The present invention relates to tamper-free and forgery-proof identification documents, and in particular to smart passports.
Security, particularly at major airports has become a significant concern. No printable identification is currently available to positively identify a passenger with high reliability. No means is currently available to transmit such information securely and to associate that information with user specific permissions
All passengers entering the USA have been required to bring a Machine Readable Travel Document (MTRD), i.e. a machine-readable passport since October 2003. Starting October 2004, the passport is required to contain biometric data that uniquely identifies its bearer. This turns the passport into a “smart” passport, which comprises a contactless chip that stores the personal biometric information as digital information. The chip is accessed contactlessly by a reader that retrieves the biometric information and compares it with information stored in a database, to verify the identity of the passport bearer. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is setting the standard to be followed by all such smart passport issuers.
Smart documents are known in the art. Smart cards have been used to store personal information and even biometric information about their owners to facilitate electronic transactions. The information is stored on embedded chips, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,439, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference, U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,439 further describes a identifying characteristic authentication system using a smart card having stored physiological data of a user on a chip disposed therein, and a fingerprint scan (or retina scan, voice identification, saliva or other identifying characteristic data) for comparison against the stored data. The system is self-contained so that the comparison of the identifying characteristic data with the data stored on the chip is done immediately on board the reader without relying upon communications to or from an external source in order to authenticate the user. This arrangement also prevents communication with external sources prior to user authentication being confirmed, so as to prevent user data from being stolen or corrupted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,477 describes a smart card for travel-related use, such as for airline, hotel, rental car, and payment-related applications. Memory space and security features within specific applications provide partnering organizations (e.g., airlines, hotel chains, and rental car agencies) the ability to construct custom and secure file structures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,560 describes a personal identification system based on iris analysis. U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,453 describes a personal identification system based on biometric fingerprint data. However, there is no encryption of the biometric information involved.
EP 0019191B1 discloses a paper of value (e.g. an ID) with an integrated circuit in which a checkable coding is written, the communication with the integrated circuit preferably being effected contactlessly via antennas. The integrated circuit is set in the gap of an at least partly metalized carrier foil. This foil is then laminated between two paper webs. Since the carrier foil is only laminated in between the two paper webs, however, there is the danger that the layers can be separated from each other relatively easily so that the plastic inlay provided with the chip can be used for possible forgeries. Further, this security element is a strictly machine-checkable security element that can only be checked by means of special detectors.
U.S. patent application 20030164611 by Schneider discloses a security paper for producing documents of value, such as bank notes, certificates, etc., with at least one multilayer security element. The security element is disposed at least partly on the surface of the security paper and has at least one visually checkable optical effect and at least one integrated circuit. Other recent U.S. patent applications relevant to the subject of the present invention include applications Nos. 20040081332, 20030117262, 20030116630, 20030099379, 20030093187 and 20020143588.
All prior art solutions deal with only partial aspects of the problem. All known solutions require basically a new product, fabricated with processes and steps materially different from existing processes and steps used in present day regular (non-smart) passports. Since these processes and steps differ from each other, there is no “standardized” manufacturing of a smart passport. No prior art solution is known to be a full solution that allows a regular passport to be transformed into a smart passport without requiring major production system changes and/or major fabrication step changes. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a smart passport that will not require major overhaul of existing methods and systems, yet fulfill its total security and forgery/tamper-proof functions. It would be further advantageous to find a “generic” solution that can incorporate various chips and operating systems (OSs) into the smart passport, which can then be issued by all authorized issuers that use such different chips and OSs.
The present invention discloses a method and system for providing secure, tamper-free and forgery-proof smart documents, in particular smart passports. The present invention further discloses a smart inlay that has inventive physical security components or “features”, and which can be inserted into any standard passport, thereby turning it into a smart passport. The smart inlay of the present invention is functionally flexible in that provides full accommodation of existing and emerging standards in the filed of smart documents, in particular of smart passports. These standards will include requirements for global interoperability, technical reliability, practicality and durability. The emerging standards will most likely require a digital representation of personal biometric information on a contactless chip in the passport booklet or in a visa The digital representation will include data. The biometric representation may be that of a face and fingerprint or iris. The contactless chip may be made by a variety of manufacturers, according to the ISO 14443A/B or ISO 15693 standards. The booklet may include the smart inlay in its cover (using a cover substantially identical with that of existing, non-smart passports) or in a data page. In a visa, the visa sticker will contain the chip and its antenna.
