System and method for providing contactless payment with a near field communications attachment

• US 9,183,491 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capital One Services LLC (Capital One Financial Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Capital One Financial Corporation
• Inventors: Moreton, Paul Young, Poole, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US13/538,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20130095755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/557
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0727 the arrangement being a circuit facilitating integration of the record carrier with a hand-held device such as a smart phone of PDA
• 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 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system and method in accordance with exemplary embodiments may include an attachment with a near field communication antenna, a secure element, a plug capable of connecting the attachment to an audio jack on a mobile device. Further, a system and method in accordance with exemplary embodiments may include receiving a payment initiation instruction from a customer, using a near field communication antenna, sending payment information to a point of sale device, using one or more computer processors, encoding data related to the payment as audio data, and transmitting the data related to the payment through an audio jack.

Claims

1. A contactless attachment, comprising:

a secure element that securely stores an account number that is used to identify an account and is transmitted from the contactless attachment when processing a transaction initiated by an account holder using a mobile device;

a near field communication antenna connected to the secure element that transmits the account number to a transaction processing device when processing the transaction;

an input/output module that encodes information related to the transaction as transaction audio data and decodes transaction audio data, the audio input/output module receiving an account provisioning signal that includes the account number;

a plug that connects the contactless attachment to an audio jack on the mobile device, and facilitates transfer of power to the contactless attachment from the mobile device when the plug is connected to the audio jack on the mobile device;

an audio jack that receives an audio plug;

an audio transmission channel between the plug and the audio jack; and

a host controller interface operatively connected to the secure element, near field communication antenna, and input/output module, wherein the host controller interface controls certain operations of the contactless attachment, including enabling audio data other than the transaction audio data to pass through the contactless attachment via the audio transmission channel.

2. The contactless attachment of claim 1, wherein the secure element comprises at least one computer processor and at least one secure storage module.

3. The contactless attachment of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical switch to enable functionality of the contactless attachment.

4. The contactless attachment of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical button to enable functionality of the contactless attachment.

5. The contactless attachment of claim 1, wherein the host controller interface suspends transmission in the audio transmission channel while the near field communication antenna is in use.

6. A method for initializing an attachment, comprising the steps of:

receiving, via a network, a secure element provisioning signal including an account number from a trusted service manager, the secure element provisioning signal being used to initialize the attachment, wherein the attachment includes;

a secure element that securely stores the account number that is used to identify an account and is transmitted from the attachment when processing a transaction initiated by an account holder using a mobile device;

a near field communication antenna connected to the secure element that transmits the account number to a transaction processing device when processing the transaction;

an input/output module that encodes information related to the transaction as transaction audio data and decodes transaction audio data;

a plug that connects the attachment to an audio jack on the mobile device, and facilitates transfer of power to the attachment from the mobile device when the plug is connected to the audio jack on the mobile device;

an audio jack that receives an audio plug;

an audio transmission channel between the plug and the audio jack; and

a host controller interface operatively connected to the secure element, near field communication antenna, and input/output module, wherein the host controller interface controls certain operations of the attachment, including enabling audio data other than the transaction audio data to pass through the contactless attachment via the audio transmission channel;

using one or more computer processors, sending at least one provisioning instruction including the account number, formed as audio data, through the audio jack of the mobile device to the attachment;

decoding the provisioning instruction;

provisioning the attachment for use with the account by storing the account number in the secure element; and

binding the attachment to the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one provisioning instruction comprises data related to a financial account.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the provisioning comprises sending to the attachment information related to a plurality of credit accounts.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

the step of restricting software functionality on the mobile device if the attachment is disconnected from the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein binding the attachment to the mobile device further comprises binding that attachment to at least two mobile devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein binding the attachment to at least two mobile devices further comprises binding that attachment to at least two mobile devices selected from the group of cellular phones, personal computers, and home gaming systems.