NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM HAVING ENHANCED SECURITY

• US 20090041241A1
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freelinc Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Radeum, Inc.
• Inventors: Dobyns, Howard Bernard, Woodard, Jed Erich, Sutera, Anthony Joseph, Dobyns, Douglas Howard
• Granted Patent: US 11,581,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/252
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/82 Protecting input, output or interconnection devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10287 the arrangement including a further device in the proximity of the interrogation device, e.g. signal scrambling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/02 by adding a second signal to make the desired signal unintelligible
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/10 by using two signals transmitted simultaneously or successively
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/41 characterized by the control of the jamming activation or deactivation time control of jamming activation and deactivation time only for the purpose of alternating between jamming mode and target monitoring mode H04K3/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/42 characterized by the control of the jamming frequency or wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/43 characterized by the control of the jamming power, signal-to-noise ratio or geographic coverage area
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/44 characterized by the control of the jamming waveform or modulation type
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/68 using passive jamming, e.g. by shielding or reflection shielding of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic field H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/82 related to preventing surveillance, interception or detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/825 by jamming

Abstract

A near field communication system can include a near field generator configured to generate a near field detectable information signal. The near field generator and supporting circuitry also produces incidental electromagnetic radiation. A masking signal transmitter is used with the near field generator and radiates a masking electromagnetic signal. The masking electromagnetic signal may substantially mask the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

Claims

1. A near field communication system having enhanced security, comprising:

a near field generator configured to generate a near field detectable signal having information encoded therein, wherein incidental electromagnetic radiation correlated to the information is produced when the near field detectable signal is generated; and

a masking signal transmitter configured to radiate a masking electromagnetic signal and to mask the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal reduces at least one of detectability, decodability and extractability of the information from the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the radiated masking electromagnetic signal reduces the detectability of the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal comprises at least one characteristic substantially similar to at least one characteristic of the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the radiated masking electromagnetic signal is substantially uncorrelated to the information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking signal transmitter is coupled to the near field generator and the masking electromagnetic signal is generated using the information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking signal transmitter is decoupled from the near field generator and the masking electromagnetic signal is generated without using the information.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking signal transmitter is independent from the from the near field generator.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a timing associated with the near field generator is different than a timing associated with the masking signal transmitter.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking signal transmitter is configured to radiate a plurality of masking electromagnetic signals.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking signal transmitter is configured to radiate at least one masking electromagnetic signal configured to mask the incidental electromagnetic radiation produced by the near field generator and incidental electromagnetic radiation produced by at least one other near field generator.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal comprises substantially the same field strength as the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal is radiated in a direction similar to the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal is designed to spectrally match the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal is configured to occupy substantially the same bandwidth as the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal is configured to occupy a wider bandwidth than the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the near field detectable signal is propagated by way of magnetic induction.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the near field detectable signal is propagated by way of capacitive coupling.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal is generated using a random data generator.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal comprises a similar modulation as the near field detectable signal that is modulated with encoded information.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal and the incidental electromagnetic radiation have a combined noise level less than a defined noise level at a preset distance from the system.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal is radiated using an antenna.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the antenna is contained in the same housing as the near field generator.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein a timing signal is provided from the near field generator to the masking signal transmitter.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the masking signal transmitter extracts a timing signal from the near field detectable signal.

26. A near field communication system having enhanced security, comprising:

means for generating a near field detectable signal having information encoded therein, wherein incidental electromagnetic radiation correlated to the information is produced when the near field detectable signal is generated; and

means for radiating a masking signal for masking the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the radiated masking electromagnetic signal reduces at least one of detectability, decodability and extractability of the information from the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the radiated masking electromagnetic signal reduces the detectability of the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal comprises at least one characteristic substantially similar to at least one characteristic of the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the radiated masking electromagnetic signal is substantially uncorrelated to the information.

31. A method for enhancing security of near field communications system, comprising:

forming an energy field for transmission of information via near field communications techniques;

radiating incidental electromagnetic radiation correlated to the information;

generating a masking electromagnetic signal for masking the incidental electromagnetic radiation; and

radiating the masking electromagnetic signal.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the radiating of the incidental electromagnetic radiation comprises varying a load in the energy field.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the radiated masking electromagnetic signal reduces at least one of detectability, decodability and extractability of the information from the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the radiated masking electromagnetic signal reduces the detectability of the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal comprises at least one characteristic substantially similar to at least one characteristic of the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the radiated masking electromagnetic signal is substantially uncorrelated to the information.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating of the masking electromagnetic signal comprises generating a plurality of masking electromagnetic signals, further wherein the radiating of the masking electromagnetic signal comprises radiating the plurality of masking electromagnetic signals.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal comprises substantially the same field strength as the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal spectrally matches the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal occupies substantially the same bandwidth as the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

41. The method of claim 31, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal occupies a wider bandwidth than the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

42. The method of claim 31, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal is generated using a random data generator.

43. The method of claim 31, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal and the incidental electromagnetic radiation have a combined noise level less than a defined noise level.

44. The method of claim 31, further comprising encoding information in the near field using a digital modulation technique.

45. The method of claim 31, further comprising directing the masking signal in the same direction as the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

46. The method of claim 31, further comprising shielding an energy field generator that is creating the energy field to reduce the level of incidental electromagnetic radiation.

47. The method of claim 31, further comprising providing a timing signal to the masking signal transmitter.

48. The method of claim 31, further comprising extracting a timing signal from the near field detectable signal for use with the masking signal transmitter.

49. A near field communication system having enhanced security for a near field generator, the system comprising:

a masking signal transmitter configured to radiate a masking electromagnetic signal for masking incidental electromagnetic radiation produced when a near field detectable signal having information encoded therein is generated by a near field generator.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the radiated masking electromagnetic signal reduces at least one of detectability, decodability and extractability of the information from the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the radiated masking electromagnetic signal reduces the detectability of the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein the masking electromagnetic signal comprises at least one characteristic substantially similar to at least one characteristic of the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein the radiated masking electromagnetic signal is substantially uncorrelated to the information.