e-Wallet – THE FUTURE OF CARDS
Abstract:
Using the basic concepts of Embedded Systems, an idea for changing the future of Cards (Banking, Petro, Health, Televoice, etc.) is proposed in this paper. Requirement of a special card reader, limited lifetime, acceptance being the main disadvantages of today’s traditional cards, led to the design of e-Wallet. The main objective of e-Wallet is to make paperless money transaction easier. The main idea behind this paper is to bring in a cheaper, more versatile and much more easily usable kind of a card. Using this e-Wallet the transaction procedure can be as simple as: the customer goes to the point of sale (POS), does the purchasing and when it comes to the payment, the customer submits his e-Wallet to vender who connects it to his terminal (PC).The vender displays the billing information to the customer who finalizes it. The amount in the e-Wallet is updated accordingly. Later at periodic intervals, the vender intimates the bank (in case of credit cards) which transfers the amount from the customer’(s) account to his. The advantages of e-Wallet are its ease of use (doesn’t require a separate card reader), ease of maintenance, flexibility, safety, being the primary ones. The designing of the card is similar to any other embedded card. The designing cost of the card (e-Wallet) being as low as the price of a pizza. There are ample enhancements to this application from credit cards to televoice cards. Unlike traditional cards which are application oriented, all the applications’ software can be embedded into this e-Wallet which provides multi-functionality.
Introduction:
With the advent of computers many technologies are taking this world by a surprise. These include Embedded Systems (ES), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Neural Networks (NN), Fuzzy Logic, Bluetooth and many more are upcoming. This paper deals with Embedded Systems in a new perspective.
In easy terms, Embedded Systems can be viewed as a combination of hardware and software components, in which the software is implanted into the hardware to do the specific job. These ES were implemented in various fields from Battery chargers to Aviation Systems besides Cell phones (GSM, GPRS, CDMA, etc.). These ES are being developed in ‘leaps and bounds’. The never-ending efforts of many scientists in the field of ES led to the evolution of Smart Technology (ST).
Using the basic concept of ES, an idea for changing the future of Cards (Banking, Petro, Health etc.) is proposed in this paper. To interpret this idea, it is first needed to know the pros & cons of today’s ‘traditional’ cards. Consider the example of banking:
The magnetic stripe cards used for transactions are as simple as visiting cards, with a magnetic tape to hold the user information. The basic advantages of these cards are:
· Ease of mobility
· Ease of use
Coming to the disadvantages of these cards, few are listed here under:
· Easy Duplication
· Requires a special card reader
· Networking problems
· No memory to hold the current balance
· Limited lifetime
· No particular user authentication
· Unsecured remote transaction
· Limited acceptance
· Vulnerable to moisture, heat, dirt etc.
and the list goes on……
Keeping these pros & cons in view, the Smart Technology is introduced to develop a new class of cards. This stream of Smart Technology can be termed as Smart Card Technology (SCT). This smart card has a microprocessor or memory chip embedded in it that, when coupled with a reader, has the processing power to serve many different applications. Such cards can be referred to as e-Wallet (electronic Wallet).
e-Wallet:
The main objective of e-Wallet is to make paperless money transaction easier. The electronic wallet (e-Wallet) is just like a leather wallet as it does the same, in terms of e-cash. In today’s life where monetary value and security both, go hand in hand, it is difficult to satisfy customers using the routine cards. The main idea behind this paper is to bring in a cheaper, more versatile and much more easily usable kind of a card.
Salient features of e-Wallet are:
ü More than 40 years of data retention
ü Firewall encrypted security logic
ü Compatible with many supporting hardware.
ü No separate card reader is required to access our card.
ü Polarity reversal indicator is pre-built in our card.
ü Reusability of our card is unlimited.
ü Multiple card features are incorporated in the same card.
ü External complexities are less.
Transaction Procedure:
The e-Wallet cardholder goes to a point of sale (POS) location where the e-Wallet is accepted. Having chosen the goods he wishes to buy, he goes to the cash desk. Here, the merchant calculates the total value and enters it on the payment terminal using a keypad. The terminal then displays the amount on a small screen facing the cardholder, who confirms the amount by pressing an "OK" button. In less than a second, the value is transferred from the e-Wallet to the terminal, and the value remaining in the e-Wallet is adjusted. This is an off-line transaction. A message is displayed to both the cardholder and the merchant saying that the payment has been accepted.
Periodically, the merchant connects the terminal to his bank to do a collection that is to transfer the value collected in the terminal to his bank account. This is an on-line transaction. The terminal sends a message for each transaction to the e-Wallet host system, identifying the card number and issuer and the amount. The host system debits the float account of the issuer and credits the merchant's account. This typically takes a few seconds per transaction.
Merchants can program their terminals to automatically do collections each day, week or month, or when a specified value of transactions is reached. If merchants have a number of terminals (e.g. a vending machine operator, or a large supermarket) then they can use the "shuttle collection" system, where terminals download their data onto a special collection card, which in turn then downloads it into a central terminal, which is then used to perform an on-line collection.
Card Designing:
Application Specific Integrated Circuit:
Most of the home friendly electronic oriented products works on custom specified integrated circuit chips like electric oven, cellular phones, washing machines etc. Following this global trend we are using FIELD PROGRAMABLE GATE ARRAY (FPGA) belonging to the family of APPLICATION SPECIFIC INTEGRATED CIRCUIT
Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA):
FPGA is widely used in all consumer electronic devices because of its low cost and better reliability. It can be easily programmed by the end user and used in any applications. FPGA can be broadly classified into two types
1. Custom designed IC
2. General purpose IC
Custom design FPGA’s are developed by user specification from wafer level and final output is obtained. It is only suitable for mass production systems with unique programming .Another widely used one is general purpose FPGA’s which were supplied by the vendor in IC form where the user has to program to his requirements with the help of EDA tools (electronic device automation).
