Wirelessly accessing broadband services using intelligent covers

• US 8,190,221 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DeviceFidelity, Inc. (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: DeviceFidelity, Inc. (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jain, Deepak, Dao, Tuan Quoc
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATHARU, MANPREET S
• Application Number:
  US12/210,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20090069051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.8, 455/556.1, 455/575.1, 379/433.05, 379/437, 715/835
• US Class Current: 455/575.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07707 the visual interface being a display, e.g. LCD or electronic ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07739 comprising a first part capable of functioning as a record carrier on its own and a second part being only functional as a form factor changing part, e.g. SIM cards type ID 0001, removably attached to a regular smart card form factor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07773 Antenna details antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10237 the reader and the record carrier being capable of selectively switching between reader and record carrier appearance, e.g. in near field communication [NFC] devices where the NFC device may function as an RFID reader or as an RFID tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC 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 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3574 Multiple applications on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• 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: H04B 1/3816 : Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 : applying security measure for e-commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/32 : Specific management aspects for broadband networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 : using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 : for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 : by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/103 : using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/106 : using commercial credit or debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/12 : using calling, telephone credit/debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/14 : using commercial credit/debit cards, e.g. VISA, AMEX
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 : using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 : using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 : by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for wirelessly accessing broadband services using intelligent covers. In some implementations, a cover for a consumer device includes side surfaces, a rear surface, a physical interface, a circuit, and a broadband service card. The side surfaces and a rear surface form an opening that receives at least a portion of a consumer device. A first portion of at least one of the surfaces includes a connector for connecting to a port of the consumer device. The circuit connects the physical interface to the connector. The broadband service card connected to the physical interface and accesses a service foreign through the wireless broadband network independent of the consumer device.

Claims

1. A cover for a consumer device, comprising:

side surfaces configured to be adjacent at least a portion one or more side surfaces of the consumer device;

a rear surface configured to be adjacent at least a portion of a rear surface of the consumer device and connected to the side surfaces, the side surfaces and the rear surface form an opening that receives at least a portion of the consumer device;

a connector configured to connect to a port of the consumer device;

a circuit that connects the connector to a broadband service module;

the broadband service module configured to access foreign services through a wireless broadband network and connected to the consumer device through the circuit and the connector; and

wherein the broadband service module comprises;

a communication module that wirelessly receives RF signals from and transmits RF signals to the wireless broadband network;

a security module that stores user credentials used to securely authenticate a card and access a service foreign to a consumer host device through the wireless broadband network independent of the consumer host device, the user credentials associated with a broadband service provider;

an operating system with a runtime environment that executes a locally-stored service application for accessing the services independent of the consumer host devices; and

a service module that accesses the foreign service using the user credentials in response to at least an event and transmits a service request to the broadband service provider using the wireless broadband network.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein the broadband service module comprises a microSecureDigital (microSD) card.

3. The cover of claim 1, the circuit further comprising a conversion module that converts signals between a form compatible with the broadband service module and a form compatible with the consumer device.

4. The cover of claim 3, wherein the conversion module converts between a SD signal and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) signal.

5. The cover of claim 1, the consumer device comprising an iPhone, the connector comprising an iDock connector.

6. The cover of claim 1, wherein one or more of the side surfaces are substantially arcuate to substantially maintain a shape and dimensions of the consumer device.

7. The cover of claim 1, the foreign services comprises access to a remote memory in a service-provider network for storing documents, files, programs, video, images or audio at least partially generated by the consumer host device.

8. The cover of claim 1, the foreign services comprise access to content distributed by the broadband service provider.

9. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a user-interface module that presents information associated with the service request through a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the consumer host device.

10. The cover of claim 9, wherein the user-interface module further presents a request for user identification including at least one of a Personal Identification Number (PIN), user ID and password, or biometric signature through the GUI of the consumer host device, the service module further verifies the submitted user identification with user identification locally stored in a secure memory prior to accessing foreign services.

11. The cover of claim 1, wherein the service module selectively switches an RF antenna between an activate state and an inactivate state in response to at least an event.

12. The cover of claim 11, wherein the switching event includes a selection through a GUI of the consumer host device.

13. The cover of claim 1, wherein the wireless RF signals comprise at least one of LTE, WiMAX, HSPA, HSDPA, UMB, GPRS, EDGE or other 802.1x signals.

14. The cover of claim 1, wherein the service module further comprises a protocol translation module that translates signals between wireless broadband protocols and a device-interface protocol.

15. The cover of claim 1, further comprising:

a cryptographic module that decrypts received signals prior to processing by the service module and encrypts at least part of an authentication request prior to wireless transmission; and

an authentication module that authenticates at least one of a network of a service-provider wireless broadband network, the consumer host device, or a user.

16. The cover of claim 15, the authentication module further deactivates an antenna in response to at least a failure to authenticate the at least one of the network of the consumer host device, the service-provider wireless broadband network, or the user.

17. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a bootstrap module that executes one or more authentication processes in response to at least insertion in the port of the consumer host device.

18. The cover of claim 1, wherein one or more authentication processes authenticates at least one of a network, a consumer host device, or a user.

19. The cover of claim 1, further comprising an activation module that activates the broadband service module and transmits to a network element a request to activate an associated user account in response to at least a user request or an initial insertion into the consumer host device.

20. The cover of claim 19, wherein the broadband service module is activated based, at least in part, on a user manually entering an activation code through a GUI of the consumer host device.

21. The cover of claim 1, wherein the broadband service module accesses the foreign service independent of loading a driver onto the consumer host device.

22. The cover of claim 1, wherein the broadband service module emulates a customer premises equipment (CPE) when communicating with the wireless broadband network.

23. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a power module that receives power from the consumer host device.

24. The cover of claim 23, wherein an enterprise at least associated with the broadband service provider uploads personalization data prior to activation, wherein personalization data includes the user credentials, a service application and at least one of operational flags, a rule table or user interface.

25. The cover of claim 1, the communication module further operable to update personalization data after activation in response to at least one of a wireless signal including secure update instructions or a wired signal through a client connected to the broadband service module.