Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device and a method for protecting an electronic system against an unauthorized access. 
     DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART 
     Some electronic systems, for example, electronic payment terminals, comprise a printed circuit contained in a package. Electronic circuits may be welded on the two surfaces of the printed circuits or be electrically connected to the printed circuit. This concerns, for example, microprocessors, a memory card connector, a display screen, etc. 
     The security rules prescribed by accrediting bodies generally impose to provide protection devices enabling to prevent the access to certain electronic components attached to the printed circuit, for example, microprocessors. 
     A first example of a protection device adapted to an electronic payment terminal corresponds to dummy keys provided at the level of a membrane forming the keyboard of the terminal. A dummy key is connected to the rest of the membrane by a peripheral lip, like for a conventional key, but is not visible from the outside of the terminal. 
     When the terminal package is closed, the dummy key is permanently pressed by the package to bear against the printed circuit. In this case, the dummy key closes a switch provided at the integrated circuit level. The closing of the switch is detected by a processing circuit, not shown. When someone tries to open the package to access its content, the dummy key is no longer pressed by the package and is brought back by the lip to an idle position, causing the opening of the associated switch. The processing circuit is capable of detecting this opening, which indicates that an unauthorized opening of the package is occurring. 
     Another example of protection device adapted to an electronic payment terminal corresponds to a mesh device. Such a protection device corresponds, for example, to a flexible circuit comprising a stack of flexible and insulating films containing one or several conductive tracks, for example, made of copper. The tracks form security lines arranged in zigzag and connected to a processing circuit. The processing circuit is capable of determining whether a security line has been interrupted, the interruption of a security line corresponding to an unauthorized access to the printed circuit. 
     Each of the previously-described examples of protection devices has disadvantages. Indeed, in the case of protection devices with dummy keys, a user might, without opening the package and by eliminating, for example, by scraping, cutting, machining, grinding, etc., a portion of the keyboard membrane, access the metal tracks of the printed circuit and thus to information contained in the printed circuit without for an unauthorized access to be detected. Another disadvantage of a protection device with dummy keys is that an unauthorized access may be erroneously detected when a dummy key is displaced in the case where the electronic system package is submitted to a shock. Further, for a mesh protection device, a user could succeed in displacing, at least partly, the flexible circuit of the mesh device without interrupting the conductive tracks that it contains, and thus to have access to the metal tracks of the printed circuit without for an unauthorized access to be detected. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention aims at a device for protecting an electronic circuit against unauthorized accesses to an electronic circuit contained in the electronic system package which is difficult to neutralize. 
     Another object of the present invention is a protection device relatively insensitive to shocks. 
     An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a protection system configurable by product or by family of products. 
     To achieve this, an aspect of the present invention provides an electronic system comprising a printed circuit contained in a package. The system comprises a protection device comprising: 
     conductive tracks supported by the printed circuit and each having a free end and extending at the printed circuit level; 
     a first integrated circuit connected to the conductive tracks and capable of detecting a variation of the capacitance seen by each conductive track; and 
     a second integrated circuit, possibly confounded with the first integrated circuit, comprising a memory configurable to select some of the conductive tracks. The second integrated circuit is capable of determining that an authorized or unauthorized access is occurring from the detection of the variation of the capacitance seen by at least one of the selected conductive tracks. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the memory configuration is different from one system to another or from one family of systems to another. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the pattern of said conductive tracks avoids the locations above the components supported by the printed circuit. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the printed circuit is rigid, the electronic system comprising an electronic component connected to the printed circuit by a flexible printed circuit, at least one of said conductive tracks extending at the level of the flexible printed circuit. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, said conductive tracks are electrically isolated from one another and at least two of said conductive tracks overlap and/or are adjacent at the level of a portion of the printed circuit. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the first integrated circuit is connected to the second integrated circuit by a series connection. 
     Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for determining an unauthorized access to a printed circuit contained in a package of an electronic system. The method comprises the steps of: 
     providing conductive tracks, each having a free end and extending at least at the printed circuit level, a first integrated circuit connected to the conductive tracks, and a second integrated circuit, possibly confounded with the first integrated circuit, comprising a memory; 
     storing into the memory parameters for selecting some of the conductive tracks; 
     having the first integrated circuit detect, for each conductive track, whether the capacitance seen by the conductive track varies; 
     having the second integrated circuit determine that an authorized or unauthorized access is occurring from the detection of the variation of the capacitance seen by at least one of the selected conductive tracks. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, each conductive track has a corresponding identifier. The method comprises having the first integrated circuit transmit to the second integrated circuit the identifier of the conductive track for which the capacitance variation is detected. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the parameters comprise at least a list of identifiers of at least some conductive tracks. The second integrated circuit determines that an authorized or unauthorized access is occurring if the identifier of the track for which the capacitance variation is detected belongs to the list. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the parameters comprise at least one logic operation involving the identifiers of at least some of the conductive tracks. The second integrated circuit determines that an authorized or unauthorized access is occurring if capacitance variations are detected for the conductive tracks associated with said identifiers and if the logic operation is verified. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, several sets of parameters are stored in the memory. The method comprises providing the second integrated circuit with a signal for selecting a set of parameters from among said sets of parameters, said selected set of parameters being used by the second integrated circuit to determine that an authorized or unauthorized access is occurring. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the selection of the conductive tracks differs according to the system or to the system family. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises the steps of: 
     determining calibration values based on a reference printed circuit; 
     calibrating the first integrated circuit of the printed circuit based on said calibration values; and 
     having the first integrated circuit transmit a fault signal in the case where it detects a variation of the capacitance seen by at least one of the conductive tracks. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be discussed in detail in the following non-limiting description of specific embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  schematically shows an electronic payment terminal; 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified top view of a printed circuit of the terminal of  FIG. 1  comprising a protection device according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are partial simplified cross-section views of the printed circuit of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate, in the form of block diagrams, steps of examples of methods of use of the protection device of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For clarity, the same elements have been designated with the same reference numerals in the different drawings. Further, only those elements which are necessary to the understanding of the present invention will be described. 
       FIG. 1  schematically shows an embodiment of an electronic system  10 , for example, an electronic payment terminal. Reader  10  comprises a package  12  formed of an upper package portion  14  connected to a lower package portion  16 . Openings  17  are provided in upper package portion  14  for a display  18  and keys  20  belonging, for example, to a keyboard. Further, an opening  21  is provided in package  12  to enable the introduction of memory cards, for example, bank cards, not shown. 
       FIG. 2  is a simplified top view of an embodiment of a printed circuit  30  contained in package  12  and provided with a protection device  32  according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  show simplified cross-sections of printed circuit  30  of  FIG. 2  according to two embodiments of printed circuit  30 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , printed circuit  30  is formed of a rigid insulating support  34  comprising two opposite surfaces  36  and  38 . Conductive tracks  40 , for example, made of copper, are arranged on surface  36  and conductive tracks  42 , for example, made of copper, are arranged on surface  38 . A layer of a protection varnish may be provided on each surface  36 ,  38 . Vias  44  crossing support  34  connect certain tracks  40  to tracks  42 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , substrate  30  corresponds to a multilayer structure comprising a rigid insulating base structure  46  covered with a secondary insulating layer  48 . Conductive tracks  50 , for example, made of copper, are provided on base layer  46  and are covered with secondary layer  48 . Conductive tracks  52  are arranged on secondary insulating layer  48 . Vias  54  crossing secondary layer  48  connect certain conductive tracks  52  to tracks  50 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , components  56  attached to printed circuit  30  have been schematically shown by rectangles. Further, display  18  may be attached to printed circuit  30  via a flexible printed circuit  58 , or flex circuit, having its ends connected to display  18  and to printed circuit  30  via connectors  60 ,  62 . The conductive tracks of printed circuit  30  taking part in the conventional operation of terminal  10  are not shown. 
     Protection device  32  comprises a capacitive position sensor  70  (Sensor) connected to a circuit of protection against an unauthorized access  71  (μP) by a connection  72 , for example, a series connection. Sensor  70  for example corresponds to an integrated circuit of family CY8C20×34 sold under trade name Cap-Sense by Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. 
     Sensor  70  is connected to conductive tracks  74  supported by printed circuit  30  and preferentially distributed on said circuit according to the areas to be protected. Tracks  74  are insulated from one another and each track  74  has a free end. Preferably, tracks  74  extend substantially over the entire printed circuit  30 , avoiding the locations above the components. 
     In particular, some conductive tracks  74  may extend at the level of flex circuit  58 . In  FIG. 2 , conductive tracks  74  of two different levels have been shown in full lines and in dotted lines. As an example, when printed circuit  30  is made according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , conductive tracks  74  in full lines correspond to tracks  40  and conductive tracks  74  in dotted lines correspond to tracks  42 . When printed circuit  30  is made according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , conductive tracks  74  in full lines correspond to tracks  52  and conductive tracks  74  in dotted lines correspond to conductive tracks  50 . A ground plane may be provided at the level of the printed circuit  30  surrounding each conductive track  74  or some of them and connected to sensor  70 . 
