Secure credit card with near field communications

• US 8,840,030 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2006
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Kelley, Edward E., Motika, Franco
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Thien T
• Application Number:
  US11/462,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20060266822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,969 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/492, 235/382, 235/383, 235/382.5, 235/375, 235/379, 235/384, 710/62, 380/46, 705/51, 705/64, 713/172
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10237 the reader and the record carrier being capable of selectively switching between reader and record carrier appearance, e.g. in near field communication [NFC] devices where the NFC device may function as an RFID reader or as an RFID tag
• 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: G06Q 20/2295 Parent-child type, e.g. where parent has control on child rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3415 Cards acting autonomously as pay-media
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4093 Monitoring of device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A near field communication device included in a secure transaction card provides an addition and/or transitional communication link for communicating secure transaction information. The near field communication device may be selectively engaged or disengaged and, when engaged, either active or passive modes of operation of the near field communication device can be selected. in the active mode, secure transaction information is transmitted upon establishment of a communication link with a complementary near field communication device. In the passive mode, secure transaction information is transmitted upon interrogation from a complementary near field communication device. Secure transaction information is generated and stored for transmission in a memory and at least a portion of the memory is erased or nulled upon transmission or upon expiration of a selected period of time.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising, in combination:

a near field communication device for transmitting information by inductive electromagnetic coupling over a range of ten centimeters at a radio frequency and having automatic peer-to-peer network setup without requiring establishment of device configuration when engaged and selectively operable in an active or passive mode, said near field communication device including storage means for storing information to be returned upon interrogation thereof;

means for generating identification information for storage in said storage means or transmission by said near field communication device upon activation of said apparatus,

and

means for nulling a portion of said storage means containing said identification information upon expiration of a selected period of time subsequent to said activation of said apparatus.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, including the further step of

indicating when said transmission of said secure transaction data has occurred.

12. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising

means for generating secure transaction information and storing said secure transaction information in a portion of said storage means upon engagement of said near field communication device;

wherein said means for nulling a portion of said memory provides nulling of a portion of said memory including said secure transaction information.

2. A method of communicating secure transaction information, said method comprising steps of

engaging a near field communication device for transmitting information by inductive electromagnetic coupling over a range of ten centimeters at a radio frequency and automatic peer-to-peer network setup without requiring establishment of device configuration and selectively operable in an active or passive mode in a secure transaction card,

upon engagement of said near field communication device, generating secure transaction information,

storing said secure transaction information in a memory of said near field communication device for transmission by said near field communication device, and

nulling a portion of said memory upon transmission of said secure transaction information or upon expiration of a selected period of time subsequent to said engagement of said near field communication device.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, including the further step of selecting between active and passive modes of operation of said near field communication device.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein, upon selection of an active mode of operation of said near field communication device, transmitting said secure transaction information from said near field communication device upon establishing a communication link to a complementary near field communication device.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein, upon selection of an passive mode of operation of said near field communication device, transmitting said secure transaction information from said near field communication device upon interrogation from a complementary near field communication device.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, including the further step of altering said selected period of time.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, including the further steps of

generating and storing further secure transaction information,

resetting said selected period of time, and

nulling a portion of said memory upon transmission of said secure transaction information or upon expiration of said reset selected period of time.

8. A method as recited in claim 5, including the further steps of

generating and storing further secure transaction information,

resetting said selected period of time, and

nulling a portion of said memory upon transmission of said secure transaction information or upon expiration of said reset selected period of time.

10. A method as recited in claim 2, including the further steps of

disengaging said near field communication device, and

communicating said secure transaction information other than through said near field communication device.

11. A method as recited in claim 2, including the further step of

installing a near field communication device in a card reader.