Electronic card payment systems for electricity

Rainbow Technologies

According to specialized sources, the demand for domestic and industrial sectors of Russia's advanced electronic electricity meters is estimated at 50 million units, of which the industry annually supplies about one million. Both in Russia and in neighboring post-Soviet states electricity prices are rising, and the collection of payments are becoming more relevant. As a catalyst for consumers to timely pay electricity in many regions is considered the introduction of meters that can regulate the release the power depending on the actual payment. The very idea of ​​automatically limiting the consumption of non-payment in the event, which seemed sacrilegious even five years ago is now seen not only natural but also as a real factor in the impact on consumers in terms of growth rates.

Prepaid meter makes use of an intermediate carrier, which would allow to deliver information about the payments made to counter himself the final consumer or to AMR, part of which he is. In a number of existing meters with prepaid Lithuanian, Ukrainian and Russian production as a tool for working with electronic payments using credit cards. The traditional view of the card as the only means of cashless payment gives the appearance there is no alternative choice. However, a deeper analysis shows that an alternative exists.

Analysis of the requirements for electronic cards

The main requirements for an electronic card with a prepaid systems are considered sufficient memory, the security of the cards and readers from vandalism and security of portable card information. We estimate the validity of these claims, and how they correspond to the electronic smart cards.

Readers cards are installed in open access areas, so you need to bring increased demands on their Vandal. At the same time as is necessary to design counters to the failure of the reader did not violate the device performance as a whole. Slotted hole of a plastic card is protected from vandalism in the least degree. The best in this sense, readers are contactless inductive cards. However, contactless cards with memory induction of the road and almost in Belarus and in Russia do not apply, including those due to the high cost of readers for them.

The second aspect of payment systems linked with the protection of information. As a means of protection must match the real threats to information, we estimate the real threat in this case. The structure of the systems requires a prepayment of a banking institution, which establishes the AWP calculation of arrears of payment acceptance. Payment on the map is fixed digital receipt, which must be delivered to the customer to the counter to continue his work. Thus, in this application, the card is not a means of payment, but only a means of delivery receipts, automate the process of entering information into the counter. There are counters to the keyboard panel, on which the user dials digit code printed on his paper in the bank. In this design, the role of electronic card carries a sheet of paper with numbers. Protection of the vehicle not less than the maps in our case and is determined solely by the methods of preparation of the digital receipt of payment.

As a means of delivering e-card is at risk of destruction of information (to restore it in this case does not present problems in the banking institution), distortion, and the substitution of information on the card. We note an important fact: in the payment card or information system is a carrier of funds, a key access to the account or confidential information, and therefore it is of interest opening to outside intruders. In our system, third-party attackers are least interested in the forgery and the opening of the card, it is of greatest interest is for its owner. To eliminate the threat of distortion and substitution of digital electronic receipt information must be encrypted. Encryption and decryption are not carried out a map and an electronic controller, counter and computer banking center on the agreed algorithms. Therefore, the degree of security digital payment receipt can be completely determined by the methods of coding and not the type of media, what is the only e-card or a piece of paper. Modern encryption methods can be defined as changing the code in the transfer process, and attempts to re-substitution of the same code (re-submission of a receipt of payment without a second). Consequently, the use of cryptographic techniques in an electronic counter and a computer center bank electronic version of the receipt of the payment is a convenient means of delivering information and facilitated entry into the counter. Hence the requirements for such a device: a sufficient amount of memory, reliability and durability in a domestic environment, a simple and reliable interface.

The more opportunities for the protection of a portable electronic card has a code, the easier it may be methods of cryptographic protection. However, the card is a prepaid system is massively replicated device. Therefore, if the cost exceeds the cost of secure card unsecured cards despite the fact that both have enough memory, and, moreover, has a less secure card reader is vandal-resistant, it is economically more justified in the use of less complex maps.

Electronic maps of the family of iButton

These maps (see Fig. 1) is widely used in Belarus in security systems, access control systems at gas stations for the past 9 years and have everything you need to use as a carrier of electronic payment receipts.

In Fig. A.

Maps form a series of devices (Table 1) with built-in nonvolatile memory capacity of 256 bits up to 8 Kbytes.

Table 1.

Card readers iButton (Fig. 2) are almost two blades of stainless steel. The production of these readers can be arranged on the spot. In contrast to the smart cards readers, card readers iButton not have holes, are not affected by dust, dirt, and not be afraid to direct moisture. Each device has a unique unchangeable number that uniquely allows you to associate it with a counter (the payer). Some models of cards have additional properties that can be used by developers. Since the device DS1991 (1kbit RAM) has memory protection by password, the device DS1963S (4Kbit RAM) allows for more active methods of authentication. When using such a card, even the creation of an electronic plaster cast with the same number does not allow to replace the card. The device DS1963L (4Kbit RAM) will allow for sophisticated cryptographic techniques to protect against attempts to presentation of digital receipts, that is, to identify situations when information about a payment substituted several times. It has a built-in automatic transaction count, so that every unauthorized entry of data in it can be detected.

In Fig. Two.

Interface cards iButton is well described in the literature and allows you to connect multiple readers on one low-cost two-wire network. Due to this, you can not only easily integrate it into the individual counters, but also easy to organize a separate location for the general reader, such as residential electricity meters when combined into a single network.

Overall, the analysis of requirements for electronic cards in the systems with pre-paid electricity shows that the basic requirements for it to be the requirements of functionality, usability and reliability, not security, because security requirements must be implemented in hardware. In this sense, the card type iButton to be quite functional solution.