Systems and methods for providing near field communications

• US 10,380,578 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capital One Services LLC (Capital One Financial Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Capital One Services LLC (Capital One Financial Corporation)
• Inventors: Varvarezis, Panayiotis
• Primary Examiner(s): Apple, Kirsten S
• Application Number:
  US15/813,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20180075436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for providing Near Field Communications. In certain embodiments, an Android mobile operating system based mobile device is configured with software that, when executed by one or more processors, determines whether the mobile device is to perform an NFC communication with a contactless payment terminal (CPT) using a secure element associated with an NFC controller included in the mobile device. Based on the determination, the mobile device is configured to execute software that performs communications with the CPT using the NFC controller.

Claims

1. A system for performing a wireless communication, comprising:

one or more memory devices storing instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising;

initiating a discovery mode to identify a contactless terminal;

identifying a wireless protocol associated with the contactless terminal;

determining whether the wireless protocol is supported by an operating system associated with the system;

when the wireless protocol is supported by the operating system;

communicating with the contactless terminal according to the wireless protocol; and

when the wireless protocol is not supported by the operating system;

receiving an instruction to use a secure communication with the contactless terminal,

initiating a secure element, the secure element executing instructions that conform to the wireless protocol; and

communicating with the contactless terminal using the secure element,

wherein,

initiating a secure element comprises

determining a distance between the system and the contactless terminal; and

communicating with the contactless terminal using the secure element comprises communicating information relating to a transaction, when the distance between the system device and the contactless terminal is within a predetermined range, based on the wireless protocol.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a mobile device comprising a near field communication (NFC) controller;

and

the NFC controller comprises the secure element.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the secure element comprises at least one of a subscriber identification module (SIM) card or a universal integrated circuit card (UICC).

4. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the mobile device is an NFC-enabled smartphone;

the contactless terminal comprises one of a point of sale terminal, an automated teller machine, or an RFID tag; and

the contactless terminal is configured to communicate with NFC-enabled devices.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein when the wireless protocol is not supported by the operating system, the operations further comprise displaying a selection message, the selection message requesting instructions as to whether the secure element should be used.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the secure element comprises a delimited memory storing:

instructions that conform with wireless protocols; and

credential information.

7. A computer-implemented method for performing a wireless communication with a system, the method comprising:

initiating a discovery mode to identify a contactless terminal;

identifying a wireless protocol associated with the contactless terminal;

determining whether the wireless protocol is supported by an operating system associated with the system;

when the wireless protocol is supported by the operating system;

communicating with the contactless terminal according to the wireless protocol; and

when the wireless protocol is not supported by the operating system;

receiving an instruction to use a secure communication with the contactless terminal;

initiating a secure element, the secure element executing instructions that conform to the wireless protocol; and

communicating with the contactless terminal using the secure element;

wherein

initiating a secure element comprises

determining a distance between the system and the contactless terminal; and

communicating with the contactless terminal using the secure element comprises communicating information relating to a transaction, when the distance between the system and the contactless terminal is within a predetermined range, based on the wireless protocol.

8. The computer-implemented of claim 7, wherein:

the system is a mobile device comprising a near field communication (NFC) controller; and

the NFC controller comprises the secure element.

9. The computer-implemented of claim 7, wherein the secure element comprises at least one of a subscriber identification module (SIM) card or a universal integrated circuit card (UICC).

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the mobile device is an NFC-enabled smartphone;

the contactless terminal comprises one of a point of sale terminal, an automated teller machine, or an RFID tag; and

the contactless terminal is configured to communicate with NFC-enabled devices.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising displaying a selection message when the wireless protocol is not supported by the operating system, the selection message requesting instructions as to whether the secure element should be used.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the secure element comprises a delimited memory storing:

instructions that conform to wireless protocols; and

credential information.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions for performing a wireless communication with a system that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

initiating a discovery mode to identify a contactless terminal;

identifying a wireless protocol associated with the contactless terminal;

determining whether the wireless protocol is supported by an operating system associated with the system;

when the wireless protocol is supported by the operating system;

communicating with the contactless terminal according to the wireless protocol; and

when the wireless protocol is not supported by the operating system;

receiving an instruction to use a secure communication with the contactless terminal,

initiating a secure element, the secure element executing instructions that conform to the wireless protocol, and

communicating with the contactless terminal using the secure element,

wherein

initiating a secure element comprises

determining a distance between the system and the contactless terminal; and

communicating with the contactless terminal using the secure element comprises communicating information relating to a transaction, when the distance between the system and the contactless terminal is within a predetermined range, based on the wireless protocol.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein

the system is a mobile device comprising a near field communication (NFC) controller;

and

the NFC controller comprises the secure element.

15. The medium of claim 13, wherein the secure element comprises at least one of a subscriber identification module (SIM) card or a universal integrated circuit card (UICC).

16. The medium of claim 14, wherein

the mobile device is an NFC-enabled smartphone;

the contactless terminal comprises one of a point of sale terminal, an automated teller machine, or an RFID tag; and

the contactless terminal is configured to communicate with NFC-enabled devices.

17. The medium of claim 13, wherein when the wireless protocol is not supported by the operating system, the operations further comprise displaying a selection message, the selection message requesting instructions as to whether the secure element should be used.