Card Reader Contact Sensing for Idle-State Foreign Object Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current card readers are vulnerable to thin skimmers and shimming devices that exploit narrow card transport areas, leading to unsuccessful security measures against potential tampering.
Innovation Solution
A card reader with sensors on a lower surface and a movable platform above the lower surface, equipped with a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which includes executable instructions to perform operations comprising: disabling the card reader when the sensor is reporting an event indicating that the moveable platform is not in contact with the lower surface, the card reader is configured to detect foreign objects by moving the moveable platform away from the lower surface and disabling the card reader when a foreign object is detected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the card transport area is narrowed to detect thin skimmers, then security detection capability is improved, but card transaction reliability deteriorates due to increased card jams
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs foreign object detection during the idle state before card transactions begin. The movable platform is positioned in the closed position to make contact with the lower transport surface, and sensors detect any foreign objects in advance. This preliminary detection prevents card jams during transactions while maintaining reliable card transport geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable platform dynamically changes position between closed (contacting lower surface) and open (retracted) states. During idle periods, it closes to enable foreign object detection with high precision. During card transactions, it opens to provide sufficient transport clearance, preventing card jams while maintaining detection capability when needed.
2Reliability
If the card transport area is widened to ensure smooth card transactions, then card transaction reliability is improved, but foreign object detection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The movable platform provides dynamic adjustment of transport area geometry. When opened, it creates wide clearance for reliable card transactions. When closed during idle periods, it enables narrow geometry for high-precision foreign object detection. This temporal separation allows both wide transport area and narrow detection geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
Foreign object detection is performed preliminarily during idle states before transactions. The platform closes to create detection geometry, sensors scan for foreign objects, and only after confirmation of clear transport area does the system proceed to transactions with the platform in the open position, ensuring both detection precision and transaction reliability.
3Reliability
If sensors are added to detect foreign objects, then security capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable platform serves multiple functions: it creates the transport area geometry during transactions, enables foreign object detection during idle periods, and provides a mechanical reference surface for sensors. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, limiting the increase in device complexity while improving security capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own movable platform and idle state transitions to enable detection, rather than requiring continuous external monitoring systems. The platform's natural movement between open and closed states self-provides the detection geometry, and sensors simply need to detect the presence/absence of contact during these self-service cycles, reducing overall system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The card reader effectively detects and disables foreign objects, including skimmers and shimming devices, regardless of their thickness, ensuring secure transactions by preventing unauthorized access.
Implementation Method 1
the moveable platform further includes a spring attached to a backside of the moveable platform, the spring adapted to retract the moveable platform away from the first interior surface
Implementation Method 2
A lower transport surface that opposes the upper surface includes at least one sensor... If any object is on the lower surface so as to prevent the upper surface from making contact with the lower surface, the sensor reports this condition
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A card reader includes a movable upper surface platform with a lower surface platform including one or more sensors. When there is no card transaction in progress, the upper surface platform moves toward the lower surface platform and locks in place making contact with the lower surface platform. The one or more sensor indicate whether the two surfaces are in contact with one another. When the two surfaces are not in contact with one another, when the card reader is in an idle state, the card reader shuts down/disables since there is foreign object is present in the card reader's transport path, which may indicate a skimmer/shimmer was placed in the card reader.