Physical presence digital authentication system

• US 6,607,136 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sonixio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beepcard, Inc.
• Inventors: Sege, Alan, Speyer, Gavriel, Cohen, Moshe, Lev, Tsvi, Antebi, Amit, Atsmon, Alon, Anati, Rami, Altman, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US09/570,399
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/487
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity 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 20/3415 Cards acting autonomously as pay-media
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 : by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• 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: G07G 1/0036 : Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 : Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

The interactive authentication system allows a consumer to interact with a base station, such as broadcast media (e.g., television and radio) or PC, to receive coupons, special sales offers, and other information with an electronic card. The electronic card can also be used to transmit a signal that can be received by the base station to perform a wide variety of tasks. These tasks can include launching an application, authenticating a user at a website, and completing a sales transaction at a website (e.g., by filling out a form automatically). The interaction between the base station and the electronic card is accomplished by using the conventional sound system in the base station so that a special reader hardware need not be installed to interact with the electronic card. The user is equipped with an electronic card that can receive and transmit data via sound waves. In the various embodiments, the sound waves can be audible or ultrasonic (which can be slightly audible to some groups of people).

Claims

1. A one-way electronic card, comprising:

a card body that has a thickness less than 0.8 mm and a switch; and

transmission electronics coupled to the switch that emit an ultrasonic acoustic signal when the switch is activated.

2. A two-way electronic card, comprising:

a card body that has a thickness less than 0.8 mm and a switch;

reception electronics for receiving acoustic signals; and

transmission electronics coupled to the switch that emit an acoustic signal when the switch is activated.

3. An interactive electronic system, comprising:

a base station with a microphone and at least one application; and

an electronic card including,

a card body that has a thickness less than 0.8 mm and a switch, and

transmission electronics coupled to the switch that emit an acoustic signal when the switch is activated, wherein the acoustic signal launches the application in the base station.