IP Library Granted Patent US 10,566,296
Granted Patent B2
US 10,566,296 · App. 15/809,081 · Granted Feb 18, 2020

Physical unclonable functions in bank cards or identification cards for security

Inventors: Roger Steven Cannon (Nicholasville, KY); William Corbett (Lexington, KY); Gary A. Denton (Lexington, KY); James Paul Drummond (Georgetown, KY); Kelly Ann Killeen (Lexington, KY); Carl E. Sullivan (Stamping Ground, KY)
Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
H01L23/57H01L23/29H01L23/3107H04L9/3278H01L23/49541H01L24/06H01L24/46H01L2224/04042
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,566,296
App. No.
15/809,081
Granted
Feb 18, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

In the invention described, magnetic field characteristics of randomly placed magnetized particles are exploited by using the magnetic field fluctuations produced by the particles as measured by a sensor. The magnetized particles generate a complex magnetic field near the surface of an integrated circuit chip on a bank card or identification card that can be used as a “fingerprint.” The positioning and orientation of the magnetized particles is an uncontrolled process, and thus the interaction between the sensor and the particles is complex. The randomness of the magnetic field magnitude and direction near the surface of the material containing the magnetic particles can be used to obtain a unique identifier for an item such as an integrated circuit chip on a bank card or identification card carrying the PUF.

Claims (32)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate forming the body of a bank card;

an EMV transaction chip on the bank card;

a plurality of magnetized particles randomly dispersed in the substrate; and

a non-volatile memory on the EMV transaction chip, wherein the non-volatile memory contains magnetic field profile data measured from the magnetized particles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetized particles contain neodymium and iron and boron.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetized particles contain samarium and cobalt.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the average particle size diameter of the magnetized particles is greater than 0.1 mm.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the average particle size diameter of the magnetized particles is less than 0.1 mm.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate containing the magnetized particles is in direct contact with the EMV transaction chip.

7. A system comprising:

a substrate forming the body of a bank card;

an EMV transaction chip on the bank card;

a plurality of magnetized particles randomly dispersed in the substrate;

a non-volatile memory on the EMV transaction chip that contains the magnetic field profile data measured from the magnetized particles;

a card reader; and

one or more sensors in the card reader, wherein when the bank card is inserted into the card reader the sensors measure the magnetic field in a defined area or along the defined path of the bank card.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the magnetized particles contain neodymium and iron and boron.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the magnetized particles contain samarium and cobalt.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the average particle size diameter of the magnetized particles is greater than 0.1 mm.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the average particle size diameter of the magnetized particles is less than 0.1 mm.

12. A system comprising:

a substrate forming the body of a bank card;

an EMV transaction chip on the bank card;

a plurality of magnetized particles randomly dispersed in the substrate;

a cloud location that contains the magnetic field profile data measured from the magnetized particles;

a card reader; and

one or more sensors in the card reader, wherein when the bank card is inserted into the card reader the sensors measure the magnetic field in a defined area or along the defined path of the bank card.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the magnetized particles contain neodymium and iron and boron.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the magnetized particles contain samarium and cobalt.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the average particle size diameter of the magnetized particles is greater than 0.1 mm.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the average particle size diameter of the magnetized particles is less than 0.1 mm.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2026
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 074202/0192 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2026
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 074202/0293 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2025
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 073007/0118 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2025
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 073007/0346 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2017
From: CANNON, ROGER STEVEN; CORBETT, WILLIAM; DENTON, GARY A; DRUMMOND, JAMES PAUL; KILLEEN, KELLY ANN; SULLIVAN, CARL E
To: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 044089/0188 →