Small RFID card with integrated inductive element

• US 7,961,101 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Icashe Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tyfone Incorporated
• Inventors: Tadepalli, Prabhakar, Chakraborty, Saurav, Narendra, Siva G.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US12/188,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20100033307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 235/492, 235/379, 235/380, 235/493, 705/1, 710/100, 710/301
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• 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 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07769 the further communication means being a galvanic interface, e.g. hybrid or mixed smart cards having a contact and a non-contact interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

A memory card compatible RFID card includes a smartcard controller that receives power from a host device. The RFID card also includes a small inductive device capable of inductive coupling with an RFID reader. The small inductive device is small enough to fit in the form factor of a memory card. Commands may be sent to the RFID card to keep the RFID card powered.

Claims

1. A card comprising:

a memory card slot interface;

a memory card controller coupled to the memory card slot interface;

a contactless communications device coupled to the memory card controller, the contactless communications device having an antenna port;

a power delivery mechanism to deliver power to the contactless communications device from the memory card slot interface;

a magnetic core; and

a coil wound about the magnetic core, the coil being coupled to the antenna port of the contactless communications device.

2. The card of claim 1 wherein the contactless communications device is designed to comply with ISO 14443.

3. The card of claim 1 wherein the contactless communications device is designed to interoperate with MIFARE.

4. The card of claim 1 wherein the card conforms to size requirements of a standard memory card.

5. The card of claim 4 wherein the card conforms to memory card size requirements of one of:

Secure Digital (SD) cards, mini SD cards, and micro SD cards.

6. The card of claim 1 further comprising a circuit board to which the memory card controller, the contactless communications device, and the magnetic core and coil are affixed.

7. The card of claim 1 wherein the contactless communications device is operable to reflect signals received at substantially 13.56 MHz.

8. The card of claim 7 wherein the contactless communications device is operable to reflect a received signal by modifying the impedance of an internal circuit coupled to the antenna port.

9. The card of claim 1 further comprising nonvolatile memory coupled to the memory card controller.

10. A radio frequency identification (RFID) memory card comprising:

a memory card controller to communicate with a host;

an RFID device having an antenna port; and

an inductive element coupled to the antenna port, wherein the inductive element is too small to provide sufficient energy to power the RFID device;

wherein the RFID device is coupled to receive power from the host.

11. The RFID memory card of claim 10 wherein the RFID device is designed to comply with ISO 14443.

12. The RFID memory card of claim 10 wherein the RFID device is designed to interoperate with MIFARE.

13. The RFID memory card of claim 10 wherein the card conforms to memory card size requirements of one of:

Secure Digital (SD) cards, mini SD cards, and micro SD cards.

14. The RFID memory card of claim 10 further comprising a circuit board to which the memory card controller, the RFID device, and the inductive element are affixed.

15. The RFID memory card of claim 10 wherein the RFID device is operable to reflect signals received at substantially 13.56 MHz.