Systems and methods for drive circuits for dynamic magnetic stripe communications devices

• US 8,602,312 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2011
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dynamics Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dynamics Inc.
• Inventors: Cloutier, Bruce S., Lambeth, David N., Workley, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US13/028,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20120037709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 235/488, 235/492, 235/493
• US Class Current: 235/488
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06206 the magnetic marking being emulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Dynamic magnetic stripe communications devices are provided as magnetic stripe emulators. A magnetic stripe emulator may include a coil. Drive circuits may be coupled to this coil in order to produce electromagnetic fields from the coil operable to communicate with a magnetic stripe reader.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a magnetic stripe emulator operable to communicate a magnetic stripe data track, wherein said magnetic stripe emulator comprises a coil;

a processor; and

a drive circuit coupled to said magnetic stripe emulator, wherein said drive circuit includes a first operational amplifier and a second operational amplifier.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a battery.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said magnetic stripe emulator includes a multiple-layer, flexible printed circuit board.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said device includes a button.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said device includes a first button and a second button.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising an RFID.

7. A device comprising:

a magnetic stripe emulator operable to communicate a magnetic stripe data track, wherein said magnetic stripe emulator comprises a coil;

a processor; and

a drive circuit coupled to said magnetic stripe emulator, wherein said drive circuit includes;

a ramp generator operable to provide a trapezoidal signal, wherein said ramp generator comprises a capacitor and the capacitance of said capacitor is between 1,500 and 4,000 pF.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said ramp generator provides a ramp generator output signal and said drive circuit further comprises a signal shaping circuit operable to shape said ramp generator output signal.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein said ramp generator provides a ramp generator output signal and said drive circuit further comprises a signal shaping circuit operable to shape said ramp generator output signal, said signal shaping circuit provides a shaped output, said drive circuit further comprises a current control circuit, said current control circuit receives said shaped signal and controls the level of current of an output.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein said magnetic stripe emulator includes a multiple-layer flexible, printed circuit board.

11. The device of claim 7, further comprising a battery.

12. A drive circuit operable to communicate magnetic stripe data through an inductor, comprising:

a ramp generator operable to provide a trapezoidal signal; and

a signal shaping circuit operable to smooth transition points of said trapezoidal signal to provide a smoothed signal.

13. The drive circuit of claim 12, further comprising a current control circuit.

14. The drive circuit of claim 12, wherein said ramp generator includes a capacitor.

15. The drive circuit of claim 12, wherein said ramp generator includes an operational amplifier.

16. The drive circuit of claim 12, wherein said ramp generator includes a capacitor and an operational amplifier.

17. The drive circuit of claim 12, wherein said ramp generator includes a capacitor, a resistor, and an operational amplifier.