a potential of 0 volts with respect to the ground of the electronic card 5. The secure area 12 is also entirely provided between the electronic card 5 and the magnetic reading head 6. Thus, as Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, the security area 12 is not visible from the outside. Thus, the secure welding area 12 does not extend beyond the outside of the magnetic read head 6, making it inaccessible without removing the magnetic read head 6, thereby preventing any attempt to steal the magnetic read head 6. In fact, if the circuit is open, that is, if the secure welding area 12 is detached from the frame 6' of the magnetic read head 6, the microprocessor 11 detects the removal of the magnetic read head 6 and activates a security mode, for example by deleting all the information contained in the memory of the terminal 3. Thus, the magnetic read head 6 protects itself.

[0045] In addition, the distance between the secure welding area 12 and the other welding areas 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 is greater than 0.17 mm, preferably greater than 0.3 mm, and more preferably equal to 0.35 mm. In addition, the secure welding area 12 is arranged at a distance of at least 0.1 mm from the outer periphery 18 of the magnetic read head 6, this distance preferably being between 0.1 mm and 0.4 mm and more preferably equal to 0.15 mm.

[0046] The reader 1 of the magnetic card 2 further comprises positioning means configured to position the magnetic read head 6 and the electronic card 5 relative to each other. In this example, the positioning means comprises positioning claws 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d carried by the magnetic read head 6 and positioning holes 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d in the electronic card 5, which positioning holes receive the positioning claws 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d. For example, as Figure 3 shown, the positioning means comprises four oval positioning holes 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d which receive four positioning claws 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d.

[0047] The electronic payment terminal 3, which is the reader 1 of the magnetic card 2 in this example, comprises a connection piece 21 to an external power supply configured to supply power to the microprocessor 11. The electronic payment terminal 3 also comprises a battery 22. Thus, the reader 1 of the magnetic card 2 comprises a connection piece 23 to the battery 22 configured to supply power to the microprocessor 11, in this example when the external power supply does not supply power to the microprocessor 11 via the connection piece 21 connected to the external power supply. For example, the battery 22 is a dry battery, which is a CR2032 type dry battery in this example. In this example, the battery 22 is arranged in a housing cavity remote from the electronic card 5 and is electrically connected to the electronic card 5. According to a variant, the battery 22 is arranged on the electronic card 5.

[0048] Data transmission to the electronic card 5 is achieved by coils (three coils in this example) wound around the air gap 10. Therefore, the electronic card 5 includes specific welding areas 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, in this example, six specific welding areas 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, on which the coils wound around the air gap 10 are welded. It should be noted that the welding areas 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 are different from the specific welding areas 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29.

[0049] The method of deactivating such a magnetic card 2 reader 1 comprises, for example, the following steps:

[0050] - cyclically, the microprocessor 11 measures the potential of the electrical connection to the read head 6 via the safety soldering area 12,

[0051] When the measured potential differs from the ground potential of the electronic card 5 , the microprocessor 11 performs a deactivation of the reader 1 of the magnetic card 2 .

[0052] Furthermore, in this example, the method of deactivating such a reader 1 of a magnetic card 2 comprises the following steps:

[0053] When the power supply to the microprocessor 11 is interrupted and then reactivated, the microprocessor 11 performs a deactivation of the reader 1 of the magnetic card 2 .

[0054] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described, and other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0055] List of Reference Numerals

[0056] 1: Magnetic card reader

[0057] 2: Magnetic card

[0058] 3: Electronic payment terminal

[0059] 4: Chip card reader

[0060] 5: Electronic card

[0061] 6: Magnetic read head

[0062] 6': Metal frame of the reading head

[0063] 7: Magnetic card passing area

[0064] 9: Magnetic Track

[0065] 10: Air Gap

[0066] 11: Microprocessor

[0067] 12: Welding area, safe area

[0068] 13, 14, 15, 16, 17: Welding areas

[0069] 18: Outer periphery of the magnetic read head 6

[0070] 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d: Positioning claws

[0071] 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d: Positioning holes

[0072] 21: Connecting member

[0073] 22: Battery

[0074] 23: Connecting member

[0075] 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29: Specific welding areas.

Claims

1. A magnetic card (2) reader (1), comprising: - An electronic card (5) for receiving and processing data from the magnetic card (2), the electronic card (5) including at least one microprocessor (11), - A magnetic reading head (6) configured to read data contained in at least one magnetic track (9) of the magnetic card (2) and transmit this data to the electronic card (5), the electronic card (5) including at least one welding area (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17), and the magnetic reading head (6) being welded to the at least one welding area, Characterized in that one of the at least one welding area (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) is a security area (12) electrically connected to the microprocessor (11), and the security area (12) is entirely disposed between the electronic card (5) and the magnetic reading head (6).

2. The reader (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The magnetic reading head (6) is grounded to the electronic card (5).

3. The reader (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The security area (12) is disposed at a distance of at least 0.1 mm from the outer periphery (18) of the magnetic reading head (6), and this distance is preferably between 0.1 mm and 0.4 mm, more preferably equal to 0.15 mm.

4. The reader (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, including a connection member (23) for connecting to a battery (22), the battery (22) being configured to supply power to the microprocessor (11).

5. The reader (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The magnetic reading head (6) is fixed to the electronic card (5) only by welding, preferably only by surface brazing to the electronic card (5).

6. The reader (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The electronic card (5) includes a plurality of welding areas (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17), and the magnetic reading head (6) is welded to the plurality of welding areas (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17).

7. The reader (1) according to claim 6, wherein, The distance between the security area (12) and the one or more other welding areas (13, 14, 15, 16, 17) is greater than 0.17 mm, preferably greater than 0.3 mm, more preferably equal to 0.35 mm.

8. The reader (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, including positioning means configured to position the magnetic reading head (6) and the electronic card (5) relative to each other.

9. The reader (1) according to claim 8, wherein, The positioning means includes: - Positioning claws (19a, 19b, 19c, 19d) carried by the magnetic reading head (6), and - Positioning holes (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) in the electronic card (5) that receive the positioning claws (19a, 19b, 19c, 19d).

10. An electronic payment terminal (3) including the magnetic card (2) reader (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. A method for deactivating a magnetic card reader according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which: - Cyclically, the microprocessor measures the potential of the electrical connection to the magnetic reading head through the security area, - When the measured electric potential is different from the ground potential of the electronic card, the microprocessor deactivates the magnetic card reader.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein When the power supply of the microprocessor is interrupted and then reactivated, the microprocessor deactivates the magnetic card reader.

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