Contactless activation systems and methods

• US 7,438,236 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Top, Mustafa
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Uyen-Chau N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo; Tuyen K
• Application Number:
  US11/424,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20060283960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/451, 235/439, 235/450, 235/380, 235/382
• 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 19/0723 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 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07309 Means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or onto record carriers
• 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

Abstract

Methods and systems for enabling contactless communications with a contactless card are disclosed. A contactless card may include a contactless interface activation mechanism that includes one or more sense contacts, a processor, and a processor-readable storage medium in communication with the processor. The processor-readable storage medium may contain programming instructions for performing one or more applications. The processor may be in a protected state in which the processor is prevented from performing the instructions for at least one application in the processor-readable storage medium unless a load is placed on at least one sense contact.

Claims

1. A contactless card, comprising:

a contactless interface activation mechanism comprising one or more sense contacts;

a processor; and

a processor-readable storage medium in communication with the processor;

wherein;

the processor-readable storage medium contains programming instructions for performing one or more applications; and

the processor is prevented from performing the instructions for at least one application in the processor-readable storage medium unless a load is placed on at least one sense contact;

and

one or more light sensors; and

a light dependent security circuit in communication with the one or more light sensors and the processor, wherein the light dependent security circuit prevents operation of the processor unless at least one light sensor detects light having one or more of a sufficient intensity, a correct coding, a correct modulation, and a correct frequency.

2. The contactless card of claim 1 wherein the processor is prevented from performing the instructions for at least one application in the processor-readable storage medium unless a load is placed on each sense contact.

3. The contactless card of claim 1 wherein the processor is prevented from performing the instructions for any application in the processor-readable storage medium unless a load is placed on at least one sense contact.

4. The contactless card of claim 1 wherein the processor is prevented from performing the instructions for any application in the processor-readable storage medium unless a load is placed on each sense contact.

5. The contactless card of claim 1 wherein a first light sensor is placed on a first side of the contactless card and a second light sensor is placed on a second side of the contactless card.

6. A method of enabling contactless communication on a contactless card, wherein the contactless card comprises one or more sense contacts and an antenna in communication with the one or more sense contacts, the method comprising:

placing the contactless card in a protected state, wherein the protected state comprises a state in which the contactless card disables at least a portion of contactless communications;

receiving power from an external field via the antenna;

determining whether a load has been placed on at least one sense contact of the contactless card, and if so, placing the contactless card in an unprotected state, wherein the unprotected state comprises a state in which the contactless card is enabled at least in part to engage in contactless communications; and

determining whether at least one light sensor detects light having one or more of a sufficient intensity, a correct coding, a correct modulation, and a correct frequency, and if not, placing the contactless card in the protected state.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the external field comprises one of an electric field, a magnetic field and an electromagnetic field.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

placing the contactless card in the protected state if the contactless card no longer receives power from the external field.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein a transaction is performed while the contactless card is in the unprotected state, and further comprising:

placing the contactless card in the protected state if the transaction completes.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the determining whether a load has been placed on at least one sense contact of the contactless card step is performed a plurality of times during a transaction.

11. A method of enabling contactless communication on a contactless card, wherein the contactless card comprises one or more sense contacts and an antenna in communication with the one or more sense contacts, the method comprising:

placing the contactless card in a protected state, wherein the protected state comprises a state in which the contactless card disables at least a portion of contactless communications;

receiving a selection for an application for the contactless communication session;

determining whether the selected application is a protected application;

if the selected application is an unprotected application, placing the contactless card in an unprotected state, wherein the unprotected state comprises a state in which the contactless card is enabled at least in part to engage in contactless communications; and

if the selected application is a protected application;

determining whether a load has been placed on at least one sense contact, and if so placing the contactless card in the unprotected state.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

if the selected application is a protected application;

determining if a predetermined condition is satisfied; and

if the predetermined condition is not satisfied, placing the contactless card in the unprotected state.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether at least one light sensor detects light having one or more of a sufficient intensity, a correct coding, a correct modulation, and a correct frequency; and

if not, placing the contactless card in the protected state.

14. A method of enabling contactless communication on a contactless card, wherein the contactless card comprises one or more sense contacts and an antenna in communication with the one or more sense contacts, the method comprising:

placing the contactless card in a protected state, wherein the protected state comprises a state in which the contactless card disables at least a portion of contactless communications;

determining whether a predetermined command is received;

if not, placing the contactless card in an unprotected state, wherein the unprotected state comprises a state in which the contactless card is enabled at least in part to engage in contactless communications; and

if so;

determining whether a condition is satisfied, if not, placing the contactless card in the unprotected state, and if so;

determining whether a load has been placed on at least one sense contact, and if so, placing the contactless card in the unprotected state.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining whether at least one light sensor detects light having one or more of a sufficient intensity, a correct coding, a correct modulation, and a correct frequency; and

if not, placing the contactless card in the protected state.

16. A method of enabling contactless communication on a contactless card, wherein the contactless card comprises one or more sense contacts and an antenna in communication with the one or more sense contacts, the method comprising:

placing the contactless card in a protected state, wherein the protected state comprises a state in which the contactless card disables at least a portion of contactless communications;

determining whether a command is received; and

if so;

determining whether a load has been placed on at least one sense contact, and if so;

placing the contactless card in an unprotected state for a predetermined time period, wherein the unprotected state comprises a state in which the contactless card is enabled at least in part to engage in contactless communications, at the end of the predetermined time period, determining whether a load has been placed on at least one sense contact, and if so, performing the contactless communication session.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining whether at least one light sensor detects light having one or more of a sufficient intensity, a correct coding, a correct modulation, and a correct frequency; and

if not, placing the contactless card in the protected state.