Payment Card NFC Authentication for Emergency Data Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Emergency responders often struggle to access critical medical information of unconscious individuals due to privacy concerns and the lack of secure methods for retrieving personal medical history and emergency contacts, leading to potential complications and injuries.
Innovation Solution
A payment card equipped with sensors, processors, and memory to store and securely transmit emergency information, using biometric authentication and near-field communication to ensure only authorized personnel can access the data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If medical information is stored on a payment card for emergency access, then emergency responders can quickly retrieve critical information, but security risks increase allowing potential unauthorized access for malicious purposes
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-loads emergency information onto the payment card before emergencies occur, including medical history, allergies, and emergency contacts. This preliminary action ensures information is immediately available without delay during critical moments, while authentication protocols are pre-configured to prevent unauthorized access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication layer between the emergency information and unauthorized users. Emergency responders must present valid credentials through the card reader system, which acts as a mediator to verify authorization before allowing access to sensitive medical data, thus preventing malicious access while enabling legitimate emergency care.
2Loss of information
If emergency information is stored on a payment card, then personal medical history and emergency contacts become accessible, but privacy protection is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements local quality by differentiating access rights for different types of information. Sensitive personal identifiers and detailed medical history are protected with higher security protocols, while essential emergency information like blood type and allergies can be accessed with standard authentication. This layered approach ensures privacy protection while maintaining emergency accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The cardholder pre-authors the system with consent protocols before emergencies occur, specifying which information can be accessed and under what conditions. This preliminary authorization framework allows the system to automatically protect privacy while enabling appropriate information sharing during emergencies, eliminating the need for real-time privacy decisions during critical moments.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a payment card system is used for emergency information storage, then existing card infrastructure can be leveraged, but device complexity increases with additional sensors and processors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling payment cards to perform multiple functions: traditional payment transactions and emergency information storage/retrieval. The card's existing processor and memory are utilized for both purposes, eliminating the need for separate emergency identification devices and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining infrastructure reuse.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges emergency information storage capabilities with the existing payment card infrastructure. Rather than creating a separate device, the patent combines medical data storage, authentication sensors, and communication processors into the familiar payment card format, leveraging existing manufacturing processes and user familiarity while adding emergency functionality.
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
Provides rapid and secure access to emergency information while protecting personal privacy, enabling responders to provide appropriate medical assistance.
Implementation Method 1
The card can be configured to communicate with the user device via near field communication (NFC). The card can also have a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip and be configured to communicate with the user device via an NFC standard when the RFID chip is within an NFC range of the user device.
Data Source
AI summary
A card for storing both emergency information and payment information is disclosed. The card can be used by an emergency responder to retrieve emergency information for the user. The emergency information can enable the emergency responder to better render aid to the user. The card can have one or more processors, a sensor, and a memory in communication with the one or more processors and storing an application thereon. The application can cause the card to receive a request from a user device (e.g., from an emergency medical technician, or EMT) to access emergency information stored in the memory, transmit a security challenge to the user device, authenticate a received response to the security challenge from the user device, and transmit the emergency information to the user device.