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WO-2026092988-A1 - METHOD FOR PREVENTING THE LOSS OF A SMART CARD

WO2026092988A1WO 2026092988 A1WO2026092988 A1WO 2026092988A1WO-2026092988-A1

Abstract

METHOD FOR PREVENTING THE LOSS OF A SMART CARD 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 5 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 10 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. 15 Figure 2.

Inventors

  • ZEAMARI, ALI

Assignees

  • THALES DIS FRANCE SAS

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251013
Priority Date
20241029

Claims (15)

  1. 1 . A computer-implemented method for preventing the loss of a smart card ( 10 ) of a user ( 50 ) , said method comprising : starting, by the smart card, an emission of a broadcast signal during a preset period; the smart card using an internal energy source ( 11 ) to power the emission of the broadcast signal ; evaluating an assessed distance between the smart card and a portable apparatus ( 30 ) of the user by analyzing parameters of the broadcast signal ; triggering a loss warning i f the assessed distance reaches a threshold before a time equal to said preset period; wherein starting the emission of the broadcast signal is carried out by the smart card upon detection of a communication between the smart card and a terminal ( 20 ) for performing a transaction; wherein said evaluating of the assessed distance is carried out by the portable apparatus ( 30 ) ; wherein said loss warning triggering is carried out by the portable apparatus as a result of the evaluating of the assessed distance ; and wherein the preset period is longer than a duration during which the transaction is carried out .
  2. 2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the smart card uses the internal energy source ( 11 ) only to power the emission of the broadcast signal .
  3. 3. 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 .
  4. 4. 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.
  5. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, 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 .
  6. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, 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 .
  7. 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. 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 19 card is a payment card, the terminal is an automated teller machine , and the transaction is a cash withdrawal .
  9. 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 authori ze access to a physical or a digital area .
  10. 10 . A system ( 70 ) for preventing the loss of a smart card ( 10 ) of a user ( 50 ) , said system comprising the smart card and a portable apparatus ( 30 ) of the user, the smart card being configured to start an emission of a broadcast signal during a preset period; the smart card being configured to use an internal energy source ( 11 ) to power the emission of the broadcast signal ; wherein the smart card is configured to start the emission of the broadcast signal upon detection of a communication between the smart card and a terminal ( 20 ) for performing a transaction; wherein, the portable apparatus is configured to evaluate an asses sed 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 i f said assessed distance reaches a threshold before a time equal to said preset period; and wherein the preset period is longer than a duration during which the transaction is carried out . 20
  11. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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

METHOD FOR PREVENTING THE LOSS OF A SMART CARD (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 obj ect 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 i f 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 acces s control device , and the terminal may be an access control terminal designed to authori ze access to a physical or a digital area . Another obj ect 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 i f 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