     When a via  44  or  54  connects two tracks in different levels, at least one of them has a free end. It can thus be considered that it is a same track made in several levels and having a free end. 
     Data can be exchanged between protection circuit  71  and a system external to terminal  10  over a connection  78 , for example, a series or parallel connection. Data can be exchanged between sensor  70  and a system external to terminal  10  via connections  72 ,  78  and circuit  71 . 
     As an example, sensor  70  is capable of detecting, for each conductive track  74 , that a variation of the capacitance seen by conductive tracks  74  is occurring and of providing, in the case, to protection circuit  71 , over connection  72 , a fault signal representative of an identifier of conductive track  74  for which a capacitance variation is detected. Sensor  70  can successively check, track  74  after track  74 , whether the capacitance seen by each track  74  has varied or not. As an example, sensor  70  provides a fault signal associated with a given track  74  when the difference (in absolute value) between the capacitance seen by conductive track  74  and a reference value is greater than a threshold. A more detailed description of an example of operation of sensor  70  is described in application notes AN 2393 and AN 14459 provided by Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. 
     When someone tries to access printed circuit  30 , for example, by means of tools, the presence of the tool near printed circuit  30  causes a variation of the capacitance seen by at least one of conductive tracks  74  adjacent to the tool, which will be detected by sensor  70 . The capacitance variation can be obtained without for the tool to be in contact with printed circuit  30 . The detection of the capacitance variation of tracks  74  thus enables to detect that an access to package  12  is occurring. 
     A calibration of sensor  70  may be performed to set, for each conductive track  74 , the reference capacitance value and the comparison threshold. A more detailed description of an example of calibration of sensor  70  is described in application note AN 42137 provided by Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. The calibration may be performed by connecting a system external to sensor  70  via connections  72 ,  78  and circuit  71 . 
     Protection circuit  71  is capable of determining whether an unauthorized access to the inside of package  12  is occurring based on fault signals provided by sensor  70 . When circuit  71  determines that an unauthorized access is occurring, it can make payment terminal  10  stop, have critical data stored in payment terminal  10  erased, etc. 
     In the present embodiment, detection circuit  71  comprises a memory  80  (MEM) in which several sets of conditions or parameters are stored. Each set of conditions corresponds to conditions based on which circuit  71  determines whether an authorized or unauthorized access is occurring when it receives one or several fault signals provided by sensor  70 . At a given time, protection circuit  71  uses a single set of conditions. The sets of conditions can be modified by an external system connected to payment terminal  10  via connection  78 . As an example, a set of conditions may comprise a list of the identifiers of conductive tracks  74  which must be taken into account for the detection of an unauthorized access. In this case, circuit  71  only determines that an unauthorized access is occurring if it receives a fault signal corresponding to an identifier belonging to the list. According to another example, a condition may correspond to a logic operation connecting identifiers of tracks  74 . When protection circuit  71  successively receives fault signals associated with different tracks  74 , it determines that an unauthorized access is occurring only if the logic operation linking the identifiers of these tracks is verified. 
     The use of sets of conditions enables to delimit, in simple and scalable fashion, areas of printed circuit  30  to which the access is desired to be prevented, from areas to which the access is desired to be authorized, even if conductive tracks  74  extend almost all over printed circuit  30 . The delimitation of an area of printed circuit  30  to which the access is desired to be authorized can be obtained by a condition which indicates to circuit  71  not to detect an unauthorized access in the case where sensor  70  successively transmits fault signals corresponding to a determined set of tracks  74 . As an example, in the case where the set of conditions indicates that an unauthorized access must be determined except in the case where sensor  70  transmits fault signals corresponding to tracks P 1  and P 2 , this means that the access is not authorized for the portions of printed circuit  30  at the level of which conductive tracks  74  extend, except for the portion of printed circuit  30  in the vicinity of the crossing of tracks P 1  and P 2 . The same partition may be obtained by providing two conductive tracks  74  sufficiently close to each other in the portion of printed circuit  30  to which the access is desired to be authorized. Conductive tracks  74  can then be of same “level”. 
     A given partition of printed circuit  30  into authorized access areas and unauthorized access areas corresponds to a given set of conditions. Several sets of conditions, each corresponding to a specific partition, may be stored in memory  80  of protection circuit  71 . Sensor  70  uses a single set of conditions at a given time. The partition of printed circuit  30  may be modified by the selection of the set of conditions used by circuit  71 . 
