WIRELESSLY EXECUTING FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS

• US 20090070272A1
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DeviceFidelity, Inc. (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: DeviceFidelity, Inc. (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jain, Deepak
• Granted Patent: US 9,384,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/75
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07707 the visual interface being a display, e.g. LCD or electronic ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07739 comprising a first part capable of functioning as a record carrier on its own and a second part being only functional as a form factor changing part, e.g. SIM cards type ID 0001, removably attached to a regular smart card form factor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07773 Antenna details antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10237 the reader and the record carrier being capable of selectively switching between reader and record carrier appearance, e.g. in near field communication [NFC] devices where the NFC device may function as an RFID reader or as an RFID tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• 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 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3574 Multiple applications on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 : Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 : Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 : applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/32 : Specific management aspects for broadband networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 : using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 : for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 : by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/103 : using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/106 : using commercial credit or debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/12 : using calling, telephone credit/debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/14 : using commercial credit/debit cards, e.g. VISA, AMEX
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 : using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 : using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 : by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for wirelessly executing financial transactions. A payment card includes an interface, a communication module, secure memory, a user-interface module, and a processing module. The interface connects to a slot of a mobile host device. The communication module wirelessly receives RF signals from and transmits RF signals to a retail terminal. The secure memory stores user credentials and a payment application used to execute financial transactions with the retail terminal. The user credentials and the payment application are associated with a financial institution. The user-interface module presents and receives information through the GUI of the mobile host device. The processing module executes the payment application using the user credentials in response to at least a transaction request received by the communication module and transmits a transaction response to the retail terminal based, at least in part, on the executed application.

Claims

1. A micro SecureDigital (microSD) payment card, comprising:

a microSD interface that connects to a microSD slot of a mobile host device;

a communication module that wirelessly receives RF signals from and transmits RF signals to a retail terminal;

secure memory that stores user credentials and a payment application used to execute financial transactions with the retail terminal, the user credentials and the payment application associated with a financial institution;

a user-interface module that presents and receives information through the GUI of the mobile host device; and

a processing module that executes the payment application using the user credentials in response to at least a transaction request received by the RF module and transmits at least one transaction response to the retail terminal based, at least in part, on the executed payment application.

2. The microSD payment card of claim 1, the user credentials associated with one of a credit card account, a checking account, a debit account, a gift account, or a prepaid account.

3. The microSD payment card of claim 1, wherein the processing module comprises:

a security module that generate the transaction response based, at least in part, on the user credentials and the payment application; and

an operating system with a runtime environment that executes the payment application independent of the mobile host device.

4. The microSD payment card of claim 1, wherein the communication module comprises a protocol translation module, an antenna tuning circuit, a power circuit, and a miniature antenna tuned to exchange wireless data with the retail terminal.

5. The microSD card of claim 1, wherein the user-interface module presents information associated with the requested transaction through the GUI of the mobile host device.

6. The microSD card of claim 5, further comprising a locally-executed Web server that generates the presented information based, at least in part, on at least one of real-time content during the transaction, locally-stored offline content, or online content associated with the financial institution.

7. The microSD card of claim 5, wherein the user-interface module further presents a request for user identification including at least one of a Personal Identification Number (PIN), user ID and password, or biometric signature through the GUI of the mobile host device, the processing module further verifies the submitted user identification with user identification locally stored in the secure memory prior executing the requested transaction.

8. The microSD card of claim 7, the processing module further deactivates the communication module in response to at least a number of PIN entry events exceeding a threshold.

9. The microSD card of claim 1, wherein the communication module selectively switches an RF antenna between an activate state and an inactivate state in response to at least an event.

10. The microSD card of claim 9, wherein the switching event includes a selection through the GUI of the mobile host device.

11. The microSD card of claim 1, wherein the wireless RF signals comprise at least one of contactless signals, proximity signals, Near Field Communication (NFC) signals, Bluetooth signals, Ultra-wideband (UWB) signals, or Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) signals.

