Smart card connector
A smart card connector including a housing defining a smart card receiving slot communicating with a smart card ingress slit formed in the housing, a plurality of smart card contacts mounted within the housing and being configured for reading contact with a smart card inserted into the slot and a movable smart card contact mounting assembly supporting at least one of the plurality of smart card contacts and for positioning the at least one of the plurality of smart card contacts in a first position, in the absence of a smart card in the slot, and in a second position, different from the first position, when a smart card is fully inserted in the slot, wherein when the at least one of the plurality of smart card contacts is in the first position it is relatively inaccessible to tampering via the smart card ingress slit.
1. A smart card connector comprising:
a housing defining a smart card receiving slot communicating with a smart card ingress slit formed in said housing;
a plurality of smart card contacts mounted within said housing and being configured for reading contact with a smart card inserted into said smart card receiving slot; and
a movable smart card contact mounting assembly supporting at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts and for positioning said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts in a first position, in the absence of a smart card in said smart card receiving slot, and in a second position, different from said first position, when a smart card is fully inserted in said smart card receiving slot, wherein when said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts is in said first position it is relatively inaccessible to tampering via said smart card ingress slit.
2. A smart card connector according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts is an I/O contact.
3. A smart card connector according to claim 2 and also comprising:
a smart card contact position sensor operative to sense when said I/O contact is in said second position.
4. A smart card connector according to claim 3 and also comprising:
a smart card insertion sensor operative to sense when a smart card is fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot and
tamper alarm circuitry operative to provide a tamper alarm indication in response to an output of said smart card contact position sensor indicating that said I/O contact is in said second position orientation in the absence of a smart card fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot.
5. A smart card connector according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts is configured to be without a hook engageable surface so as to be resistant to engagement therewith and pulling thereof by a tampering instrument inserted into said smart card ingress slit.
6. A smart card connector according to claim 1 and also comprising:
a smart card contact position sensor operative to sense when said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts are in said second position.
7. A smart card connector according to claim 6 and also comprising:
a smart card insertion sensor operative to sense when a smart card is fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot.
8. A smart card connector according to claim 7 and also comprising:
tamper alarm circuitry operative to provide a tamper alarm indication in response to an output of said smart card contact position sensor indicating that at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts is in said second position orientation in the absence of a smart card fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot.
9. A smart card connector according to claim 1 and wherein when said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts is in said second position it is adapted for physical electrical engagement with contact pads on said smart card.
10. A smart card connector according to claim 1 and also comprising:
a smart card insertion sensor operative to sense when a smart card is fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot.
11. A smart card connector comprising:
a housing defining a smart card receiving slot communicating with a smart card ingress slit formed in said housing; and
a plurality of smart card contacts mounted within said housing and being configured for reading contact with a smart card inserted into said smart card receiving slot, at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts being configured without a hook engageable surface so as to be resistant to engagement therewith and pulling thereof by a tampering instrument inserted into said smart card ingress slit.
12. A smart card connector according to claim 11 and wherein said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts is an I/O contact.
13. A smart card connector according to claim 11 and also comprising:
a smart card contact position sensor operative to sense when said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts are in a card reading position.
14. A smart card connector according to claim 13 and also comprising:
a smart card insertion sensor operative to sense when a smart card is fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot.
15. A smart card connector according to claim 14 and also comprising:
tamper alarm circuitry operative to provide a tamper alarm indication in response to an output of said smart card contact position sensor indicating that at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts is in said card reading position in the absence of a smart card fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot.
16. A smart card connector according to claim 12 and also comprising:
a smart card contact position sensor operative to sense when said I/O contact is in a card reading position.
17. A smart card connector according to claim 16 and also comprising:
a smart card insertion sensor operative to sense when a smart card is fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot; and
tamper alarm circuitry operative to provide a tamper alarm indication in response to an output of said smart card contact position sensor indicating that said I/O contact is in said card reading position in the absence of a smart card fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot.
18. A smart card connector according to claim 11 and wherein when said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts is in a card reading position it is adapted for physical electrical engagement with contact pads on said smart card.
19. A smart card connector according to claim 18 and also comprising:
a smart card contact position sensor operative to sense when said I/O contact is in said card reading position.
20. A smart card connector according to claim 11 and also comprising:
a smart card insertion sensor operative to sense when a smart card is fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot.
21. A smart card connector comprising:
a housing defining a smart card receiving slot communicating with a smart card ingress slit formed in said housing;
a plurality of smart card contacts mounted within said housing and being configured for reading contact with a smart card inserted into said smart card receiving slot, at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts being movable from a relatively non-tamperable position to a relatively tamperable position;
a smart card contact position sensor operative to sense when said plurality of smart card contacts are in said tamperable orientation; and
tamper alarm circuitry operative to provide a tamper alarm indication in response to an output of said smart card contact position sensor indicating that said plurality of smart card contacts are in said tamperable orientation in the absence of a smart card fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot.
22. A smart card connector according to claim 21 and wherein said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts is an I/O contact.
23. A smart card connector according to claim 21 and wherein said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts is configured to be without a hook engageable surface so as to be resistant to engagement therewith and pulling thereof by a tampering instrument inserted into said smart card ingress slit.
24. A smart card connector according to claim 21 and also comprising:
a smart card contact position sensor operative to sense when said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts are in said tamperable orientation.
25. A smart card connector according to claim 24 and also comprising:
a smart card insertion sensor operative to sense when a smart card is fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot.
26. A smart card connector according to claim 21 and wherein when said at least one of said plurality of smart card contacts is in said tamperable orientation it is adapted for physical electrical engagement with contact pads on said smart card.
27. A smart card connector according to claim 21 and also comprising:
a smart card insertion sensor operative to sense when a smart card is fully inserted into said smart card receiving slot.