Internal Architecture of FPGA:
The internal blocks of FPGA IC are:
Embedded Microcontroller: The embedded microcontroller used here is ATMEL AT40K. It has the overall system control and it interprets the encryption algorithm. A dedicated logic is used for security measures such as personal identification number (pin) authentication or challenge response. The voltage level is: VCC= 1.8 +/- 0.15V.
Crypto Coprocessor: This is a custom designed unit (Modular Exponential unit) to implement encryption algorithm. Inside, it has a ROM to store the password used. It runs independent of the microcontroller unit and it minimizes the delay in data encryption and decryption. By using a crypto-coprocessor, the password in encrypted and stored and it would be almost impossible for a hacker to crack the password.
Random Word Generator: The random word generator unit generates a random word which replaces the password (correct password) in the buffers and other terminals with a random word after the transaction is over. Hence it is almost impossible to replicate the behavior of the ASIC and thereby obtain the encryption key or algorithm used.
On Chip Security Power Management: This unit protects the card (ASIC) against over voltage or under voltage and over frequency or under frequency of the clock signals given for operation.
Access Control: Access control unit protects the on chip memory. It provides address and data bus scrambling and detects any non-standard attempt to acquire memory access.
Flash ROM / ROM: Flash ROM stores the instruction set for the microcontroller unit, the necessary monitor routine programs and the application code. Here the flash ROM is used because there are 32 available instructions sets for different applications. But only one instruction set is used. If another instruction set is used the card can be used for only the specific application.
EEPROM: EEPROM is used to store the processed data i.e. the balance amount in the card. This part is of commercial importance as it holds the monetary information of the card. Also the EEPROM sends the data to be read for establishing transaction
RAM: It provides the workspace for both the microcontroller unit and the crypto co-processor. It’s where the actual comparison of the stored password (original password) and the given password for transaction to take place. Only if the given password is the actual password, the access is given to view the details of the card, deposition, withdrawal are allowed.
Serial Interface: It has six valid pins CS-chip select, CLK-external clock, DI-data input, D0-data input, VOC-voltage input, GND-ground. Actually a parallel printer port is used for interface of the card with PC. But only the six required pins of the printer ports are activated. Thus the advantages of parallel and serial communication are utilized. There is no need for a separate USB.
RF Interface: This unit provides establishment of transaction using Blue tooth technology, which is our future enhancement.
Internal 16 Bit Address/Data Bus:
This provides communication between different units inside ASIC chip. This ASIC chip is built satisfying ISO 7816 standards.
Operation:
- Once the card is given the power supply all the units are activated.
- The password is sought and the password is sent. The first bit is chip select then the start bit, two opcode bits, 6-address bits and 16 data bits.
The dedicated embedded microcontroller looks after this process.
- Then the given password is sent to the RAM work space.
- The password (original password) after decryption by the crypto processor is sent to the RAM.
- Here the passwords are compared by the microcontroller. Only if the both the passwords are correct, the access control unit brings the flash ROM, EEPROM units of low impedance state.
- Otherwise the units are kept in high impedance state.
- The on-chip security power management unit provides the correct voltage and correct frequency (CLK signal) for functioning of the ASIC.
- If the password is correct, then the microcontroller fetches the instructions from the instruction set in the FLASH ROM.
- The balance amount can be fetched form the EEPROM, through the D0 pin of the serial interface.
- After the transaction is over the balance amount is stored in the EEPROM through D1 pin of the serial interface.
- Once the transaction is over, the random word generator generates a random word and sends it to the terminal ends and other buffers where the original password is present.
This protects the original password from being hacked by hackers.
- Thus the ASIC is designed for effective transaction with proper security to the customers.
Features of e–Wallet:
- Refillable
- Infinite lifetime
- Current balance can be stored and read
- User authentication is provided
- Universal access
- Maximum possible cash
- Cannot be duplicated
Advantages of e-Wallet:
Ease of use:
- Withdraw or deposit value by telephone
- Pay the exact amount, no fiddling for change
- No signature required
- Immediate payment
In the future, access points may include mobile phones
Accessibility and convenience:
- Cash machines and telephones give more access points to funds in bank account
- Available 24 hours / 365 days
- Cash machines and telephones cannot run out of electronic cash
Flexibility:
- Transfer value by telephone
- Pay person to person
- For low or high values
- Multi-currency capability
- No age limit, so suitable for all the family
Safety and control:
- Spend only what you have
- Read your balance
- Load value at home
- Lock your card or wallet
- Keep track of what you have spent and where
- Customer is traceable if a lost card is found
Conclusion:
With all the above mentioned features it is definite that the future of cards is definitely e-Wallet’s. Besides credit cards, this e-Wallet can also be extended into the following fields, namely:
ü Sim – card
ü Petro – card
ü Credit – card
ü Health – card
ü Intelligent web – surfing card
ü Insurance – card
ü Access – card
ü ATM
ü Televoice card
These are only the few to mention. Due to its ease of adaptability to its environment, this e-Wallet would certainly change the way people transact (monetary transactions).
