Extended Lower Lip Geometry for Payment Terminal Fraud Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Payment terminals without external monitoring are vulnerable to sophisticated fraud techniques, particularly those involving the addition of devices like fake card readers at the card insertion slot, which existing capacitive detection methods struggle to detect effectively and affordably.

Innovation Solution

Modifying the geometry of the card insertion slot by extending the lower lip and adding inclined tabs to create a protrusion that prevents the concealment of fraudulent devices, making it impossible to attach them without being noticeable, and ensuring the magnetic stripe can only be read by the authentic reader.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If capacitive detection devices are used to detect fraudulent devices, then fraud detection capability is improved, but device cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefraud detection capabilityVSAvoiddevice cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The card reader is segmented into multiple functional zones: an authentic reading zone with the magnetic head, and a fraudulent zone where fake readers can be attached. The authentic zone is positioned deeper in the slot, separated from the front by the lower lip extension, making it impossible for fraudulent devices attached at the front to interfere with card reading.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves the authentic reading function from the front surface to a deeper dimensional zone within the slot. By extending the lower lip, the patent creates a spatial separation along the insertion depth dimension, placing the magnetic head in a zone that cannot be accessed or interfered with by fraudulent devices attached at the front surface level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If extended insertion lips are added to the card reader, then fraud prevention capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefraud prevention capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The card reader is segmented into multiple functional zones: an authentic reading zone with the magnetic head, and a fraudulent zone where fake readers can be attached. The authentic zone is positioned deeper in the slot, separated from the front by the lower lip extension, making it impossible for fraudulent devices attached at the front to interfere with card reading.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-generated harmful factors

If fraudulent devices are attached at the card insertion slot, then fraud capability is improved, but terminal security deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefraud capabilityVSAvoidterminal security
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by designing the slot geometry in advance to prevent fraudulent device attachment. The extended lower lip with its specific dimensions (L1 > L2 and H1 > H2) creates a physical barrier that makes it impossible for fraudulent devices to be properly positioned or attached, thereby preventing fraud before it can occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP2916266B1Memory card reading block, corresponding transactional data processing terminal
Publication Date: 2018.07.11 COMPAGNIE INDUSTRIELLE ET FINANCIERE D INGENIERIE INGENICO SA
  • EP2916266B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2916266B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2916266B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a memory card (MC) reading block (BLe) of generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, comprising a memory card (MC) insertion face (FI), said insertion face (FI) comprising an insertion recess (Ev) and a memory card insertion slot (FI), said insertion slot comprising a lower lip (LI) and an upper lip (LS). According to the invention, said lower lip extends longitudinally and parallel to a memory card insertion plane in said reading block, forming an extended insertion lip (LIe) extending beyond an insertion plane (PfI), and said extended insertion lip (LIe) further comprises at least two tabs (Lg1, Lg2) of predetermined height.