Multi-interface compact personal token apparatus and methods of use

• US 20050109841A1
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DPD Patent Trust Limited
• Original Assignee: DPD Patent Trust Limited
• Inventors: Knapich, Norbert, Finn, David, Comiskey, Patrick R., Ryan, Dennis J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,213,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94

Abstract

A compact personal token apparatus, suitably resembling a conventional USB memory fob in size, shape, and form which can be plugged into a PC and interfaced with the virtual world of the Internet. The apparatus is capable of loading and storing information from the Internet, via the PC to its flash memory or EEPROM and then using the stored information or value via its wireless interface in the real world. The apparatus is capable of implementing an auto-run application, when inserted into a personal computer. The apparatus is capable of exchanging information with other devices having compatible interfaces. The apparatus can also function as a firewall when plugged between an Internet connection and a PC.

Claims

1. A compact personal token apparatus, comprising:

a connection module;

a translation module;

a processor module; and

an input/output module.

2. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the connection module is for interfacing the personal token apparatus with a an Internet-capable appliance; and

the interface is selected from the group consisting of USB, FireWire, IR, Bluetooth, standard serial port, WLAN.

3. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the connection module is for interfacing the personal token apparatus with a an Internet-capable appliance; and

the Internet-capable appliance comprises a device selected from the group consisting of personal computer (PC), laptop, PDA, MP3 player and cellphone.

4. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the translation module moves signals between a USB interface and a smart card interface.

5. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the smart card interface is selected from the group consisting of ISO 7816, ISO 14443 and ISO 15693.

6. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the processor module comprises a dual interface (DI) chip.

7. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the processor module incorporates the translation module.

8. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the output module comprises an RF antenna and a modulator.

9. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

flash memory.

10. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the translation module moves signals between a USB interface and a wireless interface.

11. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the translation module is incorporated in the processor module to that the device can go directly from USB to wireless without being limited by smart card software architecture limitations.

12. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the modules are embodied in the form of an apparatus having the general physical configuration of a conventional USB memory fob.

13. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fob comprises;

a first physical module containing the input module and the translation module; and

a second physical module containing the processor module and the output module.

14. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the output module comprises contacts for interfacing with a smart card.

15. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the fob is capable of interfacing with the Internet and emulating a smart card.

16. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the connection module is for interfacing the personal token apparatus with an Internet-capable appliance; and

further comprising;

an input module is for connecting to the Internet; and

the apparatus incorporates firewall functionality to protect the Internet-capable applicance.

17. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

interfaces for ISO contact, contactless, USB and DSL.

18. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an LCD screen.

19. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one switch.

20. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one LED.

21. A compact personal token apparatus comprising:

a standard-compliant contact based interface, the contact based interface complying to at least one standard interface selected from the group consisting of USB, IEEE 1394, PCMCIA, Compact Flash, Multi Media, Memory Stick, Smart Media, Secure Digital, mini SD, IBM Micro Drive, and any similar standard interface.

22. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a standard-compliant contactless/wireless interface;

the contactless/wireless interface complying to one or more of the following standard interfaces;

RFID-contactless interface according to ISO 14443 and ISO 15693 as well as similar interfaces, Bluetooth compatible interface, WLAN 812.11, UWB, and any similar interface.

23. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a standard-compliant interface releaseably coupleable to a host processing device, this being under the command of an operating system;

an interface module providing translation of standard-compliant contact based interface messages via a memory chip to Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 device compatible compliant messages, and providing the translation of Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 device compliant messages via a memory chip to standard-compliant contact based interface messages; and

a Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 device having a Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 compliant interface communicating through the interface module with the host processing device via a memory chip;

the same Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 device communicating through its Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 compatible interface.

24. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the contactless/wireless module is releaseably coupleable from the Interface module.

25. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a processor module; and

additional memory selected from the group consisting of flash memory and EEPROM device powered and addressed by the processor module;

wherein the additional memory can be used for user authentication and to run applications.

26. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a standard-compliant smart card contact interface complying to ISO 7816, or any similar interface.

27. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a processor module, preparing messages to be sent by the contactless/wireless interface of and interpreting messages received via the interface.

28. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a standard-compliant interface releaseably coupleable to a host processing device, this being under the command of an operating system;

an interface module providing translation of standard-compliant contact based interface messages to ISO 7816 compliant messages and providing the translation of ISO 7816 compliant messages to standard-compliant contact based interface messages;

a dual interface processor having an ISO7816 compliant interface communicating through the interface module with the host processing device, the dual interface processor communicating through an RFID-contactless interface and connected to an inductive antenna.

29. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 28, wherein:

the contactless/wireless module is releaseably coupleable from the Interface module.

30. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 28, wherein:

the dual interface processor is mounted in a dual interface card complying to ISO 7810 or a 7816 compliant SIM module and connected norms;

the compact personal token apparatus provides physical contacts for the dual interface card, or a 7816 compliant form factor; and

when connected, the dual interface or SIM card can communicate with the host processing device through the interface module inside the personal token and, once the communication is done, the card can be released from the personal token and can be used then in the real world.

31. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 28, wherein:

the dual interface chip (processor) inside the personal token can be directly programmed by a software running on the host system using the interface processor without the need for an external contact based dual interface read/write device.

32. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 31, wherein:

the downloaded information can be used in the real world by using the contactless RFID interface.

33. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 31, wherein:

the software is web based, allowing for downloading information from the web directly into the dual interface processor memory (for example, event tickets) thus linking the virtual world to the real world.

34. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 33, wherein:

the downloaded information can be used in the real world by using the contactless RFID interface.

35. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 33, wherein:

the information stored in the personal token via the standard contact based interface is used for personal identification, secure network logon, access control, e-ticketing, e-payment and similar applications using either the standard compliant interface or the RFID-compliant interface.

36. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 33, wherein:

information received through the RFID-interface can be stored in the memory of the personal token and can then be provided to the host processing device via the standard interface, thus allowing a complete information exchange between the virtual world and the real world.

37. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 31, wherein:

the information stored in the personal token via the standard contact based interface is used for personal identification, secure network logon, access control, e-ticketing, e-payment and similar applications using either the standard compliant interface or the RFID-compliant interface.

38. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 31, wherein:

information received through the RFID-interface can be stored in the memory of the personal token and can then be provided to the host processing device via the standard interface, thus allowing a complete information exchange between the virtual world and the real world.

39. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

additional memory selected from the group consisting of flash memory and EEPROM device powered and addressed by the processor module;

wherein the additional memory can be used for user authentication and to run applications.

40. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a standard-compliant interface releaseably coupleable to a host processing device, this being under the command of an operating system;

an interface module providing translation of standard-compliant contact based interface messages via a memory chip to Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 device compatible compliant messages, and providing the translation of Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 device compliant messages via a memory chip to standard-compliant contact based interface messages; and

a Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 device having a Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 compliant interface communicating through the interface module with the host processing device via a memory chip;

the same Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 device communicating through its Bluetooth/WLAN 812.11 compatible interface.

41. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a processor module; and

additional memory selected from the group consisting of flash memory and EEPROM device powered and addressed by the processor module;

wherein the additional memory can be used for user authentication and to run applications.

42. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a standard-compliant smart card contact interface complying to ISO 7816, or any similar interface.

43. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a connection module, connecting the personal token apparatus to a host device such as PC, PDA, smart cellular phone or similar device, either directly or with the help of a standard reader device such as a memory card reader.

44. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a standard-compliant interface releaseably coupleable to a host processing device, this being under the command of an operating system; and

a translation module, translating messages incoming from the contact based interface, and translating messages to the host device from the personal token apparatus.

45. The compact personal token apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a triple interface (e.g., contact, contactless, USB) processor.

46. Method of interacting wirelessly, comprising:

providing a device;

interfacing the device with a an Internet-capable appliance; and

providing a smart card interface in the device.

47. Method, according to claim 46, wherein:

the interface with the Internet-capable appliance is selected from the group consisting of USB, FireWire, IR, Bluetooth, standard serial port, WLAN.

48. Method, according to claim 46, wherein:

the Internet-capable appliance comprises a device selected from the group consisting of personal computer (PC), laptop, PDA, MP3 player and cell phone.

49. Method, according to claim 46, wherein:

the smart card interface is selected from the group consisting of ISO 7816, ISO 14443 and ISO 15693.

50. Method, according to claim 46, wherein:

the device is modular in construction.

51. Method, according to claim 46, wherein:

the device performs a firewall functionality to protect the Internet-capable applicance.

52. Method, according to claim 46, wherein:

the device incorporates interfaces for ISO contact, contactless, USB and DSL.