CUSTOMER MEDIUM TO RECORD THE UTILIZATION OF SERVICES

• US 20150090800A1
• Filed: 08/06/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SKIDATA AG (Thales SA), EM Microelectronic - Marin SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Charles Egli, Fabien Maupas
• Inventors: EGLI, CHARLES, MAUPAS, FABIEN, GEIJO LILMA, JOSE LUIS, RIEDEL, JUERGEN, SCHWANDER, MARTIN
• Granted Patent: US 9,195,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0712 the arrangement being capable of triggering distinct operating modes or functions dependent on the strength of an energy or interrogation field in the proximity of the record carrier active means for hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07336
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07707 the visual interface being a display, e.g. LCD or electronic ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07794 the record carrier comprising a booster or auxiliary antenna in addition to the antenna connected directly to the integrated circuit

Abstract

A customer medium (1) for detecting the utilization of services is proposed, comprising a first and a second antenna (2, 3) for long-range data communication, a third antenna (4), an integrated circuit (6) comprising at least one crypto-engine, one microprocessor (5) connected with the integrated circuit (6) or integrated into the integrated circuit (6), an operational amplifier (8) and an RF transceiver (7) connected to the second antenna (3), where the third antenna (4) is connected to an NFC-module in the integrated circuit (6) and is used for the short-range data communication in an active mode of the customer medium (1), where the first antenna (2) is used as a wake-up antenna for receiving an amplitude-modulated wake-up signal if the customer medium is in a “sleep” mode, where the signal received by the wake-up antenna (2) is demodulated and amplified by the operational amplifier (8) serving as the wake-up detection module and is evaluated by the microprocessor (5) partially activated in the “sleep” mode, where the microprocessor (5) is completely activated in the event of a valid wake-up signal, by which the customer medium (1) enters the active mode and where the operational amplifier (8) is the only component of the customer medium (1) that is fully active in “sleep”-mode.

Claims

1. Customer medium for detecting the utilization of services, wherein it comprises a first and a second antenna for long-range data communication, a third antenna, an integrated circuit comprising at least one crypto-engine, one microprocessor connected with the integrated circuit or integrated into the integrated circuit, an operational amplifier and an RF transceiver connected to the second antenna, where the third antenna is connected to an NFC-module in the integrated circuit and is used for the short-range data communication in an active mode of the customer medium, where the first antenna is used as a wake-up antenna for receiving an amplitude-modulated wake-up signal if the customer medium is in a “

sleep”

mode, where the signal received by the wake-up antenna is demodulated and amplified by the operational amplifier serving as the wake-up detection module and is evaluated by the microprocessor partially activiated in the “

sleep”

mode, where the micropressor is completely activated in the event of a wake-up signal detected as valid, by which the customer medium enters the active mode and where the operational amplifier is the only component of the customer medium that is fully active in “

sleep”

-mode.

2. Customer medium for recording the utilisation of services, according to claim 1, wherein it features an idle-mode, in which only the microprocessor is active in order to control the transition into the “

sleep”

-mode or into the active mode according to predetermined routines.

3. Customer medium for detecting the utilisation of services, according to claim 2, wherein only the operational amplifier and a part of the microprocessor is activated in the “

sleep”

mode, that the microprocessor is turned on in the idle-mode and active mode and that the transceiver is turned off in “

sleep”

-mode and in idle-mode and only turned on in active mode, thereby minimising the energy consumption of the customer medium.

4. Customer medium for recording the utilisation of services, according to claim 1, wherein it is implemented as active customer medium, where it comprises a battery for the power supply of the components.

5. Customer medium for recording the utilization of services, according to claim 4, wherein it comprises an appropriately dimensioned solar panel to supply power to the battery.

6. Customer medium according to claim 1, wherein it is designed in such a manner that it is charged with energy via an HF-pulse, and then can operate autonomously for a predetermined time.

7. Customer medium according to claim 6, the “

wake-up signal”

for the customer medium is included in the HF-pulse.

8. Customer medium for recording the utilisation of services according to claim 1, wherein it features an LCD display and a corresponding driver with minimum power consumption and/or a device for the visual and/or acoustic indicator for a low battery status.

9. Customer medium for recording the utilisation of services according to claim 1, wherein it features means to enter a PIN and/or a biometric sensor, in order to verify the validity of the use by a person.

10. Customer medium for recording the utilisation of services, according to claim 1, wherein it has an ISO card format.

11. Customer medium for recording the utilization of services according to claim 1, wherein the antennas of the customer medium are designed as dipoles, folded dipoles, “

inverted F”

antenna, quadrupole antennas, similar patch antennas or antenna loops and coils on a PCB substrate.

12. Use of a customer medium according to claim 1 as a ticket as part of a “

be-in-be-out”

- or “

check-in check-out”

-ticket collection system.