Device for protecting a connector and a communications wire of a memory card reader
View Patent ↗A device is provided for protecting an electronic payment terminal that includes an electronic printed circuit board and a casing. The device includes at least one capacitive detector in a volume formed by a first ground plane of the printed circuit and a second ground plane positioned on an internal surface of the casing, the at least one capacitive detector being configured to deliver a reference capacitance. A capacitive measurement microprocessor detects a variation of capacitance of the at least one capacitive detector. A transmitter transmits the variation when an absolute value of a difference between the reference capacitance and the measured capacitance exceeds a predetermined threshold.
1. A device for protecting an electronic payment terminal, the device comprising:
an electronic printed circuit board having a surface;
a casing having an internal surface at a bottom of said casing;
at least one capacitive detector positioned in a volume formed by a first ground plane corresponding to a surface resting on the surface of said printed circuit and a second ground plane corresponding to a surface resting on the internal surface at the bottom of said casing, said second ground plane being solid or a conductive paint, and said at least one capacitive detector being configured to deliver a reference capacitance of said volume;
a capacitive measurement microprocessor electrically connected to said at least one capacitive detector, said at least one microprocessor being configured to detect a variation of capacitance of said at least one capacitive detector, said variation of capacitance corresponding to a variation of capacitance in said volume due to any insertion of an object, formed by one or more conductive parts, between said capacitive detector and one of the ground planes defining the volume containing the capacitive detector, said insertion modifying magnetic field lines between the first and second ground planes; and
a transmitter configured for transmitting a piece of information representing said variation of capacitance when an absolute value of a difference between said measured capacitance and said reference capacitance exceeds a predetermined threshold.
2. The device for protecting according to claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises calibrator configured to deliver said reference capacitance.
3. The device for protecting according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one capacitive detector, called a first capacitive detector, is positioned on a memory card connector.
4. The device for protecting according to claim 3 , wherein the device further comprises a second capacitive detector connected to an input/output link of the memory card connector.
5. The device for protecting according to claim 1 , wherein said capacitive detector comprises a square spiral shaped copper track.
6. The device for protecting according to claim 1 , wherein said capacitive detector is deployed in a full plane.
7. A method for protecting an electronic payment terminal comprising an electronic printed circuit board and a casing, wherein said method for protecting comprises:
a step of positioning at least one capacitive detector in a volume formed by a first ground plane corresponding to a surface resting on a surface of said printed circuit and a second ground plane corresponding to a surface resting on an internal surface at a bottom of said casing, said second ground plane being solid or a conductive paint, and said at least one capacitive detector being configured to deliver a reference capacitance of said volume;
a capacitive measurement step implemented by a capacitive measurement microprocessor electrically connected to said at least one capacitive detector, said at least one microprocessor being configured to detect a variation of capacitance of said at least one capacitive detector, said variation of capacitance corresponding to a variation of capacitance in said volume due to any insertion of an object, formed by one or more conductive parts, between said capacitive detector and one of the ground planes defining the volume containing the capacitive detector, said insertion modifying magnetic field lines between the first and second ground planes; and
a step of transmitting a piece of information representing said variation of capacitance when an absolute value of a difference between said measured capacitance and said reference capacitance exceeds a predetermined threshold.
8. The method for protecting according to claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises a calibration step delivering said reference capacitance.
9. A payment terminal comprising:
an electronic printed circuit board having a surface;
a casing having an internal surface at a bottom of said casing; and
a device for protecting the electronic payment terminal, said device comprising:
at least one capacitive detector positioned in a volume formed by a first ground plane corresponding to a surface resting on the surface of said printed circuit and a second ground plane corresponding to a surface resting on the internal surface at the bottom of said casing, said second ground plane being solid or a conductive paint, and said at least one capacitive detector being configured to deliver a reference capacitance of said volume;
a capacitive measurement microprocessor electrically connected to said at least one capacitive detector, said at least one microprocessor being configured to detect a variation of capacitance of said at least one capacitive detector, said variation of capacitance corresponding to a variation of capacitance in said volume due to any insertion of an object, formed by one or more conductive parts, between said capacitive detector and one of the ground planes defining the volume containing the capacitive detector, said insertion modifying magnetic field lines between the first and second ground planes; and
a transmitter configured for transmitting a piece of information representing said variation of capacitance when an absolute value of a difference between said measured capacitance and said reference capacitance exceeds a predetermined threshold.
10. A computer program comprising program code instructions recorded on a non-transitory computer readable memory to implement a method for protecting an electronic payment terminal comprising an electronic printed circuit board and a casing, when the program is executed by a processor, wherein the method comprises:
a capacitive measurement step implemented by a capacitive measurement microprocessor electrically connected to at least one capacitive detector, said at least one capacitive detector being positioned in a volume formed by a first ground plane corresponding to a surface resting on a surface of said printed circuit and a second ground plane corresponding to a surface resting on an internal surface at a bottom of said casing, said second ground plane being solid or a conductive paint, and said at least one capacitive detector being configured to deliver a reference capacitance of said volume, and said at least one microprocessor being configured to detect a variation of capacitance of said at least one capacitive detector, said variation of capacitance corresponding to a variation of capacitance in said volume due to any insertion of an object, formed by one or more conductive parts, between said capacitive detector and one of the ground planes defining the volume containing the capacitive detector, said insertion modifying magnetic field lines between the first and second ground planes; and
a step of transmitting a piece of information representing said variation of capacitance when an absolute value of a difference between said measured capacitance and said reference capacitance exceeds a predetermined threshold.