Security You Can't Touch - ICAP Ocean Tomo Announces Auction of a Contactless Energy & Data Transmission Method for a Completely Hermetically Sealed IC Card

CHICAGO, March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Developed by inventor Alexander Rozin and represented by ICAP Ocean Tomo, this patent portfolio relates to a completely hermetically sealed IC card. The portfolio will be available at the upcoming ICAP Ocean Tomo Spring 2011 Live IP Auction March 31st in New York.  

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It has been a permanent goal of smart card manufacturers to prevent direct hackers' attacks on contact smart cards. Existing contact smart cards also suffer from a lack of security.(1) Data transmitted on an over-the-air-communication channel may be easily eavesdropped, intercepted, and deciphered due to employing of the imbedded microprocessor having comparatively low performance or wired secured logic and absence of a quality crypto controller (a high-security providing apparatus). Or the plastic can be physically disassembled using acid, abrasives, or other techniques in order to obtain direct, unrestricted access to the on-board wired secured logic or to a low performance microprocessor.

There are a number of industries for which a high throughput rate with high security is critical including: finance, government, security, and mass transit.

Key Characteristics & Benefits

This patent discloses the following:

• A secure method and system for contactless energy and data exchange between a terminal and an integrated circuit card.
• This invention covers the creation of battery-less appliances which are hermetically sealed by defensive non-conductive plastic and are superior to modern dual-interface smart cards because they do not require metallic contacts.
• The invention enables operation of the most sophisticated high-performance existing and future microprocessors and cryptocontrollers via protective plastic.
• The disclosed appliance is able to communicate with the host terminal at high throughput rate in two different modes:
  • 1. Remotely in the manner of RFID (radio-frequency identification) or contactless smart cards; or
  • 2. In pseudo contact, which includes mechanical touching, attaching, insertion or swiping over the protective plastic to signal the host terminal.
• This new method is called DIDF (Dual Interface Dual Frequency): wherein the first frequency is used for a well known remote operation, while the second frequency is for powering and engaging in data communication while card swiping (pseudo contact) through the terminal.
• The ability to enable remote operation is provided initially at a lower frequency and is comprised of over inductive coupling wherein one coil antenna is arranged on the terminal and a second coil antenna is integrated into the smart card.
• Powering and data communication through pseudo contact are provided at higher frequency via capacitive pads hidden under the protective plastic, known as capacitive coupling.
• This lot has been cited by many industry giants, such as Sprint Nextel, Sony Ericsson Mobile, AT&T, Motorola and American Express.

Market Potential

This lot should be of interest to companies involved in smart card manufacturing and in system integration, as well as any organization that relies on data encryption to conduct business.

• The global smart card market is projected to post double digit growth from 2011-2013.(2)

About ICAP Ocean Tomo LLC

ICAP Ocean Tomo is the intellectual property brokerage division of ICAP and the world's premier patent auction firm.

About ICAP

ICAP is the world's premier interdealer broker and provider of post trade services. The Group matches buyers and sellers in the wholesale markets in interest rates, credit, commodities, foreign exchange, emerging markets, equities and equity derivatives through voice and electronic networks. ICAP plc was added to the FTSE 100 Index on 30 June 2006. For more information go to www.icap.com.

SOURCE ICAP Ocean Tomo