Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.

Imq Technology Inc.

Tangkwai Ma

Robert Michael Muchsel

Kristopher Leigh Ardis

Sung Ung Kwak

Fu-Yang Shih

A self-tracked bistable latch cell includes a cross-coupled latch, and two programmable transistors. The cross-coupled latch has a first data terminal, a second data terminal, a first voltage input terminal for receiving a latch control signal, and a second voltage input terminal for receiving a reference voltage. The first programmable transistor has a first terminal for outputting a first bit, a second terminal coupled to the first data terminal of the cross-coupled latch, and a control terminal for receiving a track control signal. The second programmable transistor has a first terminal for outputting a second bit, a second terminal coupled to the second data terminal of the cross-coupled latch, and a control terminal for receiving the track control signal. The gate oxide of both the first and the second programmable transistor are thinner than the gate oxide of the transistor of the cross-coupled latch.

Self-tracked bistable latch cell

The invention relates to a smartcard reader, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of creating a card input/output interface that allows the smartcard reader to couple to a smartcard within a secure cavity. The secure cavity is mounted on an internal side of a system housing, i.e., a smartcard socket, included in the smartcard reader. An interface chip is further attached inside the secure cavity. When the smartcard is inserted to a designated position or depth inside the system housing, the secure cavity encloses the interface chip and its contact area with the smartcard. Mechanical contacts on the interface chip are thus aligned to and physically contact electrical connectors on the inserted smartcard, so as to electrically couple the interface chip and the smartcard. As a result, sensitive data within the smartcard may be protected from exposure to any tamper attempt and processed with an enhanced security level.

Secure payment card interface

The invention relates to a secure device, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of reducing power consumption of the secure device by limiting the amount of secure volatile memory that needs to be supplied by a battery. In a transport power mode, a sensitive data originally stored in a volatile memory is backed up in an encrypted format to a non-volatile memory, such that none or only a small area of the secure volatile memory has to be retained and powered by the battery for preserving cryptographic keys that are used to backup and recover the sensitive data. This secure device is applied in high security applications such as secure financial terminals.

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Plano, TX, United States of America

Tangkwai Ma