Apparatus and method for preventing wireless interrogation of portable consumer devices

• US 7,522,905 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dixon, Phil, Hammad, Ayman
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHRPOUR, NAGHMEH
• Application Number:
  US11/165,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20060293027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/129, 455/90, 455/405, 455/406, 455/74.1, 455/558, 455/559, 455/550, 455/575, 455/120, 455/557, 455/556
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07309 Means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or onto record carriers

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided to prevent contactless portable electronic consumer devices such as an RF identification device (RFID), tokens, mini-cards, key fobs, cellular phones, smart card, etc. from being wirelessly interrogated. In one embodiment, a decoy circuit capable of detecting wireless interrogation signals transmitted to a contactless portable consumer device is used to prevent one or more interrogation devices from interrogating an authentic circuit in the contactless portable consumer device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a decoy circuit capable of detecting wireless interrogation signals transmitted to a contactless portable consumer device, wherein the decoy circuit is configured to prevent one or more interrogation devices from interrogating an authentic circuit in the contactless portable consumer device wherein the decoy circuit is present in a decoy device that is separate from, but is to be used adjacent to the contactless portable consumer device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contactless portable consumer device comprises a memory comprising at least financial information or health information, and combinations thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the decoy circuit comprises an antenna that is at least as sensitive as an antenna associated with the contactless portable consumer device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the decoy circuit comprises a detection circuit that responds more quickly to the wireless interrogation signals than the contactless portable consumer device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the decoy circuit comprises a decoy program configured to simulate the authentic circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the decoy circuit comprises decoy data configured to simulate data associated with the contactless portable consumer device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the decoy circuit comprises a location device capable of determining where the decoy circuit detected the wireless interrogation signals.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the decoy circuit comprises a timing device capable of determining when the decoy circuit detected the wireless interrogation signals.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the decoy circuit comprises a timing device capable of determining when the decoy circuit detected the wireless interrogation signals.

10. A method comprising:

detecting a wireless interrogation signal from an interrogation device using a decoy circuit;

responding to the wireless interrogation signal with the decoy circuit, wherein the response from the decoy circuit is more rapid than a response from a corresponding authentic circuit in a contactless portable consumer device; and

providing decoy data to the interrogation device in response using the decoy circuit to deceive the interrogation device into believing that the interrogation device is communicating with the authentic circuit in the contactless portable consumer device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein detecting the wireless interrogation signal comprises detecting the wireless interrogation signal at a signal level lower than the contactless portable consumer device can detect.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein providing decoy data comprises locking the interrogation device into an exclusive communication exchange with the interrogation device.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising determining a geographic location of the contactless portable consumer device.

14. A system comprising:

a contactless portable consumer device comprising authentic data; and

a decoy device comprising decoy data,

wherein the decoy device is adapted to provide the decoy data to an interrogation device before or instead of the authentic data to deceive the interrogation device into believing that the interrogation device is communicating with the authentic circuit in the contactless portable consumer device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the decoy device is adapted to respond to a signal from the interrogation device before the contactless portable consumer device responds to the signal when both the contactless portable consumer device and the decoy device are within an operating range of the interrogation device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the contactless portable consumer device and the decoy device are in the form of cards.

17. The system claim 14, wherein the authentic data comprises financial information.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the decoy data comprises decoy financial information.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the decoy data comprises decoy communications protocols.

26. The system of claim 14 wherein the decoy data comprises decoy communication messages.

27. The system of claim 14, wherein the decoy data comprises a decoy account number.

18. A method comprising:

obtaining a contactless portable consumer device and a decoy device;

placing the contactless portable consumer device adjacent to the decoy device;

receiving an interrogation signal at the contactless portable consumer device and at the decoy device from an interrogation device; and

sending decoy data from the decoy device to the interrogation device to deceive the interrogation device into believing that the interrogation device is communicating with the authentic circuit in the contactless portable consumer device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the contactless portable consumer device and the decoy device are in the form of cards.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the decoy data comprises a decoy account number.

20. A method comprising:

obtaining a contactless portable consumer device and a decoy device;

placing the contactless portable consumer device adjacent to the decoy device;

receiving an interrogation signal at the contactless portable consumer device and at the decoy device from an interrogation device; and

sending decoy data from the decoy device to the interrogation device; and

sending authentic data to the interrogation device after the decoy data is sent from the decoy device.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the decoy data comprises decoy financial information.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein decoy data further comprises decoy communication messages.