Method and system for blocking confidential information at a point-of-sale reader from eavesdropping

• US 8,249,935 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: DiMartino, Allison, Roche, Elizabeth, Zhu, Kevin, Dreiling, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Ig T
• Application Number:
  US11/863,229
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [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: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/088 the card reader being part of the point of sale [POS] terminal or electronic cash register [ECR] itself
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0893 the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner

Abstract

A method for point-of-sale transactions is disclosed. The method comprises a point-of-sale terminal receiving a confidential information from a portable electronic device over a contactless communication link, the confidential information being used by the point-of-sale terminal to complete the transaction. The method also includes substantially blocking access to the contactless communication link beyond the area adjacent to the point-of-sale terminal to reduce eavesdropping on the confidential information.

Claims

1. A method for point-of-sale (POS) transactions, comprising:

receiving a portable electronic device through an aperture of an enclosure of a point-of-sale terminal, wherein the enclosure encloses only a portion of the point-of-sale terminal, and the enclosure substantially surrounds a portion of the portable electronic device;

receiving, by the point-of-sale terminal, a confidential information from the portable electronic device over a contactless communication link, the confidential information being used by the point-of-sale terminal to complete a transaction; and

substantially blocking, by way of the enclosure, access to the contactless communication link during the transaction beyond the area adjacent to the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the aperture is constructed such that the portable electronic device is to be at least partially inserted inside the enclosure while being held by a hand of a device user during communication of the confidential information over the contactless communication link.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable electronic device is one of a mobile phone, a smart card, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable electronic device is a mobile phone, the mobile phone having an electronic wallet application, the electronic wallet application configured to provide the confidential information associated with charging a purchase price of one of a good and a service to one of a credit card, a debit card, a transit card, and a payment account.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the substantially blocking access to the contactless communication link during the transaction beyond the area of the point-of-sale terminal is accomplished by substantially enclosing the portable electronic device during the point-of-sale terminal receiving of confidential information.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising absorbing a radio frequency emitted from the portable electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the enclosure is joined to a contactless communication device of the point-of-sale terminal.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the enclosure surrounds a contactless communication device of the point-of-sale terminal.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the aperture is configured for insertion of an antenna end of the portable electronic device into the enclosure.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the body of the portable electronic device is constructed to promote substantially blocking contactless communication from that portion of the portable electronic device that remains outside of the enclosure when the portable electronic device is at least partially inserted into the aperture of the enclosure.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the enclosure is constructed to attenuate the confidential information transmitted over the contactless communication link.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the interior of the enclosure is at least partially covered with contactless communication absorbing material.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising closing a door of the aperture attached to the enclosure.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein closing the door forms a Faraday cage with the enclosure and the door.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure protrudes from the point-of-sale terminal.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure substantially surrounds the portable electronic device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure encloses a contactless communication receiver of the point-of-sale terminal.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure encloses only a portion of a contactless communication receiver of the point-of-sale terminal.

18. A method for point-of-sale transactions, comprising:

receiving a portable electronic device through an aperture of an enclosure of a point-of-sale terminal, wherein the enclosure does not enclose all of the point-of-sale terminal, and the enclosure substantially surrounds a portion of the portable electronic device;

receiving, by the point-of-sale terminal, a confidential information from the portable electronic device over a contactless communication link, the confidential information being used by the point-of-sale terminal to complete a transaction; and

blocking, by way of the enclosure, access to the contactless communication link during the transaction beyond the area adjacent to the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the aperture is constructed such that the portable electronic device is to be at least partially inserted inside the enclosure while being held by a hand of a device user during communication of the confidential information over the contactless communication link.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the enclosure substantially surrounds the portable electronic device.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the enclosure protrudes from the point-of-sale terminal.