Pre-authenticated identification token

• US 20080235144A1
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Phillips, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 7,742,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0813 Specific details related to card security
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

An identification token such as a proximity payment device may be integrated with a wristwatch. For security purposes, the identification token may be disabled when removed from the user'"'"'s wrist. The identification token may be re-enabled by interaction with a docking station or personal computer at the user'"'"'s residence.

Claims

1. An identification token, comprising:

a housing;

band means for removably securing the housing to a user'"'"'s wrist;

transmitting means located in or on said housing for transmitting user identification data to a proximity reader;

state-switching means located in or on said housing for switching the identification token between a first state in which said identification token is enabled to transmit said user identification data to the proximity reader and a second state in which said identification token is not enabled to transmit said user identification data to the proximity reader; and

sensor means, located in or on one or both of said housing and said band means, for detecting removal of the housing from the user'"'"'s wrist;

said state-switching means responsive to said sensor means to switch the identification token from said first state to said second state in response to said housing being removed from the user'"'"'s wrist; and

said state-switching means responsive, to a signal received from an electronic device external to said identification token, to switch said identification token from said second state to said first state.

2. The identification token of claim 1, wherein the state-switching means responds to said signal by switching the identification token from the second state to the first state at a point in time after said housing has been removed from the user'"'"'s wrist.

3. The identification token of claim 1, wherein said signal is not an interrogation signal.

4. The identification token of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery in said housing; and

means, located in or on said housing, for receiving a power signal from said electronic device and using said power signal to charge said battery.

5. The identification token of claim 1, wherein the identification token is a wristwatch.

6. The identification token of claim 1, wherein:

the band means includes two straps that are attached to opposite sides of the housing and are adapted to be selectively coupled to each other; and

the sensor means includes means for detecting that the two straps are not coupled to each other.

7. The identification token of claim 1, wherein the identification token is a proximity payment device.

8. The identification token of claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna coupled to said transmitting means and to said state-switching means;

wherein said state-switching means receives said signal via said antenna.

9. The identification token of claim 1, further comprising:

a USB port on said housing;

wherein said state-switching means receives said signal via said USB port.

10. The identification token of claim 1, further comprising:

an indicator on said housing, said indicator for indicating to the user whether or not the identification token is in said first state.

11. The identification token of claim 10, wherein said indicator is a light-emitting diode.

12. A method of operating an identification token, the method comprising:

attaching the identification token to a user'"'"'s wrist;

removing the identification token from the user'"'"'s wrist;

detecting the removal of the identification token from the user'"'"'s wrist;

in response to detecting the removal of the identification token, switching the identification token from an enabled state to a disabled state;

placing the identification token, when in its disabled state, in proximity to a re-enabling device;

receiving, in the identification token, a signal from the re-enabling device;

in response to the received signal, switching the identification token back to the enabled state; and

re-attaching the identification token to the user'"'"'s wrist.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the re-attaching of the identification token to the user'"'"'s wrist occurs after the switching of the identification token back to the enabled state.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the switching of the identification token back to the enabled state occurs after the re-attaching of the identification token to the user'"'"'s wrist.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

the identification token receiving a power signal from the re-enabling device; and

the identification token using the power signal to charge a battery included in the identification token.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the identification token is a wristwatch.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the identification token is a proximity payment device.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting includes sensing that one portion of a wristband has been uncoupled from another portion of the wristband.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the re-enabling device is in data communication with a personal computer located in the user'"'"'s residence.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

the user operating the personal computer to perform an authentication procedure to cause the personal computer to send an authentication signal to the re-enabling device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the authentication procedure includes the personal computer exchanging data communication with a server computer that is remotely located from the personal computer.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the authentication procedure includes the personal computer transmitting, to the server computer, information input into the personal computer by the user.

23. A system comprising:

an identification token,

a server computer;

software in a personal computer to permit the personal computer to validate itself to the server computer; and

a device for enabling the identification token;

the device in data communication, at least from time to time, with the personal computer;

the device and the personal computer located at a residence of a user who is assigned to hold the identification token.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the device includes means for wirelessly communicating with the identification token.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the identification token is a wristwatch.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the identification token is a proximity payment device.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the device includes means for charging a battery in the identification token.

28. A method comprising:

exchanging data communications between a personal computer located in an account holder'"'"'s residence and a financial institution server computer;

inputting security information into the personal computer;

uploading the security information from the personal computer to the server computer;

downloading authentication information from the server computer to the personal computer; and

transmitting authentication information from the personal computer to an identification token to enable the identification token.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein:

the identification token receives authentication information from the personal computer via a proximity read/write device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein:

the identification token receives authentication information from the personal computer via a USB connection.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein:

the identification token receives authentication information from the personal computer via a docking station.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the identification token is a wristwatch.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the identification token is a proximity payment device.

34. A method comprising:

receiving, from a proximity payment device at a point of sale terminal, a payment account number;

determining, at the point of sale terminal, a characteristic of the proximity payment device; and

determining, based at least in part on the determined characteristic, whether to transmit an electronic transaction receipt to the proximity payment device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

prompting a user of the proximity payment device to present the proximity payment device to a proximity read/write terminal to receive the electronic transaction receipt.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

the point of sale terminal allowing the user to select between receiving a paper transaction receipt and receiving the electronic transaction receipt.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the prompting step includes illuminating an indicator lamp on the proximity read/write terminal.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the indicator lamp is a light-emitting diode.