Contactless smart SIM functionality retrofit for mobile communication device

• US 8,424,757 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: On Track Innovations Limited (Nayax Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: On Track Innovations Limited (Nayax Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bashan, Oded, Itay, Hemy, Gazit, Nir, Harosh, Kobi
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, SONJI N
• Application Number:
  US12/961,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20120138678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0727 the arrangement being a circuit facilitating integration of the record carrier with a hand-held device such as a smart phone of PDA
• 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 19/07741 comprising a first part operating as a regular record carrier and a second attachable part that changes the functional appearance of said record carrier, e.g. a contact-based smart card with an adapter part which, when attached to the contact card makes the contact card function as a non-contact card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• 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: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID

Abstract

A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator, including a thin SIM card signal interceptor portion arranged for insertion intermediate an existing SIM card, having SIM card-based contacts, and communicator based SIM card contacts located in a SIM card recess formed in the communicator, the interceptor portion having contacts for communication with the communicator-based SIM card contacts and contacts for communication with the SIM card-based contacts, a contactless communication circuit bearing portion arranged for insertion in the communicator, a contactless antenna and a contactless communication circuit both mounted onto the circuit bearing portion, a flexible connector portion interconnecting the interceptor portion and the circuit bearing portion, an electrical path extending along the connector portion between the contacts of the interceptor portion and the contactless communication circuit, and an electrical path extending along the circuit bearing portion between the antenna and the contactless communication circuit.

Claims

1. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator, the adaptor comprising:

a thin SIM card signal interceptor portion arranged for insertion intermediate an existing SIM card, having SIM card-based contacts, and mobile communicator based SIM card contacts located in a SIM card recess formed in said mobile communicator, said thin SIM card signal interceptor portion having first contacts for communication with said mobile communicator-based SIM card contacts in said SIM card recess and second contacts for communication with said SIM card-based contacts on said existing SIM card;

a contactless communication circuit bearing portion arranged for insertion in said mobile communicator outside of said SIM card recess and adjacent a housing of said mobile communicator;

a contactless antenna mounted on said contactless communication circuit bearing portion;

a contactless communication circuit mounted onto said contactless communication circuit bearing portion;

a flexible connector portion interconnecting said thin SIM card signal interceptor portion and said contactless communication circuit bearing portion;

a first electrical path extending along said flexible connector portion between said first and second contacts of said thin SIM card signal interceptor portion and said contactless communication circuit; and

a second electrical path extending along said contactless communication circuit bearing portion between said contactless antenna and said contactless communication circuit.

2. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 1 and wherein said first electrical path is also a signal path.

3. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 1 and wherein said second electrical path is also a signal path.

4. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 1 and wherein said contactless transaction adaptor is operative to automatically communicate, via said mobile communicator, with a wireless communications provider which provides wireless communications services to said mobile communicator, and to automatically activate said contactless transaction adaptor in operative engagement with said mobile communicator.

5. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 4 and wherein said contactless transaction adaptor is operable as a contactless payment device.

6. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 5 and wherein said wireless communications provider is operative to record details of transactions executed by a user of said mobile communicator via said contactless transaction adaptor.

7. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 6 and wherein said details include at least one of a sum, a date, identification information of a user of said mobile communicator and a recipient of said sum.

8. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 7 and wherein said wireless communications provider is operative to transfer at least part of said sum from an account associated with said user of said mobile communicator to an account associated with said recipient.

9. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 1 and wherein said second contacts protrude from said thin SIM card signal interceptor, thereby providing for improved electrical contact between said second contacts and said SIM card-based contacts.

10. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 1 and wherein said contactless antenna is a loop antenna.

11. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 1 and wherein said contactless communication circuit comprises an integrated circuit.

12. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 1 and wherein said contactless communication circuit bearing portion is formed of a flexible PCB substrate.

13. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 12 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polyamide.

14. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 12 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polystyrene.

15. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 1 and wherein said contactless communication circuit bearing portion also comprises a layer of paramagnetic material which is operative to reduce magnetic coupling between said antenna and a battery of said mobile communicator.

16. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 15 and wherein said paramagnetic material is ferrite.

17. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 1 and wherein said flexible connector portion is formed of a flexible PCB substrate.

18. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 17 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polyamide.

19. A contactless transaction adaptor for use with a mobile communicator according to claim 17 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polystyrene.

20. A transaction device comprising:

a mobile communicator; and

a retrofit contactless transaction adaptor, the adaptor comprising;

a thin SIM card signal interceptor portion inserted intermediate an existing SIM card, having SIM card-based contacts, and mobile communicator based SIM card contacts located in a SIM card recess formed in said mobile communicator, said thin SIM card signal interceptor having first contacts for communication with said mobile communicator-based SIM card contacts in said SIM card recess and second contacts for communication with said SIM card-based contacts on said existing SIM card;

a contactless communication circuit bearing portion inserted in said mobile communicator outside of said SIM card recess and adjacent a housing of said mobile communicator;

a contactless antenna mounted on said contactless communication circuit bearing portion;

a contactless communication circuit mounted onto said contactless communication circuit bearing portion;

a flexible connector portion interconnecting said thin SIM card signal interceptor portion and said contactless communication circuit bearing portion;

a first electrical path extending along said flexible connector portion between said first and second contacts of said thin SIM card signal interceptor portion and said contactless communication circuit; and

a second electrical path extending along said contactless communication circuit portion between said contactless antenna and said contactless communication circuit.

