RF SIM card, card reader, and communication method

• US 8,630,584 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nationz Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nationz Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Meixiang, Yu, Yunbo, Shen, Aimin, Zhu, Shan, Ouyang, Li, Luo, Weixi
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fahnert, Marisol
• Application Number:
  US13/011,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20110165862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/63.4, 455/558, 455/562.1, 455/575.7, 455 601- 903, 455/95, 455/129, 455/151.2, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/5.81, 340/10.4, 340/10.52
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/47 using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) device includes an RF transceiver, an RF antenna, and a magnetic signal detector. The RF is selected to be in the very high frequency (VHF), ultrahigh frequency (UHF), or super high frequency (SHF) bands such that the shielding effect is reduced and the RF device can be configured as a SIM card disposed inside a cellular phone with an increased RF communication range. The magnetic signal detector is used to sense a magnetic field signal from an RF reader, which includes an RF transceiver, an RF antenna, and a magnetic signal transmitter. The longer communication range afforded by the VHF, UHF, or SHF bands is reduced by the sensing of the magnetic field, thereby providing a communication range control, while the RF device and the RF reader exchange information through the RF channel with improved security as a result of the range control.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) device comprising:

an RF transceiver;

an RF antenna; and

a magnetic signal detector;

wherein the magnetic signal detector is configured to;

receive a magnetic field signal from an RF reader, the magnetic field signal including identification information of the RF reader, and

determine, based on the magnetic field signal, whether the RF device and the RF reader are in an effective communication,

wherein the RF transceiver is configured to;

send authentication information to the RF reader, and

conduct a transaction with the RF reader through an RF channel, and

wherein the magnetic field signal comprises a low-frequency alternating magnetic field that has a frequency selected such that at or below the frequency no calibration is required for different mobile terminals having the RF device installed therein.

2. The RF device of claim 1, wherein said magnetic signal detector is configured to control a communication range between the RF device and an RF reader.

3. The RF device of claim 1, wherein said RF device comprises a subscriber identity module (SIM) card comprising a SIM portion, and wherein the RF transceiver is configured to be in a dormant state if the magnetic signal detector does not receive a magnetic field signal, and to be activated by an electrical signal converted from a magnetic field signal received by the magnetic signal detector.

4. The RF device of claim 1, further comprising a microcontroller,

wherein the RF transceiver is electrically connected to the RF antenna and the first microcontroller;

and

wherein the magnetic signal detector is electrically connected to the RF transceiver.

5. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic detector comprises one of an induction coil, a Hall device, or a magnetic induction switch.

6. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the RF transceiver has an activation threshold for activation by an electrical signal converted from a magnetic field signal.

7. The RF device of claim 6, wherein the activation threshold is adjustable based on a predetermined communication range between the RF SIM card and an RF card reader.

8. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the RF device has a communication range determined by an activation threshold of the RF transceiver.

9. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the RF transceiver is configured to function in a super high frequency (SHF), a very high frequency (VHF), or an ultra high frequency (UHF) range.

10. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the RF device is a replaceable RF SIM card of a mobile communication terminal.

11. The RF device of claim 10, wherein the RF SIM card has a communication range that does not depend substantially on the mobile communication terminal in which the RF SIM card is disposed.

12. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field signal is a matching signal suitable for the RF SIM card.

13. The RF device of claim 1, further comprising a first microcontroller, wherein the first microcontroller is configured to be in a dormant state if the magnetic signal detector does not receive a magnetic field signal, and wherein the RF transceiver is further configured to examine whether an RF signal exists to determine whether to interrupt or wake up the first microcontroller and to enter a working state, wherein in the working state the RF transceiver exchanges data with an RF card reader.

14. The RF device of claim 1, wherein said authentication information comprises:

the identification information of the RF reader received by the RF device; and

identification information of the RF device.

15. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the RF device is configured to determine whether the RF device and the RF reader are in a predetermined effective communication range based on the magnetic field signal detected by the RF device.

16. The RF device of claim 15, wherein the RF device is configured to determine whether the RF device and the reader device are in the predetermined effective communication range by comparing an electrical signal converted from the detected magnetic field signal with a threshold.

17. The RF device of claim 16, wherein said threshold is determined using a signal value-distance relation measured from a terminal having the RF device disposed therein.

18. The RF device of claim 16, wherein said electrical signal comprises one of a voltage signal or a current signal.

19. The RF device of claim 1, wherein said low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal has a frequency in an ultralow frequency range of 300 Hz-3 kHz, a very low frequency range of 3 kHz-30 kHz, or a low frequency range of 30 kHz-300 kHz.

20. A communication system, comprising:

an RF device; and

an RF reader,

wherein the RF device and the RF reader are configured to have a communication range controlled through a magnetic signal and to exchange information through an RF channel,

wherein the RF reader is configured to transmit a low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal including identification information of the RF reader,

wherein at least one of the RF reader and the RF device is configured;

(A) to determine whether the RF device and the RF reader are in a predetermined effective communication range, based on the low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal detected by the RF device, and

(B) to authenticate the other of the RF reader or the RF device through at least one of the low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal or an RF channel, and

wherein both the RF reader and the RF device are configured to perform a transaction therebetween through the RF channel.

21. The communication system of claim 20,

wherein the RF device is an RF subscriber identity module (SIM) card comprising:

a SIM portion;

a first transceiver;

a first RF antenna; and

a magnetic signal detector;

wherein the first transceiver is configured to be in a dormant state if the magnetic induction module does not receive a magnetic field signal, and to be activated by an electrical signal converted from a magnetic field signal received by the magnetic signal detector; and

wherein the RF reader comprises;

a second transceiver;

a second RF antenna; and

a magnetic field transmitter;

wherein the magnetic field transmitter is configured to generate the magnetic field signal to active the first transceiver module if the RF SIM card and the RF reader are within an effective communication range.

22. The communication system of claim 21, wherein the second transceiver is configured to function in the super high frequency (SHF), very high frequency (VHF), or ultra high frequency (UHF) range.

23. The communication system of claim 21, wherein the first transceiver has an adjustable activation threshold for activation by the electrical signal converted from the magnetic field signal, and wherein the activation threshold is adjusted based a predetermined communication range between the RF SIM card and the RF reader.

24. The communication system of claim 21, wherein a communication range between the RF SIM card and the RF reader is determined based on an activation threshold of the first transceiver.

25. The communication system of claim 20, wherein the RF device and the RF reader device are further configured for identification through the magnetic signal.

26. The communication system of claim 25, wherein RF device and the RF reader device are further configured for identification through both the magnetic signal and the RF channel.

27. The communication system of claim 20, wherein the RF device is configured to determine whether the RF device and the RF reader are in the predetermined effective communication range by comparing an electrical signal converted from the detected low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal with a threshold.

28. The communication system of claim 27, wherein said electrical signal comprises one of a voltage signal or a current signal.

29. The communication system of claim 20, wherein the RF device is further configured to obtain the identification information of the RF reader from the low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal.

30. The communication system of claim 29, wherein the RF device is further configured to send the obtained identification information of the RF reader and identification information of the RF device to the RF reader through the RF channel.

31. The communication system of claim 20, wherein said RF reader comprises:

at least one low-frequency transmission coil;

at least one drive circuit;

at least one encoding circuit;

at least one first main processor;

at least one RF transceiver circuit; and

at least one RF antenna.

32. The communication system of claim 31, wherein said low-frequency transmission coil, drive circuit, encoding circuit, first main processor, RF transceiver circuit, and RF antenna are connected in series.

33. The communication system of claim 31, further comprising a modulation circuit disposed between the drive circuit and the encoding circuit.

34. The communication system of claim 31, wherein said low-frequency transmission coil is an enameled wire coil or a printed circuit board (PCB) coil.

35. The communication system of claim 31, wherein said low-frequency transmission coil has more than 10 turns.

36. The communication system of claim 31, wherein said low-frequency transmission coil has about 50-500 turns.

37. The communication system of claim 31, wherein said low-frequency transmission coil has a Ferrite core or an iron core.

38. The communication system of claim 31, wherein said RF device comprises:

at least one low-frequency magnetic induction circuit;

at least one low-frequency amplification circuit;

at least one threshold judgment and demodulation circuit;

at least one second main processor;

at least one RF transceiver circuit; and

at least one RF antenna.

39. The communication system of claim 38, wherein said low-frequency magnetic induction circuit, low-frequency amplification circuit, threshold judgment and demodulation circuit, second main processor, RF transceiver circuit, and RF antenna are connected in series.

40. The communication system of claim 38, wherein said low-frequency magnetic induction circuit comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) coil, an enameled wire coil, a Hall device, or a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) device.

41. The communication system of claim 20, wherein said RF device is disposed in a terminal.

42. The communication system of claim 41, wherein said terminal is a mobile terminal comprising one of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a laptop computer.

43. The communication system of claim 20, wherein said RF device is, or is disposed in, a SIM card, a UIM card, a USIM card, a TF card, or an SD card.

44. A communication method of an RF device communicating with an RF reader and controlling a communication range between the RF device and the RF reader using a magnetic field generated by a magnetic signal transmitter of the RF reader, the RF device comprising a magnetic signal detector configured to detect a magnetic field signal transmitted from the magnetic signal transmitter, the method comprising:

receiving, by the magnetic signal detector, the magnetic field signal modulated by the magnetic signal transmitter based on predetermined instruction information;

decoding, by the magnetic signal detector, the instruction information after receiving the magnetic field signal;

sending, by the RF device, based on the decoded instruction information, the corresponding RF information to the RF reader through an RF channel; and

exchanging, by the RF device with the RF reader, information through a radio frequency (RF) communication if an identification performed by the RF reader based on the RF information passes.

45. The communication method of claim 44, wherein the RF device includes an RF SIM card, the method further comprising:

if the RF SIM card and the RF reader are not within an effective communication range, having a first transceiver of the RF SIM card in a dormant state; and

if the RF SIM card and the RF card reader are within the effective communication range, converting a magnetic field signal into an electrical signal to activate the first transceiver module, wherein the magnetic signal is generated by a magnetic field generation module of the RF card reader and received by a magnetic induction module of the RF SIM card.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

determining whether to interrupt or wake up a first microcontroller in the RF SIM card based on whether an RF signal is detected; and

if the RF signal is detected, waking up the first microcontroller, activating the first transceiver module to enter a working state to thereby exchange data with a second transceiver module in the RF card reader, and sending the exchanged data to respective microcontrollers of the RF SIM card and the RF card reader for processing.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising adjusting an activation threshold of the first transceiver module to thereby select an effective communication range between the RF SIM card and the RF card reader.

48. The method of claim 45, further comprising disposing the RF SIM card in a mobile communication terminal, wherein the effective communication range between the RF SIM card and the RF card reader does not depend substantially on the mobile communication terminal.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein the first and second transceiver modules are configured to function in the super high frequency (SHF), very high frequency (VHF), or ultra high frequency (UHF) range.

50. The communication method of claim 44, further comprising authenticating at least one of the RF device and the RF reader through the magnetic field.

51. The communication method of claim 44, further comprising authenticating at least one of the RF device and the RF reader through both the magnetic field and the RF communication.

52. The communication method of claim 44, wherein said magnetic field is a non-alternating magnetic field.

53. The communication method of claim 44, wherein said magnetic field is a low-frequency alternating magnetic field.

54. The communication method of claim 53, wherein said low-frequency alternating magnetic field has a frequency of about 0.1 kHz-100 kHz.

55. The communication method of claim 53, wherein said low-frequency alternating magnetic field has a frequency of about 1 kHz-30 kHz.

56. The communication method of claim 53, wherein said low-frequency alternating magnetic field has a frequency of about 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 5 kHz, 10 kHz, 20 kHz, 30 kHz, or 50 kHz.

57. The communication method of claim 44, wherein said magnetic signal transmitter transmits an amplitude-variable magnetic field based on the preset instruction information.

58. The communication method of claim 44, wherein said magnetic field has a distribution that has little or no variation.

59. The communication method of claim 44, wherein said modulating comprises an on-off keying (OOK) or a time modulation scheme.

60. The communication method of claim 44, wherein said RF device is configured to send the decoded instruction information directly to said RF reader through the RF channel, and wherein said identification passes only if the instruction information received by the RF reader match the preset instruction information.

61. The communication method of claim 44, wherein said magnetic signal transmitter has a predetermined effective transmission range.

62. The communication method of claim 44, wherein said magnetic signal detector has a predetermined effective detection range.

63. The communication method of claim 44, wherein if said magnetic signal detector does not detect a magnetic field signal, other portions of said RF device are in a dormant state;

if said magnetic signal detector detects a magnetic field, said magnetic signal detector converts the detected magnetic field into an electrical signal, and activates the other portions of the RF device.

64. The communication method of claim 63, wherein said magnetic module has a predetermined threshold value for comparing with said converted electrical signal to determine whether to activate the other modules of the RF device.

65. The communication method of claim 64, wherein said threshold value is adjustable.

66. The communication method of claim 44,

wherein said controlling a communication range comprises determining whether the RF device is in a predetermined effective communication range of the RF reader on a low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal transmitted by the RF reader and detected by the RF device, wherein the low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal includes identification information of the RF reader,

the method further comprising authenticating at least one of the RF device and the RF reader.

67. The communication method of claim 66, wherein said determining comprises:

converting the low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal into an electrical signal; and

comparing the electrical signal with a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the predetermined threshold value is substantially the same for different mobile terminals having the RF device disposed therein.

68. The communication method of claim 66, wherein said authenticating comprises:

sending identification information of the RF device and the identification information of the RF reader received by the RF device from the RF device to the RF reader; and

comparing the identification information of the RF reader received by the RF reader with identification information stored at the RF reader,

wherein said performing a transaction is conducted only if said comparing yields a matching result.

69. The communication method of claim 68, further comprising forming a combination address using the identification information of the RF reader and the identification information of the RF apparatus, wherein the transaction is performed using the combination address.

70. The communication method of claim 66, wherein the low-frequency alternating magnetic field has a frequency selected such that at or below the frequency no calibration is required for different mobile terminals having the RF device installed therein.

71. The communication method of claim 70, wherein the frequency is below a system highest working frequency f0, below which no calibration is required for different mobile terminals having the RF device installed therein, and wherein f0 is determined by:

determining a system range control target (Din, Dv), wherein Din represents an effective communication range between a terminal having the RF device disposed therein and the RF reader, Dv represents a range of distance variation, wherein within a distance between 0 and Din the transaction is guaranteed, wherein within a distance between Din and Din+Dv the transaction can still be performed, wherein beyond a distance of Din+Dv the transaction is not allowed;

determining a detection signal variation range δ

_R at the RF device caused by the RF reader;

determining a detection signal variation range δ

_C at the RF device caused by the RF device itself;

measuring signal-distance curves for various typical types of terminals and obstacles under a testing frequency f;

determining a detection signal variation range δ

_A at the RF device based on the system range control target (Din, Dv), wherein δ

_A equals a signal difference between a first signal value and a second signal value, wherein the first signal value corresponds to Din on an average signal value-distance curve, wherein the average signal value-distance curve has an average field attenuation curve slope obtained from the signal value-distance curves for various typical types of terminals and obstacles, wherein the second signal value corresponds to (Din+Dv) on the average signal value-distance curve;

determining a detection signal variation range δ

_T at the RF device resulting from attenuation characteristics of the terminal, wherein δ

_T=δ

_A−

δ

_R−

δ

_C; and

calculating a largest field strength variation δ

at a plurality of locations for various typical terminals and obstacles and, if δ

>

δ

_T, then reducing the testing frequency f, and repeating the measuring step;

if δ

=δ

_T, then the present testing frequency f equals f0.

72. The communication method of claim 70, wherein the low-frequency alternating magnetic field is transmitted according to predetermined transmission parameters including the frequency, a modulation scheme, an encoding scheme, and a transmission magnetic field strength amplitude Br.

73. The communication method of claim 72, wherein said modulation scheme, encoding scheme, and Br are selected such that Vr/Vn>

SNR, wherein;

Vr is a detected signal at the RF device under a condition that the RF reader transmits the low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal with the selected modulation scheme and encoding scheme;

Vn is a noise level at the RF device under a condition that the RF reader does not transmit the low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal; and

SNR is a predetermined signal-to-noise ratio of the RF device.

74. The communication method of claim 73, wherein the encoding scheme does not introduce an average DC component.

75. The communication method of claim 74, wherein the modulation scheme does not introduce an amplitude variation or a carrier modulation scheme variation.

76. The communication method of claim 72, wherein said encoding scheme comprises one of a Manchester encoding, a differential Manchester encoding, and a return-to-zero encoding, and wherein said modulation scheme comprises one of an on-off keying (OOK), a phase-shift keying (PSK), and a frequency-shift keying (FSK).

77. The communication method of claim 71, further comprising determining a signal threshold value Vt for determining whether the RF device and the RF reader are in the predetermined effective communication range, wherein Vt is determined by:

measuring signal-distance curves for various typical terminals and obstacles;

obtaining a base signal-distance curve, which is a median of the signal-distance curves for the various typical terminals and obstacles and has a distance of δ

_T/2 to an upper limit and a lower limit of the signal-distance curves for the various typical terminals and obstacles; and

selecting a signal value corresponding to (Din+Dv/2) on the base signal-distance curve as Vt.

78. The communication method of claim 71, further comprising determining a signal threshold value Vt for determining whether the RF device and the RF reader are in the predetermined effective communication range, wherein Vt is determined by:

measuring signal-distance curves for various typical terminals and obstacles;

obtaining a base signal-distance curve, which is a median or average of the signal-distance curves for the various typical terminals and obstacles; and

selecting a signal value corresponding to (V5+V6)/2 on the base signal-distance curve as Vt,

wherein V5 is a voltage on the base signal-distance curve corresponding to Vin, and V6 is a voltage on the base signal-distance curve corresponding to Din+Dv.

79. The communication method of claim 44, wherein said low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal has a frequency in an ultralow frequency range of 300 Hz-3 kHz, a very low frequency range of 3 kHz-30 kHz, or a low frequency range of 30 kHz-300 kHz.

80. The communication method of claim 78, wherein said low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal has a frequency in a range of about 300 Hz-50 kHz.

81. The communication method of claim 79, wherein said low-frequency alternating magnetic field signal has a frequency of about 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 1.5 kHz, 2 kHz, 2.5 kHz, 3 kHz, 4 kHz, 5 kHz, 10 kHz, 20 kHz, or 30 kHz.