Mobile payment device with small inductive device powered by a host device

• US 8,814,053 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2012
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Icashe Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tyfone Incorporated
• Inventors: Narendra, Siva G., Chakraborty, Saurav, Tadepalli, Prabhakar
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUDORF, LAURA A
• Application Number:
  US13/657,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20130043317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/492, 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 710/301
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07769 the further communication means being a galvanic interface, e.g. hybrid or mixed smart cards having a contact and a non-contact interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

A memory card compatible RFID card includes a smartcard controller that receives power from a host device. The RFID card also includes a small inductive device capable of inductive coupling with an RFID reader. The small inductive device is small enough to fit in the form factor of a memory card. Commands may be sent to the RFID card to keep the RFID card powered.

Claims

1. A mobile payment device comprising:

a small inductive device having a coil to inductively couple with an interrogating radio frequency field transmitted by a mobile payment reader;

a dual interface smartcard controller having an antenna port coupled to the coil, the dual interface smartcard controller further coupled to receive power from other than the antenna port;

a memory card controller coupled to communicate with the dual interface smartcard controller; and

a memory card compatible circuit board upon which the small inductive device, the dual interface smartcard controller, and the memory card controller are mounted.

2. The mobile payment device of claim 1 further comprising metallic contacts compatible with a memory card slot in a host device.

3. The mobile payment device of claim 1 wherein the dual interface smartcard controller is coupled to the metallic contacts to receive power from the host device.

4. The mobile payment device of claim 1 wherein the dual interface smartcard controller is coupled to receive power from the memory card controller.

5. The mobile payment device of claim 1 wherein the mobile payment device conforms to memory card size requirements of one of:

Secure Digital (SD) cards, mini SD cards, and micro SD cards.

6. The mobile payment device of claim 5 further comprising nonvolatile memory coupled to the memory card controller.

7. The mobile payment device of claim 1 wherein the dual interface smartcard controller is operable to reflect signals received at substantially 13.56 MHz.