Selectively switching antennas of transaction cards

• US 9,016,589 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Devicefidelity Incorporated
• Original Assignee: DeviceFidelity, Inc. (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jain, Deepak
• Primary Examiner(s): Savusdiphol, Paultep
• Application Number:
  US13/774,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20130292479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/379, 235/487, 235/497, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07707 the visual interface being a display, e.g. LCD or electronic ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07739 comprising a first part capable of functioning as a record carrier on its own and a second part being only functional as a form factor changing part, e.g. SIM cards type ID 0001, removably attached to a regular smart card form factor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07773 Antenna details antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22
• 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: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• 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 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3574 Multiple applications on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 : Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 : Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 : applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/32 : Specific management aspects for broadband networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 : using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 : for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 : by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/103 : using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/106 : using commercial credit or debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/12 : using calling, telephone credit/debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/14 : using commercial credit/debit cards, e.g. VISA, AMEX
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 : using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 : using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 : by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for selectively switching antennas of transaction cards. In some implementations, a method includes physically interfacing a card with a mobile host device including a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The card executes wireless financial transactions independent of the mobile host device. User credentials used to execute financial transactions with retail terminals are stored. Information is presented through the GUI of the mobile host device. An antenna of the card is selectively switched between an activate state and an inactive state in response to at least an event.

Claims

1. A card, comprising:

a physical interface that interfaces the card with a mobile host device including a Graphical User Interface (GUI), wherein the card executes wireless financial transactions independent of the mobile host device;

an antenna that wirelessly receives Radio Frequency (RF) signals from and transmits RF signals to retail terminals;

secure memory that stores user credentials used to execute the financial transactions with the retail terminals;

a user-interface module that presents and receives information through the GUI of the mobile host device;

an antenna control module that selectively switches the antenna between an activate state and an inactive state in response to at least an event, requests from the mobile host device, a hardware identifier or a network identifier while the antenna is in the inactive state, and, in response to failing to validate the hardware identifier or the network identifier, maintains the antenna in the inactive state.

2. The card of claim 1, wherein the physical interface comprises at least one of a SecureDigital (SD) interface, a miniSD interface, a microSD interface, a MMC interface, a miniMMC, a microMMC, a firewire or an iDock interface, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.

3. The card of claim 1, further comprising a Central Processing Unit (CPU) that identifies one or more rules associated with operational aspects of the card and automatically transmits a command to the antenna control function module to deactivate the antenna in response to at least a violation of the one or more rules.

4. The card of claim 3, wherein the one or more rules are based, at least in part, on identifying at least one of a network, a mobile host device, or a user.

5. The card of claim 3, wherein the one or more rules are based, at least in part, on a change in at least one of a phone number, a MAC address, or a location.

6. The card of claim 3, wherein the CPU automatically updates the one or more rules in response to at least a command received from the mobile host device.

7. The card of claim 3, wherein the one or more rules deactivates the antenna in response to at least removal of the card from the mobile host device.

8. The card of claim 3, the CPU further wirelessly transmits a notification to a financial institution indicating a violation of the one or more rules using cellular radio technology of the mobile host device.

9. The card of claim 8, wherein the cellular radio technology includes one of Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX).

10. The card of claim 1, further comprising an authentication module that authenticates at least one of a network of the mobile host device, the mobile host device, or a user.

11. The card of claim 10, wherein the antenna module deactivates the antenna in response to at least a failure to authenticate the at least one of the network of the mobile host device, the mobile host device, or the user.

12. The card of claim 1, further comprising an activation module that activates the card and transmits to the financial institution a request to activate an associated user account in response to at least a user request or an initial insertion into the mobile host device.

13. The card of claim 12, wherein the card is activated based, at least in part, on a user manually entering an activation code through the GUI of the mobile host device.

14. A method, comprising:

physically interfacing a card with a mobile host device including a Graphical User Interface (GUI), wherein the card executes wireless financial transactions independent of the mobile host device;

storing user credentials used to execute financial transactions with retail terminals;

presenting information through the GUI of the mobile host device;

selectively switching an antenna of the card between an activate state and an inactive state in response to at least a command received through the mobile host device;

requesting, from the mobile host device, a hardware identifier or a network identifier while the antenna is in the inactive state, and

in response to failing to validate the hardware identifier or the network identifier, maintaining the antenna in the inactive state.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the physical interface comprises at least one of a SD interface, a miniSD interface, a microSD interface, a MMC interface, a miniMMC, a microMMC, a firewire or an iDock interface, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying one or more rules associated with operational aspects of the card; and

automatically deactivating the antenna in response to at least a violation of the one or more rules.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more rules are based, at least in part, on identifying at least one of a network, a mobile host device, or a user.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more rules are based, at least in part, on a change in at least one of a phone number, a MAC address, or a location.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically updating the one or more rules in response to at least a command received from the mobile host device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more rules deactivates the antenna in response to at least removal of the card from the mobile host device.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising wirelessly transmitting a notification to a financial institution indicating a violation of the one or more rules using cellular radio technology of the mobile host device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the cellular radio technology includes one of GSM, CDMA, UMTS, or WiMAX.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising authenticating at least one of a network of the mobile host device, the mobile host device, or a user.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising deactivating the antenna in response to at least a failure to authenticate the at least one of the network of the mobile host device, the mobile host device, or the user.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

activating the card; and

transmitting to the financial institution a request to activate an associated user account in response to at least a user request or an initial insertion into the mobile host device.

26. The method of claim 14, activating the card based, at least in part, on a user manually entering an activation code through the GUI of the mobile host device.