Dual Integrated Circuit Smart Card for Secure Payment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dual integrated circuit systems for communication devices face issues such as non-standard thickness, electrical contact reliability, and security concerns when implementing applications like remote banking, due to structural and electrical modifications required for SIM and bank cards, which affect manufacturing flexibility and interoperability.

Innovation Solution

A dual integrated circuit system with a SIM card featuring a second electronic interface for an application module, allowing secure communication between the SIM and application modules without modifying the SIM card's structure, using either electrical or contactless interfaces, ensuring standard thickness and secure data exchange.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a dual-slot mobile telephone device is used with one slot for SIM card and another for bank card, then secure payment can be implemented, but the device becomes cumbersome and requires modification of the mobile device fleet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure paymentVSAvoiddual-slot device
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the SIM card and bank card into a single integrated card structure. The SIM card includes a first integrated circuit and a second integrated circuit, where the second integrated circuit can function as a bank card. This merging eliminates the need for dual-slot devices while maintaining secure payment capabilities through the integrated dual-function card.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The SIM card is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating both telecommunication functions (first integrated circuit) and banking functions (second integrated circuit). This universal design allows a single card to serve multiple purposes, replacing the need for separate SIM and bank cards, and eliminating device modifications.

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

2Adaptability or versatility

If banking applications are included inside the SIM card, then interoperability improves, but security concerns arise for banks and manufacturing flexibility reduces

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveinteroperabilityVSAvoidsecurity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The card is segmented into distinct functional modules: a first integrated circuit for telecommunication functions and a second integrated circuit for banking applications. These segments communicate through a controlled interface, allowing interoperability while maintaining security boundaries. The segmentation enables independent security management for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A communication interface is introduced as an intermediary between the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit. This intermediary controls and monitors data exchange between the telecommunication and banking functions, ensuring security while enabling interoperability. The interface acts as a mediator that manages the interaction between different functional domains.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Length of stationary object

If the lower card has thickness less than standard thickness, then the assembly thickness is reduced, but the card is not compliant to operate alone without the portable object and risks poor electrical contact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly thicknessVSAvoidelectrical contact
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The card incorporates elastic contact pads that can dynamically adjust their contact pressure. These elastic pads compensate for thickness variations and ensure reliable electrical contact whether the card operates alone or in an assembly. The dynamic elasticity allows the card to maintain optimal contact pressure adaptively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The card design allows for adjustable contact pad parameters, including elasticity and contact pressure. By changing these parameters, the card can maintain reliable electrical contact across different operating conditions and thickness configurations, ensuring both thin-profile compatibility and contact reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of operation

If two identical ISO connectors are used on each object, then connection is established, but the connection is not optimal in terms of security and the SIM connectors are cluttered

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveconnectionVSAvoidsecurity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the banking card connector from the traditional ISO connector configuration. Instead of using two identical ISO connectors, the design uses a dedicated connector arrangement where the SIM card's second integrated circuit has its own communication interface. This extraction separates the telecommunication and banking connection paths, improving security by preventing unauthorized access through the SIM connector.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2220597B1System with dual integrated circuit and use of said system for implementing a remote application
Publication Date: 2014.08.27 THALES DIS FRANCE SA
  • EP2220597B1 patent drawingFigure 1~6a
  • EP2220597B1 patent drawingFigure 7~13
  • EP2220597B1 patent drawingFigure 14~16

AI summary

The invention relates to a system with a dual integrated circuit for a communication terminal, wherein said system includes: an integrated circuit smart card including a substrate (20); a first integrated circuit (µP1) in the substrate and a first integrated-circuit communication interface (24), said first integrated circuit being adapted for communication with the device; a second portable integrated circuit (µP2) including a third communication (48, 49, 51) / interconnection (28) interface. The system is characterised in that the first integrated circuit includes a second communication (40, 55)/ interconnection (30) interface coupled to/in contact with said third interface (48, 49, 51, 28) of the second portable integrated circuit. The invention also relates to a smart card, to a method and to the use of the system for implementing any application via a communication.