PRE-AUTHENTICATED IDENTIFICATION TOKEN

• US 20100176935A1
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simon Phillips
• Original Assignee: Simon Phillips
• Inventors: Phillips, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.420
• 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 wearable on the body of a user, comprising:

a housing;

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

state-switching means 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, said state switching means located in or on said housing; and

sensor means for detecting removal of the housing from the user'"'"'s body, said sensor means located in or on said housing;

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 body; 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, said signal received at a time when said housing is not on the user'"'"'s body.

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

3. 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.

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

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

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.

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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. The identification token of claim 9, wherein said indicator is a light-emitting diode.

11. A method of operating an identification token in which the identification token is initially attached to a user'"'"'s body, the method comprising:

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

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

receiving, in the identification token, a signal from a re-enabling device, said signal received at a time when the identification token is not on the user'"'"'s body;

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

12. The method of claim 11, 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 body.

13. The method of claim 11, 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.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification token is a wristwatch.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification token is a proximity payment device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the detecting includes sensing that one portion of a wristband has been uncoupled from another portion of the wristband.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the re-enabling device is in data communication with a personal computer located in the user'"'"'s residence.

18. The method of claim 17, 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.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the authentication procedure includes the personal computer exchanging data communication with a server computer that is remotely located from the personal computer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the authentication procedure includes the personal computer transmitting, to the server computer, information input into the personal computer by the user.