Configurable digital badge holder

• US 10,467,832 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2018
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ActivIdentity, Inc. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Inventors: Audebert, Yves Louis Gabriel, Le Saint, Eric F., Hart, Jason, Fedronic, Dominique Louis Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Gudorf, Laura A
• Application Number:
  US16/233,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20190130676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/21 having a variable access code
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/25 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/29 the pass containing active electronic elements, e.g. smartcards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A portable authentication system includes a security module, that may be a smart card, SIM (Subscriber Identity Module), USB controller with a secure chip, or similar module capable of storing one or more credentials, and an interface module such as a digital badge holder that is able to communicate with the security module, for instance by providing a smart card communication interface. The portable authentication system may be either a single integrated system or a dual system where the security module can be removed or disconnected from the interface system.

Claims

1. A method of using a portable authentication device for communication with an Access Control System having a plurality of access points, the method comprising:

storing at least one credential in a subscriber identification module (SIM) for the portable authentication device, the SIM being removable from the portable authentication device and being configured to authenticate the portable authentication device to the Access Control System;

reading the at least one credential from the SIM and storing the at least one credential in a transient memory of the portable authentication device;

communicating with the plurality of access points using an access point interface component, separate from the SIM, that stores a plurality of interface protocols used to exchange data with the access points, wherein at least one of the access points communicates with the access point interface with a different protocol than another one of the access points, at least one of the protocols being a contactless protocol; and

responsive to determining that the SIM has been removed from the portable authentication device, erasing the at least one credential from the transient memory.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the contactless protocol is ISO 14443 compliant.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the contactless protocol is conversational.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the contactless protocol is non-conversational.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein communicating with the plurality of access points includes using an automated context selection component that automatically detects protocols used by the access points to exchange data that authenticates the portable authentication device to the Access Control System when the authentication device is presented to one of the access points.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting when the SIM is removed from the portable authentication device.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the access point interface component uses information provided by a cellphone.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

using a contactless reader.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

using a wireless reader.

10. A method according to claim 5, wherein the automated context selection component uses global positioning system compliant information.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein global positioning system compliant information is provided by a cellphone.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting when the SIM is disconnected from the portable authentication device.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the SIM authenticates a user before releasing information protected by the SIM.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the SIM confirms consent of a user before releasing any information protected by the SIM.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

erasing the at least one credential from the transient memory if a timer expires.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the timer is initiated in response to user credentials being verified.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the user credentials are provided for verification in response to the SIM being installed on the portable authentication device.

18. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

erasing the at least one credential from the transient memory if a maximum number of uses of the at least one credential has been reached.

19. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

erasing the at least one credential from the transient memory in response to an instruction from a user.