DIRECTIONAL SENSING MECHANISM AND COMMUNICATIONS AUTHENTICATION

• US 20100033299A1
• Filed: 08/10/2009
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Inventors: Davis, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,232,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward an RFID device that includes a motion sensing mechanism. The motion sensing mechanism is adapted to sense motion of the RFID device and then selectively allow or restrict the RFID device'"'"'s ability to transmit messages, which may include sensitive data, when the RFID device is placed in an RF field. Thus, the motion sensing mechanism is utilized to control access to data on the RFID device to only instances when the holder of the RFID device moves the RFID device in a predefined sequence of motion(s).

Claims

1. A method of controlling the operation of an Integrated Circuit, comprising:

receiving a first motion input at a directional sensing mechanism, the directional sensing mechanism being integral to the Integrated Circuit;

translating the received first motion input into a first electrical signal; and

providing the first electrical signal to the Integrated Circuit for controlling the operation of the Integrated Circuit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Integrated Circuit controls operations of an RFID device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the RFID device is incorporated in a mobile communication device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the operation of the Integrated Circuit is dependent upon the first electrical signal received from the directional sensing mechanism.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second motion input at the directional sensing mechanism, the second motion input being different from the first motion input;

translating the received second motion input into a second electrical signal that is different from the first electrical signal; and

providing the second electrical signal to the Integrated Circuit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first and second motions correspond to a predetermined sequence of motions and wherein the first and second electrical signals are analyzed together and prior to performing a control operation of the Integrated Circuit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the Integrated Circuit is restricted from transmitting an electrical signal to an external source in the absence of at least one of the first and second electrical signals.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the Integrated Circuit is restricted from transmitting an electrical signal to an external source in the absence of receiving the first electrical signal prior to the second electrical signal.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the Integrated Circuit and the directional sensing mechanism reside on an RFID device holder and the Integrated Circuit is used to generate a cancellation field transmitted by an antenna of the RFID device holder to obfuscate an electrical signal transmitted by an RFID device contained in the RFID device holder, and wherein the Integrated Circuit is allowed to transmit an electrical signal to an external source unless at least one of the first and second electrical signals are received.

10. A communication device, comprising:

an Integrated Circuit; and

a directional sensing mechanism configured to detect a motion of the communication device and translate the detected motion into an electrical signal which is subsequently transmitted to a switch which controls operation of the Integrated Circuit.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the directional sensing mechanism is integral to the Integrated Circuit.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the directional sensing mechanism and Integrated Circuit are provided on a common micro electromechanical system.

13. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the switch comprises a logical switch.

14. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the switch comprises one or more of an electrical switch, a mechanical switch, and an electromechanical switch.

15. The communication device of claim 10, further comprising:

an antenna, wherein the directional sensing mechanism controls the Integrated Circuit'"'"'s ability to transmit messages via the antenna.

16. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the Integrated Circuit does not transmit a message via the antenna unless a predetermined motion or sequence of motions is detected by the directional sensing mechanism.

17. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the directional sensing mechanism comprises an accelerometer.

18. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the directional sensing mechanism comprises two accelerometers for sensing motion across two different, non parallel, axes.

19. A micro electromechanical systems device, comprising:

an Integrated Circuit; and

a directional sensing mechanism configured to detect a first motion of the device and translate the detected motion into an electrical signal which is subsequently transmitted to a switch thereby affecting operation of the Integrated Circuit.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the switch restricts the ability of the Integrated Circuit to transmit output signals in the absence of the electrical signal received from the directional sensing mechanism.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the Integrated Circuit is coupled to an antenna via a switch thereby allowing the Integrated Circuit to transmit a message to an external device only when the electrical signal is received at the switch from the directional sensing mechanism.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the directional sensing mechanism is adapted to detect a sequence of motions and in response to detecting a sequence of motions generate a sequence of electrical signals which are subsequently transmitted to the switch, wherein the switch restricts the Integrated Circuit from transmitting the message unless the sequence of electrical signals received from the directional sensing mechanism match a predetermined sequence of electrical signals.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the electrical signal is further provided to the Integrated Circuit and wherein the Integrated Circuit maps the electrical signal to a predetermined message contained in a table of messages and transmits the predetermined message via the antenna.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the predetermined message is a password corresponding to the sequence of motions.