DE4019043A1 - Rapid updating of invalid card number lists in transaction terminals - using central radio transmitter to send invalidated identification codes simultaneously to all terminals in network - Google Patents

Abstract

An increasing number of financial transactions are made using plastic cards and automatic transaction terminals (e.g. cash dispensers). To guard against unauthorised use of cards, terminals often have to request information from a central data bank. This process is slow and costly. If terminals are fitted with pre-tuned radio receivers, information on invalidated card numbers can be broadcast simultaneously to all terminals from a central point. Terminals can also be equipped with radio transmitters to forward the information or to signal attempts at unauthorised card use. ADVANTAGE - Increased security against unauthorised transactions. Reduced validation delays during transactions.

Description

The invention relates to a method for blocking electronically identified identifiers according to the generic term of claim 1.

With the increasing number of plastic cards (including Chip cards as plastic cards with integrated chip) as Means of payment, credit cards, personal identification cards, customer cards and in many other forms, Blocking individual cards is becoming increasingly important. The holder of a blocked credit card e.g. B. can still Withdraw cash from ATMs if the ATM no online connection to a central testing facility and the ID of the card is not a code in the money automat is present.

The problem lies in the multitude of the set up Terminals, all of which at the same time Identification of the card to be blocked, to get a specific card exactly without delay lock at the terminal where they are unpredictable is used.

One solution is to use terminals online to connect with a central and the terminals to let the head office automatically inquire whether the card currently in use is blocked. This method is time consuming and expensive because of the connection and Transfer are required. With increasing Number of millions of payment transactions in the future this method has technical limits by card set. For this reason there are sample tests here planned to increase the number of exams in the future reduce, which reduces the desired security becomes.  

The procedure, printed lists, is quite inadequate with the numbers of the blocked cards near the Lay out terminals for operation.

The invention is therefore based on the object To create procedures of the type mentioned, the reliable, fast and national long-term or temporary blocking of identifiers.

This task is solved with the characteristics in the indicator of claim 1.

Refinements preferably result from the Subclaims.

The method according to the invention comes with all terminals to apply which cards electronically identify. In this case there is a in the terminal electronic system at least for automatic Read the card, which is the usual electrical Connections to the terminal exist. Will the electronic System for identifying the card connected to a electronic read-write memory for storing Codes for card identification, this memory can be filled with data from a radio signal are received in the context of a electronic comparison circuit (e.g. microprocessor system) to identify a card blocked by radio signal adorn.

Compared to the conventional method, this method has due to the simultaneous (simultaneous) locking of all Terminals that can be reached by radio have considerable advantages, because in particular the speed of identification a blocked card is increased. The speed depends only on the speed at which electronic memory one ordered (e.g. by  Bank sort code and account number) filed and therefore quickly accessible information is found.

The speed of information retrieval in the Coding stored depends largely on the Type of procedure by which the information is ordered are stored in memory. So can a card coding a credit card under the parent bank code of the credit institution issuing the card. When visiting the card coding is only in memory the area visited where codes of cards this Bank code number. This procedure increases the search speed when there are large amounts of code, because only the bank sort code area was searched and then the reduced one Code amount of only the cards to be checked, which is in memory range of this sort code.

The security and completeness of transmitted codes can be increased by the data transmitted by radio additional information such as number of code, which are stored under an overinformation (bank sort code), contain. With this number you can program on pages of the receiving module are checked automatically in the memory, whether all codes are available.

Is between the radio code transmission sequence and memory order in the radio signal receiving module a comparable Code order established which the security and Completeness of stored codes and their quick Guaranteed to be found, a residual probability remains receive speed that data is missing in the code memory or are in disarray and a clear assignment insufficiently given by lock file and card is. For this reason, an exchange of whole Radio code receiving modules or the memory appropriate,  where in the memory the status of the lock file for each specific time is included, so that by radio transferred lock file only the current data from this Radio to add to the appointment in the module.

Reloading a lock file can occur with large amounts of data also by exchanging data carriers, such as data discs, take place, which is inserted by the card read / write module will read.

Added to this is the advantage of redundancy for many Locations filed lock file. Even with temporary Failure of the radio center all lock codes are until failure in the terminals.

