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EP-4738223-A1 - METHOD FOR PREVENTING THE LOSS OF A SMART CARD

EP4738223A1EP 4738223 A1EP4738223 A1EP 4738223A1EP-4738223-A1

Abstract

The invention is a method for preventing the loss of a smart card (10) of a user (50) in which upon detection of a communication between the smart card and a terminal (20) for performing a transaction, the smart card starts emission of a broadcast signal during a preset period. A portable apparatus (30) of the user evaluates an assessed distance between the smart card and the portable apparatus by analyzing parameters of the broadcast signal. The portable apparatus triggers a loss warning if the assessed distance reaches a threshold before a time equal to the preset period. The smart card uses an internal energy source (11) to power the emission of the broadcast signal and the preset period is longer than a duration during which the transaction is carried out.

Inventors

  • ZEAMARI, ALI

Assignees

  • THALES DIS FRANCE SAS

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20241029

Claims (15)

  1. A computer-implemented method for preventing the loss of a smart card (10) of a user (50), wherein said method comprises: upon detection of a communication between the smart card and a terminal (20) for performing a transaction, starting, by the smart card, an emission of a broadcast signal during a preset period; evaluating, by a portable apparatus (30) of the user, an assessed distance between the smart card and the portable apparatus by analyzing parameters of the broadcast signal; triggering a loss warning by the portable apparatus if the assessed distance reaches a threshold before a time equal to said preset period; wherein the smart card uses an internal energy source (11) to power the emission of the broadcast signal and wherein the preset period is longer than a duration during which the transaction is carried out.
  2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus evaluates the assessed distance by measuring an evolution of a strength of the broadcast signal.
  3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus evaluates the assessed distance by measuring an evolution of a time of transport of the broadcast signal.
  4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the smart card comprises a secure chip (12) which triggers starting of the emission of the broadcast signal upon reception of a first transaction data sent by the terminal.
  5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the smart card comprises a power manager (13) which triggers starting of the emission of the broadcast signal upon detection of a start of a supply of energy by the terminal.
  6. The method according to any one of preceding claims, wherein the broadcast signal is a broadcast Bluetooth Low Energy advertising.
  7. The method according to any one of preceding claims, wherein the portable apparatus (30) is a phone, a personal digital assistant, or a connected wearable device.
  8. The method according to any one of preceding claims, wherein the smart card is a payment card, the terminal (20) is a Point-Of-Sale terminal, and the transaction is a payment transaction or wherein the smart card is a payment card, the terminal is an automated teller machine, and the transaction is a cash withdrawal.
  9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the smart card is an access control device, and the terminal is an access control terminal designed to authorize access to a physical or a digital area.
  10. A system (70) for preventing the loss of a smart card (10) of a user (50), wherein said system comprises the smart card and a portable apparatus (30) of the user, wherein, upon detection of a communication between the smart card and a terminal (20) for performing a transaction, the smart card is configured to start an emission of a broadcast signal during a preset period; wherein, the portable apparatus is configured to evaluate an assessed distance between the smart card and the portable apparatus by analyzing parameters of the broadcast signal; wherein the portable apparatus is configured to trigger a loss warning if said assessed distance reaches a threshold before a time equal to said preset period; wherein the preset period is longer than a duration during which the transaction is carried out; and wherein the smart card is configured to use an internal energy source (11) to power the emission of the broadcast signal.
  11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the portable apparatus is configured to evaluate the assessed distance by measuring an evolution of a strength of the broadcast signal.
  12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the portable apparatus is configured to evaluate the assessed distance by measuring an evolution of a time of transport of the broadcast signal.
  13. The system according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the smart card comprises a secure chip (12) which is configured to trigger starting of the emission of the broadcast signal upon reception of a first transaction data sent by the terminal.
  14. The system according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the smart card comprises a power manager (13) which is configured to trigger starting of the emission of the broadcast signal upon detection of a start of a supply of energy by the terminal.
  15. The system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the smart card has one of the following form factors: a card compliant with ISO/CEI 7810 ID-1 format, a car key, a USB token, a passport, or a e-bracelet.

Description

(Field of the invention) The present invention relates to methods for preventing the loss of smart cards. It relates particularly to methods for preventing the loss of a smart cards which could participate to transactions with a coupled terminal. (Background of the invention) Payment cards are widely used for purchasing goods or services. Some of them are used in contact mode where they are inserted in the reader of a financial terminal to perform a financial transaction like a payment or a cash withdrawal. When the transaction is complete, the terminal may emit a sound until the card is removed from the reader to make the user think to retrieve their card. (Summary of the Invention) Contactless payment cards are convenient since they allow fast payments. With the deployment of contactless payment cards, a financial transaction can be performed through a tap (i.e. bringing the card closer to the reader) to the reader of the terminal and the terminal cannot detect that the user has forgotten their card at the place of the financial transaction. In the event that, after an in-person transaction, a contactless payment card was forgotten by the cardholder in a store or in an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), the card could be improperly used by a person who found it. Such a risk is increased by the fact that some contactless payment cards may be used to perform financial transactions without requesting the consent of the genuine user (by entering a PIN code for instance) for low value amounts. The invention aims at solving the above-mentioned technical problem. An object of the present invention is a computer-implemented method for preventing the loss of a smart card of a user. The method comprises the steps of: upon detection of a communication between the smart card and a terminal for performing a transaction, starting, by the smart card, an emission of a broadcast signal during a preset period; evaluating, by a portable apparatus of the user, an assessed distance between the smart card and the portable apparatus by analyzing parameters of the broadcast signal;triggering a loss warning by the portable apparatus if the assessed distance reaches a threshold before a time equal to said preset period;the smart card uses an internal energy source to power the emission of the broadcast signal and the preset period is longer than a duration during which the transaction is carried out. Advantageously, the portable apparatus may evaluate the assessed distance by measuring an evolution of a strength of the broadcast signal. Advantageously, the portable apparatus may evaluate the assessed distance by measuring an evolution of a time of transport of the broadcast signal. Advantageously, the smart card may comprise a secure chip which triggers starting of the emission of the broadcast signal upon reception of a first transaction data sent by the terminal. Advantageously, the smart card may comprise a power manager which triggers starting of the emission of the broadcast signal upon detection of a start of a supply of energy by the terminal. Advantageously, the broadcast signal may be a broadcast Bluetooth Low Energy advertising. Advantageously, the portable apparatus may be a phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a connected wearable device like a connected ring, a connected bracelet, a connected keyfob or an electronic watch. Advantageously, the smart card may be a payment card, the terminal may be a Point-Of-Sale terminal, and the transaction may be a payment transaction. Advantageously, the smart card may be a payment card, the terminal may be an automated teller machine, and the transaction may be a cash withdrawal. Advantageously, the smart card may be an access control device, and the terminal may be an access control terminal designed to authorize access to a physical or a digital area. Another object of the present invention is a system for preventing the loss of a smart card of a user. The system comprises the smart card and a portable apparatus of the user. Upon detection of a communication between the smart card and a terminal for performing a transaction, the smart card is configured to start an emission of a broadcast signal during a preset period. The portable apparatus is configured to evaluate an assessed distance between the smart card and the portable apparatus by analyzing parameters of the broadcast signal. The portable apparatus is configured to trigger a loss warning if said assessed distance reaches a threshold before a time equal to said preset period. The preset period is longer than a duration during which the transaction is carried out, and the smart card is configured to use an internal energy source to power the emission of the broadcast signal. Advantageously, the portable apparatus may be configured to evaluate the assessed distance by measuring an evolution of a strength of the broadcast signal. Advantageously, the portable apparatus may be configured to evaluate the assessed distance