The biometric information is expected to provide a singular match (comparison) of a person to data stored in a database for identity verification. All digital information on the chip will be cryptographically signed to prevent forgery. The planned biometric storage needs include ca. 12 KB (kilo-bytes) for a face, 10 KB for a fingerprint, 30 KB for an iris and 5 KB for text+overhead. At the least, a smart passport will require will need 32 or 64 KBs. The required antenna size is the same as in ID-1 size documents similar to a credit size card. The inlay has to be mechanically reinforced to protect the inlaid chip and antenna. Finally, the smart passport has to be readable by a contactless reader that supports both ISO 14443A and 14443B standards.
The present invention provides a smart inlay that can accommodate a variety of chips, for example a Philips P5CT072 72K E2PROM or a ST Micro Electronics ST19XR34 34K E2PROM. The present invention further provides an upgrade path from a regular (non-smart) paper passport to a smart passport.
According to the present invention, there is provided a smart inlay comprising a core substrate operative to store and exchange information contactlessly with an external reader, the core substrate further conditioned to bind to a passport surface, at least one physical security feature coupled to the core substrate and operative to render the smart inlay tamper-proof, and a logical security feature incorporated in the core substrate and operative to render the smart inlay forgery-proof.
According to the present invention there is provided a smart passport comprising a passport booklet and a smart inlay incorporated in the passport booklet, whereby the smart inlay imparts tamper-proof and forgery-proof properties to the passport.
According to the present invention there is provided a method for tamper-proofing and forgery-proofing a passport, comprising the steps of providing a smart inlay operative to uniquely identify an authorized bearer of the passport, the smart inlay adaptively fitting into the passport, and attaching the smart inlay to the passport.
According to one feature in the method for tamper-proofing and forgery-proofing a passport of the present invention, the step of providing a smart inlay further includes providing an inlay with a core substrate operative to store and exchange information contactlessly with an external reader, the core substrate further conditioned to bind to a passport surface; at least one physical security component coupled to the core substrate and operative to render the inlay tamper-proof; and a logical security component incorporated in the core substrate and operative to render the smart inlay forgery-proof.
According to another feature in the method for tamper-proofing and forgery-proofing a passport of the present invention, the step of attaching the smart inlay to the passport includes attaching the inlay to the inside of a cover of the passport.
According to yet another feature in the method for tamper-proofing and forgery-proofing a passport of the present invention, the step of attaching the smart inlay to the passport includes attaching the inlay to at least one inside page of the passport.
According to the present invention there is provided a method for preventing tampering in a smart passport that includes a contactless chip physically connected to an antenna, comprising the steps of providing at least one physical security component operative to disconnect the chip from the antenna and using the at least one physical component to protect the smart passport form tamper attempts.
The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The present invention discloses devices and methods for providing secure, tamper-free and forgery-proof smart documents, in particular smart passports. The present invention discloses in particular a smart inlay to be used in a smart passport, and security features that make such a smart passport tamper-proof and forgery-proof. The present invention further provides an upgrade path from a regular (non-smart) paper passport to a smart passport.
a shows in cross section a preferred embodiment of a smart inlay 100 according to the present invention. Smart inlay 100 comprises a core substrate (or “core layer”) 102 made preferably of synthetic sheets, e.g. from Teslin manufactured by PPG Industries (www.ppg.com) or Artisyn manufactured by Darmic Inc. (www.daramic.com). Each of these materials provides a number of important advantages: each allows a judicious choice and application of tamper-proof adhesives, for example poly-vinyl-acetates (PVAs), thermoplastic adhesives such as ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) or polyethylene (PE), or the family of thermo-set adhesives. Teslin and Artisyn are further advantageous in that one can use most adhesives or glues that are water-based, solvent-based or heat or pressure activated, single or dual component. Alternatively, the core substrate material may include Vinyl or Polyurethane based materials. Smart inlay 100 further comprises an embedded contactless chip module 104 that includes an encapsulated chip 106 and a lead frame 108, and tearing lines (“tear lines”) 110 that provide a first main inventive security component. Tear lines 110 are preferably positioned under the lead frame electrodes. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the tear lines may extend the whole width of the inlay, to provide added bending flexibility (in addition to a weak spot) to the passport into which the inlay is incorporated (see below). Smart inlay 100 further comprises an antenna 120 that allows two-way communication between the chip and an outside contactless reader system (not shown). The chip module is electrically connected to the antenna through the lead frame. Optionally, smart inlay 100 further comprises a cover material 112 attached to the core by a thin layer of adhesive 114, preferably a highly solvent resistant adhesive, and most preferably a thermo-set-type adhesive with a relatively high bond breaking temperature, e.g. serial number 9534 manufactured by Apollo (www.apolloadhesives.com), 3M (www.3m.com) adhesive sheet 9218, 9200 or 9328,
or Scapa Tape G175 (www.scapatapesnacom). The core substrate has a typical thickness of 220-240 micron, while the smart inlay has a typical size that fits in a page of a smart passport, see for example
b shows in a top view a smart passport inlay (“smart cover”) with vinyl cover 120 (normally inserted in the “back cover” of a passport, see below) complemented by a “dumb” section 122 (normally inserted in a “front cover” of a passport, see below), both with typical dimensions indicated on the figure. As shown in
a shows a smart passport booklet 200′ that includes a smart inlay 202 incorporated into a cover 204 (usually a back, fiber-reinforced vinyl cover, for example one manufactured by ICG Holliston (www.icgholliston.com)). The figure further shows an external booklet page 206 and the rest of the booklet contents 208.