12. The microSD card of claim 1, wherein the communication module further comprises a protocol translation module that translates signals between wireless protocols compatible with the retail terminal and an internal transaction application.

13. The microSD card of claim 1, further comprising a cryptographic module that decrypts received signals prior to processing by the payment application and encrypts at least part of the transaction response prior to wireless transmission.

14. The microSD card of claim 1, further comprising an authentication module that authenticates at least one of a network of the mobile host device, the mobile host device, or a user.

15. The microSD card of claim 14, the authentication module further deactivates the antenna in response to at least a failure to authenticate the at least one of the network of the mobile host device, the mobile host device, or the user.

16. The microSD card of claim 1, wherein the microSD payment card is initialized in response to at least insertion in the microSD slot of the host device.

17. The microSD card of claim 1, further comprising a bootstrap module that executes one or more authentication processes in response to at least insertion in the microSD slot of the mobile host device.

18. The microSD card of claim 17, wherein the one or more authentication processes authenticates at least one of a network, a mobile host device, or a user.

19. The microSD credit card of claim 1, further comprising an activation module that activates the microSD card and transmits to the financial institution a request to activate an associated user account in response to at least a user request or an initial insertion into the mobile host device.

20. The microSD card of claim 19, wherein the microSD card is activated based, at least in part, on a user manually entering an activation code through the GUI of the mobile host device.

21. The microSD card of claim 1, further comprising an Application Program Interface (API) that wirelessly communicates with a financial institution using cellular radio technology of the mobile host device.

22. The microSD card of claim 1, wherein the microSD card executes the requested transaction independent of loading a driver onto the mobile host device.

23. The microSD card of claim 1, wherein the microSD card emulates a contactless payment card when communicating with the retail terminal.

24. The microSD card of claim 1, further comprising a power module that receives power from the mobile host device and RF signals received by the communication module and automatically switches to a passive mode in response to at least loss of power from the mobile host device.

25. The microSD card of claim 1, wherein an enterprise at least associated with the financial institution uploads personalization data prior to activation, wherein the personalization data includes the user credentials, the payment application and at least one of operational flags, rule table or user interface.

26. The microSD card of claim 25, the communication module further operable to update the personalization data after activation in response to at least one of a wireless signal including secure update instructions or a wired signal through a client connected to the microSD payment card.

27. The microSD card of claim 1, the processing module further operable to transmit a notification to the financial institution using the mobile host device in response to an activity violating one or more fraud control rules.

28. The microSD card of claim 1, the processing module further operable to populate a Web page with user credentials for executing an Internet transaction in response to at least a request from a client connected to the microSD card.

29. The microSD card of claim 1, wherein the microSD card substantially maintains attributes of the mobile host device.

30. The microSD card of claim 29, wherein the attributes include at least one of dimensions, accessibility to peripherals, charging, battery life, signal strength, access to the GUI, connectivity to wireless networks, or interface capability with clients.

31. The microSD card of claim 29, wherein the substantially maintained attributes do not void certification by regulatory authorities or a warranty of the mobile host device.

32. A microSD card, comprising:

a microSD interface that connects to a microSD slot of a mobile host device;

a communication module that wirelessly receives RF signals from and transmits RF signals to a retail terminal;

secure memory that stores user credentials and a payment application used to execute financial transactions with the retail terminal, the user credentials and the payment application associated with a financial institution;

a security module that identifies the payment application and user credentials in response to at least a transaction request received by the communication module and encrypts a transaction response prior to transmitting to the retail terminal; and

an operating system with a runtime environment that executes the payment application to generate the transaction response independent of the mobile host device.

33. The microSD card of claim 32, further comprising a user-interface module that presents and receives information through a GUI of the mobile host device;

34. The microSD card of claim 32, the user credentials associated with one of a credit card account, a checking account, gift account, or a prepaid account.