Power-based card verification handshake

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026094147-A1
Application number	US-202418903322-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 1, 2024
Priority date	Oct 1, 2024
Publication date	Apr 2, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A processor of a card may determine a predetermined voltage associated with the card. The processor may receive an indication of a voltage received from a terminal, wherein the card is powered by the voltage received from the terminal. The processor may determine that the voltage received from the terminal is not equal to the predetermined voltage associated with the card. The processor may reject, based on the determination that the voltage received from the terminal is not equal to the predetermined voltage associated with the card, a request from the terminal to provide payment information associated with the card.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
determining, by a processor of a card, a predetermined voltage associated with the card; receiving, by the processor, an indication of a voltage received from a terminal, wherein the card is powered at least in part by the voltage received from the terminal; determining, by the processor, that the voltage received from the terminal is less than the predetermined voltage associated with the card; and rejecting, by the processor based on the determination that the voltage received from the terminal is less than the predetermined voltage associated with the card, a request from the terminal to provide payment information associated with the card.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein rejecting the request comprises transmitting, by the processor, an error code to the terminal.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the error code comprises an indication that a skimming device is coupled to the terminal.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the terminal comprises an automated teller machine (ATM) or a point of sale (POS) device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising prior to receiving the indication of the voltage received from the terminal:
transmitting, by the processor to the terminal, an indication of the predetermined voltage associated with the card.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication of the voltage received from the terminal is received from circuitry of the card.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising prior to determining the predetermined voltage:
receiving, by the processor from the terminal, the request to provide payment information to the terminal.

8 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a processor of a card, cause the processor to:
determine a predetermined voltage associated with the card; receive an indication of a voltage received from a terminal, wherein the card is powered at least in part by the voltage received from the terminal; determine that the voltage received from the terminal is less than the predetermined voltage associated with the card; and reject, based on the determination that the voltage received from the terminal is less than the predetermined voltage associated with the card, a request from the terminal to provide payment information associated with the card.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions to reject the request comprise instructions to transmit an error code to the terminal.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the error code comprises an indication that a skimming device is coupled to the terminal.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, prior to receiving the indication of the voltage received from the terminal:
transmit, to the terminal, an indication of the predetermined voltage associated with the card.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the indication of the voltage is stored in the medium.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
receive an updated voltage value; and store the updated voltage value as the predetermined voltage in the medium.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, prior to determining the predetermined voltage:
receive, from the terminal, the request to provide payment information to the terminal.

15 . A card, comprising:
a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine a predetermined power characteristic associated with the card;
receive an indication of a characteristic of a power signal received from a terminal, wherein the card is powered at least in part by the power signal received from the terminal;
determine that the characteristic of the power signal does not equal the predetermined power characteristic associated with the card; and
reject, based on the determination that the characteristic of the power signal does not equal the predetermined power characteristic associated with the card, a request from the terminal to provide payment information associated with the card.

16 . The card of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined power characteristic comprises one or more of a predetermined voltage value, a predetermined wattage value, a predetermined time threshold, or a predetermined amperage value, wherein the characteristic of the power signal comprises one or more of a voltage of the power signal, a wattage of the power signal, a time duration of the power signal, or an amperage of the power signal.

17 . The card of claim 15 , wherein the instructions to reject the request comprise instructions to transmit an error code to the terminal, wherein the error code comprises an indication that a skimming device is coupled to the terminal.

18 . The card of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, prior to receiving the indication of the characteristic of the power signal:
transmit, to the terminal, an indication of the predetermined power characteristic associated with the card.

19 . The card of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined power characteristic is stored in the memory.

20 . The card of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
receive an updated power characteristic; and store the updated power characteristic as the predetermined power characteristic.

Assignees

• Capital One Services Llc

Inventors

• Barr Brian
• Rafferty Galen
• Ferri Christopher
• Davis Michael
• Turner Taylor
• Reinert Owen
• Farnan Tyler
• Schneider James

Classifications

• G06Q20/341

  Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip · CPC title

• G06Q20/409

  Device specific authentication in transaction processing · CPC title

• G06K19/07372

  by detecting tampering with the circuit · CPC title

• G07F19/2055

  Anti-skimming aspects at ATMs · CPC title

• G06Q20/3563 Primary

  Software being resident on card · CPC title