     A partition of printed circuit  30  into authorized access areas and unauthorized access areas may be desirable in some cases. According to an example, in operation, it may be desirable to authorize an access to certain portions of printed circuit  30  to a user of terminal  10 . As an example, a terminal  10  may comprise a SIM-type card (Subscriber Identity Module) specific to the user. It can then be desirable to authorize a change of SIM card by the user. The present invention advantageously enables to adapt the number and the position of the authorized access areas of terminal  10  according to the operating configuration of terminal  10 . Thus, when terminal  10  comprises a SIM card, circuit  71  uses a set of conditions authorizing an access to the SIM card while when terminal  10  comprises no SIM card, circuit  71  uses a set of conditions authorizing no access to the location of printed circuit  30  at which, in the previously-described configuration, a SIM card is present. According to another example, in a maintenance operation, it is desirable to enable a qualified operator to access all or at least certain portions of printed circuit  30 . 
       FIG. 5  shows, in the form of a block diagram, the steps of a method of use of printed circuit  30  of  FIG. 2  according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     At step  90 , the operating mode of protection circuit  71  is selected. This corresponds to the selection of the set of conditions stored in memory  80  to be used by circuit  71 . This may be obtained by the connection of a system external to terminal  10  via connection  78 . This may also be obtained by the keying in of a specific code via keyboard  20 . The method carries on at step  92 . 
     At step  92 , during the operation of terminal  10 , sensor  70  successively verifies whether the capacitance seen by each conductive track  74  varies. When such a variation is detected, sensor  70  provides protection circuit  71  with a fault signal representative of the conductive track  74  for which a detection has been performed. An access to circuit  30  may cause the successive transmission of several fault signals by sensor  70  associated with different conductive tracks  74 . The method carries on at step  94 . 
     At step  94 , circuit  71  determines whether the access is authorized or not based on the selected set of conditions and based on the identifiers of conductive tracks  74  for each of which it has received a fault signal. If the access is authorized, no action is taken and the method carries on at step  92 . If the access is not authorized, the method carries on at step  96 . 
     At step  96 , circuit  71  then carries out the steps of protection of printed circuit  30  on detection of an unauthorized access. They comprise, for example, the stopping of the operation of terminal  10 , the erasing of certain data stored in memories connected to printed circuit  30 , etc. 
       FIG. 6  shows, in the form of a block diagram, the steps of a method of use of printed circuit  30  according to another embodiment of the invention. Such a method comprises using protection device  32  at the end of the assembly of electronic components on printed circuit  30  to ascertain that all electronic components have been arranged properly. It enables, in a simple fashion, with no dedicated equipment, to verify that the printed circuit has been properly assembled. 
     The method starts at step  100  at which a training step which comprises, for a reference printed circuit  30  for which all components  56  have been properly arranged, calibrating sensor  70  of reference printed circuit  30  until no fault signal is transmitted, is carried out. The values of the calibration parameters obtained at the end of the calibration of the reference printed circuit are stored. The method carries on at step  102 . 
     At step  102 , when all the components are attached to a printed circuit  30  to be tested, an operation of calibration of sensor  70  of printed circuit  30  to be tested is performed based on the calibration parameters obtained at step  100 . The method carries on at step  104 . 
     At step  104 , when certain components are not arranged properly on printed circuit  30  to be tested and/or when certain provided components are absent, the values of the capacitances seen by conductive tracks  74  adjacent to the locations of the improperly attached and/or missing components are different from the expected values. This difference is detected by sensor  70  which provides fault signals. The method carries on at step  106 . 
     At step  106 , an analysis of the fault signals provided by sensor  70  is performed via an external system connected to sensor  70  by connections  72 ,  78  and circuit  71 . This analysis results in the determination of the missing or improperly assembled components. 
     The protection device is configurable, by the data contained in memory  80 , to distinguish products (or systems) or families of products (or families of systems) from one another. Thus, the memory configuration enables to select the tracks for which a capacitance variation is taken into account. Based on a same structure, the circuit signature can thus be modified by simple configuration of memory  80 . This makes a possible piracy even more difficult by suppressing the reproducibility from one circuit to another. 
     The fact of not providing tracks above the components is not disturbing in terms of security and avoids introducing stray capacitances into the circuit operation. 
     Specific embodiments of the present invention have been described. Various alterations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. In particular, although in the previously-described example, protection circuit  71  and sensor  70  have been described as separated circuits, it should be clear that these two circuits may at least partly be common. In particular, the storage and the use of sets of conditions may be performed by sensor  70 .

Technology Category: g