System and method for active jamming of confidential information transmitted at a point-of-sale reader

• US 8,244,169 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2011
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: DiMartino, Allison A., Dreiling, Ryan P., Roche, Elizabeth C., Zhu, Kevin K.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHARMA, SUJATHA R
• Application Number:
  US13/207,645
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/410, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/406, 455/66.1, 455/557, 455/558, 235379-383, 235/492, 235/375, 235/451, 235/487, 705/40, 705/77, 705/34, 705/17, 705/43, 705/44
• US Class Current: 455/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/32 including a particular configuration of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/28 with jamming and anti-jamming mechanisms both included in a same device or system, e.g. wherein anti-jamming includes prevention of undesired self-jamming resulting from jamming
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/65 using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/68 using passive jamming, e.g. by shielding or reflection shielding of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic field H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/825 by jamming

Abstract

A system for impeding reception of confidential information is disclosed. The system comprises a point-of-sale transceiver configured to receive confidential information transmitted by a mobile device incorporating an electronic wallet and a signal generator in communication with the point-of-sale transceiver and configured to broadcast a jamming signal substantially concurrently with the point-of-sale transceiver receiving the confidential information.

Claims

1. A system for impeding reception of confidential information, comprising:

a point-of-sale transceiver configured to receive a confidential information transmitted by a mobile device incorporating an electronic wallet; and

a signal generator in communication with the point-of-sale transceiver and configured to broadcast a jamming signal substantially concurrent with the point-of-sale transceiver receiving the confidential information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the jamming signal is based on an additive white Gaussian noise signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the confidential information is received according to a format that includes a payload portion containing the confidential information and wherein the jamming signal is broadcast according to the format with the payload portion of the jamming signal containing information unassociated with the confidential information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the point-of-sale transceiver communicates with the mobile device using one of a near field communication technology and a radio frequency identity technology.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the point-of-sale transceiver is configured to transmit a transaction initialization signal to the mobile device and wherein the signal generator broadcasts the jamming signal at a higher power level than the power level used by the point-of-sale transceiver to transmit the transaction initialization signal.

6. The system of claim 1, further including radio shielding material located between the point-of-sale transceiver and the signal generator.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal generator is further configured to send the jamming signal to the point-of-sale transceiver.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the point-of-sale transceiver is further configured to cancel the broadcasted jamming signal using the jamming signal received from the signal generator to enable the point-of-sale transceiver to receive the confidential information.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the jamming signal is configured to be broadcast from an antenna.

9. A method of impeding reception of confidential information, comprising:

producing a jamming signal;

broadcasting the jamming signal from a point-of-sale device; and

receiving a confidential information at the point-of-sale device, wherein the jamming signal is broadcast substantially concurrently with the reception of the confidential information and wherein the confidential information is received from a portable electronic device containing an electronic wallet.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein producing a jamming signal is based on an additive white Gaussian noise signal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein producing a jamming signal is based on producing a first signal similar in structure to a second signal received by the point-of-sale device, wherein the second signal contains the confidential information, and wherein the first signal contains information unassociated with the confidential information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first signal and second signal contain a payload portion and an overhead portion, wherein the payload portion of the second signal contains the confidential information, and wherein the payload portion of the first signal contains information unassociated with the confidential information contained in the payload portion of the second signal.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein producing the jamming signal comprises up-converting a baseband jamming signal to another radio frequency within a radio frequency range.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the radio frequency range is within a radio frequency range used by a radio frequency communication link between the point-of-sale device and the portable electronic device.

15. A method of jamming reception of a confidential information, comprising:

producing a jamming signal;

receiving the jamming signal at a point-of-sale device;

broadcasting the jamming signal;

cancelling, by the point-of-sale device, the broadcasted jamming signal using the received jamming signal;

receiving a confidential information at the point-of-sale device, wherein the jamming signal is broadcast substantially concurrently with the reception of the confidential information and wherein the confidential information is received from a portable electronic device containing an electronic wallet.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiving the jamming signal at the point-of-sale device is over a coaxial cable.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the jamming signal is a baseband signal.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the broadcasted jamming signal is up-converted prior to the broadcasting.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the cancelling the broadcasted jamming signal using the received jamming signal comprises:

down converting the broadcasted up-converted jamming signal; and

subtracting the received jamming signal from the down converted jamming signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the cancelling the broadcasted jamming signal using the received signal further comprises equalizing a power level of the received jamming signal.