Software emulation of contactless smart card behaviour within a portable contactless reader device

• US 9,058,602 B1
• Filed: 12/10/2014
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Monk, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US14/566,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20150161584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 188 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0457 the tickets being sent electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00

Abstract

A handheld transit fare device is provided. The transit fare device includes an NFC interface configured to send and receive data, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive, via the interface, a list of transactions from a host device using standard smart card protocol commands and reply structures. The list of transactions includes identifiers of fare access media used to gain access to a transit vehicle. The processor is configured to store the list of transactions on the memory and to provide a first indication that the list of transactions has been received. The processor is configured to receive, via the interface, an identifier from a fare access media on the transit vehicle, determine whether the identifier from the fare access media matches one of the identifiers from the list of transactions, and provide a second indication that provides a result of the determination.

Claims

1. A handheld transit fare device, the device comprising:

a near field communication (NFC) interface configured to send and receive data;

a memory; and

a processor configured to;

receive, via the NFC interface of the handheld transit fare device, a list of transactions from a host device, wherein the list of transactions comprises a plurality of identifiers of a plurality of fare access media used to gain access to a transit vehicle;

store the list of transactions on the memory;

provide a first indication that the list of transactions has been received;

receive, via the NFC interface of the handheld transit fare device, an identifier from a fare access media on the transit vehicle;

determine whether the identifier from the fare access media matches one of the plurality of identifiers from the list of transactions; and

provide a second indication, the second indication providing a result of the determination.

2. The handheld transit fare device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

communicate information to a second handheld transit fare device using the NFC interface, wherein the information comprises the result of the determination.

3. The handheld transit fare device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

communicate information to the host device using the NFC interface, wherein the information comprises the result of the determination.

4. The handheld transit fare device according to claim 1, wherein:

the fare access media comprises a limited number of uses, and wherein the method further comprises communicating a third indication that the fare access media was used to gain access to the transit vehicle to a central server using Wi-Fi or a cellular communication network.

5. The handheld transit fare device according to claim 1, wherein:

the host device is located on a transit vehicle.

6. The handheld transit fare device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display or a speaker, wherein the first indication and the second indication comprise one or more of an audio indication or a visual indication.

7. The handheld transit fare device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause a receipt or citation to be printed based on the status of the determination.

8. A method for emulating a smartcard on a handheld transit fare device, the method comprising:

receiving, via a near field communication (NFC) interface of the handheld transit fare device, a list of transactions from a host device, wherein the list of transactions is communicated using standard smart card protocol commands and replies, the list of transactions comprising a plurality of identifiers of a plurality of fare access media used to gain access to a transit vehicle;

storing the list of transactions on a memory of the handheld transit fare device;

providing a first indication that the list of transactions has been received;

receiving, via the NFC interface of the handheld transit fare device, an identifier from a fare access media on the transit vehicle;

determining whether the identifier from the fare access media matches one of the plurality of identifiers from the list of transactions; and

providing a second indication, the second indication providing a result of the determination.

9. The method for emulating a smartcard on a handheld transit fare device according to claim 8, further comprising:

communicating information to a second handheld transit fare device using the NFC interface, wherein the information comprises the result of the determination.

10. The method for emulating a smartcard on a handheld transit fare device according to claim 8, further comprising:

communicating information to the host device using the NFC interface, wherein the information comprises the result of the determination.

11. The method for emulating a smartcard on a handheld transit fare device according to claim 8, wherein:

the host device is located on a transit vehicle.

12. The method for emulating a smartcard on a handheld transit fare device according to claim 8, wherein:

the first indication and the second indication comprise one or more of an audio indication or a visual indication.

13. The method for emulating a smartcard on a handheld transit fare device according to claim 8, further comprising:

causing a receipt or citation to be printed based on the result of the determination.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for emulating a smartcard on a handheld transit fare device, the instructions comprising computer code for causing a computing device to:

receive, via a near field communication (NFC) interface of the handheld transit fare device, a list of transactions from a host device, wherein the list of transactions comprises a plurality of identifiers of a plurality of fare access media used to gain access to a transit vehicle;

store the list of transactions on a memory of the handheld transit fare device;

provide a first indication that the list of transactions has been received;

receive, via the NFC interface of the handheld transit fare device, an identifier from a fare access media on the transit vehicle;

determine whether the identifier from the fare access media matches one of the plurality of identifiers from the list of transactions; and

provide a second indication, the second indication providing a result of the determination.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions for causing the computing device to:

communicate information to a second handheld transit fare device using the NFC interface, wherein the information comprises the result of the determination.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions for causing the computing device to:

communicate information to the host device using the NFC interface, wherein the information comprises the result of the determination.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein:

the fare access media comprises a limited number of uses, and wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises instructions for causing the computing device to communicate a third indication that the fare access media was used to gain access to the transit vehicle to a central server using Wi-Fi or a cellular communication network.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein:

the host device is located on a transit vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein:

the first indication and the second indication comprise one or more of an audio indication or a visual indication.