Controlling Connectivity of a Wireless Smart Card Reader

• US 20100237148A1
• Filed: 05/31/2010
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Adams, Neil, Little, Herb, Brown, Michael K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,136,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/435
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

A system includes a wireless-enabled smart card reader able to be connected concurrently to at least two devices and a mobile device able to be connected wireles sly to the smart card reader and to control connections of the smart card reader.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a wireless communication interface through which the mobile device is able to establish a direct wireless connection with a wireless-enabled smart card reader in order for the mobile device to be able to access a smart card that is coupled to the wireless-enabled smart card reader;

a processor coupled to the wireless communication interface; and

a memory to store executable code which, when executed by the processor while the direct wireless connection exists, controls establishment of direct connections of the wireless-enabled smart card reader to other devices.

2. The mobile device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an input component coupled to the processor,

wherein the executable code, when executed by the processor, receives an authorization password via the input component for the direct connections from the other devices to the wireless-enabled smart card reader and securely transmits the authorization password to the wireless-enabled smart card reader via the direct wireless connection.

3. The mobile device as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the direct connections is a direct wired connection.

4. The mobile device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the direct wireless connection between the mobile device and the wireless-enabled smart card reader is a wireless personal area network connection.

5. A system comprising:

a wireless-enabled smart card reader able to be coupled to a smart card; and

a mobile device able to establish a direct wireless connection with the wireless-enabled smart card reader in order for the mobile device to be able to access the smart card,

wherein the wireless-enabled smart card reader is able to be directly connected contemporaneously to the mobile device and to one or more other devices,

wherein the mobile device is able, while the direct wireless connection exists, to control establishment of direct connections of the wireless-enabled smart card reader to other devices.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the mobile device is able to receive input of an authorization password and is able to securely transmit the authorization password to the wireless-enabled smart card reader via the direct wireless connection, and wherein the wireless-enabled smart card reader is to require the authorization password from one of the other devices in order to successfully establish a direct connection between the one of the other devices and the wireless-enabled smart card reader.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the direct connection between the one of the other devices and the wireless-enabled smart card reader is a direct wired connection.

8. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the direct wireless connection between the mobile device and the wireless-enabled smart card reader is a wireless personal area network connection.

9. A method comprising:

establishing, by a mobile device, a direct wireless connection to a wireless-enabled smart card reader in order for the mobile device to be able to access a smart card that is coupled to the wireless-enabled smart card reader; and

while the direct wireless connection exists, controlling, by the mobile device, establishment of direct connections of the wireless-enabled smart card reader to other devices.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein controlling establishment of the direct connections comprises:

enabling the mobile device to receive input of an authorization password;

securely transmitting the authorization password from the mobile device to the wireless-enabled smart card reader over the direct wireless connection; and

requiring the wireless-enabled smart card reader to receive the authorization password from one of the other devices in order to successfully establish a direct connection between the one of the other devices and the wireless-enabled smart card reader.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the direct connection between the one of the other devices and the wireless-enabled smart card reader is a direct wired connection.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the direct wireless connection between the mobile device and the wireless-enabled smart card reader is a wireless personal area network connection.