For the cardholder there is the advantage of Data protection, since only card encodings are blocked and not, as required by the online procedure, unlocked card numbers via data line for verification be sent to a central office.

Often it is necessary in addition to the data of the lock file also exchange programs to new applications of the Allow terminals by program. In this case new programs can be transmitted by radio if An original program is contained in the terminal, which un releasably maintain the radio communication in a way maintains that programs can be reloaded.

Do terminals have both receivers and transmitters for coordinated radio frequencies, can provide information are exchanged under the terminals, with which page information z. B. about unauthorized cards uses are possible. Also complementing each other Lock files are possible if a terminal is in the  Radio shadow of the central transmitter is from the neighbor terminal but is reachable.

Large lock files can store a basic amount of data be exchanged via a fixed data carrier while a smaller amount by radio and for security reasons is sent repeatedly.

Grant the additional transfer of the date and time provides an exact synchronization of all processes on Terminal, with which simultaneity or temporal Consequences of processes when using cards but also when Operations in the terminal are given.

In a particular form of the procedure Coils or parts of coils that are in the terminals for the electronic readability of identifiers are like tape head coils in magnetic card systems or Transmission coils for contactless chip cards used for reception or broadcast. The installation and the this will retrofit these elements relieved and cheaper.

Claims (11)

1.Procedure for blocking electronically identifiable identifiers which are present on plastic cards, chip cards, magnetic stripe cards and other movable carriers such as plastic, metal but also on coins and notes and keys and in various forms as optical engraving, guilloche, barcode, laser-optical feature , Mechanically scannable feature, magnetic feature electronically readable, characterized in that the identifier to be blocked is transmitted by means of an external radio signal to one or simultaneously several terminal (s) and stored there. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized, that a first electronic unit has the identifier due to the electronic readability in an electronic storable, preferably binary code converts and this code is assigned to a second electronic unit which leads with the help of a built-in radio receiver with its own for reception in ge closed housing equipped antennas on defined predetermined frequencies is matched, and the one from a radio by a transmitter by predetermined Frequency transmitted and defined by data protocol Radio signal stream data in a preferably binary Decoded form and this in an electronic Stores memory and that the transmitter by radio signal the Data transmitted by identifiers, which in the second Electronics can be stored long term, and the second electronics an automatic, electronic Comparison with that of the first electronic unit executes the supplied code and if it matches, Evaluation of suitable information for the terminal Provides.   3. The method according to claim 1, characterized, that the radio receiver built into one part as Receiving antenna uses electronic elements which in the other part the electronic readability of the Ensure identification, with coil elements from Read heads for reading magnetic codes are preferably used, also coils used as in the non-contact Data transfer of contactless chip cards be used. 4. The method according to claim 1 and 2, characterized, that the intended or additional antenna elements are connected to a transmitter that allows Send data of the terminal on certain frequencies. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized, that the lock files transmitted by radio in sequence additionally contain information from which the Position of the data in the sequence can be derived and with the help of the storage position in the writing Read memory of the terminal is to be assigned, which means that enables quick code searches and incorrect codes can be identified. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized, that the lock files transmitted by radio additionally Contain information that requires a mapping Card application, card issuer, card type or one contain another feature that the user of the card and the card issuer is allowed a specific  coordinated memory usage of the electronic writing Allow read memory in the terminal and certain Maps or card types with special properties allow, such as increased credit limit amount. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized, that the lock file transmitted by radio additionally Includes date and time. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized, that the lock file transmitted by radio is a subset contains the entire lock file and another complete basic set of the file in a transportable Data carrier is included, which is readable in the terminal. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized, that the electronic read-write memory and the Radio receiver additionally supplemented by a radio transmitter are, which allows other terminals, which are not by Radio can be reached from the central transmitter, by radio with to supply the lock file and radio communication allow to select data and information arbitrarily exchange with the purpose of high data redundancy to have in the system. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized, that read-write terminals in groups by radio can communicate together that mutual Information is exchanged for recognition of unauthorized card use, which at different terminals at different Times can take place.   11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized, that programs for different, flexible use with new program modules instead of the read / write module or in addition to transmitted card codes by radio be transmitted.