Manually operated switch for enabling and disabling an RFID card

• US 6,863,220 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Selker, Edwin Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): FUREMAN, JARED
• Application Number:
  US10/334,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20030132301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/487, 235/451, 257/679, 340/572.1, 340/10.33, 361/737
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/05 Card, e.g. credit card
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/076 Key stroke generating power

Abstract

A radio operated data card whose outer jacket forms a sealed protected housing for internal electrical components, including an RFID integrated circuit which incorporates data storage and a radio frequency transceiver, an on card antenna, and manually operated, normally open electrical switch contacts connected between the on-card electronic circuitry and the antenna. The open switch contacts normally disable the card, protecting the data on the card from being surreptitiously read until the switch contacts are intentionally closed by the cardholder to enable data transfer to occur. The cardholder may activate the card by applying external pressure to the surface of the card at a predetermined position, closing the switch contacts which open again automatically when pressure is removed. A tactile indicia on the surface of the card allows the cardholder to determine by touch where the card should be pressed to enable data transfers to occur. In an alternate embodiment, a mating key in the possession of the cardholder may be brought into proximity with the card to close the normally open switch to permit information to be read from the card.

Claims

1. A radio operated data card comprising, in combination,

an on-card antenna,

on-card electronic circuitry including a data memory and a transceiver for transferring data between said memory and a remote host system via said antenna,

a user-activated, normally open electrical switching circuit connected between the on-card electronic circuitry and said on-card antenna, said normally open switching circuit disabling the transfer of information via said antenna until said switching circuit is intentionally closed by a cardholder to enable such transfer, said switching circuit automatically reopening after being intentionally closed by the cardholder to again disable such transfer,

said antenna, said on-card electronic circuitry and said electrical switching circuit being sandwiched between first and second planar panels which form outer surfaces of said data card,

said switching circuit comprising, in combination,

first and second normally spaced-apart conductive electrical contacts, said first contact being located adjacent to said first planar panel and being moved into contact with said second contact to close said switching circuit when the cardholder applies pressure to said first panel, and

a deformable support cushion positioned to intercept said first contact as it moves into contact with said second contact, said deformable cushion urging said first contact away from said second contact to reopen said switching circuit when said pressure is no longer applied to said first panel.

2. A radio operated data card as set forth in claim 1 wherein said on-card electrical circuitry receives electrical energy from said remote host system when said switching circuit is intentionally closed by said cardholder but receives no power via said antenna when said switching circuit is open.

3. A radio operated data card as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said electrical contacts is formed from a resilient material that deforms as said electrical contacts are moved into electrical contact with one another.

4. A radio operated data card as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first panel defines an external surface which deforms when external pressure is applied by the cardholder, the deformation of said external surface causing said switch contacts to be moved into electrical contact with one another.

5. A radio operated data card as set forth in claim 4 wherein said external pressure must be applied at a predetermined location on said external surface to cause said switch contacts to move.

6. A radio operated data card as set forth in claim 5 wherein said external surface defines at least one tactile feature whose position is discernable by touch to said cardholder to indicate the position of said predetermined location.

7. A radio operated data card as set forth in claim 4 wherein said external surface is formed into a dome-shaped dimple at a predetermined location, said dimple acting as a resilient Belleville spring that deforms when pressed by the cardholder to close said switching circuit but which resumes its dome shape when pressure is released.

8. A radio operated data card as set forth in claim 1 wherein said automatically reopening after said switching circuit is intentionally closed by said cardholder is delayed to maintain said switching circuit in closed condition for at least a predetermined minimum time.

9. A radio operated data card comprising, in combination,

an on-card antenna,

on-card electronic circuitry including a data memory and a transceiver for transferring data between said memory and a remote host system via said antenna, and

a user-activated, normally open electrical switching circuit connected between the on-card electronic circuitry and said on-card antenna, said normally open switching circuit disabling the transfer of information via said antenna until said switching circuit is intentionally closed by A cardholder to enable such transfer, said switching circuit automatically reopening after being intentionally closed by the cardholder to again disable such transfer, and

a mating external key device in the possession of the cardholder for closing said switching circuit when said key device is brought into proximity to said switching circuit.

10. A radio operated data card as set forth in claim 9, wherein said electrical switching circuit is closed by the application of a magnetic field produced by said external key device.

13. A radio operated data card as set forth in claim 9 wherein said electrical circuit includes at least two spaced apart internal conductive members and wherein said external key device includes a further conductive member which capacitively couples said internal conductive members when said key is brought into proximity to said switching circuit.

11. A radio operated data cArd as set forth in 9 wherein at least one of said electrical contacts comprises a ferromagnetic material that is moved by the application of an external magnetic field.

12. A radio operated data card as set forth in claim 11 wherein said external magnetic field is applied by said mating external key in the possession of the cardholder which is brought into proximity to said card.

14. A radio operated data card comprising an outer jacket defining a sealed protected housing for internal electrical components, said components comprising:

on-card electronic circuitry including a data memory,

an on-card antenna,

a transceiver for transferring data between said memory and a remote host system via said antenna, and

normally open electrical switch contacts connected between the on-card electronic circuitry and said on-card antenna, said normally open switching circuit disabling the transfer of information via said antenna until said switch contacts are intentionally closed by a cardholder to enable such transfer, said switching circuit automatically reopening after being intentionally closed by the cardholder to again disable such transfer,

wherein an external surface of said jacket defines at least one tactile feature whose position is discernable by touch to the cardholder and wherein said jacket deforms when the cardholder applies an external force at said position, the deformation of said jacket closing said switch contacts.

15. A radio operated data card as set forth in claim 14 wherein said tactile feature is formed by a dome-shaped dimple on said external surface, said dimple acting as a resilient Belleville spring that deforms when pressed by the cardholder to close said switching circuit but which resumes its dome shape when pressure is released.