Wirelessly accessing broadband services using intelligent covers

• US 8,380,259 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2012
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• 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: Dao, Tuan Quoc, Jain, Deepak
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATHARU, MANPREET S
• Application Number:
  US13/481,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20120231766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/757.8, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/575.8, 379/433.05, 379/437, 715/835
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• 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 first portion of at least one of the surfaces includes a connector for connecting to a port of the consumer device;

the connector that includes a first interface that connects to the port of the consumer device and second interface that substantially duplicates an original port of the consumer device;

a physical interface included in at least one of the surfaces that receives memory devices external to the consumer device;

a circuit integrated within at least one of the surfaces and that connects the physical interface to the connector;

a broadband service card connected to the physical interface and that accesses a foreign service through the wireless broadband network; and

wherein the broadband card includes secure memory configured to store user credentials and one or more processors configured to execute a service application, access the foreign service using the user credentials, and wirelessly transmits a service request to a broadband service provider using the wireless broadband network.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein the physical interface that receives an external memory device comprises a microSecureDigital (microSD) slot.

3. The cover of claim 1, the circuit further configured to convert signals between a form compatible with the broadband service card and a form compatible with the consumer device.

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

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

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 service 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 service comprises access to content distributed by the broadband service provider.

9. The cover of claim 1, further comprising the one or more processors further configured to present 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 one or more processors further configured to present 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, and verify the submitted user identification with user identification locally stored in the secure memory prior to accessing foreign services.

11. The cover of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors further configured to selectively switch 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 device.

13. The cover of claim 1, wherein the broadband card wirelessly communicates using at least one of LTE, WiMAX, HSPA, HSDPA, UMB, GPRS, EDGE or other 802.1x signals.

14. The cover of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors further configured to translate signals between wireless broadband protocols and a device-interface protocol.

15. The cover of claim 1, the one or more processors further configured to:

decrypt received signals and encrypt at least part of the service request prior to wireless transmission; and

authenticate at least one of a cellular network of the consumer device, the wireless broadband network, the consumer device, or a user.

16. The cover of claim 15, the one or more processors further configured to deactivate the antenna in response to at least a failure to authenticate the at least one of the cellular network of the consumer device, the wireless broadband network, the consumer device, or the user.

17. The cover of claim 1, the one or more processors further configured to execute one or more authentication processes in response to at least insertion in the port of the consumer device.

18. The cover of claim 1, the one or more processors further configured to activate the broadband card and transmit to the broadband service provider 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.

19. The cover of claim 18, wherein the broadband card is activated based, at least in part, on a user manually entering an activation code through a GUI of the consumer device.

20. The cover of claim 1, wherein the broadband card accesses the foreign service without modifying firmware of the consumer device.

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

22. The cover of claim 1, the one or more processors further configured to receive power from the consumer device.

23. The cover of claim 1, wherein an enterprise at least associated with the broadband service provider uploads personalization data prior to activation, wherein the personalization data includes the user credentials, the service application and at least one of operational flags, a rule table or user interface.

24. The cover of claim 23, the one or more processers further configured to further update the 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 card.