21. A transaction device according to claim 20 and wherein said first electrical path is also a signal path.

22. A transaction device according to claim 20 and wherein said second electrical path is also a signal path.

23. A transaction device according to claim 20 and wherein said retrofit contactless transaction adaptor is operative to automatically communicate, via said mobile communicator, with a wireless communications provider which provides wireless communications services to said mobile communicator, and to automatically activate said contactless transaction adaptor in operative engagement with said mobile communicator.

24. A transaction device according to claim 23 and wherein said wireless communications provider is operative to record details of transactions executed by a user of said transaction device.

25. A transaction device according to claim 24 and wherein said details include at least one of a sum, a date, identification information of a user of said transaction device and a recipient of said sum.

26. A transaction device according to claim 25 and wherein said wireless communications provider is operative to transfer at least part of said sum from an account associated with said user of said transaction device to an account associated with said recipient.

27. A transaction device according to claim 20 and wherein said second contacts protrude from said thin SIM card signal interceptor, thereby providing for improved electrical contact between said second contacts and said SIM card-based contacts.

28. A transaction device according to claim 20 and wherein said contactless antenna is a loop antenna.

29. A transaction device according to claim 20 and wherein said contactless communication circuit comprises an integrated circuit.

30. A transaction device according to claim 20 and wherein said contactless communication circuit bearing portion is formed of a flexible PCB substrate.

31. A transaction device according to claim 30 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polyamide.

32. A transaction device according to claim 30 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polystyrene.

33. A transaction device according to claim 20 and wherein said contactless communication circuit bearing portion also comprises a layer of paramagnetic material which is operative to reduce magnetic coupling between said antenna and a battery of said mobile communicator.

34. A transaction device according to claim 33 and wherein said paramagnetic material is ferrite.

35. A transaction device according to claim 20 and wherein said flexible connector portion is formed of a flexible PCB substrate.

36. A transaction device according to claim 35 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polyamide.

37. A transaction device according to claim 35 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polystyrene.

38. A method of effecting transactions comprising:

providing a transaction device comprising;

a mobile communicator; and

a retrofit contactless transaction adaptor, the adaptor comprising;

a thin SIM card signal interceptor portion inserted intermediate an existing SIM card, having SIM card-based contacts, and mobile communicator based SIM card contacts located in a SIM card recess formed in said mobile communicator, said thin SIM card signal interceptor having first contacts for communication with said mobile communicator-based SIM card contacts in said SIM card recess and second contacts for communication with said SIM card-based contacts on said existing SIM card;

a contactless communication circuit bearing portion inserted in said mobile communicator outside of said SIM card recess and adjacent a housing of said mobile communicator;

a contactless antenna mounted on said contactless communication circuit bearing portion;

a contactless communication circuit mounted onto said contactless communication circuit bearing portion;

a flexible connector portion interconnecting said thin SIM card signal interceptor portion and said contactless communication circuit bearing portion;

a first electrical path extending along said flexible connector portion between said first and second contacts of said thin SIM card signal interceptor portion and said contactless communication circuit;

a second electrical path extending along said contactless communication circuit bearing portion between said contactless antenna and said contactless communication circuit; and

operating said mobile communicator in a contactless transaction mode for effecting a transaction.

39. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 38 and also comprising:

initially activating contactless transaction functionality following insertion of said retrofit contactless transaction adaptor in operative engagement with said mobile communicator.

40. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 39 wherein said initially activating is effected without user initiation.

41. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 38 and wherein said first electrical path is also a signal path.

42. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 38 and wherein said second electrical path is also a signal path.

43. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 38 and wherein said method comprises employing a wireless communications provider associated with said mobile communicator to record details of said transactions.

44. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 43 and wherein said details include at least one of a sum, a date, user of said transaction device and a recipient of said sum.

45. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 44 and wherein said method includes employing said wireless communications provider to transfer at least part of said sum from an account associated with said user of said transaction device to an account associated with said recipient.

46. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 38 and wherein said second contacts protrude from said thin SIM card signal interceptor, thereby providing for improved electrical contact between said second contacts and said SIM card-based contacts.

47. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 38 and wherein said contactless antenna is a loop antenna.

48. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 38 and wherein said contactless communication circuit comprises an integrated circuit.

49. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 38 and wherein said contactless communication circuit bearing portion is formed of a flexible PCB substrate.

50. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 49 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polyamide.

51. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 49 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polystyrene.

52. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 38 and wherein said contactless communication circuit bearing portion also comprises a layer of paramagnetic material which is operative to reduce magnetic coupling between said antenna and a battery of said mobile communicator.

53. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 52 and wherein said paramagnetic material is ferrite.

54. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 38 and wherein said flexible connector portion is formed of a flexible PCB substrate.

55. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 54 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polyamide.

56. A method of effecting transactions according to claim 54 and wherein said PCB substrate is Polystyrene.