a shows schematically steps in a preferred manufacturing process of the smart inlay of the present invention. The manufacturing is performed in a system in which a continuous material strip 300, preferably made of Teslin or Artisyn is fed by a reel. Smart inlay cores with a top surface 301a and a bottom surface 301b are part of strip 300. First, a chip hole 302 and local weakening patterns in the core layer, referred to hereinafter generically as “tear lines” 304 are fabricated (e.g. punched) in the feed strip in a step 350. The tear lines are designed to provide a local weak link in the smart inlay, so that any attempt to separate the core layer from the cover will lead to irreversible core substrate deformation and mechanical destruction of the antenna/chip assembly. That is, such an attempt will cause the separation of the antenna from the chip, or the breakup of the chip electrode/lead frame. This is one main inventive physical security feature of the smart inlay of the present invention. The tear lines may be in the form of perforations, preferably positioned under the electrode area as shown in
In the case of the first adhesive layer being the only layer in the process, the preferred adhesive is a thermo-set adhesive such as serial number 9534 manufactured by Apollo (www.apolloadhesives.com). Thermo-set adhesives behave irreversibly and have a wide range of bond-breaking temperatures that reaches over 200 degrees C. This makes the adhesive itself the “strong” link in the composite layer structure, and ensures failure in places other that the adhesive, providing yet another inventive physical security feature. Furthermore, if the first adhesive is the only adhesive used, it is further preferably patterned, as explained with reference to
In step 354, a chip module 308 (shown in more detail in
As mentioned, when the smart inlay (and its “dumb” section in case of a smart cover) produced in steps 350-356 is about to be attached to a cover, a second adhesive layer 114′ (used if the first adhesive layer does not fulfill that function) is introduced between the inlay and the cover and used to fill any voids in glue layer 306′. The introduction of this layer is shown in an additional step 358. It has been determined experimentally that attempts to peel off the inlay from the cover show distinct tampering effects when second adhesive layer 114′ is also applied in a patterned form (independently of the form, patterning or even presence of a first adhesive layer), as shown in both step 358 and in a cross section in
c shows several exemplary embodiments of geometries of patterned adhesives according to the present invention. Embodiments A-E show a first adhesive overlaid with the antenna, and embodiment H shows a cross section of a composite, two-adhesive structure with the antenna in the middle. In more detail, embodiment A shows a zigzag first adhesive pattern 360, overlaid by an antenna 362. Embodiment B shows a series of glue segments 364 overlaid by an antenna 366. Embodiment C shows a “stretched spring” adhesive pattern 368 overlaid by an antenna 370. Embodiment D shows a full adhesive strip 372 overlaid by an antenna 374. Embodiment E shows a dot adhesive pattern 376 overlaid by an antenna 378. In all cases, “overlaid” preferably also means that the antenna is actually sunk into the adhesive, so that is in the same plane as the adhesive. Methods for deposition of patterned adhesives are well known in the art.
Embodiment H shows in cross section a composite adhesive structure in which a first adhesive 380 and a second adhesive 382 (both having a tooth-like appearance as in
The invention thus advantageously provides a number of physical security features, some of which have been mentioned above and some of which will be discussed in more detail now. All physical security features are geared toward providing a tamper-proof product. First, the tear lines mentioned and shown with regard to
The smart passport is now prepared using the smart inlay provided in step 534. If in the form of a smart cover, the smart inlay is glued or attached otherwise to a passport booklet in step 550, the booklet is folded in step 552, and each individual passport is cut in step 554. A fourth test (process 406 in
All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention.