Contactless communication with authorization by human contact

• US 8,718,552 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stmicroelectronics Rousset SAS (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: Stmicroelectronics Rousset SAS (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Wuidart, Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Blane J
• Application Number:
  US13/316,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20120149443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/84, 455/575.7, 455/556.1, 455/269
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches

Abstract

A transponder comprising a resonant circuit, comprising an antenna and a capacitor, and at least one memory connected to the resonant circuit via an intermediate circuit, characterized in that the intermediate circuit comprises at least one contact zone for receiving a portion of human body, so that the positioning of a portion of human body on a contact zone modifies the intermediate circuit, capable of switching from a first state in which it does not allow the memory to be read and/or written to a second state in which it allows the memory to be read and/or written when the resonant circuit of the transponder is contactlessly powered by a reader.

Claims

1. A transponder comprising:

a resonant circuit that includes an antenna and a capacitor;

a memory; and

an intermediate circuit that includes a contact zone configured to be contacted by a portion of human body, the intermediate circuit being configured to switch from a first state, in which the intermediate circuit does not allow the memory to be accessed, to a second state in which the intermediate circuit allows the memory to be accessed when the resonant circuit of the transponder is contactlessly powered by a reader, the intermediate circuit including;

an intermediate terminal coupled to the contact zone and configured such that the positioning of the portion of human body on the contact zone changes a voltage of the intermediate terminal; and

a flip-flop coupled to the intermediate terminal and configured to switch an output value in response to the portion of human body contacting the contact zone.

2. A transponder according to the claim 1, wherein the resonant circuit is configured to be powered contactlessly around a resonance frequency that remains the same in both states of the intermediate circuit.

3. A transponder according to claim 2, wherein the resonant circuit is configured to resonate and induce a voltage difference between a high terminal and a low terminal when the transponder is contactlessly powered by a reader, in both states of the intermediate circuit.

4. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein the contact zone includes a contact pad on which the positioning of a portion of human body has a capacitive effect, or includes two adjacent contact pads on which the positioning of a portion of human body has a resistive effect.

5. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate circuit is configured to switch from the first state to the second state in response to a the portion of human body being placed on the contact zone.

6. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate circuit includes a switch configured to pass from an open to a closed position or vice versa by the positioning of the portion of human body on the contact zone.

7. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate circuit includes a capacitor coupled by a return pathway from an output of the flip-flop and configured to maintain its charge after the portion of human body is removed from the contact zone.

8. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate circuit includes an indicator configured to display that the transponder is contactlessly powered by a reader and/or to display that positioning of the portion of human body on the contact zone has been or is taken into account.

9. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein the transponder is a contactless or dual integrated circuit card.

10. A transponder comprising:

a resonant circuit that includes an antenna and a capacitor;

a memory and

an intermediate circuit that includes a contact zone configured to be contacted by a portion of human body, the intermediate circuit being configured to switch from a first state, in which the intermediate circuit does not allow the memory to be accessed, to a second state in which the intermediate circuit allows the memory to be accessed when the resonant circuit of the transponder is contactlessly powered by a reader, the intermediate circuit including;

a photodiode configured to light up when the resonant circuit of the transponder is contactlessly powered by a reader, the intermediate circuit being configured to switch from the first state to the second state in response to positioning of the portion of human body on the contact zone, if there is sufficient power to light up the photodiode.

11. A transponder according to the claim 10, wherein the intermediate circuit includes:

an intermediate terminal coupled to the contact zone and configured such that the positioning of the portion of human body on the contact zone changes a voltage of the intermediate terminal; and

a flip-flop coupled to the intermediate terminal and configured to switch an output value in response to the portion of human body contacting the contact zone.

12. A telephone, comprising:

a transponder that includes;

a resonant circuit that includes an antenna and a capacitor;

a memory; and

an intermediate circuit that includes a contact zone configured to be contacted by a portion of human body, the intermediate circuit being configured to switch from a first state, in which the intermediate circuit does not allow the memory to be accessed, to a second state in which the intermediate circuit allows the memory to be accessed when the resonant circuit of the transponder is contactlessly powered by a reader, the intermediate circuit including;

an intermediate terminal coupled to the contact zone and configured such that the positioning of the portion of human body on the contact zone changes voltage of the intermediate terminal; and

a flip-flop coupled to the intermediate terminal and configured to switch an output value in response to the portion of human body contacting the contact zone.

13. A telephone according to the claim 12, wherein the resonant circuit is configured to be powered contactlessly around a resonance frequency that remains the same in both states of the intermediate circuit.

14. A telephone according to the claim 12, wherein the intermediate circuit is configured to switch from the first state to the second state in response to the portion of human body being placed on the contact zone.

15. A telephone according to the claim 12, wherein the intermediate circuit includes a switch configured to pass from an open to a closed position or vice versa by the positioning of the portion of human body on the contact zone.

16. A system, comprising:

a reader configured to oscillate at a resonance frequency; and

a transponder that includes;

a resonant circuit that includes an antenna and a capacitor, the resonant circuit having a resonance frequency substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reader;

a memory; and

an intermediate circuit that includes a contact zone configured to be contacted by a portion of human body, the intermediate circuit being configured to switch from a first state, in which the intermediate circuit does not allow the memory to be accessed, to a second state in which the intermediate circuit allows the memory to be accessed when the resonant circuit of the transponder is contactlessly powered by a reader, the intermediate circuit including;

an intermediate terminal coupled to the contact zone and configured such that the positioning of the portion of human body on the contact zone changes a voltage of the intermediate terminal; and

a flip-flop coupled to the intermediate terminal and configured to switch an output value in response to the portion of human body contacting the contact zone.

17. A system according to the claim 16, wherein the resonant circuit is configured to be powered contactlessly around the resonance frequency that remains the same in both states of the intermediate circuit.

18. A system according to the claim 16, wherein the intermediate circuit is configured to switch from the first state to the second state in response to the portion of human body being placed on the contact zone.

19. A system according to the claim 16, wherein the intermediate circuit includes a switch configured to pass from an open to a closed position or vice versa by the positioning of the portion of human body on the contact zone.