Tactile Security Token for Secure On-Card Authentication

The patent extracts the secret entry function from the host system and implements it directly on the card through a tactile sensor that detects finger movements on the card surface. This eliminates the need to transfer code information through vulnerable communication channels, as the secret is entered and processed locally on the secure element.

The tactile sensor acts as an intermediary between the user and the authentication system. Instead of transferring encrypted code information through vulnerable channels, the system uses finger movement patterns detected by the tactile sensor as a secure intermediary mechanism for secret entry, which cannot be intercepted or replicated by man-in-the-middle attacks.

The patent transitions from a discrete keypad with separate buttons to a continuous tactile surface where any position can be touched. This dimensional change from 0D buttons to 2D surface allows users to enter secrets by touching specific positions on the card surface, providing ample space for accurate finger placement while maintaining a compact card form factor.

The tactile sensor array dynamically identifies which specific sensor element was activated by the user's finger. Instead of having fixed physical buttons, the system dynamically determines the touched position from among many possible locations on the card surface, enabling large-area input without requiring physically large buttons.