Centralized Card Management System for Secure Multi-Card Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulties in managing and using multiple cards with varying security requirements, as each card needs to be carried separately and protected with individual PINs, leading to increased risk of loss and complexity.

Innovation Solution

A card-based system with a customer-related communication terminal and card management device, where a secure connection is established between the terminal and the card management device, allowing authentication and enabling the use of multiple cards through a single higher-level identification code, reducing the need to carry individual cards and maintaining security certifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple individual cards are carried and used separately, then each card maintains its own security protection, but the complexity of managing multiple cards and their individual PINs increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecard security protectionVSAvoidcard management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple individual card security functions into a single card management system. The control device stores and manages multiple card identifiers and their corresponding PINs, allowing the user to access different cards through one unified interface rather than carrying and managing multiple separate cards physically.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The card management system performs multiple functions: it stores multiple card identifiers, manages different PINs for different cards, authenticates users, and routes to the appropriate card application. This universal system replaces the need for separate manual management of each individual card.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple cards are carried in a wallet, then various card-based applications can be accessed, but the risk of losing cards increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecard-based application accessVSAvoidcard loss risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a digital representation or copy of multiple physical cards in the form of stored card identifiers in the control device. Instead of relying on physical cards that can be lost, the system maintains digital copies that can be accessed through the communication terminal, reducing the risk of loss while maintaining access to card-based applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If individual PINs are required for each card, then each card maintains its own security, but the user must remember multiple PINs which increases operational complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindividual card securityVSAvoidPIN memorization burden
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The card management system automatically manages the PINs for multiple cards without requiring the user to memorize them. When the user provides authentication to access the card management system, it automatically retrieves and supplies the appropriate PIN for the selected card, making the system self-service and reducing the operational burden on the user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Ease of operation

If a centralized card management system is implemented, then card handling is simplified, but ensuring secure authentication between terminal and management device becomes critical

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecard handling simplicityVSAvoidauthentication security
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The communication terminal acts as an intermediary between the user and the card management system. It establishes a secure connection to the control device, transmits authentication data, and receives card identifiers. This intermediary role ensures that authentication is performed securely through encrypted channels while maintaining ease of operation for the end user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2840757B1Individual central administration of chipcards
Publication Date: 2017.09.20 DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG
  • EP2840757B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2840757B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Among other things, a method for operating a card-based system (1) is provided, which comprises a customer-related communication terminal (50) and a separate customer-related card management terminal (70) in which at least one customer-related card (90, 91) is installed. A secure connection can be established between the communication terminal (50) and the card management terminal (70) using an IP address. Authentication is performed between the communication terminal (50) and the card management terminal (70) to authenticate the customer and/or the communication terminal or card management terminal. A user can select a customer-related card (90, 91) installed in the card management terminal (70) at the communication terminal (50).A card-based application can now communicate via the communication terminal (50) and the secure connection with the selected customer-specific card (90, 91) installed in the card management unit (70) in order to run the application.